Hey everyone!

We tried to match our ultimate summer favourites - our Ray Ban Green Flash aviators! We used a sponged gradient of O.P.I. Angel with a Leadfoot, Essie Vices Versa, Sally Hansen Dive In, and Essie I'm Addicted over two coats of O.P.I. Push & Shove to create this super fun look. Check out the video tutorial to see how we did it!



This looks super amazing in the sun... If you try it out, let us know by tagging us @knailart or using the #knailart everywhere social!

We have always considered gel nails, as when we have a nail break it impacts the size of our tiny canvases! We decided to take the plunge and try out Bio Sculpture Gel nails with Bio Sculpture Gel Canada - and we were super excited with the result!

Bio Sculpture Gel is the only gel to have a clinical trial and a five-star safety rating, and soak off without acetone! We wore these for two weeks before our impatience kicked it, but we think we could have stretched it one or two more weeks (if we didn't have polish ADD).

Bio Sculpture Gel has three different options for flexibility, and we went with Flexi gel - the medium option! The free edge gel was added to extend the natural nail, and after buffing we were left with gorgeous, completely natural looking nails! We were totally impressed... and if you want to see the 'before' shot, click here.

We then decided to go with a bright blue coloured gel shade from their Carnival trend collection - it's number 175, Havana Nights. After that, we topped the look off with some fun feathered nail art!

Check out the progression of our mani below, and let us know if you've tried out Bio Sculpture Gel!

Disclaimer: Some of the products or services mentioned in this post may have been provided by the company/PR in exchange for our honest review.

Minion Nail Art with Bananas! thumb

One of our favourite online retailers, NailPolishCanada.com recently stocked some amazing A England lacquers - so we were very excited to get to try this brand for the first time, and we were not disappointed!

A England Excalibur Renaissance

Excalibur Renaissance is the most gorgeous silver chrome polish! We've been seeing so much chrome this spring with O.P.I.'s release of Push & Shove and the sparklier My Signature is 'DC', but this polish applies beautifully in two coats. We're in love.

A England Hurt No Living Thing

Hurt No Living Thing is a dusty grey jelly with fuchsia micro shimmer. This polish is an amazing summer shade, as it doesn't look to heavy on the nails, and it has great shine in the sun! This swatch is three coats, and we imagine you could reach full opacity in four.

Overall, we are super impressed with our first experience of A England! We would definitely recommend this brand and will be checking out more of their shades at NailPolishCanada.com, we've seen some of their holographic polishes and can't get enough!

Let us know what you think of these, or whether you have any A England shades to recommend in the comments!

Neon Tie Dye Nails with TNA Clemente Shorts, Pandora Heart Ring and Dotted Ring, and Tiffany and Co. Sterling Silver Infinity Ring 

With so many amazing neons coming out recently, we decided to revive our favourite summer style and show you how we wear our tie dye nails! Our updated list of the best neon polishes is below, and the video tutorial is available on our YouTube here.

THE BEST NEONS FOR NAIL ART:

Yellow - Orly Glowstick

Orange - O.P.I. Juice Bar Hopping

Pink - Essie Bottle Service

Purple - O.P.I. Push & Pur-Pull 

Blue - Essie Bouncer It's Me

Green - Models Own Toxic Apple

If you have any great neon polishes, let us know in the comments so we can put them to the test!

Disclaimer: Some polishes used were received from the company/PR - however, our opinions are our own. This post contains no sponsored links!

Essie Too Taboo with B.A. Star Fire Magenta Glitter Accent Nail

We spiced up our Essie Too Taboo mani with some Nicole by O.P.I. Matte Top Coat (our fav!) and B.A. Star Fire Magenta Glitter! Let us know what you think in the comments!

Essie Too Taboo

Today we're sharing our swatches of Essie's 2014 Neon collection - the title shade is Too Taboo, a bold deep fuchsia. All of our swatches are two coats with one coat of white underneath - although some of the shades (including Too Taboo) don't really need the white. The jelly shades do require a white to truly be considered neons. We love Too Taboo, and found the shade slightly unique in our collection, which tends to be pink heavy.

