Essie Nail Strips in "Love To Love You"

Hey everyone! I got these Essie nail strips at the L'Oreal sale on Sunday and just couldn't wait to try them on. Here's what I think!

I'm not yet very good at applying these things (bumpy edges, ugh), but I love the way they look! You can't really read the writing, but they still make for a very cool manicure. The kit comes with a little nail file to help you shave off the excess bits!

I sealed these in with a top coat but for some reason it didn't stick and ended up peeling off in the end. The size selection is alright, but could be better - I have small nails and found myself running out of strips that were small enough. My only suggestion is to apply these slowly and carefully - rough edges will get caught in places they shouldn't, like in my dog's fur when I'm petting him (sorry Einstein).

I definitely suggest picking these up if you find them on sale. They're too expensive at regular price.

Models Own "Luis Lemon"

Hey everyone! I know this may not be the colour to expect when you think of "fall nails", but when I saw this on sale at NailPolishCanada, I just couldn't resist. I'm thinking of it as my fall nail polish palate cleanser.

"Luis Lemon" is a vibrant highlighter yellow color. It's a little sheer on its own, but a white base coat will really make it pop. The polish applies thick yet smooth, and is overall a pleasure to work with. I'm quite impressed with the quality considering most neon polishes tend to be streaky. I only needed one coat over the white to get the shade in the photo above.

This is my first Models Own nail polish and I'm excited to try out some more. "Luis Lemon" is a winner for me!

NOTD: L'Oreal "Now You See Me"

Hey everyone! Thought I would post this NOTD today to get myself psyched for the imminent L'Oreal sale that goes on in Montreal (which I'm crossing my fingers I get tickets to!). The reason I say this is because I picked this up at the last L'Oreal sale but never actually used it until recently. I guess I was waiting for the fall weather to kick in a little ;)

"Now You See Me" is this really beautiful wine red color that I think is great for fall. For reference, it's not quite as plum-brown as Essie's "Bahama Mama" (which I can't wait to put on, by the way). I used three coats in the above picture just to get it all smoothed out, but the consistency is good to work with, as are most L'Oreal nail polishes. Overall I'm really pleased I picked this up when I did because I foresee myself wearing it a couple more times throughout the season!

NOTD: OPI "Haven't The Foggiest"

When the OPI San Francisco collection came out, I allowed myself to grab one of their new nail polishes. There were a few that I was eyeing but "Haven't The Foggiest" is the one I gravitated towards. Do I regret that choice? Somewhat. Let me explain.

I was looking for a silver foil, but instead I got a dark gray foil. Still lovely, just not what I was looking for. The color, to be exact, is described as "pewter" which reminds me of the pewter cauldron Harry had to buy for Hogwarts. Overall the application is really nice - these "foil" sorts of nail polishes tend to go on quite smoothly. I can see myself wearing this a lot during the winter time, but for now I'll stick to my plums and navy blues.

What do you think? Have you picked anything up from the OPI San Francisco collection?

NOTD: Revlon Nail Art Moon Candy - Orbit

Hey everyone! These Revlon Moon Candy nail polishes have intrigued me ever since they were released, so a couple months ago I finally decided to pick one up for myself. I chose Orbit - a dark purple-blue with light blue and lavender flecks.

The idea is that you apply the solid colour first, and then follow up with the sparkly side, resulting in a super quick "galaxy" manicure.

Note that this nail polish was sooo hard to capture on camera haha. I would say in person it's much less black and a lot more vibrant!

The overall formulation of the polish was really nice. The consistency of the solid shade is thick enough to avoid streakyness, and it's very easy to apply. The glittery side is a little trickier. The flecks are finicky to work with sometimes because they don't apply smoothy - you kinda have to play around a bit before you get the amount of glitter and the smoothness you want. They tend to stick up on application.  A generous layer of top coat will go a long way on this polish.

Overall, the manicure does require a little more patience than usual but I think the result is totally worth it! It's fun to see light catch in the flecks at different points throughout the day. And in terms of the "galaxy manicure" trend, it's relatively simple to achieve.

What do you guys think?

