winter beauty: new nail polishes from Pure Ice

 bonjour, beauties! 

hope your week is going well ~ can you believe the first week of november is almost over? the holiday season is officially here!

since time continues to move ahead at breakneck speed, whether we like it or not, it's now time to focus on beauty of late fall and the winter soon to come…

regarding your nails, Pure Ice wants to dress your tips {and toes} in style. featuring five new, sparkling shades, the winter collection promises to keep your hands looking their best during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, which will most certainly include the use of your hands {for shopping, baking, crafting, etc.}.

take a look...

Santa Merry Me: iridescent reddish gold polish melody with red hex glitter

Winter Blues: iridescent ice blue and pale gold polish with blue hex glitter

Gold Peppermints: icy rose champagne polish with light pink hex glitter

Pure Icicles: silver polish with white hex glitter

Bling On the Holidays: pale champagne gold polish with 14k gold hex glitter


they all look beautiful. do any of these shades stand out to you? you can find Pure Ice polishes at Walmart {for less than $2!}. 

info and images courtesy of PR for Pure Ice 

beauty how-to: JINsoon halloween nail art

looking for some halloween nail ideas? Jin Soon Choi, founder of the JINsoon Nail Lacquer line {and Jin Soon Hand & Foot Spas in new york} has created two fabulous designs that are perfectly suited for the occasion! take a look...

Ghoulish Nails {pictured above}:

1. prep nails by applying a coat of JINsoon Power Coat

2. apply JINsoon Nocturne on each nail

3. draw ghostly shapes with JINsoon Kookie White at the tips of the nail {feel free to use your imagination with the shapes!}

4. dot JINsoon Nocturne where you would like the eyes to be with the very tip of the brush

5. finish by applying a coat of JINsoon Top Gloss. 

Bloody Nails:

1. apply a coat of JINsoon Power Coat to prep nails.

2. apply JINsoon Kookie White on each nail

3. with JINsoon Coquette, wipe off all the liquid from the brush on the neck of the bottle and with varying short strokes, apply polish from top to bottom of the nail. tip from Jin: change up how long the strokes are for a more realistic effect and don't be afraid to blot it in a few places.

4. go over the strokes you made with JINsoon Coquette using JINsoon Audacity in the same way, but apply it in fewer places. the goal of this step is to create depth to make the JINsoon Coquette look more realistic.

hope you're inspired to try one of these manicures, beauties! be sure to visit jinsoon.com to see the entire range of nail products and discover more fabulous tutorials.

info and images courtesy of Jin Soon

manicure du jour + the shade i'm wearing on my toes

i love the combo of pastels and brights, so pairing nail polishes in this way is a no-brainer. the current combo i've been loving is Orly Lollipop with NARS Paradiso. 

Lollipop is a perfect pastel purple creme that was originally released in 2010, and is a great pick when i'm you're torn between wearing pink or purple. the formula dries relatively quick and is fabulously opaque, so 2 coats is all you need. 

Paradiso is on my toes for the time being. this bright strawberry-red creme is one of the 19 new {and not-so-new} polish shades that NARS recently reformulated and released as part of their permanent collection. just when i thought a nail polish couldn't get better...

tell me: what are you wearing on your tips and toes?

i bought the Orly polish; NARS polish sent to me for review consideration; pics taken by me:)

manicure du jour: LAQA & Co. in Bobby Dazzler

hope you enjoyed a gorgeous weekend, dolls! i'm currently recovering from family vacay, a quite enjoyable time, but am definitely glad to get back to my usual routine…

on my tips at the moment is a fabulously bright and happy-making shade called Bobby Dazzler from Laqa & Co. this cheery, coral shade is certainly summer-friendly, but i can see it on my toes come winter {i do live in california after all…}.

Laqa & Co nail polishes apply beautifully, the formula is smooth, and i have yet to have an issue {i have two other polishes from them}. this particular shade is a creme, but dries to a matte finish. since i'm not the biggest fan of matte, i added a top coat {an easy fix for any matte shade}, giving me the super shiny manicure i always love.

for more info and to buy, visit laqaandco.com 

product featured sent to me for review consideration; pics taken by me :)

2 neutral manicures with Dermelect Debonnaire + Naturale

i was recently sent 2 nail polishes from Dermelect {Natural and Debonnaire}, both of which fall into the much-loved category shade of neutral. this got me thinking about neutral polish….

neutral nail polish colors {which can range from everything as light as bone to as dark as mahogany} are very hot this season. anything but boring, neutral nails offer a refreshing and chic alternative to the traditional bright summer nail and though a more toned-down look, nude tips are gorgeous, coordinate with anything you choose to wear, and it gives hands the appearance of long, elegant fingers!  

neutral nail polish shades can also be worn by anyone. what neutral do you prefer? depending on the look you're trying to create, staying in the skintone range should be kept in mind.

in any case, i am loving Naturale and Debonnaire {which can be found at Ulta}.

so pretty, right?

the entire collection of 'ME' Dermelect nail polishes offer more than great color ~ these polishes are infused with peptides, vitamins and hydrating ingredients to strengthen and treat nails.

you should also appreciate that the formula is fast-drying and free of DBP, toluene and formaldehyde!

