Zoya Fall 2019: Sensual Collection A

When I started my blog almost 10 years ago (OMG, where does the time go?!), it was mostly a way for me to share my obsession with nail polish. Pretty much all of my first posts were nail polish swatches and reviews! In the spirit of nostalgia, therefore, I'm throwing it back to my early days of blogging and sharing some of the polishes from the Zoya Fall 2019 Sensual Collection.

Back in the day, Zoya was really difficult to get ahold of here in Canada but now thanks to retailers like Nail Polish Canada, which sent over these polishes for me to play with, it's much easier for us Canadians to try out different brands. The Sensual Collection features 12 colours in total. Collection A, which I'm featuring today, is composed of neutrals and reds and Collection B is composed of purples and darker shades.

For those of you who have never tried Zoya before, the brand is known for its formula -- it's big 10 free but doesn't sacrifice quality. Not only is the staying power great, but all of the polishes were well pigmented and streak-free. Each swatch you see in this post is two coats.

Joss is a neutral pink crème. It's quite light but would be great to wear in a professional setting. I really liked it.

Kinsley is neutral brown crème. This is probably my least favourite of the shades from Collection A because I don't think it flatters my skin tone at all (kind of blends in like mannequin hands).

Foster is a neutral chocolate brown crème. This type of shade is not for everyone but I actually like a good brown nail polish in the Fall. This one looks super creamy and rich.

Briar is described as warm red crème but I actually find it leans on the dusty rose side. It's my favourite from this collection.

Margaret is a bright red crème. I found this a bit difficult to photograph because in the bottle it seems to have more pink in it. A red like this is a classic for Fall!

Rashida is a red shimmer. This is the type of shade I often associate with Christmas and it's the only one in Collection A that isn't a crème finish. Even though it's a bit early to think about, it would be nice for a holiday party!

Find the Zoya Fall 2019 Sensual Collection online at Nail Polish Canada.

Christmas Stocking Stuffers for Last-Minute Shoppers: Drugstore Beauty Finds

Just as this gift guide is kind of last-minute (sorry guys, 2018 has just been such a crazy year for me), I'm sure some of you may be scrambling for last-minute gifts and stocking stuffers. If you've got a beauty lover on your list, look no further than your local drugstore for these fun finds. If you're in Western Canada, most of these can be found at London Drugs!

Makeup Brushes. I particularly love Real Techniques and EcoTools because they are great quality at an affordable price. The Real Techniques Mini Multitask Brush ($8.99 CAD) could easily be thrown into a purse for on-the-go touch-ups while something like the EcoTools Start the Day Beautifully Kit ($18.99 CAD) features brushes for a full face and comes in a useful storage tray. If your giftee is more of a makeup sponge girl, the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge ($10.49 CAD) is a nice alternative to the much more expensive Beauty Blender.

False Lashes. Maybe not for everybody but if you've got a lash lover on your list, look for MesmorEyes, available as singles ($5.99 CAD) or trios ($12.99 CAD). This brand stands apart from your basic lash brand because theirs are designed specifically for your eye shape. Find the perfect fit for almond, hooded, round, and monolid eyes!

Face Masks. Single-use masks from Montagne Jeunesse like the 7th Heaven Pink Guava Peel-Off Mask ($1.99 CAD) are always a hit. Multi-use tubes, such as the new KISS NY Professional 24K Gold Peel-Off Mask ($6.99 CAD), are also a good pick for avid maskers.

Nail Polish. I like the idea of a colour/top coat duo like this festive red (Cherry Delightful) from Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure ($9.99 CAD). OG readers of my blog will know these polishes were among the first to kickstart my now insane nail polish collection (check out this post from way back in 2010).

Mascara. It's a makeup must-have that needs to be replaced every 3 months... every girl could use a backup! For something a bit fancy, there's the new L'Oreal Unlimited Mascara ($16.99 CAD) which has a two-position wand (straight or bent), but you can't go wrong with a classic like CoverGirl LashBlast ($9.99 CAD). The new Active version is supposed to be sweat-resistant and smudge-resistant, making it perfect for workouts.

Lipstick/Lipgloss. I feel like one can never have enough lip products, be it lip balm, lipstick, or lipgloss. CoverGirl has revamped their Colorlicious Lipsticks, now called the Exhibitionist Cream Lipstick ($10.99 CAD), with sleek new packaging and 48 different shades to pick from. I'm also obsessed with the super holographic Almay Goddess Gloss ($10.99 CAD) which can be layered over lipstick or worn on its own.

Easter Nails with CND Chic Shock

With Easter coming up this weekend, this manicure featuring the CND Spring 2018 Chic Shock Collection could not be more appropriate. Thanks to Hazuki at Onyx Aesthetics for giving me such  cute Spring-ready nails!

