Greetings, bellas!

It’s the first day of SPRING! How appropriate that today’s post is all about SPRING beauty trends! Let’s talk about nail polishes I’ve reviewed, and a technique I’ve finally mastered. It took me a minute but I think I’ve finally got ombre nails down pat. The trend has been around for a while, but just like jeggings…it’s not going anywhere just yet. BEHOLD, my first ever successful DIY ombre manicure!

What do you think? How did I achieve this look? Not so fast! First things first.

Yours truly is one of Q-Tips Tipsters, so every season I’m going to show you how Q-Tips Precision Tips swabs make my beauty regimen better. This season — nails!

These are the materials I used to achieve my ombre manicure.

From left to right

– Beauty Secrets Pure Acetone. I bought this at Sally Beauty Supply because I needed a product to remove glitter nail polish. And it works!

– Dior Topcoat, to seal the deal and pump up the shine factor

– Alcone Makeup Sponge with which to apply the ombre awesomeness

– Milani One Coat Glitter in Lavender Fizz

– Milani One Coat Glitter in Twinkle (deep blue and purple! LOVE)

– NARS nail polish in Diamond Life

– Hot Ticket nail polish in Don’t Metal In My Business

– and of course Q-Tips Precision Tips to keep the edges of my nails perfectly clean post polishing! I tend to be a bit sloppy, so I need clean up afterwards. The slender point of Precision Tips makes cleaning the cuticles and other super-close-to-the-nail areas that much easier to reach without ruining your hard work. Click here to get a dollar off your purchase of Q-Tips Precision Tips!

How did I learn my ombre nail technique? I read a few online tutorials, but watching VIDEOS really helped. Beauty Chameleon did a glittery purple ombre nail video that inspired me to use this particular color range. And then Chescaleigh made a SUPER CUTE video, please watch. And listen to her SONG about NAILS!

She’s so talented!

I may be setting myself up for failure having posted Chescaleigh’s awesome video, but HEY. I worked hard on my video. And in this video I answer some important questions. Like, what are my top five favorite Spring nail trends? And how many times did I fail at the ombre nail? See for yourself!

Let me tell you exactly which polishes are featured in the video, in case you saw something you liked and wanted to buy it!

Spring Trend #1 – Orange polishes -

OK...so not all of them are orange

– Milani Nail Art in Yellow Design
– Hot Ticket Hella Yella
– Avon Nailwear Pro Orange Creamsicle
– Hot Ticket Orange You Glad You Aren’t Blue
– Milani Nail Art in Orange Graph

Spring Trend #2 – Cool Mint and Other Soothing Ocean Colors

– Avon Nailwear Pro Aqua Fantasy
– Hot Ticket Jade in the USA
– Avon Nailwear Pro Sweet Mint
– butter LONDON in Slapper (love their names!)
– butter LONDON in Bossy Boots

Spring Trend #3 – Unusual Shades of Purple and Lilac

– Hot Ticket Lilac Any Sense
–Hot Ticket Sugar Coat It
– Avon Nailwear Pro Loving Lavender
– NARS Diamond Life
– Hot Ticket Don’t Metal In My Business
– Milani in Lavender Fizz (again!)

Spring Trend #4 – Spring into Summer Brights

– Avon Nailwear Pro Blue Escape
– Hot Ticket Hella Yella
– Dior Paradise (SO HOT)
– Hot Ticket A Fuschia Too Many
– Hot Ticket Lilac Any Sense
– Avon Nailwear Pro Orange Creamsicle

Spring Trend #5 – All Glitter Everything

– Hot Ticket Candy Apple A Day (it’s red with gold glitter. LOVE)
– Milani Twinkle
– Milani Lilac Fizz
– Hot Ticket You’re So Hot and Gold
– Hot Ticket Call Me Iridescent.

The Hot Ticket nail polishes are sold by The Balm — Click here to get yours, the color selection is gorgeous!! NARS and Dior you’ll find at the department store, Avon is online or from your local rep, and of course Milani is at the drugstore or supermarket.