Essie Chills & Thrills

Next up is Chills & Thrills, a blue-purple creme (the hint of purple comes through more in person) reminiscent of Essie's Butler, Please from Winter 2012... This colour has great coverage - however, it isn't unique in our collection. If you missed out on Butler, Please however - we definitely recommend it!

Essie I'm Addicted

 Next we have I'm Addicted, a bright blue jelly polish. This polish is closer in texture to last seasons neons - and we hate to say that this one just didn't do it for us. The colour is lacklustre, and it really isn't a neon in our books. This we would skip.

Essie Serial Shopper

Next is a love of ours, Serial Shopper. This is a bright orange-coral jelly that applies beautifully and looks amazing over white in two coats. We totally recommend this and have nothing like it - this is what we love from Essie!

Essie Sittin' Pretty

Next up is Sittin' Pretty - a 'bright' lavender (if there ever was such a thing). This applied a bit streaky for us, as can happen with some jellies. It doesn't really qualify as a neon, but its definitely a unique shade. We find certain purples difficult to find, and thats why we would recommend picking this up if you're on the hunt for this shade!

Essie Vices Versa

Finally, Vices Versa is a green jelly, bordering somewhere between neon and pastel. We actually love this shade, and are happy to report that it applies like a dream! This is definitely a unique colour, and it will be amazing for nail art!

Let us know what you think of this collection and if you pick up any shades! Happy polishing!
Disclaimer: Some or all of the products mentioned may have been provided to us by the company/PR in exchange for our honest consideration.

Hawaiian Half Moon Mani

We're obsessed with these destination nails... We used O.P.I. You're So Vain-illa as the base for the half moons, then dry brushed YSL Safran Sultan, Beige Gallery, and Brun Panasse over top! We then cleaned up the half moons with an angled brush with acetone, and used a dotter to create the multicoloured flowers on the edge! We used a tiny brush and some black and white polish to create the finished flowers for a more realistic look!

Let us know what you think of these nails in the comments - would you wear them? Happy polishing!

LUSH Cosmetics Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter, Tiny Hands Hand Lotion Bar, and Putty for your Hands

Part of sharing close-up photos of your cuticles on the internet is trying to ensure that they aren't (always) dry and cracked. Using acetone remover daily and washing your hands can lead to dry hands and cuticles, and trust us - it does not look great on film. We always have a few photos where we look at our hands and regret skipping the moisturizer, but we recently tried a new handcare routine and are super excited to share the results! We didn't want to post a horrid before picture with no moisturizer - - if you want something to compare to, click here - so we're going to start off by showing you the products and then a picture after use for Day 1!

LUSH Cosmetics Putty for your Hands

STEP 1: EXFOLIATE!

First we used Putty for your Hands, an exfoliating hand scrub. We recommend adding a little warm water and scrubbing for 30 seconds! If you have extra dry cuticles, you can also use a light buffing tool or nail file to remove some of the dry skin without clipping and breaking the cuticle.

LUSH Cosmetics Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter

STEP 2: HYDRATE YOUR CUTICLES!
Because your cuticles can become extra dry from polishing compared to the rest of your hands, its key to use a super-rich hydrating oil or cream. We love Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter (and not just because it sounds delicious) because its thick, creamy and smells amazing!

LUSH Cosmetics Tiny Hands Moisturizing Bar

STEP 3: HYDRATE YOUR HANDS!

Next we like to hydrate our whole hands to ensure there are no leftover dry patches! We like the Tiny Hands Moisturizing Bar because its thick and not oily on your skin.

OUR RESULTS!

We tried out this routine for 7 days and had amazing results! The first three days were documented with post-treatment photographs and day 7 shows our happy, healthy hands looking good all on their own!

Day 1 Post-Treatment

Day 2 Post-Treatment

Day 3 Post-Treatment

Healthy, Happy Hands! (Day 7, Pre-Treatment) 

 Let us know if you have any handcare hacks of your own! Happy polishing!

