So Pretty...

This is a busy week for me, so I am slacking on my blogging duty.  However, I received an email from NARS introducing their latest Night Series Gift Sets, and wow.  I am in love.  I have to share the deets on this, because really...they're just so fab.

Enjoy some mid-week pretty:

For Fall 2011, NARS launches an Eyeshadow Palette and new Nail Polishes that build on the success of the iconic “Night Series” eyeshadows.

EYESHADOW PALETTE

The must-have, limited-edition eyeshadow palette, for the first time, houses six iconic shades used to perfect the sophisticated smoky eye. Wear them alone, layered to create depth, or wet for a high-impact effect.

Shades Included in Palette:

· Night Breed – black with silver glitter

· Night Star – sheer peach with gold pearls

· Night Rider – soft plum with silver glitter

· Night Porter – black with green pearls

· Night Flight – black with cobalt blue pearls

· Night Clubbing – black with gold pearls

Price: $55

NAIL POLISH COLLECTION

NARS created four of the quintessential “Night Series” shades for nails, for the first time. The silvery-plum to black-as-night, each decadent shade creates a statement-making look.

Shades Include:

· Night Breed – black with silver glitter

· Night Rider – soft plum with silver glitter

· Night Porter – black with green pearls

· Night Flight – black with cobalt blue pearls

Price: $17 each

All items available: narscosmetics.com

Ready for the Fall?

I know, I know...it's still summer.  True, but back-to-school sales are everywhere, the days are getting a little shorter, and all this means one thing: fall is on it's way.  Yay!  Fall's my favorite season, so I'm a happy girl.

China Glaze is offering a lovely line for this fall, their Metro collection.  Check out the goods and see what they have to say about this urban-inspired line: 

City living boasts excitement, a cool, edginess and confidence that oozes from fashion forward women like none other. City loving celebs like Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Ivanka Trump, Rosario Dawson and Jaime King have style to spare and their fashion sense trickles down to everyone from working women to college kids. This Fall, China Glaze has captured the big city feel in 12 sexy, sophisticated shades that are on trend, exciting and will be on every fashion maven’s “must have” list. Whether you prefer downtown funk or uptown class, China Glaze’s METRO collection pulls together ensembles and will undoubtedly make heads turn! Colors in this collection include:

• Skyscraper: A sparkling, glitter blue reminiscent of the sky over the city.
• CG in the City: Glittering dusty purple, bronze and silver multi-tonal glitter, perfect for a pop of edge from West side to East side.
• Urban-Night: Exactly what you need for a night on the town – rich purple crème.
• Traffic Jam: Stop traffic with a breathtaking, raspberry pink crème.
• City Siren: The perfect deep, red crème to match any outfit.
• Loft-y Ambitions: Burgundy shimmer and cocktail hour – nothing better.
• Brownstone: Burnt terracotta crème mirrors the quaint townhouses of the city.
• Midtown Magic: Burgundy base with flecks of gold shimmer captures the latest fashion trend.
• Street Chic: This gorgeous beige crème is the perfect go to shade letting your clothes do the talking.
• Concrete Catwalk: Steel grey crème is amazing for a chic mani.
• Westside Warrior: For the trendsetting woman this camo green crème is to die for.
• Trendsetter: Mustard yellow shimmer translates beautifully from hot dogs to nails.

China Glaze is free of DBP, toluene, and added formaldehyde.

My favorites from this? Hard to pick, but my top three are:

Concrete Catwalk

Urban Night

Midtown Magic

Yup, with these shades, I welcome the Fall!

Revlon Crazy Shine Nail Buffer

My natural nails, sans polish, are so dull that I'm kind of embarassed to go without polish. So when I saw Revlon's new Crazy Shine Nail Buffer at my local CVS, I snatched it up. And, let me tell you...the name is accurate. Crazy accurate, in fact. My iPhone photo above doesn't do the shine justice.

The double sided buffer smoothes and evens out the nail surface - creating an outrageous, mirror-like finish. The tool promises to create 400% more shine than bare nails. To be honest, I couldn't tell you the difference between a 100% and 400% increase in shine, but I will say that it looks like I'm wearing a clear topcoat on my nails. And this was achieved in about three minutes (all 10 nails) - no drying time necessary. What I also love is that you can use the white side on polished nails - to restore shine when your mani is looking a lil murky.

