Over the past year I've felt myself maturing in different ways, but one way I know for sure my frontal lobe has fully developed? My need for neutral nails. I used to love my bright, fun colors like green, blue, and purple, or on the other end of the spectrum I loved a black polish but lately I just want something simple. 

I definitely still enjoy a color...but mostly in the pink or peach family, or if it's the colder months I love a brown. However, when I want a true color, especially in the 'in-between months' I'm probably going with red.

The issue I was running into was that all my Olive & June red polishes are too dark, too bright, or have the wrong undertone. None of the polishes were a true, blue red until now.

Olive & June has admitted that they haven't had a blue-red but are not answering for their sins with one of their newer shades 'Secret Recipe' I am still on my low-buy and not indulging in as many nail polish purchases as I usually do, but I needed to restock some of my nail care items so it was a good time to place an order. 

This past fall I got hooked on gel manicures because of their long lasting nature and how shiny & chic they looked. What I didn't love was the cost, sitting in the manicure chair and how I felt entrapped by the color for at least two weeks. I also have realized that I suffer from sensory issues and sometimes the feeling of thick nail polish on fingers sent shivers down my spine.

How could I mitigate the cons and still keep the pros? It was like Olive & June heard my prayers and answered them in quick succession.

Right before Christmas, my favorite nail polish brand released their at home gel manicure system and I don't know the last time I pressed checkout so fast. I bought the full gel system with 6 colors-- all which I have the regular polishes for too which made it easy to choose. 

Last week, Pantone announced their color of the year. It's Mocha Mousse, a swirly brown/beige and when I heard that, I was over the moon. It sounded like the most obvious thing in the world and brought me back to 2015 when the color of the year was Marsala -- that mauvey red shade that was the color on all of our lips thanks to Kylie Jenner.

Brown has been having a moment, which sounds like a ridiculous thing to say but it's true. Everyone is after brown; brown bags, clothes, shoes... 'expensive brunette' was a trendy hair color this year, and it seemingly is the color of 'quiet luxury' so it made sense for 2025. 

A lot of people were unhappy and were saying that it signals a recession but I'm choosing to ignore those people. I'm very excited for all the shades of brown about to come our way, or shall I say continue to come our way. 

I was ahead of the curve because this week my manicure was brown...thanks to Olive & June's holiday collection. Yes, it is December and I should have a red manicure but something about the brown was comforting to me...like a cup of hot chocolate on a cold day. 

 After a long, one and a half month Manicure Monday drought, we are back with a vengeance! Because of my busy 7 weeks, my gel manicure obsession has come to an end. I've given my nails the break they needed after removing the gel manicure myself, before it was meant to come off, and now I'm ready for polish again.

I still haven't bought the Olive & June Gel Manicure System but it's next on my list...however, we're going to be talking about one of their Fall 2024 polishes that I hadn't yet used after I initially placed my order.

After red nails for a month and a half, I was ready for something to truly put me in the fall spirit and the polish of choice was easy. Museum Date from Olive & June's most recent fall collection is so unique and truly one of a kind in my collection and probably a lot of yours too.

 You guessed it -- another Olive & June quick dry review! I can't help myself, I am addicted to this formula. There is nothing like realizing you forgot to paint your nails and need to do it fast, but you don't have enough time to fully dry. Having a variety of Olive & June quick dry polishes has saved me so many times and I'll never give this formula up!

One of the 'always on' non seasonal shades that I picked up a few months back was "Freshwater". It is a newer shade in their line and one that I thought would be a perfect addition to my rotation.

Freshwater is described a 'sheer, pearly white' which makes the name perfect for this all year round color. It's super shiny, a little sheer but still opaque enough to make you feel put together. 

Olive & June Quick Dry formula is such an unexpected winner in my beauty collection. Every time I use one, I'm continually stunned at how well they perform. 

During my shopping spree when I picked up a few summer quick dry shades to add to my ever growing collection, one of the colors I bought was 'Lollipop' because I needed a summer red to bake into the rotation when I wasn't in the mood for a pink or orange.

In my opinion, red nails are a neutral; there is never a bad time for a red nail. They are always chic and especially for summer, they feel incredibly right.

