My Top Nine Nail Polishes For Valentine's Day

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, so I’m sharing some of my favourite polishes to wear for this occasion. Pinks, purples, peaches, and reds are the colours that I wear during this time of year. For each polish, I have a review and swatch post that goes into more detail about the shade and formula.

Click the links below for more information.

Eight Valentine's Day Nail Designs

It’s almost Valentine’s Day! What will you be wearing on your nails?

If you are looking for some inspiration, check out the Valentine’s Day nail art designs that I have created over the past few years. I have a post for each design that explains the products that I used and how I created the look. Click on the links below to learn more.

Valentine's Day Nail Art Flashback

In honour of Valentine’s Day, I thought I would share this festive nail look that I created in 2012. It’s fun to look back at these old nail art pictures and reflect on how much Writing Beauty (and my nail painting skills) have evolved over the last four years.

Pretty & Simple Valentine's Day Nail Art

Valentine’s Day 2016 is just around the corner, so I wanted to post some nail art in honour of it.

This nail look is perfect for those who want to look festive for the day without wearing any obvious hearts that may look out of place by February 15.

Lots of Love from GLOSSYBOX

Soon February will end and spring will be just around the corner. Before this month that we all love (or love to hate) passes us by, I wanted to tell you about the February box from GLOSSYBOX so that you have the opportunity to get your hands on it before it’s too late. 

This box is designed to soften even the most jaded of hearts. From innovative, fruit-scented body and hair cleansers to rosy, feminine color cosmetics, this box is a girl’s best friend and a great present (perfect for a belated Valentine’s Day gift). 

Every February box will include a full-sized Yogi Flow Foaming Shower Gel from Rituals Cosmetics, which transforms into a rich, fragrant foam on contact with water. It combines the ancient Ayurvedic ingredients of sweet almond oil and Indian rose, the classic symbol of romance. All subscribers will also receive their future favorite hair product, Unwash Bio-Cleansing Conditioner, which replaces the classic two-step shampoo and conditioning process with a gentle moisturizing and volumizing formula. It also smells divine.

In addition the February GLOSSYBOX comes with three more products. The cost of the box is $21. The company ships to the USA and now ships to Canada as well!

If this limited edition box is something you’re interested in, check it out at http://www.glossybox.com. 

Julep Cupid's Mystery Clutch Review

Lately, I’ve been enjoying the unique polish sets from Julep. Don’t forget that from now until March 31, you can get a free polish with orders over $15 by using the code GETCOLOR. The code can be used twice per person.

Normally, I avoid purchasing anything with “mystery” items since I prefer to know what I’m getting before ordering, but the two glitter polishes and sequin clutch were enough to make me want to find out what else would be included in Julep’s Valentine’s Day mystery box. Not to mention, it was only $24.99 for over $100 worth of products.



When I first saw the polishes, I was pleasantly surprised to see that they were all in shades of pink and purple—my favourite colour categories for nail polishes. I love how they are all in different finishes as well. There are two cream finishes, one shimmer polish, and two confetti glitter top coats.
From left to right, the polishes include Fifi (tea time pink creme), Yuki (snowy heart glitter top coat), Valentina (pink chevron glitter top coat), Joanne (smoky plum creme), and Logan (sultry aubergine shimmer).

So far, I have already used Yuki for my Valentine’s Day Nail Look.



The clutch also came with a Julep Gel Eye Glider in the shade Navy Smoke. I was very excited to receive this shade as I think that navy blue really complements all eye colours. It’s less harsh than black and makes the whites of the eyes look brighter.



The last item is a lip gloss. Earlier this month I received one of these glosses in my February Julep Maven Box. I really like it and have used it every day since. It’s not sticky, it’s long lasting, and it has a nice sweet scent. The colour I received in my Maven Box is a red shade. The one I received in Cupid’s Mystery Clutch is in the shade Posh, a sheer black honey.  Since the shade I already have is similar, I will save Posh for my upcoming Julep giveaway.

Overall, I’m very impressed with this mystery box and will consider purchasing others in the future.
Did you order this Valentine’s Day box? If so, what are your thoughts on it?

*referral links present

Valentine's Day Nails

For this year’s Valentine’s Day nail look, I wanted to add a bit of sparkle.
I began the look with a base of Zoya Odette and then added lighter purple accents with Madam Glam Flirty Mood. To create the stripe of glitter between the two purple shades, I used Julep Nell. I finished off the look by adding white and pink confetti and a white heart on the ring finger using Julep Yuki.
I love this look because it’s festive but still classy. I wouldn’t hesitate to wear this design to work and I’m looking forward to wearing it for Valentine’s Day.
To see my Valentine’s Day nails from last year, click here. To see five other Valentine’s day nail looks, click here.
What will you wear on your nails this Valentine’s Day?

