Tag: Sparkle

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Sideways Glitter Gradient using Olive & June’s New Flash Glitter Gel Polishes

contains PR/gifted product

Hello lovelies & Happy 2026! We made it!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas season, & holiday. It was definitely a weird one this year, but we survived & it’s a brand new year. I decided to take a bit of a break at the end of the year, BUT I did end 2025 with sparkle. Just before Christmas, I was sent some amazing nail mail from Olive & June featuring their brand new Flash Glitter Gel nail polishes — which was an amazing Christmas surprise!

So naturally I needed to wear these gorgeous shades for New Years Eve, & I decided to attempt a gradient using all these shades. I’ve not done a ton of nail art with gel polish, but I’m so happy with my sideways gradient! It looks like a rainbow going across my nails. I was definitely a little nervous going in, but I am so beyond in love with how this design turned out!

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Olive & June Peel Off Base Coat
  • Base Coat: Olive & June Gel Base Coat
  • Top Coat: Olive & June Gel Top Coat
  • Olive & June Gel Sparkly Pink Drink (rose gold)
  • Olive & June Gel Pop Fizz Mani (gold)
  • Olive & June Gel Mani on the Dance Floor (grey silver)
  • Olive & June Gel Karaoke is a Good Time (purple)
  • Olive & June Gel Out Past Curfew (black)
  • Olive & June Gel Rosé Rhymes with Partay (pink)
  • Flat Nail Art Brush

I have to say — creating this gradient was not as hard as I thought it would be. The longest process was curing between each layer, but they came together so beautifully. & compared to other gradients, they were much harder to mess up. I used a flat nail art brush (clean up brush) to blend the two shades together, & it worked so perfectly. I’m kind of sad I wore these with a peel off base coat, because I could have easily worn these for a full week instead of just the night.

This was my first experience with flash glitter, & I get it now! The way it sparkles under flash is incredible. It makes me feel like a disco ball in the best possible way — & I think we all need to sparkle a little more this year. That’s definitely on my list of New Years resolutions for this year.

If you’re interested in trying out these Olive & June Glitter Flash Gel polishes, they have the whole set listed online (including gel lamp), or you can purchase the shades individually. They also have really cool Flash Glitter press on nails which I have not tried, but look really really cool, & would be a great option for someone who doesn’t want to (or cannot) wear gel nail polish!

What do you think about my New Years Eve nails — did I start my 2026 on the right foot finger? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below, & what your resolutions are for this year!

♥︎

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Pink Glitter Snowflakes

Hello lovelies!

Happy day after (American) Thanksgiving to my American readers, & happy Black Friday! This is my first year in a while I’m not working in retail for Black Friday sales, so I’m kind of enjoying the breather.

But we can’t deny — Christmas is coming. & even though I’m feeling less than zero Christmas spirit this year, I figured it was time I at least tried to summon some Holiday/Winter spirit. So naturally I thought we’d dip our toes in with some snowflake nail art stickers.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Miracle Cure
  • Top Coat: Sally Hansen InstaDri Top Coat (red bottle) 
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Wrapped in Love
  • Ardene Dancing Queen
  • NailStuff.ca Snowflake Nail Art Stickers

First off, I’m officially petitioning for glitter pink to become an official Christmas colour. Secondly, I love how cute these are! I’ve had these nail art stickers in my collection forever, & I love that they’re still being used for cute nail art looks.

& it was way simpler than me trying to hand paint snowflakes on my nails! The white of the stickers just pop so well against that pretty pink. Definitely giving Christmas vibes — at least for me.

What do you think about these pink glittery snowflakes? Are they giving holiday vibes? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below! & how you’re getting your nails into the festive spirit.

Happy Friday

🖤

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SWATCH SUNDAY — China Glaze Skyscraper (Fall 2011 Metro Collection)

Good morning lovelies & happy first Sunday of October. It’s a beautiful Autumn day, I’ve been jamming to Taylor Swift’s new album for the last two days, & I’m currently enjoying my maple brown sugar coffee. It’s a good day! I’m also excited for another Swatch Sunday.

I’ll be honest, I haven’t really been in the mood to buy new nail polish. Maybe I just need a trip to Sally Beauty, but my usual haunts are not really cutting it right now. However, the plus side of me not buying new polish, is I’ve been going through my current stash a lot more often & finding long forgotten about gems — like today’s polish pick. This is China Glaze Skyscraper from their Metro Collection from Fall 2011.

