NAILS | Neon Flower Nail Art for Summer #CBBxManiMonday

 

Press sample

I swear I bring this nail polish out every summer because it truly is a perfect neon to wear when the sun is out and the temperature is well into the mid-20s! It has also been about a month since I have even painted my nails so it felt like a good way to start the month!

NAILS | Neon Polka Dots #CBBxManiMonday

Some press samples

Look at that! I am on time! I was watching a replay of Stage 2 of the Tour de France all Sunday afternoon as we finally decided to subscribe to Flobikes which is the only way you can see TDF in Canada, but at $50 for the month, it has been worth it so far! We watched most of the 4 hour ride which ended around 7pm and then my husband started making dinner. I was about to do TDF-themed nails like I did back in 2023, but as it was already late by the time I cleaned up, I decided to stick to something bright for today as this month's CBBxManiMonday theme is "Brights"!

NAILS | Bio Sculpture Gemini Poco Pop Swatch #MidWeekMani

Press sample

Alright so this isn't quite "Midweek", but I have been having a bit of a rough week mentally though I have been mostly smiles on the outside. I have just been feeling like I have a ball of anxiety rolled up in my chest and talking about it just makes me feel worse so it's the kind of anxiety that I can only survive if I smile my way through it and just pretend everything is fine in the hopes that my mind catches up to my body. 

NAILS | I Finally Did Cartoon Nails! #CBBxManiMonday

 

Press samples

I am so happy cartoon nails are back because I think they were super popular during the rise of cutepolish and nail art about 10 years ago and I just never got around to doing them, but I have been making an effort to knock off my nail art bucket list and even re-doing things I tried oh so long ago because I would like to think that my skills are better AND my photos are a lot better now! I remember I would only paint them if I had a day off the next day because I always painted at night and would take my photos in natural light as I had no ring light at the time. Back then, ring light setups were a bit of an investment, but I can't believe that they are so affordable now! I used to pray that I wouldn't get any sheet marks on my nails or cause any damage to them before they could be immortalized by photo! 

NAILS | Matte Neon Waves #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

Who else is a little scared of this week's heatwave? I have been on the fence over getting an air conditioner and in the end, my husband and I decided we could live without one, but everytime I see those 30 degree temperatures, I freak out a little. I don't think I have ever been more unhappy than during last year's heat dome. I was also super concerned about the cats and did my best to offer them "cool solutions", but they were more than happy to sit in the dark like logs. I have never seen the cats so quiet! 

NAILS | Neon Fruit #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

While I have always believed that when it comes to nail polish, you can wear ANY colour throughout the year, I have come to realize that neons are the exception. They just look so much better in the summer basking in sunshine! I will be making as much use of the new Biosculpture neon nail polish collection as possible from here until September because these shades just make me so happy whenever I look at them on my nails! 

NAILS | Neon Flowers #CBBxManiMonday

 

Press samples

Summer weather is officially supposed to hit Vancouver this week and I could not be happier! We haven't gone over 20 degrees yet so I look forward to not having to wear a coat in the mornings! To celebrate the last #CBBxManiMonday this month, I've brought out the rest of the BIO SCULPTURE Live Life Loudly collection as these polishes are to die for in terms of opacity, colours and overall neonness!

NAILS | Neon Dandelions #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

NAILS | Cirque Colors Game Over and Weekly Catch Up

Well, hello there! I think I will use these nail swatch posts as a guise to do more of a journal entry where I talk all about the "hot goss" in my life. Riiiight, as if there is much adventure going on in my life right now! I am still one of those people who isn't going out much though I did recently venture out to a friend's place to hang out for the day and she was the first person I had visited outside of my work bubble since the start of the pandemic! I'm not normally a social person so the pandemic has definitely fed into my natural desire to be alone and lemme tell ya, I have been eating it up! I have always found my day job socially quite draining so having all of my free time to decompress the last 18 months has truly felt so good. I still get tired, but I am nowhere near the level of mental exhaustion I used to be at. I also have a new outlook on blogging, Instagram and PR which has calmed me down when it comes to always posting, always blogging, always trying to get product and running around like a madwoman trying to do it all!  

Purchased by me

NAILS | Cirque Colors Electric Daisy Swatch and Life Chat

As I write this, it is Sept.1st and I know I am not alone when I say that for some reason, this year's arrival of Sept.1st feels so much faster and more surreal than last year! Last year, we were still trying to adjust to life in a pandemic and with work, I was just trying to keep an open mind about an ever-changing environment. This year, we have vaccines, the introduction of vaccine passports, continued mask-wearing which means I have a a good idea of what life is going to be like until 2022. Maybe the summer seems to have gone by more quickly because it all started with a weeklong incredibly uncomfortable heatwave (without an A/C) and then only after that did I realize comfortable summer temperatures should be enjoyed to their fullest! 

Purchased by me

NAILS | Neon Tips #CBBxManiMonday

How are we now halfway through August?! I feel like other than the unprecedented heat, this summer has been a gloriously lazy one. I felt quite a bit busier during the summer last year as I had just gone back to work and clients started buying again. I feel like I had a lot more energy just in trying to actively keep a positive attitude as the world was still not quite back yet from the pandemic. In Vancouver it feels pretty much normal now with just the mask wearing and ever since finding the brand hmnkind for face masks, I barely notice I am wearing anything because they are so comfortable!  

Press samples