I might not be quite ready to wear brights on my digits just yet (the temperature is still hovering at around freezing here) but I sure am looking forward to these 2 colors from Givenchy's Spring/Summer line. The collection, made up of vibrant pinks and oranges, drew inspiration from the exhilirating colors seen in India and in Bollywood films.
The vividly hot colors would make a bold statement equally on both pale to dark skin tones. I am hoping to make an even bolder statement for Summer by wearing the nail colors together in geometric blocks the same way I have seen done brilliantly on some dresses lately. It would work particularly well since the two shades complement each other rather well I think.
Vernis Please! Lacquer both LE (link) - Maharani Tangerine No. 161 (only available in Europe) and Maharani Pink No. 162.
Creator Nicolas Degennes talks about the collection:
"I saw India as a bombardment of colours bursting forth to the rhythm of filmi music. I had already been a fan of this infectious, upbeat music for a long time, but of course it was the imagery that really grabbed me — Bollywood and its palettes of colours burst with beams of light.Melodramatic love stories… But love stories all the same, with all the emotion, the ardour, the passion of hearts that are torn apart and the struggle through hardship … The stuff of life! And the women! So beautiful, vivacious, dazzling…… and yet so sweetly demure. I have been, sometimes without realizing it, inspired by historical, traditional India. A mysterious, magical, disquieting India. The India of symbols and thousands of gods, where even cows and elephants are made up and 'bejewelled'. The India of fairy tales, of Maharajas and especially Maharanis, wrapped up in their silk saris and covered in precious jewels.Words and images that take us beyond our boundaries.History, reality and fantasy join hands."
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), givenchy.com
Monday
Something To Do With Vibrant Colors
Thursday
Parlez-Vous Long Nails?
I can barely type right now. I was asked to model in a photo shoot yesterday and they had me all done up from my fingertips to my head. It was absolutely fun and glamorous. However, I am now sporting the longest nails I have ever had. Typing this post, letter by letter, is limiting and testing my patience.
All the fancy work achieved on these nails was done with OPI's lacquer and most of them came from their new LA COLLECTION DE FRANCE FALL/WINTER 2008. The first picture features the polish called "Bastille My Heart" and the second "Parlez-Vous OPI?" and "Louvre Me Louvre Me Not".
So what I am wondering is if you have got any tips for me on how to deal with really long finger nails? Doing simple daily tasks (e.g. picking up my tweezers) has got me baffled and BFOG screams every time I accidentally injure him with them. Although, I have noticed that they make excellent itch scratchers and act as a big tooth comb for combing conditioner through hair!
I admire the intricate work performed and the time spent on them but I am starting to lose it. If all goes well, they can stay on for as long as 2 weeks. Will I be able to bear it? Or should I just go ahead and have them removed? Do you like them?
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)
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Do You Do E-Shopping?
You might find this information from the ShopSmart Magazine (Consumer Reports) handy. It is the result and summary of the screening they had conducted to compare some of the e-tailers out there.
Do any of you shop at these sites? Would you recommend any of these to your friends or to me (do any of them have international shipping)?
Best Overall Selection: Beauty.com
Shipping Free if you spend $49 or more.
Return policy 30 days on unopened products or, for certain items, if you don’t like the color. Returns cost $4.99 unless a product is damaged or incorrect or the color is wrong.
Great for Hard-to-Find Products: Beautyhabit.com
Shipping Free on orders of $100 or more; otherwise $5.95.
Return policy 14 days on most items. No returns on opened or used products.
Great for Trendy Brands: Beautyofasite.com
Shipping Free on orders over $75; otherwise $5.95 to $8.95.
Return policy 30 days. You pay for return shipping unless the product was damaged. All returns are for exchange or store credit only. There are no refunds or returns on color cosmetics.
Best Prices: Buymebeauty.com
Shipping Free on orders of $35 or more; $4.95 on orders of less than $35.
Return policy 30 days. Products must be unused and unopened, unless they are defective. You have to call or e-mail before returning products; you will also have to pay the costs of return shipping.
Great Return Policy: Cosmeticmall.com
Shipping $5.95 plus 93 cents per pound.
Return policy 30 days. You can return most products for any reason, even after they’re opened.
Great Drugstore Makeup Section: Drugstore.com
Shipping Free on your first nonprescription order of $25 or more; free on orders of $49 or more after that.
