Recently in Nails Category

Many nail colors have been launched for the Summer season, and while we love the bright neons and (surprising) blue and purple hues, we couldn't help but fall in love with the new Essie Summer 2009 Collection. We imagine our tips and toes will be quite happy in these shades of pinks and corals...

Chubby Cheeks - sophisticated sunset coral

Cute As a Button - bright, vibrant persimmon

Funny Face - sexy, punchy fuchsia

Lovie Dovie - perfect pink flamingo

Luscious Lips - sheer, soft light pink

Not Just A Pretty Face - naturally pale nude

 

Essie Summer Collection 2009, from $8, essie.com

 

Busy schedules sometimes interfere with our manicure time, so when we have to stretch one out beyond the usual 5-7 days, we reach for Orly Glosser High Shine Topcoat to help us keep that "just polished" look. While we have a few other topcoats we love, this one is great for every other day application without adding too much bulk to the layers of polish we've already applied. It protects our tips, and when you add to the fact that it dries incredibly fast, you can understand why we adore this product. $9, orlybeauty.com

Q. Is there any way that someone could tell me the brand and name of the nail polish that Ginnifer Goodwin was wearing in the movie He's Just Not That Into You. Thought you would be able to help us!!!

Getting a manicure is great, but sometimes we need to save money, so we opt to do it at home. This is our quick and easy recipe for a DIY manicure.

 

 

Begin by removing any existing nail polish so your nails are clean and dry.Try Cutex Quick & Gentle Nail Polish Remover, $2.09, drugstore.com

 

 

 

 

Use a cuticle remover to help remove any dry cuticles and clean up the skin around the nail without having to cut anything. Try Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover, $5.99, cosmeticmall.com

 

 

 

Apply a base coat (especially important if you're going with a darker color. A base will protect your nails from stains). We like Nubar Foundation base coat ($6.99, bynubar.com), it really helps polish last.

 

  

 

Now it's time to apply your color. Apply a thin layer of nail polish over the base coat. Placing the brush about half-way down your nail, push downward (which fans the bristles out) until you almost touch your nail bed. Then reverse and sweep upward. Repeat on each nail. Our pick right now? Zoya Malia, a gorgeous violet cream, from the new Twist Collection, $6, zoya.com 

 

 

After your first coat is nearly dry (this prevents bubbling), sweep the brush horizontally across the top of your nail to create an edge of polish and help prevent chipping, then proced to apply a second coat to the nails. 

 

 

After a few minutes, go over your hands with the polish remover soaked Q-tip ($4.99, drugstore.com), removing any excess smudges or paint from around your fingers.

 

 

 

 

Finally, apply a clear top coat over each nail to protect and seal the color. We love Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat, $9.99, drugstore.com

 

 

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It's the second week of December, how are you doing with your holiday shopping? If you are like us, there are still some people you haven't shopped for. Finding the best gifts for them is priority #1, so we are here, as always, to recommend some great beauty-inspired gifts!

Take a look:

 

 

Pixi Lumi Lux Eye Palette has 20 gorgeous, blendable eyeshadows that is sure to wow your recipient! Palettes not only keep everything in one place, but it also is great for travel. Another plus: this one gives a plethora of options without taking up any extra space. $38, target.com

 

 

Essie Winter Collection features colors that were inspired by the fashions that were shown on the runways of NY Fashion week for the Fall/Winter 2008 season. With names like Damsel in a Dress and Sexy Divide, any fashionista will appreciate this very wearable and versatile set of six polishes. $26.99, amazon.com

 

 

 

Smashbox Ultimate Beauty Palette is the one that will leave  whoever gets this, speechless. This amazing palette has so many eyeshadows, lip and face colors that we were shocked at the price! So we all added this on to our list of most-wanted beauty goodies this year, and all we can do is hope that we will get it! $59.00, ulta.com

 

 

Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Body will polish and soften skin with aluminum oxide crystals, leaving even the driest areas of the body (elbows, knees, and feet) well moisturized. We think this makes a great gift simply because taking care of skin on our entire body is just a s important as taking care of the skin on our face! $45, sephora.com

 

 

 

Sonia Kashuk Glamified Brush Set is a must-have for any gal that needs quality makeup brushes. This inexpensive set features every basic brush needed to help create a flawless face and a great brush case for keeping the brushes in at home or while traveling. $19.99, target.com

 

 

 

 

