Favourite Nail Art 2019

It's officially time for my last blog post of 2019!  I can't believe that it's 2020 tomorrow.  I've already got my blog planner set up and ready for the new year and all the goodies it will bring.  But I'll talk about my plans and reflections from this year in a separate post like I have done in previous years.  It's always good to look back on these things.  Speaking of looking back, today we are taking a look at all of my favourite nail art that I have done in 2019.  It definitely hasn't been a jam packed year for nail art like previous years but I have still done a lot and some pretty good manis if I do say so myself.  Like with every other favourites post of mine these aren't in any particular order because that would be way too hard to do.

Matte nails are something I tend to "forget" about.  No idea how or why because I usually love them!  Like with this mani.  Matte black base with metallic stamping is always a winner in my book.  For this mani I used Pretty Serious Cosmetics Absence (which I mattified using Picture Polish G'day Matte) and stamped using China Glaze I'd Melt For You.  Image is from Dixie Plates Marbled 01.

Again with the matte nails!  To be fair I do love this mani both matte and glossy.  For my base I used Emily de Molly The Dragon King and stamped using Hit The Bottle As Black As Night.  Image is from Maniology BM-XL211 (don't forget you can use my code OLIVIA10 for 10% off your purchase).

Sometimes you have a magical polish that turns a basic mani into something special - like Emily de Molly The Uttermost.  I'm so in love with this mani.  Image is from Lina Nail Art Supplies Mandala 01.

Similar to the previous mani but equally in love with - Emily de Molly Undertones with Lina Nail Art Supplies Mandala 01.

I mentioned in my collections post that I love the Jellyshots Collection from Hit The Bottle and this is one of the reasons.  They look so beautiful in lead lighting manis and this is a mani that I love.  I could have happily worn it for days.

Another love of mine - pastels!  I fell in love with these polishes a couple of years ago from Dance Legend and I still love them today.  They sponge together perfectly too!  Polishes used are Dance Legend 650, 651, 653 and 656 and stamped using Hit The Bottle Snowed In.  Image is from Maniology BM-XL219.

This is another one of those simple manis that are made even better because of gorgeous polishes.  For my base I used Emily de Molly All The Feelings 2.0 over Micro-structure and stamped using Hit The Bottle Snowed In.  Image is from Moyra Colour Book stamping plate.

The best thing to be made by Pretty Serious Cosmetics is definitely the Pastel Pets Collection.  I have loved these since day one and I will continue to love them until their last drop.  Image is from Moyra Nature Stamping Plate.

Another mani using a Moyra stamping plate but this time using the Stained Glass stamping plate.  OMG!  I am still so in love with this mani.  Polishes used are Emily de Molly Bright Retreat and Color Club Just Dew It and Tube Top.

The Moyra Stained Glass stamping plate is definitely a huge favourite of mine.  I love all the manis I have done with it so far.  In fact, I really need to break it out again.  For this mani I used China Glaze I'd Melt For You and filled in the design using all of the Hit The Bottle Jelly Shots Collection (with the exception of the black).

Do you ever look at a stamping plate and get to one of the designs immediately?  This image from Uberchic 28.01 is just that image.  It's awesome and I love the mani I did using it.  For my base I used Emily de Molly Bright Retreat and stamped using Dance Legend Pink Stamping Polish and Powder Perfect's Black Stamping Polish.

I probably could have put Uberchic Collection 28 in my stamping favourites but I didn't and I'm not sure why.  I love this mani!  Pretty Serious Cosmetics Pastel Pets and butterflies is an instant love for me.

You've gotta love when you randomly stumble into a great mani.  This is one of those manis for me.  I randomly grabbed out China Glaze I Sea The Point, I'll Pink To That and Werk It Honey! and stamped using Hit The Bottle Snowed In.  Image is from Uberchic Carnival & Fair Time Mini Stamping Plate.

I really do believe that sometimes the most simple of manis are the best.  Like this one.  For my base I used Lacquistry Amazeballz and stamped using Uberchic Cold Blooded.

