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Nail Polish

10 Chocolate Nail Colors to Try This Season

November 4, 2022

Best Chocolate Nail Polish Colors

Sharing a roundup of some chocolate nail colors I’ve been loving this season! I’ve never received so many “what color is that?” questions about some of the shades I’ve been wearing recently. The ones that have been getting the most compliments are OPI Bonfire Serenade and Olive and June JJ.

I’ve been in a pale pink and neutral nude nail kick most of this year but love these different shades of brown for fall to winter. Here are 10 nail chocolate colors to try this fall.

Best Chocolate Nail Polish Colors

OPI Bonfire Serenade is a creamy cool-toned chocolate brown. Opaque with two coats.

OPI Bonfire Serenade Nail Polish

OPI You Don’t Know Jacques is a shade I always thought was brown, but I just bought a fresh bottle and it’s almost taupe blue on my skin tone. I added it to the mix for comparison.

OPI You Don't Know Jacques

OPI Espresso Your Inner Self is a true medium chocolate brown shade. Also creamy, opaque, two coats.

OPI Espresso Your Inner Self Nail Polish

Olive and June JJ is the prettiest warm chocolate milk shade, neutral-warm on me. This is with two coats.

Olive and June JJ

Essie All Checked Out is a darker cool toned brown. Has full coverage with one coat, but I applied it with two.

Essie All Checked Out

Chanel Le Vernis Inspiration and Impulsion are both nearly identical to me. A lot of you wanted a photographed swatch side by side next to Infinite. I would say Inspiration is a medium neutral warm chocolate brown, Impulsion is slightly deeper and cooler in undertone, Infinite is nearly black on my fingers with two coats.

Chanel Le Vernis Inspiration

Chanel Le Vernis 957 Impulsion

Chanel Le Vernis browns Infinite, Impulsion, Inspiration

Dior Nude Line is another great chocolate color. It’s a one coat wonder.

Dior Nude Line Nail Polish

Hermes Brun Bistre is an ultra dark chocolate color, almost black on my nails, even in sunlight. It’s a deep brown. Applied with two coats.

Hermes Brun Bistre

Best Chocolate Nail Polish Colors OPI, Essie, Olive and June, Chanel, Dior and Hermes

For those who wanted to know what I’ve been wearing lately I hope you found this roundup helpful! What nail colors are you wearing this season? I’ve also linked some of my favorite DIY hand and nail care products. A lot of them are also featured in this Hand and Nail Care Favorites roundup here.

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Would love to hear about your favorites!

Nail Polish

Holiday Nail Colors I’m Loving Right Now

December 15, 2021

OPI Snow Day in LA Swatch

It’s been a while since I’ve done a nail polish roundup so I thought I’d share 10 Holiday Nail Colors that can take you from Christmas into the New Year. I love following all the nail trends and save a lot of tutorials for inspiration! However I still haven’t mastered the hand painting swirl designs myself. I bought a few tools to try at home in the new year, so maybe I’ll be able to do it one day! For now I love bright or bolds. I still wear my everyday neutrals often but love these holiday shades.

All swatches below are with two coats!

OPI Snow Day in LA

OPI Snow Day in LA Swatch

OPI Snow Day in LA* (infinite shine formula, also available in the regular formula) is a soft smooth white with a hint of pearl. Applies smoothly without streaks with 2 coats. Love that it’s a bright white without being too stark.

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OPI Intentions are Rosegold

OPI Intentions are Rosegold is a pretty metallic coppery rose gold with a foiled finish. Applies without visible brush strokes and ultra rich pigment!

OPI Intentions are Rose Gold

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OPI Paint the Tinseltown Red

OPI Paint the Tinseltown Red* (infinite shine formula, also available in the regular version) is a pretty red with a holographic shimmer finish.

OPI Paint the Tinseltown Red

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OPI Big Bow Energy

OPI Big Bow Energy is a bright cool-toned fuchsia pink cream, I have it in the Infinite Shine Formula, also available in the Regular version.

OPI Big Bow Energy Swatch

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Hermes Rose Incarnat

Hermes Rose Incarnat is a bright fun pink cream, similar to Chanel Turban (the Chanel pulls more warm/peachy). I keep getting so many questions about the Hermes nail polishes and I’m working my way through testing them. I still don’t think they’re worth $45 as I don’t think any polish should be that much. But I am really happy with the formula so far. Has good lasting power, no chips within 1 week, opaque coverage, beautiful colors. I think you can definitely find dupes though!