Dislcaimer: Some or all of these products may have been sent to us by the company/PR for our honest consideration.

imPRESS Press On Nails in Dancing Queen

We've been having fun playing with these imPRESS press ons we received from Influenster - and we recently played around with filing them into a specific shape! We actually think this turned out pretty well and would definitely recommend these - however be cautioned that they are pretty short, so if you have long nails these may be out of the question. Also be sure to file from the bottom of the nail before pressing it on, to ensure you don't remove any of the pattern.

What do you think of this look?

Disclaimer: We received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

We are huge Diet Coke fans - so when we realized the O.P.I. Coca Cola collaboration had a chrome-y sparkly silver inspired by Diet Coke we were super excited. The background polish is 'Today I Accomplished Zero' and the Diet Coke nail uses My Signature is 'DC' (the silver chrome), Coca Cola Red and our blackest black - YSL Noir Primitif. We also added some bubbles using the vanilla coke shade - You're So Vain-illa. Overall - we love this collection! The silver is to die for... Stay tuned for swatches of the full collection!

Essie Neon Collection Gradient (over China Glaze White on White)

We may be slightly neon-obsessed (neon, glitter, pastels.. our top three faves!) so when this years version of the Essie neons came in we sort of went crazy. This is the whole collection sponged over China Glaze White on White! Swatches to come... but its safe to say we're in love.

Disclaimer: Some or all of the products mentioned in this post were provided by the company/PR in exchange for our honest review and consideration. All opinions are our own.

YSL La Laque Couture in Noir Primitif with Holographic Glitter Polka Dots

We love how quick and easy this look is! Check out our YouTube tutorial to get the details! The glitter is from www.BornPrettyStore.com and is available here in option #1! Feel free to use code 'KNAILART' for 10% off!



Happy polishing!

Revlon Lana'i Lagoon over Revlon Parfumerie Tropical Rain

For today's NOTD, we're wearing Revlon's Lana'i Lagoon - a matte glitter bomb - over Tropical Rain, a scented polish. We've been having some rain recently so this look fits perfectly, and the glitter makes a perfect addition to this Spring look!

Today we have the O.P.I. Neon collection for Summer 2014 swatched for you - for all of our swatches we used two coats, with nothing underneath. If you're looking for the neons to pop a bit more, we recommend using a white coat underneath. O.P.I. has released a white base coat with this collection, which we haven't had the chance to check out. We suspect that pigment in a base coat may alter the ability of the base coat to adhere to your nails... But we will have to try it out before we come to any conclusions. On to the polishes...

O.P.I. Push and Pur-Pull

First up is Push and Pur-Pull, a rich crelly purple with impressive application. This swatch is two coats - and this polish is one of our favourites in the collection.

O.P.I. Down to the Core-al

Next up is Down to the Core-al, a bright coral (who would have thought?) with a slight shimmer. This polish is pretty streaky, as you can likely see in the picture, but the coverage is impressive. This shade wasn't standout for us, but if you're in love with coral it would be a fine addition to any collection.

O.P.I. You are So Outta Lime!

Next is a unique shade, a creme lime that we are absolutely in love with. We don't have anything like You are So Outta Lime! - and the application was amazing. This is a total recommendation - everyone needs this in their collection!

O.P.I. Hotter Than You Pink

Hotter Than You Pink is a bright pink shimmer that has been done before, but is done well in this release. This is definitely not a must-buy, but if you're in the market this a good option. This is also a great classic pedicure colour for summer!

O.P.I. Juice Bar Hopping

Juice Bar Hopping is a bright orange-tangerine crelly with serious neon punch! This is the brightest orange we've ever seen, and it applies amazing. This is a great buy for anyone looking for a rainbow of neon polishes.

O.P.I. Life Gave Me Lemons

Finally, Life Gave Me Lemons is a green-leaning yellow that has a semi-patchy application. The colour of this polish is its saving grace, as its another unique creme polish. The shade is unforgettable, but if you are looking for a polish that is easy to apply - this may not be your go to.

