Category: nail polish

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Shimmery Subtle Ruffian Nails

PR — Features Gifted Product

Hello beauties & happy Thursday. Hope everyone is having a good week so far. I had a very exciting week because I received the most amazing PR package from Sally Hansen Canada featuring 4 shades from their Miracle Gel Holiday 2022 collection. I’m sure I’ve said it before, but Sally probably makes my favourite Holiday collections, & I always feel so lucky when I receive any PR from them this time of year.

I have a fun unboxing Reel on my Instagram if anyone wants a sneak peak. Swatches are coming this Sunday!

In the meantime, I had to try out one of the shades I received, & decided to use as the base for this shimmery, & subtle, ruffian nails.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Glow & Shine 
  • Top Coat: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-chip Top Coat
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Shine Bright Like a Menorah (Merry & Bright Holiday 2022 collection) •pr sample•
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Garnish Attention
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Unicorn Top Coat

Another super simple look that has a very striking effect — that would be perfect holiday party nails. Listen, I don’t have a holiday party to go to, but that doesn’t mean my nails can’t look like I do! & I know lots of people do, & will be looking for nail polish/art ideas.

The most difficult part of these is getting that second rounded swipe. I find the Miracle Gel brushes can be a bit trickier for that, but only because my nails are pretty thin & small, & they are very wide so they almost cover too much of the nail! Just takes a bit of practice, but if you get it right… well, it looks pretty beautiful. & the subtle ruffian effect is a perfect touch of nail art. You could also do the opposite, & put the glitter as the base, which would also have a similar peek-a-boo subtle look.

What do you think about this subtle shimmery ruffian look? I really like how the combination turned out, & it’s a fun look to wear! If there is one thing about the cold, dark months of late-Autumn/Winter I enjoy, it’s that there is no better time to pull out all the pretty dark sparkly shades that have been hiding in my stash untouched for months! So expect a lot more shimmer & sparkle on this blog!

It’s long overdue.

Have a fantastic Thursday!

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SWATCH SUNDAY — OPI Vampsterdam

Good morning lovelies & happy Sunday. The last Sunday of October — because this month is just going by at a crazy rate! I thought for this weeks Swatch Sunday I would come up with something kind of Halloween-y to share, & this latest Winners find definitely fits the bill!

This is OPI Vampsterdam— originally released as part of the Spring/Summer 2012 Holland Collection. But I totally feel like between the name & the shade, it could be a Fall shade.

2 coats, no top coat

The shade itself is a very warm plum, with stunning frosty shimmer. I needed 2 coats for full coverage, but I did find I needed to wait a bit between coats because if not it would pull a bit (see my pinky finger). The formula was also quite thin, but it was also a brand new bottle, so maybe that was why? Either way, not big issues that take away from the polish.

The shade itself is absolutely stunning, & very perfect for late October. It’s beautiful & definitely vampy. It also has a lovely jewel tone to it that I feel like translates into holiday party season. Definitely another winner & shade that I will find myself reaching for again & again.

Over all, I love this shade.

I’m not 100% sure on availability in store — this is obviously OPI’s newer label — but it is available to “try on” via the OPI website in both regular & Infinite Shine, but I couldn’t find an option to buy. However, I did find a link to it on Amazon.ca & Tradesecrets.ca — both in the Infinite Shine formula. So if you need this shade, that’s probably your best options!

What do you think of OPI Vampsterdam? Would you wear this shade? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below!

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GLAM NAILS CHALLENGE OCTOBER — Skull 💀

Hello beauties, & happy Wednesday!

I hope everyone’s week is going by wonderfully. Mine has been… interesting but I’m excited to show off these fun nails for the second last prompt of Glam Nails Challenge October: skull.

I was especially excited because it gave me another chance to use the Color Club Skull stamping plate I purchased last year.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

How fun! I just picked up this bottle of OPI Vampsterdam at Marshall’s the other day, so I was pumped to wear it right away. A lovely Autumn shade. & a great base for these skulls.

What do you think about these skulls? Can you believe how quickly Halloween is approaching?! Only one more prompt to go before this month’s challenge is over!

Have a lovely Wednesday.

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GLAM NAILS CHALLENGE OCTOBER – Spiders

Hello lovelies & happy Monday! Hope everyone had a lovely weekend.

I wish I could say I did, but I’ve been fighting through a horrible sickness for the last week or so, & Saturday I worked 10 hours with laryngitis which was… not fun. I also haven’t had any time or energy for my nails, which is why it’s been so quiet on here. But I do have my next prompt for Glam Nails Challenge October, because I am dedicated to seeing it to the end.

Today’s prompt is Spiders. I decided to go with a quick & easy spider web design using these Dollarama nail art stickers.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Glow & Shine 
  • Top Coat: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-chip Top Coat
  • Essie Kimono-over
  • Paris Hilton Nail Polish unnamed glitter
  • Starrily Space Debris
  • Dollarama Halloween nail art stickers

These stickers are so cute, & I really like them over this sparkly purple base. I really love these glitters layered over the darkness of Essie Kimono-over — it build into such a beautiful base for me. The stickers — well while I’ve had some really good luck with other Dollarama nail art stickers, these ones might have been too big, or too stiff, but they did not want to stay on my nails at all. But at least I got enough wear out of them for this design!

Also I know it said Spiders as the prompt — but I hate spiders. Spider webs are much, much more fun for me to wear. & don’t give me the creeps.

What do you think about this nail art look for Glam Nails Challenge October? Have you been following along with the other looks on Instagram? Don’t forget, you can check out the hashtag #glamnailschallengeOct to see all the other fun designs! Only 2 more prompts to go until Halloween!

Have a lovely Monday.

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GLAM NAILS CHALLENGE OCTOBER — Witch

Hello lovelies & happy Wednesday. I hope everyone is having a lovely week so far. Can you believe it’s less than 2 weeks until Halloween? I’m super pumped. I almost have both kids Halloween costumes figured out, as well as my own, & we just have to get the house fully decorated. I’m very excited

I’m also excited to share my nails for the next Glam Nails Challenge October prompt: Witch. Originally, I was kind of stumped on what to paint on my nails for this prompt, because I didn’t want to go to literal with the prompt. So I ended up going with what I would wear on my nails if I were embracing my witchy vibes, inspired by this look I saw on Pinterest.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Glow & Shine 
  • Top Coat: Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Fast Dry Top Coat
  • Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Iris Ilusion
  • Sally Hansen InstaDri Cosmic Blu
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Black-O
  • NailStuff.ca 7mm detail brush

I really wanted to go with this iridescent gradient that would almost look like I had magic coming out of my finger tips. & then I hand painted the cool pattern using my 7mm detail brush. & it turned out pretty awesome — minus my pointer where I had a bit of an oops & had to think quick. It’s supposed to be a sun, but it kind of looks like a spider, but that’s also Halloween-y so I’ll take it.

I had a few different “witchy” ideas for my nails but I really like how this one turned out. It’s a bit lighter than most witch designs, I feel, like more of a Willow from Buffy kind of vibe. &. I really like that.

What do you think about my witch design for Glam Nails Challenge October? Do you like this kind of abstract interpretation of the prompt, versus being more literal? Let me know what you think down below, & let me know if you’re dressing up for Halloween this year… & as what! & check out the other Witch designs on #glamnailschallengeOct.

Have a lovely Wednesday!