The Digit-al Dozen Does Black: The Mani The Nearly Didn't Happen

TGIF! I can not even begin to tell you how happy I am that I finally managed to get a mani for today's post. This mani took me four attempts and three different bottles of matte top coat. Why I hear you ask? Well let me break it down for you.

Mani attempt number one: I had to do two attempts at applying Emily de Molly's Black Sheer Tint because it didn't look even across all of my nails (some looked a lot darker than the others). Then I had a nice glossy photo but it did not photograph well at all. That's ok, add a matte top coat. I added OPI's Matte Top Coat and I ended up with white bits all over my nails.

Mani attempt number two: basically it was a repeat of the above (minus the issues with the tint) but with a terrible french tips. Ahh! Complain to Margaret (@loveslacquer on Instagram - definitely check her out if you haven't) about the matte top coat and she suggested using the Sally Hansen Big Matte. Awesome, a trip to the shops for me. Two stores were sold out of it but luckily I found one in the third store.

Mani attempt number three: Apply the base, stamping and french tips nicely an apply the Sally Hansen Big Matte and OMG! Pure white stripes all over my nails. I've tried it a few times on different things at different days with different weather temperatures. I think I have a faulty bottle. Decide I am going to quit and not have a mani for today.

Final mani attempt: After I got over my frustration of the whole matte top coat issues I started to try and think of some other ideas for a mani for today, but honestly I kept coming back to my original idea. Luckily for me I remembered that I still had Powder Perfect's Matte Top Coat so I grabbed that and hoped that this would be the last time at doing this mani. Well it worked! I couldn't be happier.

For my base I used Emily de Molly's Black Sheer Tint, then I stamped the image from Lina Nail Art Supplies Feeling Shapely 06 stamping plate with Powder Perfect's Black Stamping Polish. I freehanded the french tips using Pretty Serious Cosmetics Absence and then topped it all with Powder Perfect's Matte Top Coat.