NCLA Nail Wraps: Demo & Review

Hey everyone! A little while ago I posted my Little Black Bag haul/review, and I showed you guys that I got a pack of NCLA nail wraps in that order. I ended up really loving them so I thought I'd share my tips on how to apply them effectively. The set that I got is called "Electric Gradient". It comes with two manicure options: a blue-green gradient and a pink-red gradient. I tried different techniques both time I used them so I'll explain which one worked best!

You can purchase these nail wraps on nailpolishcanada.com for $16, and they come in a variety of patterns and colors :)

What you'll need:

• Nail wraps
• Base coat of your choice
• Top coat of your choice
• Nail file (there's one that comes in the pack that works fine)
• Scissors

First, you'll need to remove any nail polish you have on your nails. Then, cut & shape them any way you like. The nail wraps work better on a straight cut nail, but if you're dead-set on having round nails it will also work. I wouldn't cut your nails too short because you want to incorporate as much of the pattern as you can! Also, applying a base coat at this point is super important. The adhesive on the stickers is very strong and will damage your nails if you skip it! 

Next, pick a sticker that fits the size of the nail you're applying it on. When in doubt, use a smaller size rather than a larger one. If you use one that's a little too big, you'll have a hard time smoothing it down around your cuticle area. Smaller sizes might not fit as snug and there might be some space left between the sticker and your cuticle, but they'll apply much better. In the photo above, I chose a size that was too large and as you can see, there were some air bubbles left on the sides.

If you have shorter nails, the sticker will be much too long. I find them easier to work with if you trim them at this point. 

Bend the sticker over your nail. Try your best to avoid air pockets and smooth out any bumps. This will result in a clean finish. Also, bumpy nails will annoy the heck out of you (at least they did for me haha!). Again, if you pick a size that is slightly smaller than your actual nail you will have an easier time avoiding ridges like the one in the photo above. Once you're happy with how the sticker is placed, use your nail file to remove the excess sticker.

Done! Super cool gradient nails. If the white part of the sticker that came from filing it down annoys you, pick a similar color nail polish and run it along the tip of your nail to cover it up. 

If you have clubbed thumbs like I do, no worries! The largest size sticker that comes in the pack will fit. Generally, though, if you need to customize some of the sizes with a pair of scissors, don't be afraid to do so. These nails should last you a really long time, especially if you don't pick it off. Chipping is very minimal. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of this product and will surely purchase more in the future!

Tuesday In Love Nail Polish REVIEW

Hey everyone! Recently I was contacted by a nail polish company called Tuesday In Love, and I was asked if I would like to try out their line of water permeable nail polishes. Naturally, I agreed, because the whole idea of "breathable" nail polish is becoming super popular and it's so intriguing!

First, I'd like to talk about why this breathable nail polish has been gaining popularity. If you find staining to be an issue with painting your nails, this is a great option. The nail polish allows water to seep through the nail polish and onto your nail which is very hydrating and healthy. Some moms see this as a great option for kids who otherwise aren't allowed to wear nail polish.

In addition, many Muslim ladies have been loving this trend, since wearing nail polish prevents water from reaching your nails during wudhu. My Muslim friend Zeina explained it to me well and since I'm not a specialist I thought I'd share what she said:

"Basically when we pray we have to do this thing called wudhu, "ablution" in English, where we have to wash certain parts of the body (hands, mouth, nose, face, ears, neck, hair, arms and legs). When we wash our hands, it's been said if we have nail polish on then our fingernails aren't cleaned." (She mentioned that this isn't an absolute fact or anything, which is why some Muslim women don't care about nail polish)

"Because regular nail polish usually doesn't let water go through, our wudhu is nullified and our prayer doesn't count because our wudhu wasn't done properly! However, with this nail polish, it allows water to go through (YAY!) so while doing our wudhu our fingers and hands will get cleaned and our wudhu will count and thus our prayer will count while we wear nail polish."

"Usually we can only wear nail polish when we can't pray (during periods) or usually if we have a special occasion we do our wudhu and then wear it, but that limits prayer throughout the day. At a wedding once I wore nail polish and basically I couldn't pray 'til I got home."

