Category: Pure Ice

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Black Diamond Studded Nails 🖤 (Makes my Emo heart happy)

Hello darlings, & happy Monday. I hope everyone had a lovely weekend, no matter what you found yourself doing. My weekend was mostly spent working, but I find the weekend rush fun.

Today I’m sharing a really fun manicure, featuring yesterday’s Swatch Sunday pick & a whole lot of black rhinestones! While swatching Dark Dahlia, I was trying to figure out a fun (but different manicure) & I stumbled across a small bag of black diamonds that I’ve never used. One thing led to another, & suddenly I was carefully placing each stud on my nail.

& I am obsessed. Actually, obsessed is an understatement! I literally want to recreate this design using every colour of the rainbow.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Strengthner
  • Top Coat: Sinful Colors Power Paint Top Coat + Essie Speed Setter
  • The Creme Shop Calcium & Protein Clear Polish (from the Hollywood Nail Art Kit)
  • CND Vinylux Dark Dahlia
  • Black Diamond Studs
  • Diamond Art grabber pen

It has been a long time since I pulled out my nail studs, & played with them. I’m not even sure why I don’t play with them more often, minus the fact I’m always worried about one popping off. Thankfully, these were nails to rock around home & not at work because I feel like they’re not the most practical…. but damn they look so cool.

Like really cool. You have no idea how bad ass I felt wearing these.

Were they a little more complicated & time consuming to do? Yes. Would I 100% do them again. Also yes.I also think the almost-black of Dark Dahlia paired with the black of the studs made the studs look better. I was kind of worried it was just going to look weird & lumpy, but it didn’t. Instead, it really did look like black diamonds on my nails.

& as an elder Emo who spent her formative years listening to Taking Back Sunday, Brand New & the Ataris while wearing exclusively black nails…. these scratch a little Emo itch that regular black nails could never.

So, what do you think about this rock star worthy manicure? Do you love it as much as I do? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below, & what polish & stud combo you would want to try!

Happy Monday My Loves!

❤︎

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Pretty Spring Floral (with Butter London) 🌸

*contains PR/gifted items

Hello beauties & happy Wednesday!

We are back up & running, & I’m trying my best to keep my posting routine going.

I’m hoping today’s nail art look is going to encourage Mother Nature to get her stuff together. The calendar may say Spring, but the weather is screaming December. So maybe. simple floral look will encourage some warmer days — because I want to wear my Spring dresses again!

Today’s look uses my two new Butter London shade for Spring 2026 — Bloomsbury & Posh Petal.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Maximum Growth
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Gel Like Top Coat
  • Butter London Pure Colour 21X Bloomsbury
  • Butter London Pure Colour 21X Posh Petal
  • Acrylic Paint
  • Small Nail Art Brush

I love floral nails so much! These were done while I was away from my stash, so I used acrylic paint for my floral instead — because that’s what I had available. I also didn’t have my usual favourite nail art brush from NailStuff, but I think I this look really came together for a beautiful Spring look. I love love love Posh Petal as the sheer base for my flowers, & I think it works perfectly for this naked, but not really naked, effect.

What do you think of this floral look using my new Butter London Spring 2026 shades? Do you like this combination as much as I do?

Sadly, this was my last look I did before breaking two of my long nails, & needing to trim them all down to a much shorter length! I enjoyed having my nails super long, but it’s fun to start over & come up with some cute nail art looks for my baby nails.

Happy Wednesday!

♥︎

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SWATCH SUNDAY — Pure Ice Cookies ‘N Cream

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday! The first Sunday of April at that — can you believe it? I mean, I feel like I’m always saying this, but I can’t get over how quickly this year is passing. I’m happy that we’re that much closer to Summer dress weather, but wow… this year is already 1/4 over! That is crazy.

Today I’m going old school though, with a polish from deep in my stash. I’ve been living for speckled nail looks lately, so obviously that means pulling out some from deep in the past. You might remember, a few years ago, the brand Pure Ice released a collection of speckled nail polishes that I think were based on nail polishes. Naturally, I bought three at the time. I don’t often pull them out, with the exception of this time of year because I feel like they’re absolutely perfect for Easter nails.

2 coats, no top coat.

As the name implies, Cookies ‘N Cream is a white base with multisized hex glitters that gives the impression of cookies & cream ice cream.

