Book Review: Homemade Nail Polish by Allison Rose Spiekermann; Ulysses Press

Create Unique Colors and Designs For Eye-Catching Nails

Whether you are looking to match your nails with a specific dress or just have fun playing with shades and hues, this unique guide is the key to stunning original nail art design and featuring one-of-a-kind colors. With step-by-step instructions, detailed photos, and recipes for dozens of different polishes—including cremes, shimmers, glitters, and more—Homemade Nail Polish will have you whipping up ahead-of-the-curve colors in no time.

 

My Review

I have always been a fan of color and design, so naturally I love anything DIY. If it’s created, I’ve thought about what it takes to make it. Nail color and designs are no exception. Do you remember my DIY Nail Art book review?

Nail color is a very easy and fun way to express your unique style. There have been MANY different colors that I’ve seen on Pinterest that I wanted to copy so badly. There are just so many beautiful mixes of colors that I am slightly addicted. Beautiful teals, turquoise, and corals. Sigh…

This 96 page book contains all the information you need to learn how to mix your own shades easily and quickly. Teaching you (and me of course) that we don’t have to be limited to the color choices at the nearest drugstore. Now the possibilities are endless.

There are two sections that are very detailed about the equipment and ingredients that are needed to begin your nail polish making journey. The ingredient list and what they are used for is extremely helpful. Glitter, glitter finishes & shapes, thinners, and bases and what to expect when you want to achieve a certain look.

This book has more than 30 recipes that help with getting used to mixing colors and even adding special effect pigments. There are very detailed pictures along with the instructions so that it IS very easy to follow along.

The pictures look absolutely amazing. Step-by-step follow along pictures are what I like to see in a DIY book, so that I know I am doing the process exactly right. This book definitely gets 2 thumbs up for how clear and detailed the pictures are!

There is even a section in the back to help with applying the polish right so there aren’t any smears or smudges. She takes it a step beyond and even shows how to tackle the techniques I had been dying to try. Most of them weren’t as hard as they look.

I am loving that the nail polish can be made with eye shadow. This makes the options endless. She even shows how to perfectly measure the different types of eye shadows, so that you get the desired color.

I love all the cool nail tricks and techniques in the back of the book. II t covers using scrapbooking punches to make nail decals, using gel pens for nail polish, making tape stencils, and how to get the galaxy look.

I’d always wondered how to perfect the gradient/ombre style. I even bought a dotting tool (before I got this book) and still couldn’t tackle the dotted style. I was pretty sure it was going to be a piece of cake, and the dotting tool failed me lol. I didn’t realize that I could’ve just used bobby pins instead. Oh well, the dotting tool is a nice addition to my nail box anyway.

Before you go running off trying to find the ingredients and the equipment, look in the back at the resources. The best places (with the best prices) are listed, so that you spend less time comparing prices and more time to enjoy MAKING the polish. She even adds an amazing list of nail art inspiration blogs that are a definite must read. I am loving looking at all the nail designs, so make sure you bookmark them!

About the Author

Allison Rose Spiekermann is the founder and creative director of Nail Pattern Boldness, an independent nail polish company based in Burlington, VT, which specializes in unique and innovative products to help both amateur and professional nail polish enthusiasts get more out of every manicure. She lives in Burlington, VT

Get the Book: Homemade Nail Polish 

Stay updated on the recent releases and giveaways from Ulysses Press by following them on Twitter and Facebook!

 

XoXo Jess

DIY Dye: Bright and Funky Temporary Hair Coloring by Loren Lankford ;Ulysses Press

Want an accent streak of fire-engine red? How about forest-green tips? Or maybe you’re daring enough to transform your locks into a rainbow of bright colors? It’s all up to you!
With DIY Dye and some imagination, you can easily personalize your hair with any color and style imaginable. This comprehensive guide offers step-by-step instructions on every aspect of at-home hair coloring including:

• Picking the right dye
• Concocting original hues
• Adding highlights
• Getting an ombre in any color

Whether you’re looking to add color for a day, week, month or longer, DIY Dye shows you how to fashion the look you want using affordable options like coloring kits, chalks, henna, food coloring and even Kool-Aid packets.