1 coat Tuesday In Love pink nail polish + 1 coat Tuesday In Love top coat (also water permeable)

Pros:

• Incredibly opaque in ONE coat. As you can see on the left, there was a little bit of streaking but that would be easily smoothed out with a second coat. I was so impressed with the opacity that I didn't bother.
• It's totally peelable! I've tried "peelable" nail polishes before and none have actually worked aside from this one. Once it starts looking a little ratty you can peel it right off! No need for remover whatsoever.
• $12.47 price point as opposed to Inglot's $16 ($14 American)
• Portions of each purchase are donated to Plan Canada's "Because I Am A Girl" campaign (Read more)
• Water permeability test approved. When you purchase this nail polish you get a pamphlet with instructions on how to perform the test. Basically you paint a portion of a paper towel, drop some water on top and see if it seeps through.
• No need to worry about applying a base coat to protect your nails!

Cons: 

• Because it's peelable, this nail polish will not last more than a day. In my book that seriously sucks because I tend to keep my nail polish on for days, however if you do participate in wudhu or have a special occasion that calls for a nice manicure, this will definitely satisfy that even if just for one evening.
• As you can see in the top right-hand photo, the nail polish starts to change color as it gets worn. I assume this is due to water settling between the polish and nail. Again, this nail polish is really only for one day's use.

Comparison to Inglot O2M nail polish:

The major company specializing in these kinds of polish is Inglot which also has a line of breathable nail polishes. I personally haven't tried the Inglot polishes, but my friend Zeina has and is graciously willing to provide a comparison. She says that the Inglot polish lasts longer, however the formulation is incredibly thinned out and requires like five coats to render it opaque. The Tuesday In Love is therefore much easier to apply. Again, there is a $4 difference in price point between the Inglot & Tuesday In Love.

Verdict: Would I purchase another Tuesday In Love nail polish? Probably not, because I prefer a long-lasting manicure. That said, the Inglot nail polish seems to have an equal number of faults and if these are the only two options for Muslim ladies, Tuesday In Love definitely has its advantages. It honestly just depends if you're looking for something longlasting or temporary!

OPI "Chic From Ears to Tail"

Hey everyone! A couple days ago I blogged about OPI's "A Definite Moust-Have" so today I have part 2 - "Chic From Ears to Tail". As I said in that previous post, the new OPI Couture de Minnie collection, although not particularly unique, had some really great staple colours. This is one of them.

If you feel like your collection is lacking a bubblegum pink, this is a great choice. I have to admit, it's a little on the thin side, so you might have to lay it on thick if multiple-coaters aren't your thing. Otherwise, the formulation is creamy and the brush is ideal - not too dense and easy to use. If I'm not mistaken, I detect a really slight shimmer, but it's probably just there to give it some extra shine. I definitely foresee myself reapplying this a couple more times this summer.

The entire collection is available on nailpolishcanada.com.

NOTD: Essie "Sand Tropez" + Bonus Easter Mani

Hey everyone! Welcome to April :) I probably won't be doing a March favorites post seeing as not much has changed from last month, however this little manicure has definitely been a favorite. I think it's so cute and perfect for spring! First I'll show you the base color I used, which is Essie Sand Tropez.

Though some may find it a little bland, I've been looking for a nude-taupe nail colour for a while. I think this will quickly become a favorite! The application is really lovely and smooth (as is with many Essie nail polishes).

PS. my nail beds have been awful lately! Do any of you have this problem?

This was the manicure I wore on Easter! Cute, isn't it? And it reminds me of Mini Eggs haha.

It's really simple to do as well. First, you paint your nail the color of the half moon (in my case, either blue, pink, purple, or yellow), wait for it to dry completely (I used a quick bit of Seche Vite topcoat because I'm super impatient lol), apply a page hole reinforcer to the bottom half - those little circular stickers, and then paint the top part of the nail with your color of choice. In case you're curious, the colors I used are Zoya "Jacqueline", American Apparel "L'Esprit", Essie "Fiji", Zoya "Blu" and of course, Essie "Sand Tropez".

Let me know what you think in the comments! Hope you're having a great spring so far!