Let us know what you think of these polishes and whether you'll be picking any up for your summer tips!

Disclaimer: Some or all of the products mentioned in this post were provided by the company/PR in exchange for our honest review and consideration. All opinions are our own.

For today's NOTD - we mixed some fun Kiss Nail Dress Mix It Up Nail Strips in Margeurita with O.P.I.'s Life Gave Me Lemons for this bright fun mani! The Nail Strips come with two separate designs - the pictured neon and silver stars, as well as silver stars on black! There are enough strips for multiple manis... so you may see more of these in a later post.

Let us know what you think in the comments section - and happy polishing!

Disclaimer: Some or all of the products mentioned in this post were provided by the company/PR in exchange for our honest review and consideration. All opinions are our own.

Purple Floral Heart Accent Nails - pictured: Maybelline Color Show in Lust for Lilac

Today we're sharing with you a YouTube tutorial we made for our purple floral heart nails! Polishes that we used include:

Base: Maybelline Color Show - Lust for Lilac
Flower Petals: China Glaze - Spontaneous
Flower Centre: China Glaze - White on White
Flower Dots: O.P.I. - Push and Pur-Pull
Lighter Purple (between flowers): Quo by ORLY - Sweet Blush
Leaves: Revlon - Lime Basil
Glitter: O.P.I. - Desperately Seeking Sequins
The nail art brush we used is the medium Berkeley nail art brush, and can be found here (not an affiliate link - just sharing!)



Happy polishing - and remember to let us know if you try this out!

If there's one thing that's important for your nails - its using a good remover. First, you don't want to over-dry your nails with harsh acetone, and second - nobodies nails look good with leftover polish hanging around! Our two favourite polish removers are the Dior Dissolvant Abricot, and the Ciaté Orange Chocolate (Scented...yum!) Nail Polish remover.

The Dior Dissolvant Abricot is acetone-free, which is a huge plus if you have brittle nails. We love this because you can't tell that there's no acetone in the formula - it works just as well as any regular polish remover. And the bottle is gorgeous - so you can't beat that!

The Ciaté Orange Chocolate Nail Polish remover is amazing because the scent is not overpowering, and the quality is great! We use this frequently, and the vitamin-rich formula does not disappoint!

Both retail for a bit more than your average nail polish remover, but when our nails are in need of some TLC, these are the removers we reach for. If you're in the market, we would definitely recommend picking one of these beauties up!

Mother's Day Floral Nail Design and LUSH Cosmetics 'Mum' Bubble Bar

We created this floral mani inspired by a Papyrus Mother's Day Card! Pictured with the LUSH Cosmetics 'Mum' Bubble Bar - a great Mother's day gift option for any mom. Gearing up for Mother's Day, we also put together a quick insta-video tutorial.



 Let us know what you think, and if you try out this mani let us know!

imPRESS by Broadway Nails in In The Spotlight

We are super excited to share with you some of the most wearable and on-trend press on nails we've ever seen. For those of you who are less art-savvy, or just want to get a great look in record time - these are for you!

These nails come in both short or a longer, medium-length. The medium length ones fit our longer nail beds perfectly (check out a picture of some neon splatter press-ons on our Instagram!), but the shorter ones are just a bit too short for us. We have also experimented with shaping these nails using a nail file, and it worked out pretty well! Wear time is supposed to be up to a week, but we wore these for a few days with no problem.

To show you some of the short-nail designs, we've borrowed some friends! For this post, Sophie is wearing the Impress Press-ons in In The Spotlight. This look is a orange to yellow gradient, with all over glitter.


Let us know what you think of this look, and whether you would wear these super-easy press-ons!

Matte Faded Floral Yin-Yang Nail Art

Get the look - polishes used include:

China Glaze White on White

(Dark to Light)

Pinks - Essie Bottle Service, Essie Boom Boom Room, Revlon Pink Pineapple

Blues - Essie In The Cab-ana, China Glaze For Audrey, Essie Mint Candy Apple

Purples - O.P.I. Push and Pur-pull, Essie Play Date, Essie Under Where

Greens - China Glaze Starboard, Essie The More the Merrier, Essie Navigate Her

Ciaté Speed Coat Pro
Essie Waltz

Nicole by O.P.I. Matte Top Coat

What do you think of this look? Let us know in the comments if you try it out!