The key to the ombre nail is to use a makeup sponge, and to wait till your first coat is dry. I lightly dabbed on additional colors and I feel like it’s only gonna get better from here.

YAY!! finally a nail art trend I can do myself, at home!

What are your FAVORITE nail colors and trends for Spring? Are you a fan of the ombre nail? Tell me!

I’m an official Q-Tips Tipster, and this post was sponsored by Q-Tips. But the opinions are all my own! You can visit the Q-Tips Facebook page for tips on how to use their swabs for beauty, crafting, cleaning, whatever!

If Chicago were a color, apparently it would be blue (although judging from the sky today, gray might be more apropos).

Within recent months not one, but two different popular establishments here have created very different shades of nail polish to pay homage to the Windy City. And both nailpolishes are blue. And as fashionable luck would have it, this is right on time – because shades of blue are super hot nail trends for fall!

Chicago blue at Topshop

The Chicago shade that’s exclusively at Topshop on Michigan Avenue is light blue with a greyish pallor — like the sky on a sunny autumn day or in early spring. Very pretty color that I bet would look gorgeous on deeper skintones, regardless of season.

Chicago Cerulean Trump SpaRitual Nailpolish

The Chicago Cerulean SpaRitual color custom designed by Ivanka Trump and exclusively for sale at The Spa at Trump is glamorous, sexy, and sparkling. It’s a rich and opaque polish that has great staying power. Very appropriate for the Trump, and on point for the upcoming holiday season!

My mani from the Trump Spa

I recently experienced the ultra luxe manicure and pedicure at The Spa at Trump, located within the Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago. The space is airy and posh, the relaxation room is dimly lit and well appointed with teas of various flavors. The service is top notch. If you’re looking for an ideal spot to indulge yourself, or to have a sweet spa date with your mom, sister, or best friend — it’s everything you could dream of and more. Click here for a price list. A manicure there begins at $35, but you can also buy a bottle of the Trump SpaFinder nail polish for less than $15.

I just gushed over Essie’s Midnight Cami — truly the perfect navy canvas for nail art. Deep, dark, opaque, perfect.

Love & Beauty by Forever 21 nail polish

The ever enlightening Bellasugar featured a post titled November’s 10 Nicest New Nail Polishes and included two blues I GOTTA have. This iridescent glitter Love & Beauty nailpolish is just $2.80 at Forever 21!!! I NEED it! And Snow-Man of my Dreams from Nicole by OPI is fabulous and twinkly. Love a good glitter manicure for holiday party season — which will be beginning soon, right?

Do you love any of the above, bellas? What’s your favorite blue nailpolish?

“How long is NYFW? I am so sick of seeing it in my timeline!” A dear friend (who isn’t into fashion) asked me that this week, and I LOLed.

As the name indicates, Mercedes Benz NYFW lasts a week. Thurday September 8 to Thursday September 15. And yes, it seems like FOREVER, if you’re following fashionistas on Twitter or Facebook. The details of every show, every celebrity sighting, every outfit worn, has been recorded for public consumption. It is exhausting even if you’re not there.

I sat out this September’s NYFW – right now the plan is to be there in February! Much to my delight, it hasn’t been hard to keep up to date with the shows thanks to all of the livestreamed NYFW shows, and the unceasing rain of press releases in my inbox.

There has been some PHENOMENAL fashion this year. Phenomenal. But quite a few designers went with really subdued less is more makeup, wet-look hair as a trend, and super nude, natural, neutral nails. Whatever they wanna call it…it makes me sleepy. If you’ve read this blog for even a second you would know that is NOT my bag at all, baby — not when it comes to makeup and nails! But as the fashion gods would have it, there WERE a few designers who took beauty risks, collaborated with the pros and came up with truly innovative looks which I have collated here for you. Behold.

The coolest looks from NYFW September 2011, nail edition.