Debonnaire

Naturale

Debonnaire

Naturale

what are your favorite neutral shades? visit dermelect.com to see more nail lacquers in the 'ME' collection. 

easy manicure: Sonia Kashuk + Sally Hansen

i used Sonia Kashuk Breakfast at Tiffany's and Sally Hansen Big Glitter Top Coat in Goldi-Flecks to give my tips a fun look this past week. the SK shade was released as part of the spring 2014 collection, and i just love everything about it. the creamy green-blue is fabulous, so pretty and perfect for this warm weather season, don't you think?

the SH topcoat is also new, and is especially fun when it comes to adding a little something extra to any manicure. love it!

please forgive the messy manicure ~

:)

tell me: what are you wearing on your tips this week?

products featured bought by me; pics taken by me :)

spring beauty: JINsoon tulip-inspired manicure

it's the season of beautiful bouquets, bright, vibrant color, and all things pretty…

isn't it fabulous? 

to celebrate this {and mother's day}, the most awesome nail guru, Jin Soon Choi {founder of the JINsoon Nail Lacquer line and Jin Soon Hand & Foot Spas in nyc} has created a cheerful, tulip-inspired nail look that you can easily recreate!

here's how to do it:

*file and shape your nails to a natural square shape.

*apply a base coat {like JINsoon Power Coat}.

*apply a pink-blush shade on the entire nail bed {polish shade used: JINsoon Dolly Pink}.

*apply a deep pink/berry polish color using a thin brush to create the tulip petals {JINsoon Cherry Berry shade used}. 

*starting at the cuticle area, draw a straight line down towards the tip of the nail, curving left ¾ of the way down to create an arch and then fill in the shape. repeat on the right side of the same nail to create a mirroring shape.

*finish with a top coat {like JINsoon Top Gloss} for a lasting glossy finish.

so pretty, don't you think? will you try this? 

manicure must-have: Cutex SPA Formula Nail Polish Remover

 
 happy post-oscar day to you, beauties! have you recovered? if you live anywhere outside the pacific time zone and stayed up to watch, you are quite fabulous i have to say! i was happy when the broadcast was coming to an end before 9pm. 

i'm an early riser, so…

that's not what i'm here to talk about, of course, but my reason for mentioning it {besides the obvious} is the fact that there were some fabulous manicures being rocked on the tips of hollywood's movie stars last night. but just like us regular gals, they'll have to take it off at some point.

if i could recommend a remover to any of them, it would be the one i'm currently loving from Cutex:  SPA Formula Nail Polish Remover.

when it comes to nail polish remover, there was a time that i used 100% acetone exclusively. i loved it for its speedy removal and it was fabulous at dissolving even the glitteriest shades without issue. until i found myself using more and more cuticle oil to keep my poor tips from looking so wrecked. that stuff is harsh and was doing major damage ~ not pretty!!!

so, i made a choice and switched to a nourishing formula ~ what a difference! and while my cuticles and nails were happier, i was using less glitter polish. i couldn't help but think, "if only there were something that combined the strength of acetone, but without being so harsh…"

and {as if they heard me!} that's when the fabulous people representing Cutex contacted me to share the news regarding their newest innovation…

Cutex SPA Formula Nail Polish Remover.

combining the power of acetone {98.7%} with natural botanical nourishing oils {including apricot seed, flax seed and perilla oils}, users of gel, Shellac, glitter and other hard-to-remove nail polishes need this in their lives. Cutex SPA is amazing in that it works as well as 100% acetone, and yet still moisturizes and conditions nails after each use.

"we are thrilled to offer a new solution for women wanting a powerful nail polish remover formula that is both nourishing and strengthening and without the damaging effects of pure acetone remover,” said Barbara Hershfelt, director of sales and marketing for Cutex. "our 100-year heritage is founded on new and innovative products and SPA Formula is the perfect solution for nail enthusiasts who desire to keep their nails looking and feeling healthy, strong and beautiful."

how excited are you about this?!

i certainly am! my excitement {you get that i'm thrilled about this, right?!} is so hard to convey here in writing, but i love this stuff! it's incredible at removal and, just as it promises, nourishes nails, never leaving them or my cuticles feeling dried out; i no longer have to avoid wearing {and ultimately removing} a glittery polish manicure...

yay!

