nail color of the week: Nars Bad Influence

this week's mani was actually from last week, but in the hustle of the holiday week, my kids off from school {not to mention i was under the weather...}, blah, blah, blah....i completely forgot to share! thankfully, i did take pics, so i'm doing it now {*smile}.

as you may have already guessed, i dressed my nails in Bad Influence by Nars, a shade that made its debut around this time last year. i bought it just recently via Sephora's f&f {20% off sale and this beauty was also half price {woo-hoo!}!.

Bad Influence is a gorgeous smoky brown taupe, deep enough to make an impact, but still neutral for days you want to play it safe. :)


just to jazz it up a bit, i gave my mani a little accent with Butter London Wallis.

oh, btw, this week i'm rockin' a fun shade called Zoe by Julep {stay tuned~ a post about the brand along with pics of 2 gorgeous shades is coming later this week}.

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

nail color of the week: Sonia Kashuk Taunting Teal

definitely a different flavor for me, but i am beyond gushing ~ j'adore this shade!

when i first spotted this beauty i thought, wow, gorgeous. my daughter was with me at the time said, "what, really, blue?"

please excuse her...she's 11

and besides, i own plenty of blues, thankyouverymuch...but with this one, it was love at first sight.

i didn't actually buy it that day, though.

then i kept thinking about it {does that ever happen to you?}, so i knew i really wanted and would wear it. also, it's affordable {$4.99}, so the next time i was at Target, i put it in my cart. :)

so, what do you think?

here's the rundown: the formula applies gorgeously and wears beautifully. since i don't wear my polishes longer than 3-4 days at most, i'm happy to say that there was very minimal wear, even after typing and lots of hand washing...fabulous job SK! i'll be wearing this one a lot this season...

you can find all Sonia Kashuk products at your local Target store.

all pics taken by me :)

nail color of the week: Wallis by butter London

Wallis by butter London is a fierce shade of metallic-mustard-olive-green goodness...i wasn't sure if i'd like it, but had to give it a try...

i've been wearing this for about two days now, and have to say i do love that it's different; that and the fact that i decided to get it while taking advantage of the bogo free sale at ulta {it just happened last week-- did you get any polishes from the sale??}, makes it even better.

up until my purchase, i had little experience, ok, absolutely no experience with the brand. of course, i had heard such good things about it, and it didn't disappoint! the formula is easy to apply and this shade turned out fabulous in 2 coats. i suppose if i wanted to i could have done with just one, but i never do that anyway, so i won't start now.

so...what do you think of this shade?

pics taken by me :)

nail color of the week: Zoya Tao

fresh from the fall Smoke and Mirrors collection, i picked up Tao and Jem {will share that beauty soon!}, along with some other things from a recent trip to my local Ulta...

well, it's 30 minutes away, but definitely worth the drive!

Tao is a gorgeous metallic, light smokey grey that leans a bit toward blue, giving it a very edgy, rock and roll vibe...

yet another reason to love the fall season.

pics taken by me :)

nail color of the week: Essie Sew Psyched

over the weekend i gave myself a manicure using essie's Sew Psyched, a shade i discovered thanks to one of my favorite bloggers, Daneen, when she shared it first on twitter {and then her blog}.

this color is described as a cashmere-soft sage pewter, and i couldn't agree more. it has a sheen like pewter, but definitely leans on the grey-green end of the spectrum.


in the bottle, Sew Psyched looks lighter, but is darker once it's on the nail. this gem is fabulous and a great color to choose if you're looking to be daring yet still a bit understated.

this one's a keeper. :)

nail color of the week: Color Club 'Uptown Girl'

there's nothing like giving myself a manicure. i realize this may not be the case for everyone, but it's become one of my favorite ways to center my thoughts and relax. i love the way i can pamper myself and give my hands polish {no pun intended}.

for this week's manicure, i chose a shade that's even relaxing to look at: Color Club Uptown Girl, from the Rebel Debutante collection.

this gorgeous shade of smoky lavender, though part of a collection from last year, is still a fabulous color for the current spring season.

and to keep with the purple theme, my daughter changed her polish to her current fave purple, OPI A Grape Fit!...

yep, she did her nails herself. :)

what nail color are you currently wearing this week?

