Tag: Black

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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!

🖤

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GLAM NAILS CHALLENGE OCTOBER 2025 — Spiderweb 🕸️

Good morning lovelies & happy Monday! I hope you’re having the most beautiful start to your day. Today, I’m sharing prompt # 4 from Glam Nails Challenge October for 2025: Spiderweb.

Spider’s are probably my least favourite thing, but a good spiderweb nail art look does fit the spooky Halloween vibes.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Top Coat: Sally Hansen InstaDri Top Coat (red bottle) 
  • Base Coat: Essie Hard to Resist (purple)
  • Sally Hansen Triple Shine Wavy Blue
  • NailStuff.ca Essentials Raven
  • LA Colors Black Shatter
  • OPI I Cannoli Wear OPI
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Make It N-Ice
  • NailStuff.ca 16mm Liner Brush

So I tried to do a cute black gradient at the tips of my nails, but it went kind of weird so I created a fun textured effect by adding the LA Colors Shatter at the tips as well — which I like even better than my original idea for a gradient. Then I hand drew my spiderwebs on the tips, with a little extra sparkle.

Is it similar to the same design I do every year? Yes.

Do I still love how it turned out? Also yes.

What do you think of this spiderweb design? Do you like how I created my fun textured gradient on my tips? Let me know your thoughts on this design, & don’t forget to check out #glamnailschallengeoct25 on Instagram to see all the other beautiful looks that have been created so far this month.

Happy Monday!

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Cosy Autumn Plaid🧣

Hello lovelies & happy Friday! & happy Thanksgiving Weekend to my fellow Canadians celebrating this weekend. It’s officially shifted into Fall weather (almost in overdrive) & the days are feeling cool, & the leaves are feeling crunchy!

Today’s look is one I’ve done a million (plus) times, but still remains a favourite. Nothing screams Autumn to me more than a plaid nail art look.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Top Coat: Sally Hansen InstaDri Top Coat (red bottle) 
  • Base Coat: Essie Hard to Resist (purple)
  • NailStuff.ca Essentials Raven *pr
  • OPI Icelanded A Bottle of OPI
  • Color Club What’s The Matte-r
  • OPI I Cannoli Wear OPI
  • Revlon Devine
  • NailStuff.ca 16mm Striper Brush

I wanted to start off with a super dark base, so I went with my bottle of NailStuff Essentials Raven. Such a good black! (& I’ve been loving black lately.) Then using my other colours, I layered on lines to create the woven plaid look. Super easy, & comes out beautifully.

What do you think of my cosy Autumn plaid? Do you like these seasonal designs that aren’t necessarily Halloween centric designs? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below!

🖤

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SWATCH SUNDAY — L.A. Colors Color Craze Crackle Top Coat 🖤⚡️

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday! How is everyone enjoying these last few days of June? We’re currently gearing up for the last day of school (tomorrow) in our house, & the beginning of Summer vacation. It has come so quickly!

Today I’m sharing a throwback vibe — but a currently available polish. Any of my fellow millennials will probably remember the chokehold crackle nail polish had in the early 2010s — I had every colour. So I was super excited to see it is making a resurgence. I never stopped (unironically) loving it, so whenever I see it pop up again, I can’t help but buying a bottle.

& lucky for us, L.A. Colors is bringing back crackle for us to love & enjoy!

1 thick coat

So for those who don’t remember the crackle faze of nail polish, it is a specially design nail polish that when applied over a base shade, dries down & creates a crack effect, showing the shade underneath. Lots of different brands have come out with their versions, from OPI (the first I remember) to Zoya, to Sally Hansen & Claire’s.

L.A. Colors is bring back the fun with their two Crackle Top Coats — available in black & white. I purchased mine at my local Walmart for $3.99 CAD.

As you can see, the crack effect on this pretty thick & dramatic. Depending on how much polish you have on your brush, you can have bigger thick cracks (like this) or smaller thinner cracks like this. The black polish itself is opaque, which I like. It makes the effect even more dramatic. I haven’t picked up the bottle of white yet, but I’ve heard it also is pretty opaque— so I’m curious. I used the Sally Hansen which crackle years ago, but I found it very thin so it was kind of a disappointment.

Personally, I would love to see L.A. Colors release even more shades (& finishes — like shimmers) with this crackle line. For a very affordable mainstream brand, they have some out with some beautiful finishes & styles of nail polishes, & I hope they keep them coming!

What do you think of crackle nail polish returning as a trend in 2025? Are you a fan of this style?

Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below, & if you would rock crackle again!

Happy Sunday

🖤

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SWATCH SUNDAY — Layla Cosmetics Hologram Effect 08 Flash Black

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday. & happy Father’s Day to those who are celebrating those Dad figures in their lives.

Today’s Swatch Sunday post is another beauty pulled straight from my stash. Years ago, my local Lawton’s Drugs used to have a crazy selection when it came to their clearance nail polish. Honestly, it was my favourite place to shop because you could always find something new & different to you (it’s one of the first places I ever found Color Club). They also used to sell a ton of shades by the brand Layla Cosmetics, which is a European brand.

Today’s polish is from the height of the initial holographic craze, circa 2014/2015 or so — although I found blog posts dating back to 2012. This is Layla Cosmetics Hologram Effect 08 Flash Back.

2 coats + Top Coat

This beautiful liner holographic nail polish is a stunning dark grey (I wouldn’t quite call it black) with a very strong & beautiful liner holograph effect. The formula was smooth & easy to apply — especially for a nail polish that is over a decade old.

The trick with holographic shades like this, is you really have to make sure your first coat is dry-dry before attempting a second coat, other wise it can drag up your first coat. But other than that, I have 0 negatives about this shade. I have 3 or 4 others from this collection, & I just love them all. They were my first real introduction to liner holographic nail polish.

Sunny days were just meant for holographic nail polishes. Look at those rainbows! 🌈

Do you remember this line of nail polishes by Layla Cosmetics — or any of their interesting polishes. I loved finding them in the clearance because they were usually $3-$4 & they had so many cool ones — thermals, spotted, etc.

What do you think about this holographic shade? Do you think it’s as fun as I do? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below!

🖤