SWATCH SUNDAY — OPI OPI Red

Hello lovelies & happy Sunday!

I hope this past week wasn’t too tough on anyone. Are you ready for this week, & Valentine’s Day? I work in a Candy Store, so you know we’re going to be busy with last minute Valentine’s Day shopping! Today, though, I thought I would share a beautiful red that would be perfect for any Valentine’s Day plans you may have this week.

This is OPI OPI Red.

2 coats + top coat.

I actually shared this shade on my Instagram a few weeks ago, but I feel like it deserves its own special post because it really is the perfect red shade for Valentine’s Day. & we know I love a good red, no matter the occasion. OPI Red is a pink toned red, with this beautiful but very subtle shimmer.

The formula on OPI Red is actually incredible, especially for a red nail polish. It’s almost a one coater, but I added two just for a more plush look. It also levels out really, really well so you don’t have any streakiness. I did add top coat to my swatches, but that was mostly because I was wearing these before I was able to take photos & I didn’t want to bang them up.

If I had any complaints about this beautiful red, it would be I wished the shimmer was more visible on the nail. Other thank that, this is quite possibly the perfect red nail polish. & well know how much I love red nails.

I purchased my bottle of OPI Red at my local Marshall’s but you can find it listed online on a number of websites including this one & this one. For my gel polish lovers, I also found the Gel Version on the Trade Secrets website. It is out of stock on the actual OPI website, but I’m hoping that doesn’t mean it’s discontinued.

What do you think about OPI OPI Red? Is this a shade you could see yourself wearing? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below!

Matte Black Roses

Hello lovelies & happy Friday! Still trying to get back into the routine of blogging & posting, but this weekend has been a bit crazy.

Today, though, I have another design to share from last week. I had mentioned I really, really wanted to try a black rose design so this was the result of that attempt. This was actually harder than I had anticipated, mostly because creating roses involves layering different shades of the same colour, but black is black, so I had to see what shades of grey I could find for highlights. I think, though, in the end it turned out beautifully!

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: China Glaze Calcium Gel Fortifer
  • Top Coat: China Glaze Fast Forward Top Coat
  • Matte Top Coat: Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Matte Top Coat
  • OPI My Address is Hollywood
  • Sally Hansen InstaDri Ghouls Night Out
  • Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Grey Area
  • Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Gunmetal
  • Sally Hansen InstaDri Jumpin’ Jade
  • Sally Hansen InstaDri SCRAM!
  • NailStuff.ca Dotting Tool Trio
  • Nailstuff.ca Mermaid Tail 7mm liner brush

When I first started painting these, I wasn’t sure if the black rose idea was going to work out for me, but once I layered a few shades of grey, my vision came to life. & I just love them! We all know my love affair with floral nails, so it’s fun to switch up what I usually do. Plus, I think this look is a great alternative for Valentine’s Day.

Red roses are lovely, but black roses just have a fun vibe. Plus I’ve been feeling my Emo roots lately, & this would fit in with that whole vibe.

What do you think about this black rose look? Do you think I captured the vibe that I was going for? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below.

♥︎

L.O.V.E. nails (Happy Valentine’s Day!) 💗

Good morning loves & happy Valentine’s Day!

It’s a snowy Valentine’s Day here in Halifax, after a big dumping of snow. Not super impressed with the weather, but that won’t stop me from sharing my last Valentine’s Day look for this year! I really wanted to do more hearts — like accent hearts — but at the last second I decided to write L.O.V.E in the middle of them. & I’m obsessed.

They’re like heart shaped scrabble tiles! & I love it.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Glow & Shine 
  • Top Coat: Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat
  • QUO Beauty Velveteen
  • ACO by Ardene Flawless
  • Starrily Vantablack
  • Dotting tool (NailStuff.ca — Dotting Tool Trio)
  • NailStuff.ca 4mm Micro Detail Brush

I’m not sure why, but I really wants to do heart accent nails at the base of my nails. But when I finished my little pale pink hearts, they looked a little basic, so I decided to outline them in black — my go to for jazzing up a manicure. BUT THEN, I thought: what if I attempted to spell out Love in my hearts. It was a risk, but it turned out so awesome, so I couldn’t be happier!

What do you think about this love themed design? Do you like this simple nail art? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below!

I hope everyone has a happy Valentine’s Day, & if it’s not your thing then I hope you enjoy tomorrow which is 50% of chocolate day!

♥︎