NAILS | "Never a Bride, Always a Mermaid" #CBBxManiMonday

Almost 5.5 years ago, my husband and I said 'I Do" (wedding post) and because our wedding was VERY small (36 people) we had the opportunity to make every element more personal which meant wedding favours that reflected who WE were. At the time, I was massively into indie polish and loved the now defunct Pretty and Polished. Well, it's not like the owner isn't around, but she has moved on from nail polish and specializes in Bohemian household things now which is sad because so many of her polishes are among my favourites. She did thermals and glitters so well that I will cherish the MANY bottles of Pretty & Polished I purchased. For our wedding, all of the women received mini bottles of nail polish from the Bridal Collection including this gorgeous teal stunner - "Never a Bride, Always a Mermaid"! 

Purchased by me

NAILS | Pearls in Negative Space #ManiMonday

Earth Day may be over, but I promised to keep things as Mother Earth friendly as possible so here is a polish brand never featured on Cosmetic Proof - JINsoon Nail Lacquer! Created by Korean nail artist Jin Soon Choi, these polishes are 5-free and vegan-friendly. Long-wearing nail polishes are never going to be the healthiest, but we can try to get as close as possible with polishes like JINsoon. During my day trip to Aberdeen Centre last summer, I picked up this gorgeous shade of Poppy Blue at my favourite store Green & Pure and have been waiting for the right season and time to christen it!

Sally Hansen | Take the Leap from the Pastels on Point Collection with Pearl-Themed Nail Art and Swatches

I only used to see these types of polishes on the indie polish circuit which meant that obtaining them wasn’t exactly easy or quick. Seeing polishes like Sally Hansen’s Take the Leap ($8.95) with its purple, multi-hued pigments coming to life when layered over other polishes, in a drugstore setting is a polish lover’s dream!

Take the Leap is very sheer and when applied alone does not do this polish justice so I have layered 2 coats over an opaque black polish so the purple sparkle really pops. I felt the urge to add some white pearl studs to add some elegance to this somewhat edgy manicure.

Review | Born Pretty Half Pearl Studs

Today I have another Born Pretty nail art review for you all involving something I have been very curious about – half pearl studs! I thought that they would be quite delicate and difficult to work with, but they were surprisingly cooperative! For my nail art design, I chose to do a simple flower design which I was not entirely pleased with, but hey what’s nail art without a few mistakes? I was quite impatient with top coat and didn’t wait long enough for my petals to dry :(

For my base, I used the most gorgeous bright mint green, Bourjois Paris – Turquoise, followed by China Glaze-Snow to make the flower petals. Then with my new favourite tool, a wax pencil, I picked up the pearls and just placed them in the flower centers. Simple!