The Monster: A Nail Tutorial

If you've ever wanted to put designs on your nails but find it intimidating or too difficult then you're approaching this all wrong. Designs that might look difficult are actually really easy to achieve. You don't need the expensive gear either. If you know how to improvise and use what you have, you can accomplish a lot. Also, make sure you grow your nails just past your fingertips so you have a bigger base to paint on.

Anyway, for this nail tutorial, you'll need:

• 3 different nail polish colours
• clear nail polish
• a hair pin that's been split open
• post-it notes (at least 2)
• a pair of scissors
• a lot of patience!

Yes, I understand that the post-it note is pretty random but, trust me, it will make sense later on.

1. Choose one colour to be the base colour of your nails or colour them each a different colour - it's your choice. I've chosen neon pink.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Once the base colour/s is/are dry, take a post-it note and cut off the sticky bit at the top - you need this. Cut it into five pieces and make sure they are longer than your nails. Cut up another post-it note if you don't have enough. Then, stick them onto your nails so that half of the nail is covered. Make sure there are no air spaces or gaps where the paint can flow through. Don't throw away the rest of the post-it note yet!
   
3. With you second colour, paint half of your nail - I've chosen purple. When the paint is nearly dry, carefully remove the post-it note pieces (if you leave them to dry, the colour might crack when you take off the post-it note). This should leave you with nails that are two different colours. Leave the nails to then dry completely.
   
4. Draw a line across the top of your nails like a French tip. If you don't have a steady hand, repeat step 2 but, this time, make sure the pieces are wider than your nails. Then, stick them just below the tip of your nails.
5. With the third colour, paint the top of your nails. Again, when it's nearly dry, remove the post-it note piece. (refer to image above)
6. To make the dots, put a bit of nail polish onto one of the post-it notes that you cut off. With the tip of the hairpin, carefully dip it into the polish and apply it to the nail. One dot goes on the point where the three colours meet; the others goes directly below it. You should do this quite quickly if you're using a quick-dry polish so it doesn't dry on the paper.
   
7. Cover everything with a clear nail polish.

I'd love to see the results if anyone else tries this design. Email pictures, if you want to, to amazingalexandthemonster@gmail.com

Note: I really don't like that auto-correct keeps correcting "colour" to "color." Please, acknowledge the fact that I am British...

My blog:

thatpurplemonster.blogspot.co.uk

My email:

pauline.subong@gmail.com

My twitter:

www.twitter.com/thatpurmonster

Amazing Alex: Get Ready With Me- Summer Date Night

I hope every one's summer is going fabulous! I'm sure we've all been spending some quality time with a special someone. I decided to do a post on getting ready for a summer date night. It's going to be something similar to a "Get Ready With Me" video on YouTube except in word form! Enjoy! :)

Date Night Ideas
I wanted to incorporate this because it's just what I would be doing on a summer date with my friends.

A Movie- this is so easy! A movie with you, your boyfriend, and of course your group of friends. I recently saw Monsters Inc. University with some friends and it was amazing!

Mini Golf- Who doesn't love mini golf? Have a little bet with your boyfriend, whoever loses has to buy ice cream afterwards, or you could always go for the "whoever loses has to give the other person a kiss," I am so willing to try this!

A Bike Ride- Perfect! It's an exercise and romantic! This is the perfect opportunity to just talk and check out the scenery. Go to a local dairy and get some ice cream for your hard work. (Every time I think of a romantic bike ride, I think of "Begin Again" by Taylor Swift.)

The best part about these date ideas is that you can incorporate friends and of course wear an adorable outfit!

Hair

I'm going to let it air dry and then place some heat protecting spray by Aussie in it and just straighten it. 

Makeup
It's summer, so I like to keep things pretty natural.

Face:

First I apply a moisturizer. I use one from Neutrogena. I think that's a very good brand for acne prone skin. I don't use a primer because the moisturizer works very well.

For a foundation, I like to go with something very light. I don't want anything to heavy on my face. I used the Covergirl Natureluxe Foundation. Usually, I would go with the skin clearing foundation from Neutrogena, but in this case I wanted to keep it super light.