Revlon Crazy Shine Nail Buffer retails for $3.99 - but right now it's on sale at CVS for $2.99.

Kardashian Kolors: Nicole by OPI’s Holiday 2011 Collection

Photo credit: OPI/Michael Simon

Nicole by OPI is teaming up with the Kardashian/Jenner family for Kardashian Kolors, a collection of 14 new nail lacquer shades inspired by these six small screen stars. Kris Jenner and her five daughters – Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian and Kylie and Kendall Jenner – are known for their head-to-toe unique style, which now includes nails.

"We are so excited to work with everyone’s favorite TV family – the Kardashians – to share a diverse collection of fashion-forward shades," said Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Nicole by OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. "With lacquers ranging from high-shine and sparkly hues to neutral taupe and pinkish coral, Kardashian Kolors offers the perfect accessory for every woman – from teens to moms and everyone in between."



Kardashian Kolors includes:

 

 

 It's All About the Glam

Shimmering-white glitz for the glamorous gal!

Kim-pletely in Love

Finally! The pink of her dreams has arrived.

All Kendall-ed Up

Powder your nose and get some pink on those toes!

Wear Something Spar-Kylie

Glitter-ly the prettiest pink ever!

Sealed with a Kris

Handle with care: This klassy red is top-of-the-line!

Rainbow in the S-Kylie

Girls just wanna have…glitter in every color!

Disco Dolls

Glittery gold glam gone wild!

Kendall on the Katwalk

A head-turning blue-green with a "sparkling" personality!

Listen to your Momager!

If you don't, you’ll never see this fabulous blue again!

Follow Me on Glitter

A glittery deep gray that always has something to say!

My Empire...My Rules

This take-charge taupe is always on-trend.

Khloé Had a Little Lam-Lam

A deep dark emerald worth falling for.

Hard Kourt Fashionista

This delicious deep brown is the chicest hue in town!

Kourt is Red-y for a Pedi

And this captivating coral looks "fab" on everyone!

At the Kardashian Kolors launch on July 11 in NYC, Khloe and Kourtney showed off their signature shades: Khloé Had a Little Lam-Lam and Kourt is Red-y for a Pedi (photo above).

Kardashian Kolors will be available Holiday 2011 for $7.99 each.

I'm digging Wear Something Spar-Kylie, Listen to your Momager!, Follow Me on Glitter, My Empire...My Rules, and Khloé Had a Little Lam-Lam. Which Kardashian Kolors will you be keeping up with this fall? Tell me in the comments...

OPI Shorts Story

Peep my polish. It's OPI Shorts Story. I have my friend/co-worker, Alyssa, to thank for this discovery. She's been wearing it for the past week and after she caught me coveting her pedi like a thousand times, she benevolently bought me a bottle. This lovely lacquer is a bright, blue based pink that covers perfectly with 2 coats. It's the perfect summer shade for me, as it pops against my tan skin - without looking garish. Though I don't work in a corporate environment that frowns on trendy nail colors, I imagine that this would be a great shade for girls who wanna have fun with their manicures, but also need to look business class-y (provided that you keep your nails short).

Beauty to Go: Nailed!

I never pay for a manicure.  I've very hard on my fingernails and I don't want to waste the time/money on getting a professional manicure that will only last a few hours (trust me on this: the only time I got a manicure, I managed to break a nail AND chip my paint by the end of the day...not cool).  No...instead of throwing away good money on a salon paint job for my fingers, I do my own manis...usually every Sunday.

Now that Summer is here, my nail color choices have brightened up a bit.  In the colder months, I love a nice, dark set of nails, but Summer means color, lightness, and fun.  Regardless of the season, the one task I hate more than breaking a nail is removing nail polish.  I seem to go through a ton of cotton balls, the nail polish remover stinks, and it seems like an entirely messy and tedious process.

