Category: Valentine’s Day

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#GlamNailsChallengeFeb — Polka Dots

Hello lovelies & happy Wednesday! Today marks Day one of GlamNailsChallengeFebruary, which I’ve been planning for since the prompts were released last month! I’m really excited, because there is a good mix of prompts that can be for Valentine’s Day (which I love doing nail art for!) & some non-holiday prompts as well.

First up, we have Polka Dots — & naturally I was feeling a pink inspired Valentine’s Day dotticure. You can always use more pink in your life. Plus I had this Quo by ORLY set that had been sitting around for absolutely ever that I bought & never used, so I figured why not pull it out & use it a pretty gradient dotticure!

For this manicure, the polishes I used were:

  • Base Coat: Essie Strong Start
  • Top Coat: Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Top Coat
  • Sally Hansen CSM Nail Primer
  • Quo by ORLY Holiday 2014 collection — “the Pinks” (none of these mini bottles have names associated, so I can’t give you specifics sadly.)
  • NailStuff.ca Dotting Tool Trio (COFFEE10 saves you 10%!)

Oh man, I love a good gradient dotticure, especially one that is as vibrant & pretty as this! I’ve done a few versions of this look over the years, especially for Valentine’s Day, which makes it a classic in my books! Especially great if you’re short on time, but want some pretty & standout nails! & you don’t even need tools to do it — a hair pin works just as easily as a dotting tool.

What do you think of my gradient dotticure for the first prompt of #glamnailschallengeFeb? I’m so exciting to be participating again this month, & can’t wait to play around with all the prompts to come!

It’s going to be a really good month for nail art so stay tuned!

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SWATCH SUNDAY — OPI Koala Bear-y

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday! We’ve almost reached the end of January— can you even believe it? Which means it’s time to start thinking about some pink polish for February! So I decided to grab a pretty pink shade from my stash I have yet to wear in a full manicure: OPI Koala Bear-y.

2 coats + Essie Good To Go Top Coat

Originally released as part of the OPI Spring 2007 Australia collection, it then became part of the core collection. I picked up my bottle at my local Lawton’s on clearance, which meant I scored it for a steal at $4.99. I love when that happens!

The polish itself is a beautiful magenta berry cream, that pops against skin tone. It definitely feels like more of a Spring/Summer shade, which makes sense considering the collection it was released as part of, but I do think it’s a great pink for Valentine’s Day. & it’s dark enough that it’s fairly versatile as well.

Check out that close up. Glossy & beautiful! I did smooth things out with top coat, but the polish itself looks beautiful on its own as well. I’m definitely sad this is my first time actually wearing this polish, considering I’ve owned it for a few years now. Truth be told, I’m not the biggest pink polish person, unless I’m pairing it with something else. But once a year — when February approaches — I feel the need to rock some Barbie nails.

What do you think about this beautiful OPI pink? Do you have this shade as part of your nail polish stash? Also let me know what pinks your pulling out for Valentine’s Day! 💕

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Freehand Hearts 💗

Hello lovelies & happy Tuesday! I hope everyone has had a lovely start to their week so far. I had yesterday off so I spent the day watching season 2 of Vanderpump Rules & dealing with organizing an excessive amount of clothing I’ve been neglecting for the last few weeks.

I also have been thinking & planning for some Valentine’s Day nail art looks! So I figured why not start now—after all, January doesn’t call for much nail art inspo.

For this manicure, the polishes I used were:

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Hard As Nails
  • Top Coat: Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Shiny Top Coat
  • Londontown USA Opal
  • L’Oréal Vintage Vinyl
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Get Mod
  • Sally Hansen Good Kind Pure Peony Origins
  • Starrily Vantablack
  • NailStuff.ca 4mm Micro Detail Brush (COFFEE10 saves you 10%!)
  • NailStuff.ca Dotting Tool Trio

This is the first time I’ve attempted freehanded hearts in a long, long time & I’m so beyond happy with how they turned out! I used a base of Londontown Opal as it was such a beautiful shade, perfect for a romantic design like this. I had this idea in my head, & I am really really happy with how it turned out! This would totally be a cute Valentine’s Day look for anyone who doesn’t want to go over the top with pink! You get a little bit of pink, but the grey, & white & black really keeps it from being too over the top girlie (I think.) But you could definitely do a variety of colour combinations.

What do you think about this heart design? Have you already started to think about potential Valentine’s Day designs? Let me know what you think down in the comments, & what nail art looks your planning for February! 💗

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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!

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Valentine’s Day 💕 Glitter Gradient

Hello lovelies! Happy Tuesday!

Today I’m getting in the Valentine’s Day mood! I’ve had this polish — OPI Bearest of them All — in my stash for going on 5 years, but somehow hadn’t thought to use it in a glitter gradient! But since I’m all about speedy designs right now, I thought this would be the perfect Valentine’s Day nail art look when you need something quick & beautiful!

For this manicure, the polishes I used were:

  • Base Coat: Essie Treat Love & Colour Gloss Fit
  • Top Coat: Essie Gel Setter
  • Essie Haute in the Heat
  • OPI Bearest of them All
  • Latex Free make up sponge

How cute as these little heart glitters?! I won’t lie, this wasn’t the easiest glitter gradient I’ve ever done. Basically, I had to sponge the smaller glitters onto my nail in the gradient, & then fished my heart glitters out of the polish to apply onto the nail. Not the easiest to do, but you can’t lie about how freaking adorable the outcome is! I’m absolutely in love with how this looks! & still super quick to do.

I feel like usually I’m more on the ball about doing Valentine’s Day looks, but I just haven’t been as into it this year. I had plans to do some love heart nails & a few others, but I just wasn’t as inspired as I usually feel. I do have one more look to share on Thursday, but this year seems to be more about simple Valentine’s-esque designs more than blatant heart designs.

What do you think about this glitter gradient? Do you have this limited edition OPI in your stash — have you ever thought to use it this way? Let me know what you think in the comments below!