SWATCH SUNDAY — ImPress The No Glue Manicure Effortless Spring Manicure

pr/gifted product.

Hey beauties — long time no see!

I know what you’re thinking — Shannon, where have you been? Well the last few months have been kind of crazy behind the scenes, & we actually moved at the beginning of this month, selling our house we’ve lived in for the last 9 years. It’s been an emotional roller coaster, but we’re happily settled in our new place so I’m excited to finally get back into the swing of things.

Today’s Swatch Sunday is a little bit of a switch up, because it’s not a polish but a review of some press on nails that imPRESS was lovely enough to gift to me. & seeing how my nails are currently short short short, I’m excited to show them off!

imPRESS was so kind when they sent me a whole bunch of their newly released designs, & it was hard to pick just one! The first set I decided to try out was this beautiful floral French tip design, with these very cool 3D flowers called Pastel Bloom.

Like the imPress mini x Wicked nails I did on my daughter, these are so easy to apply. Like all fake nails, I feel like I spend the longest time matching up individual nails to my nail beds, & laying them down to I can grab them easily for application. But, with the imPRESS line instead of having to mess with glue — which, I’ll admit I kind of hate — they already come with sticky pads attached! All you have to do is pull the clear tab away, & stick on your nail.

No glue mishaps to be seen!

Now, obviously using the tabs instead of glue–which covers the majority of the nail–means that they might not feel quite as secure as other press on nails which use glue. Personally, the only time I found this an issue was around the cuticle line. I didn’t find the sticky tab came down far enough, so I would–for instance–catch my hair under it. I also noticed that it was easily for dirt to slip under there as well.

Not cons enough to make me not wear them, but definitely something I know that could deter other people. Personally, these lasted for me through showers, work outs, & everyday general wear without any nails popping off. & to me, that is a huge win!

In fact, I’m loving these imPress nails so much that when I decided to take off this design that I had been wearing… I immediately put on another design! This one–called Elegance–felt very fun, & 90s inspired, which I couldn’t turn down.

How freaking cute, am I right?!

Over all, I’m a big fan of these press on designs, & the ease in which they have to put on — but also remove! As someone who likes to change her nails as much as her mind, that is a big bonus to me. If you’re curious to try out some of these nails, you can find them on their website, as well as in store. Here in my part of Canada, I’ve seen them most often for sale at Shoppers Drug Mart & Walmart.

What do you think of these imPRESS nails? Have you tried any of their press on nails, & what did you think? Let me know what you think, & if you would also wear these nails. I’d love to know your thoughts.

Happy Sunday!

♥︎

SWATCH SUNDAY — OPI Miss Piggy’s Big Number (2014 Muppets Most Wanted Collection)

Hello beauties — long time no see!

Life has been a bit tricky lately, & my ability to blog has kind of taken a backseat. But I’m missing sharing my nails, so I’m trying to get back into my regular routine. I even have some PR/nail mail to share that I recently received.

But first, let’s start off our week like we usually do with some fun polish for Swatch Sunday. & I decided why not to throw it way, way, way back with OPI Miss Piggy’s Big Number from the 2014 Muppets World Tour collection.

2 coats + top coat.

Okay, so this shade has been in my collection a long time — possibly back to 2014 when this collection was released. But I don’t think I’ve worn it too often in the years since I’ve owned it. Formula on this shade is a metallic blue finish with a bit of a purple flash. I needed two coats for full coverage which is pretty good.

In the close up you can see a bit more of that purple flash, plus how it dries with minimal brush strokes. I feel like with this kind of polish, you kind of can’t escape brush strokes — no matter how hard or careful you are to try to avoid them.

This colour though — I love this colour. It’s such a vibrant blue which I’m a huge fan of, & it’s perfect for this time of year where the weather so quickly switches between bright, sunny, & warm to cold & grey. This shade is perfect to rock while switching between temperatures.

Sadly this shade was released 12 years ago, so I don’t think it’s going to be an easy one to track down if you’re looking for it. Ebay might be your friend, but I feel like it may be a bit of a quest if you’re on the hunt for it.

What do you think of OPI Miss Piggy’s Big Number? Do you remember this shade, or the collection it was a part of? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below. & also — if you like these throwback Swatch posts, let me know & I will make sure I do more!

