NAIL ART: Subtly Spacey Geometric Thermal Nails

by - January 12, 2022


I must admit that there are definitely times when I completely mess up a mani and ultimately decide not to post it here on the blog. Sometimes I end up trying again and other times I delete all of the photos and video and pretend it never happened. In this case, it is obviously the former. I'll detail a little bit why the first mani didn't work out while I tell you how I did it, but I think it is important to be honest - only seeing the final product of people's work, I think, can be a little bit discouraging when no one talks about the fails and the retries and whatnot.

Keep reading for more!


So what really made me want to redo this mani was that I loved the pairing of this base polish with these particular stamping images. First of all, the image on the ring finger is just... so very Gallifreyan looking that my little Whovian heart is in love with it. But also the pairing of this blue thermal jelly base with these really impactful lime green glitters just feels right with these particular images. So... let's talk a moment about this base, shall we?

Cadillacquer's Aghast** is actually a tri-thermal with a transition from deep purple to blue to white/colorless. I think it must have been a little bit cold when I did this mani because I really only got the tiniest bit of that colorless transition at the very, very base of the nail, though it did definitely shift fully to that when I washed my hands in warm water. What I love about this particular polish is how smooth that transition is - it's so seamless - and how well those various neon glitters work within the color story the base brings. Love it! 

For this mani, I applied three thin coats of Aghast to all of my nails and let them dry down entirely. I would also recommend following with a glitter smoothing top coat with this one to get a really even base. 


The reason that I called this mani "subtly spacey" is because that's really what this evokes for me. It's not on the nose at all, I don't think, but I really feel like the overall vibe is sort of SciFi? I don't know. Anyway, I've had my eye on the KADS Geometry 007 Stamping Plate for a while now, but I only recently got my hands on it and knew I wanted to use it ASAP. I decide to use three different images for this mani, applying the more simple sunburst design to my outer fingers and thumb while using more intricate images on my middle two fingers. It was actually the stamping that was different the first time I tried this mani. Initially, I did my stamping in a green polish to draw on those glitters in the base, but what ended up happening was it got sort of muddled and lost the contrast that it needed to really pop. For the second try, I went in with a white polish and I feel like it gave a lot more impact while still not feeling too stark.

Once I was happy with my stamping, I sealed it in with a nail art top coat and then followed with a thicker quick dry glossy top coat for a smooth finish and shine. And voila!


All Products Used
Cadillacquer - Aghast**
Maniology - Bam White!
Apipila Smudge Free Top Coat
Cuticula Limitless Top Coat
KADS Geometry 007 Stamping Plate
Whats Up Nails Magnified Clear Stamper

** = PR Gifted from NailStuff.ca - use affiliate code TRYSH for 10% off your first order!


Overall, I really like how the second go of this mani turned out. One thing that I think you learn with experience in doing nail art is how to choose the right colors for your design to get balance and impact without it feeling disjointed. It can be a bit of a delicate balance sometimes, but it's definitely worth taking the time to really think about it.

If you're interested in this polish, I definitely recommend checking it out over at NailStuff.ca - who very kindly gifted it to me and with whom I am an affiliate. If you're a first time customer you can feel free to use my code TRYSH for 10% off your first order!

Thanks for reading!


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