Tag: nail polish

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Throwback Blue Dotticure

Good morning lovelies & happy Wednesday. I feel like it’s been a while since I did a Wednesday post. The last couple months have thrown my usual posting schedule all out of whack, but I’m really trying to get back to regular programming. (That includes regularly painting nail art on my nails instead of just wearing a single colour.)

Today’s look is another throw back to the early days of my blog, when I didn’t know much about nail art (or how to do it) but I did love polka dots. You can never go wrong with a polka dot design, so that’s what we’re rocking today!

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Top Coat: Essie Gel Setter Top Coat 
  • Base Coat: China Glaze Calcium Gel Fortifier
  • Essie Bikini So Teeny
  • Madam Glam Nail Art Pen Black *pr
  • Madam Glam Nail Art Pen White *pr
  • Madam Glam Nail Art Pen Silver *pr

Look how cute these perfect little polka dots turned out! It’s been a few months since Madam Glam so graciously sent me their nail art pens, & I just adore how easy they make polka dots nails. I’m still trying to perfect other nail art with them, but I can’t recommend them enough for creating perfect little polka dots like for this gradient dotticure. Plus — you don’t have to worry about cleaning off your dotting tool between colours.

What do you think of my gradient dotticure look? Do you love the throwback as much as I do? Do you remember when polka dot designs were the most popular look I would show off on my blog? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below!

♥︎

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SWATCH SUNDAY —Essie Gel Couture Electric Geometric (Pattern Play Collection 2022)

Contains PR

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday.

I hope everyone had a lovely week. We had quite the balmy week here; Summer is in full swing. So you know I’ve been loving pops of colour on my nails! Today’s Swatch Sunday pick is so perfect for these hot July days we’ve been having: Essie Gel Setter Electric Geometric.

2 coats + Top Coat

I was kindly gifted this beauty of a shade by Essie a few months ago, when they also sent me New Highs from the Dopamine Rush collection. Electric Geometric is a beautiful fiery red cream, that applies very smoothly on the nail. 2 coats gives you fantastic opacity, which I like in a red nail polish. It was originally released as part of the Pattern Play collection in 2022, but then became part of the core collection.

I love how poppy this colour is. Red is always my go to shade, so this one is very fun to wear. It also has like a hint of pink undertones, which gives it a slight edge to my other reds (& it pairs very well also with orange/corals for nail art.)

Look at that red!

I stand by the statement that everyone needs a few good red in their collection for good measure. & if you’re looking to add to your red collection, this is a great option. I feel like this red would look fantastic on all sorts of skin tones.

Essie Gel Couture nail polishes generally retail between $11-$16 CAD, depending on where you’re buying it from. I do really like the formula on the Gel Couture line, & while I’m not sure if it lasts longer than other nail polishes — I’m very hard on my hands at work — it’s a great formula. & the top coat is awesome & dries very quickly!

What do you think about Essie Gel Couture Electric Geometric? Do you love this poppy vibrant red as much as I do? I’d love to know all your thoughts in the comments below, & what Summer-y shade you’re currently wearing on your nails!

Enjoy the rest of your week.

♥︎

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Pastel Geometric Lines

Contains PR

Hello loves & happy Thursday!

I hope everyone’s week has been going well. It’s be hot hot hot here on the East Coast, which I will never complain about! I love me a hot Summer day. Today it’s definitely cooler & just kind of muggy.

But you’re here for nails, not weather reports — & I have been busy trying to come up with fun nails to share! I’ll admit, after 11 years it can be hard to come up with brand new nail art designs for you. So, instead, I guess I’ll keep reinventing my old favourites.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Top Coat: Essie Gel Setter Top Coat 
  • Base Coat: China Glaze Calcium Gel Fortifier
  • Madam Glam Mimi Pink *
  • Madam Glam Minty Greek *
  • Madam Glam Birds Fairy *
  • Madam Glam Warm Up *
  • Quo by Orly Black Nail Art Striper

**pr/gifted

You can never go wrong with a dry brush geometric design!

These were so easy to do. Started off with the dry brush as my base using my 4 Madam Glam pastels–which blended together so well–& then used my striper to create the geometric design. The hardest part is probably drawing the black lines & making sure they don’t end up too thick (always my struggle, at least), but no matter what I think this is a striking design to do & wear!

What do you think about these pastel geometric design? She’s an oldie but a goodie!

I’m still on the hunt for new nail art designs to try, so feel free to share any designs you’d love to see me attempt! I’m trying not to go straight into craving Autumn designs (my favourite season for nail art) so help a girl out! I would be eternally grateful.

Happy Thursday!

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SWATCH SUNDAY — Sally Hansen InstaDri Prismatic Shine Purple Prism 💜✨

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday! The Summer weather is officially back in full swing — after some rainy chilly days — & I’ll be truthful, I’m loving it. I’m a hot hot hot Summer kind of girl always. Give me the sunshine!

& you know what looks awesome in sunshine — glitter. & today’s Swatch Sunday pick is a glitter bomb. This is Sally Hansen InstaDri Prismatic Shine Purple Prisim.

3 coats + top coat

I love a good purple, & I’ve really been loving glitter lately, so Purple Prism really brings the two worlds together. The base is a sheer purple jelly, which is packed full of multicoloured glitters, including holographic ones.

The base is very, very sheer so you need multiple coats. This is 3 not too thick coats — to achieve the bottle colour I would need at least one more thin coat, or to apply it thicker on the nail.

I do love the jelly like formula, with the exception of how it always seems to dry for me. There is always shrinkage at the tip, no matter how hard I try to cap my edges properly. I’m thinking it’s the fault of my quick dry top coat.

Look at all those glitters! Perfect to show off on a sunny day!

With how sheet the jelly formula, you could definitely get away with using it as a topper over another purple polish, & skip needing so many applications. The glitter might not be as dense on the nail, but it would definitely be beautiful!

How fun is this shade! Do you own any of the Sally Hansen InstaDri Prismatic Shine shades in your collection? Sadly my Shoppers Drug Mart has cleared out its stock of these shades, but I’m still hoping to find a few more of these beauties in my favourite clearance sections someday.

Happy Sunday!

🖤

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Simple Daisy Accent Nails 🌿🌼

Hello loves & happy Friday. The weekend is finally here — isn’t that exciting?

Today I have a simple & beautiful nail art look to share with you, featuring just a few of my favourite things. I had this idea for a simple red manicure with a few floral accents. & what is my favourite flower of all time? Daisies of course. So I painted a few miniature daisy accent flowers, which turned. out super dainty & beautiful.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Top Coat: Essie Gel Setter Top Coat 
  • Base Coat: China Glaze Calcium Gel Fortifier
  • NailStuff Essentials Cardinal *pr
  • OPI I Cannoli Wear OPI
  • Essie Bustling Bazaar
  • Essie Fall For NYC
  • NailStuff.ca 4mm Micro Detail Brush

Oh how cute are my little daisies.

My whole vision was I wanted a floral look that you didn’t notice at first glance, because it was small & dainty. & I think I captured that. We know, I love love love a red manicure — it’s the colour you can catch me wearing most often when I’m just doing a “quick” manicure — but sometimes I want to add something a little special.

& these daisies turned out special.

What do you think about my hand painted dainty daisies? Do you like small nail art features like these?

Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below — I’d love to know what you think!

Happy Friday

🖤