Crabtree & Evelyn Skin Polishing Ritual is and all natural Asian beauty secret that blends exfoliating spices with rich tropical oils to smooth and polish skin to satin-y smoothness. Contains revitalizing lemon and coriander essential oils and conditioning mango seed butter, avocado and coconut. We feel relaxed just thinking about this wonderful, customizable skin soother. $49.50, crabtree-evelyn.com

 

 

 

Hourglass Vol.6 Eye & Lip Palette in Zodiac is a luxurious compact that not only looks chic, but is beautifully functional. Features four silky shadows that can be worn wet or dry, alone or layered, and two pretty glosses that will make lips look and feel fabulous! Includes a double-ended eye and lip applicator and is housed in a 360 swivel compact with rotating mirror to adjust to application needs. $58, sephora.com

We all have a friend or family member (or maybe even you) who is crazy about makeup and beauty, but is also concerned about the environment. Chances are, she wants products that are naturally-derived or plant based, and will help her live the healthiest, greenest life. So, to show her you care about her and her concerns, take a look at some of these fabulous natural and organic gift ideas.

 

 

 

Zoya Nail Polish will keep her moving toward being more natural, without giving up her glamorous side! Any color that you feel would suit her, Zoya has and then some. Regardless of the color choice, these polishes contain none of the harsh chemicals found in traditional nail polish. They go on beautifully, and dry fast-- who can resist that? Nail color pictured: Blair, a rich elderberry metallic. $6, zoya.com

 

 

Farmaesthetics Rainwater Soaps are beautiful, gentle and lightly fragranced soaps made from melted snow (frozen rain) collected from Winter to early Spring then carefully filtered and mixed with 100% pure, natural ingredients. Each variety is prepared  by hand, in seasonal batches, with a combination of olive oil, palm oil and coconut oils. Seasonal herbs such as comfrey root, rose petals and dried calendula flowers are added to create unique textures, colors and benefits. Our favorite is Aloe and Lemongrass. from $8.20, amazon.com

 

 

 

Caudalie Spa in A Box includes goodies like a body scrub, hand and nail cream, and shower gel that are all created to nurture dull, tired skin. We all love having spa days, but staying home can be just as good, and imagine how thankful she will be knowing she doesn't have to pollute the air driving to some out-of-the-way spa to be pampered. $68, sephora.com 

  

 

 

Ojon "Try Me" Kit contains everything she will need to restore her dry damaged hair, naturally. Ojon oil, that comes from the rainforests of Central America and helps support the Tawira tribe where the oil comes from, is so deeply restorative and good for the hair. We were blown away at how beautiful and soft our hair was after just one use, and love that we help support a group of people just by purchasing the products. $45, beauty.com 

 

 

 

LAVANILA The Healthy Lip Shine Trio is the perfect way to treat those dry lips in a natural way. Free of chemical ingredients that can dry out lips, these high-shine glosses deliver 30 antioxidants, vitamins and amino acids to protect, nurture and hydrate--- now that's healthy! $30, sephora.com 

 

 

 

 

Rain Africa Avocado Bath Salts Basket is a beautiful idea when you know your recipient loves to indulge in a soothing bath to revitalize and focus her mind. This bathroom basket, lovingly handcrafted by 200 women in a village in South Africa, is filled with wild-harvested herbal bath salts that will help moisturize her skin as she soaks. $34, beautorium.com  

 

 

Juice Beauty Organics To Go Kit has everything for cleansing, brightening, helping to smooth and firm, and provide essential vitamins and antioxidants for healthy, radiant skin. We think she will enjoy the travel-friendly sizes so she can take it where ever she goes! Includes a bonus organic bamboo face cloth. $29, beautorium.com 

Sephora by O.P.I nail polishes have really been a hit with the beauty-loving set. From rich reds to soft pinks, creamy nudes to the darkest black, these formulations are smooth upon application and long-wearing.

On the fall runways the most buzzed-about color from this collection was Metro Chic. The smoky, greyish-purple really caught everyone's attention and shot to the top of everyone's must-have nail color list!

Believe it or not, this color sells out every time it becomes available on the Sephora website, and has become so popular, it's being sold on eBay for beyond-crazy prices!

Our advice? Don't buy it there just yet-- Sephora knows about the popularity, and is quick to restock once it's sold out. They'll even send you an email if you can't get it when you want it.

