Hello lovelies & happy Sunday! I apologize about my radio silence the last week or so—my mum & dad were visiting after 9 months of being away, so when I wasn’t working, I was spending my time with them which meant that my nails took a bit of a back seat. But I’m super excited because I have a brand new collection to share with you from Beyond the Nail: their Summer 2021 Mermaids of the World collection!
This brand new collection is made up of 6 beautiful & super glittery shades, all inspired by bodies of water around the world.
Another week has gone by, & somehow we’re almost in July? Half way through 2021… how did that happen? That means we’re in full Summer mode, which means I’m in full give-me-all-the-bright-nail-polish-now mode. So I thought I would actually share a fun, Summery shade that is actually from this year: Essie Pucker Up from the Summer 2021 collection. As you might remember I was gifted this beautiful shade as part of the National Nail Polish Day PR package I received, but haven’t had a chance (okay, I kept forgetting…) to share the shade until now!
2 coats + Essie Speed Setter top coat
How to describe this polish… so this beautiful bright coral leaning pink which is a pop of colour. My favourite part of, though, is this fuchsia shimmer. The colour is blindingly bright, which makes me happy in ways I can’t even describe. Like, you need sunglasses while staring at your nails. However, this is also one of those shades that looks very different depending on what light you look at it in–under my daytime light, you definitely get more of that fiery coral shade, but if you are taking pictures outside, in indirect light, then you’re going to see more of that fuchsia undertones.
Over all, the formula was pretty easy to work with. 2 easy coats, with a little bit of Speed Setter (because it was 11:30 at night 1am, & I was going to bed right after). The shade itself is very bright, & reminds me a bit of Ardene 80s Prom Dress which I swatched here, only more poppy. Obviously, being from Essie & not like 6 years old, means you can totally snag this beauty for yourself!
What do you think about Pucker Up from the Summer 2021 collection? Are you feeling these Summer vibes? What shade are you living for right now? Let me know in the comments below.
Hello lovelies & happy Sunday! Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend. Mine has been very busy, to say the least, but I always find (a little) time for nail polish!
Today’s Swatch Sunday post is a throwback shade that I picked up a few years ago: Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in Beatnik. It was originally released in 2015 as part of the Boho collection, but I think it became a part of the permanent collection after that.
2 coats, no top coat.
The formula on Beatnik was really smooth & easy to apply. All I needed was two coats for full opacity, which is always something I love in a nail polish — especially when I’m short on time, like I have been lately. I’m also really digging this darker shade for some reason. I know I should be all about the neon, but these darker jewel tones are just calling to me. It’s a nice change from the lighter shades I’ve been wearing a lot lately.
As I mentioned, this is 2 coats without top coat. I did end up adding a coat of the Miracle Gel Top Coat for my actually wear (along with some simply nail art) which always helps with the wear. My nails get beat up bad right now while working (especially because I’m working 10+ hour days) so I need all the extra nail power I can use.
What do you think about this blue shade? Are you a fan of Sally Hansen Beatnik? What shades are you wearing on your nails right now? Let me know in the comments below!
It’s been a while. I feel like this past week I have not been feeling like myself, so I didn’t feel much like posting. But I’m back, I’m feeling slightly refreshed, & I’m actually really really excited for this week’s Swatch Sunday. If you’ve been around a while, you’ve probably heard me mention my love for white nail polish. It’s what started my love affair with nail polish in the first place. So I’m really excited to share what I think might be the most perfect white nail polish I’ve worn in a while: Essie Blanc.
2 coats + Essie Speed Setter Top Coat
I kind of feel silly, because Essie Blanc has been around forever, & somehow I have not added it to my stash. But as you know, I recently participated in an Essie virtual event, & one of the perks was that those attending were gifted a few Essie shades, including Blanc. & I was quite excited, because I’ve been thinking about buying this shade for a while, but hadn’t (for whatever reason—truthfully I’m not even sure why!)
Formula on this shade is great—it’s smooth, creamy, & not chalky at all. Coverage is pretty good in one coat, but obviously it needs that second coat for ideal levelling. The colour is a nice, bright white without verging on white-out. The brush for my bottle was also the new, wide Essie brush which I really like, but is especially good for application on this shade. Covers the whole nail in almost one swipe. Very, very nice.
Is there anything more satisfying than a bright, clean white manicure?
It’s actually been a while since I rocked basic white nails, & I’ve missed them. First off, they’re great against even the hint of a tan, which is perfect for this early Summer season. Second, they’re very Buffy season one. All I need are a few butterfly clips, & a patterned skirt & tank top combo, & I’m instantly transformed back to Sunnydale High circa 1997. & I’m very, very okay with that.
I’ve actually been rewatching Buffy from the beginning again (it’s my guilty pleasure TV show, what can I say?) & it’s making me want to do a deep dive into the many manicures of Buffy Summers. It would be a big endeavour, but maybe I could break it up into a few posts. We will see if I can make it happen!
What do you think about Essie Blanc? Do you have this clean white polish in your collection? Is there a classic nail polish that you keep meaning to buy, but haven’t got around to getting yet? I have a few, but this was definitely a big one! I’d love to know if anyone else is the same way.
It’s another start to the week (& almost another month!) so that means another edition of Swatch Sunday! We’ve been having some beautiful sunny weather, so I was feeling something bright & colourful. I decided to go through my stash & settled on an oldie: Color Club Evolution.
2 coats, no top coat
As you can see, like so many of my Color Club polishes, I scored this beauty on clearance at my local Lawton’s. According to my Google research, Evolution was originally released as part of their Spring 2013 Kaleidoscope collection.
For my swatches, I only needed 2 coats of polish for full opacity. I loved how easily the polish applied on the nail — it also dried down very smoothly, even without top coat, which I always appreciate.
I’m really, really loving this shade. It’s very vibrant, which is perfect for this beginning of Summer time. I do love a good blue polish, & I feel like I’ve been wearing it a lot lately. It’s nice because it brightens things up quite a bit. It reminds me a bit of Essie In The Cab-ana, which has always been a favourite of mine. It’s not quite a dupe, I don’t think, but it’s a nice alternative.
I found this shade on nailpolishcanada.com for sale (& at a discounted price) so if you need this shade in your life that’s always an option. I’m not sure if it’s in Color Club’s regular rotation, so it might be harder to find in store.
What do you think about Color Club Evolution? Would you wear this bright vibrant blue? Let me know what you think down in the comments below!
Coffee & Nail Polish 