pics taken by me:)

nail color of the week: Zoya Kelly

gray is not only a hot "trendy" color right now, but it's become my personal color obsession over the past few months. this fabulous shade, Kelly by Zoya, is keeping my tips looking tres chic and modern while catering to my gray-loving self.

indoors with flash, left; outdoors, cloudy day with flash, right

the brand describes Kelly as a rich gray shade with soft purple and blue undertones, and that sums it up perfectly. i love that Kelly is deep, but not too dark (it's a great alternative to black), and is a fabulous choice when you are wanting to wear something neutral without being traditional.

visit zoya.com for more info

pics taken my me :)

nail color of the week: Sephora by OPI Run with It!

neutral is always a safe way to go when it comes to nail color, but sometimes it need to be punched up a notch. Run with It! from the Sephora by OPI collection is one that i bought while in nyc last fall-- as soon as i saw it, i loved it.



i came across it again just the other day when organizing my polish stash, realizing i haven't worn it since my fabulous trip. not-your-average-neutral, this opaque, metallic, dove gray is fab for times you want something simple, but still fun. :)

xo
pics taken by me :)

nail color of the week: Color Club She's So Glam

pink is my favorite color, as many of you know, and this pink, Color Club She's So Glam, is no exception. i did find the application of this opaque creme to be a bit difficult, as the formula didn't apply as easily as i typically like (on the thick side and a bit streaky, if you know what i mean), but i managed to do an ok application with just two coats.


indoors w/flash on left; indoors no flash on right (sorry it's blurry!); pic up top taken outdoors, no flash.

other than that, i think this is a fun pink to end the summer with, don't you?

xo
pics taken by me; product sent to me by the brand.

nail color of the week: MAC So Rich So Pretty

when i first saw MAC's So Rich So Pretty nail polish (from the Alice + Olivia Collection), i knew i had to get it. i also knew it wouldn't be at my local MAC counter (which is at Macy's-- our mall doesn't have a Nordstrom, grrr), so i would have to order online.

i'm so thankful i did-- it quickly sold out online. i'm sure that had i driven 30 minutes to Nordie's it would have been for nothing (that's just how things seem to work out for me, LOL!).

in any case, i ordered it (along with the Later pigment, also A+O, which is also sold out online), and now own it-- yay! isn't it gorgeous?


SRSP outdoors

So Rich So Pretty was a bit hard for my camera to capture in direct sunlight-- it seemed to do this weird, blurry, sci-fi-looking thing-- but the pics above are pretty accurate. in person, it's just as described by the brand, a bright purple frost. it's such a fun, fabulous shade that is great for summer. if you can get it, definitely do-- it won't be around forever.


xo
pics taken by me :)

nail color of the week: Finger Paints My Art Belongs to You

pink is my absolute can't-live-without color. seeing it puts me in a good mood, even if i'm already in one. i just love it! this shade by Finger Paints, called My Art Belongs to You, is new from their summer collection. i love that it's not a typical bubblegum pink-- it has a hint of shimmer to it and it's bright and cheery without stepping into neon territory.

this is my first experience with Finger Paints, and i have to say, i'm really liking the way the formula applies. it wears very well and i love the bottle it comes in, too-- so cute! exclusive to Sally Beauty Supply, i'll definitely be picking up more colors from this brand to try in the future.

xo
pics taken by me :)

nail color of the week: Chanel Paradoxal

Paradoxal from Chanel comes from their new fall collection, and if you haven't already heard the buzz about this color, listen up.

you need to get this.

for fall 2010 the must-have shade-- it's unique and falls in perfect line with the taupe-grey-purple trend going on.

if you hadn't already gathered, i really love this new color...



that aside, the shade is a bit hard to capture on film. it even looks different on the nail than it does in the bottle. while it has an iridescent sheen in the bottle, it doesn't appear to be so on the nail. it's shimmery, but this dark grey-violet shade is not a glitter, and, in some light, even appears to be a creme. it's in a class by itself, i have to say. as you can see in my pics, it looks more purple, but trust me, in person, it's not. i bought mine at Macy's, but it's also available in fine department stores and online.

for some color comparisons with other nail shades, visit my friend Michelle at All Lacquered Up (of course).