– The Pretty Poison manicure as seen on Jen Kao’s Spring 2012 runway

Black nails, colored tips were the order of the day at Jen Kao. CND nail artist Wanda Ruiz created “Lethal Love” diffused, gradation manicures that attract the eye with bold shades, but like a poisonous frog, have dangerous undertones.” (I love a good press release!) In an interview with Bellasugar, Wanda Ruiz explained “It’s a very dangerous, lethal person with a feminine, soft side.” Indeed. This mani was shaded using airbrushing tools, using CND Colours in Midnight Sapphire, Anchor Blue, Rouge Red, and Green Scene for the tips, and Inkwell for the rest — topped with Air Dry Top Coat while wet for an ombre finish. Dare to DIY? The Easy Drip Manicure also on Bellasugar could be an easy way to achieve a similar look.

– Pierced nails for Betsey Johnson

Every Fashion Week I look forward to the nail art of butter LONDON. Why? Because their founding Creative Director Nonie Creme always comes up with something unique, memorable, and eye catching. This year for Betsey Johnson, Nonie Creme and butter did NOT disappoint. As she explained, “Betsey’s girl this season was influenced by vintage Debbie Harry – sexy, full-blown high octane glamour! We did a reverse half moon manicure, with a “stair step” (meaning the false nail sits slightly higher than the nail plate – creating that extra “pop” for the catwalk) holographic glitter tip, in a pointed almond shape. For the glitter tip, we used Diamond Geezer and a holographic shade that was custom mixed for Betsey, and added a diamond stone to the curved base of each tip. Union Jack Black was used on the actual nail – creating the reverse half-moon that almost had a “bruised” effect. Always wanting one more “wow” factor for Betsey, we added a nail piercing with black baby safety pin. Rock and roll, fun, sex, glamour!”

Now please let the record show that these probably aren’t the models REAL NAILS. For almost every fashion show, nails are brought in and applied to the models’ hands. So I wouldn’t advocate piercing your own nail (how would one do that? That’s a DIY destined for disaster) — but isn’t this concept cool? Nonie Creme and butter LONDON went on to create some other amazing looks this season. Namely:

– The Ombre Nail at Yigal Azrouel

Nonie says of the ombre nail — “We created bespoke mixes for the look at Yigal Azrouel’s Cut25 – Salmon Pink, 80′s Turquoise, and Pastel Pistachio. This is a butter LONDON moment of greatness! Introducing the “ombré” manicure – softly layered, fabric woven-like nails that perfectly accent the woven jewelry here, the ultimate accessory. This is about visual texture; a loose, artistic nail art- I’m all about “fine art for nails” no palm trees or sunsets please!”

AMEN and here’s to unexpected nail art!

– Multicolored nails at the Erickson Beamon show

A different color for each finger may have been a look you tried as a child — and now thanks to Nonie Creme and butter LONDON, it is BACK. Big time. And bolder than ever.To create the look, Nonie created a technicolor palette with custom colors, presented by Beauty.com. “The story is super duper theatrical – we stuck with a palette of bright colors and painted each nail a different color. No side by side nails with the same color, no two models with the same pattern – a whimsical free for all! We wanted the nails to look almost like little flickering lights while the dancers were moving.”

Love this. And it could also be really cool in a limited palette within the same color family. A range of blues or greens would be super chic!

– The Harlequin Manicure for Diego Binetti, by CND nail artist Candice Manacchio

Another nail adorned with something extra — this manicure was created with “CND Colour in Raspberry Parfait and Frosting Cream, capped in gold and silver metal for an artisanal finish. Toes were polished in Raspberry Parfait.” Not the most practical at home DIY manicure thanks to the metal caps, but definitely cool for the runway.

– custom Magnum Minx at IFB.

Y’all know I love Minx nails! During NYFW, lucky attendees of the Independent Fashion Bloggers conference got manicures by celebrity nail stylist Lisa Logan! Lisa is like, the Queen of Minx – so much so that she’s got her own designer collection, and at IFB, Magnum ice cream sponsored custom Magnum Minx nails. Glittery and sexy and undeniably flashy and fashionable. Love this look, so perfect for NYFW!