I recently received some new acetone free nail polish remover pads from LA Fresh, and I have to say: they make removing polish a little less awful.  One pad was all it took to remove all the layers of color and top coat from all ten of my nails--so much less messy and wasteful than my traditional cotton ball and bottle of remove routine.  Plus they didn't smell as bad as the normal junk I use--instead they have a nicer orange scent.  As a bonus, the remover actually helps provide moisture and conditioning to the nails--something my poor fingertips surely needed.

What I also like is that the nail polish remover pads are super portable.  Each pad is individually wrapped so you can throw one in your purse, your gym bag, or suitcase much more easily than a bottle of nail polish remover and a bag of cotton balls!

LA Fresh Eco-Beauty Acetone Free Nail Polish Remover Pads will set you back $5 for a pack of 8 pads or $10 for 18 and are available online.

Happy Independence Day!

All the women who are independent, throw your hands up at me!

Happy Independence Day, dolls! I hope that you are enjoying a fun and relaxing holiday. If you're just chilling at home and looking for something festive to do, might I suggest that you try out this 4th of July Splatter Manicure I spotted on Clumps of Mascara?

Have a great one! See you back here tomorrow!

Peep My Polish: OPI Austin-tatious Turquoise

Peep my polish. It's OPI Austin-tatious Turquoise from the Texas Collection. This photo was taken on Sunday, as the polish was drying. Craziest thing is that it's now Friday and my mani looks EXACTLY the same. Not a chip, smudge or imperfection in sight - which is extremely rare for me. I'm kind of rough on my nails and I do dishes like it's my J-O-B, so I'm lucky if a manicure survives two days without a ding.

I did this manicure myself, so I'm feeling pretty proud of my paint job. I think the recipe is why it's held up so well. Here's are the deets:

1) Apply Zoya Get Even Ridge Filling Base Coat.
2) Apply Zoya Anchor Base Coat.
3) Apply two or three coats of OPI Austin-tatious Turquoise - it goes on very sheer, so layer to achieve desired opacity.
4) Apply Zoya Armor Top Coat. You're supposed to re-apply every two days for "for extended color wear" - but to be honest, I didn't and my manicure still looks perfect.

What shade are you currently rocking? I'm always looking for my next nail polish color - so share in the comments section below!

Summer Trends: Coral

Summer is supposedly just around the corner.  Here in Seattle, it seems like warm weather is NEVER going to get here, but I know that soon enough it will heat up to the point where I can bust out the short sleeves!  Summer's the time to lighten up when it comes to makeup, but it's also a time to embrace fun, lively colors.

This year, one big color trend is coral.  Coral's great because it gives a pop of color and looks great on almost everyone.  If you want to incorporate coral into your summer makeup bag, here are a few awesome options:

For your cheeks: Cargo BeachBlush in Coral Beach.  This product is great because it combines blush with bronzer.  It will give your face a soft, radiant glow and a nice depth of color.  It's a nice option for faking your tan and having some color on your cheeks.  Available at Ulta for $28.

For your lips: fresh Sugar Lip Gloss in Sugar Glory.  fresh lip gloss is light and lovely.  This shimmery coral feels natural, not sticky.  The color is subtle but flattering--perfect for your daytime look. Plus it contains SPF 15.  Available at Sephora for $18.

For your nails: Sephora by OPI in Let's Do Lunch.  This nail color is warm and wearable.  It's not the most exciting color in the world, but it's great for everyday.  It's especially lovely on darker skin tones and is worth checking out.  If you're looking for a more pink-hued coral, check Sephora by OPI in How Cute is That?  The name says it all!  Both are available at Sephora for $9.50.

Hot or Not: Python Pedicure

I was flipping through the latest issue of Vogue, and they highlighted a new "trend": a python pedicure.  (Head over to the Vogue website to read the article for yourself.)  The insanely expensive pedi (it's $300!) involves using real snakeskin applied directly to the nails.  The result: serpentine-patterned nails that don't come from a decal.

According to the article, the nail artist uses the skin that is naturally shed from a python.  This has me feeling very relieved.  The thought of having to slaughter a poor snake so some wealthy trendjumper can have fancy nails bothered me.  But since the skin is shed naturally, the python is more like a renewable beauty resource.

