Itty Bitty Gradient Dotticure

Hello lovelies! Yes it’s me — only we’re rocking some shorties again. (Okay, & I’m drinking a matcha lemonade — my other drink aside from coffee!) I mentioned I had a patch on my middle finger nail of a bad crack. I finally decided I was over trying to keep it from cracking worse, & decided to chop my my nails down.

Today I went with a simple but fun look to wear. I love a good gradient dotticure, but I realized it’s been a long time since I actually did one. This design was actually inspired by this look from 2016. I thought since we were back down to shorties, why not find some fun nail art to do on short nails!

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Londontown KUR Nail Hardener & Base Coat
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Fast Dry Top
  • Londontown KUR Mint No Chip
  • Sally Hansen I ❤️ Nail Art pen in purple
  • Sally Hansen I ❤️ Nail Art pen in turquoise
  • Sally Hansen I ❤️ Nail Art pen in pink
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Get Mod
  • Itty Bitty Dotting Tool (NailStuff.ca Dotting Tool Trio)

How absolutely adorable as these itty bitty polka dots? You could definitely do this with a tiny dotting tool & an assortment of polishes, but I love those Sally Hansen I ❤️ Nail Art pens because it makes it so easy! I really wish Sally Hansen would bring them back, because they’re amazing for nail art — & mine are starting to empty out after all these years.

What do you think about this Gradient dotticure? Do you think you’d wear this fun (& easy!) look? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below.

& feel free to share any nail art you’d love to see me do on my new short nails!

Happy Friday! 🖤

Instagram Floral Collab 🌸🌿

Hello lovelies & happy Friday!

I’m so super excited to share today’s manicure, because I was lucky enough to get to join in on a nail art collection via Instagram. You know me — I adore a good floral design, so I was excited to join in on this challenge.

These nails scream Spring, so I’m very excited to share this design!

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Glow & Shine 
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Fast Dry Top
  • China Glaze Wanderlust
  • OPI One Heckla of A Color
  • OPI Gelato on my Mind
  • Essie All the Wave
  • Essie Off Tropic
  • Sally Hansen Good Kind Pure Peony Origins
  • Sally Hansen GKP Eco-Rose
  • Sally Hansen InstaDri Racing Rose
  • Aco by Ardene Sour Apple
  • Aco by Ardene Jungle Green
  • OPI My Geckos Does Tricks
  • Starrily Vantablack
  • NailStuff.ca Mermaid Tail Brush
  • Dotting tool (NailStuff.ca — Dotting Tool Trio)

This design took so many polishes to create, but it was absolutely worth it. & I think I remembered all the shades I used for this design. There was quite a few of them.

I was so excited to be a part of this collaboration & join so many talented nail artists. I really love challenging myself like this, because sometimes it’s hard to come up with designs all on my own.

Please don’t forget to check out #floralnailartmanicollab2023 on Instagram to see all the other stunning floral designs!

Happy Friday loves!

GLAM NAILS CHALLENGE APRIL — Butterfly 🦋

Hello lovelies & happy May 1st! Can you believe we’re almost half way into this year? It’s crazy. But before I jump head first into a new month, I want to finish off Glam Nails Challenge April with the last prompt — Butterfly.

There were so many ideas that popped into my head with this prompt, but in the end I decided I wanted to do a neutral, almost naked, base with a little sparkle & shimmery butterflies. & I’m so beyond happy with the end result.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Glow & Shine 
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Fast Dry Top
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Frill Seeker
  • Color Club On The List
  • Starrily Vantablack
  • Essence Violet Voltage
  • OPI My Gecko Does Tricks
  • Nailstuff.ca clear stamper & scraper set
  • Unknown stamping plate (which I bought as part of a set at Dollarama years ago.)

How pretty did these turn out. I just knew I wanted my butterflies to have a little bit of colour & I adore the shimmery purple & green together. It’s a very pretty combination. Works very well with the little bit of holographic glitter on the base shade. It’s subtle but also eye catching at the same time.

I’m kind of obsessed!

I can’t believe another month is behind us! Kind of crazy. I had so much fun with the challenge this month, & I hope you enjoyed all the manicures too!

Did you have a favourite design? Let me know in the comments below.

Happy Monday!

GLAM NAILS CHALLENGE APRIL — Easter Eggs

Good morning lovelies & happy Monday? Anyone else rocking a post Easter sugar hangover? I was pretty reserved in my treat eating yesterday, but my two kids definitely are feeling the post Sugar Rush crash.

Today is also the last kind of Easter-y prompt for Glam Nails Challenge April — the rest of the month is more Spring inspired. I’m going to kind of miss the Easter designs, but I’m also excited to focus on Spring too… especially since we’re expected to have very nice Spring temperatures coming up this week!

Today’s prompt: Easter Eggs.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Glow & Shine 
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Fast Dry Top Coat
  • Matte Top Coat: Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Matte Top Coat
  • Sally Hansen InstaDri Racing Rose
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Crying Out Cloud
  • Sally Hansen MG Sweet Pea
  • Sally Hansen MG Sun-Shower
  • Crinkled Saran Wrap

This look was inspired by those dip dyed eggs people do for Easter. This look, in particular, was my inspiration for this look — although I decided to go more pastel. I’ve never done them, mostly because I do like getting my hands dirty, but I do think they look so cool! So why not attempt the look on my nails! & I have to say, I really like how they turned out.

I used my go to Saran Wrap splatter technique to achieve these. I switched up my base colour on each nail, too, which I thought gave a fun effect.

What do you think about these Easter Egg inspired nails? Are you following around with #glamnailschallengeApril on Instagram to see all the fun designs for this month (so far)? Are you excited to see what the rest of the month brings? Let me know down in the comments below, & have a lovely Monday!

St Patrick’s Day Shamrocks 🍀

Hello lovelies & happy Thursday. & Happy St. Patrick’s Day Eve!

I feel like the older I get, the less I tend to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day — the 3 day hangover just isn’t worth it — but I am always here for a special reason to paint my nails! & St. Patrick’s Day is the one day a girl where my green nail polishes I rarely wear get their moment to shine. I’m not normally a green girl, with the exception of March 17th.

Today’s look is a simple St. Patrick’s Day look… but I was very excited for an excuse to pull out my shamrock nail vinyls I haven’t used in ages.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Glow & Shine 
  • Top Coat: Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat
  • LA Girl Color Addict Urge
  • Essie Satin Sister
  • UR SUGAR Nail Vinyls shamrocks (What’s Up Nails has very similar ones available)

I’m not going to lie, these turned out messier than I intended — I’m not sure because I was rushing to get them done, or wasn’t feeling the colours. However, I do really like these little shamrock nail vinyls, & I think the whole look turned out simple but cute. It’s March Break here, & work has been very busy, so I’m feeling a bit run down at the end of the day. Hence a little more simple nail art this week. I literally fell asleep at 7:30 the other night after I got home.

I’m definitely looking forward to things going back to (slightly) normal next week. Hopefully it means I’ll have some more Spring nail art looks to share. & obviously, it’s time to get thinking about Easter nail art looks too!

What do you think of this St. Patrick’s Day nail art look? Are you a fan of holiday inspired nail art, or do you keep things simple with just polish colours? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below!

♣︎