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Ever had any beauty rituals you once loved indulging in, but now hardly get to do?
For me, it has to be nail art. At one point I owned around 100 nail polishes and would spend hours, every single weekend playing around with them. I had all kinds of tools and kits with glitter, dotting tools, color foils, rhinestones- you name it. I always found it very therapeutic and it was just “my thing” and something I was kind of known for. I loved “doing” my friends’ nails as well, but somehow always did a much better job when working on myself. Not to say I wasn’t determined though- I once spent an hour finishing my sister’s artsy manicure even after she fell asleep on my couch during the process.
There was just something very soothing and maybe a little addicting about it- once I started working on creating a “look,” I couldn’t stop or get out of that zone. I’m not exactly sure why or even when I stopped. Maybe it had something to do with getting older, maybe it was my schedule becoming too packed, or, maybe I just thought I had more important things to do with those few hours every weekend.
I’d be lying if I said I don’t miss those Saturday afternoon rituals. I’m definitely not as creative as I once was when it comes to my manicures, but still like to have a little fun with color, especially during summer months.
Chanel Bleu Pastel (left)- the only time I reach for colors like this pastel blue crème, is summer. I love how light and pretty it is, it also has a slight hint of shimmer. It looks really beautiful with sunkissed skin and it’s one of those colors to reach for when you want to have a little fun with color, but don’t want to do anything that’s too loud or intimidating. Subtle is definitely the keyword here.
Londontown Lakur Aces High (right)- never thought I’d ever use green nail polish, but here I am! Aces High is a pistachio/minty green with a crème finish. Just like Bleu Pastel, it’s a very subtle and delicate color. For me, mint has always been such a “summer color” and this polish is summer mint perfection.
Givenchy Pink Perfecto (left)- this is the kind of color I reach for whenever I feel indecisive about picking a nail polish color. It’s simple, goes with everything, has that nice, crème finish and a formula that is on the sheer side, but easy to layer.
Nails Inc. Rainbow Wishes* (right)- I don’t usually reach for a ton of iridescent nail colors. I’ve always felt like they only look pretty in a bottle, or you have to have really nice, long nails to pull them off. I did fall in love with Rainbow Wishes though, which is a pretty lavender with gleaming pinks and blues. It’s a bit on the sheer side, and usually, I like combing it with other colors, which makes things a bit more fun.
Sally Hansen Mega Strength Rise Up* (left)- I am in love with the Mega Strength collection. The formula of these polishes is really solid and long-lasting (I usually pair them with the top coat from the same collection). Rise Up does have an iridescent finish, but I actually really like the combination of the pink with the golden shimmer. It has a really beautiful glow to it.
Sally Hansen Mega Strength Persis Tint* (right)- my favorite color from this collection (right next to Gloss Boss). It’s a gorgeous lilac with blue and pink shifting shimmers. Similar to Rainbow Wishes, it’s a bit on the sheer side, so to get good coverage you need three coats.
Sally Mega Strength Hansen She Ro* (left)- dusty mauve crème that looks much softer in natural light. One coat is enough to get full coverage and it’s a great “everyday” option that isn’t dull or boring.
Sally Hansen Mega Strength Boss Gloss* (right)- this is definitely “my” kind of color. A little similar to Essie’s Fiji, which is notoriously difficult to work with. Boss Gloss is smooth, creamy, pastel pink with a slight peachiness to it, that’s also very easy to work with.
Smith & Cult Peaceful Paranoia– okay, this little bottle of prettiness and I have been inseparable. The minute I applied it, I knew that it’d make it to my top 5 favorite nail polish colors. Peaceful Paranoia is a creamy nude, or crème color, with the most beautiful opalescent hint of magenta. Despite it being a true nude, it works well with my skin tone and the magenta sheen that shows up under direct light is just stunning. The formula, as always as it comes to Smith & Cult lacquers, is very easy to work with and long-lasting.
NCLA Beauty Call My Agent– 100% vegan formula, very pigmented and one of the only few red nail polishes that I actually really like. This tomato red is extra vibrant and creamy, with slight coral undertones that peak through when in direct sunlight. Perfect red for the summer.
More Smith & Cult Peaceful Paranoia– you can really see how different this color looks depending on the light source. In natural light, it looks a bit darker- you can also really see the magenta sheen coming through here a little more, as well.