This mani was so fun to wear back in September.  Polishes used are Picture Polish Mad Magenta, Swagger, Totes, Chillax and Candy, and stamped using Emily de Molly black creme.  Image is from Uberchic Halloween 05 and mattified using Picture Polish G'day Matte.

This is another one of those manis were the base colour does all the work.  Grace-full Nail Polish Goblin Gold made the perfect base for this leaves image from Uberchic Lovely Leaves 04.

Nautical manis normally scream blue, red and white but because the ropes in this image from Uberchic Nauti But Nice stamping plate are in heart shapes I thought it would be cute with some pink.  For my gradient I used Powder Perfect's Pale Pink Stamping Polish and Dance Legend's Pink Stamping Polish.

I mentioned my love for negative space images in yesterdays post and of course my love for Uberchic's Nice & Negative stamping plate.  I mean look how pretty but simple this mani is!  For my base I used Emily de Molly All The Feelings 2.0 over LE167 and stamped using Powder Perfect's Black Stamping Polish.

Here is another mani I did (and love!) using Uberchic's Nice & Negative Stamping Plate.  Plus it has Pretty Serious Cosmetics Pastel Pets.  I do love how each time I used these polishes I get a different look.

My last favourite nail art mani from 2019 is this one that I did using Uberchic Texture-licious Mini Stamping Polish.  My base is done using Emily de Molly Bright Retreat and dry brushed Orly Glowstick, Beach Cruiser and Skinny Dipping.

Thank you everyone for your ongoing support for my blog during 2019.  I hope that you have enjoyed my posts and found them helpful.  Like always, please feel free to let me know of anything in particular you would like to see on my blog in 2020 and I will try my best to do it.

I hope you all have a happy and safe New Year and I will see you all in 2020.

Favourite Stamping Plates & Polishes 2019

I can't get over how quickly this year has gone.  But as we are nearing the end of the year, we are also nearing the end of my favourites posts for 2019.  This is both a good thing (mainly because I don't have to narrow down any more favourites - but they are great to look back on) and a bad thing (I kinda like doing favourite posts.  They are a little fun to do).  Anyway, today I have rounded up my favourite stamping plates and polishes from 2019.

STAMPING PLATES

This year has seen a limited amount of nail art (mainly due to a lack of time) but I still did get to play with quite a few new (or perhaps new to me) stamping plates which is always fun.  Like with all of my other posts these really aren't in any particular order.

Moyra Nail Stamping

This is a new to me brand for 2019 and I am so impressed with the quality of the plates and the designs.  When I placed my order I really struggled to narrow down which plates to grab.  I ended up grabbing three plates and they are all definite favourites of mine.

Moyra Colour Book Stamping Plate

There are so many different was to use this plate.  It's really like an adult colouring book or you can just leave the designs simple.

Image from Moyra

Moyra Nature Stamping Plate

This plate has some seriously awesome designs.  I love that it does have the nature aspect to it but it's not your traditional leaves and flowers etc.

Image from Moyra

Moyra Stained Glass Stamping Plate

Now I know there are a few stamping plates that have taken on the whole stained glass idea (I don't know who actually started it) but Moyra was the first one I saw and I love it!  I think the designs are gorgeous and they make for some awesome lead lighting manis.

Image from Moyra

Uberchic Beauty

Hands down Uberchic are my favourite stamping plate brand.  They bring out new plates (and other products on a regular basis) that are full of great designs and they are are great quality.  I mean, what more can you ask for?

Uberchic 28.01 Stamping Plate

While the entire plate itself isn't necessarily a favourite there are a few images that I love, love, LOVE!  Like the zig zag with the floral image.  It's so good!  I actually want it back on my nails now.

Image from Uberchic

Uberchic Art Deco Elegance

Last year I had the other two Art Deco plates in my end of year favourites and I couldn't not have the latest edition in this years favourite.  I love the designs on this plate and it makes for some awesome manis.

Image from Uberchic

Uberchic Cold Blooded Stamping Plate

I've been really liking animal print this year.  I don't know why but I am and this plate speaks to me.  The designs are fantastic and it makes from some great manis.

Image from Uberchic

Uberchic Cultural Harmony Stamping Plate

This is another plate that comes as part of a series and I love them all.  I think the images are so cool.  It's one of those plates that I mani ideas just jump out to me.

