Chinese New Year

Xin Nian Kuai Le!

Or in English,Happy New Year! 

After the Christmas recooperation period, perhaps this is a fresh start for everyone. Afterall, wasn't January about paying off Christmas bills and (trying to) shed off Christmas pounds? Now, this year according to the Chinese Zodiac- is the year of the horse. Horses are typically known to be: friendly, vain, vivascious, enduring, witty and impatient to name a few. Any horses (metaphorically speaking) care to confirm that... perhaps you might want to put down the mirror to comment. I'm actually an Ox and although I don't follow the zodiac animals to a T (but I do like the odd horoscope) I kinda agree with my traits: hardworking, loyal, reliable and impatient. 'Born leader' was also quoted. 

Anywho, today to celebrate the Chinese New Year, most of us are probably tucking in to a chow mein (so jealous, no offense Mum) whilst I am the 1% tucking in to a spag bol. Tonight, it's time to break the barrier of showing you a chinese recipe- who'd actually make it, you're all tucking into stir fried noodles right now! I thought lets do a nail art tutorial! Originally I was thinking of doing one for Valentines Day- but the Chinese are renowned for their long, acrylic, lotus nails so it would be more suitable to do a Chinese inspired one.

Yin Yang Nail Tutorial

You will need:

• Black nail varnish
• White nail varnish
• Clear nail varnish
• Black nail art pen (or a black eyeliner would work well)
• Dotting tool
• Nail varnish remover

Method:

1. Firstly, cover your nails in clear nail varnish. Leave this to dry. 
2. Secondly, paint your nails completely with white nail varnish- until the nail has gone opaque (you can't see through). Leave this to dry and get your black nail art pen or black eyeliner ready.
3. Using your eyeliner/nail art pen, paint an almost 'S' shape (or backwards eclipse shape) in the middle of your white nail.
4. Fill this shape in with black nail varnish; leave to dry. 
5. Lastly, with your dotting tool (or I guess you could use a hair grip pulled into a straight line), paint a white dot in the top corner of the black section of the nail. Vice versa with the black dot onto the bottom corner of the white half. You can use a top coat hardener at this point when all nails are covered. (Optional).
6. Clear up any mistakes with nail varnish and enjoy!

Yin Yang actually means the balance. Each of the colours means 'good' and 'bad'. They say that you can't have good without a little bit of bad, and you can't have bad without a little bit of good. Nothing is black and white.

Now, enjoy your new year and make it count.

xox

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