 I'm a sucker for a collaboration, especially when it features one my favorite brands. LoveShackFancy has been killing the collaboration game lately and I've been loving them all, even if I don't indulge in a purchase. 

I saw a few weeks ago that they were coming out with another Sally Hansen collection but this time, with actual polishes instead of press ons. I was immediately intrigued and then like most things nowadays, I completely forgot about it. 

That is until I went to CVS for a few things and saw the polishes front and center in the store. It was fate and I immediately picked the shade Rosy Quartz which is a milky pink with an iridescent sheen. 

 It's been a minute since I did a Manicure Monday post but we're back to business today with a new Olive & June color.

If you follow me on social media (TikTok & Instagram) you would've seen this past December that I did a daily unboxing of the Olive & June Advent Calendar. It was 25 days of nail goodies and it remains one of the best value advent calendars I've seen in the beauty industry. 

In that calendar were a few nail polishes and while some of them were fan favorites, some were exclusive to the set...until now. Olive & June has released one of my favorite colors from the calendar as a standalone polish you can purchase on their website.

Another Monday, another Barbie themed manicure. I truly have not stopped thinking about the Barbie movie and I will not stop thinking about it until it comes on streaming services and I can watch it once a day. That means I also will not stop wearing pink nail polish and I might have to get my hands on the full OPI collection.

When I went to see the movie for the 2nd time last week, I painted my nails with another OPI shade, the 3rd I've tried from the 4 polishes I have. 

Ever since seeing Barbie two weeks ago, I have not stopped thinking about it. I loved the movie so much that I went to see it for a 2nd time this past weekend with my friends. For the past few weeks, I've been rocking Barbie manicures thanks to OPI's collaboration with the movie, and it's been so fun to have pink or pink adjacent nails.

We're continuing the manicure review with the 2nd polish I used from the collection, Best Day Ever, which is a beautiful pink glitter. It reminds me so much of the dance scene from the Barbie movie which is one of my favorites.

Glitter polish isn't my favorite because of how difficult it is to take off but this was a great formula that I really enjoyed.

 "Plaza" is the last polish I have from the Olive & June Holiday 2022 collection that I hadn't tried yet. That changed last week when I used this dark purple polish for the first time.

This gorgeous, deep mulberry shade is perfect for the dreary winter months; it's rich, luxe and you have to remember: purple is the color of royalty. I love the look and feel of this nail color because it gives me the cozy vibes mixed with a rich, cool girl aesthetic. It's the best of both worlds! 

 This holiday season I decided to abandon my Sugarfina advent calendar in favor of something more useful. I've raved time and time again on how I love Olive & June so much so when I saw that they had an advent calendar in stock, on Black Friday, and I got 30% off it was a no brainer.

It took over two weeks for the calendar to arrive and we were nearly halfway through December at that point but I didn't care, I tore into the first few doors and was so surprised at how wonderful the entire calendar was. I mean, Olive & June is an incredible brand but advent calendars are always hit or miss. Not this one!

There were so many mini nail polishes, mini nail tools and even a full package of press on nails. It was the best value, the best price, and the best surprise to wake up to every day leading up to Christmas.

One of the mini nail shades included in the calendar was OJSM, which is named in honor of Olive & June's 3rd manicure studio in Santa Monica, CA. It's a shade I've looked at in the past but never thought to pick up from the website, though I'm not sure why. It's a gorgeous rose gold shade that doesn't necessarily have glitter in it, but more of a metallic finish; it reminds me of Penny Talk from Essie.

 My nail polish saga continues. It seems that no matter what I put on my nails I dislike it. I think I'm just ready for Angora Cardi and my other fall favorites. I wasn't feeling bright colors this summer, probably because I've had so many parties on the weekend that I wanted neutral nails. 

While trying to figure out my nail polish color on a weekly basis I discovered something new, not only in color but in formula and finish. When Olive & June released their Spring 2022 collection, I picked up two shades: You're Invited and The Queen Takes Her Tea with Milk. I immediately fell in love with the purple hue of You're Invited but was hesitant to wear sheer polish, which 'The Queen' shade is.

