Get your Mo on

This month is Movember - a movement dedicated to raising awareness for prostate cancer.For the month of November, thousands of men make effort to sport their best mustaches. So what can we ladies do to raise awareness? Last week my friend showed me this YouTube video on how to do Movember nails.

On Saturday I followed the exact same instructions and here are the results! I've gotten plenty of compliments on them and they're definitely a fun way to show your support. 

Step 1: Apply a pale pink base colour. I layered with two coats of Essie 'Yes we can, Pink!' and Essie 'Petal Pink'. 

Step 2: Create two large dots with a nail art dotting tools and two smaller ones on either sides of the nail.

Step 3: Use a thin nail art brush like these to draw the mustache by connecting the dots.

Step 4: Repeat for all 10 fingers.

What are you waiting for? Go get your Mo on!

BOO!

Summer in Vancouver was short lived this year. Our weather changed way faster than any of us could've adjusted to. Halloween is coming up quickly, what will you guys be for the event? I'm still on a hunt for a Halloween costume. For the last two year I've tried to stay away from splurging on department store bought costumes which are usually made of the cheapest materials. Last year I dressed up as a Star which costed me $1.90 and the year before that I was a present/gift!

This is the time of year when you can dress up and look absolutely ridiculous! Your nails can be just as crazy too! Here's a set of Halloween nails done by my nail instructor.

Two tone acrylic (black & sparkly orange) with airbrush Halloween designs

More to come! Enjoy your October weekend =)

the new black

I personally think black nail polish is way over. It was in when Avril Lavigne was still making her top hits. Gray is now the new black. If you don't want anything too bright or too subtle this is definitely the colour to go for.

Essie Mink Muffs

The photos were taken at different times under different lighting.

Here are some other celebrities sporting the new trendy colour.

Alessandra Ambrosio

Photo credit: The Trendy Fashionista 

Lauren Conrad

Khloe Kardashian

Photo Credit: Style Bistro

crackle market blow up

Since OPI's launch of the Katy Perry line which includes the infamous Black Shatter, the crackle polish market has blown up, almost overnight! Smaller companies have massively launched a variety of crackle polish taking a grasp on the fact the OPI's crackle polish only comes in black. The photos below are crackle polishes from companies such as CND and Mia Secret.

This shattering effect has become a hit because every nail is uniquely transformed by the cracking of the polish. I've tried the above brands and the consistency and shattering effect does not stand up to OPI's quality. 

There has been updates that OPI will be launching more coloured shatter polishes. This is just the beginning of the trend! 

crackle crack

Finally got my hands on the OPI Black Shatter polish... it seems the market for the crackle nail polishes has just exploded! Other nail companies have quickly launched their version of the crack effect nail polish to meet market demands. So if you're looking for this effect keep in mind that OPI isn't the only brand.

Currently I have OPI Black Shatter, white shatter, red shatter, and bright orange shatter from various brands.

I think companies have tried to launch these shatter polishes so quickly into the nail market that anything goes! Packaging and nail brand goes out the window as long as colour variety out beats leading nail supplier, OPI.

1.

First I used a based coat on my alcohol clean nails. 

I've found that if you clean your nails well with either acetone or (rubbing) alcohol prior to putting any nail polishes on, the colour stays on longer. This is because your nails naturally have oil on them so without prepping them before hand, the polish chips off easier.

2.

After the base coat, I applied a coat of OPI DS Extravagance. You can choose whatever base colour you like! Play around with it, this will change the end results.

3.

Apply your shatter nail polish. In this case I used OPI Black Shatter. Finally, finish with a clear top coat and voila!

Normally after the polish dries, apply cuticle oil to your cuticles, NOT on your nails! This will help moisten dry cuticles from the alcohol.