Funky Retro Inspired Abstract Stripes

Hello lovelies & happy… Tuesday? Yes Tuesday. I swear, the Summer makes all the days flow together & I can never keep track.

I’ve been on a nail art roll, feeling inspired to do some fun stuff on my nails. I also found a great top coat combi which is helping them last a closing shift at work (more or less). Today’s look is another nail design goto of mine, but I really think this colour combination is just perfection.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Strengthner
  • Top Coat: Sinful Colors Power Paint Top Coat + Essie Speed Setter
  • Essie License to Thrill
  • Essie Frilly Lillies
  • Essie Brides No Grooms
  • Essie She’s Pampered
  • Essie You Do Blue
  • NailStuff.ca 16mm Striper Brush

I really love how these colours came together. I feel like my goal with abstract stripes is I want them to have a vintage feel, & this is giving 70s wallpaper. Maybe someday I’ll venture into another decade — like maybe some Y2K inspired ones — but for now I enjoy how these ones look.

What do you think of this look? Do you love how bold & vibrant they are! Plus I got a ton of compliments on them at work, which is always the sign of a successful manicure.

Happy Tuesday!

🖤

Glow-in-the-Dark Inspired Stars ⭐️

Hello lovelies & happy Tuesday! I hope you’re having a beautiful start to your week.

I’m starting my week off (ish) with a fun nail art look. It feels like absolute ages since I attempted any kind of nail art on my nails… I’ve mostly just been wearing solid colours, press on nails, or maybe like a glitter accent nail (very 2013). So it was kind of fun to dig into my nail desk box, find my good nail art brushes, & give some art a try.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Strengthner
  • Top Coat: Sinful Colors Power Paint Top Coat
  • Essie Bell Bottom Blues
  • OPI Suzi Shops & Island Hops
  • OPI That’s Hula-rious
  • Essie Bikini So Teeny
  • Quo by Orly Breathable De-stressed Denim
  • NailStuff Mermaid Tail Brush
  • Bobby Pin (couldn’t find my dotting tools haha)

So the inspiration behind this nail art look are glow-in-the-dark stars. Truthfully, I was seeing way too many videos of Hilary Duff’s Glow in the Dark star dress she’s wearing on tour, & this blue base was the perfect not-black shade, that I really wanted to see if I could freehand some stars on my nails!

& even though it’s been forever since I did any freehand designs on my nails, I’m so obsessed with how these turned out! Plus, I got complimented on them while out & about, so I feel pretty awesome about this nail art. They look exactly how I imagined them in my head!

What do you think about my glow-in-the-dark inspired star nails? Do these remind you of being a kid, like they do me? Would you wear this look? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below & if you love them too!

Happy Wednesday darlings.

♥︎

Spring Perfect Pastel Stripes 🌸🌼

Hello lovelies & happy Easter Monday (to those who celebrate!) It’s a brand new week, & the first full week of April. Maybe we’ll finally feel some more Spring-like temperatures, or — then again — maybe we won’t. But what I can definitely confirm is that I’m going to have some Spring-y nail art designs to share!

Starting with some fun Easter-esque Spring stripes. These kind of feel Easter egg adjacent, but I think the colours themselves are the just right amount of brightness for this time of year.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Maximum Growth
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Gel Like Top Coat
  • OPI Where’s Suzi’s Man-go
  • OPI Gargantuan Green Grape
  • OPI Nature Strong Emflowered
  • OPI Nature Strong Cactus What You Preach
  • OPI Nature Strong  Make My Daisy
  • OPI Sickeningly Sweet
  • OPI Altar Ego
  • NailStuff.ca 16mm Striper Brush

So many pretty colours paired together. I ended up adding a swipe of OPI Altar Ego over my stripes to give it a bit of a muted, subdued look which I think added to the over all look of everything & gave it that more subtle Spring colour effect (if you know what I mean.)

Do you think these stripes are giving Spring/Easter? Do you like the muted effect I created using Altar Ego over top? Would you wear this look? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below!

Enjoy your Monday!

♥︎

SWATCH SUNDAY — Nicole by OPI Scarlett || Happy 12th Birthday Coffee & Nail Polish 🎂

Hello lovelies & happy Easter Sunday! I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend, celebrating however they celebrate. But it’s not just Easter Sunday — 12 years ago today I made my very first post on Coffee & Nail Polish! So I thought it would be fun, & for this week’s Swatch Sunday I would share the first very nail polish I ever used for a manicure: Nicole by OPI (RIP) Scarlett from the Selena Gomez collection.

2 coats + top coat

This beautiful metallic pink was originally released as part of the Nicole by OPI Spring Collection which was Selena Gomez themed. I picked up this beauty at my local Lawton’s Drugs (which was one of my favourite places for clearance nail polish) for the stellar price of $2.50.

The formula on this one was slightly thin, but not too thin it made it hard to apply. 2 coats built to this perfect opacity. The finish though — the finish is my favourite. It’s this gorgeous glass fleck finish. Also I love that it sort of looks pink, but also sort of looks red.

Stunning.

Close up of this beautiful finish. I love the shimmer, the pinkish glow; all of it. It really does glow on the nail which just adds to the beauty.

& obviously, since today is the anniversary of my very first blog post, I had to do a recreation of my very first design — a red on red leopard print. Base is Scarlett & my spots were done using Nicole by OPI Basking in Gloria (from the Modern Family collection).

Unfortunately I did forget to matte-ify my design & didn’t realize until after the fact, but I still love my recreation.

What do you think about this throwback shade! I feel like the NOPI shades were definitely ahead of their time for drugstore brands. I really miss them, & cherish the shades I still have.

Happy Sunday!

Happy Easter!

🖤

Bright & Funky Abstract Stripes (2000s Inspired)

*contains PR/gifted items

Hello loves & happy Monday!

I am still over here desperately craving Spring weather — while the actually weather does not cooperate. You would think I would be used to it by now (after all these years), & yet every year I get enraged when Spring doesn’t come quick enough. But… I digress. You’re here for nails, & I absolutely love today’s design!

I’m calling these Pucci-esque–not to be confused with Color Club Pucci-licious–& they’re giving me mid-2000s vibes. Specifically: Emilio Pucci’s Spring 2005 collection. I wanted something absolutely bright & colourful, that just screamed Spring, & this combination delivered.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Maximum Growth
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Gel Like Top Coat
  • Butter London Pure Colour 21X Bloomsbury
  • Essie You Do Blue
  • Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure. Peony Origins
  • Essie Willow in the Wind
  • OPI I Cannoli Wear OPI
  • Quo by Orly Nail Art Striper in black
  • NailStuff.ca Mermaid Tail 7mm Liner Brush

Okay — how gorgeous & fun are these nails? I love the combination of colours & how they pop on the nails. They’re just so sunny, & bright which is exactly what my days need when it’s quite a bit below freezing today. I need a little hit of Spring, even if it’s only on my nails (while I stare wistfully at the Spring dresses hanging in my closet, just waiting for me.)

What do you think of these bright & colourful nails? Do you love the colourful combination as much as I do? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below, & if you would rock this look on your own nails!

Happy Monday

♥︎