The Last Mani Monday: Classic Red

Today is my very last Mani Monday so I chose to wear my tested and true favourite shade of red, OPI's I'm Not Really a Waitress. The deeper tone and pearlescent finish make this such a high quality polish that is perfect for the holiday season. This morning I'm moving out of my little apartment (which doesn't feel so little when it's time to box everything up!) so my nails probably won't be looking this pretty by this afternoon, but that's okay because at the end of the day I'll be toasting with some red wine and all will be good. 

My husband has officially finished his undergraduate degree as of yesterday morning. He wrote his final exam then came home to paint, clean, and pack up a moving truck along with my sweet dad who drove seven hours in a freezing rain storm to help us this weekend! (I was "supervising" the move much to everyone's dismay.) We'll be spending the holidays with family and friends in Toronto before beginning our adventure in the new year. 

Isn't that just the cutest graduation poem? The wine tag was made by Love in Writing, a wonderful etsy shop that also made our wedding invitations. I thoroughly recommend checking them out! 

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Mani Monday: The Perfect Plum

I don't have much to say about this month's manicure except that I am absolutely in love with it. I'm wearing OPI Mrs. O'Leary's BBQ and trust me when I tell you I have found the perfect plum. With deep burgundy undertones and a rich formula that applies so smoothly, this is a polish that I'll be wearing again and again, especially throughout the fall and winter months. I love it love it love it!

Have you found that perfect polish that you know you'll be wearing on repeat? Sharing is caring ;)

On a completely different note, do you know the song "Cups" by Anna Kendricks (from Pitch Perfect)? I found this video of tap dancers doing their thang and it's aca-awesome (sorry couldn't resist). I can't help but smile as I watch it so I thought it'd be nice to share and brighten up your Monday morning. Kelly Sheehan is my fave dancer out of the bunch. If you make it to the end I'm sure you'll understand why ;) Enjoy!



Linking up with my fellow nail polish lovers Jennie Shaw / Glitter and Gloss / Glossy Blonde

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Mani Monday: Going Nude

I sadly relapsed to my nail- and cuticle-biting ways at the beginning of the month so now I’m trying to let them grow out without drawing too much attention to my hands. Whenever I wear polish I am so much better about not picking my nails so the next few weeks will be a bit of a recovery period for me. As bright and fun as nail art can be, this month I’ve been drawn towards clean and neutral polishes that are the perfect “completer piece” for my nails. I’m on the hunt for the perfect nude, one that isn’t too pink, applies easily, and offers full coverage with two coats. 

Here’s the thing - I am trying to find that perfect neutral with peach undertones, instead of the common white base, as it is much more flattering with my skin tone. Essie’s Marshmellow and Mademoiselle have been recommended over and over again, but they are definitely too "milky" for my taste. I’m also not the biggest fan of that brand as I find the polishes too thin and prone to chipping. 

Right now I’m wearing OPI’s Dulce de Leche and I’m pleased but not in love. The peachiness is on point and coverage is pretty good (three coats would have been better though as it is a little streaky). Not my favourite but a solid 8/10 for a nude polish. What do you think?

I find that nude polishes are fresh and always add a dose of sophistication that show that you care about the little details, even when they’re not in your face. This type of manicure is also a great way to elongate your fingers if you’re self-conscious about having little stubbies, plus it is considerably easier to maintain. 

For me, the hunt continues for the perfect nude polish as this one by OPI falls just short. Any suggestions?

Linking up with Well Shut The Front Door and At the Pink of Perfection.

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Mani Monday: Bright and Shiny

Avon nail polish in bronze metallic

I received this mini metallic nail polish in a trio gift set, and must say I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of these Avon polishes. It's a textured look but smooth to the touch and two coats weren't even necessary (though as I mentioned last month, I always do two plus a top coat). I thought this was a fun, bright, and shiny manicure to finish off the last week of summer. It seems like so many of us are already transitioning to fall with a deeper and darker colour palette, but I'm not ready just yet and want to embrace the last bit of summer. Hope you had a great Monday and if you've got a manicure to show off, share it with me on Twitter, I'd love to check it out!