So, as for the actual look: python printed nail...do you love it or loathe it?  At first I wasn't impressed, but the more I look at it, the more the python pedi is growing on me.  I don't think I'd do it (I have plenty of other things to spend $300 on!), but it's kind of interesting.  I like animal prints in general, so this is a natural extension.

Since no snakes are hurt in the creation of this, I give the python pedicure a nod of approval.  If you've got money to burn, go for it!  What do you think?

Nude Attitude: Zoya Touch Collection

I’m a buff nail buff, for many reasons. First, like a pair of nude pumps, nude nails elongate and slims the fingers. And if you’re prone to chips, they’re less obvious than if you’re wearing a more pigmented polish. But one issue I have with most nudes is their transparency. It irks me to no end when I have to paint on layer after layer to achieve an opaque finish. Usually, the finished product ends up looking thick, if you know what I mean. Or all of those layers take eons to dry which increases, tenfold, the probability of me smudging my polish.

Either this is a common dilemma or my friends at Zoya somehow read my mind – because they just launched a collection of full-coverage nude polishes designed to coordinate with every skin tone based on yellow, red or blue undertones and kissed with a hint of metallic to make them ultra wearable.

The Touch Collection includes:

Minka - latte beige cream with a metallic kiss
Shay - desert rose sand beige cream with a metallic kiss
Pandora - mauve beige cream with a metallic kiss (I'm wearing a Pandora pedi right this sec)

 
Like Zoya’s other 300 shades, the Touch Collection polishes are also formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and camphor free, and vegan-friendly.

The polishes can be purchased separately for $8 or as a trio for $24 at zoya.com.

*Samples were provided by the brand for review.

Uh-oh!

I spent some time on Sunday cleaning out some boxes in my bedroom.  From those boxes, I found zillions of beauty products.  I threw all the nail polishes I came across into a basket.  Sadly, this isn't my entire stash. I have two problems: 1) I have too much junk.  2) I'm not as organized as I should be.

Sigh.

Oh, and this a version of this blog entry might post twice because Blogger's mobile blogging is acting strange.  Damn technology.

Milani Nail Lacquer in Diamond Dazzle

This pic is proof that pretty polish needn't break the bank. My co-worker, Alyssa, is sporting Milani Nail Lacquer in Diamond Dazzle ($3.50). Above is two coats of the polish and below is Diamond Dazzle paired with OPI's Black Shatter.

Hot or Not: Shattered/Crackled Nails

There's a nail trend that I've been seeing for months: the shattered look.  When I was flipping through the latest batch of beauty mags, there they were, right in my face and completely unavoidable: shattered nails in the current OPI Pirates of the Caribbean line. 

Let's take a look at the line.  It features six new shades inspired by this summer's version of the Pirates franchise: Skull & Glossbones, Steady as She Rose, Sparrow Me the Drama, Planks a Lot, Stranger Tides, and Mermaid's Tears (see below; the color on the left end is the Silver Shatter...keep reading!).

You can wear the lacquers alone, or you can do what OPI suggests and go one step further: break out a bottle of OPI's Silver Shatter and apply one coat of it over your dry, freshly painted nails. The results?  Multi-dimensional nails; cracks of color that show underneath a shattered silver layer.

Like I said, this trend has been picking up steam over the months. Different salons and nail companies offer various techniques and products to get this look, but you get the idea from OPI's latest offerings.

Here's my question for you: what's your take on the crackled look?  Is it a hit or a miss?

Here are my two cents on the matter:

• For me, I personally don't like this look.  I prefer a neater, more polished look.  It's interesting, yes, but nothing I'd want to wear.
• This nail technique reminds me so much of faux finishes used on furniture in old home improvement/decorating TV shows from the 90s.  Somewhere Christopher Lowell is loving this nail trend.  (Don't know who I'm talking about?  Click here!)
• I am not loving the new Pirates of the Caribbean nail line from OPI.  There wasn't a single color I was excited about, but maybe I'm just jaded.  I'm not a huge Pirates fan (I find the movies stupid and--worse--boring!), so a beauty tie-in doesn't ring my chimes.

Would you wear crackled/shattered nails?  Leave me a comment!

