Throwback: Serum No 5 First Colors

Since I only polish on the weekends and I usually only get two manis done (one on each hand), Thursdays are typically going to be throwback days, where I blog about a mani I've posted on instagram in the past.


 This week's throwback isn't from too long ago. Let's take a very short journey back in time to last week when I used Serum No 5's First Colors to make an obnoxiously patriotic fireworks mani for the Fourth of July.

First Colors is a white crelly with red, blue and yellow glitters designed with the three primary colors in mind. As you can see, I took some creative liberties and used it for a red, white and blue patriotic mani. I think it worked out alright since the yellow glitters appear more goldish and add to the glittery fireworks effect. At least that's what I told myself since I don't have a proper red, white and blue polish.

The formula was awesome. Two easy coats for opacity. I may have mentioned once or twice previously that I'm really lazy. So formula and number of coats are important to me. More than three coats? Ain't nobody got time for that. And three coats is really pushing my patience to the extreme. So I really love it when something is a smooth two coater, especially crellies which can be tricky I've found.

For all you bargain hunters out there (aka cheap people like me), First Colors is being discontinued and is currently on sale over on Serum's website. That's the only reason I bought it, and I'm sure glad I did!

So the stamping. I actually asked my dear husband for advice on this one. I did some test stamps on swatch sticks and it looked like a hot mess to me. Way too busy to stamp over the glitter, I said. So I figured I'd just stamp an accent nail over OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls (which is the base for the accent nail pictured). So I asked hubs which stamp I should use. He said all of them. Not trusting his keen eye for nail art, I took the same question to my nail group on Facebook. They, too, said stamp all the nails! So I swallowed my pride, admitted my husband was actually right, and started stamping.

I used M Polish Pish Plashin Around and I Need A Vacation from her Polish of my People collection. I can't say enough good things about these stamping polishes. The maker is an incredibly cool person and the polish stamps like a dream. Seriously, if there's a Heaven and if they do nails up there this is the stamping polish they're using.

The images are from uberchic beauty plates 2-01, 2-02 and 3-03.

I'd like to think this mani is exciting enough to adequately celebrate American Independence. At the very least I'll assume it's way cooler than Martha Washington's nails were back then.

-twp