NAILS | Yet Another Glitter Gradient with the Shade Cosmetic Proof (?) #CBBxManiMonday

Purchased by me

I am tired and it is only January 10th. I know my last post started off pretty much the same way, but I feel a constant sense of anxiety (really targeted at a specific thing) and I am acutely aware that I should not let myself feel stressed about it or dread going to work which makes me even more mad at myself for feeling this way. We also have a big corporate visit next week where I need to have my game face on which always tires me out. I think I just need a solid two week vacation doing absolutely nothing! I also had to take Huxley to the vet early this morning because he has been overgrooming his crotch to the point of creating a lesion and we wanted to rule out any urinary issues. I am on "cat crotch watch" for the next three days as we have some topical steroid ointment for him so I am hoping it starts to heal nicely.

NAILS | Reverse Glitter Gradient #CBBxManiMonday

 

Press sample

You have no idea how long I have been wanting to wear this polish! I have left it out purposefully for I want to say a year because I just knew it would be a gorgeous colour. The Shu Uemura x YazBukey collaboration came out in 2015 so I have had this polish a long time without ever trying it, but the formula was perfect and I actually thought this would lean more on the magenta side as I wanted to do this year's Pantone Colour of the Year - Viva Magenta, but when I looked at the name of the polish "Daring Burgundy", I realized it would be much darker than I thought!  

NAILS | OPI Celebration Glitter Gradient #CBBxManiMonday

I think it's pretty cool this year that Christmas falls on a Saturday because then Friday night really means something extra special and in my world of retail, it is the first Saturday I have had off since 2010! THAT is the last time Christmas fell on a Saturday! And, since our location is typically closed on Sundays that means that we are closed on Boxing Day too! All of us are just so psyched to have a simultaneous Christmas weekend off! It's one of the things I am most looking forward to and part of what is driving me to survive this week. Most clients have been super sweet, but there have been a few sour apples that just seem extra sour this holiday season. Hopefully karma gets them right where it hurts!

Press samples

NAILS | Not Quite Ready to Say Hello to Fall Shades #CBBxManiMonday

I swear this was totally going to be a Fall-themed manicure, but I blame the discovery of this matte glitter! Why did Sephora stop making their own house brand of nail polish?! It was so good! First, there was Sephora by OPI which was so good and then came Formula X which I adored. Great shades, formulas and really funky matte glitter like this! 

One polish gifted and the other purchased by me

NAILS | It's Easy Being Neon Green #CBBxManiMonday

This month's #CBBxManiMonday theme is "neons, brights and whatever else you can think of that reminds you of summer". Even though the days of a two month summer vacations are far behind me, I still have a more laidback attitude when the sun is out and the temperature is warm enough to live in little rompers and shorts. While I have never believed that nail polish colours have specific seasons of wear, there is something satisfying about wearing a good neon shade in the throes of summer!

Cirque Colors nail polish is a press sample

NAILS | Who Wants Glitter? Meeeee! #CBBxManiMonday

I can't believe my 10 day staycation is down to the last 24 hours! I managed to get quite a bit done though which was good. Harper got her FVRCP vaccine, I got the O2 sensor on my car replaced and went to the dentist for a cleaning (no cavities, yay!). I also taught myself how to use Instagram Reels because I refuse to believe that someone approaching 40 can't learn a few new tricks (even though there was a point while editing a video where I wanted to shoot someone). I don't get large chunks of time off like this often and after the first few days of just catching up with household things like vacuuming, laundry and meal planning, my brain gets creative in terms of what it wants to do for the blog and content. If you are a stay at home mom who also blogs, more power to you! If I had to do the house stuff every day and try to find time to photograph product, film and edit a reel and write a blog post, I would be exhausted 24-7 which is what I gather moms feel like!

OPI polish was a press sample. Ciate polish was purchased by me.

NAILS | Happy NYE and Hello to 2021!

Normally, I don't like to post nail art posts back to back, but this week has been a strange one as I have been working normal hours, but not busy and yet haven't had a chance to sit down and blog. I currently have today and the next three days off so mentally I have been waiting for this time to refresh. I hadn't been sleeping well so I made it a point to stop anything stimulating (like blogging) by 11pm and get ready for bed which is also what led to my lack of posting this week, but all the same it was nice to slow things down this week. 

Some PR samples

NAILS | The Face Shop "Steel Navy" Gradation Nail Art Kit #CBBxManiMonday

Here we are at the last #CBBxManiMonday of the month and it has been a strange ride hasn't it? I feel like we have all lived a lifetime in a dystopian universe and today is one of those days where I have been sliding back and forth along my emotional ruler. I started off this morning feeling bright-eyed and bushy tailed and then the afternoon sort of went to shit and now I'm feeling like I'm in some sort of funk. Well, at least I put some makeup on and styled my hair. I haven't been in quarantine for the last two weeks because I have been working, but I think that might change for the next two weeks as I don't feel safe being outside and potentially interacting with clients as the ones who have come in don't feel like respecting the "STAY AT HOME" advisory. It just makes me very angry to see people coming in to shop for a non-essential in a time like this or when someone comes in and tells me that "they are tired of being at home and just want to look around". I mean, REALLY? Now, is really not a good time to be a looky-loo! Rant aside, I do have some pretty nail today that are still shorter and in the rounded shape as I have found them easier to maintain during this season of handwashing.

 Purchased by me

NAILS | Ringing in 2020 with the Pantone Colour of the Year! #CBBxManiMonday

I realize that I have featured a number of blue manicure this month which just goes to show how much I love blue, BUT today's blue manicure is in celebration of the Pantone colour of the year for 2020 - Classic Blue! Whether it's polish, eyeshadow or pen colour, I have always loved blue and though it's not exactly a casual colour to wear, I love wearing it on my nails because it's like I can still have a party on my nails and look professional everywhere else!  

 PR samples

NAILS | OPI x Hello Kitty Holiday Glitter Gradient

Woohoo, I am four for four blog posts this week! This year is the lowest number of blog posts I have ever written since starting Cosmetic Proof in 2011. Call it fatigue, the year of "The Instagram" or just an overwhelming amount of beauty stuff to talk about, but I have had a rough time sticking to my goal of 20 blog posts of month. In the last 6 months, I have allowed myself to dial it back a bit to rest or enjoy my evenings watching Netflix or spending it with my husband. I have also started to do less blogging-related things on my two days off especially when it comes to makeup looks which I am a bit sad about because there is nothing more satisfying than seeing a look come together. I don't know what 2020 will be like, but I know I will still be around talking to you, talking to myself and just putting it out there. As you can tell, this post isn't just about the nail polish although we should probably address what's on my nails a little bit before I go completely off the deep end!

 PR samples

NAILS | It's Wedding Season! #CBBxManiMonday

I know I'm one day late for this, but I started typing this post really late last night and after what I can only say was "not a positive day" at work, my husband told me to come to bed and get some sleep! Last week our little group of ladies who dutifully paint our nails once a week celebrated ONE YEAR of sticking with our #ManiMondays! I think Trysh was probably the only one who kept up with it every single Monday as I know I took a one week break while I was on vacation in the Fall, but missing 51 out of 52 Mondays ain't half bad! For today and next week, we will be practicing our wedding themed nail art skills as wedding season is upon us so get ready to see lots of pink and lace! For me, bridal nails always involve either a French manicure or glitter gradient and since glitter is way more sexy, I went with that for this week's manicure!

PR samples featured