Hermes Rose Incarnat Nail Polish

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Hermes Rose Magenta

Hermes Rose Magenta is a gorgeous mauve magenta pink cream.

Hermes Rose Magenta Nail Polish Swatch

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Hermes Orange Poppy

Hermes Orange Poppy is a vibrant orange cream. I love how bright and vibrant it is!

Hermes Orange Poppy Nail Polish swatch

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Hermes Rose Tamise

Hermes Rose Tamise is one I love in the bottle, dries to a slightly darker finish on my nails. I’d describe it as a muted dusty mauve plum. This one is a bit hard to find, but I’d recommend checking back online to see if they restock at Hermes.

Hermes Rose Tamise Nail Polish swatches

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Essie Topless & Barefoot

Essie Topless & Barefoot is the one classic pale nude pink shade that always gets me compliments. Doesn’t last as long as other formulas but it’s a great neutral!

Essie Topless and Barefoot

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Chanel Le Vernis in Interdit

Chanel Le Vernis in Interdit is another classic bold vampy shade. Opaque, smooth, dramatic! Another one that always get compliments more than any other vampy dark shade I own.

Chanel Le Vernis Interdit

What’s on your nails right now this holiday season? Do you do them yourself or go to the salon? Mine are all DIY. I have only been the salon once in the past 3 years for a pedicure. All the others are done on my own at home! For those new to the blog you can check out my Hand + Nail Care Favorites here including hand creams, tools, base + top coat favorites and more.

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Press samples have a * next to them. All other items purchased by me.

Beauty Favorites Nail Polish

Favorite Light Pink Nail Polishes

July 26, 2021

Best Pale Pink Nail Polishes

I’ve been on a baby pink nail polish kick lately and have a few favorites I love I wanted to share! So many of my favorite light pinks have been discontinued from Chanel and Dior. Rescue Beauty Lounge also used to make some of the best pale pinks (so sad they’re no longer around!). Here are my favorites right now!

Olive and June Pink Sands ($8, available at Olive and June) – This one is super creamy pale and opaque white-based pink, apply 2 thin coats for full coverage. (If you want something with a little less white base try Olive and June SE.)

Olive and June Pink Sands Nail Polish swatch

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OPI Bubble Bath ($10-$10.50, Target and Ulta) – This is one I rediscovered early summer, I remember not liking it before thinking it was sooo sheer it was difficult to get the color to show up. I tried it again and if I apply 2-3 coats I find I get the perfect pale pink manicure.

OPI Bubble Bath Nail Polish swatch

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Gucci Beauty Ellen Blush ($30, Nordstrom, Sephora, Gucci) – I just ordered a few of the newly repackaged nail polishes from Gucci. This one has full opaque coverage with one stroke but I still prefer to apply 2. Ellen Blush is the perfect medium light pink to me.

Gucci Beauty Nail Polish Ellen Blush

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Essie Fiji ($8.99 at Target) – This will be hit or miss depending on your skin tone or undertone, it’s a cool-toned blue based pale pink with full coverage. It has the tiny skinny brush which I wish they would update. I do think it’s a classic pale pink on me though.

Essie Fiji Nail Polish swatch

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Essie Muchi Muchi ($8.99 Target) – Muchi Muchi is a medium pale pink on me. It’s not quite as pale as most lighter pinks which makes it more fun for me.

Essie Muchi Muchi swatch

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Essie Gel Couture Polished and Poised ($11.50, Ulta) – A newer to me discovery, love that this is a really pretty light medium neutral warm pink that has full coverage but doesn’t have too much white in it.

Essie Gel Couture Polished and Poised

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For those who want a closer look at the brush applicators:

Nail Polish Brush applicators

A few other posts you might find helpful!

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What are your favorite light or pale pink colors to wear?

Nail Polish

Fun Nail Polish Colors to Try This Summer

June 6, 2021

Summer Nail Colors OPI: 3 Coats of OPI Bubble Bath, then (thumb to pinkie) Don’t Tell a Sol, That’s Hula-Rious, It’s a Girl, Gelato On My Mind, Got Myself Into a Jam-balaya

I’ve been getting back into colorful nail polishes, especially the colorful French tips with a neutral base for fun! I have so many colors that I’ve been playing with and thought I’d do a roundup of some favorites right now. Last week I posted a fun manicure combination with picks from Target on Instagram. I love these colors by themselves too so I thought I’d share full swatches on the blog along with a few others.

