Tag: nail art

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SWATCH SUNDAY — OPI Nature Strong Emflowered

pr/gifted — Features Gifted Product in Exchange for Content

Good morning lovelies & happy Sunday! A beautiful sunny Spring Sunday here on the East Coast, which is lovely to see. So I thought that something bright & Springy would be perfect for this week’s Swatch Sunday post.

Today’s pick is actually a polish I’ve had in my stash since last year when I teamed up with TradeSecrets.ca & was sent some beautiful shades by them from the OPI Nature Strong line. Somehow, I completely managed to forget to share some swatches, so I thought today was the perfect day to share. Today’s pick: OPI Nature Strong Emflowered.

2 coats + OPI Nature Strong Top Coat

The formula on this shade was really easy to work with & apply. I’ve used a few of these different “natural” formulas over the years, & I’m always impressed with how you notice very little difference with these cleaner shades. It applied easily, in two coats, with full opacity. & it dried down quickly between coats as well, which is always a plus! The formula was a bit on the thinner side so I was careful not to over fill my brush, but I had no issues with cuticle flooding.

The colour of this one is definitely stunning. I love a good purple-y pink shade, & Emflowered definitely is my kind of pink. It’s vibrant & lush, & I’m kind of obsessed. Also, we’re giving off some Barbie vibes & I really like that. Maybe it’s the influence of the movie coming out soon, but I’m digging bright pinks right now.

Over all, I really like this pink, & the shades I’ve tried from the OPI Nature Strong line so far. The colours & formulas have all been spot on, & they’ve lasted pretty well on my nails, even through a long shift at work.

You can find the OPI Nature Strong line on TradeSecrets.ca, as well as a ton other OPI collections to choose from. I’ve kind of been itching to buy some new polishes, & there are a few shades calling my name (especially since @GrapeFizzNails has been sharing her own fun OPI Nature Strong shades on Instagram) so I think I might need to do a little online shopping… maybe for Mother’s Day? I’ll definitely do a haul of what I get in that case!

What do you think of this beautiful shade (or any OPI Nature Strong shades you might have tried)? Let me know down in the comments below!

Have a lovely Sunday darlings!

Products featured in this post were provided in exchanged for content. 

All thoughts are honest & my own.

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GLAM NAILS CHALLENGE APRIL — Daffodils

Good morning lovelies & happy Wednesday! I hope everyone’s week has been lovely so far. The weather has been seasonal so far, which I can’t complain about too much. & the flowers are beginning to bloom.

It’s time for the next prompt of Glam Nails Challenge April: daffodils. & I’ll be honest I was nervous, again, about this prompt. I love love love doing floral, but this was a type of flower I’d never painted before. But, you know, I think I nailed it!

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Glow & Shine
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Fast Dry Top
  • Sally Hansen InstaDri Glos-Sea
  • OPI Nature Strong Make My Daisy
  • Essie Fall for NYC
  • Essie Check Your Baggage
  • Essie Cliffhanger
  • ACO by Ardene Jungle Green
  • Essence Bloom Me Up! Blow My Mint
  • Essie Off Tropic
  • NailStuff.ca Mermaid Tail Brush

First off, check out this blue! I recently picked it up at Shoppers when I had some optimum points, & I’m really in love with it. It’s kind of hard to see in this lighting, but it has the prettiest pink-y shimmer in it. A fantastic colour for Spring. Also the perfect base for these beautiful yellow flowers.

Second I’m so, so proud of how these daffodils turned out. Sometimes I get self conscious when it comes to nail art I’ve never done before, but I really do love them. & it’s inspired me to do more floral again. I feel like I stopped doing florals for a while, & now that Spring is here, it’s time to pick up doing them again. Because, they really do make me so happy.

What do you think of my daffodils for Glam Nails Challenge April? Did you miss all the floral? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below.

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GLAM NAILS CHALLENGE APRIL — Tulips 💐

Hello lovelies & happy Monday! Another week is upon us, although this one isn’t looking nearly as Summer-y as the last. Today, though, I’m sharing the next prompt for Glam Nails Challenge April — tulips.