Punky colored hair isn’t just for anarchists anymore. These new looks are being rocked by everyone from top models on the runway to regular women on the job. Now, DIY Dye brings together all the latest and greatest ways to create an iridescent ’do into one helpful and handy do-it-at-home guide.

There are countless products for freaking out one’s locks, but woefully little information on how to use them. This comprehensive manual lays out all the options for what to use, explains how to use them most effectively, and describes what different types of hair will do in reaction. Readers will learn all the ways to go from basic blonde to baby blue and to control how long their looks will last. Seeking out a one-night stand? Try the simple, nontoxic recipe for homemade hair chalk. Want a summer fling? It’s amazing what Kool-Aid can do.

 

My Review

 

DIY Dye - Bright and Funky Temporary Hair Coloring You Do at Home ($14.95 USD)  by Loren Lankford. (Also available at Amazon here in Kindle edition and hardcover)

I’ve always loved experimenting with my hair color. The first time I dyed my hair I was like 12. Of course, I messed it up but still. I always loved mixing it up and I’ve probably had every hair color on the planet. When I got this book in the mail, I knew I was going to love it, I just didn’t know how much.

It’s jam-packed with interesting ideas and techniques. If you’ve ever messed your own hair up, you know how great it is to have a few tips on hand. This book is like a hair dye bible. There’s no way that you could say you don’t want this book after you’ve flipped through it. Pure awesomeness.

She really explains in detail how to keep your hair healthy and nourished while dying it. Using bleach is something that definitely needs to be done with care. Bleach and lightening products can really wreck havoc on your hair. Keeping it healthy is a priority to me. I like change but I don’t like damage.

I really love the natural options for color and highlights instead of using dyes that are packed with chemicals. Whether you’re looking for something temporary or something permanent, there is something for everyone.

I also love the little tips and tricks boxes throughout the book. Each one contains useful advice or information that makes me seriously wish I’d had this book when I was younger. I could’ve saved myself a ton of hair tragedies.. lol.

The book is broken down into 3 categories:

The first Get Ready contains everything from materials to color wheel-basics. This is particularly useful for those who are trying to get a specific color of hair for your hair type. It’s common sense that it’ll take more challenges (like bleaching) for a darker hair color to accept bright pigments. I love how well she explains it though. Great for beginners and experts alike.

The second is The Dyes which contains the recipes and techniques for dying your hair. It covers bleaching, hair chalk, kool-aid, colored-hairspray, henna, food coloring and store bought. I love how well she explains each method and how each has a set of pictures that make following along almost dummy proof. She did an amazing job!

Of course there are boxed dyes, but do you know the tricks to choosing which shade? This book covers how to make sure you don’t choose something that will end up grey or orange. Plus the recipes for each technique show you how to choose your own custom colors.

The third is the DIY Style which covers the different styles in dying. Whether you’re looking to just color the tips, go two-toned, ombre, or even rainbow—she explains (with pictures) how to accomplish it.

“With step-by-step instructions for every style from two-tone to ombre to a full head of highlighter-hued hair, this complete guide to the wonderful world of home hair dye leaves no follicle untouched.”

Question: Have You Ever caused yourself a complete hair disaster and what was it? You can post comments below or tag me in any instagram pics @stylishsouthernmom or twitter @aidanadisynsmom.

About the Author

Loren Lankford is a Georgia native, NYU film graduate and current L.A. dweller. When she isn't rescuing dogs from high kill shelters, thrifting items for her online  Etsy shop, Southern Dropout, or editing her crafting website, CraftFoxes, she's doing actual freelance work!

\An early graduate of publishing giants Hearst (CosmoGIRL! and Cosmopolitan), Time Inc. (Entertainment Weekly) and Condé Nast (Jane), Lankford has also written, produced and edited for AOL's Lemondrop.com, NBC's iVillage, Paste Magazine, MTV and several others. She helped launch Fab and Bookish, did all the research for a best-selling memoir and spent time as a community operations admin at Etsy. "Time off" means traveling all over the world for sporting events and film festivals.

Get the book.

DIY Dye: Bright and Funky Temporary Hair Coloring You Do at Home $12.97

-Jessica