Category: Essie

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Gradient Cactus Nails

Good afternoon & happy May everyone! Who else excited for warmer days. I feel like I’m saying this every post, but I’m just. so. ready. This winter has felt just so darn long & I’m craving neons & brights.

I was also craving a gradient as it felt like absolute ages since I had created one, so I decided to go with a blue toned look. & to finish off the look I added these absolutely adorable cactus stickers that Victoria from NailStuff.ca sent to me because she knows my love for cacti! 🌵 Have you checked out her collection of nail stickers & nail decals? I’m obsessed. So many fun designs for easy nail art this Summer.

For this manicure, the polishes I used were:

  • Base Coat: OPI Nail Envy
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive
  • Essie Fashion Playground
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Sugar Fix {PR sample}
  • China Glaze I’ve Got A Blue Attitude
  • Sally Hansen MG Make It N-Ice {PR sample}
  • Edge Perfection Cuticle Barrier {PR sample}
  • Cacti Nail Stickers {gift from Nailstuff.ca}

My gradient skills were a little rusty, but I love this look so much. The colours used almost give the gradient a thermal polish feel & obviously I couldn’t do a gradient without adding a little glitter. & finishing off the look with the stickers just made them a little more fun!

What do you think of this look? Share your thoughts down in the comments below!

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Mix & Match Spring Nails

Good morning lovelies & happy Wednesday. It’s a new day & I finally have new nails to share. This look is what I created over my Swatch of Julep Alyssa from my previous post & I’ve been wearing it since Sunday! I really wanted something bright & Spring-y for my Easter festivities, & I loved the look so much I could bare to take it off yet!

For this manicure, the polishes I used were:

  • Base Coat: OPI Nail Envy
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive
  • Julep Alyssa (It Girl)
  • Essie Blanc
  • Essie Peach Side Babe
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Orchid-ing Aside {PR sample}
  • NailStuff.ca Gold Mixed Decoration Nail Wheel {PR sample}
  • TheBaseCoat Drag Marble Nail Vinyls

Seriously loving the mix & match look of this design. The colours are Spring-y but not too Easter Egg-esque & the studs just give it a little something extra. Really, really loving the whole combination. I’m sure in a few weeks I’ll be all about neon (when I’m really craving Summer) but right now these semi-pastel shades are giving me life.

what do you think of this design? Share your thoughts down in the comments below.

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Red Floral Nails for World Hemophilia Day

Good morning lovelies! Today I’ve got some brand new nail art to share with you, which was created with a special cause in mind. Today, April 17th, is World Hemophilia Day & my friend Victoria from @hitchingsandstitchings reached out to her friends in the polish community to wear red nail polish (or nail art!) today as her two beautiful little guys have this condition. Even though my nail art has been sparse at best the last few months, I know I had to join in the help spread awareness for this cause!

& obviously I couldn’t just wear red polish… there had to be some nail art involved. & what looks better with red polish than roses.

For this design, the polishes I used were:

  • Base Coat: OPI Nail Envy
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive
  • China Glaze Seas the Day
  • Essie Blanc
  • Sally Hansen Red it Online
  • Sally Hansen Berry Fancy
  • China Glaze Life is Rosy
  • Sally Hansen Terracotta
  • Sally Hansen I ♥️ Nail Art Pen in Black
  • Essie First Timer
  • Essie Off Tropic
  • Quo by ORLY Detox my Socks Off
  • NailStuff.ca dotting tool
  • NailStuff.ca detail brush

I love this combination of reds & even more I love that this nail art was done 100% with love for a great cause. ♥️ & if you’re wearing red nails (or just red in general today!) don’t forget to tag it with #redforHemophilia on Instagram!

have a lovely Wednesday! ♥️

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SWATCH SUNDAY — Essie Fifth Avenue

Good morning & happy Sunday! Today I’m making an attempt to return to my regular Swatch Sunday posts. Today’s polish pick: Essie Fifth Avenue which is a coral-ly red polish. As I’ve mentioned a million times, I adore a good red polish & it used to be the only shade I wore during my university years. So whenever I see a good red polish (especially when it’s on sale!) I can’t help but pick it up.

I found this particular polish tucked into the clearance section of my local pharmacy for a mere .99 cents, so obviously I needed it. From my understanding & Google research though, this shade does appear to be part of the permanent Essie collection.

For my swatches, all I needed was two coats of polish (over Base Coat, always) & then topped with my top coat to seal everything in.

One reason why this shade is quickly becoming a favourite is because it covers full in only 2 coats, with no visible nail line. That makes me so happy, which is probably why I’ve been wearing this shade A LOT! In fact, it’s been my pedicure shade of choice for the last month.

This is such a nice, bright red & it makes me so happy. Red is such a classic shade–you can never go wrong with it! & a bright corally red like this is even more perfect for Spring & Summer!

Do you have a favourite red polish? Let me know your polish picks down in the comments below!

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Spring Half Moons

Good morning & happy April! Now that the weather has been turning around & I can finally break out the Spring dresses, it means I need a manicure to match!

& I was really, really feeling a Peach & mint combo. I thought about some floral, but honestly I was feeling so exhausted that I decided on something a little faster. & so I turned to a tried & tested favourite! The half moon.

The polishes I used for this look were:

  • Base Coat: Nailtek 2
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Malibu Peach {PRsample}
  • Essie Mint Candy Apple
  • Paper Hole reinforcement stickers

This is the greener version of Essie Mint Candy Apple–I also have the blue version as well (which was gifted to me, & I do t think I’ve worn it yet so I’ll have to change that!) This colour scheme definitely screams Spring to me, so bright & colourful & vibrant. It’s exactly what we need after these long months of snow & cold & yuck.

Just look at how lovely that combo is!

What colour combinations are you loving for Spring? What kind of nail art are you looking forward to for the warmer months? Let me know down in the comments below! 🌸