The Chic Shock Collection adds four new creamy opaque shades to CND's lineup: Jellied (pastel yellow), Candied (pastel pink), Taffy (pastel blue-green), and Gummi (pastel purple). All four are available in Shellac and Vinylux, CND's long wear polish line. I love Vinylux because it truly does last a long time, making it great for short vacations or special event days when you really don't want to be dealing with an accidental chip. The formula has also been revamped this year, thanks to the addition of vitamin E, keratin, and jojoba oil for that extra bit of goodness. Plus, the brush is now wider and curved for easier application.

Hope you all have a great Easter long weekend! Thanks to this mani, I'm kind of craving some Cadbury Mini Eggs... anyone else?

KISS Christmas Manicure

I just couldn't let December 25 come around without sharing a Christmas mani! This year, I'm keeping things simple by making use of these KISS Accent Stickers in Glad Tidings -- a totally holiday-appropriate set of nail art stickers. There are candy canes, trees, reindeer, wreaths, gingerbread men... basically all the festive designs you can think of. Plus, not only are they cute, they're also easy-to-use.

On my nails, I decided to use a base of CND Vinylux in Palm Deco which was actually released as part of their Summer 2017 Rhythm & Heat Collection. The dark green, however, is totally perfect for this time of year as well.

I'll be taking a break from the blog until 2018 (where has 2017 gone??). Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

A Matte Shellac Mani (feat. CND Mystic Slate)

Last week, I was invited to preview the new CND Glacial Illusion Collection at Prép Beauty Parlour and it's got to be one of my favourite nail polish collections that's been released in recent years. With the Arctic as its core inspiration, the collection features some gorgeous shades that are perfect for the winter and holiday season (check them all out here).

I was immediately drawn to Mystic Slate, an icy slate grey that leans blue. However, I also wanted to add a unique touch to my mani so I asked my manicurist to finish it with the Matte Top Coat from the CND Shellac Alluring Trilogy Collection.

That's right... a MATTE Shellac mani! Did you even know such a thing was possible? Most people love gel and Shellac manicures for the glossy shine, but I love that this top coat means you can now get the long wear of Shellac with a matte finish. 

I've tried matte top coats before like Essie Matte About You, but because I was dealing with regular nail polish, I found that I would get chipping after only a few days. This CND top coat, on the other hand, cures under a UV lamp like the regular Shellac top coat. It's a serious game changer.

I couldn't be happier with this mani and am honestly just obsessed with how it turned out. So chic, right?!

My Fall Picks from Essie Gel Couture: Closing Night and Twill Seeker

As much as I love gel nail polish (the shine! how long it lasts!), I'm the type of person who gets sick of colours really quickly and having to wait around for my mani to grow out or take on the ordeal of soaking and orange stick-ing my polish off is just not my idea of a good time. Thankfully, many brands have been releasing their own versions of gel-like polish which lasts longer than regular polish, doesn't require a heat lamp, and can be removed with nail polish remover. Essie Gel Couture is one such line.

I was actually introduced to Essie Gel Couture last summer when it first debuted and was really impressed with the shine and wear time (it's advertised to last 14 days although with these types of polishes I typically switch it up around 7 days). I can definitely get away with doing my nails less than normal with minimal tip wear.

What I also like about the line is that it's only a 2-step process with no base coat required. Just do 2 coats of colour and add 1 coat of the special top coat.

Unlike regular Essie polishes, the Gel Couture bottles are twisted glass and feature a thicker brush (similar to OPI's wide brush). The brush is also twisted, as you can see in the picture above, although I believe this is more aesthetic since it doesn't seem to have any effect on the brush itself or how it's used.

Nail Polish Canada, my favourite online store to buy nail polish from, kindly offered to send over a couple new shades for me to add to my collection. With such a huge shade range it was hard to pick but I opted for two that I think are just perfect for Fall: Closing Night and Twill Seeker.

Closing Night is a cool blue-grey packed with shimmer. It's really pretty and makes for a unique neutral despite not being a pink or beige.

Twill Seeker was a hard one to photograph; although it's essentially a dusty grey plum colour, it features a shimmery green base. Essie describes it as an "enchanting pewter with sage luster".

Find a huge range of Essie Gel Couture online at Nail Polish Canada.

Totally 80s Nail Art by Onyx Aesthetics Studio (CND New Wave Collection)

Happy New Year! I'm back from my "recovering from laser eye surgery" hiatus (more on that later)... is it too early to start talking about spring collections? Back in December, I was invited to preview the CND Spring 2017 New Wave Collection at Onyx Aesthetics Studio in Gastown and, based on the amazing mani I received last year, I knew I'd come away with some fun and intricate nail art that just had to be shared.

