SWATCH SUNDAY — Revlon Elusive (2013 Evening Opulence Collection)

Hello loves & happy Sunday!

I hope everyone is enjoying their first full weekend of September (& long weekend). I am in full Autumn swing, & enjoying a bit cooler weather. I just want to pull out all my plaid, & go on a thrift hunt for a brand new pair of knee high boots. It also means I want to wear nothing but dark tones on my nails, & today’s Swatch Sunday pick is perfect for that!

This is Revlon Elusive from the 2013 Evening Opulence Collection.

2 coats, No top coat.

This beautiful black jelly glitter was originally released back in 2013, & having Googled the collection — the advertising is very 2013, if you know what I mean. I believe it was released for Fall/Winter, so this colour is fitting in perfectly for the Autumn season, but also wouldn’t look out of place at a holiday party.

This base is a thin-ish black jelly, packed with multi-sized teal glitters. It dries matte, which I was a bit nervous about because I was worried it would be too textured, but it dried fairly smoothly for me which is a win in my books! I applied 2 thin-ish coats for coverage, although it does look a bit translucent in some photos so some people might feel more comfortable with either 3 thin coats, or 2 more thickly applied coats.

My only complaint — it did chip during my shift at work. Now that could be the fact that it’s a 13 year old polish, or it could be that my top coat is getting okay. Definitely won’t stop me from wearing it again!

Also, I had to apply top coat to see what it would look like shiny, & I do feel like it makes the glitters pop a bit better, but honestly I love it both ways. Giving me a glitter like this, & I will always be a happy girl!

What do you think about Revlon Elusive? This shade was obviously released back in 2013 so it’s no longer in circulation. I would love to see Revlon do a throwback collection with some of these glitter shades they used to do. Plus, Y2K & 2010s fashion is making a comeback, so let’s bring it back on our nails!

Have the best Sunday darlings!

♥︎

Black Diamond Studded Nails 🖤 (Makes my Emo heart happy)

Hello darlings, & happy Monday. I hope everyone had a lovely weekend, no matter what you found yourself doing. My weekend was mostly spent working, but I find the weekend rush fun.

Today I’m sharing a really fun manicure, featuring yesterday’s Swatch Sunday pick & a whole lot of black rhinestones! While swatching Dark Dahlia, I was trying to figure out a fun (but different manicure) & I stumbled across a small bag of black diamonds that I’ve never used. One thing led to another, & suddenly I was carefully placing each stud on my nail.

& I am obsessed. Actually, obsessed is an understatement! I literally want to recreate this design using every colour of the rainbow.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Strengthner
  • Top Coat: Sinful Colors Power Paint Top Coat + Essie Speed Setter
  • The Creme Shop Calcium & Protein Clear Polish (from the Hollywood Nail Art Kit)
  • CND Vinylux Dark Dahlia
  • Black Diamond Studs
  • Diamond Art grabber pen

It has been a long time since I pulled out my nail studs, & played with them. I’m not even sure why I don’t play with them more often, minus the fact I’m always worried about one popping off. Thankfully, these were nails to rock around home & not at work because I feel like they’re not the most practical…. but damn they look so cool.

Like really cool. You have no idea how bad ass I felt wearing these.

Were they a little more complicated & time consuming to do? Yes. Would I 100% do them again. Also yes.I also think the almost-black of Dark Dahlia paired with the black of the studs made the studs look better. I was kind of worried it was just going to look weird & lumpy, but it didn’t. Instead, it really did look like black diamonds on my nails.

& as an elder Emo who spent her formative years listening to Taking Back Sunday, Brand New & the Ataris while wearing exclusively black nails…. these scratch a little Emo itch that regular black nails could never.

So, what do you think about this rock star worthy manicure? Do you love it as much as I do? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below, & what polish & stud combo you would want to try!

Happy Monday My Loves!

❤︎

SWATCH SUNDAY — CNDVinylux Dark Dahlia #159

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday. I hope everyone is having the best weekend possible — the last weekend of Summer vacation ( at least around here.) It’s crazy to believe August is basically over, & school starts for us this upcoming week. Autumn is quickly approaching, & you know what that means… Fall nail polish!

I haven’t had a chance to buy any new Fall colours yet, but I did some perusing of my stash & found some shades I haven’t really worn since buying them. Today’s polish pick — in particular — I think I bought last Autumn, & it’s been sitting in my stash ever since, so this last (unofficial) weekend of Summer felt like a good opportunity to pull it out.

This is CNDVinylux Dark Dahlia.

2 coats + top coat

First thing I notice about this shade is it’s very much giving the same vibe as OPI Lincoln Park After Dark — a super dark purple, so dark it almost appears black. Although, I will say… I think CND Vinylux Dark Dahlia might be even darker than LPAD.

The formula is smooth & supple, & applies to the nail very easily. In two coats, it builds to this dark shade that is so vampy. I feel like this is very much going to be my signature shade I go to this Autumn–dark purple, dark blue, dark red. Just the vampiest of nail polish colours.

What do you think about this vampy dark purple colour? Are you feeling the vamp, kind of goth vibes. I love the idea of wearing a shade that looks black from far away, but when you look at it up close you realize it’s not.

& yes, it’s getting me extra excited for Halloween. We all know how much I love Halloween!

What do you think of CND Vinylux Dark Dahlia? Are you feeling this shade as much as I do? Is it giving you warm fuzzy flannel vibes, like it is for me? Let me know your thoughts down below & share what Autumn shade/collection you’re most excited for!

Enjoy your Sunday loves.

❤︎

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!

🖤

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!