It's been a crazy week here at the POPSUGAR office. There's been battles with the rain, Jess had an unlpleasant trip to the dentist and we've gone in to a frenzy, in anticipation of next weeks busy fashion week schedule. So, in a bid to keep up appearances (hair, nails, teeth...), we've picked some of our favourite beauty must-haves for the whole top-to-toe body therapy experience.
A black manicure is a fashion staple, but adding a touch of shimmer creates the perfect go-with-everything party manicure. Keep your nails trimmed short and use a file to get your desired shape. Next, apply two coats of your favourite black lacquer — I used Essie Nail Polish in Licorice ($18.95). There are plenty of scintillating topcoats to choose from this season. For this particular manicure, I opted for Butter London Nail Lacquer in Fairy Cake ($45, set of three), which features fine silver and holographic glitter in a pale grey polish. The sheer base mutes the severity of the black polish and adds a dose of multifaceted glitter in one coat.
As Kristen Stewart's Breaking Dawn Part 2 red carpet appearances come to an end, we're paying tribute to the two gold dresses she wore to separate premieres last week. Metallic is quite the thing and it's the perfect look to try over the silly season — because no office Christmas party is complete without a sexy, smoky eye! But if you're less about the eyes and bright lips and more about nails, then liquid gold is the perfect polish choice for you. It looks expensive and will complement any outfit, a win-win, really. Click through to see some of our favourite gold nail polishes, and don't forget the glossy top coat. Ya hear?
This striking nail design looks a lot more complicated than it really is. Aside from two nail shades — we used Topshop Nail Polish in Heart of Gold (approx $10) and RGB Nail Color in Plum (approx $16) — all you need is tape and a pair of scissors. To learn how to create the look, read more.
Costumes aren't the only way to show off your Halloween spirit. Try always-fun nail art, one of the most popular ways to celebrate this festive occasion. You don't need to be an artist to get this look, either, and you can even change up the colours for additional holiday styles.
If you want a little bling with your Halloween manicure, here's a stylish take on a spooky motif: the skull. Inspired by the nail charm from the Ruffian Spring 2013 runway, we took a rhinestone-encrusted skull charm and let it be the focal point of our manicure. First, paint your nails black, and then add a little glitz to your nails with silver glitter, or you can use a top coat like Australis Glitter Top Coat in Shimmy Shake ($7.95). Lastly, adhere a skull charm to your ring finger using nail glue or a top coat. We got our nail charms from Proto Nail Art & Beauty Products, but we also love Black Skull Halloween Nail Decorations ($3.95). If you've run out of time to order a charm or sticker, you can take a stab at painting a skull design freehand with silver nail polish. No matter how you do it, get crackin' — Halloween is today!
Your makeup looks great, that pimple is disguised, and you're feeling gorgeous in general. But just as you're slipping out the door, you realise your nail polish is chipped. Now what? With some fast-drying top coat and a set of reinforcement stickers (the circular-shaped kind you find at the office supply store), you can turn your polish woes around. A cute half-moon manicure is just a minute away.
So you've overslept and have practically zero time to deal with a chipped manicure this morning. Before you take the term "meltdown" to the next level, take a deep breath and relax. This easy 10-minute manicure will leave your nails looking better in no time. Find out how to shave off the minutes from your next manicure — without cutting corners.
For her Autumn/Winter 2012 presentation, Joy Cioci made an impression with her line up of beautiful chiffon designs and bold, feminine prints. But the beauty world couldn't take their eyes off the chic, texturised manicures gracing models' hands at the show. CND manicurists applied fishnet lace over the brand's Putty polish to achieve the look, and here's how you can re-create it at home.