Image from Uberchic

Uberchic Lovely Leaves 04 Stamping Plate

There are some really stunning images on this plate!  It's a plate that as soon as I saw it I was excited to start playing.  I have also seen a lot of amazing manis done using this plate.

Image from Uberchic

Uberchic Nice & Negative Stamping Plate

Negative space images are definitely one of my favourite types of images to use so if you put them all on the same plate it's instant love for me.

Image from Uberchic

Uberchic Warm Blooded Stamping Plate

I love that Uberchic provided us with both a cold blooded and warm blooded stamping plate options.  I can't decide which of the plates that I like better so both are going into my favourites.

Image from Uberchic

STAMPING POLISHES

Hands down my favourite stamping polish brand is Hit The Bottle.  Not only does she have a HUGE range of colours and finishes but they stamp beautifully each and every time.  I also discovered Moyra Foil Stamping Polish which I still need some practice with but one day I will master foils.

Hit The Bottle I Like To Mauve It, Mauve It

Hit The Bottle Magenta At Your Own Risk 

Hit The Bottle Start The Day With Bubbly

Moyra Silver Foil Stamping Polish

As I mentioned early, I am far from perfect with using foils but the stamping polish itself is awesome.  I definitely need to play with these and foils some more.  It's something that I would love to master.  If you have any magic tricks to help me then let me know.  I need all the help I can get.
      

That brings me to the end of today's post.  You now know what I have been loving this year in terms of polish collections, indie and mainstream polishes, and now all things stamping.  Tomorrow brings my final blog post for 2019 - my favourite nail art.  This is another tough lot of favourites to narrow down.  Wish me luck!

 

Favourite Indie Polishes 2019

Today's post is easily the hardest blog post for me to write every year.  Well actually, writing the post itself isn't hard, it's the narrowing down all the polishes to a respectable number.  While I try my hardest to narrow these polishes down to twenty I simple just couldn't do it.  It took me two days and lots of going back and forth between polishes to get narrow it down to twenty five polishes.  I did start with seventy five so I think I have done exceptionally well.  Now keep in mind when looking at this post that any of the polishes in my Favourite Collections post will not be found in here.  If I included those I would seriously never get this post done this year.  As usual these polishes aren't in any particular order.  So without further ado - here are my top twenty five indie polishes from 2019.

EMILY DE MOLLY
If I absolutely had to pick only one brand favourite for the whole entire year I would have to say Emily de Molly.  This probably doesn't come as a surprise especially if you have seen my favourite collections post for this year.   It is made up of mainly Emily de Molly....and so is this post.   That and Grace-full Nail Polish which you will see in a minute.  Emily de Molly once again this year had more individual polishes than any other brand and I had the hardest time cutting them down.  It was kinda like picking your favourite children - which in this case I was forced to do.  I had to cut soooooo many amazing polishes.  Anyway, let's look at what I ended up picking.

All The Feelings 2.0.  This was one of the only polishes I knew that absolutely had to be in my favourites for the year.  I fell in love with the original version and the 2.0 version is equally amazing (and they look awesome together too).  It looks so good over soooooo many bases.   I also have a back up bottle now.   My swatch is over black.

City Of Lights.  You'll probably start to see a little trend happen in this post.  It is full of shifty polishes - like this one!  I'm obsessed with the aurora shimmer.  It looks so different in different lights and angles.  You can never get bored with it.

Crime Of Passion.  This baby was released in September and it's just one of those polishes that I fell in love with as soon as I saw it.  It also keeps catching my attention when I open up my polish drawers.

Dead Or Alive was released as part of the Halloween trio and it is hands down my favourite of the three.  I also picked this as my favourite over Cute As A Button (which is also another favourite polish of mine but it didn't make my top twenty five this year).

Late Night Blooms.  I remember receiving this polish in the mail back in August and obsessing over it before I put in on my nails.  It didn't disappoint.  In fact, I'm still obsessed with it now.

LE130 was actually released on Boxing Day in 2018 but I didn't swatch it until January this year which is why I am including in here.  I would have to say that LE130 is probably one of my all time favourite polishes that Hayley has ever released!

