Miami Chill // Blue & Pink 80's New Wave Palm Tree Nail Design

I finally have this plate...I FINALLY HAVE THIS PLATE! I apologise for the all caps but I've been waiting for this plate to come back in stock for a year and a half. I then lost hope of it ever coming back after MoYou announced that they would not be reprinting plates, meaning once they're gone; they're gone. Great if you have money...not so great if you have no money and suffer from severe fomo.

I'd actually forgotten that I had pressed for an email alert for when it came back in stock but then, one fateful afternoon at work; I checked my phone and in the emails was an in-stock notification. I bought this plate immediately. It's perfect for making 80's New Wave nail art and it has the "Miami Vice" text on it....I can't find another plate anywhere with Miami Vice written on it.

I instantly wanted to do some retro nails and googled "Miami Vice New Wave" and the first result was this beautiful picture by the talented Yoko Honda. 

I've never heard or seen of this artist before but when I went to her Instagram I noticed that MoYou London follow her. I have feeling this is where the inspo for the plate came from! I wish I could buy her artwork as this stuff absolutely belongs on the wall but I can't seem to find a store for her art anywhere (she also hasn't updated insta in a while :( ). 

For this look I started off with two coats of Music is my Muse and then dotted Masala Chai in the background to create some stars. I then stamped on the palm trees using Night Sky and went over the stamps with Masala Chai and a fine brush to add some detail. The moon and "chill" had a base stamp using a white stamping polish before using Tickled. This helped it to stand out more and also gave it a nice double stamp look.

Unfortunately this plate has once again sold out. When I put that I had managed to snag it on my Insta stories, MoYou responded saying they only had 3 in stock that they had received from returns! Who on earth would return this plate?

Polishes/Tools Used:

- OPI // Music Is My Muse (sea blue)
- H&M // Masala Chai (off white cream)
- Barry M Green Origin // Night Sky (dark blue)
- Twinkled T // Glow Up (white), Tickled (pink)
- Barry M // Matte Top Coat
- MoYou London // Mix & Match 13

Winter Sunrise // Peach & Lilac Ombre with Forests Nail Art

Ahhhhh how cute is this look! I actually did it with a standard base coat but it still peeled off the next day anyway :( The one and only time I wanted to wear a look longer than 6 hours. I'm super happy with how this turned out though as it was one of those where I had no idea where it was going; I just wanted to paint my nails whilst watching Markiplier.

This look was inspired by a recent morning drive to work. I live in the country side now and my drive is just back roads through rolling fields and trees in the distance all around. I glimpsed in my rear view mirror and saw this fantastic gradient sky that went from lilac to pink and then peach at the top. Then in front of me was the biggest, brightest full moon I have ever seen. I've honestly never seen the moon like that when the sun is rising as well. It was truly beautiful and I wish it was safe to pull over and take a photo but the roads are tiny and people get super pissed off if you stop on one because it's hard to overtake.

This was also my first time using one of the new Noel plates from MoYou London's Christmas collection. I told myself in December I couldn't buy them (of course I wanted them all) and by some Christmas miracle I didn't buy them....But then their Boxing day sale happened and they were 50% off so I bought the remaining ones that hadn't sold out. This is the 06 plate and it features overlapping mountains, fir trees and tree trunks as well as deer and wolves. It's one of the best plates they've ever done and there's a mountain design I really want to do with them.

To make it a bit more winter-y I toyed with adding some snow but didn't want to ruin it. I also wanted to add a matte top coat but holo...I ended up applying a layer of the trusty ol' Diamond Glitter from Barry M and it's perfect.

How I did it:-

I started off with a layer of Well, Well, Well which I won't do again because I forgot how long those Sally Hansen Argan oil polishes take to dry. I then sponged on a few layers of Peach Melba, Strawberry Icecream and Berry Icecream. I used Ghosted with the large fir trees which are the light grey ones and Smokey with the smaller fir trees in the front. I topped it off with a glossy top coat and then added Fairy Dust for some 'snow'.

Polishes/Tools Used:

- Sally Hansen Color Therapy // 110 Well, Well, Well (off white)
- Barry M Nail Paint // Berry Icecream (lilac), Strawberry Icecream (pink), Peach Melba (peach)
- Twinkled T // Smokey (dark grey), Ghosted (light grey)
- Revlon Gel Envy // Diamond Top Coat
- Barry M // Diamond Glitter (scattered holo)
- MoYou London // Noel Collection 06

Ready, Set, Glam // Birchbox December 2019 Nails

Ahhh this is so late. But, if you've read my New Year post you'll know that December was a weird one for me and I took a bit of a break so I've just got round to doing Birchbox nails! I also missed November as well but that was a Frozen 2 box and I'm not sure if I even want to do something on that design as it wasn't very inspiring to me.