In the past, I've only ever really responded well to traditional cream finishes and formulas so I was slightly hesitant to try something really outside my comfort zone. I also wasn't sure if I wanted such 'naked' nails. 

As I mentioned in my previous Manicure Monday post I have been having some difficulty finding my groove with summer colors. Usually, by the time spring comes around I am ready for something light and airy but this year I just haven't been into the light-colored polishes. 

It might sound weird to post favorite summer polishes when I have stated that I don't know what colors to wear but I think it actually helped me figure out which colors I'm into nowadays. My entire vibe has been more classic and minimal lately so long gone are the days of bright green and neon pink nails that I used to go for; I'm much happier wearing a neutral nude on my nails all year round, though I did have the distinct desire to paint my nails black last week so we'll see...

I feel like I'm rambling so I'll get to the point; below are some of my favorite colors to wear during the summer months, from Essie to Olive & June, I simply can't get enough! 

Full disclaimer: I've done multiple versions of this post before so some colors are probably repeated, especially the Essie ones but I can't help it, they are classics! 

The theme of Olive & June's Spring 2022 was on-brand with Bridgerton and the entire grand millennial vibe. I have been thoroughly enjoying that aesthetic and I couldn't pass up the chance to add to my collection. 

I am slowly but surely replacing all of my nail polish to be Olive & June because I don't think anything compares to this polish formula. I feel as if it's better than Essie and OPI combined; they are easy to apply, aren't patchy, and don't bleed onto your cuticles. I also think they dry a lot faster and smudge less than other brands. 

 I was really excited for this post until I actually tried the nail polish I'm reviewing and was severely disappointed.

A few weeks ago, I woke up on a Sunday morning ecstatic that Chanel had launched at Ulta Beauty. It wasn't like I couldn't get the products at Sephora or Nordstrom, but I just like having options. That's when I decided to allow myself (because I'm on a low buy) to buy two products, one of them being the vampy Chanel nail polish shade called Rouge Noir.

I thought it was the perfect winter shade: dark, burgundy, and classic. I had tried one Chanel nail polish shade back in the day and I couldn't remember what I thought (I probably should've read my review before buying a new one). Well, the memories have come flooding back.

As mentioned last week, I've been all-in on Olive & June lately! I was going to use this week to paint my nails with another Stoney Clover collab color but I had some other Olive & June shades calling my name,

Back in July, I was shopping at Target when I saw a bunch of Olive & June on clearance. I picked up two beautiful, summery shades for less than $5 and they have been patiently waiting to be used. I figured before I dove into the more neutral SCL shades, I'd give these a whirl! 

This Manicure Monday is a little different in that I want to review the entire manicure, including the base and top coat which is also Olive & June.

Glossy Top Coat

I've been using the OJ Glossy Top Coat for almost a year (I think) at this point and I have to say, I love it. It makes the entire manicure come together and I feel like it kind of fixes any mistakes I might've made with the polish. The manicure just doesn't feel complete until I put the Glossy Top Coat on. It adds a ton of shine but also provides a nice protection layer and I think the manicure definitely lasts longer with this.

I've used this both on Olive & June polishes and other brands, and I think it works the same on all of them. Aside from Essie Gel Setter, which I haven't repurchased since having this topcoat, the OJ one is probably my favorite! 

Nail Strengthener   

I threw this into my cart when purchasing the Stoney Clover collection because I was in desperate need of something to build my nails up. This is another post that is coming but my nails were ruined after my first and only powder gel manicure and I needed something to help restore them. That's what the Olive & June Nail Strengthener is doing. I've used it three times now, once as a clear coat without any polish on top, and then twice with polish on top.

I definitely have noticed a difference in my nails. They aren't as brittle or soft and feel stronger than they did before I started using this polish. Aside from helping build up my nails, I do think it's helping keep the polish on a little longer than usual too so as a base coat, it gets my full approval.

I'm curious to try Olive & June's Ridge Filler and Nail Primer and compare how they stack up against the strengthener. 

