Nail Art DIY: Inspired by Lizzy Caplan's in Bachelorette

 

          Aside from the humor, one of my favorite parts about the movie, Bachelorette, was funny girl, Lizzy Caplan's manicure. For all 87 minutes, I couldn't stop staring at her nails, hoping the camera would get just a bit closer. What I loved about this simple, yet trendy, design was that it's an unexpected take on the popular burgundy red nail color. It looks sophisticated and elongates the nails for more delicate looking fingers.

           Of course, I had to do this design on my own nails immediately! Here's my quick and easy DIY for you to try her look!

Nail polish I used: 

NYC Long Wearing Top Coat

Circus by Andrea's Choice in "Reverso"

Spoiled in "I Don't Drink Cheap Wine"

Step 1: Paint one to two coats of burgundy polish, depending on coverage.

Step 2: Let nails dry completely. I actually waited a day for them to fully set, to avoid any possible smudging with the contrasting polish. Cut round silvers of tape and place them on your nails just above your cuticles. 

Step 3: Paint the white polish only on this bottom section of your nails. If needed, add another coat of white polish.

Step 4: Let nails dry completely. Apply a top coat and you're finished!

DIY: Galaxy Nail Art

         Every time I change my nail polish lately, I like to try something different than just a solid color. Last week, I created a galaxy print, as it's one of my favorite patterns for clothing. I'm going to show you how to do it on your nails!

What you'll need:

- black, white, orange, light blue, and purple nail polishes

- a very thin, shimmery nail polish

- clear top coat

- makeup sponge

- pencil 

These are the colors I used: Revlon - "Black Lingerie," Circus by Andrea's Choice - "Reverso," Essie - "Meet Me at Sunset," Essie - "Lilacism," Color Club - "Disco Dress," L'oreal - "The Temptress' Power," NYC - "Extra Shiny Top Coat."

Step 1: Paint nails black. Let dry.

Step 2: Using the makeup sponge, dab small splotches of the blue onto each nail. Let dry.

Step 3: Repeat this dabbing technique with the orange and purple polishes, drying between each color. 

Step 4: Dip the tip of a pencil into the white polish to create small dots that look like stars. Let dry.

Step 5: Paint a light layer of the shimmery polish on top of design.

Step 6: After the polish has dried for a considerable amount of time, apply top coat to finish. 

And voilà! You have nails that are out of this world! 

If you're like me and can't get enough galaxy print, shop some of my choices below:

ModCloth Day Dresses · ModCloth Intimates · Glamorous Tops

A Not-So-Sweet Sugar Coat

In this picture, Sally Hansen Bubble Plum from the "Sugar Coat" collection.

      As the nail art craze continues, I've kind of been behind the curve. I like experimenting with new techniques and polishes but I never got into textured nails. This week I tried it out for something different. I've acquired two Sally Hansen "Sugar Coat" polishes in Bubble Plum (100) and Cotton Candies (700). Both are sweet pastels, typical of a candy shop, with a grainy texture finish. 

     This polish was a good way to ease into textured nails. It goes on fairly easy -- my one suggestion is to put it on quickly or it gets clumpy. A couple coats works best for optimum coverage (some areas of the nail may not get completely covered in the texture otherwise). It dries pretty quickly, so that was a plus! Once I'd finished my nails it was a cool effect, unlike anything else I've tried before. The biggest downside is that I soon realized this texture wasn't all too pleasant for everyday wear. For the past few days, I kept accidentally scratching myself, or I'd be surprised when I felt something rough and then remember it was just my sandpaper nails. 

      Overall, this isn't the most practical polish. It's cool for a day or two, but it gets old very quickly. It also isn't easy to take off and requires much scrubbing with plenty of cotton balls and nail polish remover. I would suggest this for a special occasion that will last no longer than 48 hours. It's great for making a statement, but not for when you're shaking someone's hand or going on a hot date. This polish could also work for an accent nail. That way you get the trendy texture, but it won't make your nails overwhelmingly rough. 

My Beauty Rating:

Quick Nail Fix

     I always get tired of my manicures lasting only a few days. You paint them at the beginning of the week and by Wednesday the polish is chipping and you've already broken a nail. Usually the tips are the first to chip, so I came up with a way to touch up your nails mid-week that will at least last you through Friday.

