NAILS | Bright Circles #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

The only reason there is a timely CBBxManiMonday post today is because I am OFF. I know that I will want to die when I have to work the next 5 days in a row which I am not used to, but I hope that I will survive the week with grace. No matter how much I say to myself that I won't get tired, I'm pretty much dead by Day 4 and it's hard to find the energy to do anything outside of going to work. I honestly don't know how anyone has the energy to go out and see people or do anything extracurricular after work because I am always a zombie. I also have a summer charity gala this week so that will be a bit of a zap on my introverted social reserves, but I think it will be fun.

NAILS | Neon Rainbow Dots #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

Again, I had my nails painted for Monday, but just couldn't quite get to editing my photos and doing the blog post. I crammed too much into my Sunday and even today, I had off, but ended trying to fit in a lot. I booked myself a counselling session at 10am, then went to the post office followed by grocery shopping. I then started prepping for my performance review and then started doing some odds and ends around the house which has now taken us to 5pm. Where does the day go? Also, HOW IS IT JUNE?!

NAILS | Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Neon in Chill Out and Weekly Chat

I feel like I have been kind of busy the last week or so and I think it's because I haven't really had a true weekend or in the retail world, two days off in a row. It's just the retail life and though my boss tries his best to give everyone grouped days off, as the holiday season approaches it gets harder and harder to do. Today, I pretty much spent the day with people so didn't really get a chance to be on my own and even lunch was more of a company lunch where I didn't have time to decompress and zen out with my LEGO. Though I did enjoy doing something a little different for the day, as an introvert, these types of interactions are extremely draining and by the time I got home, I didn't feel like talking anymore. My poor husband was so chatty and all I could do was slur a few syllables together and tell him I wasn't in the mood for conversation anymore. I just can't wait to go to bed and recharge over Sunday as I need to work on Saturday.

PR sample

NAILS | Inspired by the Clarins Frozen Summer Eyeshadow Palette #CBBxManiMonday

While some may look to nature for inspiration, beauty packaging holds so much potential for nail art inspiration and has been incredibly fun to create and when I saw the new Clarins Frozen collection, I picked up this eyeshadow palette, looked at it and knew it had to somehow end up on my nails. For the first time in awhile, I did my nails ahead of time mainly because I got my second vaccine shot on Sunday morning and I wanted to be prepared "in case I went down"! While I could be fine, I also could be very much NOT fine! I have today off as well and I am prepared to hunker down and sit in front of Netfllix should my condition go South!

 

Polishes purchased by me. Clarins Eyeshadow Palette is a PR sample.

NAILS | Neon Geodes #CBBxManiMonday

Well, I survived my first week back at work after a vacation and truth be told, it was actually very quiet so I didn't feel like I was drowning the first few days. I managed to get all caught up and even get ahead a bit for this week over the weekend so I am in good shape! I have really been enjoying this summer, trying to read outside on my days off and go for walks. Even doing laundry and letting it air dry outside in the sun feels like summer to me and I love it. Doing bright summer manicures also makes me feel so happy so I will do my best to keep you all entertained with pretty nails and positive vibes!

Some PR samples featured

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 | Neon Geometric #CBBxManiMonday

It's a hot one tonight with Vancouver being at over 30 degrees today and humid which I know is fairly common out East and in Asia, but here it's not the norm and most houses and apartments do not have air conditioning so it can get really sticky and uncomfortable. I even had a cold shower and now I'm just as hot as I was before so I have a feeling that sleep will not be something I will have a lot of tonight, but thankfully it will cool down later on in the week. I do try to enjoy Vancouver summers as we often get rain most of the year, but feeling hot just makes me feel so unproductive and lazy and I think THAT'S what I don't like about hot weather. Ooh, and as I type this, there is now thunder! 

 Some polishes PR gifted

NAILS | Neon Gradient #CBBxManiMonday

Sorry, I am a little late with this one, but I have been trying to get a bunch of things done on my "Sunday" off which have included renewing my Driver's License, getting special cat food from the vet, locating some Japanese Curry mix (the Glico kind because that's the BEST kind) and then baking my muffins and doing meal prep for the week. Then I got caught up in this whole Susan Yara/Naturium business (so sad Susan, so sad) and then it was time for a nap!

