Polka Dots – Coffee & Nail Polish

August 6, 2020August 6, 2020

Neon Dotticure (again 🕶)

Hello lovelies & Happy Thursday! I don’t know about where you are, but the August swelter is real here in Halifax. So I thought it would be a good idea to pull out some neons, embrace the heat, & enjoy what is left of Summer before I dive fully into wanting all things Fall (& it’s coming…. oh it’s coming!)

Today I thought I would share this fun neon dotticure I did with a few of Sally Hansen Miracle Gel’s neon shades they released last year! It’s fun, it’s bright, & it takes little real talent to look gorgeous, which is why they’re my favourite to do when I’m short on time, or too tired to function.

For this manicure, the polishes I used were:

Base Coat: OPI Nail Envy
Top Coat: Essie Gel Setter
Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Get Mod
Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Peach Please
Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Electri-Lime
Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Miami Nice
Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Fuchsia Fever
Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Violet Voltage
NailStuff.ca dotting tool from Dotting Tool Trio

Hey, so I know what you’re thinking: Hey Shannon, haven’t you already done a dotticure with these shades? Yes, yes I have. But that was a much more dainty dotticure, & this one is much more BAM! in your face. Or, at least that’s what I’m telling myself. Haha.

Or maybe I just totally forgot. I mean, 2020 has all kind of done our brains in a little bit. Who even remembers last year anymore?

What do you think about this dotticure redux? Are you still embracing the neon? Let me know what you think down below!

March 17, 2020March 17, 2020

Matte St. Patrick’s Day Dotticure 🍀

Hello lovelies! Happy St. Patrick’s Day 🍀 although this feels like a very strange thing to say considering the state of the world right now. I hope wherever you are, you’re safe & healthy & stocked up on all the essentials you need. Like coffee.

For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t feeling the St. Patrick’s Day nails this year, but decided at the last minute (yesterday) to do something, anything. & what is more fun & festive than a green themed dotticure!

For the manicure, the polishes I used were:

Base Coat: Sally Hansen Good Kind Pure Hardener
Top Coat: Essie Gel Setter
Matte Top Coat: Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Matte Top Coat
My Beauty Spot pistachio green (no name)
Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Get Mod
L’Oréal Feeling Kilty
Quo by ORLY Diva
NailStuff.ca Dotting Tool Trio (COFFEE10 to save 10%)

This look makes me happy, not only because it’s relatively quick & so easy to do! A dotting tool was the very first nail art tool I ever purchased, & by far they are the ones I’ve used the most over the last decade of me obsessively painting my nails! The great thing about a dotticure is that you grab a few festive colours & you can create a manicure for any holiday! Orange & black = Halloween. Green, red & White = Christmas. Pastels = Easter.

Easy peasy.

What do you usually do for St. Patrick’s Day? Back in my bit crazier days, I would take the day off from work & go party at a friends house literally all day. Those were crazier times for sure. Now I pretty much stick to kombucha & maybe Irish Cream flavoured coffee!

This year, like I said, with all the fear about Covid-19, we’ve stocked up on goods for the next little while. But I am set when it comes to coffee — we made sure to hit up Selby’s for some at home coffee! ☕️

Stay safe (& healthy!) loves

February 13, 2020

Teeny Tiny Gradient Dotticure (perfect for Valentine’s Day)

**{PR SAMPLE/GIFTED}**

Hello lovelies & Happy Thursday!

We have one more day until Valentine’s Day, so I thought I would share a cute look that you could totally wear for the holiday — this teeny tiny gradient dotticure! I’m kind of obsessed with polka dots right now, & there is nothing I love more than a gradient dotticure. For this look, I decided to use my beautiful Sally Hansen Canada Good Kind Pure shades because I thought all the colours I received would make for a beautiful not-so-classic Valentine’s Day look.

For this look, the polishes I used were:
**Base Coat:** Sally Hansen Good Kind Pure Hardener
**Top Coat:** Sally Hansen Good Kind Pure Top Coat
Sally Hansen GKP *Beet It*
Sally Hansen GKP Pink Cardamom
Sally Hansen GPK *Eco-Rose*
Sally Hansen GKP *Golden Quartz*
NailStuff.ca Dotting Tool Trio
Remember, you can use COFFEE10 at checkout at Nailstuff.ca to save 10% off your purchases!

How pretty are these dainty polka dots?

Also please forgive the lack of photo quality. My phone is on its last life, & trying to capture my nails in good quality is just not happening. I need a new phone, & maybe a new camera too. If you have any camera suggestions you love, let me know! I’m so ready for/in desperate need of an upgrade.