Here are the steps (you can thank me later):
     All you need is tape and an accent nail color (it could be a complimenting color or just a neutral). First, tape each nail so that only a sliver of the top is exposed. Then, paint the exposed strip of nail, carefully peel off the tape, and you have a new manicure! It's so easy, it only takes a few minutes, and it will dry fast because you're only painting a small portion of your nail!

Mani-festo

 

     When I think of ringing in the New Year the first thing that comes to my mind is sparkle. I didn't have any big party to attend this year, so unfortunately a sequined dress did not go on my list of recent purchases. A glittery manicure, however, was a fun way for me to add a little dazzle. Plus I'll be wearing it longer than the one night stand I would've had with the sparkly dress of my dreams. Designer inspired manicures are gaining popularity and I turned to Jen Kao's Fall 2011 nails for a new idea. I used three different colors--deep blue, multi-colored glitter, and gold polishes. I love the unique look I created and now I can't stop dreaming up possible nail designs for my next manicures! The gold tips from Yigal Azrouel, the two-tones of Jen Kao's latest collection...maybe I'll even recreate the candy stripes at Nanette Lepore's spring show.

Snow Man of My Dreams - Nicole by OPI

Gold Coin - Revlon

Saved by the Blue - Wet n Wild

 

A Midsummer Night's Dream

     Summer is halfway through! Every other year of my life I wouldn't be saying this with such an upbeat fervor, however this is the first summer I've wanted to be over! Don't get me wrong...I love swimming, the hot weather, week-long trips, and sleeping in...but there's nothing more I'm looking forward to than starting a new phase of my life at college! I've been doing everything I can to prepare for move-in day, including going through my whole wardrobe to figure out what I'm bringing with me (the hardest part being my shoe collection). I've done most of my shopping but I'm still looking around for a laptop. I'm so excited that it seems college is all I can think of! However, sometimes I realize that I should just step back and enjoy the relaxing summer I have because it won't be around forever. Here are some summery things I'll be dreaming of tonight...

Elie Saab's visionary Fall 2011 Couture collection.

Chanel's latest and greatest nail hue.

A breathtaking ocean view from a white-washed beach house.

A design for the engagement ring I'll have someday.

A bookcase full of fashion history and designer biographies.

Kissing a frog so I can turn him into a pair of these Lanvin wedges.

Minimalistic necklaces with a touch of dazzling stones.

Eating tiramisu in Rome.

New ways to style my hair for the summer heat.

My plans for the future. 

Sweet dreams!

The Tie-Dye Manicure

     A couple days ago, I came across an article on Fashionista.com about a new trend in nail art. People have started "tie-dying" their nails (however, the term is used loosely)! The article explained the basic process of obtaining this look and it was too hard for me to resist trying my hand at it! I knew it wasn't going to be as fun without an accomplice, so I turned my experiment into fun sister-time with Anya.

YOU WILL NEED:

• 3-5 colors of nail polish
• clear nail polish (or a base and top coat)
• a bowl of water
• tape or Vaseline
• toothpicks
• plenty of paper towels
• nail polish remover

THE STEPS:

First, prime your nails with a base coat and let dry for at least 3 minutes. Cover the area around your nails with tape (you can also use Vaseline but I found that tape works best when it comes time to peel away excess polish). I recommend also covering most of your finger in case unruly polish sticks there as well. Next, fill the bowl with water (not to the top, but enough to dip your nails in) and begin dripping nail polish in, one drop at a time.

Alternate the colors however you want, making sure they are applied one on top of the other to create a target formation. You'll want at least 10-12 drops before you move on to the next step.

Using a toothpick, carefully swirl around the colors to make the tie-dye effect. Sometimes the toothpick will begin to drag the layers and break them, so take your time with this step.

Next is the fun part! Figure out which section of your design you want on your nails and slowly dip your nails on top of it. As you take them out, push through the water, wrapping the polish around your fingertips. This part can be tricky because if you go too fast or bring your fingers up without going through the water, it can drastically mess up the design and you'll end up with sloppy looking nails.

Once you've mastered the technique mentioned above, you'll be amazed by the results! Now, peel off the tape to reveal clean fingers (this is when using tape is significantly easier than Vaseline, but if you did use Vaseline you can wipe it off and the paint should come off with it). Don't worry if some of your fingers still have polish on them (like in the picture of mine, above). You can wipe it off with nail polish remover later. Apply a top coat over your tie-dyed nails and you're finished!