CND Banana Clips, Video Violet, and Ecstacy

The first thing I thought when I saw the bright colours of the New Wave Collection was that I wanted to do something a little crazy. My inspiration was the 80s so I asked my nail technician to create a colourful "print" topped with black geometric triangular shapes. As you can see, she delivered my vision perfectly!

While I got a Shellac manicure, the New Wave Collection is also available in VINYLUX, CND's long-wearing polish (it lasts a week with no chips).

It features 6 shades: Video Violet, Pink Leggings, Jelly Bracelet, Blue Eyeshadow, Ecstasy, and Banana Clips [clockwise from top left]. Definitely not for neutral nail lovers as they are all super bright and quite neon, but I'm thinking these will be super fun for manis and pedis once the weather warms up.

OPI Washington DC Nail Polish Collection

Although we're still in the midst of summer, the beauty world has begun churning out its Fall collections and OPI Fall/Winter 2016 is no exception. Created with the help of OPI's celebrity creative ambassador, Kerry Washington, the Washington DC Collection is an interesting mix of mostly cream shades.

I was so excited for this release and unboxed it the second it arrived in the mail but as you'll see from the swatches below, some are downright gorgeous while others are straight up ugly. It is, however, a big collection so there probably is something for everyone in here... unless you like glitters because there are none.

I was also a little disappointed with some of the polish names. OPI is known for its super creative names (remember OPI x Hello Kitty?) and I thought they could have done a better job with the names in this collection. Maybe it's because I've never watched Kerry Washington's show "Scandal" to get the references or maybe it's just the nature of this collection's theme.

Never a Dulles Moment is a bright taxi yellow. It was not easy to work with (I have yet to encounter a yellow that is) but the final result is worth it.

Freedom of Peach is a creamy orange. It applied well but as you can see it looks terrible on me. Yuck.

Yank My Doodle is a tawny coral/orange shade. Not my favourite but the "crelly" formula makes it a bit different from the other polishes in this collection.

Pale to the Chief is a neutral light beige. I found it a bit streaky but it otherwise settled okay as it dried down.

Squeaker of the House is a milky chocolate brown, slightly reminiscent of my old standby Sally Hansen Commander in Chic and is a clear staple shade for Fall.

Madam President is described by OPI as a "commanding red" but I have no idea why since it's clearly not red. In the bottle and on the nails it's a cool-toned dark fuchsia.

OPI by Popular Vote is described by OPI as a "cool apple red" but again I have no idea why. I think it's more of a berry cream.

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We the Female is a garnet cream. I'm not sure if I like this or think it's ugly... it definitely toes the line.

Suzi - The First Lady of Nails is an olive green. I think this will be hit or miss for some. I personally like it but it's probably not for everyone.

Stay off the Lawn!! is a deep jewel green, reminiscent of lush grass per its namesake.

CIA = Color is Awesome is a dusky teal blue. I like how inky it looks and can't wait to wear this in the Winter months.

Shh... It's Top Secret! reminds me a bit of an old favourite Essie Little Brown Dress since it's got some brown in it but it does lean more black.

In addition to the above shades which are being added to OPI's permanent collection, they've also released three limited edition "bonus" shades which you can get in full-size or mini versions.

Kerry Blossom is a plummy purple. There isn't anything particularly special about this (I swear I have at least 3 other OPI polishes that look almost identical) but if you don't have something similar, this is a good one to add to your collection.

"Liv" in the Gray is my favourite polish out of this entire release... too bad it's limited edition! It's described as a "dark grey" but on the nails appears more as a beautiful greenish grey.

On the other hand, you've got Inside the Isabelletway, which is a tan caramel. I personally think it's hideous. Not only does it clash with my skin tone, it just looks bad. Maybe this would work for others but it's definitely not for me.

Easy Colourblocked Nails with CND VINYLUX Weekly Polish (Flirtation Collection)

You've probably all heard about Shellac since it's pretty much the gold standard for UV-cured manicures around. But did you know that CND also makes a long-wearing nail polish called VINYLUX Weekly Polish?

I loved the CND Shellac mani I received back in February but as someone who changes her nail colour frequently, I find it hard having the same nails for weeks on end -- no matter how pretty they are. This is where VINYLUX comes in... you get similar benefits of Shellac (including the same shade availability) but you can actually remove it with nail polish remover.

I created the above mani using two polishes from the Flirtation Collection: Desert Poppy (bright coral) and Date Night (blue creme). The diagonal colour blocking was so easy to do and because orange and blue are complementary colours, I think it really pops.

