Olympian Mani: Going for the Gold with Minx Nails

I was in the mood for gold this weekend for obvious reasons. For a truly mirror-like metallic you can't do better than Minx.

This was my first experience with Minx nail polish strips. If you're not familiar with the brand, you can have them applied professionally at some salons (including Ulta), and you can also purchase the DIY packages for less, although there is a smaller shade selection if you choose the latter option.

As you can see the first shade (Technical Tribal) went on a bit cleaner than the second (Gold Moons). Admittedly my technique still needs work but I established two things: 1. In my experience patterned shades look better than solids because the slight wrinkles and bubbles are less visible. 2. Minx brand goes on a bit easier than the other brands I've worked with (Kiss and Sally Hansen). I only wish Ulta carried more shades!

Oh, and if you're planning to buy these at Ulta, try to avoid paying full price ($18). Coupons for Ulta are easy to come by—here's a Link to a printable coupon on their site.

Go USA!

Nail of the Week: China Glaze Aquadelic

I love this shade as a more vibrant version of Revlon Sheer Seafoam which I bought a few months ago. I also gave CG's Patent Leather topcoat a try here. I like it, but found it's just as good as my favorite glossy topcoat, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Clearly Quick.

Nail of the Day: Sally Hansen Crowd Surfer

This was my second favorite shade from SH' Avril Lavigne collection of nail polish strips and I picked it up for 50% off at Target this week. A cool glittery look for summer. I saw the entire collection on clearance at two local Targets this week, so act fast if you still want any of the Avril shades! By the way it's also a near-exact match of Sephora/OPI's $12 nail polish strips in the shade Silver & Blue Ombre. 

Crazy Summer Nails: Sally Hansen Purr-fect Harmony

This was one of my two picks from SH' Avril Lavigne collection. When I found these on clearance at Target this week I snapped up this one as well as Crowd Surfer. Once I applied these I liked the pattern even more. As usual I had a little trouble with the application process and it's not as perfect as I'd like but still, a fun look for summer. The multi-shades and gradients are what really make this shade.

Crazy Summer Nails: Mountain Dew Mani

Initially I was going to call these nails "lime fizz", but then I noticed the strong resemblance to Mountain Dew. I walked into CVS looking for the brightest nail polish shade I could find and walked out with Milani Totally 80's, a lime green from their neon collection. I used a glittery topcoat to add some fizz.

Nail of the Week: Sally Hansen Good Morning Glory

This is another of my favorites from SH' Spring 2012 limited edition nail polish strip collection. It's mostly sold out everywhere, but I still see the display here and there and I happened to spot this at Walgreens yesterday. These are so lovely and feminine—perfect for a summer bridal shower or cocktail party. 

Crazy Summer Nails: Pink Peacock

I couldn't do a series of peacock prints without a peacock mani! These nails are wrapped in Kiss Nail Dress strips in the shade Push-Up. I love the Lilly Pulitzer-ish color scheme.

Peacock Accessories

These peacock feather earrings would be the perfect complement to a solid color halter top or dress. Top: Lee Angel beaded feather earrings, $50 at Neiman Marcus. Below: A lower-priced and nearly identical option, just $5.98 at Pier 1. Finally, an adorable wallet from Target, just $9.99. 

Peacock Prints: Sundress

I searched for some peacock print summer dresses and this one stopped me in my tracks. No need to search for a lower end option here. At $22.80, this dress from Forever 21 is stunning and affordable for any budget. If you're not up for one of the more brightly colored peacock prints, this is a more subtle alternative. So loving this dress!!

Peacock Prints: Bikinis

When it comes to vibrant prints anything goes in mid-summer. I especially like the peacock prints and motifs that are trending right now. For swimwear I found these two beautiful bikinis.

• Top: ViX 'Paraty Carmen' from Nordstrom. $196 for the set.
• Bottom: a lower-priced (but still gorgeous) option. $40.50 at victoriassecret.com.

Nail of the Week: Pink Lemonade

I used a gradient to create this soft, summery mani design. The shades are:

• Sally Hansen HD Hue
• L'Oreal I Pink I'm in Love