tell me: do you plan to purchase this new Chanel shade?

xo
pics taken by me :)

nail color of the week: Savvy Knightly Armour

on a recent visit to my local Sally Beauty, i found this beauty, Knightly Armour, by Savvy. it looks silver with a lavander tint in the bottle, but is very sheer when applied. with 3 coats i acheived a very pretty, shimmery-metallic finish. it's edgy but still delicate-- perfect for me.

i have never heard of this line before, but searched and found it to have good reviews. Knightly Armour is a new shade and the Savvy brand is exclusive to Sally Beauty.

xo
pics taken by me :)

nail color of the week: Rimmel London Steel Grey

i have become a bit obsessed with Rimmel London's Steel Grey* nail polish (part of their Lasting Finish Pro line, available at drugstores) after seeing it featured in one of my mags (don't ask me which one-- i subscribe to so many!). seriously, i've been wearing it a lot!

this taupe-grey-purple-putty color is the perfect non-boring neutral. as you can see in the pictures, sometimes it can appear to be more grey-purple or more of a putty-grey. in less light it takes on a darker appearance.

i also have to mention that Lasting Finish Pro has something i have come to appreciate-- a wide pro brush. it makes applying the already great formula so easy. love it! :)

xo
*pic on left taken with no flash; pic on right taken with flash. pics taken by me :)

nail color of the week: China Glaze Light as Air

i've been wearing this China Glaze polish, Light As Air (from their spring 2010 Up & Away collection), since yesterday, and i have to say, i love it. this cool, opaque, pale shade of lilac is a cheerful in a laid-back sort of way.

i'll defintitely be wearing it a lot (both on my tips and my toes) this summer! :)


xo
pic taken by me :)

nail color of the week: Sonia Kashuk Ooh La La

to be honest, Sonia Kashuk's fabulous color called Ooh La La was what i was wearing on my nails last week, but i completely forgot to post it. this gorgeous fuchsia shade is deep yet still bright at the same time. i took different picks so you could see how it looks at different angles and light (flash, no flash and natural light to be specific).

the formula is great and very easy to apply. for the four days i wore it, i had no chips, only wear at the tips from typing. i love Ooh La La-- so happy i bought this for my collection. :)

xo

nail color of the week: Sephora By OPI Leaf Him at the Altar

the name might imply something a bit harsh, but the color, Leaf Him at the Altar, is so gorgeous and also perfect for St. Patrick's Day.

described as a metallic vine green by the brand, this shimmery green polish caught my eye the moment i saw it at Sephora. i didn't hesitate to put it in my basket and buy it-- um, can you blame me? not only is my polish collection in need of more greens, but it's also very on trend for spring!

xo
pic taken by me :)

nail color of the week: MAC Light Affair

up until today i was wearing MAC's fabulous nail color, Light Affair. it was featured in their Love Lace collection and quickly sold out on their site.

of course, now the collection is long gone, but thankfully i was lucky enough to find that my local Macy's had a few in stock back in january.

described as a creamy pale grey taupe, this definitely comes off more pale on me (haha!). all kidding aside, when compared to a white sheet of paper, the grey was more obvious. i really like this shade and plan to wear it a lot come spring.

xo

nail color of the week: OPI DS Extravagance

from the fabulous Designer Series, OPI's DS Extravagance was my choice of nail color to wear this week. it really helped cheer me up in this gloomy weather. this pretty and sparkly magenta would put any beauty girl in a better mood, don't you think?

i bought my bottle at Cosmoprof (for industry pros only), but you can visit opi.com to find a retailer near you.

xo

nail color of the week: Milani Creme Brulee

Milani Creme Brulee nail polish was worn by the models for the Charlotte Ronson show during ny fashion week. after seeing it, i made a mental note to get it-- i'm always at the drugstore for something! now it's my new go-to shade when i don't really have time to wait for a darker color to dry or i can't decide what color to wear. the formula is great-- easily applies in thin coats-- and you can wear it as sheer or opaque as you want (i'm wearing three coats in the pic).

i bought mine at CVS, but you can find this and all Milani products at drugstores and mass retailers nationwide.

xo
pic taken by me :)