Rainbow Manicure

3 Coats of OPI Bubble Bath (base), then (thumb to pinkie) Don’t Tell a Sol (yellow), That’s Hula-rious (mint), It’s a Girl (pink), Gelato On My Mind (aqua), Got Myself Into a Jam-balaya (coral) – all available at Target

Rainbow French Tips OPI 3 Coats of OPI Bubble Bath, then (thumb to pinkie) Don’t Tell a Sol, That’s Hula-Rious, It’s a Girl, Gelato On My Mind, Got Myself Into a Jam-balaya

Yellows

OPI Bee-Hind the Scenes – softer almost pastel yellow, opaque, shown with 2 coats (from Ulta, but sold out, still available in Infinite Shine formula)

OPI Bee-Hind the Scenes swatch

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OPI Don’t Tell a Sol – vibrant yellow, opaque, 2 coats on tips, Passion as the base

OPI Don’t Tell a Sol on tips, Passion as base

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Essie You Know the Espadrille – warmer sunflower/mustard like yellow, 2 coats

Essie You Know the Espadrille

Peach and Coral

OPI Got Myself Into a Jam-balaya – perfect fun bright coral peach, opaque, 2 coats

OPI Got Myself Into a Jambalaya

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OPI PCH Love Song* – electric coral orange with gold shimmer, smooth, opaque, 2 coats

OPI PCH Love Song swatch

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OPI We Seafood and Eat It – pretty coral pink-red cream, 2 coats (also available in Infinite Shine)

OPI We Seafood and Eat It Nail Polish swatch

Pinks

OPI Mod About You* – white based pale pink, opaque, 2 coats

OPI Mod About You swatch

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OPI It’s a Girl – soft pale pink, sheerer finish and not as white/pastel as Mod About You, wearing It’s a Girl with 3 coats

OPI It’s a Girl swatch

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Olive and June Grateful and Kind* – pretty medium rose pink, opaque, cream, 2 coats (available at Olive and June and Target, ombre pink and yellow tumbler from Target)

Olive and June Grateful and Kind nail polish swatch, pink

Nail polish comparisons side by side:

Yellow, Coral, Pink Nail Polish Wheel swatches

Mint

OPI Mexico City Move-Mint – pale mint blue cream, opaque, wearing 3 coats

OPI Mexico City Move-Mint swatch

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OPI Gelato On My Mind* – fun aqua color, opaque, 2 coats

OPI Gelato On My Mind

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More mint polishes on the hands: OPI Mexico City Move-Mint, Essie Mint Candy Apple, OPI That’s Hula-rious, OPI Gelato on my Mind

Mint Nail Polishes OPI Mexico City Move-Mint, Essie Mint Candy Apple, OPI That’s Hula-rious, OPI Gelato on my Mind

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Louboutin Batignolles – long time readers will recognize this swatch from many many years ago! One of the prettiest aqua colors to date

Louboutin Batignolles Nail Polish swatch

 

More mint swatches:

Mint Nail Polish swatches, Essie, OPI, Chanel

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For those curious, my go-to base and top coats are the OPI Natural Base Coat and Top Coat. More on my current Hand and Nail Care Routine in this post here.

What are you wearing on your nails for this summer? Any fun ones you’ve pulled out recently? I’m already working on part two with some baby blue shade, lilacs and corals. Let me know what you want me to swatch next! Peach? Lavender? Purples? Neutrals? Shimmers? Any other brands you want me to swatch?

I usually buy my OPI and Essie nail polishes from Target or Ulta. Olive and June has sent a number of bottles for press samples but I also buy from their website Olive and June and Target.

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Press samples indicated with a *.

Nail Polish

Hand and Nail Care Routine Favorites

March 10, 2021

Sabrina's Hand and Nail Care Essentials

By popular request I have an updated hand and nail care routine roundup! My last one was a few years ago (time flies!) and while many of the things have stayed the same, I have stopped using a few things. I’ve been doing my own nails on my own for several years now – pretty much since we moved to Florida. I still haven’t tried gel nails, dip powders, acrylics or press ons. I usually keep things simple and use regular nail polish formulas.

Cuticle Care

Cuticle Care Essentials Sally Hansen, Tweezerman and OPI

I feel like a lot of the Deborah Lippmann formulas changed! I bought several replacements of the Cuticle Remover and Nail Polish Remover and they didn’t work the same. Recent reviews still seem positive but the bottles I bought had chunks of white product floating in the bottle. I decided to look for an alternative. My tools remain the same tried and true go-to’s! I did replace the cuticle trimmer recently, over time the tools become dull with a lot of use and just need to be replaced.