There are still 2 days left to go, but these are the hottest nail trends I’ve seen during this September’s New York Fashion Week. See anything you like or are dying to try?

Recently I heard a woman at a nail salon asking for Minx when she really meant that she wanted a no-chip manicure. At that point I had only tried Shellac — arguably the most well known no-chip manicure on the market. I was happy with my Shellac experience, but if you read the Monday Manicure posts you know – I like crazy, fun, BRIGHT nails. I like a manicure that can turn heads. So when my dear friend and uber talented nail specialist Rashida B (yes, THAT Rashida B) let me know she was down to Minx my nails AND teach me the difference between Minx and every other specialty manicure out there, I was SO geeked!

I got it as soon as I started flipping through Rashida’s book of Minx nails. Peep the gallery and you’ll see. Minx nails are meant to be noticed. Made to turn heads. They’re party nails. They’re Beyonce and Rihanna nails. There’s nothing safe, toned down, or timid about ‘em.

Minx is applied to your nails in what’s known as a “dry manicure” — there’s no soaking your nail in water, here. So to quote the super-quotable Rashida B, “if your hands are busted, you should go get a manicure 2 days ahead,” to take care of ragged cuticles etcetera.

Also, fun fact — Minx can be layered over gel nails! Now there are cool Minx with cut-outs that will show the nail polish underneath. So you can have your flash with your style that lasts!

Here’s the step by step application tips I learned from watching Rashida do her thing.

– She used The Fluffy by OPI to remove nail dust after my dry manicure.

– because nails have oil in them, Minx experts use a little alcohol to dry out the nail pre-application.

– Minx experts measure the fingernail to figure out which Minx nail will fit the best. If the Minx doesn’t fit, they usually center it. If they have to cut and manipulate it, it can cause lifting and diminish the time your Minx will last.

– a Minx expert will NEVER stretch the Minx nail. Just keep smoothing it until they’re satisfied with the placement and size. Once all of the nails have been put in place, they put the Minx under the heat lamp. Minx nails cannot be cut once the heat hits them, they become soft and jelly-like. That’s when they’re ready to apply!

– patterned Minx are thicker and easier to apply than solid color ones.

– Minx isn’t for everyone. If you have ridges on your nails, or soft nails – they may not work for you. If you absolutely gotta have ‘em, getting gel or acrylic nails first might be the way to go, so your nails are hard and smooth for Minx application.

– you heat Minx up to put them on and to take them off. Don’t remove your Minx when they’re cold, or you can rip off layers of your nail. Also, exposure to heat can affect your mails — if you go to a sauna or steam room, if your Minx nails start to bubble or life hold, don’t rub. Rubbing will stretch them.

– To make your Minx last, don’t type with the tips of your fingers (use the pads), avoid extreme heat, and avoid excessive water.

So for my first ever Minx nails, I chose this crazy chartreuse for my fingers, and leopard Minx for my thumbs! What do you think?

RAWR!

My Minx manicure lasted for FIVE DAYS. I did get some lifting at the corners, but they didn’t look awful just yet.

I removed them because I also wanted to be able to speak about the removal process. I had a hard time removing my Shellac and having done it the WRONG way, I would never try to remove Shellac or any other no-chip manicure at home on my own. Go to a nail salon to have your no-chip nailpolish removed, or risk weakening your nails. That’s been my experience.

So what’s the difference between Minx and Shellac and other such no-chip manicures?

Minx aren’t cheap, but they ARE trendy and eye-catching and immediate. They give you instant fashion gratification. If you’re going to a hot fashion show or a special night out, Minx could be what you’re looking for! And removal is a cinch — just blast your fingers with a hairdryer until the Minx have returned to that jellylike feel again, and peel them off.

My nails look absolutely fine, post Minx.

