SWATCH SUNDAY — Orly Naughty

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday! I feel like it’s been ages since my last Swatch Sunday post (because I took last Sunday off) but we’re back, & back to business!

As is tradition, I was gifted some Winners/Marshalls gift cards for Christmas, so naturally I always have to peruse the nail section to see what they have going on. I’m always looking for shades that are different from ones I already own, but within my wheelhouse, & when I saw this shade on the shelf I knew I needed to add it to my stash.

This is Orly Naughty.

2 coats + top coat

This beautiful reddish brown shade is deep, & dark with a creamy formula. I did find this formula patchy, so I had to be careful with my application — especially around the cuticle line. I did find on a few nails I had to go back & carefully fill in where it was looking thin. But once I applied my top coat, it did smooth everything down nicely.

I love this colour so much! It’s deep, dark, & vampy. It fits the January vibe that this year has started with. I do love a dark nail. I did end up adding some glitter on top of this guy — Essie Nail Art Studio Lustrous Luxury which gave it more of a purple look. I’ve actually been wearing that for the last 3 days because I couldn’t figure out any nail art to wear over it, & can’t bare to take it off!

What do you think about this Orly shade? Are you a fan of this deep, dark shade? I don’t often see Orly popping up at Winners, hence why I was exciting to pick it up when I saw it. Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below!

Happy Sunday

♥︎

Red & Gold Shattered Glitter Placement ✨❤️

Hello lovelies & happy Wednesday! It’s another chilly wet Winter day, & the January vibes are just not it. Have I mentioned I’m not a fan of Winter?

But I have just the thing to cheer myself up… new (sparkly) nails! There is nothing that I love more than some sparkle when I’m feeling down, & I recently pulled out a glitter topper I had almost forgotten I owed. The end result was another perfect glitter placement design.

I’m never going to get tired of these!

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Miracle Cure
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Gel Like Top Coat
  • Orly Color Blast Garnet Luxe Shimmer
  • Sinful Colors Twilight Twinkles
  • Small dotting tool

I know this isn’t a super complicated look — still trying to ease myself back into nail art inspiration — but I love how these look. They’re just fun, & pretty, & I never get tired of red nail polish. I also feel like these would be so pretty for February & Valentine’s Day nails!

What do you think about these red shattered glitter nails? Do you love? Also — as always, if you can think of any glitters similar to these in different colours, let me know. I used to have a holographic silver one by Color Club that dried up that I’m desperate to replace!

Happy Wednesday

🖤

Christmas-y Abstract Stripes 🎄

Hello lovelies & happy December! We’re already three days into December, & that’s kind of crazy. & it’s feeling festive with our first bit of winter-y now (although it’s a snow/rain mix) so I guess Christmas is really coming. So naturally it felt like time to create some kind of Christmas nail art look to share with you — & what’s more Christmasy than red & green.

I wanted to create a look that was festive but I wasn’t sure what to do. These started out as some simple red & green nails, & kind of transformed from there. I ended up adding in some hints of pink as well, & I just love the whole look! Definite Christmas vibes.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Miracle Cure
  • Top Coat: Sally Hansen InstaDri Top Coat (red bottle) 
  • Butter London Pure Colour 21X Nail Lacquer Branwen’s Pearls *PR
  • Orly Color Blast Garnet Luxe Shimmer
  • China Glaze Emerald Fitzgerald
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Wrapped in Love
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Living In The Presents
  • NailStuff 11mm Mermaid Tail brush

How fun are these? Kind of gives a little bit of candy vibes — like ribbon candy, or a really fancy candy cane, or maybe just ribbon. The thought of adding like bows, to give the impression of ribbon, crossed my mind but I was scared I would ruin the whole look so maybe I can try again another time with added bows!

What do you think of these Christmas-y abstract stripes? Are you feeling the holiday vibes now & ready to rock some festive designs? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below, & if you’re currently wearing something festive on your nails I want to know! I need all the holiday nail art inspiration I can get!

Enjoy your Wednesday!

♥︎

SWATCH SUNDAY — Orly Buried Alive (2012 Dark Shadows Collection)

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday! A sunny, but chilly, Sunday. The roofs are all frosted over this morning, & it’s definitely feeling like Winter lately. However, I’m just not quite feeling that holiday nail spirit yet. Usually by this time, I’m already planning Christmas manicures — but I haven’t been feeling any Christmas vibes yet this year unfortunately.

It’s Swatch Sunday, though, & I was going through my stash & found a beauty from 2012 that I don’t think I’ve ever worn! This is Orly Buried Alive from the 2012 Dark Shadows Collection.

2 coats + top coat

This beautiful shimmery chocolate brown polish is packed full of golden flakie shimmer. I am actually so sad it’s taken me this long to wear this polish, because it’s absolutely stunning! It’s the most perfect Autumn brown. It’s shimmery on its own, but then you add in that golden shimmer & it just adds the whole other dimension to it.

The formula on this one was actually really easy to use considering it’s a 10+ year old nail polish. Maybe it’s because I haven’t cracked the bottle since I bought it.

Wow! Look at that close up!

I’m actually really sad I have dropped the ball on this shade. I guess I thought “brown polish, not going to like it” but oh boy was I wrong! I love it! The application was flawless, the colour is stunning, & it’s just such a lovely Autumn shade I wouldn’t think to reach for.

What do you think about Orly Buried Alive? Do you remember this shade, or this collection? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below — I’d love to know what you think.

& if you have any tips for getting me in the holiday spirit, I will take all the ones I can get!

Happy Sunday

♥︎

Neon Glitter Gradient 🕶️

Hello lovelies & happy Wednesday! Did everyone survive the holiday & all that chocolate! My kids had chocolate for breakfast a few mornings but now we’re back to normalcy.

Today I’m showing off some very bright & very vibrant nails. The sun was shining, so naturally I needed a manicure to match. & you know what that means — neon! 🕶️☀️

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Top Coat: Essie Gel Couture Top Coat 
  • Base Coat: China Glaze Calcium Gel Fortifier
  • ORLY Put The Top Down
  • ACO by Ardene What DaFaq

Don’t these just scream Summer vibes? While the weather hasn’t quite felt like Summer — there has been a lot of rain this month — a couple sunny days just make me hopeful for the months to come. Just give me some sunshine, plus 20 degree days (Celsius) & I will be a very happy girl.

What do you think about this neon glitter gradient? Is it giving you some much needed Summer vibes as well? Let me know what you think down in the comments below!

& tell me what your favourite summer activities are!

Happy Wednesday