Dry Drops

I topped off the polish with the Olive & June dry drops. I haven't been a fan of these in the past because I felt they were a little difficult to squeeze out and very oily. However, I used them anyway and liked them better this time, maybe because I got used to the bottle. They were very oily though but I think if you're a little more precise with application, you won't have a problem.

The drops definitely do help your nails dry faster and I think they're probably better versus other drying drops on the market. 

Now, onto the color, I painted my nails with this week! 

Fierce & Loving is a bright, lilac shade with pink undertones so it looks bright and fresh on the nails. I do think it's a little brighter and louder on the Olive & June website than it is in person but it's still gorgeous. It definitely is a spring and summer shade and reminds me of the Essie shade "Playdate" though I much prefer the OJ formula.

This polish went on very smooth, opaque, and not patchy in the slightest bit. I didn't have to build up the color or go over it a million times to make the color stand out. I've had the polish on for a few days now and it hasn't chipped or smudged. I'm pretty impressed because I'm quite hard on my hands and have been a little clumsy with knocking things over and bumping into things which usually chips my nails. 

I also am a big fan of the color... it's bright & fun without being too neon or overpowering. It almost seems like a neutral purple shade that would look good on anyone. 

All in all, a full Olive & June manicure makes all the difference. I definitely feel myself making the switch from Essie & OPI to exclusively Olive & June. I love the branding, the nail care products, and the colors! The formula is also superb and you can tell the difference versus the traditional drugstore nail brands.

Stay tuned next week for the continuation of the Stoney Clover and Olive & June collab! 

xoxo
B

If you know me IRL or follow me on social media, my love of Stoney Clover Lane knows no bounds. It's a bit of an obsession, sometimes unhealthy but I've always had that kind of personality. I love the things I love, and I love them hard. I cannot help it! 

When I found out that Stoney Clover was doing a collaboration with one of my other favorite brands, and this time in beauty, I was over the moon. Olive & June has great nail polishes, many of which I've used and I've been getting back into over the past few months thanks to purchasing some new shades. I also love the branding and the community that Olive & June built, and that is how both brands are similar. 

The basis of this collaboration was that SCL created three exclusive shades for Olive & June and two different patches of Olive & June nail polish bottles. 

On top of that, you could buy the entire Olive & June mani system & all three polish shades bundled in a Stoney Clover Lane travel pouch with an exclusive "Nail Stuff" patch sewn onto the front.

I have enough SCL pouches and didn't want the entire mani system so I ordered all three individual shades from Olive & June's website. They arrived last week and I waited a few days (my nails have been in bad shape since a gel manicure removal) to use them.

For the past few weeks I've been in a light colored nail polish mood... good thing too since spring started this weekend and I changed my nail polish from dark to light. I've been loving all the pink colors in my collection and one of those is the "Candy Clouds" polish from Lights Lacquer.

I received it back in February with the Birthday Brat collection and have used it twice since. Candy Clouds is described as a creamy, soft baby pink with slightly peach undertones. I think it's a very unique pink and that's probably due to the peach undertone. It's super beautiful! To me, it's the perfect pink.

In my opinion, this formula was a lot better than Strawberry Frosting. It seemed a little easier to work with, a little creamier and applied more evenly. It's a color that makes you happy, that makes you look forward to warm weather and I personally think Candy Clouds is a color that can be worn all year long... it's cool enough for the winter but light enough for spring. It's pretty perfect!

Candy Clouds is currently out of stock but I would guess it'll be back online soon!

xoxo
B

Fall and winter are my favorite seasons for so many reasons so it's not a surprise that these seasons bring my favorite manicure shades. I love a good berry, a burnt orange, or a crispy, autumnal brown. I love dark, almost black reds and purples, or even a light, snowy blue. There's so many beautiful choices year after year so I figured I'd let you in on my favorites. 

At first I was going to make this a more broad overview of my favorite colors, always, but thought that maybe I should narrow it down and discuss the favorites I currently own, have been and will be wearing for the next few weeks/months. 

Essie From A to Zzz

This is From A to Zzz and a Twinkle in Time

Essie A Twinkle in Time

Essie Generation Zen 

NCLA Back to Black

Lights Lacquer Fuzzy Socks