You can find all kinds of awesome Groupons and coupons for no-chip manicures, so affordability is a factor. The color range of no-chip nailpolishes might be on the safer side right now, but more colors are coming out every day! Shellac and other no-chip manicures are about a long-lasting manicure, not about flash, glamour and look-at-my-nails. No-chip nail treatments are perfect if you’re going on a vacation for a while — for example, if you’re going on a tropical getaway and need a pedicure that lasts, get a no-chip pedi. And for more on gel nails, read this informative post on Coco and Creme!

And there’s NO dry time on either technique. You can get up and go! Wanna get Minxed? Go to the official website to find a Minx stylist!

Thanks again to Rashida B for being AWESOME!!

Have you tried no-chip nails, or had your nails Minxed yet? Which do you prefer, and why?

I’ve been such a slacker with my Monday Manicure posts, bellas. I even got called out on it by an Afrobella reader at the airport in NYC not too long ago. “Hey, what happened to your nail posts?” she asked. It’s been a while and I apologize. And I’m back with a new Monday Manicure for you! One I was supposed to write a while ago! Mea culpa.

Chicago-area bellas, let me introduce you to one of my favorite new nail salons! The Nail Social is the rebirth of now defunct salon Polish, which I also LOVED. Now that Polish is no more, it’s all about this new spot in an awesome new location right off Michigan Avenue on 16th St.

The Nail Social

The Nail Social is owned by a lovely married couple and staffed with really friendly, warm, engaging staff. I got such a wonderful manicure there, from a lovely bella with locs. I’m kicking myself for not remembering her name right now:( Ah well — I’ll just have to go back for another manicure to remind myself!

What do I look for when looking for a nail spot to call my own? I’ll tell you!

– Decor matters. The space should be clean, not cluttered. The Nail Social is spotless but still manages to be warm, inviting, and elegant. It’s the perfect spot to bring a friend (or two) for a mani/pedi afternoon. AND you can BYOB! Love everything about that!

– A friendly staff is VITAL. I’ve turned around and walked right back out of nail salons that made me feel like my money was worthless there. This hasn’t been my experience so far at the Nail Social. Friendly, welcoming, and quick to offer a fresh cup of tea. Love the vibe at this spot.

– A wide selection of nail colors and services is ALWAYS appreciated. I found a great selection of polishes — including glitters and crackles — at The Nail Social. For my manicure I chose two OPI colors — Simmer and Shimmer layered over Ski Teal We Drop.

Sorry I don’t have any extreme nail closeups. Still, whatcha think? The two shades of blue looked so pretty when layered. Gave a very pretty starry night kind of effect.

If you stop by The Nail Social, do yourself a favor and check out Three Peas Art Lounge next door as well! It’s one of my favorite spots in the city for art and cocktails and sometimes really cool jewelry for sale, too! Every month or so the two businesses are partnering up for something called The 16th Street Beauty Bar, so follow The Nail Social and Three Peas on Twitter for details on that fun monthly event.

Thanks to The Nail Social and Three Peas for everything (including your patience on this here post!)

And that’s my fave new nail salon! What’s yours?

How many no-chip nail polishes and manicures are currently on the market? Now there are MANY. It can be hard to even figure out which one to get, each nail salon seems to offer something different. I’d been on the no-chip nail polish fence for a while, but I got lucky for the first time at America’s Beauty Show here in Chicago. The good people of CND World were in town to promote and share the new developments in Shellac nail polish. Shellac is probably the best known, most widely praised version of the no-chip manicure. I’d already heard amazing things. And lucky me, I was allowed to go upstairs to the secret room where some of CND’s best manicurists in the country were doing Shellac manicures for select members of the press. SCORE!

My manicurist was Lauri Allore from Lansing, Michigan. In her city she’s known as THE go-to manicurist and her services are consistently booked solid. I could definitely see why. Lauri did more than just paint my nails. This was a MANICURE. Don’t be fooled, bellas – sometimes you need a MANICURE and you wind up settling for just getting your nails painted.

Lauri paid close and crucial attention to my cuticles for this manicure, using CND’s Solar Oil and Cuticle Eraser. She gently removed my cuticles and got each finger as clean and neat as could be. Then she massaged my hands with nourishing lotion.