We love the versatility of Metro Chic because it is neutral enough to look great with bold color and bold enough to stand out against monochromatic looks. $9, sephora.com

It's not only the leaves that change with the season, beauty evolves into a deeper hued daily ritual with the addition of spicier scents, shades and angles. Soft, shiny hair is loosened and worn low with a bend, caressing cheeks and shoulders. Trends this year mimic those of the '80s with a splash of '40s femme. Beauty is sophisticated and luxurious. Some easy additions to pull off this year's Fall-Winter transition include:

Black Orchid by Tom Ford

This decadent scent wafts with sex, smoke, spice and sweetness which are synonymous with the design of Tom Ford. My immediate reaction was to keep smelling my wrist after the initial spray. It's one of those rare scents you occasionally encounter in passing and irresistibly are drawn to. The perfect fragrance to warm up the atmosphere during a chilly day or night.

Tarte Eye Couture Day-To-Night Eye Palette

Black as night shadow has been adorning the lids of celebrities and transforming their summer shades into a more mysterious vamp. Classic examples include Anne Hathaway and the ever so sunny Katherine Heigl. Their dramatic eyes are not as easy as just a brush of darkness. Quality of texture and pigment are key to achieving a smooth application of drama and the deep shades are never allowed to venture too far past the crease. This palette includes one of the best brushes I've seen in a ready made collection. This combo of smoky midnights and sheer cool pale shades are ideal for highlighting your more innocent side during the day and for releasing the vixen as evening falls!

Hot Tools Professional Spring 1 inch Curling Iron

Big beautiful curls are all the rage in this season's sophisticated femme styles. Keep your roots with minimal volume while creating a cascading brushed curl around face and throughout hair's length. Best way to achieve this kind of girly glam is to use a 1 inch curling iron around the sides and back of head twisting hair loosely around iron in both directions.

HairDo by Ken Paves

But what if you are still sporting last season's bob? Have no worry, HairDo is quite possibly one of the easiest ways to add on hair. Yes, in one piece, and I cannot tell you how real it looks! Watch the video before you say nay, you will not believe the simplicity!

Biore Daily Recharging Enliven Eye Cooling Gel

With chillier temperatures, we welcome dry heat into our homes which causes us to wake up puffy eyed and with dry skin and hair. A partial remedy for this beauty blunder is to invest in a humidifier or leave a pot of water near your heating device (do not leave it near electric heat). But it's not a sure fix and we need an added boost to help. This gel works gently and effectively at combating the under eye bag, and it feels absolutely invigorating.

John Frieda Frizz-Ease Crème Serum Overnight Repair Formula

If frizz and dryness are a part of your wardrobe this season, choose an overnight hair repair like John Frieda's. Apply it to dry hair at night and wake up to smoother healthier hair in the morning. And don't worry- it doesn't leave residue on your pillowcase!

Sephora by OPI in Caffeine Fix

If you can grow your nails long and still function in your daily tasks, so be it, ladies. Long, rounded and violet is this season's nail trend. A grape-inspired polish is definitely making a statement- so keep them shiny, on the deeper side and chip-free. My favorite long wearing shade is from Sephora by OPI. The rich coffee-inspired shade is perfectly plum.

Urban Decay Lipstick in Trainwreck and Sellout

Moist, matte shades are painting this season's lips. The hottest shades include cranberry, fire- inspired and deep earth brown. Urban Decay lipsticks in Trainwreck and Sellout are a must-have for all intense purposes! Color lasts, stays creamy and within its defined lines.

Kerastase Specifique Bain Divalent Balancing Shampoo Oily Roots-Sensitised Lengths

Hands down, the hottest new product. If you color or highlight your hair, you know you're not supposed to wash it daily because the color fades and the ends get dry. If you skip a day, your roots become a greasy separating fortress of darkness that nobody, including yourself, wants to touch. I've tried it and this shampoo works at getting you that second day and imparts a superior shine with all of its specified balancing. (available 11/10)

Clairol Perfect 10 Hair Color by Nice & Easy

Perfect 10 delivers head turning hair color in a lustrous easy to use formula. In fact, your new rich wintry shade is achieved in as little as 10 minutes. A selection of 20 super shiny shades to choose from without the time and money spent at a salon. The applicator and "smart" color technology make it a foolproof way to achieve your new shade for the season.
 

No Frizz by Living Proof

It seems enough of us have cried to the hair gods to eliminate our frizz and static! These godly beings or more suitably named scientists have created the most advanced product to control our strands in 30 years. Living Proof is a weightless, PolyfluoroEster material that creates a surface on hairs that eliminates water absorption, repels dirt and oil, creates a bright shine, eliminates any sort of frizz and smoothes out the rough edges that cause coarseness and electric snaps. It is beyond amazing!




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Q. I love the look of wearing Black Nail polish! Is it still in to wear and if not what colors are in for the fall?