Halloween Inspired Dotticure Accent Nails 🎃

Hello lovelies & happy Friday!

Can you believe it’s October?! How did that happen?

I’m already getting excited for Halloween designs, but haven’t quite narrowed down what I want to do. I thought I’d start off with a fun easy look.

You can never go wrong with a dotticure accent look, & I had the idea of doing one with all the colours associated with Halloween.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Maximum Growth Base Coat 
  • Top Coat: Sinful Colors Power Paint Top Coat + Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat
  • China Glaze Up All Night topped with Private Side Eyes
  • OPI I Cannoli Wear OPI
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Feelin’ Grape
  • Sally Hansen InstaDri Pump-kid
  • China Glaze Shore Snuff
  • NailStuff Essentials Raven
  • Small Dotting Tool (also NailStuff)

Close up of my dots. I think they’re super fun, & the colours really compliment each other. They’re a great pop of colour.

A simple look for the beginning of October. I will admit, though, I’m very excited to start on some Halloween looks… I just don’t know where to start!

Enjoy your weekend loves!

♥︎

SWATCH SUNDAY — BlackHeart Metallic Purple Blue Galaxy (Hot Topic Brand)

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday! I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend so far — can you believe this is the last Sunday of September? Where has this month gone? It’s passed by very quickly.

Today I’m excited because I’m sharing a shade I’ve had in my stash all Summer, but have been waiting to share because it felt more Autumn-esque. At the beginning of Summer I was browsing my local Hot Topic, & as always, I have to look at the nail polish! They had some fun colours in those skull shaped bottles, & I ended up buying two since they were buy one get one 1/2 price!

This is Blackheart Metallic Purple Blue Galaxy.

2 coats over NailStuff Essentials Raven + Top Coat

So first thing I noticed when I checked the formula was that it is very, very thin, & therefore very sheer. As a result, I made the choice to apply over a base of black just to avoid needing 4+ coats. Personally, I like the plain black base as it made the purple & blue shimmer the easiest to see.

The colour itself (to me) is the textbook definition of a blurple, which we all know is one of my favourite kind of polishes. The duo-chrome effect flashes either purple or blue depending on how you shift the nail. The colour feels very Halloween-adjacent, which — as a girl who loves Halloween — I’m absolutely here for. & obviously the skull shape of the bottle also adds to the Halloween-y vibes.

Check out that shifty glitter. It’s beautiful. The base of this shade is more of a jelly, so for me I really liked to have the black base so I don’t have to do quite so many coats.

Absolutely gorgeous, & I total win!

Hot Topic’s Blackheart Nail Polish retails for $6.50 CAD but often has a deal like BOGO 50% off which brings the price down. The formula’s & colours are my favourite though because they’re fun finishes, which I’m all about. & obviously, the Skull shaped bottle makes me happy.

Have you ever tried Hot Topic’s nail polish? What do you think of the brand? I’ll definitely be checking back into my local store, as I saw a pink & black glitter online, & I need it. So stay tuned!

& happy Sunday!

♥︎

SWATCH SUNDAY — China Glaze First Class Ticket (Fall 2010 Vintage Vixen Collection)

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday! The weather is absolutely perfect Autumn vibes right now — I wore tights yesterday with my favourite denim skirt. I felt so Fall.

Obviously, I’ve been perusing my stash for past Fall shades I haven’t shared yet with everyone, & stumbled across this beauty in my China Glaze drawer. Yes, I have a whole drawer full of China Glaze nail polishes… a drawer & a half if we’re being technical. But I was excited to stumble across this beauty, & I realized that I haven’t shared it yet!

This is China Glaze First Class Ticket.

2 coats + top coat

This beautiful deep metallic purple is filled with a stunning blue micro glitter which gives it the most stunning blurple effect. We all know I love a deep purple, & a jewel tone, & these are so perfect for this time of year. Formula was smooth & easy to apply — Obviously I still needed two coats for full opacity, but I had no problem with streakiness, or brushstrokes.