Anyway, I actually really loved the December Birchbox; it came in a beautiful navy velvet-like bag with rose gold detail. There are actually two looks that I could do for this box and I'm still torn over whether or not to do both...maybe I will later on. This one was super easy and quick and would've been perfect for my Christmas party if I hadn't have procrastinated so much last month.

I'd say my favourite item from the box was the Rituals shower oil as it came in my favourite scent; ritual of Ayurveda. I don't actually use it in the shower; I use as just a body oil on pulse points because it smells so good.

Polishes/Tools used:
- Essie // Surrounded by Studs (deep navy)
- Barry M Liquid Chrome // Razzle Dazzle (pink chrome)
- Mavala // Glam Show (rose gold glitter)
- Essie // Platinum Finish Top Coat

Twinkled T // Marble Stamping Plate

Another item from my Twinkled T Black Friday haul. I ordered this with the Desert Sunset Stamping Bundle (swatches here) mainly because I got it with 30% off and it's marble; what can I say? I'm totes basic.

This is a nice plate but I'd say the designs are more watermarble than marble. For the latter I'd expect thin lines kind of like lightning. I tried to do an ombre stamp using two of the stamping polishes from the Desert Sunset bundle that I bought with it.

Not my favourite marble look. I've achieved much better using smooshing which produces more natural "random" design and blends hard edges seamlessly.  For $7 though it is a high quality plate and I'll be able to create some interesting watermarble designs with it.

Polishes/Tools used:
- Ciaté // White Heat (white)
- Twinkled T // Smokey (dark grey), Ghosted (light grey)
- Cuccio // Matte Top Coat
- Twinkled T // Marble TT01 Plate

Twinkled T // Marble Plate $6

SWATCHES: Twinkled T // Desert Sunset Stamping Polish Bundle

Oh man, I have been lusting after this bundle for over a year and on Black Friday I finally took the plunge and ordered from Twinkled T when they had 30% off on their website. Shipping was $17 (ouch) however I somehow managed to evade import tax. The post angels must've been watching over me.

I love pastel shades and this collection is just a magnificent blend of pastel cremes and metallics. It really does remind me of the types of soft pinks and corals you see in those "desert bloom" photos on Pinterest.

Liquid Gold // Cool Gold Metallic

This is perhaps the most impressive gold stamping polish I've ever come across; it's exactly what I was after. All my gold stampers are that bright yellow gold with a warm tone. As a polish this is a stunning one coater that does leave some slight brush strokes but they're not that noticeable. 

As a stamping polish; it's even better. Fine details pick up beautifully and stick straight to the nail instead of lifting up. Sometimes it's a little too thick and pigmented and if the plate is loaded up too much it will pick up any extra left around the design. You only need to use a tiny amount; unlike most stamping polishes. 

Smokey // Dark Grey Creme

Another fantastic deep, one coat wonder. My brush was a little frayed which made application a little tricky but it doesn't affect stamping in the slightest. It handles small detail and fine lines easily and even works on top of black for a nice slight contrast. This shade would be perfect for marble looks as it's not too dark. I'll try smooshing with it!

Ghosted // Light Grey Creme

I really like this shade; it has a slight mauve tinge to it. I'd wear this on it own and it applies beautifully as well. This one misses some slight detail...but only slight. It looks great on top of darker shades

Coraline // Pastel Coral Creme

This is my favourite shade in the bundle and the one that caught my eye in the first place. I love pastel peach/coral shades and I'd say this is a perfect mix of the Nails Inc Kiss My Peach duo. This is definitely a stamping polish though as it doesn't apply as a normal polish all that great. I found the formula super thick and it left brush strokes. It also needs at least two coats (I'm wearing one in the swatch).

As a stamping polish though it really shines and that thickness in the formula provides a clean and opaque stamp. I'm really impressed.

Tickled // Soft Pink Creme

I didn't think I'd like this at first as it's quite bright in the bottle but it's actually a lovely soft pastel pink with a slight peach tint. It has the thinnest formula of them all but still stamps well on top of lighter colours though it does struggle with dark shades.

As a normal polish, it's a bit streaky for one coat, but two does the trick.

Dazed // Ice Pink Metallic

This is practically identical to Barry M Razzle Dazzle but stamps so much better. Whereas that is a chrome shade and doesn't stick to the nail well, this has lots of shimmer and performs the best with practically no missing spots.

// Verdict

Quite possibly the best stamping set I've ever bought. These perform so much better than the Born Pretty, Nicole Diary and MoYou London polishes. The MoYou polishes are so much more expensive as well and you get less. Even though I have to import these from LA, they're only $6 each and the postage is worth it. I'll definitely be buying more from them. I already have Vibin' and Liquid Vinyl; white and black stamping polishes and I seriously need all their shades. 

Twinkled T // Desert Sunset Stamping Polish Bundle

$32

Ciaté Mini Mani Month 2019 // Days 22 - 24

Day 22
Starcrossed // Gold & Peach Glitter

I like the shade of the glitter, peach is always a great shade that will suit anyone but I'm wondering how I would use this shade. It would build up easily by sponging it on for a full glitter mani but make sure you're wearing a peel off basecoat otherwise you'll be soaking your nails in acetone for a few minutes.