Lines We Cross is one of the new release polishes but that doesn't stop it from being a favourite of mine.  I love the colours when its hot and cold - or when it's in between the two states.  It's just so pretty!

Out Cold is another polish from the May release (which like the September releases could have made it into my Favourite Collections post).  The formula is amazing and OMG!  Look at that colour!

Riot Of Shadows was another polish released in September.  I could nearly put the whole September release in my favourite collections post but I didn't so here we are.  Riot Of Shadows is such a pretty and unique shade.  Love it!

Speculation was released back in May and I fell in love.  The formula is amazing, and so is the colour.  It even makes for great mermaid nails.

The Morning Light is a stunning colour and super sparkly!  Plus it has aurora shimmer in it.  Love, love, love it!

The Outsider is nothing short of amazing!  This is another one of those polishes that I drooled over when I first laid eyes on it.  It's amazing in the bottle and on the nails, and it's a standout in my polish drawers as well.

Well Suited is the last (and certainly not least) of my favourite Emily de Molly's for this year.  I love the base colour and the shimmer in this one is stunning!

GRACE-FULL NAIL POLISH
My beloved Grace-full.  They release favourites of mine time and time again but man they make it so hard for my to narrow down favourites!  But I did it (again!) I have managed to narrow it down to my top twelve polishes.  Theresa did suggest that I do a top twenty favourites for both Emily de Molly and Grace-full (because I really was struggling to narrow my picks down) but I thought it was cheating too much so top twelve Grace-full's it is.

Christmas At Hogwarts.  It's funny how I mentioned that I love shifty polishes earlier and then kick of with a ultra chameleon flakie.  Theresa makes some of the best flakie polishes and Christmas At Hogwarts is amazing!  It's sooooo shifty and beautiful.

Magic Of Hogwarts.  Another amazing (and coincidentally another Hogwarts based polish) that I love!

Mount Wellington was released as part of the Polish Pick Up back in June (June was a great month!).  Again, this is another one of those shifty polishes that I am head over heels for.  It's so good!

Mrs Arrow was made for the Hella Handmade Creations back in June and OMG!  So much love for this polish.  The colour, the flakes - so much love!

O Dumbledore, My Dumbledore is such a magical polish!  First coat it goes on purple and then it changes to blue on the second coat.  How cool is that?  Not only is it a great base colour but the shimmer is also amazing.

Silver Sparkler is super sparkly and just start amazing!  I don't think I need to say anything else about this one.

Stan's Wheels is yet another Harry Potter related polish that I love.  I am a huge purple fan and this one is stunning!

Starfire is another polish that was released as part of the Hella Handmade Creations but this one was released back in May.  While this one is described as being a red/pink I say it's pink and absolutely gorgeous.  It's such a rich colour that looks great both in and out of direct sunlight.

Toil & Trouble.  If you saw the post for this then you will know that I fell completely in love with the original version of this polish but Theresa wasn't happy with the formula so scrapped it.  I was shattered when she first told me that but then I saw this version and I love it just as much as the original.

Yuletide Ball.  Have I mentioned that Theresa does great flakie polishes?  I love the colour of this one.  It does also have a shift to it that I couldn't quite capture on camera but if you own this polish then you will know what I am talking about.

Pinkmas was a polish that wasn't actually released.  This polish was a stunning gift for me and I love it so much that there was no way it was not going to be included in my top picks for 2019.

True Joy is perfectly named because this polish really is true joy.  Like with Pinkmas this polish wasn't actually released and was in fact a gift from Theresa to me and it needed to be in this favourites post.

It was actually really interesting to me grabbing out ALL of my indie favourites this year.  I feel like previously there was a mixed bag of stuff where this year there is a bit more of a theme.  I definitely seem to gravitate towards polishes that have a shift to them whether its with a chameleon flake or an aurora shimmer I just love it.

Only two more favourites posts to go.  Woohoo!  Tomorrow it's a bit of a double post (it's stamping plates and stamping polishes) and then my final post for 2019 will be my favourite nail art from the year.

What indie polishes and brands have you loved this year?