And then the Shellac process began.

Shellac nail polish currently comes in quite a few shades – this month they unveiled 12 new shades, so now Shellac comes in 24 shades including purple! As I learned at America’s Beauty Show, Shellac doesn’t stop at just the color you see on the bottle. Layering makes ALL the difference.

My Shellac began with Black Pool. We toyed with a few ideas before deciding to layer lighter colors for a different effect. It turns out that layering Cream Puff or Negligee (two of the palest colors) over Black Pool creates a pretty, deep navy or shimmering charcoal. Both colors are quite similar, and it makes for a subtle transformation that’s still distinctive and cool.

Lauri named it French Midnight.

Basically it’s done like this — the manicurist paints your nails, then you stick your hand in a light box for…I think it was 30 seconds at a time? It didn’t take long, either way. With each layer of shellac nail polish, you stick your hand in the light box to set the Shellac. And when your nails are completely done, they use alcohol to polish the nails to a mirror shine. IMMEDIATELY after, your nails are completely DRY. As in, you can take money out of your wallet, button your coat, put your shoes on, WHATEVER. No chips, no dings, nada. I’m the kind of person who instantly chips her mani, so I LOVED the experience.

I did manage to chip my Shellac a week later, ironically while demonstrating to a friend that my nail polish was indestructible. Note to aspiring Shellac-ers – don’t be hitting your nails with coins, or opening hard-to-open pulltab cans with your nails just because you think it’s a no-chip. You can still manage to chip your situation and you’ll only have yourself to blame, and won’t you feel silly then? Yes. You will. Speaking from experience.

Other than the 2 teeny chips, my nails are going STRONG and it’s been 2 weeks. Of course my nails have grown quite a bit and now my Shellac shows how much growth there’s been…so I’ll be using the Shellac nail polish remover wraps this week. Everyone I’ve spoken with swears that Shellac is amongst the easiest no-chip manicures to remove yourself with their special nail wraps and 99% acetone – but Shellac SHOULD be removed by a nail professional in a salon for the best results.

For a Shellac experience of your own, click here to find a salon.

Have you tried Shellac nail polish? Or gotten your no-chip on another way? Share your experience with me!

While I was in NYC, my eyes were definitely on the fashion and the fabulous makeup trends on display for New York Fashion Week. But it’s only since I’ve been back home and able to check out the tiny, magical details that will go beyond the runway, into spas and salons around the country. Backstage at every Fashion Week show, manicurists are working feverishly on the fingernails of models. Check out the coolest, most unique nailpolish trends from this year’s New York Fashion Week!

Glitter Galore

If you’ve been reading this blog and seeing my Monday manicures, you know – I LOVE me some glitter nails. And these blingy digits seen backstage at Jeremy Scott’s show deliver the GOODS!

Celebrity nail technician Pattie Yankee and the Dashing Diva nail tech team brought this backstage magic to life. How do you do an at home ‘Glitter’ manicure? It’s easy:

1. Apply nail glue all over the nail
2. Dip or sprinkle nails with glitter of your choice
3. Top coat is optional, for a ‘rough-around the edges’ look like Jeremy Scott’s, do not apply! (Photos by Ann Lawlor)

Caviar Nails

Seriously, how fierce are these? These special nails were created at the designers, Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs, request. Pattie Yankee used seed beads from the designers’ collection. At the show, models wore all five nails covered in black “caviar.” But I’m thinking caviar could make a really chic accent nail, and who says you need to do traditional caviar colors? Iridescent blue or purple beads would look AMAZING too.

How do you do an at home “caviar” nail?
1. Apply 2 coats of Dashing Diva’s Limo Service Polish
2. Apply nail glue all over the nail
3. Dip nails into black seed beads
4. Sprinkle with black glitter
5. Apply and activator spray to adhere

To The Point

I saw it first hand (pun intended) backstage at NYFW – pointy nails remain in style, carrying over from September. Recently on Bellasugar a celeb was spotted rocking the trend, and Refinery29 highlighted it as a Fall fashion week trend last year. Although the shape might be impractical for everyday wear, the “stiletto” nails do make an impact and I would totally rock this shape if I could grow my nails long enough to get the shape right! Photo above, via Refinery29.