For a concealer, I use one from Covergirl. And set everything with a powder, again with a powder from Covergirl.

For blush, I use an Ecotools brush and apply Physician's Formula's Natural color onto my cheek bones.

Eyes:
I would like to use a light shadow on my eyes. I use one from Bareminerals in the shade "Daydream." The other color in the duo is called "Wanderlust." I use a very, very minimal amount on my outer corner. I do NOT put it in my crease because I find it makes me look like a raccoon.

For mascara, I like to use the one by Natureluxe. I think it's amazing. It separates my lashes and makes them a bit longer. I think it's perfect. It's super natural.

Lips:
I'm sure we would all love to go out with the red lips or the glossy pink color. I on the other hand just go with a simply EOS lip balm in a vanilla scent. I was reading different articles and what not and I came across something that stated that I should not wear something like a sticky gloss or bight lip color in case you're going to get a kiss. (Guys don't like that, but who would blame them?)

Outfit
I love more of a casual look. 

On those colder summer nights I like to wear light cardigans. I wore a white camisole from Aeropostale and a grey and red striped cardigan. I wore a belt for Aeropostale and shorts from American Eagle Outfitters. These are my favorite shorts ever. They're comfortable and they're not super short that they're showing half of your behind! They're perfect! As for shoes, I'm wearing some sandals that I borrowed from my sister. I believe they're from Kohls. 

Purse Essentials

I decided on a summer date it would be perfect to wear a cross body bag. This way, my hands can be free to participate in the activity. Even if my hands aren't required, it still is super cute for summer! I chose a coach bag that I got for my birthday a few years back. 

Some essentials I would carry in my purse include my cell phone (obviously), my wallet with some cash, I would recommend approximately $25. (I have a sister, who is my best friend, she likes to hangout with my friends, which is no problem. My friends love her and what not, so I bring a bit more just for her.) those are the obvious things that anyone would bring. I would also bring a small compact mirror, a Chapstick (EOS Vanilla), Oil Absorbing Sheets, and anything else you would like. That's about it for me. 

Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed this post. I had a lot of fun doing it. I'm super excited to go on a summer date now.

Xoxo,

Alex :)


My Blog: http://allaboutamazingalex.blogspot.com/
My Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/amazingAlex13
My Email: amazingalex1313@gmail.com
Our Email: amazingalexandthemonster@gmail.com

The Monster: Nail It

Every fashionista knows that fashion doesn't stop at the clothes. The little details do count and, sometimes, they're the things that either make or break a whole outfit. One little detail in particular are your nails. They add that small touch of "whoa" to an outfit when the right colour is worn.

Now, this doesn't mean that you should run into the stores and grab every colour of nail polish to ever exist. But, you should have the "essential" ones: (that is my Sesame Street poster in the background)

• BLACK and WHITE- the first two colours that any person should buy and should never run out on. Why? Black goes with pretty much any dark coloured outfit whilst white goes with any light coloured outfit. Whenever you run out of the colour you wanted to wear, make sure you have these two on reserve. 
• YOUR WARDROBE - before starting any nail polish collection, make sure that you get the right colours. Look in your wardrobe and see which colours you have the most and which outfits you are likely to wear the most. There's no point in buying an orange nail polish if there's nothing orange in your wardrobe. It's a waste of money AND polish - those things don't last forever. Most of the colours in my nail polish collection is a shade of purple or red.
• THE QUICK-DRY - we all know that some nail polishes take a really long time to dry but you can also buy quick-dry ones. I never buy a bottle of nail polish unless it says quick-dry on it. I hate not being able to do anything for an hour. 
• A TOP COAT/CLEAR POLISH - without a top coat, your nail polish will crack off at some point. If you're planning on wearing a certain colour for more than a day then you should always have a bottle of clear nail polish. I don't know how this is made but I do know that it preserves your nail colour and stops it from chipping - really helpful if you're the type of person who draws on their nails. Also, as an added bonus, they make your nails shine.

If you don't have any of these in your nail polish collection then go get them now!