(I also love the Dior Huile Abricot Daily Nutritive Serum and CND SolarOil.)

Best Cuticle Treatments OPI, Dior, CND, Olive and June

Nail Polish Remover + Tools

Olive and June Nail Tools and Zoya Remover Plus

For nail polish removers and tools, my all around favorites are from Olive and June. You can buy their items from their website and they have also expanded their line at Target! I love the nail files, nail buffer, clean up brush and their nail polish remover! I recommend shopping their website for the best selection and customizable Manicure Systems and box sets. (I use their boxes to store a lot of my essentials to keep them all in one place!)

My next favorite polish remover is Zoya. It’s one that doesn’t make my nails peel or fingers dry out. It’s effective on regular polish and doesn’t feel harsh on the skin.

My favorite clippers and on-the-go tools are also from Tweezerman. I love this Mini Nail Rescue Kit for everyday use and love that it also travel friendly.

Hand Creams

Best Hand Creams Chanel, La Mer, LOccitane, Molton Brown

Best Hand Balm Guerlain Abeille Royale Repairing Hand Balm

above, clear stackable box in the last photo from amazon

I’m the biggest hand cream fanatic and always love trying new formulas. My current top 5 include:

  • Chanel La Crème Main Texture Riche – best packaging design and lightweight formula
  • La Mer The Hand Treatment – one of the most luxurious hand creams for ultra dry skin, I also love the La Mer Rejuvenating Hand Serum but ran out of it and will be replacing it soon!
  • L’Occitane Solidarity Hand Cream – is one of their new limited-edition formulas, it has a soft hibiscus sent which is really pleasant! I bought 2 but am going to order a few more backups since it’s limited-edition and I really like the scent and cause it supports. Every year they make a product where 100% of the profits help fund projects for women in Burkina Faso for education and professional development
  • Molton Brown Flora Luminare Hand Cream – I love a lot of the Molton Brown hand creams but this one smells like sunshine to me, it has a bright happy kind of sent with orange blossom, mandarin, ylang-ylang, frangipani, jasmin, rose, vanilla, cedarwood and musk. The formula is nice and not too heavy, I also adore this scent in the Shower Gel and Glowing Body Oil.
  • Guerlain Repairing and Youth Hand Balm is one of the best new discoveries I’ve had, the balm is pretty spendy, especially for the size, but I’ve found it to be the best for ultra dry skin, it has a balm-feel with honey concentrate and really does work to smooth and hydrate super dry hands, it’s lightly scented (not overpowering).

Base and Top Coat

Best Base and Top Coats OPI, Chanel, Smith and Cult

For base and top coat, I stopped using Essie’s Quick Dry Speed Setter. It worked so well to dry the nails fast and create a long lasting manicure but the formula was harsh on my nails and hands. If any product came in contact with my skin (even if I removed it with remover) it caused cracking and hardening wherever it touched.

Best Hand and Nail Care Essentials DIY Manicure The Beauty Lookbook

above expandable tray from Amazon

That wraps up my hand and nail care routine favorites! I hope you found this helpful! A number of you have also asked for my favorites for feet care. I still haven’t found my favorites to replicate a salon pedicure, although I really like the Spongables Pedi-Scrub and Tweezerman Sole Smoother Stone.

Let me know your favorites in the comments!

 

 

Press samples include: OPI Cuticle Oil, Guerlain Hand Balm, Olive and June tools.

Nail Polish

Pink + Red Nail Polishes To Try for Valentine’s Day

February 9, 2021

OPI Pink and Red Nail Polishes for Valentine's Day

I’ve swatched and rounded up some pink and red nail polishes to try for Valentine’s Day! OPI is one of my favorite brands for nail polish and they just launched their new Hollywood Collection. I received a few press samples to try but the ones that stood out to me were the lighter shades so I ordered them from Ulta (also available at Amazon). I decided to swatch of the new ones alongside a few of their classics. Colors I have swatched are all with two coats. I found they applied smoothly – I tend to prefer the opaque colors anyways!

For those interested in my DIY hand and nail care routine, you can see my Hand + Nail Care Routine and Tips post.

