Groovy Abstract Stripes

Hello lovelies & happy Tuesday! Hope everyone has had a lovely start to their week. We had another beautiful almost Spring like day yesterday, which gives me hope that maybe — maybe — one day soon, Spring will be here to stay. I just keep longingly staring at the clothes in my closet, dreaming of the day when it’s warm enough to wear them!

In the meantime, how about some Spring on the nails! I’ve definitely been feeling myself drawn to my more Spring looking nail polishes. I just need a little brightness in my life!

For this manicure, the polishes I used were:

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Good Kind Pure Hardener
  • Top Coat: Essie Gel Setter
  • Essie Mint Candy Apple (the blue version)
  • Essie Splash of Grenedine
  • Essie Blank Page
  • Essie Bobbing for Baubles
  • Nailstuff.ca 11mm Liner Brush (COFFEE10 to save 10%) {gifted}

I love abstract stripe designs so so so much, especially when they turn out as perfect as these did! These totally remind me of one of those gorgeous abstract Pucci designs. The swirly lines & bright colours — perfect for Spring! Also I love the brighter pop of pink over the paler blue base. What is it about this colour combo? It makes me so happy!

If this doesn’t make you feel ready for Spring, I don’t know what will. I also just feel so proud of how these turned out too — it might just be the best version of the abstract stripe design I’ve done yet! & yeah, it kind of makes me want to do another!

What do you think about this look? Are you feeling these Spring-y colours? Let me know what you think down in the comments below!

SWATCH SUNDAY — Candy Coat

{PR SAMPLE/GIFTED}

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday! Today I have some brand new beauties to share with you! I recently received a PR Candy Box 🍬 from Candy Coat, with some cute little bottle of polishes! They are reached out to me curious if I would be interested in trying some of their newly released (non gel) mini polishes, & you know how much I love trying new to me polish brands, so obviously my answer was a resounding yes!

These Candy Coat mini polishes are 12-free, cruelty free & fast drying. There is 5ml of polish were mini bottles & they retail for £2.99 or $5.14 CAD ($3.84 USD).

So let’s get into the swatches!

Continue reading “SWATCH SUNDAY — Candy Coat”

SWATCH SUNDAY — China Glaze Secret Per-wink-le

Happy Sunday lovelies! Is anyone else seriously craving Spring?

Today, I thought it would be nice to get a little Spring-y & share one of my favourite Spring nail polishes (& blue shades in general) — China Glaze Secret Peri-wink-le. According to my internet, this shade dates back to 2008, & was part of the China Glaze Operation Color collection, or at least that was the earliest post I could find.

For my swatches, I did 2 coats of polish & finished with top coat.

This shade & China Glaze Fancy Pants are probably my two all time favourite blue shades ever — Fancy Pants to me is more a Fall-ish shade, & Secret Peri-wink-le is definitely perfect for Spring! It’s no secret I love, love, LOVE a good blue & this shade is no exception. I love the formula isn’t too thin, I love that it applies easily (even though my bottle is over five, maybe six, years old), & I love that whenever I wear this colour I just instantly want to start wearing all my favourite Summer dresses, regardless of how much snow may be on the ground.

Ah, it’s just so pretty! Seriously, like how can you not love a blue polish like that?

So, according to my internet there are a few places that this polish is available, although I’m not sure if you can still find it in stores (I looked it up on the Sally Beauty website, but no listing.) However, there are a few places you can find it, such as:

I have no doubt there are probably a few Ebay listings for it as well!

So what do you think about China Glaze Secret Peri-wink-le? Are you already craving Spring, like me, or do you think it’s just too soon? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below! & let me know what shade you always pull out when you start feeling like you need a little Spring in your life!

Valentine’s Day 💕 Glitter Gradient

Hello lovelies! Happy Tuesday!

Today I’m getting in the Valentine’s Day mood! I’ve had this polish — OPI Bearest of them All — in my stash for going on 5 years, but somehow hadn’t thought to use it in a glitter gradient! But since I’m all about speedy designs right now, I thought this would be the perfect Valentine’s Day nail art look when you need something quick & beautiful!

For this manicure, the polishes I used were:

  • Base Coat: Essie Treat Love & Colour Gloss Fit
  • Top Coat: Essie Gel Setter
  • Essie Haute in the Heat
  • OPI Bearest of them All
  • Latex Free make up sponge

How cute as these little heart glitters?! I won’t lie, this wasn’t the easiest glitter gradient I’ve ever done. Basically, I had to sponge the smaller glitters onto my nail in the gradient, & then fished my heart glitters out of the polish to apply onto the nail. Not the easiest to do, but you can’t lie about how freaking adorable the outcome is! I’m absolutely in love with how this looks! & still super quick to do.

I feel like usually I’m more on the ball about doing Valentine’s Day looks, but I just haven’t been as into it this year. I had plans to do some love heart nails & a few others, but I just wasn’t as inspired as I usually feel. I do have one more look to share on Thursday, but this year seems to be more about simple Valentine’s-esque designs more than blatant heart designs.

What do you think about this glitter gradient? Do you have this limited edition OPI in your stash — have you ever thought to use it this way? Let me know what you think in the comments below!

SWATCH SUNDAY — ORLY Oh Cabana Boy

Hello lovelies & happy Swatch Sunday! I hope you have your sunglasses ready, because you’re going to need them for this one! After way too much Winter, I need some sunshine in my life. So I thought for this weeks Swatch Sunday I’d channel Summer & Valentine’s Day all at once with the perfect neon pink: ORLY Oh Cabana Boy! 🕶

2 coats, no top coat.

The polish itself is the most amazing neon fuchsia hot pink, with this underlying blurple shimmer that you see when you move your fingers. It is very bright, almost blinding! Which, let’s be honest, you want when it comes to a neon. It also dries down to a satin finish, that isn’t quite shiny & isn’t quite matte. Even though I didn’t apply top coat for my swatches, I do feel like it’s coming across shiner than it was in person.

According to my Google research, this shade was originally released as part of the Hot Stuff collection (at least that’s what NailPolishCanada tells me), & the earliest posts I could find online were dating back to around 2011. I picked up this polish for myself at Winners or Marshall’s circa 2015 (I think) as I do with most of my ORLY shades.

You know, pink isn’t really a shade I wear on it’s own very often — usually, if I’m going to wear it, it’s part of nail art. BUT this pink is one I could definitely make an exception for! It’s nice to change things up sometimes & break out of your comfort zone.

What do you think about ORLY Oh Cabana Boy? Do you have this beautiful neon in your collection? What do you plan on wearing for Valentine’s Day (if you celebrate)?

Let me know in the comments below! 💗