Aqua Gradient and Model's Own Emerald Glitter Accent Nail

For today's NOTD, we had to show you this gorgeous glitter we picked up from Models Own. This is Emerald, and it is the perfect mermaid-y green glitter. The accent nail is three coats and it is possibly the most beautiful thing we've ever seen... Let us know what you think in the comments!

Disclaimer: Some or all of the products mentioned in this post were provided by the company/PR in exchange for our honest review and consideration. All opinions are our own.

Quo by ORLY Coral Contour topped with O.P.I. Desperately Seeking Sequins, Essie Licorice Chevron Accent Nails!

For today's NOTD - we used a bold pink and some glitter to create a super girly mani - then gave it a bit of edge with opposite black chevrons on the ring and pinky fingers. We freehanded these - but you could also use tape if you're a bit wobbly or are in search of the perfect chevron!

What's on your nails today? Let us know in the comments!


Disclaimer: Some or all of the products mentioned in this post were provided by the company/PR in exchange for our honest review and consideration. All opinions are our own.

China Glaze Glitter Up Manicure, over China Glaze Sun of a Peach and First Mate

For today's look, we used China Glaze Glitter Up, from the new Surprise! collection, along with two other China Glaze polishes which matched oddly well - because seriously, we searched all of our polishes for a good match.

We used a small brush to pick the glitters out of the polish and used whatever clear base was still on those glitters to stick them down on the nail, creating this pattern. Overall, it actually only took about an hour and a bit for the whole mani, including letting the base polishes fully dry! What do you think of this look?

Floral nails ft. Peace Heart accent nail!

For today's nails we are in full spring spirit with some easy florals and a peace heart on the accent nail (this is also the Motavator sign - a logo used by youtube guru Bethany Mota)!

Our white base is our go-to China Glaze White on White. We used O.P.I. Sheer Tints in Be Magentale with Me, I Can Teal You Like Me, and Don't Violet Me Down for the base of the flowers. Then we outlined the flowers with Revlon Ginger Melon, Revlon Tropical Rain, and O.P.I. Push and Pur-Pull. We used Revlon Lime Basil for some random leaves!

For the accent nail - we followed the same steps as above, but finished off the look with a white heart outline, and then used a detail brush to drawl the symbol on in Zoya Raven!

We sped up the accent nail for a quick tutorial video which we posted on our instagram and embedded below... Happy polishing - and if you try out this look be sure to tag #knailart so we can check it out!

Lacquer Lust Pearl with a Leopard Accent Nail (Models Own Grape Juice and Essie Licorice)

We purchased Lacquer Lust Pearl from Harlow and Co. after falling in love with Sapphire from their birthstone collection, and had to top off top it of with some Leopard print! Let us know what you think of the look - this polish was definitely a great purchase... If you haven't checked out Lacquer Lust thus far, we definitely recommend it. We also picked up Diamond (a great pair!) which may pop up in some later posts.

The holographic sparkle of this polish is out of control in the sunlight... polish perfection!

Ciaté Pepperminty with Ciaté Pressed Flower on Ring Finger, and Ciaté Locket and Confetti (pictured) on Middle Finger

For today's nails, we've been trying out the Ciaté Flower Manicure kit in Strike a Posy - it comes with a baby pink polish mini, a topcoat (which we love!) and some flowers and tweezers to place them with. More on that kit will be posted soon - but for now we are sharing a look we created using the kit along with some of our other favs from Ciaté! The base colour for this look is Pepperminty, and we used a coat of Locket with two coats of Confetti underneath for a bit of sparkle!

Let us know what you think in the comments, and whether you will be rocking florals to usher in the spring weather!

Disclaimer: Some or all of the products mentioned in this post were provided by the company/PR in exchange for our honest review and consideration. All opinions are our own.