Tag: Essie

Posted on

SWATCH SUNDAY — Essie Topless & Barefoot

Welcome to the very first Swatch Sunday of 2018! 💅🏻 I’m starting off this year with something fresh & clean… which also happens to be Essie’s Colour of the Month: Topless & Barefoot! While bright & blinding colours can be fun–& who doesn’t love something glittery–something’s you need a good neutral in your life.

Essie Topless & Barefoot is a beige-y nude that leans slightly pink. For full coverage, it took two coats plus top coat to help it completely level out. This shade is just very Essie to me. Even though I have a ton of shades from them in a whole variety of colours, when it comes to nude or neutral shades I feel (at least for me) like Essie is Queen.

I really really really like Topless & Barefoot. This is the first time I’ve actually worn it (I won it this Summer as part of the Essie Suddenly Summer contest.) Usually my go to Essie nudes are Sand Tropez or Cocktails & Coconuts so I like having more options. This is especially important for since my maternity leave is almost up (I know, right?!). Since my store closed while I was on leave, I now get to start the job search for the first time in 7 years! So some job interview friendly shades are must needed!

What do you think of Essie Topless & Barefoot? Do you have a favourite nude/neutral shade you love to wear for important events? Let me know in the comments below!

Posted on

More Christmas Tree Nails!

Okay, so I think I’m obsessed with Christmas tree nail art. 🎄 I seriously can’t get enough of them. This time I created some Christmas tree stamped nails using a design I didn’t even know I had! I was trying to create something new, & discovered on this plate I reviewed from the Summer that there was this cute tree pattern–perfect for Christmas nails! So obviously it meant I needed to try it out.

<<<<<
is manicure, the polishes used were:

  • Base Coat: Nailtek 2
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive
  • China Glaze Emerald Fitzgerald
  • Essie Tuck It In My Tux
  • Morgan Taylor Dreaming of Gleaming
  • Morgan Taylor Silver in my Stocking
  • Born Pretty Store Stamping Plate BPL015
  • Clear Jelly Stamper (also from Born Pretty)
  • NailStuff.ca reindeer studs

<

I really, really love how these turned out. i think they’re just so pretty. I tried out my hand at double stamping using silver under the green, but it’s very subtle. However it did make Emerald Fitzgerald pop a lot more, since it’s a little thin for stamping. Also, can we talk about these ADORABLE reindeer studs from NailStuff.ca? I used a whole lot of top coat to attach them to my nail & they lasted a whole day easily. Also they’re the cutest studs I’ve ever seen.

what do you think of this Christmasy design? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Posted on

Winter Chevron Moons

Hello & Happy Tuesday! Sorry for the lack of posts this weekend–it was kind of a rough weekend & my motivation for posting took a hit. (Also I noticed the majority of my last post disappeared & I’ve been too frustrated thinking about having to rewrite it so I’ve been avoiding the blog. My bad.) But today I have a brand new post with something that has been seriously lacking in my life lately: chevron moons!

I’m calling these winter chevron moons because… it sounds cool? The colours just kind of give me that Winter vibe, so I thought it worked. Also I figured everyone might want to see something other than snowflakes.

For this manicure, the polishes I used were:

  • Base Coat: Nailtek 2 Foundations
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive
  • Nubar Queen
  • Essie Parka Perfect
  • OPI My Favourite Ornament
  • URSUGAR Chevron Nail Stencils (I used the inner pieces.)

I love the combination of the pale blue, deep purple & sparkly gold. I thought this colour combo was a nice switch up from all the Christmas-y designs I’ve been doing, & features two of my favourite winter polishes: Essie Parka Perfect & OPI My Favourite Ornament. Every Christmas, this gold has to come out because the sparkle is just so perfect. ✨

For me, Christmas/Winter nails are all about the sparkle. These aren’t your typical holiday nails, but I think they would look fantastic with a pretty dress at a Christmas/New Year’s party, especially if you don’t want to resort to the classic Christmas shades. It’s all about the sparkle that makes it perfect. I’m so obsessed with Christmas party looks right now because I have no Christmas party of my own to go to. I just keep coming up with looks I would wear if I had somewhere to go (& then imagine what fancy dress sitting in my closet I would pair with it.)

What do you think of these chevron moons? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Posted on

Christmas Tree Branch Nails 🎄

December is speeding by & I’m seriously attempting to fully embrace everything about the Christmas season.Have you put up your tree yet? We’ve been meaning to the last couple days, but still haven’t managed to… sadly I’m allergic to pretty much all trees so we have to stick to an artificial tree. But I did go out & buy a Christmas tree scented candle so the house would smell somewhat seasonal. 🎄 I also decided to create some Christmas tree inspired nails & oh my I’m so in love with how they turned out!

<<<<<<<<<<<>
For this manicure, the polishes I used were:

  • Base Coat: Nailtek Foundation 2
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive
  • Essence Give Me Nude, Baby!
  • Sally Hansen I ♥️ Nail Art Pen in Green
  • Essence The Green & The Grunge
  • Essie Stylenomics
  • Essie Butler Please
  • L’Oréal Carmin Parisien
  • China Glaze Metro Pollen-tin
  • Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Hard To Get
  • Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Black Heart
  • Bundle Monster Detail Nail Art Brush

Sometimes I get really excited about how a manicure turns out & this is one of those times. This isn’t the first Christmas Tree/Tree Branch manicure I’ve attempted, but it’s definitely the best I’ve ever done. I’m just so beyond in love with how it turned out.

I love that you can see the individual needles on my “branches”. It reminds me of our own sparse little artificial Christmas tree. True story: it’s the same tree my parents used when I was a kid, & the box still has the K-mart sticker on it from when it was purchased. & K-mart left Canada in 1998 I believe, so this tree is at least 20 years old. Haha. But it’s okay because it’s well loved, full of memories & is still going strong all these years later.

What do you think of this Christmas tree design? Do you have your tree up yet? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Posted on

More Sweater Nails

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have watched my Instagram story & saw I broke my middle nail super short earlier this week. Like–beyond baby nails. But I do have some unposted manicures I was saving up for after we moved & I’m unpacking, so I’ll have a few long nails designs to share in the meantime.

Like these sweater nails! Who doesn’t love rocking sweater nails? With the dropping temperatures outside, I know I’ve been wearing nothing but my thickest sweaters (I don’t do well with the cold). So why not paint my nails to match?

For this manicure, the polishes I used were:

  • Base Coat: Essie Grow Stronger
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive
  • Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Pat On The Black
  • Essie Topless & Barefoot
  • China Glaze Life is Rosy
  • URSugar Nail Stencil item AUB39877 — click to buy
  • MyNailsDid Nail Vinyl sweater pattern vinyl (they’re back up on her site!) & straight nail vinyls
  • NailStuff.ca small circle studs–Gold Mixed Decoration Nail wheel 
  • Small dotting tool

I just love how these turned out. I feel like the differing colours & patterns just bring the whole look together. I could honestly probably do this manicure in every colour combination possible, & never get tired of it! A little green & red & bam! You have perfect ugly Christmas sweater nails for your holiday party. (& now I must remember that because that is so happening now!)

Just looking at this design is making me really miss my long nails already. 😢 But rocking baby nubs just gives me the opportunity to come up with awesome & Pretty nail art for short nails. I’ve already got a few manicures I’m working on, so you’ll have to stay tuned! & if you have any requests, let me know.

<<<<<
o you think of these sweater nails? Would you match your nails to your favourite sweater? Let me know in the comments below!