Beauty Product of the Week: Diamond Strength

What is it? Sally Hansen's Diamond Strength Nail Hardener "Virtually ends splitting, cracking and peeling. Noticeably harder, stronger nails instantly. Grow healthy-looking nails in 5-7 days. Titanium and Micro-Diamond formula instantly bonds to strengthen and seal fragile nail layers with a virtually shatterproof, protective shield. Locks in moisture to nourish and help stop breaking so nails can grow."  Available at drugstores and big box stores for less than $7.00.


What did you think? I live in the Seattle area, a place not known for sun and warmth.  Even with Seattle's reputation for rain and gray days, this year has been especially cool and awful.  We haven't had a long stretch of warm-ish days since 2010, and because of this, the heat has been on in my house all year.  Forced, artificially warm air tends to be drying, and for some reason, my nails have taken the brunt of the dry air damage.  Since the winter, my nails have been peeling and fragile, despite the fact that I take my calcium daily like a good little girl.

One particularly bad nail day, I rushed over to my local Rite Aid to pick up a bottle of GNC's Nail, Hair and Skin, and decided to check out the nail product aisle.  Everything was on sale (nice!), and I grabbed a bottle of Diamond Strength to give even more aid to my terrible nails.

The clear polish goes on super easily.  It's not too thick, not too runny.  And it dries very fast (perfect if you're like me and don't have all day to let your nails dry).  My nails improved quickly--in a few days, I noticed less splitting.  In a week, there was more growth.  After 10 days, my nails look long, strong, and a million times better than they did when I bought the bottle.

The only negatives are: 1) a slightly strong, off-putting smell (but that's nail polish for you!) and 2) some bubbling when I used a nail polish over this.  Not sure if I did something wrong (which is probably the case), but the bubbles were annoying.

Final verdict? Nice product, well worth the price.  My nails were a disaster, and after a week of using this, they looked so much better. Sally Hansen's nail products are affordable, easy to located, and actually do what they say they will.  What more could you want?

Kardashian Kollection for OPI?

A few days ago, Kim Kardashian tweeted:

"Were shooting our ad campaign today 4 our new GLAM line of nail polish for Nicole by OPI. You guys are gonna faint when u see our new polish"

By we, I'm assuming Kim is referring to her partners in krime: Khloe and Kourtney.

No release date has been set for the Kardashian nail collection, but I'm excited. OPI is one of my favorite polish brands, and they never cease to impress me. I mean, I initially scoffed at the The One Less Lonely Girl (Justin Bieber) collection  - but immediately changed my (pun intended) tune once I saw the shades in person and tested them out (I'm sporting a "Baby" Blue pedicure right now).

So tell me, will you be keeping an eye out for the Kardashian polishes?

Nails: Chanel Mimosa

Yellow is probably the color least-worn on my nails. My opinion has always been:"Yellow and nails just don't mix".

Until I saw this color by Chanel and caved.



Spending $25 on a nail polish is usually a practice I reserve for the crazies (you know you're reading this...), but I've been known to lose my mind from time to time.

Mimosa by Chanel is a lemon-yellow with a golden frost to it. The frost isn't too intense though. From a distance, you wouldn't even notice it. I'm not too crazy about the formula. Of course, two coats is the way to go. However, with two THICK coats, it still looked a bit streaky in spots and the whites of my nails still show through a bit.

Overall, if you have a little patience with the formula, it's a fun and unexpected twist on nail color for Spring!

Peep My Polish: Ginger + Liz Swagger

This week, I'm rocking Swagger by Ginger + Liz, a "soft, sexy metallic with rose gold undertones."

The formula is pigmented as all get-out, so it only took two coats to achieve this gilded gorge-osity. And it's so hot, every time I peep my own polish, this starts playing in my head:

No one on the corner have swagger like us

Swagger like us, swagger swagger like us...

 

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips

If you’ve perused the beauty aisle at your local drugstore, you’ve likely spied the new Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips from Sally Hansen. As a big fan of their Nail Art Pens that launched a few years back, I expected to love these. But after trying them, I have to admit that my feelings were a lukewarm like.

Like a moth to a flame, I’m inexplicably drawn to anything leopard print – so it’s a no-brainer that I chose to outfit my nails in the Kitty, Kitty style. Following the instructions, I affixed the stickers to each nail and became very frustrated with the fit. It was a Goldilocks kind of situation – the strips were either too narrow or too wide for my nail bed. And when I tried to stretch the sticker for a perfect fit (the directions suggests doing this), the sticker ripped several times.

