SWATCH SUNDAY — Orly Buried Alive (2012 Dark Shadows Collection)

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday! A sunny, but chilly, Sunday. The roofs are all frosted over this morning, & it’s definitely feeling like Winter lately. However, I’m just not quite feeling that holiday nail spirit yet. Usually by this time, I’m already planning Christmas manicures — but I haven’t been feeling any Christmas vibes yet this year unfortunately.

It’s Swatch Sunday, though, & I was going through my stash & found a beauty from 2012 that I don’t think I’ve ever worn! This is Orly Buried Alive from the 2012 Dark Shadows Collection.

2 coats + top coat

This beautiful shimmery chocolate brown polish is packed full of golden flakie shimmer. I am actually so sad it’s taken me this long to wear this polish, because it’s absolutely stunning! It’s the most perfect Autumn brown. It’s shimmery on its own, but then you add in that golden shimmer & it just adds the whole other dimension to it.

The formula on this one was actually really easy to use considering it’s a 10+ year old nail polish. Maybe it’s because I haven’t cracked the bottle since I bought it.

Wow! Look at that close up!

I’m actually really sad I have dropped the ball on this shade. I guess I thought “brown polish, not going to like it” but oh boy was I wrong! I love it! The application was flawless, the colour is stunning, & it’s just such a lovely Autumn shade I wouldn’t think to reach for.

What do you think about Orly Buried Alive? Do you remember this shade, or this collection? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below — I’d love to know what you think.

& if you have any tips for getting me in the holiday spirit, I will take all the ones I can get!

Happy Sunday

♥︎

SWATCH SUNDAY — Milani 17A Deep Thoughts

Good morning lovelies & happy Sunday! How are we already the second Sunday into November. I should probably start thinking about Christmas shopping soon!

Today I found a super forgotten shade in my stash, that I hadn’t realized I’d never swatched! This is Milani 17A Deep Thoughts.

2 coats + top coat

Oooooh boy this is a beautiful deep, dark purple with a stunning purple/pink shimmer. It does appear darker on my nail than in the bottle—I’m scared maybe I didn’t shake it enough to get the shimmer to show up. It’s there — it’s just a little more subtle than I would like.

But, for a 13 year old polish this beauty is still looking amazing & applying amazing! I was actually really impressed with just how flawlessly the formula applied! This shade was released sometime in 2012 (according to my internet—Google—research). Sadly, Milani has since discontinued their nail polish production, which is a shame because they did it very, very well!

Close up! One of the things I love about this colour is that from far away, it almost looks black. & then when you get closer you can see it’s dark purple colour & the subtle shimmer, & it’s really just so beautiful. I’m quite obsessed with the overall package.

What do you think about Milani 17A Deep Thoughts? Do you love this deep dark purple shade? Do you remember Milani’s line of nail polishes?

Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below!

🖤

Jewel Toned Autumn Abstract Stripes 💎💙

Good morning lovelies & happy Monday! It’s a chilly morning here on the East Coast — I actually broke out my winter jacket. Brrrrrrr.

With Halloween now over, we’re in that inbetween nail art stage where I’m never quite sure what to paint on my nails. But I was inspired by yesterday’s Swatch Sunday post to create a beautiful jewel toned design & I’m absolutely infatuated with how they turned out.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Top Coat: Sally Hansen InstaDri Top Coat (red bottle) 
  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Miracle Cure
  • China Glaze Emerald Fitzgerald
  • China Glaze December to Remember
  • China Glaze Up All Night
  • China Glaze Glamcore
  • China Glaze Cast A Spell
  • NailStuff 11mm Mermaid Tail brush

I won’t lie — this design was kind of time consuming. But when you look at the end result, it was totally worth it! From far away, the whole design is kind of dark, but when you look at them up close you see the details of the abstract stripes & it’s such a beautiful combination.

The colours all compliment each other really nicely, & the whole design—to me—just screams November vibes.

What do you think about this jewel toned abstract stripe design? Do you love the complexity of it, & the beautiful colours? What designs call to you during the month of November?

Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below!

🖤

GLAM NAILS CHALLENGE OCTOBER 2025 — Jack-o-Lantern 🎃

Hello lovelies & happy Monday! I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. After struggling through a sinus infection last week, & feeling pretty run down—I’m finally feeling more or less back to myself. & I’m so excited to share the next prompt for Glam Nails Challenge October because I’m so proud of my design!

So check out my Jack-o-lantern nails, prompt #6 of Glam Nails Challenge October.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Top Coat: Sally Hansen InstaDri Top Coat (red bottle) 
  • Base Coat: Essie Hard to Resist (purple)
  • Ardene Once Upon A Time layered over Revlon Black Cherry
  • Sally Hansen InstaDri Pump-kid
  • Essie To DIY For
  • Essie Never Skip A Beat
  • Essie Willow in the Wind
  • NailStuff Essentials Originals Raven
  • NailStuff 4mm Micro Detail Brush
  • Pencil Eraser (to create my pumpkins)

So my original plan was to do a tiny Jack-o-lantern dotticure but I couldn’t find my largest size dotting tool, so I got crafty & used the eraser of a pencil to make the base for my pumpkins. Then I went in & made them more wide so they looked more like pumpkins using 2 orange nail polishes. I created the faces very carefully using my Micro detail brush to draw on their expressions, & they turned out so beyond perfect.

Seriously — I’m obsessed with everything about them. One of my favourite Halloween designs done so far this month! Seriously, I want to wear these forever… or atleast until it’s time for the next prompt.

What do you think of my design for this prompt? Do you love my little Jack-o-lanterns as much as I do? Let me know what you think, & if you love them too!

& a reminder: all designs can be found on Instagram under the prompt  #glamnailschallengeoct25. So many beautiful designs shared by very talented nail artists.

Happy Monday!

🖤

SWATCH SUNDAY — Revlon Super Luxurious Nail Polish Black Cherry

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday! Can you believe we’re more than 1/2 way through October. Halloween is in TWELVE DAYS! I haven’t even 100% figured out my Halloween costume yet… but I’m sure it will come together!

Today though it’s all about nails, & I recently picked up some new Revlon nail polishes from Shoppers Drug Mart while they were on sale. I’ve always had a special place for Revlon polishes, but it had been a long time since I bought any new ones. & I was feeling some deep & dark shades to add to my collection. First up? Revlon Black Cherry.

2 coats + top coat

This beautiful dark, dark purple applied opaquely in two easy coats. The colour is a very, very dark purple — so dark that from far away it would be easy to mistake it for black. As you can see from the edge of my cuticles, it does have a bit of a reddish tone which I guess fits the name Black Cherry.

I do love a dark, dark shade like this. Would you call it a plum? I’m not 100% sure. It’s a great choice to the latter part of October though! A little glitter added (an accent nail of Essie Shine of the Times perhaps) & you could have instant Witch nails.

I picked up my bottle of Revlon Black Cherry at my local Shoppers Drug Mart for $5.99 CAD, although I believe they normally retail for around $10 CAD when not on sale. It’s part of the core ljne, so you can find this shade wherever you buy Revlon nail polish.

What do you think of Revlon Black Cherry? Do you like this gorgeous dark shade? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below.

Happy Sunday!

🖤