Category: Swatch Sunday

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SWATCH SUNDAY — Essie Revenge’s a Beach (Summer 2022)

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday.

I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend so far & that the weather, where you are, is not apocalyptic.

Today’s Swatch Sunday post is decidedly Summer appropriate. I posted last weekend about the other polish I picked up during my small Shoppers haul, & here she is: Essie Revenge’s A Beach from the Summer 2022 collection.

2 coats + top coat

I’ve been eyeing this shade in their clearance bin for a month or so, but I’ll be honest — the price wasn’t right. But when I saw it for $3 on my last visit, I knew it was coming home with me.

Formula is pretty good on this one — I could almost do one coat, but I applied a second for full coverage. It dried down a bit flat, but adding top coat gave it that glossy finish you see. The colour is a beautiful blue leaning teal that you just know needs careful removal because it’ll be a stainer. I’m still wearing this shade, so we’ll see how it goes when I attempt to remove it tonight!

It really is a beautiful colour. Definitely a little bit bluer than Essie Garden Variety & a little more teal & darker than Essie Strut Your Stuff. It also definitely appears lighter in my light box versus natural lighting. Not necessarily a colour I immediately reach for in the Summer, but I very much get the beach vibes they were aiming for.

Obviously, as this was part of last years Summer collection, availability is limited. I did find it still available on NailPolishCanada.com, & I have no doubt if you Google around you can find more. My best advice is check the clearance section at your favourite place to buy nail Polish — that’s where I usually score finds like this. It’s also possible it will pop up at your local Winners/Marshal’s, as mine always seems to get in these previous collections.

What do you think of Essie Revenge’s A Beach from the Summer 2022 collection? Are you feeling the beach vibes? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below!

Happy Sunday! 🖤

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SWATCH SUNDAY — Pacifica Plant Magic Mermaid Tail

Good morning lovelies & happy Sunday. This weekend has been a bit exhausting, but I did managed to get a brand new polish to share for this week’s Swatch Sunday.

(& one for next week too — stay tuned!)

I was perusing my local Shoppers Drug Mart & noticed that they are clearing out their section of Pacifica nail polishes. I’ve been curious about these shades for a while, but the price tag was a bit steep, so when I saw them for 50% off, I decided now was the time! & the shade I picked? No surprise there: Mermaid Tail.

2 coats + top coat

The formula on this shimmery shade is pretty thin. The first coat is almost Smokey, but the second coat definitely builds. Personally, seeing it under my light, I kind of wish I had done one more coat, just because I feel like it would have built the colour a bit more solidly.

If your nails are longer, I would definitely recommend a third coat.

The base is a deep green, with a bright turquoise shimmer. The bottle shows off a bit of purple shift too, but that never showed up on the nail sadly. However — the colour is very pretty, & I can see why it has the name Mermaid Tail. It’s very fitting.

Not a colour I would usually pick, but it is very pretty. & I like the fact it’s 16 Free, so I feel safe using it on my little girls nails (she’s who I really bought it for — she’s obsessed with all things mermaid!)

The Pacifica Plant Magic shades are currently $7.49 CAD at Shoppers Drug Mart. It’s categorized as clearance, so it definitely looks like a deal you want to take advantage of while you still can. I didn’t see Mermaid Tail listed online, but they had plenty in store, so if you have a Shoppers near you, I’d definitely check out the selection.

Have a lovely Sunday! 🖤

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SWATCH SUNDAY — OPI Blue My Mind

Hello lovelies! I hope you’re having a wonderful start to a new week. It’s a beautiful weekend here on the East Coast, & I could get used to this. It’s starting to feel like Summer, & I love it.

Today I’m showing off a shade from the stash that I’ve never worn! (& honestly… I don’t even remember when I bought it!) This is OPI Blue My Mind.

