Hello lovelies & happy Friday! The weekend (& holiday) is upon us, so I thought I would switch things up with an extra post. Recently, I was gifted some of the new Sally Hansen Salon Effects Perfect Manicure & was excited to try them out.
As you might remember, I tried out the Kiss brand press on nails around Halloween, but to be honest I’m not someone who wears them on the regular. I am, however, a huge Sally Hansen fan so if they’re jumping into the press on nail game, I figured it would be fun to get them a try.
Hello lovelies & happy Sunday. It’s a sunny Sunday here, although the snow situation is a little depressing — Spring is definitely feeling far away. So I thought I would pick something Spring-y to wear on my nails for this week.
Today’s polish is one that I picked up a little while ago now, on a whim while making a NailPolishCanada purchase. I saw the colour & thought it was so pretty, so I added to cart: ORLY Desert Rose, originally released as part of the Neon Earth Collection for Summer 2018.
2 coats + Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat
Desert Rose is a beautiful vibrant coral pink, with reddish undertones. It plays a good balance between that coral feel and the red feel, which are probably two of my favourite colours to wear. The formula was really easy to apply, & went on smoothly, with a good self level. I did apply Seche Vite over which added some extra gloss, but that was because I was planning on wearing the shade & needed it to dry quickly.
This colour is definitely the vibrancy I need for these never ending snowy days. It’s the perfect brightness, & the colour is absolutely gorgeous. I looked back on Nail Polish Canada, but the listing is no longer available sadly (I think it was on clearance when I bought it), BUT I did find it on the official ORLY website for sale, so if you’re looking at this shade, it is still available for purchase through them.
What do you think about ORLY Desert Rose? Do you love this shade for Spring? Are you already dipping into your Spring shades? Let me know in the comments below!
Hello beauties & happy Thursday! & what a gorgeous & sunny Thursday it is here on the East Coast — too bad we’re going to hit another Winter storm tomorrow.
Is it Spring yet?
Today though, I’m concentrating on some more Valentine’s Day inspired nails with a fun (& easy) gradient dotticure. I wanted something pink & fun leading up to the big day, but didn’t necessarily want to go fun on hearts with this look. So I thought why not capture the essence of the holiday with the colours I was feeling, without out right saying Valentine’s. & besides, what is more fun than a dotticure.
I wanted a really neutral base shade, that wasn’t white & wasn’t completely naked, which is why I picked Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure in Almond Tan. I feel like it’s pretty close to my natural colouring. & then I figured, why not just keep the Good. Kind. Pure. train going with a few more of my favourite pink-y shades from my stash. & bam! A fun gradient dotticure which is perfect for a Valentine’s date night, or to enjoy 50% off chocolate on the 15th. Either way, it was a super easy design to do, so I was excited to wear it!
What do you think about this gradient dotticure design? Are you a fan of these funky easy designs, or do you prefer something a little more complicated? Let me know what you think, & what colour combination you would rock this design in!
It’s a beautiful Sunday here, albeit a little bit chilly. But the sun is shining, & that is nice to see for a January day. I thought I would match the brighter days, while also getting a little a little Valentines-y with some pinkish nails. I fee like end of January into February is the only time I really wear a lot of pink, so I’ve got to share when I do!
Today’s Swatch Sunday pick is OPI All About the Bows from the 2019 Hello Kitty Holiday Collection. Technically this shade is kind of enigma, because I feel like sometimes it leans hot pink, & sometimes it looks more reddish. Getting the right lighting for these nails was definitely a bit of a challenge, but I tried my best!
1 coats, No Top Coat
Hello beautiful! & hello one coater. I was super impressed with the smooth formula of this shade because it applied effortlessly in one coat. The formula itself has a syrupy feel, but with a good opacity. I was actually really, really impressed with how easily it applied. & the dry time was super quick as well, probably because I only needed one coat to reach full opacity.
I will say though, if my nails were longer, I might need two if I wanted a little more coverage. You can see a bit of visible nail line on my ring finger — but honestly, it’s barely visible unless you’re really looking for it.
I love how this shade is somewhere between a hot pink & a red. We all know how much I love a good red, but it still gives off the Valentine’s vibes I was hoping for. After all, it’s just a little over 2 weeks away so it’s time to start really getting my manicure & nail art ideas into action.
What do you think of OPI All About The Bows? Are you a fan of a hot pink shade like this? Let me know all your thoughts about this shade, & which shades you’re already planning on wearing for Valentine’s Day (& black totally counts!)
Hello lovelies & happy Thursday. I decided to throw things back a bit (& embrace the crazy nostalgia taking over my life thanks to my very own mid-2006 emo playlist) with a fun look featuring a very nostalgic nail polish finish— crackle.
For anyone not around during the early 2010s, crackle nail polishes became huge around 2012, & by 2013 everyone & their mom was coming out with their own version of the crackle (or shatter) effect. Black was the beginning shade I remember being everywhere, followed by a whole assortment of different colours & finishes.
Recently I was going through my stash, & found a bottle of Avon Mosiac Effects Top Coat — aka their version of the crackle nail Polish — & decided to give it a little shake to see if it was still good. Sure enough, the formula is still perfect! So I had to give it a try to see how it looked after all this time.
The polishes I used for this manicure are:
Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Glow & Shine
Top Coat: Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat
Illamasqua Aorta
Avon Mosiac Effects Top Coat Black
I still have a couple crackle/shatter shades left in my stash, although most have long since dried up to be unusable. For this look, what you’re seeing is one rather thick coat over my base shade. I waited about 5 minutes for the cracked effect to set before applying my top coat, & I thought the end result was pretty perfect. I prefer my cracks to be larger so you can see more of the base shade underneath.
Is crackle/shatter nail polish going to make a comeback? I don’t know. I feel like these shades are so controversial, even 11 years later. You either love them, or hate them, & obviously I am firmly planted on the love side. I also think it’s a nostalgia thing, as I remember crackle being the first “nail art” trend I really feel in love with.
What do you think? Do you think crackle is due for its revival? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below.
Coffee & Nail Polish 