To use VINYLUX Weekly Polish properly, you have to thoroughly cleanse hands and nails (CND ScrubFresh Nail Surface Cleanser is perfect for this). Next, you apply two thin coats of the polish to the nails making sure you coat the tips. Then, finish off with one coat of VINYLUX Weekly Top Coat. The polish is fully dry in 8 1/2 minutes and then you can get on with your day! Over the week, natural light helps cure the polish and it lasts for days with only the most minimal of tip wear. When I want my mani to last (but not forever, obvi), VINYLUX is what I'm reaching for.

In addition to Shellac and VINYLUX, CND also offers a number of other products to keep your nails in tip-top shape. Call it the #CNDRescueKit, if you will. First, there is RescueRXx which is a daily keratin treatment aimed at repairing dry, weakened, and damaged nails. There's also SolarOil which consistently receives rave reviews for its conditioning properties (it seems a bit like Essie Apricot Cuticle Oil which I love). Lastly, Cuticle Eraser micro-exfoliates the cuticles and can be used on a daily basis.

Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish (Again!)

Back in 2014, I featured the just launched Canadian indie polish line Trust Fund Beauty, which has since seen incredible growth over the past two years. Beyond their signature 10-free nail polish, the company now offers a line of lip products as well -- all formulated with the same vegan and cruelty-free philosophy that the brand was founded on. Not only that, the products continue to carry the fun tongue-in-cheek names they've been known for.

Some of the polishes I previously reviewed are sadly no longer available but I was recently sent some new colours to try out by their PR. The paper packaging has changed slightly (a new pattern); however, inside are the same chic, rectangular glass bottles with black lids. The brushes are still the same as well... long and thin. The bristles aren't the easiest to work with but they are okay.

Rude Nudes is an opaque pink-toned nude with a creme formula. I was afraid it would be streaky but it wasn't at all. This is two coats.

Adult Content is a frosty champagne pink and, as typical with frosty shades, a streaktastic nightmare. I think that's just par for the course though... some people might like it but this is definitely not for me.

Going Commando was my surprise favourite of the four polishes I received, especially since I don't tend to wear such neutral shades anymore. It's a milky opalescent white with some micro-shimmer. Three coats is perfect and it looks great with a tan.

For a mani with a lot more pop, Gossip Mag is a bold red creme with just a hint of orange. You could easily get away with one coat though I used two for this swatch. It's so shiny even without a top coat!

OPI Alice Through The Looking Glass Nail Polish Collection (Brights 2016)

Apart from OPI x Hello Kitty, my other hotly anticipated collection from OPI this year was Alice Through the Looking Glass... and now it's here in all of its gloriousness!

Alice In Wonderland has been a favourite book of mine since childhood and longtime readers of my blog may recall that some of my first posts were actually swatches from the original OPI Alice In Wonderland Collection (see here, here, and here). Six years later, we've finally got the sequel to Disney and Tim Burton's creepy-crazy movie being released (today!) and a whole new collection of nail polish as well. Obviously, I'm dying of excitement.

Interestingly, Alice Through The Looking Glass is supposed to be OPI's Brights Collection for this year which, as you'll see from the swatches below, doesn't seem quite accurate? I mean, some of the shades are bright but half of them aren't really at all.

Oh My Majesty! is a gorgeous pearly white. I don't typically like shades like this (they always seem very bridal to me) but this one seems to be an exception. It's so pretty with flecks of gold that show when you tilt your nails to the light. You'll need three coats for complete opacity.

I'm Gown For Anything! is a creamy lilac. I found it a bit streaky on the first few coats but the third coat levelled out the polish.

The I's Have It is a pretty powder blue cream. I like this shade a lot and it was pretty easy to work with. This is three coats.

Hmm... how to describe A Mirror Escape? With the last Alice In Wonderland collection, OPI had some interesting glitters so I feel like this might be their "crazy" polish for this collection. It's a gold with white sandy glitter that leaves your nails with a bumpy texture. I'm not really a fan personally.

Fearlessly Alice is what I would consider quintessential Alice In Wonderland since it matches the blue on Alice's dress. I love this shade and it was perfectly opaque in only two coats.

You can't have an Alice In Wonderland collection without a classic red. Having A Big Head Day is just that. It applies like a dream; this is two coats but I could have gotten away with one if I was feeling lazy.

What's The Hatter With You? is a rich burgundy (reminds me a lot of Nails Inc. NailKale in Holland Walk. It does stain the nails a bit though so I'd recommend a base coat.

Mad For Madness Sake is my favourite colour from this collection. It's a hot raspberry pink that's just perfect for summer.

In addition to the above eight limited edition colours, OPI has also released a special edition polish that comes in its own separate packaging. The company describes What Time Isn't It? as a "matte black with slivers of silver" but this is definitely not matte black. It's clearly grey. I don't like bar glitters (fuzzy muppet, anyone?) so I'm not a fan of this one.