February 2015 Julep Maven + Get a Free Polish (Classic with a Twist Box)

In 2014, I signed up for Julep and took the Maven quiz. I was sorted into the Boho Glam group and got my first box for free by using the code FREEMAVEN at checkout. If you are interested, you can sign up for Julep HERE and get started on your quiz. If you don’t like what is offered in your category, you can opt for another. Even if you’re not interested in the monthly subscription, Julep also sells individual polishes. From now until March 31, you can get a free polish with orders over $15 by using the code GETCOLOR. The code can be used twice per customer. 

What I really like about this service is that you can skip boxes and send boxes to a friend. Since I already have a decent collection of nail polish, I skip a few months here and there. I only opt in for boxes that are truly unique and contain products that are not similar to any in my collection. I also love that sitewide shipping is always free for Mavens, even for those of us in Canada!

For February, I decided to opt in but chose the Classic with a Twist box instead of Boho Glam. I chose one outside of my assigned category because it featured three types of products that I use almost daily—nail polish, lip gloss, and highlighter—in shades that I like.

When I received the box, it was even better than I had expected and contained a lovely free gift from Julep that I was not expecting.

The gift is a full size holographic heart glitter top coat called Hartleigh (pictured above). It has a pink-tinted translucent base with tiny iridescent glitters, white confetti in different sizes, and shiny red hearts. It came in a bright pink mesh bag with a note from Julep that reads, “I snuck a holo glitter top coat in your box…I hope you love it! We put the heart in Heartleigh just for you, Maven. Happy Valentine’s Day!" I thought this sweet addition was a very nice Valentine’s Day surprise from Julep. I’m looking forward to trying it out over different polish shades. 

The other polish in this month’s box is called London, a heather blossom creme. I love cream polishes and shades of purple so this polish helped me decide to opt in in this month.

The February box also came with a lip gloss in the shade Lively. It’s red with a hint of pink. It’s sheer and really complements my pale skin. I love that it’s not sticky at all and it has a sweet caramel scent.





The last item is a Glow Highlighting Powder in the shade Champagne. It may not be evident in the photos but this is a huge compact of powder containing 12 grams of product (for reference, a MAC Mineralize Skinfinish contains 10 grams). I like that it comes in a sleek palette with a mirror. The product is a touch darker than my skin tone so it gives me a glowy, almost bronzy look that’s very pretty.

Overall, I am very impressed with the February 2015 Julep Maven Classic with a Twist box. In fact, it’s my favourite one yet. The retail value of the products is approximately $50 (without the free gift), which is more than double the cost of the box. I’m looking forward to seeing what Julep has in store for March.

What are your thoughts on the February 2015 Julep Maven box?

*referral links present*

Sally Hansen Real Nail Polish Strips in Are You Single? (Review + Photos)

Back on June 22 I made a haul post featuring these nail strips from Sally Hansen. In the post I said that I would likely save the strips for Valentine’s Day because the little leaves in the pink, purple, red, and silver pattern look like hearts.
I wore them to a special dinner a few days after Valentine’s Day. I didn’t have much time to do my nails and couldn’t wait for regular nail polish to dry. Then I remembered that I had these nail strips in Are You Single? and decided to try them out.
The strips were very easy to apply. I only encountered a bit of difficulty with trying to find the perfect size strip to fit my nail. I have very small nails and a lot of the strips were just a tiny bit too big so I had to trim them with scissors. They were easy to cut though and I did not ruin any strips during trimming process.
The best part about this product is that it truly sticks to the nails and lasts for two weeks. I left mine on for 14 days with only minimal chipping on my dominant hand after 8 days. I didn’t have to keep pushing down lifting edges and there were no air bubbles. The strips removed easily with regular nail polish remover.
Overall, I really enjoyed this product and would definitely purchase more if I find them on sale because these strips can be a bit pricey where I live.
Have you tried these nail strips from Sally Hansen? If so, what are your thoughts on them?

February SeasonsBox

Today, I’m very excited to have the opportunity to review the February SeasonsBox.  Unlike the other “deluxe sample” boxes, SeasonsBox sends 3-5 luxurious full sized seasonal must-have products each moth.
Each month’s box is completely different and includes environmentally conscious products for your home, body, and spirit. It’s called a SeasonsBox because each box is tailored to one season or a seasonal holiday. Last month I reviewed the January Box which featured products from Thailand and the United States that evoke feelings of warmth and comfort to banish the winter blues.
This month’s box is Valentine’s Day themed (can you tell from the pretty pink box filling?) and features healthy and eco-conscious products designed to nourish your body, invigorate your taste buds, and relax your mind. The items are to help us honour and love ourselves around this time of year. 
The first item is a box of bamboo cleansing cloths from Kaia Naturals. These cloths are perfect for sensitive skin. They cleanse, tone, and remove makeup with with vitamins, organic honey, sunflower and citrus oils. They are 100% biodegradable as well as sulfate, paraben, alcohol and synthetic fragrance free.