NOTD (Essie Fiji) + OPI Giveaway Winner

Hey everyone! I've got a quick NOTD for you all (finally! It's been so long since I've done one), and I thought I'd announce the winner of my OPI giveaway at the same time. But first thing's first...

Long story short, I absolutely love this color. As you know I was in Florida for a couple days and got a (very unnoticeable) tan, and I thought this polish would enhance it a little. Definitely a good choice. I foresee myself wearing this a ton during the summer. It actually reminds me of a shade I used to wear when I was younger, except that one was milkier and cheaper. This was definitely a three-coater, but the result was worth it, I think. Essie polishes are always great quality in my opinion. Worth the hype!

Next order of business: the winner of my OPI giveaway...

Congratulations to Danni Golding! I will be emailing you shortly so please do respond ASAP :)

I also wanted to thank everyone who took the time to enter. I love having giveaways and giving gifts. I think it's so much fun to send people small tokens of my gratitude, especially on an international basis. And of course, thanks again for sticking with me and reading my blog. It means a lot!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Zoya "Blu" + China Glaze "Ruby Pumps" hand-drawn hearts (I used the end of a bobby pin!)

Personally I'll be spending the day in bed watching My Mad Fat Diary. Maybe I'll bake something. (LOL, at least my nails are festive!) Have a great day everyone!

NOTD: Zoya Jacqueline

Hey everyone! As I mentioned previously, I recently got ahold of Zoya's new spring collection, so I'll be featuring each of them in a string of NOTDs :) This is actually the second one from the collection that I've tried so far (totally forgot to take a picture of Neely when I had it on).

Top left: natural lighting, top right: artificial lighting, bottom left: with flash, bottom right: natural lighting (but w/ more shade)

I'm very, very pleased with the formulation of these polishes. They're incredibly high quality and opaque in only two layers (I used three for good measure). Jacqueline is what I would describe as a pale, eggshell or magnolia yellow. It's really polished and classy, and is a nice alternative to a stark white or a plain nude. This shade is creamy and buttery--I really love the effect of it.

I'm excited to try the other shades in this collection, especially Blu (creme pale blue) and GeiGei (shimmery baby pink). Look out for those NOTDs coming soon! :)

NOTD: Matte Black & Shiny Tips

Hey everyone! About a week ago Rachel from 87daysbefore Instagrammed a photo of her matte black nails with shiny tips, and she reminded me that I'd been wanting to try out this manicure for a long time.  I've seen this manicure on Tumblr many times but it's been getting quite popular recently. In fact, only a couple hours after I posted my manicure on Instagram, Kim Kardashian posted the exam same NOTD! Arden from ARose186 also posted her matte black nails (sans shiny tips though).

I think this is a really nice spin on traditional black nails. The shiny French tips give it a classier effect because I think the matte black on its own can be a little grungy (equally cool, but different).

I basically used a really cheap black polish (can't say I recommend this one as I've had it forever and it's a little streaky now), then I blocked off the tips with tape and painted the rest with a matte top coat, then removed the tape and voila! I used a Kiko matte top coat but I know Sephora by OPI has one too if you're interested.

My only issue with this manicure is that the tip and the rest don't blend in seamlessly (the tip looks embossed or something?). Compare it to Kim's manicure. If anyone has a solution for this, please let me know in the comments. Otherwise I think it's super unique.

Let me know what you think!

PS: I've added a "Questions?" tab in the left sidebar so feel free to ask me anything!

NOTD: OPI Golden Eye

Hey everyone! Today I wanted to share with you all this amazing nail polish I got for Christmas. It's OPI's Golden Eye which was released with their Skyfall collection.

The color itself is an incredible yellow-gold color, and the finish is almost a gold foil effect. I think the best way to describe it is "liquid gold". To be honest, I think this is one of the most special, unique polishes from the Skyfall line, and in my nail polish collection as a whole. This is definitely my new go-to special occasion polish (I wore it on New Year's Eve!).

What do you guys think?

NOTD: China Glaze "Ruby Pumps"

Hey everyone! Today's NOTD is China Glaze's "Ruby Pumps". I got this polish for Christmas, and I must say, it is one of my absolute favorites already. I genuinely think it's the most perfect red nail polish ever formulated.

