Tag: Spring

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SWATCH SUNDAY — Essence Lilac Vibes (Neon Pastels)

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday! & happy Easter. I hope everyone is having a lovely holiday (if you celebrate). Today I’m celebrating another week, & another Swatch Sunday post!

This week, I pulled out this Essence beauty: Lilac Vibes. I found this shade at my local Shoppers Drug Mart last Summer, & I have been meaning to share it ever since! But I thought since Spring is in full swing, it would be a great colour pick for this week’s Swatch Sunday post.

2 coats, no top coat

The formula on this shade is super creamy, & easy to apply. I possibly could have gotten away with one coat, but I applied a second to hide a few patchy spots on the nail. It dries to a beautiful shine, as pictured, without any top coat needed — although if I’m wearing long term, I always had top coat to help my polish last.

The colour is really pretty, & vibrant. It’s not quite pink, not quite purple. But the soft shade is enough you could get away with it for a variety of occasions. It also reminds me a bit of one of my favourite ORLY shades: Scenic Route — although Violet Vibes seems to lean a bit more on the blue side.

As mentioned, I picked this shade up at my local Shoppers Drug Mart last Summer. It wasn’t part of the core Essence display, but one of those little separate displays for limited edition shades. Like all Essence polishes sold at Shoppers, it was $2.99 CAD, which is a very good price.

It’s no longer listed as available on the Shoppers Drug Mart beauty site, but I did find the shade also listed on the Essence website as available so I’m not 100% sure if it is a core shade or not, but it does look like it is still available for purchase — although I do believe that is the US site, so shipping would not be available for Canada.

What do you think about this Essence shade? Are you a fan of Essence nail polish? Let me know what you think about this fun shade down in the comments below, & what your favourite Essence shade is!

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Spring Inspired Saran Wrap Splatter

Hello loves & happy almost Easter weekend! It’s been a beautiful week here on the East Coast — very Spring-y! I even had a chance to break out my flip flops. So I’ve been feeling all the Spring colours.

Todays look is a nail art technique I haven’t done in a while — Saran Wrap splatter. This is a technique I’ve done a lot in the past, but it’s been a hot minute since the last time, so I was excited to pull it out of my repertoire.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure Hardener
  • Top Coat: Essie Speed Setter
  • Sally Hansen InstaDri Racing Rose
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Get Mod
  • Essie Butler Please
  • Essie Play Date
  • Icing Matte Nail Polish Neon Blue
  • Crinkled plastic

How fun are these colours together? I feel like these pinks & purples & blues just go so well together. I’ve been doing this technique a very long time, & it never gets old to me. It’s a way easier option than your traditional spatter, & way less clean up. I usually only have a few places I need to clean up with acetone, versus a traditional spatter that makes quite a mess,

What do you think of this Saran Wrap Splatter look? Have you ever tried this technique before? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below!

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Glam Nails Challenge March — Abstract

Hello beauties & happy Wednesday! Hopefully a beautiful sunny Wednesday, but either way I hope you’re having a lovely start to your day. I’m excited because I have a beautiful design to share with you for the next prompt of Glam Nails Challenge March: Abstract. & when I saw that prompt, I knew exactly whose nails I was going to use as the inspiration for my abstract nails.

Grape Fizz Nails always comes up with the most beautiful & unique abstract looks, so I took a bag from her book, & decided to go with a pastel inspired abstract design, with a little bit of gold for good measure!

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure Hardener 
  • Top Coat: Essie Speed Setter
  • Sally Hansen Tutu the Ballet
  • L’Oréal Jardin Des Roses
  • L’Oréal Pistache Royale
  • Essence Take Me To Heaven
  • Essie Set in Sandstone
  • Starilly Vantablack
  • Nailstuff.ca Gold Metallic Foil Flakies (not currently in stock)
  • NailStuff.ca Dotting Tool Trio

How fun & pastel are these? The colours look so beautiful together, & the gold just adds that extra something special. They turned out just so beautiful — I can’t get over it! Plus paired with some sunshine yesterday, they were really giving full on Spring vibes.

Can you believe that we only have 2 more prompts for Glam Nails Challenge March? I can’t believe how quickly this month seems to be going, & how close we are to Spring dresses, Easter, & days upon days of beautiful Spring weather.

I think the world needs some sunshine right now.

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Glam Nails Challenge March — Chevrons

Hello loves & Happy Monday!

A chilly March Monday at that, which is why some Spring colours are definitely needed right now. Today, I have the next prompt for Glam Nails Challenge March which is chevrons. & we all know, I love me some chevrons. I decided to take inspiration from a design I did a few years ago, but with a more pastel/Spring colour scheme.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure Hardener 
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Tutu the Ballet
  • Sally Hansen MG Crying Out Cloud
  • OPI Two Timing the Zones 
  • L’Oréal Jardin Des Roses
  • L’Oréal Pistache Royale
  • Sally Hansen MG Get Mod
  • NailStuff.ca 4mm Micro Detail Brush

I love the messy feel of these chevrons. It kind of reminds me a bit of tie dye as well, which I really like. Is tie dye still cool?

The girls at work said they reminded them a bit of Easter eggs, which wasn’t quite the look I was going for, but that’s okay. I guess you can put these on the list of manicures perfect for Easter as well. Truthfully, I’m just loving these pastel shades right now, which means I’m very ready for Spring to be here.

What do you think of these chevron nails? Do you like the messy tie dye feel of them? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below, & if you would wear these nails too!

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Matte Spring Floral Accent Nail

Hello lovelies & happy Friday!

The weekend is finally here, which is always exciting. Of course, I work all weekend, but that is besides the point . The weather is finally beginning to feel more Spring-like around here, on occasion, so naturally I want to match that mood with my nails.

Especially since around here, it can turn back to Winter in the matter of a few hours.

I’ve really been craving Spring florals so much lately. Floral just makes everything better. & I just thought a floral would look so beautiful as an accent to this new glittery polish I recently picked up.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure Hardener 
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive
  • Matte Top Coat: Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Matte Top Coat
  • Glam Doll Electronia
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Get Mod
  • Sally Hansen MG After Alter
  • OPI Two-Timing the Zones
  • L’Oréal Jardin Des Roses 
  • Essie Off Tropic
  • L’Oréal Pistache Royale
  • Sally Hansen MG Blacky-O
  • NailStuff.ca 4mm Micro Detail Brush

How cute does this mani look paired against the flowers I got at work? Give me all the florals!

I really like the simplicity of this floral over the glitter, & the matte top coat brought everything together. It gives the glitter polish the look of almost robin’s eggs–serious Spring vibes–& the white flower pops against the blue base. I love it.

What do you think about this Spring-y accent nail? Are you a fan of simple accent nails like this? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below!