The next items is something that I will get a lot of use out of as I love products that exfoliate the skin. Exfoliating promotes cell turnover and makes the skin look more youthful, so I try to exfoliate the skin on my body at least three times per week. This Bambu Earth Sugar Cookie Body Glow is definitely a product that I want to be using on a weekly basis. It has a delicious scent that I like to describe as vanilla cherry almond. It contains natural ingredients such as mineral rich dead sea salt and coconut oil, and it’s free of synthetic fragrances.

The next item, Dream Organics Rose Water, is also meant to beautify the skin. Each rose water is crafted from the distillation of premium organic Bulgarian rose petals, infused with a rare organic rose essential oil. I’ve been spritzing this on each morning before I apply my moisturizer. It has a light floral scent that is very pleasant and calming. It helps control any redness that I have on my skin around this time of year.

The last item is perfect for a February sweet tooth. Galerie Au Chocolat Bars uses real Belgium chocolates. The chocolate is crafted from natural and certified fair trade ingredients. The flavour that I received is Maple Crunch. It’s truly delicious and a decadent alternative to the standard Valentine’s Day candy that I have been snacking on throughout the month. 


Overall, I continue to be impressed by SeasonsBox. The full sized products are all items that I will use and love, which makes this subscription service more than worth the price.
Subscription rates begin at $29.95 which seems like a lot but, as you can see from the February items, you get what you pay for. I can’t wait to see what SeasonsBox has in store for March!
Did you receive a SeasonsBox this month? What are your thoughts on it?

Five Valentine’s Day Nail Looks

This is a collective post, featuring five of my Valentine’s Day nail looks. I have pictures of each look below and also a video tutorial for each in case you would like to see which products or techniques I used to create the looks.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

1. Romantic Valentine’s Day Nail Look (see full post HERE)

Romantic Valentine’s Day Nail Tutorial

2. Pretty & Simple Valentine’s Day Nail Look (see full post HERE)

Pretty and Simple Valentine’s Day Nail Tutorial

3. Hearts and Polka Dots Valentine’s Day Nail Look (see full post HERE)

Valentine’s Day Nail Tutorial: Hearts & Polka Dots

4. Classic Red and White Valentine’s Day Nail Look (see full post HERE)

Valentine’s Day Nail Tutorial: Classic Red & White

5. Pink and Purple Valentine’s Day Nail Look (see full post HERE)

Valentine’s Day Nail Tutorial: Pink & Purple

Valentine’s Day Nail Look: Purple & Pink

When I create festive nail looks, I often try to come up with designs that honour the holiday, but can also be worn long after. For this Valentine’s Day nail look, I stayed away from traditional hearts, and used dots in shades of pink and purple.

To see how I achieved this look, and which products I used, check out my video tutorial below. There are also more photos of the design below.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Day Cookies & Cream Rice Krispie Squares

With Valentine’s Day less than a week away, I wanted to create a very festive (yet very quick and easy) dessert. The result:  pink white chocolate coated, oreo filled, gooey marshmallowey Rice Krispie squares.

This dessert is a delicious twist on the regular Rice Krispie squares recipe, and it takes less than 30 minutes to make.

Recipe

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
20 Oreo cookies
6 cups mini marshmallows
3/4 cup red chocolate wafers
2 tbsp heart-shaped sprinkles

Directions:
1. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.
2. Chop or break Oreos into small pieces. Pour the cookie pieces into a large bowl and add the Rice Krispies cereal. Stir to combine.
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add marshmallows.
4. Once marshmallows are melted, remove from heat and add in the cookie/cereal mixture. Mix well.
5. Press mixture into the 9x3 inch prepared pan.
6. Melt the red chocolate wafers in the microwave on low heat, stirring every 15 seconds until smooth.
7. Spread the melted chocolate over the Rice Krispie squares. Before the chocolate cools, pour the heart-shaped sprinkles on top.

Valentine’s Day Nail Look: Classic Red & White

This is the first of my 2013 Valentine’s Day Nail designs. I wanted to begin with something quick and easy using classic shades. I have more pictures of the look below and also a video tutorial that shows how I created the design and which products I used.
What will you be wearing on your nails this February 14?
*Note: to make it easier for you to find my nail art posts, I have combined them all on one page which you can access by clicking on the Nail Art tab on my blog’s menu bar.

Valentine’s Day Nail Tutorial: Classic Red & White