It’s kind of funny — in all the time I’ve been doing floral, I don’t think I’ve ever done a tulip design. So this was definitely a bit of a challenge for me. While it’s not my most perfect floral ever, I’m super happy with how adorable they turned out.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Glow & Shine 
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Fast Dry Top Coat
  • Essie Play Date
  • Sally Hansen InstaDri Jelly Belly Cotton Candy
  • Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure. Peony Origins
  • Sinful Colours Yolo Yellow
  • Essie First Class Affair
  • OPI Life Gave Me Lemons
  • OPI My Gecko Does Tricks
  • NailStuff.ca Mermaid Tail Brush Trio

How cute do these flowers look? I would have loved to have taken a picture of them in front of my own garden, but no tulips quite yet. A few more weeks. I think this is such a perfect Springtime look. I love how colourful these are with the purple base & the yellow & pink tulips. Yes yes yes.

What do you think about this tulip design? Do you love a good bright & vibrant Spring-y design, or do you prefer things more subtle?

Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below & what you’re wearing on your nails this week.

Have a great Monday! 🌷

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GLAM NAILS CHALLENGE APRIL — Ladybug 🐞

Hello lovelies & happy Wednesday! Is Spring sprung for you (well.. for those in the northern hemisphere). It’s been a beautiful week here so far, & very warm! I even wore bare legs yesterday with a dress. It was a very exciting moment.

Today I’m all about the next prompt of Glam Nails Challenge April. This is #4, I think. & the prompt is ladybug, which is actually a design I don’t think I’ve ever done on my nails. & naturally, I decided to break out my stamping tools for this particular look.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Glow & Shine 
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Fast Dry Top Coat
  • Essie Mint Candy Apple (new version)
  • Starrily Vantablack
  • Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Pucker Up!
  • Nailstuff.ca clear stamper & scraper set
  • Born Pretty Store Stamping Plate BP-L026
  • Harunouta Potted Garden stamping plate L036 (lady bug image)

First off, yes to this beautiful blue! I always forget how good Mint Candy Apple looks on the nail! I own both the old version & the new version & I adore both.

Secondly, how freaking cute is this lady bug?! I totally forgot, however, how impossible it is the pick images up off that stamping plate. This took a few tries to actually get on my nails, & I had to do some freehand touch ups, but I’m super happy with the end result! It’s the perfect little pop of colour. 🐞 & it’s lovely Spring vibes.

What do you think of these pretty lady bug nails? Do they scream Spring to you? Let me know all your comments & thoughts down below!

Happy Wednesday lovelies — it’s almost the weekend!

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GLAM NAILS CHALLENGE APRIL — Easter Eggs

Good morning lovelies & happy Monday? Anyone else rocking a post Easter sugar hangover? I was pretty reserved in my treat eating yesterday, but my two kids definitely are feeling the post Sugar Rush crash.

Today is also the last kind of Easter-y prompt for Glam Nails Challenge April — the rest of the month is more Spring inspired. I’m going to kind of miss the Easter designs, but I’m also excited to focus on Spring too… especially since we’re expected to have very nice Spring temperatures coming up this week!

Today’s prompt: Easter Eggs.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Glow & Shine 
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Fast Dry Top Coat
  • Matte Top Coat: Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Matte Top Coat
  • Sally Hansen InstaDri Racing Rose
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Crying Out Cloud
  • Sally Hansen MG Sweet Pea
  • Sally Hansen MG Sun-Shower
  • Crinkled Saran Wrap

This look was inspired by those dip dyed eggs people do for Easter. This look, in particular, was my inspiration for this look — although I decided to go more pastel. I’ve never done them, mostly because I do like getting my hands dirty, but I do think they look so cool! So why not attempt the look on my nails! & I have to say, I really like how they turned out.

I used my go to Saran Wrap splatter technique to achieve these. I switched up my base colour on each nail, too, which I thought gave a fun effect.

What do you think about these Easter Egg inspired nails? Are you following around with #glamnailschallengeApril on Instagram to see all the fun designs for this month (so far)? Are you excited to see what the rest of the month brings? Let me know down in the comments below, & have a lovely Monday!