2 coats + top coat

Once upon a time, purple used to be my signature colour (after red, of course) & as a result I spent many years buying every purple, or purple leaning, polish I could get my hands on. Skyscraper is a gorgeous dark blue/indigo jelly base packed full of silver & blue micro glitters. Some of the pictures of swatches of this shade I’ve seen seem more blue than my bottle, but maybe that’s the result of it being 10+ years old (I can’t remember exactly when I bought it, but I did post about it here.)

Close up shot to see all those glitters. I only did 2 coats on my nails for swatches, but you could definitely do another coat for even thicker glitter — or sponge it on to make it really glittery! I was happy with the opacity I had after two coats though, & especially happy with how easy the formula was to apply The first coat goes on very thin, but that second one saves it & gives it a beautiful finish. Will I enjoy removing this glitter? Well we will have to see.

But I do love wearing it!

What do you think about China Glaze Skyscraper? Do you own this shade? What do you think about the colour?

China Glaze has long been one of my favourite go to brands (I own a drawer & a half of their polishes!) but I feel like I haven’t really checked out the new revamp they recently did. I’m definitely going to have to go to my local Sally’s & check out the new bottles & polishes they’ve released!

Happy Sunday!

♥︎

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Deep Wine Red with Sparkly Glitter Placement

Good morning lovelies & happy Friday! & happy The Life of a Showgirl release day to my fellow swifties! I’m going to one of the showings tonight with a friend for the album, after I get off work, & we decided to go in blind without pre-listening, so today is going to be a serious test of my willpower!

But in the meantime, how about a little sparkle. We are in full October vibes now, & while I am having so much fun doing Halloween designs for the Glam Nails Challenge, I thought I would switch it up a bit with just a little dark glitter placement.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Top Coat: Sally Hansen InstaDri Top Coat (red bottle)
  • Base Coat: Essie Hard to Resist (purple)
  • Revlon Color Stay Gel Envy Heartbreaker
  • Essie Nail Art Studio Glitter Separated Starlight

Okay I don’t want to sound too conceited, but like how freaking glamorous do these nails look? I absolutely adore how they turned out. The sparkle is kind of subtle, but not subtle. It’s definitely an everyday kind of glamour, & perfect for these Autumn October days! Also, no tools required which I always love because sometimes I’m just too tired to spend an hour on something more complex (especially when I have to be up at 5:30am to get ready for work!)

So what do you think of this design? I know it’s not a groundbreaking nail art look, but I think it just looks so pretty. Definitely my go to when I want something chic, but not complex. & just a little bit subtle.

Happy Friday!

🖤

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GLAM NAILS CHALLENGE DECEMBER (2024) — Party Ready ✨🥂

Hello lovelies & happy last Monday of 2024! How is everyone surviving this in-between week that exists between Christmas & New Years? I’ve been surviving on coffee, crackers & hope at this point. BUT! I did manage to get one more manicure done for the last prompt of Glam Nails Challenge December: Party Ready!

& if these nails don’t scream party ready, I’m not sure what else could.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: NailStuff Essentials Base Coat *
  • Top Coat: Nail Stuff Essentials Quick Dry Top Coat *
  • NailStuff Essentials Raven
  • Joe Fresh Gold Rush
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Feeling N-Ice
  • Essie Making Spirits Bright
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Goldie Rocks
  • Starrily Space Debris (c/o: NailStuff.ca)
  • NailStuff.ca dotting tool from Dotting Tool Trio
  • Latex Free Make Up Sponge

*PR/Gifted

Is it even a New Years Eve party if you don’t go all out on the glitter, silver & gold? My New Years Eve celebrations are much tamer nowadays than in my 20s, & usually at home, but I still always have to make such there is some sparkle on my nails. & this nail art look is absolutely perfect for ringing in 2025, no matter what you have planned.

& they were so easy to do! Started with my glitter gradient, then added some dots of more sparkly polish on top until it looks like glitter in exploding from your cuticles.

& that is a wrap on Glam Nails Challenge for another month… & another year! This has been an up & down year for nail polish for me, but I feel really good about what 2025 has to come!

I hope everyone has a lovely & safe New Years Eve… & I will see you next year!

♥︎