Tag: Summer

Posted on

Glazed Donut Stars ✨

Hello lovelies & happy Monday! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, & your Monday is off to a wonderful — or, at the very least, caffeinated — start.

Today I’m really excited because I have a really striking manicure to show off. I know glazed donut nails are so 2022, but you know what — I’m still loving them. I picked up a clearance bottle of Expressie FX Iced Out at Lawtons a few months ago, & have been itching to do some glazed nails with it. & oh boy — the results are stunning!

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Londontown KUR Nail Hardener & Base Coat 
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Fast Dry
  • Essie Ballet Slippers
  • Essie Expressie FX Iced Out
  • Essie Dive Bar
  • Born Pretty Store Classic Patterns Stamping Plate BP-L006 (discontinued)
  • NailStuff.ca Clear Jelly Stamper Set

How freaking gorgeous is the glow on this look? I’m actually stunned by how well the shift hits. It actually looks like there is a blue light behind my nail polish & I can’t get over it. I decided to apply some stamped stars over this base (using Essie Dive Bar) & I like the fact they’re not quite opaque because the glow shows through them as well.

They look ethereal. I can’t get over it.

What do you think of this take on the glazed donut trend? I know glazed nails are still having a moment, so I feel like I’m not too behind on the times. Or maybe we need to come up with a new name for these — like alien glow nails?

Either way, I’m very much obsessed.

Have a fantastic beginning to your week loves!

Posted on

Neon Squiggles ➰

Hello lovelies & happy Friday! I know, I skipped a day of posting this week — sometimes you just need a day to take a break & relax. But I’m back today & I have a manicure I’m really obsessed with. It has all the Summer vibes that I’ve been looking for.

I really loved a sponged neon base, & I just found my make up sponges the other day, so I knew it was time for another version of one of my favourite looks! & I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Londontown KUR Nail Hardener & Base Coat 
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Fast Dry
  • Essie Blanc
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Peach Please
  • Sally Hansen MG Sugar Crush
  • Sally Hansen MG Violet Voltage
  • Sally Hansen MG Electri-Lime
  • Sally Hansen MG Fuchsia Fever
  • OPI Who You Callin’ Bossy?!
  • NailStuff.ca 4mm Micro Detail Brush

Love this vibrant base, but obviously I needed to draw some kind of pattern overtop. It’s been a while since I tried one of these swirly looks, but I think it turned out really fun. I have no set plan going into it, I just tried to create something that looked unique… & I think I was successful! My ring finger is probably my least favourite of all my nails, but over all I love love love how it looks. I’m very happy with it!

What do you think about this neon swirl look? Are you busting out the neon now that the days are getting warmer? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below, & share what your favourite neon nail polish is down in the comments below!

Posted on

SWATCH SUNDAY — Essie Revenge’s a Beach (Summer 2022)

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday.

I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend so far & that the weather, where you are, is not apocalyptic.

Today’s Swatch Sunday post is decidedly Summer appropriate. I posted last weekend about the other polish I picked up during my small Shoppers haul, & here she is: Essie Revenge’s A Beach from the Summer 2022 collection.

2 coats + top coat

I’ve been eyeing this shade in their clearance bin for a month or so, but I’ll be honest — the price wasn’t right. But when I saw it for $3 on my last visit, I knew it was coming home with me.

Formula is pretty good on this one — I could almost do one coat, but I applied a second for full coverage. It dried down a bit flat, but adding top coat gave it that glossy finish you see. The colour is a beautiful blue leaning teal that you just know needs careful removal because it’ll be a stainer. I’m still wearing this shade, so we’ll see how it goes when I attempt to remove it tonight!

It really is a beautiful colour. Definitely a little bit bluer than Essie Garden Variety & a little more teal & darker than Essie Strut Your Stuff. It also definitely appears lighter in my light box versus natural lighting. Not necessarily a colour I immediately reach for in the Summer, but I very much get the beach vibes they were aiming for.

Obviously, as this was part of last years Summer collection, availability is limited. I did find it still available on NailPolishCanada.com, & I have no doubt if you Google around you can find more. My best advice is check the clearance section at your favourite place to buy nail Polish — that’s where I usually score finds like this. It’s also possible it will pop up at your local Winners/Marshal’s, as mine always seems to get in these previous collections.

What do you think of Essie Revenge’s A Beach from the Summer 2022 collection? Are you feeling the beach vibes? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below!

Happy Sunday! 🖤

Posted on

Throwback Floral (Using Just a Dotting Tool)

Hello lovelies & happy Friday! I hope it’s a beautiful day wherever you are. It’s supposed to be sunny, & slightly warm today, so I’ll take it.

Today I’m sharing a design which is a recreation of a design I did many moons ago—like… 2013 at the beginning of my nail art journey & before this blog. I just always love revisiting old designs, & when this one popped up on my Facebook memories, I knew I needed to do an updated version!

2013 version
2023 version

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Londontown KUR Nail Hardener & Base Coat 
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Fast Dry Top
  • Essie Peach Side Babe
  • Essie Worth the Tassel
  • Essie Blanc
  • Essie Turquoise & Caicos
  • Small & Large Dotting Tool (NailStuff.ca Dotting Tool Trio)

I didn’t have a list of the original polishes I used for my design, so I tried to go with what looked the closest to the colours — which was hard because my original photo is pretty poor quality. I think, though, I did a pretty good job on recreating the original look!

I know that was my first jump into “real” nail art after getting my first dotting tool. It was an Essence brand one that I found at Shoppers Drug Mart, & I got very excited to find something to do legit nail art.

What do you think of this floral nail art recreation? Do you remember what nail designs first got you into nail art? Let me know down in the comments below!

Have a fantastic Friday!

Posted on

Instagram Summer Treats Nail Art Collab 🍦

Hello lovelies — happy Friday. We have a weekend of rain in the forecast, which I’m so happy for because my entire province has basically been on fire this week, & we’re in desperate need of a reprieve from the heat. So everyone send rain vibes. 🌧️

Today, though, I’m sharing a look I did a week or so back for a nail art collab I joined! You might remember I did another one last month, & it was so much fun I thought I’d do it again! This time the theme was Summer Treats. & my favourite treat of the Summer: ICE CREAM!

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Londontown KUR Nail Hardener & Base Coat 
  • Top Coat: Seche Vive Fast Dry Top
  • Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure. Almond Tan
  • Sally Hansen G.K.P. Rock Steady
  • Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Neons Peach Please
  • Sally Hansen MG Neons Electri-Lime
  • Sally Hansen MG Neons Violet Voltage
  • Sally Hansen MG Neons Lemon Chillo
  • Sally Hansen MG Sugar Fix
  • Claire’s Melon Mania
  • NailStuff.ca 16mm Striper Brush
  • Large Dotting Tool (NailStuff.ca Dotting Tool Trio)

This is actually a recreation of a design I did all the way back in June 2016. I loved it so much the first time, I thought it would be perfect for this nail art collar — with some updates! I love the neon ice cream, I love my glitter “sprinkles”. I just think this whole look turned out too, too cute!

Don’t forget to check out all the beautiful designs on Instagram by checking out the hashtag #summertreatsnailartmanicollab2023 & see all the other beautiful designs that my fellow nail artist created! There are so many cute one!

Have a fantastic Friday! ♥︎