 PR gifted

MAKEUP LOOK | Huda Beauty Neon Obsessions Palette in PINK

I wear makeup everyday for work and not just a little bit of tinted moisturizer and lipgloss, but full on corporate job, gotta look put-together makeup so wearing primer, long-wearing foundation, eyeshadow, and setting spray are all products I use 5 days a week. The only thing is that my look is one that is fairly neutral. Occasionally, I dabble in purples or I will whip out the Stila Glitter & Glow Eyeshadows which almost always has clients commenting, but generally I am a rainbow of light brown to dark brown. I do my gradient from inner corner to outer V and that's pretty much it, but then this summer neon struck! I saw the trio of Huda Beauty Neon Obsessions Palettes and the 90s kid in me lunged for them, but then the 36-year old woman in me said "how often are you REALLY going to wear these shades?" Turns out, pink is my jam!

Purchased by me

NAILS | The Neon Dotticure #CBBxManiMonday

I don't often get a lot of Mondays off and I have mixed feelings about it because on the one hand I can sit back and watch everyone else go crazy Monday morning, BUT that means my email inbox will be very full when I go back on Tuesday! I do work with a good management team so nothing will blow up or anything, but because I have now made it a point of NOT checking my work emails on days off, that means I still have to clean out my inbox since I only have 500MB of space in it (CRAZY!).

Today's CBB ManiMonday theme is "Neon" and though I don't own a whackload of neon shades, I own enough to create a few basic traditional summer manicures because even though I have always said that nail polish colours know no season, I do feel a bit out of place wearing a neon manicure in November. 

PR samples

NAILS | Subtle Summer Holo #ManiMonday

I know, I know, it's not Monday anymore, but I guess because of the long weekend today is Monday for a lot of people. I actually have my weekend now so I'm feeling good, productive and also ready for the pedicure I have planned for later this afternoon. I haven't had a pedicure since June and although I won't let anyone touch my nails, I cannot be bothered to paint my toes. I enjoy the extra foot massage and for today's appointment, I added in 15 minutes of reflexology so looking forward to that!

I have posted a few times about the limited edition Cirque Colors Vice collection and after realizing that I hadn't used three of the shades, this holo taping manicure was born. Yes, I may have a slight obsession with using striping tape and YES, I have less lazy nail art planned for the month, but sometimes when it's all about the pretty colours like these ones, crazy nail art can be a bit distracting.

NAILS | Drippy, Trippy Neons #ManiMonday

I love summer brights, but I don't often wear neons because some can be fairly high maintenance when it comes to making them look good. I don't believe in wearing a white base to enhance a neon's intensity and a neon formula can be tricky with many applying unevenly. I didn't think I'd be wearing a neon this summer until the Cirque Colors Vice Collection*. Cirque is one of those indie polish brands that I treat like gold in my collection. Companies like Cirque inspire the mainstream brands and when Nail Polish Canada started carrying their polishes, my wallet breathed a sigh of relief that I no longer would have to worry about the 30% US exchange on my credit card!

NAILS | The Bright Matte Green Dotticure

The theme for the CBB this month is "Grey" which I will sneak in at some point with either nails or makeup, but March is also when St.Patrick's Day happens and when else am I going to find an excuse to use all of my green polishes?!

As you know, I have been working with Duri Cosmetics the last few months to bring you some nail art that has been a blast to create since zoning out with nail polish is my happy place. God help me if something were to happen to my painting hand. I should insure it like Taylor Swift does her legs! Anyway, Duri has given me plenty of artistic freedom and more importantly TIME to play with their polishes and come up with designs. They have a ton of colours in their inventory and when I said that green was going to be coming up for March, they graciously sent the loudest and brightest green polishes they had!

NAILS | Ceramic Glaze Impulsive Swatch

I am keeping it real simple today with a swatch of Ceramic Glaze Impulsive from the Botanical Oasis collection. This polish reminds me so much of China Glaze Flying Dragon that I am going to have to dig it up from my stash to do a side by side comparison!