2 coats + top coat

This shade is a beautiful vivid sapphire blue with a turquoise shimmer. According to my internet research, it was originally released as part of the 2005 Brights collection but then became part of the core collection. However, upon looking it may now be discontinued as it’s listed as out of stock on the OPI website, & No Longer Available on Nail Polish Canada. I’m sure if you really look for it, though, you could find it via smaller beauty supply websites.

The formula on this shade was smooth & easy to apply. First coat has a bit of patchiness, so a second coat was perfect for full opacity. That’s what I like in a polish. Obviously a one coat polish is always the most desirable, but it’s not always realistic, so I don’t mind having to apply two coats. I did also finish things off with a coat of top coat, to give it a little extra gloss.

How pretty is the glow on this shade? I’m super impressed with the colour, the shimmer — all of it. Not your typical “summer” colour, but I’m digging it — & I think it would be the perfect base for some aqua stamping or some chevrons.

I actually do have some nail art featuring this as a base, so stay tuned to see what I did with this colour!

What do you think about OPI Blue My Mind? Are you a fan of this pretty blue? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below!

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SWATCH SUNDAY — Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Hyp-nautical

Hello loves & happy Sunday! & happy long weekend to all who get to celebrate! The May long weekend always feels like the official beginning of Summer, which I’ll gladly take — even if they’re calling for thunderstorms today. Bring on the beach & BBQ!

Today, though, I’m throwing things back to a shade originally released for Winter 2020. What can I say — I like to keep you on your toes. This is Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Hip-nautical.

3 coats + top coat

I’m not even sure how to begin to describe this shifty polish. The base is a darker blue that flashes purple or lighter blue depending on the lighting or how you move your fingers. It did take 3 coats for a full solid coverage — & the best shift — but the polish formula is very thin so it dries quickly.

Definitely needs a good coat of top coat to finish it off. Keeps that beautiful shine, & helps smooth out any brush strokes.

The shift between colours is actually very good. Maybe not as shifty as in the bottle, but I rarely find that drugstore polishes are. The flash of blue is very strong on this shade, which is just absolutely gorgeous! & I love, as you can see in this macro shot, you get all the levels on this polish in one shot.

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Hyp-nautical is now part of the permanent core collection, so you can find it where ever Sally Hansen shades are sold including:

What do you think about Sally Hansen Hyp-nautical? Is this a shade that you would wear? Are you a fan of the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel line? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below.

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SWATCH SUNDAY — Sinful Colors Blue Me Away

Hello loves, & happy Sunday! & happy Mother’s Day to those who are celebrating.

Today’s the best day of the week because it’s Swatch Sunday, & those definitely seem to be everyone’s favourite posts. Today, I’m sharing a shade that I’ve had in my stash for a while, but haven’t had a chance to share yet: Sinful Colors Blue Me Away from their matte line. I purchased this shade last year at my local Walmart for (I think) $2.99 CAD.

2 coats, No Top Coat

The formula on this shade was a bit thin & very streaky upon first application. Even though I thought I shook my bottle quite well, I definitely had some bald spots. Second coat gives you the coverage you see above, which was almost perfect. You can kind of see on my pinky finger that I had a bit of trouble near the cuticle, but I feel like that’s more a me issue vs a polish issue.

The colour is a beautiful almost cornflower blue. This is the kind of blue I’m always drawn to which is why I own so many in my stash. However, I think this is my first matte version of this colour in my stash.

Close up of my polish.

Even without top coat, I loved how well this dried down. On their website for application, it suggests finishing off your manicure with a matte top coat, but I was impressed with how it dried on its own. Obviously, if I was going to wear this polish long term, I would definitely apply top coat to keep the polish on longer — especially because I can find matte polish can chip a little easier sometimes.

If you’re looking for Sinful Colors shades, in Canada they are sold at a variety of stores including Walmart, Lawton’s Drugs, & even Dollarama! Generally they retail for between $2.50-$3.99 which is a very affordable price.

What do you think of Sinful Colors Blue Me Away from their matte line? Do you have this shade in your stash, or would you wear it? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below & what shade or brand you would like to see next!