In The Nude

When it comes to nail color, IMO MORE is more. I am not now, nor have I ever been, a pale pink or nude nail kind of girl. But as seen on several runways this past fashion week, nude nails are going to be HUGE this year. And the look can be extremely flattering, making for clean, pretty hands that work as a perfect accent for bold jewelry or a bright outfit. For example, see backstage at Erin Fetherston, where models wore Dashing Diva’s Picnic in the Park polish – a shimmery, sheer pink that just looks pretty, clean and feminine. Photo courtesy Dashing Diva.

French Twist

Say farewell to ye olde French manicure. I’ve recently seen nail experts give the gasface to people requesting traditional French tips (or even worse, rocking a stick-on French manicure). If you like the look and want to be current, switch up your accent color from traditional white to something outrageous. Backstage at Tibi, the look was all about neon pink, and I think this is SUPER cute for summer. Or for a vacation, someplace warm.

One of a Kind

Unique, statement making nails also made waves this fashion week, according to Allure Magazine! Oh WAIT, they were talking about and linking to MY NYFW nails by Chicago’s own talented artist/manicurist Spifster. Thanks for the shoutout, Allure! And thanks again to Spifster for getting my fingers some attention!

Those are the top nail trends at New York Fashion Week, bellas! Which would you be most likely to rock IRL?

My experiments with nail art have been hit or miss thus far. And a recent experiment was such a miss, I was like – lemme just stick with bold bright nails and keep it moving. Clearly I don’t know what I’m doing with nail pens or mini paintbrushes. But last Friday, I was lucky enough to meet someone who does!

Are you ready for the coolest Monday manicure yet?

POW!

The nails you see above are the amazing work of Tacarra “Spifster” Sutton, a graphic designer turned manicurist. Check out her nail art on her Tumblr page! She’s got skills. We met last Friday at a chic Chicago rooftop event called the Beauty Bar, which was hosted by my friends from Three Peas Art. On the rooftop of a glorious high rise overlooking the skyline to the left and Lake Michigan facing me, Spifster made my nails look SHARP.

We chose a dark background color. I didn’t get the name of it – so if you’re a nail polish guru please let me know! It’s a deep navy with a lot of shine.

Then she used gold glitter and a funky, unexpected pink by Kiss Nail Art. (BTW do you see how fly HER nails are? She said she changes her nails like every three days!)

This is the end result. Each nail is different. Leopard spots on my pinky, zig zags on my thumb. And I LOVE it!!

I’m totally gonna see Spifster again. She works at the Kristol Blake Salon & Spa – so best believe I’m gonna make an appointment!

I like my makeup, my fashion, my overall approach to life, to be a mix of high end and low end. So when I wanted to try my hand at at-home nail art for the first time, going the high end/low end route was just natural and right and FUN. But the question was — what color to go for?

I turned to Twitter and asked — sweet and ladylike, or bright and wild?

The overwhelming consensus was, bright and wild. But still I felt stuck for a color — bright nails AND a first attempt at nail art? Seemed like a fail just waiting to happen. Then inspiration struck in the form of a Sam Sparro song. Black and gold, black and gold, black and gold.

The base color is MAC Nail Lacquer in Nocturnelle – which retails for $12. And the stripes are painted with Milani Nail Art Lacquer with Precision Brush in Art Of Gold – retails for $3.99.

Please note, I love painting but precision has never been a friend of mine. I decided to try a star on my thumb, and it didn’t come out so great.

But the stripes, SO easy.

Both polishes dried amazingly well. Layered with a good top coat, this manicure is built to last! The combination is eye catching but not distracting, fly and flashy but not over the top. I’ve been getting tons of compliments on my first attempt at nail art, so I definitely plan on doing more! The Milani precision brush makes it SO easy.