  • Movie Buff (Hollywood Collection) – pale creamy pink mauve
  • Hollywood and Vibe (Hollywood Collection) – pale cool-toned pink
  • I’m An Extra (Hollywood Collection) – medium pink peach
  • Suzi Calls the Paparazzi (Hollywood Collection) – neutral creamy pink rose
  • Princesses Rule – sheer sparkling light pink with microsparkles
  • 15 Minutes of Flame (Hollywood Collection) – metallic fuchsia pink
  • OPI Red – classic red with a tiny hint of pearl
  • Emmy Have You Seen Oscar? (Hollywood Collection)- perfect bright bold red
  • I’m Really an Actress (Hollywood Collection) – sparkling plum gold shimmer
  • I’m Not Really a Waitress – deep metallic wine

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Movie Buff (Hollywood Collection)

OPI Movie Buff Nail Polish Swatch | The Beauty Look Book

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Hollywood and Vibe (Hollywood Collection)

OPI Hollywood and Vibe Nail Polish Swatch

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I’m An Extra (Hollywood Collection)

OPI I'm an Extra Nail Polish Swatch

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Suzi Calls the Paparazzi (Hollywood Collection)

OPI Suzi Calls the Paparazzi Nail Polish Swatch

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Princesses Rule

OPI Princesses Rule Nail Polish Swatch

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15 Minutes of Flame (Hollywood Collection)

OPI 15 Minutes of Flame Nail Polish Swatch

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OPI Red

OPI Red Nail Polish Swatch

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Emmy Have You Seen Oscar? (Hollywood Collection)

OPI Emmy Have You Seen Oscar Nail Polish Swatch

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I’m Really an Actress (Hollywood Collection)

OPI I'm Really an Actress Nail Polish Swatch

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I’m Not Really a Waitress

OPI I'm Not Really A Waitress swatch

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It has been ages since I did a nail polish wheel swatch! I thought it might be helpful to do a side by side with a few other shades mixed in for reference:

Pink and Red Nail Polishes for Valentine's Day The Beauty Lookbook

You can find the new Hollywood shades available at Ulta Beauty and Amazon. Other classic colors are more widely available. Do you like pinks or reds for nails? What are your favorites? (I’ve linked a few of my favorite base and top coats below as well.)

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Press samples include OPI Princesses Rule, I’m Really an Actress, 15 Minutes of Flame. All others purchased by me.

Nail Polish

Holiday Nail Polish Swatches OPI, Smith & Cult + Dior

December 27, 2020

Holiday Nail Polish Swatches OPI, Smith & Cult, Dior

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas Holiday! Andrew and I had a nice Christmas eve with close family. We made Christmas dinner at our house this year and tried making gingerbread houses too which was fun but super messy! I have a nail polish swatch roundup of a few colors I’ve been loving this season. I have been sticking with my usual neutrals for the most part this year but thought it was time to switch things up and play with some sparkle and shine.

OPI Naughty or Ice? is a pretty semi-sheer pearlescent white. It’s similar to OPI Happy Birthday but the holiday Naughty or Ice pulls a little more champagne/warm.

OPI Naughty or Ice?

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OPI Snow Falling For You is a metallic light pink. It has minimal visible brush strokes so it applies pretty smooth. I love this pretty pink!

OPI Snow Falling For You

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OPI Tinsel Tinsel Star* is a light blue-grey shimmer. It pulls on the sheer side with 2 coats (shown below). You can get more opaque coverage with 3.

OPI Tinsel Tinsel Star

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OPI To All A Good Night* is a beautiful complex metallic gunmetal shade. It flashes different sparkles of silver, blue, grey. I love it for a deeper but fun color.

OPI To All A Good Night swatch

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OPI Merry In Cranberry is a pretty pearly cranberry shade. It has full smooth coverage with 2 coats.

OPI Merry In Cranberry Nail Polish swatch

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Dior Golden Snow* is a top coat. It has larger chunks of iridescent glitter. I applied it alone but it’s fun over another color too!

Dior Golden Snow Nail Polish swatch

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Smith and Cult Ceremony of Secrets* is a beautiful metallic pink. It has smooth full coverage with two coats.

Smith and Cult Ceremony of Secrets swatch

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Smith and Cult A Little Lovely is one of the prettiest pink gold glitters I’ve ever tried. It has a beautiful pink gold base and tons of glitter mixed in.

Smith and Cult A Little Lovely Nail Polish swatch

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What have you been wearing on your nails this holiday?

 

 

Press samples have a * next to them. All others purchased by me.