It's kind of a deeper red, but then it has bright ruby-colored microglitters that make this such a stand-out color. The glitters are actually hardly noticeable in person. You can see them clearly in the photos, but in reality the effect is simply a shimmer. It's honestly so pretty, I can't get enough of it.

I'm in the midst of trying out all the different polishes I got over the holidays, but I'm really excited to put this one back on!

What do you guys think?

NOTD: OPI Yoga-Ta Get This Blue

Hey everyone! Today's NOTD is OPI's Yoga-Ta Get This Blue. The polish itself is from quite an old collection of theirs, but it's definitely a favorite in my collection. As always, the consistency and application of this OPI is incredible. Two quick coats and you're good.

The color itself is a really pretty deep sapphire. Sometimes blues can come across as a little tacky (though I still wear them like, all the time), but this one is really classy. It's a really nice alternative to all the burgundies and deep greens I've been normally wearing around this holiday time (ahem, Essie Bahama Mama).

Let me know what you think in the comments!

NOTD: Sally Hansen Rockstar Pink

Today's NOTD is this amazing, glittery Sally Hansen polish. I got this polish because it's a dupe for Butter London's Lovely Jubbly. I don't actually have the Butter London polish so I can't objectively compare but I've looked up swatches and apparently they're identical (except for the price--$3 as opposed to $14).

The great thing about this polish is that you can pack on three coats and end up with this incredible, opaque glitter, or you can use it as a top coat. It has silver, blue, fuschia, and red glitters, so it would look wonderful over-top of any of those color bases.

The application was really nice as well, and I think this might be my favorite glitter polish in my collection! Let me know what you guys think in the comments below!

NOTD: Kiko Pale Gray & Essie Shine of the Times

Hey guys! Long time no talk! This has been an incredibly hectic week. I've been staying at my dad's because the floors in my mom's house were being redone, so I've kinda been going back and forth. I haven't had a decent sleep in days, let alone a chance to blog. I haven't even shipped out my L'Oreal giveaway prize which I feel terrible about. Ugh, I hope things get back to normal soon!

Anyway, I got a quick moment to photograph my 'nails of the day' a little while back, so I thought I'd show them to you.

I think this is a really pretty combination for the holidays! I love the frosty effect of Shine of the Times (right photo), especially since it reminds me of the snow :) The pale gray by itself is really beautiful too, and Kiko polishes are inexpensive but the quality is so nice. Overall I'm a huge fan of both of these polishes!

Let me know what you guys think!

NOTD: American Apparel L'Esprit & China Glaze Prism

Today's NOTD is just really exciting for me. As you might know, I'm not a massive fan of American Apparel nail polishes, but I have finally found a use for mine. China Glaze "Prism"is my first super glittery nail polish, and I honestly can't get enough of it. Here, I layered it over American Apparel "L'Esprit".

I purchased the China Glaze polish off BeautyJoint.com (really great site, by the way). The base of this glitter polish is definitely lilac-purple, but it has flecks of silver, green and even red. I can see myself experimenting with it layered over all these colors!

I imagine this is going to be a pain to remove, but it's sooo pretty I might not even care! OH and I finally found a good spot for lighting in my house... Using the light above the kitchen sink -_- I'm looking into getting a white light and maybe even a better camera soon though!

Hope you all had a great weekend. :)

NOTD: September 22nd, 2012

So today I have a quick NOTD for you guys with a nail polish that I picked up while I was on vacation in Italy. If you ever find yourself in Italy and want to pick up some Italian brands, I highly recommend this one. I got this nail polish and a liquid liner from them, and I adore both of them. The brand is also relatively cheap and is sold in Italian beauty shops (or "profumeria").

As you can see this is a very deep raspberry color. I think it's the perfect shade for fall and the formulation is just something else. This is by far the best formulation nail polish I have ever used. It's a "gel effect" polish meaning it goes on really thick and shiny. Honestly, I could have done with just one coat. It also dries in like, record time. I can't recommend this enough! OH, and I almost forgot to mention the brush size. The brush is "XL" and it literally only takes two swipes to cover your entire nail. Amazing.

Have you tried any Bella Oggi products?