SWATCH SUNDAY — Essence Lilac Vibes (Neon Pastels)

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday! & happy Easter. I hope everyone is having a lovely holiday (if you celebrate). Today I’m celebrating another week, & another Swatch Sunday post!

This week, I pulled out this Essence beauty: Lilac Vibes. I found this shade at my local Shoppers Drug Mart last Summer, & I have been meaning to share it ever since! But I thought since Spring is in full swing, it would be a great colour pick for this week’s Swatch Sunday post.

2 coats, no top coat

The formula on this shade is super creamy, & easy to apply. I possibly could have gotten away with one coat, but I applied a second to hide a few patchy spots on the nail. It dries to a beautiful shine, as pictured, without any top coat needed — although if I’m wearing long term, I always had top coat to help my polish last.

The colour is really pretty, & vibrant. It’s not quite pink, not quite purple. But the soft shade is enough you could get away with it for a variety of occasions. It also reminds me a bit of one of my favourite ORLY shades: Scenic Route — although Violet Vibes seems to lean a bit more on the blue side.

As mentioned, I picked this shade up at my local Shoppers Drug Mart last Summer. It wasn’t part of the core Essence display, but one of those little separate displays for limited edition shades. Like all Essence polishes sold at Shoppers, it was $2.99 CAD, which is a very good price.

It’s no longer listed as available on the Shoppers Drug Mart beauty site, but I did find the shade also listed on the Essence website as available so I’m not 100% sure if it is a core shade or not, but it does look like it is still available for purchase — although I do believe that is the US site, so shipping would not be available for Canada.

What do you think about this Essence shade? Are you a fan of Essence nail polish? Let me know what you think about this fun shade down in the comments below, & what your favourite Essence shade is!

Spring Inspired Saran Wrap Splatter

Hello loves & happy almost Easter weekend! It’s been a beautiful week here on the East Coast — very Spring-y! I even had a chance to break out my flip flops. So I’ve been feeling all the Spring colours.

Todays look is a nail art technique I haven’t done in a while — Saran Wrap splatter. This is a technique I’ve done a lot in the past, but it’s been a hot minute since the last time, so I was excited to pull it out of my repertoire.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure Hardener
  • Top Coat: Essie Speed Setter
  • Sally Hansen InstaDri Racing Rose
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Get Mod
  • Essie Butler Please
  • Essie Play Date
  • Icing Matte Nail Polish Neon Blue
  • Crinkled plastic

How fun are these colours together? I feel like these pinks & purples & blues just go so well together. I’ve been doing this technique a very long time, & it never gets old to me. It’s a way easier option than your traditional spatter, & way less clean up. I usually only have a few places I need to clean up with acetone, versus a traditional spatter that makes quite a mess,

What do you think of this Saran Wrap Splatter look? Have you ever tried this technique before? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below!

Glam Nails Challenge March — Dots

Hello lovlies & happy Wednesday! I hope everyone is having a lovely week so far. It’s been hit or miss with the weather here, but I’m really hoping as we say goodbye to March, we’ll have a lovely April to look forward to! A girl can dream, right?

In the meantime, we have the last prompt for Glam Nails Challenge March today! This month has definitely sped by. I always love doing these challenges, not just to connect with the nail polish community & see everyone else’s interpretations of the same idea, but also because it challenges me when I might sometimes be struggling with ideas.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure Hardener 
  • Top Coat: Essie Speed Setter
  • Londontown Lakur Briolette
  • Starrily Vantablack
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Get Mod
  • Londontown Lakur Mint No Chip
  • NailStuff.ca Dotting Tool Trio

How cute is this nail art look? Now that I’m rocking my serious shorties, I like dainty nail art looks like this — they used to be one of my favourite go to nail art looks. & they’re very very easy to do.

Can you believe Glam Nails Challenge March is already over, & April is almost here? Have you enjoyed all these manicures from this last month?

I haven’t quite decided whether or not I’ll be participating in next Month’s challenge, but stay tune to see what next month brings!

Glam Nails Challenge March — Flames 🔥

Hello lovelies & happy Monday!

A brand new week, (almost) a brand new month, & look at that… my nails are looking brand new too. Unfortunately, I had a pretty nasty break on my ring finger, so that means I’m back to rocking some serious shorties. But we have just two prompts left for Glam Nails Challenge March & I’m going to end this month strong!

The second to last prompt for this month is flames, which is a nail art design I have never, ever done. So I was both excited & nervous. Thankfully, I had some old flame nail vinyls, which made creating this look that much easier!

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure Hardener 
  • Top Coat: Essie Speed Setter
  • Essie Watermelon
  • Starrily Eclipse
  • Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Trouble Maker
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Blacky-O
  • NailStuff.ca 4mm Micro Detail Brush
  • URSugar Flame Nail Vinyls

How much fun are these holo flames? I was really feeling this base, & thought that this holo pink would be perfect for flames. I added the black tracing of the flames because I thought it would really emphasize the look of everything.

& I think it worked! The flames really pop against the nail. & I’m really happy with the outcome.

What do you think about these flame nails for Glam Nails Challenge March? Can you believe this month is almost over & we only have one prompt left?

Glam Nails Challenge March — Checkered 🏁

Hello lovelies & happy Monday!

Today I’m excited because today’s prompt for Glam Nails Challenge March is checkered, & that’s a design I don’t think I’ve ever done in all the years I’ve been doing my nails. So I was very excited for this challenge, & decided to make it even more of a challenge by free-handing the whole look. Haha it’s not like I didn’t have a stamping plate I could have used. I just wanted to see if do it.

& instead of the classic black & white, I decided some Spring-y colours, & peak-a-book negative space, would be perfect.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure Hardener
  • Top Coat: Essie Speed Setter
  • Sinful Colors Fit Chick
  • Sinful Colors Blue Me Away
  • Sinful Colors Fitspo
  • Sinful Colors Yolo Yellow
  • Starrily Vantablack
  • NailStuff.ca 4mm Micro Detail Brush

I picked up a few of these funky bright Sinful Colors shades at my local Walmart, 3 for $6, so I went with that colour scheme because it would be the most fun. Bright, funky & colourful! Perfect for these almost Spring days we’ve been having.

Also I’m really, really proud of how this freehanding turned out. I was very nervous to attempt something as complex & time consuming as this. But you know what, I’m really glad I did, because they turned out so freaking perfect.

What do you think about this checkered design? Are you feeling these bright, & colourful shades? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below!