Close up really shows how that blue micro glitter gives a glow to the polish. I used flash for my photographs, but even without you can see that blurple effect.

I feel like this shade is very 2010s China Glaze — when to me, their polishes were at the peak. Obviously I still love the brand, but nothing compares to my shades from the early to mid 2010s. That was when China Glaze was the IT GIRL nail polish brand, & I truly adore all of my shades that I collected during those years. It was a beautiful time.

What do you think about China Glaze First Class Ticket? Do you love this shade as much as I do?

Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below! & have the best Sunday lovelies.

♥︎

SWATCH SUNDAY — CNDVinylux Dark Dahlia #159

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday. I hope everyone is having the best weekend possible — the last weekend of Summer vacation ( at least around here.) It’s crazy to believe August is basically over, & school starts for us this upcoming week. Autumn is quickly approaching, & you know what that means… Fall nail polish!

I haven’t had a chance to buy any new Fall colours yet, but I did some perusing of my stash & found some shades I haven’t really worn since buying them. Today’s polish pick — in particular — I think I bought last Autumn, & it’s been sitting in my stash ever since, so this last (unofficial) weekend of Summer felt like a good opportunity to pull it out.

This is CNDVinylux Dark Dahlia.

2 coats + top coat

First thing I notice about this shade is it’s very much giving the same vibe as OPI Lincoln Park After Dark — a super dark purple, so dark it almost appears black. Although, I will say… I think CND Vinylux Dark Dahlia might be even darker than LPAD.

The formula is smooth & supple, & applies to the nail very easily. In two coats, it builds to this dark shade that is so vampy. I feel like this is very much going to be my signature shade I go to this Autumn–dark purple, dark blue, dark red. Just the vampiest of nail polish colours.

What do you think about this vampy dark purple colour? Are you feeling the vamp, kind of goth vibes. I love the idea of wearing a shade that looks black from far away, but when you look at it up close you realize it’s not.

& yes, it’s getting me extra excited for Halloween. We all know how much I love Halloween!

What do you think of CND Vinylux Dark Dahlia? Are you feeling this shade as much as I do? Is it giving you warm fuzzy flannel vibes, like it is for me? Let me know your thoughts down below & share what Autumn shade/collection you’re most excited for!

Enjoy your Sunday loves.

❤︎

Easy & Simple Spring Floral 🌼

Hello lovelies — & happy Wednesday!

& Happy April 1st. I hope everyone’s week is going okay. I don’t know about where you are, but here on the East Coast of Canada the weather is miserable–which is just more reason for Spring-y designs. The flowers may not be showing themselves in our garden, but at least I can wear them on my nails.

Today’s look is me wistfully wishing for some warmer, Spring-like days. Which, obviously, means floral!

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Maximum Growth
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Gel Like Top Coat
  • OPI Infinite Shine Mariachi Makes My Day
  • OPI Infinite Shine Shaking My Sugarplums
  • Essie Willow in the Wind
  • Essie Off Tropic
  • OPI I Cannoli Wear OPI
  • OPI Where Did Suzi’s Man-go?
  • Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Red My Lips
  • Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure. Peony Origins
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Montley Hue
  • NailStuff.ca 7mm Mermaid Tail Brush

This design started off as simply just a rose design, but after I had painted my roses I realized that something was missing, so I added a bit more greenery, & then a few of the white flowers (sort of daisies, but not really). & once I added my white flowers, I felt like it pulled everything together perfectly.

Is it a totally original floral look? Well, no.

Do I still absolutely adore the end result? Absolutely, yes. Especially where my nails are so short at this current moment in time, I feel like a floral design looks so beautiful & put together. Plus, the darker purple base is a little bit end of winter, with the floral adding the touch of Spring I’m desperately craving.

What do you think of this floral look? Do you like the combination of colours? Does it have you craving Spring as much as I am craving spring? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below.

& if it’s feeling like Spring where you are, I’d love to know! Give me some hope so warmer, sunnier days to come.

♥︎