Author Archives: Mary S.

Hard Candy Crush on Lava Swatches & Review

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Hard Candy Crush on Lava Swatches & Review

Like a crackling fireplace that creates an inviting ambience, Hard Candy Crush on Lava adds warmth to your manicure with a burst of multichrome. It mainly shifts from an orange-leaning gold to maroon, but at times, I spied a little green along the edges at certain angles.

Hard Candy Crush on Lava strikes a chord that’s in harmony with the autumnal spirit that goes hand-in-hand with the leaves changing colours.

If you’re looking for a nail polish to ignite your inner nailphile and make you long for those cool, crisp fall days, Hard Candy Crush on Lava does just the trick to fill that desire and wrap it up in a cozy blanket.

P.S. If you’re also addicted to Candy Crush like me, when you first read the name Hard Candy Crush on Lava, you probably noticed ‘Candy Crush’ first. 😉

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Essie at New York Fashion Week: Day 3

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Brooks Brothers Zac Posen SS16 Essie NYFW

New York Fashion Week (NYFW) is when nailphiles like me get excited because not only do you gain colour inspiration from talented fashion designers, but you can see upcoming nail, style, and beauty trends.

You probably visit Swatch And Learn because you’re a fellow beauty fan, and, if you’re like me, you’ll enjoy seeing the nail polishes and other beauty products we love in action. Witnessing how all the elements play a salient role to pull an entire ensemble together truly makes runway shows art in motion.

Since some of you enjoyed my posts on the blog and social media about NYFW Days 1 and 2, I’m going to post more.

Today’s post features looks from Essie New York Fashion Week Day 3!

My favourite look from Day 3 is the one above, which was from the Brooks Brothers by Zac Posen show.

I’m a fan of combining red (or orange) and blue because they’re strong shades that create a powerful manicure. (Together, they make me think of Superwoman! I’ve been known to combine the shades in my fashion, too, like in my Instagram photo here.)

Check out the rest of this blog post for additional photos from the Alexander Wang, Brooks Brothers by Zac Posen, and Altuzarra shows. (All photos in this post are courtesy of Essie.)

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Zoya Sia Swatches & Review

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Zoya Sia Swatches & Review

Zoya Sia from the Focus Collection will have you feeling blue. But no, not the down-in-the-dumps way. It’s more along the lines of jam-packed vibrancy like the always entertaining Blue Man Group!

(I saw the Blue Man Group’s live performance at the Panasonic Theatre when they came to Toronto years ago. So many great memories from the show…hehe, and I remember ducking as mashed bananas catapulted into the audience! It was one of those performances that really kept you on the edge of your seat the entire time. You never knew what to expect!)

Boisterous and full of unbridled energy, Zoya Sia is the pop of cobalt blue that nailphile dreams are made of. *Angelic harps could faintly be heard as I was painting my nails. Then again, maybe it’s the neighbour listening to music.* 😉

Although I have a soft spot for green, Zoya Sia managed to snuggled up beside me and melt my heart.

Stunning and saturated, it’s proof that creme finishes can still be exciting and fierce!

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Zoya Matte Velvet Winter/Holiday 2015 Collection

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Zoya Matte Velvet Collection Winter Holiday 2015

The temperature dips, and fall is in full swing! Hehe, to a nailphile, we know what that means – winter and holiday collections are already coming out for us to enjoy.

The latest down the nail-polish pipe? The Zoya Matte Velvet Winter/Holiday 2015 Collection, which is currently available.

It includes six new shades with their popular matte velvet finish that’s both luxurious and edgy:

  • Aspen
  • Sue
  • Amal
  • Iris
  • Yves
  • Honor

I put together the collage image above to show you what the sampler pack and store displays look like.

Clearly, this nail junkie was drawn to Honor, the rich evergreen. (No surprise there! Green nail polish and I are tighter than skinny jeans accidentally thrown into the dryer on high heat.) My next pick would be Yves, a saturated sapphire.

In the rest of this blog post, check out the official photos and press release that Zoya’s PR sent me. Let me know which shades make you resemble the emoji with hearts for eyes!

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Contessa 2016 Canadian Hairstylist of the Year Awards

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Contessa Awards 2016

The other day, I received a goody bag filled with tons of amazing professional hair products and some nail polishes, as well as an official invitation to attend the Contessa Awards in November from PR and Salon Magazine! (If you followed me on social media, you saw this photo of the goody bag and this photo of what was in it.)

For the past two years, I’ve been fortunate enough to attend, and I remember them being a blast.

They start off with cocktails, and you can check out photos of the hair, makeup, and nail designs from talented Canadian professionals who are nominated. Then, the gala starts with a dinner and some performances. Throughout the night, they announce the award winners, and the winners give their speeches.

When I go, I’ll be sure to share photos and video clips live during the event, so it’ll be like we’re there together. 🙂

In this post, I share more details about this year’s theme (exotics), the host (Noah Cappe from the Food Network’s Carnival Eats), and background information about the Contessa Awards, which are owned and produced by Salon Communications Inc. (Salon Magazine, Elevate Magazine, etc.).

To follow information about this year’s event, look up #Contessa2016 on social media. (Yes, 2016 and not 2015.)

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Pretty Serious The Crimson Pearl Swatches & Review

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Pretty Serious The Crimson Pearl Swatches & Review

A while ago, I wore Pretty Serious The Crimson Pearl, and I was really feeling it because it’s dark, but not one of those near-black polishes, and it has subtle shimmer that’s like a secret only the wearer sees.

As usual, I really enjoyed wearing this Pretty Serious nail polish because I don’t have anything that’s exactly like this. Plus I support indie nail polishes in general. (It’s always nice to see indie nail polishes because they express the passion of the nail-polish industry.)

The other day, I was thinking about how fortunate I am to have awesome readers like you who allow me to express myself. 🙂 I get e-mails from readers all over the world who encourage me to, well, be me! 🙂 It’s an awesome feeling knowing that you support me! Thank you!

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I’ll Be Attending IMATS Toronto 2015 Today

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I’ll be attending IMATS Toronto 2015 today, and if you’d like to see live coverage (before I do a recap of the experience on the blog later), be sure to follow me on my social media:

The social-media platforms I’ve indicated with an asterisk (*) are the ones that I’m going to focus on during the trade show.

If you want to see the most photos and/or videos when I’m there, those are the ones to watch more closely. 🙂

In case you don’t know what IMATS is, it’s the International Make-Up Artist Trade Show, which is held all over the world including Toronto, New York, Vancouver, London, Sydney, and Los Angeles.

You don’t have to be a makeup artist to attend. (I’m not a makeup artist.)

See the rest of this post to read the official IMATS Toronto press release, which contains information about the events that will be taking place at the trade show, as well as key speakers and admission prices.

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