Day 23

Snatch // Bright Red Jelly

It's a shame I hate red shades because the formula on this is amazing. It applies beautifully with a high shine finish and only one coat is needed. You can slightly see your tips peeking through however because it's a jelly, there's no streaks so it's perfectly acceptable.

Day 24
Party Popper // Rose Gold Holo Shards in Clear Base

Like last year, we end with a full size glitter polish. I'm much happier with this years offering though as the stars from the last one were a nightmare to get out. This one is abundant with shards and I love the holo. I'm wearing a couple of coats on top of 'I Left my Heart in San Francisco' by Cuccio. This shade is a lot easier to manipulate when sponged on though.

// Verdict

And that's it for this years Mini Mani Month! I ended up with 9 repeats which isn't too bad but if you have a lot of polish (like I do), I won't be using them as much as others would. I hope that 2020's calendar features less repeats but seeing as how the calendar was reduced to £20 before christmas, I don't think they sold as many as they were hoping for (it still selling for £20 now on their website).

Days 1 - 7
Days 8 - 14
Days 15 - 21

Match That Mani // Primark Gold & Pink Pineapple Flip Flops

Summer is almost here!....technically. December 21st was officially the shortest day and from now on the nights start getting lighter. Which means it's totally acceptable to start doing summer nails again. especially seeing as how the swimwear and shorts have returned to Primark. I found these flip flops and loved the print.

And this is my recreation in nail form:

Thanks to the cooler tone of the gold, I think this could pass for a fresh wintery look. This was my first time using the shade Liquid Gold from Twinkled T and it's my new favourite gold stamping polish. It picks up beautifully every time and cleans up easily with little glitter left behind.

It's also been a hot minute since I did an ombre, I want to do so many ombre looks but I'm too lazy to do all the clean up.

Polishes/Tools used:

- Essence Shine Last & Go // Wild White Ways (white)

- Essence Shine Last & Go // On Air! (gold glitter)

- H&M // Chalky Pink (dusty pink)

- Twinkled T // Liquid Gold (gold stamping polish)

- Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy // Diamond Top Coat

- Maniology Plate // M051 Stamping Plate

Ciaté Mini Mani Month 2019 // Days 15 - 21

Day 15
Gelology Top Coat

This was Day 5 in last years Calendar and I don't think I've used it since. I should really start using it more often.

Day 16
Rose Gold Mini Glitter Filer

I think I preferred the decals from last year. It's cute but impractical as my go-to filer. I'll put it in my handbag though for emergencies.

Day 17 
Paradise Lost // Pink to Gold Duochrome Shimmer

This was Day 21 in last years Calendar and one of my 'mystery shades'. I've realised now though that all the 'mystery shades' are just left over polishes from last years calendar. But anyway, I'm not really bothered about this repeat because I love it. I now have 2 mini's and a Full Size version because it's just such a beautiful pink to gold shimmer. I'm wearing two coats but you could possibly get away with 1 if applied slowly enough. The gold shift really makes this shade, it's one of those where you can't stop moving your hand back and forth in the light.

Day 18
Palm Springs Pool Party // Royal Blue Jelly

I'm really upset because this shade was the reason I bought this years calendar but, this mini was messed up in packaging and I received a blue jelly instead of the glorious blue shimmer that is Palm Springs. This is actually the shade "Pool Party" with an incorrect label on it as that polish is a blue jelly in this exact shade. It's very streaky and something feels wrong with the formula; like it's missing some key ingredient. It was nightmare to apply as well and went everywhere. The second coat makes it look like glass and it's a nice shade but not what I wanted (nor what was advertised).

Day 19
Splash! // Green/Gold Shimmer

This is the same formula as Supernova but instead of a pink shift, it has a green shift. I don't know if I would wear it by itself as it's not really my shade but it does look good on top of a dark base, which really brings the green to life. I'm wearing two coats.

Day 20
Summer Haze // Orange/Red Crelly

Not quite a creme but not quite a jelly, I actually quite like this shade which is a first because I usually detest red shades. I think it's the warm orange tint; it goes well with my skin tone. This is a proper holiday shade (both summer and winter). One shade covers the nail with no streaks and with the tips slightly peaking through. Two coats give full coverage though. This is extremely similar to one of their other shades; Red Hot Chilli Pepper.

Day 21
House of Mirrors // Silver Linear Holo

This isn't A-England quality (which is surprising given they're the same price point) but it's not half bad for a mainstream polish brand. The first coat can be a little streaky but two coats does the trick. It does take a while to dry though.

// Verdict

An interesting week but overall not my favourite. Apart from Paradise Lost I can't see myself reaching for these shades all that often.

Days 1 - 7
Days 8 - 15
Days 22 - 24