SWATCH SUNDAY — Nicole by OPI Scarlett || Happy 12th Birthday Coffee & Nail Polish 🎂

Hello lovelies & happy Easter Sunday! I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend, celebrating however they celebrate. But it’s not just Easter Sunday — 12 years ago today I made my very first post on Coffee & Nail Polish! So I thought it would be fun, & for this week’s Swatch Sunday I would share the first very nail polish I ever used for a manicure: Nicole by OPI (RIP) Scarlett from the Selena Gomez collection.

2 coats + top coat

This beautiful metallic pink was originally released as part of the Nicole by OPI Spring Collection which was Selena Gomez themed. I picked up this beauty at my local Lawton’s Drugs (which was one of my favourite places for clearance nail polish) for the stellar price of $2.50.

The formula on this one was slightly thin, but not too thin it made it hard to apply. 2 coats built to this perfect opacity. The finish though — the finish is my favourite. It’s this gorgeous glass fleck finish. Also I love that it sort of looks pink, but also sort of looks red.

Stunning.

Close up of this beautiful finish. I love the shimmer, the pinkish glow; all of it. It really does glow on the nail which just adds to the beauty.

& obviously, since today is the anniversary of my very first blog post, I had to do a recreation of my very first design — a red on red leopard print. Base is Scarlett & my spots were done using Nicole by OPI Basking in Gloria (from the Modern Family collection).

Unfortunately I did forget to matte-ify my design & didn’t realize until after the fact, but I still love my recreation.

What do you think about this throwback shade! I feel like the NOPI shades were definitely ahead of their time for drugstore brands. I really miss them, & cherish the shades I still have.

Happy Sunday!

Happy Easter!

🖤

Easy & Simple Spring Floral 🌼

Hello lovelies — & happy Wednesday!

& Happy April 1st. I hope everyone’s week is going okay. I don’t know about where you are, but here on the East Coast of Canada the weather is miserable–which is just more reason for Spring-y designs. The flowers may not be showing themselves in our garden, but at least I can wear them on my nails.

Today’s look is me wistfully wishing for some warmer, Spring-like days. Which, obviously, means floral!

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Maximum Growth
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Gel Like Top Coat
  • OPI Infinite Shine Mariachi Makes My Day
  • OPI Infinite Shine Shaking My Sugarplums
  • Essie Willow in the Wind
  • Essie Off Tropic
  • OPI I Cannoli Wear OPI
  • OPI Where Did Suzi’s Man-go?
  • Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Red My Lips
  • Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure. Peony Origins
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Montley Hue
  • NailStuff.ca 7mm Mermaid Tail Brush

This design started off as simply just a rose design, but after I had painted my roses I realized that something was missing, so I added a bit more greenery, & then a few of the white flowers (sort of daisies, but not really). & once I added my white flowers, I felt like it pulled everything together perfectly.

Is it a totally original floral look? Well, no.

Do I still absolutely adore the end result? Absolutely, yes. Especially where my nails are so short at this current moment in time, I feel like a floral design looks so beautiful & put together. Plus, the darker purple base is a little bit end of winter, with the floral adding the touch of Spring I’m desperately craving.

What do you think of this floral look? Do you like the combination of colours? Does it have you craving Spring as much as I am craving spring? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below.

& if it’s feeling like Spring where you are, I’d love to know! Give me some hope so warmer, sunnier days to come.

♥︎

Bright & Funky Abstract Stripes (2000s Inspired)

*contains PR/gifted items

Hello loves & happy Monday!

I am still over here desperately craving Spring weather — while the actually weather does not cooperate. You would think I would be used to it by now (after all these years), & yet every year I get enraged when Spring doesn’t come quick enough. But… I digress. You’re here for nails, & I absolutely love today’s design!

I’m calling these Pucci-esque–not to be confused with Color Club Pucci-licious–& they’re giving me mid-2000s vibes. Specifically: Emilio Pucci’s Spring 2005 collection. I wanted something absolutely bright & colourful, that just screamed Spring, & this combination delivered.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Maximum Growth
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Gel Like Top Coat
  • Butter London Pure Colour 21X Bloomsbury
  • Essie You Do Blue
  • Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure. Peony Origins
  • Essie Willow in the Wind
  • OPI I Cannoli Wear OPI
  • Quo by Orly Nail Art Striper in black
  • NailStuff.ca Mermaid Tail 7mm Liner Brush

Okay — how gorgeous & fun are these nails? I love the combination of colours & how they pop on the nails. They’re just so sunny, & bright which is exactly what my days need when it’s quite a bit below freezing today. I need a little hit of Spring, even if it’s only on my nails (while I stare wistfully at the Spring dresses hanging in my closet, just waiting for me.)

What do you think of these bright & colourful nails? Do you love the colourful combination as much as I do? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below, & if you would rock this look on your own nails!

Happy Monday

♥︎

Navy Freehand Snowflake Accent Nails ❄️

Hello lovelies & happy Monday! & happy Holiday week. Sending lots of beautiful wishes to everyone preparing for Christmas, or celebrating Hanukkah, or whatever brings you joy this time of year. The crunch is on right now to finish up this year, so I apologize for my sporadic posting schedule.

Today I’m sharing a freehand nail art Winter look I recently did. It’s not December/Christmas until I paint some freehand snowflakes, & I’m very proud of this design!

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Miracle Cure
  • Top Coat: Essie Speed Setter
  • Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Dark Hue-mor
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel It’s a Moo Point
  • Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Strobe Light
  • NailStuff.ca 4mm Micro Detail Brush

I always get scared to freehand something delicate like this, because in case you didn’t know — I can be kind of a perfectionist. But I’m trying to work on that, & challenge myself, & I’m really proud of my snowflakes. They’re dainty, & cute, with just the right amount of glitter.

These are just such fun winter-y Holiday nails. I love how they turned out. Also I’ve been really, really feeling blue lately which is funny, because it’s not the most Christmas heavy colour. But I think for a design like this it’s perfect. & I got lots of compliments when I wore these nails to work, which always makes my whole day when someone notices them.

What do you think about these blue snowflake nails? Do you think it’s a fun, pretty design for the holidays? Are you all ready for the holidays? Let me know what you think down in the comments below.

& good luck to all my fellow last minute shoppers out there! I’ll be right out in the crowds finishing up my shopping, just like you.

♥︎

Purple & Gold Dotticure 💜✨

Hey beauties, happy Wednesday!

It’s another snowy Wednesday here, which is making this December feel very festive. I think this is the most snow we’ve had in a December in longer than I can remember. Now if only I could get enough holiday spirit to get my shopping finished.

Today I’m sharing a pretty holiday-esque design. Not outright Christmas, but using some older season Holiday polishes so I feel like it counts! Plus it wouldn’t look out of place at a Holiday party while you drink too many eggnogs!

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Miracle Cure
  • Top Coat: Essie Speed Setter
  • Morgan Taylor Plum-thing Magical (2017 Little Miss Nutcracker collection)
  • OPI Rolling in Cashmere (Gwen Stephanie Holiday 2014 collection)
  • Small-ish dotting tool

Oh goodness, I just adore a good dotticure. The gold looks lovely against the purple-y plum base, especially with its shimmer. This is such a simple look to do, but eye catching at the same time. I love it! & sometimes I just need to rock a colour other than red or green, you know?

What do you think of the glam dotticure? Would you wear a design like this? Can you believe we’re two weeks away from Christmas Eve, & 15 days away from Christmas morning? Crazy!

Happy Wednesday

🖤