I haven’t actually decided what I’ll be wearing on my nails for tomorrow. Usually I have some elaborate idea in my head of what I want to do on my nails, but this year I’ve been distracted. We’re also traveling tomorrow to Northern New Brunswick to visit family for a couple of days, so I don’t know if I’ll have time to do anything more than a single colour. Maybe I’ll pull out one of my pink holo shades for the occasion!

What do you think about this nail art look? Have you ever done a gradient dotticure before? What is your favourite colour combination? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below!

January 28, 2020January 28, 2020

Dainty Polka Dots (take 2)

Hello lovelies & Happy Tuesday! Hope everyone’s week is off to a fantastic start — we had some beautiful, dare I say Spring-like, weather yesterday which has me feeling excited. I am not a Winter person at all. It’s just too cold & wet, & the days are too short & dark. With the exception of snow for Christmas, I really can’t deal with it at all. I miss my flats.

But you know what cheers me up? Pretty nails! & it’s be eons since my last true dotticure so I thought some simple & chic polka dots were in order. Plus I got this neat Essie Christmas set at Walmart for 50 % off, & I really wanted to pair these two polishes together.

I seriously love a good deal, & when I saw this set of two mini polishes plus my beloved Gel Setter top coat for $7.50, I knew I needed it. I also did not yet own Ballet Slippers (crazy I know), so it was a deal I couldn’t pass up.

For this manicure, the polishes I used were:

Base Coat: Essie Treat Love & Colour in Gloss Fit
Base Coat: OPI Nail Envy
Top Coat: Essie Gel Setter
Essie Ballet Slippers
Essie Chocolate Cakes
NailStuff.ca Dotting Tool Trio (COFFEE10 to save 10%)

I don’t think I can begin to describe how much I love a good dotticure, & this one is particularly lovely. The darker dots just pop against the delicate base of Ballet Slippers & gives it such a girly feel overall. It’s such an easy look to wear for everyday, or maybe for a date with a special someone for Valentine’s Day (which is quickly coming up!) Also I always feel like a dotticure is such a perfect option for someone who isn’t into nail art or doesn’t have time for complicated nail art — they’re easy to do, but not super flashy! You could even go with a paler dot colour — white or blush — if you needed something even more office appropriate & no one would really be able to tell you had nail art on!

What do you think about this dotticure? Are you a fan or is it too simple for you? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below! & share what Valentine’s Day nails you’re thinking about wearing (or anti-Valentine’s Day nails if you’re not into the whole thing 🖤)

October 2, 2019September 27, 2019

GlamnailschallengeOct — Candy

Good morning lovelies & Happy October! Can you believe it’s already the most wonderful month of the year? Also how is this year going by so quickly?!

In honour of my absolute favourite month, I decided to participate in another round of GlamNailsChallenge! I’m always up for a challenge, & I had so much fun the first time I figured this would be the perfect time for it! & all the prompts for this month sound really fun!

The first prompt for the challenge: Candy! & what is the most controversial candy of October? Why candy corn of course! When it comes to candy corn, you either love it or hate it… & I love it! So I thought a candy corn gradient dotticure was in order. (Can you tell I’m obsessed with dotticures right now?)

For this manicure, the polishes I used were:

Base Coat: Gel overlay
Base Coat: Quo by ORLY Bonder
Top Coat: Essie Speed Setter
Aco by Ardene Nearly Nude
WetnWild 2% Milk
Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Get Mod
China Glaze Stoked to be Soaked
Color Club Almost Famous
Nailstuff.ca Dotting Tool Trio

Since I’m so obsessed with dotticures, it was a given I had to do a candy corn inspired one to kick off this prompt. I decided to go with a negative space-ish nude base, & use the three candy corn colours over top. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen someone do this look before, but I searched Pinterest under “candy corn dotticure” & couldn’t find this exact look, so if you know who did it first let me know so I can credit them properly!

Ah, this look totally reminds me of those paper dots candies… oh, candy buttons! (Yep, totally googled that) Did anyone else eat those as a kid, where you had to peel them off the paper? I haven’t seen them in years, but that is exactly what this manicure looks like. & I love it! Also this is definitely an easier candy corn look to achieve than your typical candy corn gradient, & way less messy! So if you’re like me & not in the mood for crazy clean up, this is an easy manicure idea for you!

Who else is excited for October & October manicures! I have to say, the prompts for this month are so exciting so I can’t wait to create some fun nail art looks & share them with you! Don’t forgot you can fallow along with everyone participating this month by following the hashtags #glamnailschallangeoct on Instagram!

& let me know what prompt you’re most excited about in the comments down below!

	Maitreyi on #GlamNailsChallengeOct — Witch…
	Shannon Rae on #GlamNailsChallengeOct — Witch…
	Ananka on #GlamNailsChallengeOct — Witch…
	Shannon Rae on #GlamNailsChallengeOct — Blood
	Shannon Rae on SWATCH SUNDAY — OPI Designer S…