Amazing Alex: Must Haves In Your Closet

Hi everyone,

Today I decided I would do a quick little post on some essentials that you should keep in your closet. Fashion doesn't have to always be the fun, bright colors. They can be those simple little pieces too! They can easily be dressed up or dressed down for the proper occasion with accessories!

Every girl needs camisoles! I recommend having a white one and a black one. These are perfect to wear under sweaters. I love wearing cute sweaters with them. This simply dresses up the cami, but then again you can dress it down.

Along with camisoles, I would highly recommend having plain t-shirts. Black and white are two I would personally recommend. It's great to have other solid color ones as well. You can do some color blocking with a scarf. For example, a simple white v-neck can be paired with a pink scarf to make the shirt pop a little more.


Every girl should have a pair of skinny jeans for those nights out with your girlfriends! They're perfect to took into some boots and just throw a cute sweater over it.


As for shoes, I feel like everyone should have a pair of black flats. These look super cute with skinny jeans in my opinion. I know they have some cute and affordable ones at Target and Payless.

Having these essentials allows you to purchase some of those statement pieces and what not making your outfit look effortlessly hot (in my opinion.)


Target is the perfect place to pick up some of the essentials! Have fun mixing and matching!


Xoxo,

Alex :)


My Blog: http://allaboutamazingalex.blogspot.com/

My Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/amazingAlex13

For Questions & Requests: http://www.ask.fm/amazingalex13

Amazing Alex: My Top 5 Summer Essentials

Hi everyone! I am back with another post based on my top 5 summer essentials. There are some things that I just can't live without when it comes to Summer. I have a combination of beauty products, clothing pieces, and of course that special drink that keeps us cool (besides water!)

5. Cute bathing suits!
Monday through Friday from 12:00-3:30, I spend my day at the pool. I love, love, love cute bikinis. As you can see from the picture above, my favorite one if the aqua green kind of color with the neon yellow. I love the way the colors make the other one pop. JC Penny

My black one is more of a basic. Target

I also love TJ Max for bathing suits. They have some really cute ones, if you're still looking for some bathing suits for this summer.


4. Summery nail polish!
Pinks, oranges, etc. These colors look amazing in the summer time. Bright colors make an outfit complete in my opinion. I'm sure you've heard of Dainty Sprinkles. (She did this post as well.) She inspired me to start matching my jewelry with my nail color. I love the idea and I do it really often now. It's another great way to make your nails pop.


3. Starbucks! 
I can't let without Starbucks. (I actually still have a gift card I still have to use.) I usually get the Vanilla Bean Creme Frapuccino.
Check it out here!

I'm looking for some new things to try at Starbucks. If you have anything that's worth trying, please let me know. I've been eyeing something with some cookie in it.


2. Sunglasses
It gets super sunny (and hot) where I live. Sunglasses are an essential for me, I can't live without them. I'm sure you've seen a ton of pictures of me with them on since its summer!


1. My phone with AMAZING MUSIC! 
Music is a must have for me. I love the effects it has on me. Here are some of the tunes I've been loving this summer.

• Love In America by JTX Spotify
• Cruise- Remix by Florida Georgia Line & Nelly
• Release You by Megan and Liz
• The Other Side by Jason Derulo
• I Love It by Icona Pop
• Bad Boys by Victoria Justice

There are a ton of other jams that I have been loving, but this about it for now!

I hope you enjoyed this post. Feel free to let me know some of your summer essentials and the tunes that you have been jamming out to this hot summer! Thanks for reading!


Xoxo,

Alex :)

My Blog: http://allaboutamazingalex.blogspot.com
My Email: amazingalex1313@gmail.com
Our Email: amazingalexandthemonster@gmail.com

The Monster: Keeping Things Simple

Looking good doesn't necessarily mean wearing as many colours or shapes as you can. I like to keep the amount of colour on me to a minimum and, if you're the kind of person that wants to avoid looking like a walking rainbow, then keep on reading.

