GLAM NAILS CHALLENGE DECEMBER — New Year Celebration

Good morning & happy New Year! 🍾🎆 It’s officially 2024 & I hope everyone had a safe New Years Eve. I’m very excited for things to come, but before we focus on a brand new year, I still have one more manicure from Glam Nails Challenge December to share!

The last prompt is New Year Celebration.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: China Glaze Calcium Gel Fortifer
  • Top Coat: Essie Speed Setter
  • Essie Make Spirits Bright
  • Ardene Style Icon
  • Sally Hansen InstaDri Ghouls Night Out
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Goldie Rocks
  • Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Let’s Snow
  • Mermaid Tail 7mm liner brush
  • NailStuff.ca Dotting Tool Trio

I really wanted to do a fun year inspired design, especially because 10 years ago I did a similar design for New Year’s Eve. Plus, I’m really hopeful for 2024. Last year had some rough moments for me personally, so I’m hoping that 2024 holds better things.

Obviously, I needed a lot of sparkle. & I added a little dotticure on my thumb to look like confetti.

What do you think of my New Year’s Eve design? Did you wear something sparkly to ring in 2024? ✨🍾

Let me know in the comments below!

Delicate New Years Eve Dotticure

Hello lovelies & happy Friday. The last Friday of 2023. I cannot believe that this year will be over in just a few days.

Now that Christmas is over, my mind has been on New Year’s Eve. Over Christmas, a customer came into work with the cutest gel manicure featuring a neutral base with a dotticure using rhinestones. I was obsessed, & knew I needed to create it in my own way.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: China Glaze Calcium Gel Fortifer
  • Top Coat: Essie Speed Setter
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Central Pink
  • OPI Put Something On Ice
  • Small dotting tool (NailStuff.ca Dotting Tool Trio)

Check out that sparkle!

Since I knew I wouldn’t be wearing this manicure more than a day or two, I didn’t want to commit to using all rhinestones, but I knew that OPI Put Something On Ice would add the perfect amount of sparkle. I loved the soft & delicate effect of use a dot of sparkle. It’s dainty, but effective.

What do you think about this delicate New Year’s Eve dotticure? Would you wear this look? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below!

Happy Friday ✨

GLAM NAILS CHALLENGE DECEMBER — Ugly Christmas Sweater

Hello lovelies & happy Wednesday! How is everyone doing so far this week? Today is my last day of Christmas break before returning to work, so I’m soaking up all I can. It’s definitely been a busy couple of days

Today I’m sharing the next prompt for Glam Nails Challenge December which is Ugly Christmas Sweater. I’m not sure if I quite captured the ugly or Christmas part of the prompt — but these are definitely sweater nails haha.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: China Glaze Calcium Gel Fortifer
  • Top Coat: Essie Speed Setter
  • OPI Infinite Shine Shaking My Sugarplums
  • OPI Infinite Shine Put Something On Ice
  • Black Acrylic Paint
  • White Acrylic Paint
  • NailStuff.ca 4mm detail brush
  • NailStuff.ca 16mm striper brush
  • Small dotting tool (NailStuff.ca Dotting Tool Trio)

So while these aren’t quite your typical ugly Christmas sweater nails, I feel like if you translated this look into a literal sweater (sparkle & all) it definitely would work at that ugly sweater holiday party! So to me, it’s a win. Plus I love the combination of Put Something on Ice over Shaking My Sugarplums.

What do you think of these festive sweater nails? Do you think they fit the ugly Christmas sweater theme? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below! 🖤

GLAM NAILS CHALLENGE DECEMBER — Christmas Trees 🎄

Good morning & Merry Christmas! I hope Santa was kind & found everyone. I’m popping in quick to share the next prompt of Glam Nails Challenge December — Christmas Tree! 🎄

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: China Glaze Calcium Gel Fortifer
  • Top Coat: Essie Speed Setter
  • Sally Hansen InstaDri Thyme is Money
  • Acrylic Paint
  • ACO by Ardene Secret Diary
  • NailStuff.ca 4mm detail brush

I decided to paint the whole design using acrylic paint because I thought nail polish might dry a bit too quickly, & it gave the design a fun rustic effect. I did add a little bit of glitter on top of my stars, although it didn’t show up like I had hoped. It does remind me of one of those painted Christmas cards you see.

I hope everyone has the merriest of Christmas Days. Enjoy your day however it is spent & I will see you on Wednesday!

🖤

SWATCH SUNDAY — Quo Beauty Xtreme FX Midnight Magic

Merry Christmas Eve lovelies! & Merry Christmas to those who Santa has already visited. 🎄

Today I’m excited to share an early Christmas present to myself. After a very long Christmas season, I decided to buy myself a little pick me up & hit up my local Shoppers Drug Mart for something sparkling. This is Quo Beauty Xtreme FX Midnight Magic.

3 coats + Essie Speed Setter Top Coat

This dark purple jelly shade has a thin consistency & is packed with multicoloured metallic glitters. Originally I thought they were holographic, but they’re is just a variety of different colours. The formula is a very thin jelly, which allows the glitters to build up & show through the layers.

Because of the thin consistency, I did need 3 coats but they dried down very quickly. & the use of quick dry top coat helped speed things up even more.

The dark purple definitely does mask this shade a bit, but I still adore it. This shade reminds me a bit of Icing Disco Lights, but with much smaller glitters. It’s a fun little touch of sparkle.

For my Canadian friends, you can purchase this & other Quo Beauty shades at your local Shoppers Drug Mart or via their website. This one is currently in stock online & there were lots at my local Shoppers, so you should definitely be able to find it! I know I’ll definitely be going back after Christmas to pick up Stargazing or The Party — which were the other two I was deciding between.

What do you think of Quo Beauty Midnight Magic? Do you like this subtle touch of sparkle? What nail polishes are you hoping Santa leaves under your tree? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below!

🖤