HC EMERSON PHOTOBLOG

Hey nail polish lovers! Want to find fun ways to spice up your everyday look? Look no further than this monthly photoblog, where my nail-polish-addiction-enabling friend Jen and I take you step-by-step through easy and unique technique that will really make your nails pop.

Galaxy Nails!

Here’s What You’ll Need:

1. Base coat
2. Glossy top coat
3. Dark base color nail polish (black or navy)
4. 4 to 6 assorted “galaxy”-esque colors with some shimmer to them (blues, purples, yellows, reds, greens, and iridescent colors are all great)
5. Foam make-up wedges
6. Chunky glitter nail polish (optional)

Step One: Apply base coat

C’mon, you know the drill. Base coat is vital to a girl who does her nails with any sort of frequency, both for nail health and polish longevity. Just trust us on this one, okay? You’ll thank us in the long run.

Step Two: Apply base color

Black and super-dark blues and purples work best for this. You want an inky night sky upon which to create your galaxy masterpiece. Two coats should do it, then wait until the polish hasdried completely before moving on to the next step.

Step Three: Apply first sparkle color to a wedge

You don’t have to coat the whole surface, just a small section will do. Consider how prominently you want that color to be featured on your nails and brush on the appropriate amount accordingly. So, if you want a whole lotta purple, coat liberally. But if you’d just like a subtle iridescent shimmer, a couple swipes will do.

Step Four: Sponge shimmer color onto the surface of your nails

You don’t need a whole lot of pressure, just apply as you see fit. Galaxy nails are in the eye of the beholder, so experiment by sponging on different colors and consistencies. Because I stuck with darker shimmer colors, my nails turned out a little more Northern Lights, but Jen went all out bold with hers and got a gorgeous galactic swirl!

Step Five: Repeat steps as necessary -- you’re well on your way to galaxy nails!

You don’t have to do the same thing on every nail. Change it up so each one’s a unique piece of art. That’s the fun of galaxy nails, no two are exactly alike. You can wait for each layer to dry entirely before adding another, but sometimes getting a couple colors to smear into one another is fun too. I know the immediate result of these nails is kind of messy and everywhere, but if you have some cotton swabs and nail polish remover handy, it’s a pretty simple dip-and-rub clean-up process. If not, whatever color clings to your skin will easily come off after a few hand-washes.

Step Six: Allow time to dry

This is super important. You’re basically piling on a bunch of layers at once to achieve this effect, so once you’re done messing around, let them set. I’d suggest keeping away from jeggings and boots for at least half an hour to forty five minutes after this little project. I didn’t (my nails and my social life often conflict with one another) and suffered for it.

Step Seven: Apply top coat

Like I said, Jen went all out with some killer silver glitter top coat. I stuck with a nice gloss, which is recommended for this particular manicure over the matte alternative. This is a style you want to let shine. Either way, top coat is essential for long-lasting nail polish. Don’t skip this step -- you’ll regret it when the galaxies you labored to create begin to chip away after a couple days.

Happy painting!

Jen and Andrea

At Emerson there are three major dance companies, all of which are completely unique and apply different intents for the dance community.
Emerson Dance Company is the largest student run organization at Emerson. The company welcomes both beginner dancers and advanced, and everything in between! They put on one showcase a semester and the genres range from jazz to hip-hop to contemporary to Irish step.

Emerson Urban Dance Theatre is an independent dance company founded by Emerson alum Michael Love (2010) and comprised of Emerson students who are passionate about the use of hip-hop/ street jazz, rhythm tap, and related dance styles as dynamic narrative tools. They also put on one showcase a semester.

Emerge is an up and coming group that believes in tapping into Emerson’s diverse and talented student population to explore and synthesize their numerous mediums of expression. Coupling improvisational dance choreography with the talent of aspiring actors, filmmakers and musicians, EMERGE Danceworks is committed to providing unique and exciting entertainment showcasing collaboration between multiple art forms.

These photos are from improvisational sessions of an Emerson Dance Company rehearsal, as well as an Emerge rehearsal.

For more information on this semesters upcoming showcases, dates, and tickets please click these links!

EUDT: http://www.facebook.com/events/114895728624626/ (Show date: December 3rd, 2011)

EDC: Email edc.prez@gmail.com for information on EDC's upcoming (Show date: December 10th, 2011)

Emerge: Email Ashli_Bickford@emerson.edu (Show date: December 11th, 2011)