Return policy 30 days. Returns are free if a product is damaged, defective, or incorrect. Returns are free on certain products if you don’t like the color. Otherwise, products must be unopened and unused.
Great for Freebies: Sephora.com
Shipping Free on orders over $50; otherwise $5.95.
Return policy 60 days. Free return shipping. Store credit after 60 days.
Great for Organic Products: Skinbotanica.com
Shipping Free on orders over $49; otherwise $5.95.
Return policy 60 days.
Best Shipping Deal: Skin-One.com
Shipping Free.
Return policy 30 days. Product must be at least 75 percent full. You have to pay return shipping fees, and no returns are allowed of an opened product if you received a sample of it with your order.
Best Online Version of a Walk-In Store: Walgreens.com
Shipping Many items qualify for free shipping of purchases of $50 or more; otherwise $5.49 for 10 pounds or less.
Return policy 30 days.
Sad Site: BeautyDepot.com
This site didn’t have a wide selection of products. You have to buy $99 worth of stuff to get free shipping; otherwise you could end up paying $7.95 or more for UPS ground. Cosmetics (and many other products) were not returnable, and there’s no toll-free customer-service number.
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The Next Generation
We had the mood rings in the 70s, more recently the O-Glow cheek color by Smashbox, and now a color transforming nail polish. All of these fads change color depending on body temperature or sunlight.
A group of students at the Albion High School in Salford have developed a nail polish which goes from nude to colored when exposed to UV light. The school's ban on the use of makeup motivated the group to create the polish for their class' enterprise project.
The school has gone on and created 32 transforming shades (based on the color of brick found around the school) and is now trying to commercialize the product.
Tell me, would you buy this even if you are not banned from wearing makeup?
Credits: dailymail.co.uk
Tuesday
Summer Nails
The sun has been making occasional appearances here in the past week. This means that sandals can finally come out and it is time to pick out delish colors for our nails!
A nice pop of color can be a nice finishing touch to your look. I have picked out these 4 for 4 different, summer occasions. They are all from a Dutch company called Hema, who makes really quality nail polishes that are comparable to Opi's, but for a-third of the price. Applied on top of Opi's Start to Finish, these polishes last chip-free, for a week. Since their polishes are only named with numbers, I thought it would be a fun game to name these polishes myself!
Hema # 185
I would like to name this one "Dabbing my lips".
I would wear this to a sizzling date that I know is about to get hotter! Imagine a cool summer night, a table for two at an Italian restaurant with an outdoor terrace. In one ear you hear the tongue-curling sounds of Italian, and the other, the stillness of crickets. In front of you, the person sitting there, adoring you. You dab your lips with a serviette after you have tasted the last course, looking intensely across the table.
Hema # 205
I would like to call this "Coy & the Beach".
Coyness is not being seen enough around the beach. This shade stands out against slightly tanned skin, whilst managing to be coy.
Hema # 127
For this one, I give the name "Air Conditioning".
On a hot summer day, it is just unbearably mucky out there. You are comforted by the thought of attending an indoor event later on, which will have air conditioning. The only requirement is that you must wear something nice, perhaps a nice clingy black dress.
Hema # 184
This shall be named simply "Ibiza".
An electric shade that is on trend with the current chilli-colored lips. This has Ibiza written all over it! Takes you from sipping colorful drinks on the beach, to enjoying an outdoor live performance. It is a great way to add unexpected color to a look.
Credits: Grayburn
Monday
I have just arrived back in Europe and feel terribly jet lagged. It seems like I have been so far away and it looks like much has changed around here.
Whilst on the plane, I watched Ms. Minelli in Cabaret. I must say that I adore the nail polish in the shade of emeralds that she wore during her "Mein Herr" number. That was probably the first time anyone had worn such an unusual shade (it was a shade called Divine Decadence).
I am curious what shade for nails you might find particularly unusual? And, if any of you know of a similar shade to Divine Decadence, please do share!
Wednesday
Christmas Wish List item No. 12 - Party ready nails!
Read about the other items on my Christmas Wishlist photo from Opi.com
I really really want this one. My usual love is Russian Navy polish but this is such a party color to go with my little black dress. The color of Crantini! This one is aptly named I've "Red" The Script!
What color(s) are you wearing on your nails this party season?
By the way, don't forget to visit this Friday's special feature!