I applied 2 coats of polish for my application — a thinner first coat, followed by a thicker second coat which gave exactly the opacity I was hoping for. The base is thin enough that the black glitters show through perfectly, giving you the multi layered effect. It also dried down quickly. which left a semi textured in some places, thanks to the layered glitters, but this could easily be fixed with a thick coat of glossy top coat.

I really, really love the different sized glitters in this polish ( & its sister shades I own Boysenberry & Orange Sorbet) versus a speckled polish like Deborah Lippmann Polka Dots & Moonbeams. & it really does look like ice cream, which just makes me think of Summer, & I can’t wait for Summer days.

It also kind of makes me wish I had scooped up all 6 shades in the collection back in 2015 because every time I wear one I realize just how much I freaking love speckled nail polish, & this trend needs to make a comeback!

What do you think about Pure Ice Cookies ‘N Cream? Do you love these speckled polishes as much as I do? Are there any nail polishes you’re hoping the Easter Bunny brings you next weekend? Let me know down in the comments below!

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Purple & Gold Colour Blocking

Hello beauties & happy Thursday! I hope everyone is having a lovely week so far. Mine has been busy, & we’re anxiously awaiting another snowstorm. But at least I have some cute nails to show off!

Today’s look was kind of an experiment, I guess. I was just playing around on my nails, but I liked them so much I decided to wear them as a full manicure. I love when that happens! Especially because I am in a nail art rut right now, & struggling with ideas.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Glow & Shine 
  • Top Coat: Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat
  • Quo by ORLY Breathable You’re A Gem
  • Quo by ORLY Colour Amp’d Venice
  • Quo by ORLY Colour Amp’d Stadium Way
  • Quo by ORLY Breathable Fairy Godmother
  • NailStuff.ca 16mm Striper Brush

This feels very regal, like something you would see on the dress of Victorian royalty. The colours, & the gold accents — it all feels very royal. It’s a fun look, & relatively quick to do. I also haven’t really dug into my old Quo by ORLY polishes in a while, so I was happy to pull out a few I haven’t worn in a while.

Purple & gold is always a solid colour combination.

What do you think about this colour combination & nail art look? Are you a fan of this purple & gold combination? Let me know all your thoughts down below, & let me know what you’re wearing on your nails lately.

I’ve been starting to feel myself drawn to neon lately, so I would be prepared for some fun neon looks in the future!

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Another Spring-y Floral Accent Nail

Hello lovelies & happy Thursday!

This past weekend we had some beautiful weather, & looking in our gardens you can see greenery beginning to pop through the soil, so if there is any benefit to this current situation, it is the fact that there will be lots of time to enjoy our yard very soon! It also inspired me to do MORE floral nails!

For this look, the polishes I used were:

  • Base Coat: UNT Ready For Take Off (I got mine from NailStuff.ca — remember to use my code for 10% off: COFFEE10)
  • Top Coat: Essie Speed Setter
  • Pure Ice Boysenberry
  • Essie Fall for NYC
  • Essie Set in Sandstone
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Birthday Suit
  • Sally Hansen MG Blacky-O
  • Essie Off Tropic
  • Essie First Timer
  • NailStuff.ca Mermaid Tail Brush Trio (I used my favourite brush: the 7mm liner brush) 

After my Swatch Sunday post featuring untrieds on Sunday (including Deborah Lippmann Polka Dots & Moonbeams) I’ve been really trying to wear shades either I haven’t worn in a very long time, or maybe I’ve never worn. Boysenberry was a shade I bought when all the speckled egg polishes were coming out, but I think I’ve only worn a handful of times. It’s very springy, & the pale purple base is perfect for Spring!

Can I just say how much I adore how these little yellow flowers turned out. 🌼 Makes me hopeful for brighter days ahead, even if our reality right now is… very stressful & very scary. Right now I’m just going to stay home & concentrate on the things that make me happy, & that includes my vast collection of nail polish & painting my nails.

What do you guys think about this floral accent nail? What other flowers would you like to see me attempt? I think I’ve perfected my roses, so I am going to try & branch out into other floral varieties! Next up — going to attempt some tulips! But let me know down in the comments below what floral I should try next, or even what flower is your favourite!

🌸