♥︎

SWATCH SUNDAY — Essie You Do Blue 🩵

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday! A beautiful, sunny Sunday. It’s been feeling like Spring (most of) this week, so I thought something Spring-y on my nails would be perfect. & what is more Spring-y than a beautiful periwinkle blue?

Without further ado, this is Essie You Do Blue.

2 coats + top coat.

The formula on this creamy blue is smooth & easy to apply to the nail. I am quite a fan of the wider Essie brushes they’ve been using in the last few years. It took me a bit to get used to them, but they are much better when it comes to application.

My favourite part of this polish, though, is that is has this gorgeous fuchsia shimmer that really pops in the sunshine. It gives the extra dimension that makes it a little extra special, & for me that makes this shade a winner. I own a lot of blue nail polishes, but the ones that have shimmer or sparkle added — especially unexpected ones — are always the ones I reach for first!

This shade was originally released, as far as I can tell, during early 2020 as part of the Flying Solo collection. I think after that it made it to the core collection, but I did pick up mine on clearance for $1 so I’m thinking it may not be in regular circulation anymore — although the Essie website does have it listed as available for sale so I could be totally wrong.

Over all, I’m totally obsessed with this colour — it’s not just the pretty periwinkle blue, but that stunning shimmer. I adore it.

What do you think of Essie You Do Blue? Do you think this shade screams Spring as much as I do? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below, & let me know your thoughts on this pretty blue shade!

Happy Sunday!

♥︎

Easy & Simple Spring Floral 🌼

Hello lovelies — & happy Wednesday!

& Happy April 1st. I hope everyone’s week is going okay. I don’t know about where you are, but here on the East Coast of Canada the weather is miserable–which is just more reason for Spring-y designs. The flowers may not be showing themselves in our garden, but at least I can wear them on my nails.

Today’s look is me wistfully wishing for some warmer, Spring-like days. Which, obviously, means floral!

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Maximum Growth
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Gel Like Top Coat
  • OPI Infinite Shine Mariachi Makes My Day
  • OPI Infinite Shine Shaking My Sugarplums
  • Essie Willow in the Wind
  • Essie Off Tropic
  • OPI I Cannoli Wear OPI
  • OPI Where Did Suzi’s Man-go?
  • Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Red My Lips
  • Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure. Peony Origins
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Montley Hue
  • NailStuff.ca 7mm Mermaid Tail Brush

This design started off as simply just a rose design, but after I had painted my roses I realized that something was missing, so I added a bit more greenery, & then a few of the white flowers (sort of daisies, but not really). & once I added my white flowers, I felt like it pulled everything together perfectly.

Is it a totally original floral look? Well, no.

Do I still absolutely adore the end result? Absolutely, yes. Especially where my nails are so short at this current moment in time, I feel like a floral design looks so beautiful & put together. Plus, the darker purple base is a little bit end of winter, with the floral adding the touch of Spring I’m desperately craving.

What do you think of this floral look? Do you like the combination of colours? Does it have you craving Spring as much as I am craving spring? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below.

& if it’s feeling like Spring where you are, I’d love to know! Give me some hope so warmer, sunnier days to come.

♥︎

Spring Robin’s Egg Nails

Hello lovelies & happy Monday.

Starting off this full first week of Spring… with a snowstorm. & oh, how I wish I were kidding. But it isn’t going to stop me from rocking some Spring inspired nails! & what is more Spring like than some robin’s eggs? I recently score a killer deal on an Essie shade at my local Shoppers ($1 clearance!), & it was the perfect Spring-y blue, so I knew it would be perfect for some speckled egg nails.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Maximum Grow
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Gel Like Top Coat
  • Matte Top Coat: NailStuff Essentials Matte Top Coat
  • Essie You Do Blue
  • OPI That’s What Friends Are Thor
  • Small nail art brush

I won’t lie, these nails are actually super super easy to do. All you need to do is create some messy specks using a nail art brush — the messier the better. But the real trick to this look is obviously the matte top coat to give it that eggshell finish. & bam! Instant Spring inspired Robin’s egg nails.

&, obviously, if you paint you nail a selection of pale pastel shades, you could create Mini Egg inspired nails easily (as I have done in years past).

What do you think of my Robin’s Egg nails? Would you wear a simple nail art like this to channel Spring? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below!

♥︎