Category Archives: Nail Polish Swatches & Reviews

OPI Haven’t the Foggiest Swatches & Review

OPI Haven't the Foggiest Swatches & ReviewStarting off the week is OPI Haven’t the Foggiest, which is a shimmery metallic silver from the upcoming San Francisco Collection (due out on August 7).

When I was in high school, I used to wear a lot of metallic nail polish (particularly silver), but after, I rarely did.

Silver sometimes is a hard colour for me to wear on my nails because I have warm undertones.

Maybe there’s a trick to picking out warmer-toned silvers, but I have yet to figure it out because I simply don’t buy enough silvers in general.

Even though I don’t wear them enough, what I will say is that I do appreciate how clean and bright a good metallic silver looks on fingertips. Continue reading

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China Glaze Bottoms Up Swatches & Review

China Glaze Bottoms Up Swatches & ReviewAre you looking for a bright polish that walks on the neon side?

China Glaze Bottoms Up from the Sunsational Collection is a fun one to wear when the weather’s gloomy because it doesn’t let Mother Nature get it down!

It’s a bubblegum pink with a hint of purple, and on my skin tone, it really popped! When I wore this, strangers were looking at my nails as I walked by. (I love it when a statement colour has the ability to turn heads, don’t you?)

China Glaze Bottoms Up is from the Cremes half, and it was one of my favourites from the set.
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Shimmer Julie Swatches & Review (Gradient Glitter Over China Glaze Bottoms Up)

Shimmer Julie Swatches & ReviewA little while ago, Cindy (the creative genius behind Shimmer nail polishes) reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in reviewing some of her lacquers.

I had never tried any of her glitters before, so I was curious. Plus I had seen a lot of great nail bloggers singing praises.

Curiosity killed the cat. (But all cats go to heaven, right?) 😉

Thanks to Cindy’s overwhelming generosity, I have quite a few Shimmer polishes to share with you.

In today’s post, I’d like to put the spotlight on Shimmer Julie, which is the very first one I wore.

Instead of wearing it as a full-on glitter manicure, I decided to play with it and create a slight gradient-glitter manicure layered over a pink, China Glaze Bottoms Up, which I will review soon.

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OPI Lost on Lombard Swatches & Review

OPI Lost on Lombard Swatches & ReviewSure, fall is far off, but since I had the privilege to own OPI Lost on Lombard prior to the August 7 release, I wanted to give you a first look at this lovely muted red.

It’s from the OPI San Francisco Collection, and if you’ve been following Swatch And Learn for a little while, you’ll have seen that I’ve reviewed and photographed quite a few from it.

(I hope to finish reviewing them all before they’re officially released! Stay tuned for more!)

OPI Lost on Lombard isn’t the usual type of red that I’d sport. Normally I’d go for a fire-truck red or something shimmery or flashy. But I do love cremes, and this one has a very nice formula and classic autumnal charm.

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Zoya Liberty Swatches & Review

Zoya Liberty Swatches & ReviewMy favourite type of blue nail polish is vivid like the lagoon in a fairytale. So the minute I saw Zoya Liberty from the PixieDust Summer Collection, I knew it was a must-have!

It’s fresh, bright, bold, and fun – exactly what I love in a manicure. (I think it would suit a wide variety of skin tones, too!)

And oh yeah, I’m still on the textured-nail trend, baby! I won’t be getting off soon, unless the conductor kicks me out. (I’d be clinging on for dear life. Thank goodness for strong nails!) 😉

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know that I loved the Zoya PixieDust Collection for Summer so much that I bought the entire 6-piece set!

I’ve so far worn 2 from that collection, and I can’t wait to sport them all! Zoya really did a wonderful job on these colours!
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OPI Neon Revolution Mini Set Swatches, Review & Pictures

OPI Neon Revolution Swatches & ReviewJust a couple of days ago, you saw that I posted the press release on this OPI Neon Revolution Mini Set!

Well, today, I have an in-depth review and tons of swatches to share with you.

This will be a little different than usual. Normally, I review one shade in a separate post. However, since most people who are interested in this set will be buying it for all the colours and not just one, I think it makes more sense to show you them together. (Hehe, plus I wanted an excuse to wear a skittle manicure. Not that I needed one!) 😉

OPI recommends that you wear 1 coat of the OPI White Base, 2 coats of colour, and then a clear top coat.

In this post, I’ll show you a skittle manicure with all these colours using OPI’s suggested application method. But, you’ll also see what 1 coat of the OPI White Base looks like on its own and just the colours without the white base. I’ll also show you what a single coat of colour looks like over the white base.

It’s going to be pretty picture-heavy because of all the combinations, but I think it’ll help you make a better decision whether you like it or not.

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Nail Art Tutorial: Owl Nails

Nail Art Tutorial Owl NailsIt has been a long time since I did freehand nail art with eyes (hehe), and you know what? I missed it so much! (There’s something really fun about looking at your nails and having them look back at you. Or maybe that’s just me.)

As you know, I’m on Pinterest (it’s so addictive!), and the minute I saw these cute little owls, I knew I had to recreate them on my nails. It was exactly the inspiration I needed to get cracking! Release the Kraken! (Felt like saying that.)

Whether it’s nail art, lunch bags, necklaces, or artwork, I have a thing for owls!

So, for today’s post, I have an Owl Nail Art Tutorial for you with step-by-step written instructions and photos.

Although I used similar colours like in the original design I was inspired by, mine turned out slightly different because of my nail-painting style. Also, I have narrower nail beds. But, this just shows you that you can recreate any look, even if your nails are small. Where there’s a will, there’s a way! 😉

I think it’s important to remember that when recreating a look, it doesn’t have to be an exact replica of the original. It’s fun to keep the general vibe of the design, but to still be comfortable with putting your own spin on it.

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