Cutex SPA Formula Nail Polish Remover is available in select stores nationwide; purchase online at cutexshop.com.

product featured sent to me for review consideration; opinions and thoughts are my own; pics taken by me :)

manicure must-have: Julep Ta-Da fast drying drops

 when it comes to manicures, i'm all about the DIY. this certainly wasn't always the case, but over the years it has become quite a relaxing practice and a simple, easy way for me to focus my attention on something when i become anxious.

at-home manis are also more wallet-friendly {i can't afford to pay someone to do my nails 2-3 times a week, LOL! not to mention it takes time driving back and forth, waiting for the nail tech, the actual manicure, etc., etc.}, so i'd rather spend that cash on polishes that i can keep and wear {or remove} when i want. also, i have multiple things on my to-do list daily, so sitting and waiting for my nails to dry, even if i'm at home, isn't always helpful.

yes, i have Seche Vite and other fast-drying top coats that help me in this department, but i'm compelled to make sure you know about a specific item from Julep that i have fallen in love with:

Julep Ta-Da Quick Drying Drops

this amazing liquid not only helps to reduce polish dry time, but the formula nourishes nails and cuticles with a blend of botanical oils and vitamin E. i j'adore this since my cuticles can get dry {thanks to the dry weather and the fact that i'm constantly using and washing my hands}; the relaxing lavender and yang yang scent gives them that "something special".

Ta-da! drops come in a bottle with an applicator in the form of a dropper. after about a minute from applying your last coat of polish, apply 1-2 drops over each nail to seal in the color; minutes later you can go on with your day ~ love it!

have you tried the new Julep Ta-Da Quick Drying Drops? head over to Julep.com and check them out! oh, and you might also want to check out their Maven program… :)

product featured was purchased by me and was included in my december Julep Maven subscription box; this post contains links to the website; if you decide to join i earn points toward a free box; pics taken by me :)

Super Bowl manicure ideas from Sally Hansen

 if you're looking forward to the Super Bowl this weekend, you've probably already been getting into the spirit of the big event. for any beauty-loving gal, nails are the easiest way to show off whatever occasion or celebratory time is going on at the moment…

so the two teams playing in the big game are the seattle seahawks and the denver broncos; both teams have unique colors that will stand out on any set of hands. it just so happens that the fabulous Sally Hansen nail ambassador {and mani guru extraordinaire}, Tracylee created some easy design ideas for each team.

take a look at these designs, step by step, using a few SH products…

seahawks design:

products used to create this look: Sally Hansen's I Heart Nail Art Striper Brush from the I Heart Nail Art Tool Kit, I Heart Nail Striper in White, Xtreme Wear Polish in Pacific Blue and Green with Envy

how-to: 
start by using Pacific Blue and Sally Hansen's I heart Nail Art Striper Brush. paint a round or almond shaped line from sidewall to sidewall, 3/4 up the nail from the cuticle, to mimic the shape of your nail tip. fill in the space to the cuticle with polish

next, using the I Heart Nail Striper in White, outline the edge of the blue with a thin white line, using the very tip of your striper brush. then, using Green With Envy, outline the edge of the white, using your striper brush. fill in the rest of the area to the free edge of the nail. finish by applying your favorite Sally Hansen Top Coat.




broncos design:

products used to create this look: Sally Hansen's I Heart Nail Art Striper Brush from the I Heart Nail Art Tool Kit, I Heart Nail Striper in White, Xtreme Wear Polish in Pacific Blue and Sun Kissed.

how-to: 
start by using Sally Hansen's nail polish in Sun Kissed and I Heart Nail Art Striper Brush. paint a round or almond shaped line from sidewall to sidewall, 3/4 up the nail from the cuticle, to mimic the shape of your nail tip. fill in the space to the cuticle with polish.

next, using the I Heart Nail Art Striper in White, outline the edge of the orange with a thin white line, using the very tip of your striper brush. then, using Pacific Blue, outline the edge of the white, using your striper brush. fill in the rest of the area to the free edge of the nail. finish with your fave Sally Hansen Top Coat.

and there you have it. it's quite simple, wouldn't you say?
visit sallyhansen.com for more info on the featured products. you can also find Sally Hansen sold in you favorite drug and mass retail shops.

tell me: are you planning a special manicure for the Super Bowl?

info and images courtesy of SH's PR