I have two guidelines when it comes to deciding what to wear: 

1. If the top has more than four colours, the bottom should only be one colour. Basically, if you're wearing something with a colourful pattern or design, wear trousers, shorts or a skirt that is only one colour. It stops you from becoming too colourful and adds balance to your outfit. Since I had prom this week, I spent my time in a dress and from then on, I've just been in pyjamas. This means that, unfortunately, I have no picture to show you what I mean but I think you get the idea.
2. Wear two main colours and then add an accent colour. This is usually used for interior design but no one ever said you can't apply it to clothes. For me, one of the main colours has to be black since black goes with everything. This is also a simple and easy way to be edgy and stand out. With this guideline, less is definitely more. Here's a sneaky selfie from the changing rooms in Debenhams last Saturday (where I changed my tights) to show you what I mean:

With this outfit, the two main colours are black and white (my watch is also black and white) with a red accent. And, if you're wondering, my top says "I'm too hip to hop" in a speech bubble with a rabbit underneath it.

I didn't get these little guidelines from some website or anything like that. I just thought of them myself. They've been working well so far and if I think of any more, I'll be sure to share them with you.

Other stuff

I had my prom last Tuesday so if you'd like to see what I was wearing and what everyone else was wearing click here. 

My blog: thatpurplemonster.blogspot.co.uk

Our email: amazingalexandthemonster@gmail.com

My email: pauline.subong@gmail.com

My twitter: twitter.com/thatpurmonster

Amazing Alex: My Style

Welcome to my first post on my collaboration blog with Pauline. I am super excited to be sharing this with you- my style!

My style consists of anything and everything. I'm always willing to try different styles. I can be your country cowgirl, or your girl looking like she's a fashionista in New York City (a girl can dream.)

This is my go to style for the fall season. (Please excuse my hair.)
My staple piece: cowboy boots
I didn't take that many pictures of me with my cowboy boot on unfortunately, so this picture will have to do. My apologies.

I made these shorts all by myself (with the help of my mom.) I made a DIY post on my own blog if you would like to make them yourself.

Here's more of a casual date night look. I went to the movies with my guy best friend and we saw Monsters Inc. University- it was awesome!

A very laid back look. I have a pop of color in the shoes and the shirt. The back of the shirt is completely open back.

This is something I would just wear out with some friends.

Here's my "New York" inspired look. Staple Piece: black leggings- they're amazing.

Another casual look.


My style as you can probably tell is mostly casual. My summer nights are spent with my friends and we don't do nothing more than hangout and talk or of course, play truth or dare. That's like our main thing, haha. I love American Eagle for bottom pieces. They fit very well.

For tops, I also like to go to American Eagle. I also really enjoy, PacSun, Charlotte Russe, Forever21, etc. All of those typical stores.


Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the outfits I wear when I'm just out and about hanging gout with friends, shopping, etc.

Xoxo,

Alex

My Blog: http://allaboutamazingalex.blogspot.com
My Email: amazingalex1313@gmail.com
Our email: amazingalexandthemonster@gmail.com

The Monster: My Style

For my first post on this blog, I thought I'd just show people my style and how I dress on a day to day basis.

I would describe my style as Japanese Street Style meets Rock. I love wearing a shorts and tights combo - it's comfortable and works pretty much all year round. I like having an edge to what I wear just to make me stand out a bit and I seriously love those black and white hi-tops; I wear them with nearly everything because they go with everything I have. Now, the hat isn't mine. It's from the store this was taken in but I felt that it just completed what I was wearing. The hooded jumper is from Miami - my dad bought it for me when he went there so I doubt you'll find it anywhere in England.

Also, on my bag, you'll see a teddy bear keychain and another keychain which says "The World According to Pauline" on it. That keychain is a book with my name's origin. The teddy bear, however, is there because I think it just perfects the look. I really am a weird one when it comes to fashion. The bag itself is made by "Cath Kidston" who is a popular designer here in England; her products are really elegant and very British.

This picture was taken a few months ago after non-uniform day at school. For those who don't know what that is, it's the one or two days every term (or semester) where the students can wear their own clothes if they go to a school with uniforms. A friend and I decided to go shopping after school which explains the bag and the shop that I'm in.