Peep my polish. The finished results look pretty damn impressive in the photo. But close up, it’s actually kind of messy…Cher Horowitz might characterize my mani as a “full-on Monet.” On some of my fingers, parts of my nail are clearly visible. And on others, the design overlaps my cuticle and the skin on the sides of my nails. Granted, I don’t think anyone will be scrutinizing my hands with a critical eye. But, to me, it doesn’t matter if others notice the minor imperfections...what matters most is that I do.

My friend, Alyssa, had a better experience than me (see above), though she did have some of the same complaints - namely that the strips don't apply as smoothly as she had hoped. However, she praised the product's staying power. Her mani lasted for about a week and might have worn longer, had it not been for an unfortunate run-in with an errant Ped Egg. 

Maybe I’m too much of a perfectionist or perhaps my application technique could use some practice. Bottom line: when it comes to my manicure, it better be wow-worthy. Otherwise, I’d rather sport nekkid nails.

If you’re looking for a quick, DIY alternative to the Minx mani, the Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips are a decent bet. I’d recommend the High-Fashion Designs (Wild Child, Kitty Kitty, Fly With Me, Girl Flower, Misbehaved, Laced Up, Booty Camp and Collide-o-Scope, Cut it Out, Check it Out , Skinny Jeans) and High-Shine Metallics (Frock Star, Bling it On, Glitz Bitz, Raise a Glass, Blue Ice) over the Shiny Neons (Cry Baby, It Girl, Violet Night, Teal With It, Groove, Electric Shock, Squeezed!, Red-y for Trouble) because I’ve heard the neons really exaggerate nail imperfections and the result doesn’t look as - pun intended - polished.

But at $10 a box, I’d rather spend two more bucks and indulge in a professional manicure at my local nail salon.

OPI Texas Collection

For its Spring/Summer 2011, OPI comes "home" to the USA with timeless style in the Texas Collection. "Texas provided the inspiration for this season, with bright colors and classic neutrals that draw from the American spirit,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. "Taking cues from the state's naturally beautiful backdrop, the Texas Collection features warm tones from honey and tangerine to dazzling hues of violet and sky blue."

The Texas Collection includes:

San Tan-tonio

A "honey" of a ten-gallon tan!

Suzi Loves Cowboys

But she loves this campfire chocolate shade s’more!

It's Totally Fort Worth It

A shimmery lavender grey that’s so worthy of you

Don't Mess with OPI

A lean, mean, kick-grass forest green

Austin-tatious Turquoise

Cowgirls love this bodacious blue-green.

I Vant to Be A-Lone Star

You won't want to share this starry Texas-sky blue.

Y'all Come Back Ya Hear?

This Texas tangerine will be waitin' for ya!

Big Hair...Big Nails

A rosy pageant peach

Guy Meets Gal-veston

An "engaging" coastal coral

Too Hot Pink to Hold 'Em

A red-hot pink-red that deals a winning hand

Do You Think I'm Tex-y?

A "berry" sexy bloom of Dallas dahlia

Houston We Have a Purple

A galactic red-violet that's ready to "rocket roll"!

My friend/co-worker/hand model, Angela, is rocking I Vant To Be A-Lone Star, my current favorite shade of the collection. But all of the colors are so gorge, I'm sure I'll have a new pet polish next week.



Six of the shades (Guy Meets Gal-veston, Ya'll Come Back Ya Hear?, Too Hot Pink to Hold 'Em, Big Hair...Big Nails, Do You Think I'm Tex-y? and Houston We Have a Purple) have a semi-transparent finish that OPI is calling sorbet. "These sorbet-style formulas for nails will be in full swing by 2012, but women can get a jump start on this trend with colors in the Texas Collection," says Weiss-Fischmann. "Unlike thicker creams or light sheers, these twelve shades are slightly translucent - similar to the look of icy, water-based sorbet!"

Watch the video below to learn how to apply the sorbet formula and to see the finished result!

 
*Samples were provided by the brand for review.