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Linking up with At the Pink of Perfection and Well Shut the Front Door.

Mani Monday: Perfectly Peach

Nail Polish: Cover Girl Outlast in coral silk

Nail polish lovers, I have a confession to make: I'm not a fan of Essie nail polishes (gasp). While they have a fabulous range of colours, I find the polishes to be thin, streaky, prone to chipping, and at $10 a bottle seriously overpriced. I was craving a new polish though and love this colour for summertime. Normally I'm a bit hesitant about drug-store brands, but at $5.49 a bottle I couldn't resist giving this Cover Girl nail polish a shot as I'd been searching for this perfect peachy / coral shade for a while. 

I was very pleased about the quality of this polish and especially how chip-resistant it is! I used a base and top coat plus two coats of colour, then on day three I added another layer of top coat. For those of you who work with your hands a lot, you know how rare it is to stay chip free for so long and my nails are still going strong. These pictures were taken on day four after my manicure and not one chip - absolutely fantastic and such a better value compared to Essie! I'm a happy gal and will definitely be buying this line of nail polish from Cover Girl again. 

Linking up with Glitter and Gloss and Well Shut The Front Door. 

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Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post, ie: I did not receive any compensation for this article. I just wanted to share my review of this product. All opinions are my own.

Mani Monday: Neon Orange

Had a few tech issues last week and this post is a bit later than I would've liked, but I wanted to share my super cute mani that I rocked this week. I know this is my third mani post in a row showing off neon nails (click here for neon pink and electric shock yellow) but I swear I didn't plan it. When the weather warms up I guess I just find myself drawn to bright and fun colours.

I got a shellac manicure last week before heading to the Caribbean and I love this neon orange hue. It was the perfect accessory to my outfits all week, plus my nails stayed chip-free for my entire trip. Trivial I know, but having my nails done always puts me in a better mood and sometimes all it takes are the little things like that to put a smile on my face.

Mani Monday: Neon Yellow

  

 

I was so happy to receive this neon yellow polish, aptly titled “Electric Shock”, courtesy of Nail Chemistry. How bright and fun is this colour?! As I’m sure you’ve seen, neon is all the rage this season, and my favourite way to incorporate this trend into my wardrobe is through pops of brightness here and there, like on my nails or through my accessories, as an unexpected way to brighten up my outfit.

Mani Monday

 

I used to be the worst nail biter/ripper with the ugliest nail beds and cuticles and hangnails.  For years and years my nails were never long enough to see the white.  My granny, who's always had naturally beautiful and elegant hands, would tell me that I could have such nice hands too but if I kept biting my nails and cracking my knuckles I would never get a ring to fit on there.  Well granny – I proved you wrong!  All I needed was that ring on there in the first place.  The day I got engaged was the last day I bit my nails (cracking my knuckles is a different story).  It’s been a year and a half since that ring has been on my finger and what a difference it has been for my hands.
 
I try to take a lot more pride in my nails now and especially enjoy getting gel manicures.  When they’re done properly (ie: not a speck of polish on your skin otherwise it leads to chips and peels off much easier), gel manicures last for at least 10 days and make my nails so much stronger.  They are double the price of a regular manicure though :(  Regular polish will last me about 5 days without chipping so while gel manicures are more expensive, I definitely get my value from them.  These photos were taken 5 days after my manicure and my nails are still looking shiny and pretty!  Neon is very in for spring right now and I love the super bright pop of colour.  My favourite J. Crew Factory leopard print scarf was sitting beside me so I grabbed that for the pictures.  I think I like neon pink and leopard together... giving me some inspiration for an outfit post...

On the last Monday of every month I will be posting my latest manicure and linking up with the lovely Heather from Glitter and Gloss.  If you have any nail care tips and tricks please let me know in the comments below.  I’m always keeping my eye out for something new!