Savvy Shopping Sunday (N° 7)

(photo credit: refinery29)

I've been thinking of trying out this new nail trend that was spotted on the runway of Antonio Beradi's fall 2011 show...the v-gap! What do you think? I hope you all had a great weekend and that some good deals will start your week off right!

xoxo

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August Wishlist

     I easily get sucked into sites like Ebay, Urban Outfitters, and Victoria's Secret for three reasons...1) they always have new things to discover; 2) the possibility of finding something cheap is guaranteed; and 3) there are so many wondrous things that it's impossible to look at just one! I spend so long browsing on those sites, I really don't want to know the total hours I waste every week shopping online. The one thing that saves me...I don't have a job, therefore I have no money...which means whenever I see something I like online, there's no way for me to impulsively buy it! Do I wish I could? Heck ya! But I'm probably saving myself a lot of trouble by not getting into that habit...yet!

      So instead of actually buying the things I lust after, I settle with making a wishlist. That way I can get them out of my head with the intention of getting them someday, while in the back of my mind I know I'll soon forget them and find new things to marvel at!

Eat, Pray, Love-Elizabeth Gilbert

$12.99 on Amazon

There's been so much buzz about the movie, but the general consensus seems to be a let down. To me, it sounds like a really interesting story and I don't understand how a movie with Julia Roberts AND James Franco (wink, wink...I love him in case you didn't know!) could be bad. I've been debating whether to read the book first or rush to the theater. Either way, I still want to read it because it sounds like a novel with more substance than the ones I normally read for fun.

I also thought these perfumes were cute because they're inspired by each country Elizabeth traveled to. 

You Don't Know Jacques-OPI

$8.00 from drugstore.com

I've wanted this color for the longest time and since fall nail color trends don't seem to be straying much from this beautiful "mushroom" color, I still have time to try it!

Guest texturized flats-Enzo Angiolini

$49.99 on Solestruck

I recently got a pair of gorgeous Enzo Angiolini heels from a thrift store and they are my absolute favorite shoes now. They are well crafted, comfortable, and the type of shoes that make you feel like you're taking every step in luxury. I need a nice pair of black flats and these are perfect. "They" (being fashion experts) always say that the items worth splurging on are the basics that will last you forever. I couldn't agree more!  Enzos are classy, versatile, and well-built shoes that I trust to keep me happy for a very long time.

Eppi Casual Kellybag

$82.99 on storets.com

This looks a lot like one of my past school purses, so I must have a thing for short-handled, wide bags with a bit of posh. The simple design goes with anything and the minty color makes it fun and unusual.

Open Stitch Sweater-NY & Co.

$24.95 at New York and Company

Aside from a few bulky sweaters I've been craving, this is the one sweater I need for my cooler-weather wardrobe. It could be worn layered or alone with a good pair of jeans to make any autumn day better!

Sateen Boxer Pajama Set-Victoria's Secret

$25 on victoriassecret.com

I love wearing boxers to bed. They come in so many cute and comfy styles that they are no longer just a staple for men! This pair from VS is unbeatable and comes in three different colors, plus a matching v-neck. You can't go wrong with that!

Zip Short Denim Skirt-Vero Moda

7.49 € on veromoda.com

Most denim skirts are the same mainstream minis or boring knee-lengths, so when I find one that catches my eye I really want it! Denim is currently the coolest fabric for clothing so I think designers are becoming more creative with the ways they can use it. I like a lot of the acid washing and bleaching I've seen lately and this skirt is a perfect example.

Classy-Derek Blasberg

$16.99 on urbanoutfitters.com

Yet another much-talked-about book to read! It's such a clever idea to base a book on and I have a guilty pleasure for do's and don'ts! The illustrations look hilarious!

Lily Camel Haircalf Leather purse-Mulberry

995 € at mulberry.com

It's a bit on the pricey side, but I just love to look at it! Leopard is a hot print this fall and this is a good use for it. Having it on a purse makes it easy to incorporate into an outfit with just an accent of the busy print. An added bonus? You can tuck the straps inside to use as it a clutch for more formal, night looks.

Query suede bootie-Jeffrey Campbell

$97 + free shipping on Ebay

I've acquired a new obsession with Jeffrey Campbell and these shoes in particular. The black booties that I've had for the past two winters have succumb to much wear and tear, so I really want to get a new pair...they are a must-have in my wardrobe! I am in LOVE with these! The ruffles, the twisted "unicorn" heel, the black suede, all make for a very powerful shoe!

 

PS:

Make sure you guess who belongs to these shoes!