What do you think – would this be a manicure you’d go for? Or do you have tips so I can do a better job? Let me know your thoughts!

Summertime is in full swing and it’s all about wearing your cutest sandals and letting your fingers and toes do the talking! I love the season, and it’s the perfect time to take risks with your safe, typical mani/pedi. Of course being a bella on a budget, you might be giving yourself a lot of at-home touch-ups. Here’s the hottest trends I’ve seen, and the polishes you need to pull them off!

#1 — Multicolored Nails.

So fun, so cute, so perfect for summer! The multicolored nail trend is very youthful and perfect for those who love to be trendsetters.

Super fly ATL blogger Necole Bitchie’s making it a phenomenon in hot, bright pink and black. How does my Twitter homegirl do it? — with a different color on the ring left hand, and on the pointer finger of the right hand. I had to ask what colors she’s rocking and Necole admitted that she gets her nails done at the salon, but she believes the color is called “Electrick Pink.” The closest match I could find for that name was by my beloved and super-cheap Milani. Check out the reviews on Makeup Alley! Bright neon pink is guaranteed to turn heads. Get yours at CVS.

Necole’s been rocking the pink and black, but recently she switched it up and went zebra on one nail.

I’ve been seeing some great variations of the multicolored nail trend — Erika at Makeup Bag did some lovely red and blue “patriotic nails” over the holiday weekend. So cute! You can alternate two different colors, or you could go all the way with “Skittles nails” as my homegirl Brittany from Clumps of Mascara calls it. You can stay in the same color family or go for the jewel toned brights like Brittany did. Fun, fun, fun!

#2 — Pale and classy

As a little one, I always wondered why my Aunty Gemma always wore the same shimmery white nailpolish all the time. Now that I’m older, I totally get it! Pale nails can be tame enough to wear to work, but they look oh so beautiful on brown skin. Pale toenails with a pair of gold or silver sandals = so sexy.

OPI Bubble Bath is just such a shade — pale, pale pink that brushes on so perfectly the first application around, you’ll swear you had a professional manicure done. Subtle, classy, clean, sexy. Love it! And if you purchase OPI’s Bubble Bath in July or August, you’ll be supporting Look Good…Feel Better, a national public service program that helps women cope with appearance-related changes from cancer treatment. During July and August, OPI will contribute a portion of the proceeds of every bottle of Bubble Bath Nail Lacquer sold, with a minimum contribution of $25,000, to Look Good…Feel Better. Sweet deal, right?

#3 — Glitz and Glamour

I know most of my bellas on a budget hit the drugstore for their nailpolish fix…but every now and then it can be worth it, splurging on a fancy polish that makes you feel like a superstar from the minute you slick it on. I’m talking about putting some essie Limted Edition Love, Beverly Hills xx Nail Colour with 24K Pure Gold in the mix. $16.99 is nothing to sneeze at when it comes to nailpolish. Achoo!

Lancome Le Vernis in Exotique Kiss is a limited edition coral pink with an iridescent gold shimmer that looks so stunningly gorgeous in the sun. $18 a bottle, but you’ll want to wear it again and again to get your money’s worth.

And the bangin’ bronzy gold I’m sporting in this pic is MAC’s Style Warrior in Mercenary. They describe the $11 polish as “frosted blackened bronze,” but I describe it as PURE FIRE. Stunning in the light. Photo doesn’t do it justice.

and trend #4 — DIY Nail Art

I am so not skilled with nailpolish — when I do my nails I do them sloppy and wait till the next shower to peel away the spillage around my fingernails. But more and more of my amigas are trying sweet DIY nail art, and I’m almost inspired to try it myself! The PBG at 52 Flavors frequently wears fabulously bright nail colors with cool diagonals and funky patterns. Homegirl’s got skills! And thanks to nail art pens like those by Sally Hansen, it’s easier than ever to jazz up your hands with some unexpected patterns. Love it!

However you rock your mani/pedi, work it to the fullest! How are you wearing your nails this season, bellas?