Category: Glitter

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Fall Inspired Glitter Gradient

Hello lovelies, happy Tuesday!

It’s been… well I can’t even remember how long since I last wore a glitter gradient. Even though it’s been hot & balmy weather, I was feeling some darker, Fall-esque nails. So I decided to grab a few fun (& Autumn appropriate shades) from deep, deep in my nail polish stash.

I mean, if Starbucks can release Pumpkin Spice today, I think a little dark polish is okay.

For this manicure, the polishes I used were:

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Hard As Nails
  • Top Coat: Essie Speed Setter
  • Hard Candy Zombie
  • Maybelline Color Show Rose Bling

I’ve always really enjoyed glitter gradients because they’re so quick & easy. In fact, I created this gradient without even using a sponge… just the bottle brush itself! So it really does cut down on application time, & the clean up is even more minimal!

& Oh my, after wearing this combination, I really I think I want to find some more fun glitters — most of my glitter is like pink, or purple, or silver, or gold. I need some bronze-y shades, or something! A nice Fall shade that will pair with a dark purple or burgundy perfectly! I might need to go through my stash a bit better, & see what glitters I’ve forgotten about.

What do you think about this glitter gradient? Are you enjoying this Fall manicure transition or would you like to see a bit more brightness or neon before September? Let me know in the comments below!

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SWATCH SUNDAY — Nubar Prize

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday! I hope everyone is having a lovely, relaxing, beautiful start to their week!

I’ve been trying to figure out what shade to share for this week’s Swatch Sunday. I’m definitely finding myself being drawn towards darker shades, but I took a poll on my insta-stories, & the winning vote was to keep things Summer-y. So I dug deep into my stash, & pulled out an oldie but a goodie: Nubar Prize.

Anyone else crave holo during the sunshine-y days of Summer? I definitely grab from my stash of holo more so in the Summer, especially July/August, because that’s when you see the sun most often.

Nubar Prize is a pink jelly polish choked full of scattered holo glitter. Sadly, Nubar no longer exists or makes this shade, so this polish is definitely a special one to me. The base is so bright, & the holo sparkles from every angle.

2 coats + top coat

Surprisingly, for a shade that is jelly like this, you can get fantastic opacity in 2 coats with no visibly nail line, or need for undies. & just look at all that glitter! There is no inch of the nail that doesn’t sparkle. It really makes me wish I had a back up bottle of this shade… or a good dupe! Let me know in the comments if you know any good dupes first this shade!

What do you think of Nubar Prize? Do you have a favourite holo shade? Let me know down in the comments below!

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SWATCH SUNDAY — Fingerpaints Gorgeous Graffiti

Hello lovelies & Happy Sunday! I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend. The weather here has been a bit grey (at least compared to the balmy weather we’ve been having) so I felt like I needed to make up with it on my nails! & the best way to do it is a good neon polish! So for today’s Swatch Sunday pick, I knew we needed neon.

Today’s pick is FingerPaints Gorgeous Graffiti, a neon fuchsia with blue flakie microglitters. This guy was one of the first FingerPaints shades I ever picked up back in 2015 (I think) so sadly I don’t think still available, at least online. But there are definitely similar shades to be found.

2 coats (no top coat)

I really wanted to show off this shade in its natural glory, which is this beautiful satin matte finish. It took two coats for full opacity, & like any matte shade, it dries quickly so you want to apply your coats quickly. The formula is a bit trickier, but again, that’s a matte polish thing. Usually what I would do is apply my polish, apply a thick top coat (like Essie Gel Setter), & then finish everything with matte top coat. That would smooth out those bumps & lumps you can see, & give you a smooth finish.

Ahhh, I just love this shade! The fuchsia shade is pretty on its own, but then you add in those blue micro flakes, & it just takes it to another level. I love it! It’s one of those shades which is just so striking on its own. I’m actually a little sad my bottle is getting low.

& a close up of this look because I think it’s absolutely stunning. Just look at those flakes! I’m obsessed. I need a topper with those flakies I can add to every manicure!

What do you think about Gorgeous Graffiti by FingerPaints? Would you wear this vibrant shade? Tell me what you think in the comments below! & share your favourite neon.

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SWATCH SUNDAY — W7 Nail Polish Speckled Mint

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday. Easter Sunday in fact! This Easter definitely looks different compared to years past, but none the less if you celebrate, I hope you’re having a lovely day. The Easter bunny certainly found us, which means with a 3 year old & a 9 month old, the sugar high is real.

I thought in honour of Easter, it would be fitting to share another speckled nail polish very fitting for the holiday (& Spring in general). This is W7 Nail Polish Speckled Mint which was gifted to me courtesy of my Mum, & originally found as part of a set at Winners/Marshall’s.

Speckled Mint is a milky mint green polish, packed full of super tiny black micro glitters. You’re looking at 2 coats of polish, but I think 3 would have had better coverage. The formula itself was easy to work with & the removal was actually surprisingly easy considering how much glitter there was!

I’ve really been liking these pale nail polishes lately, & I forgot how much I love these speckled nail polishes too. I kind of wish I had paired all my polishes together in a manicure (I have another from W7 which is coral) as a skittle speckle egg look, but I suppose there is always next year!

Close up of my thumb (you can see here the glitters are square which I think is really neat!)

& just for fun, I added a little chocolate bunny nail decal to my ring finger. I’m very, very lactose intolerant, so this will be the only chocolate bunny I’ll enjoying this year, but thankfully I stocked up on some sour patch kid bunnies, so I’ll have some treats to enjoy too!

Happy Easter lovelies! What are you wearing on your nails for Easter? Did the Easter bunny bring you any polish goodies? Let me know down in the comments below!

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Another Spring-y Floral Accent Nail

Hello lovelies & happy Thursday!

This past weekend we had some beautiful weather, & looking in our gardens you can see greenery beginning to pop through the soil, so if there is any benefit to this current situation, it is the fact that there will be lots of time to enjoy our yard very soon! It also inspired me to do MORE floral nails!

For this look, the polishes I used were:

  • Base Coat: UNT Ready For Take Off (I got mine from NailStuff.ca — remember to use my code for 10% off: COFFEE10)
  • Top Coat: Essie Speed Setter
  • Pure Ice Boysenberry
  • Essie Fall for NYC
  • Essie Set in Sandstone
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Birthday Suit
  • Sally Hansen MG Blacky-O
  • Essie Off Tropic
  • Essie First Timer
  • NailStuff.ca Mermaid Tail Brush Trio (I used my favourite brush: the 7mm liner brush) 

After my Swatch Sunday post featuring untrieds on Sunday (including Deborah Lippmann Polka Dots & Moonbeams) I’ve been really trying to wear shades either I haven’t worn in a very long time, or maybe I’ve never worn. Boysenberry was a shade I bought when all the speckled egg polishes were coming out, but I think I’ve only worn a handful of times. It’s very springy, & the pale purple base is perfect for Spring!

Can I just say how much I adore how these little yellow flowers turned out. 🌼 Makes me hopeful for brighter days ahead, even if our reality right now is… very stressful & very scary. Right now I’m just going to stay home & concentrate on the things that make me happy, & that includes my vast collection of nail polish & painting my nails.

What do you guys think about this floral accent nail? What other flowers would you like to see me attempt? I think I’ve perfected my roses, so I am going to try & branch out into other floral varieties! Next up — going to attempt some tulips! But let me know down in the comments below what floral I should try next, or even what flower is your favourite!

🌸