Cool Summer Mint

I'm seeing lots of coral this summer, but what's really catching my eye is mint green—sometimes just the pure, crystal pastel shade, others a bit deeper with a touch of jade mixed in. I'm not sure if it's everywhere or just on my radar. Here are my super hot picks for this cool summer color!

essie Fashion Playground from the 2014 Hide and Go Chic Collection

Kate Spade Cabana Tile in blue/green. It's so last summer, but this print is still plentiful on Ebay; choose from totes, wallets and even iPhone and iPad cases.

Mossimo Maxi Dress:  Mint against black makes a stunning contrast in this reasonably priced dress from Target.

The sensible FitFlop gets an elegant upgrade with this limited edition guest designer print from Keiko Nishiyama. It's the Keiko Shuv Thong Sandal in Pistachio. $124.95 at Nordstrom.com.

Nordstrom always seems to have the best selection of scarves, and I never pay full price.  This Silhouette Scarf in Summer Green by Vince Camuto is on clearance right now for $25.49

I'm liking Marc Jacob's stuff better now that he's offering more options that don't have his name and logo splashed all over them. This is the Gamma Ray Computer Commuter bag in the shade Dusty Jade Green Multi. $79.06 is the currrent clearance price on Nordstrom.com.

Lilly Pulitzer Ross Halter Dress (top) and for your little one, Little Delia Shift Dress. Shade name Ring The Bellboy. Nobody knows summer prints like Lilly—I love the crispness of this! $198 for Mom, $78 for daughter, at lillypulitzer.com.

Mint and lavender are a perfect match in this Dooney & Bourke Tulip Tote in the shade name Violet.  $215.42 is the current clearance price at QVC.com.

 

OPI Push and Shove—the Mirror Mani

A true mirror finish is the holy grail of chrome metallic nail shades. I found this one in OPI's Gwen Stefani collection. I was skeptical at first—in the bottle the color looks a bit muddy, not mirror-like at all. But the SA at my local Boston Beauty Supply assured me that once applied, the shade would dry to a dazzlingly bright silver. She was not kidding! I'm in love with this product!

The Bargain Caviar Mani

I wouldn't go out of my way for a caviar mani. Yes, they're fun and pretty, but the kits tend to be expensive ($19 for CIATE at Sephora,) messy and time-consuming. Plus, the microbeads fall off in patches—sort of the caviar mani version of chipping.

 

For a quick and easy alternative I went for this set of press-ons from Dollar Tree. I liked the emerald and gold color scheme. And the application? Done in less than a minute. For one dollar you can't go wrong. The brand is called So EZ Nail Art by Style Essentials.



Sweet Accessories for Valentine's Day

Nothing's too pink or too red for Valentine's Day!  Here are some sweet accessories:

Capelli of New York Floral Print Scarf
$18 at nordstrom.com

Cherry Harvest Necklace

$48 at anthropologie.com

Sterling Silver Red Jade Dangle Earrings

$8.99 at amazon.com

Juicy at Heart Cosmetic Bag

$48 at juicycouture.com

DVP iPhone 5 Case in Free Hearts Red

$20 at dvf.com

Capelli of New York Phone Wristlet in Red

$7.98 at nordstrom.com

Sweet Handbags for Valentine's Day

Pink and red clothing for Valentine's Day? Maybe not, but pink and red accessories? Yes, please! Here are my picks for handbags:

Coach Bleecker Cooper Satchel in Peach Rose
$298 at coach.com

Hobo 'Darcy' Leather Crossbody Bag in Crimson

$98 at nordstrom.com

Charles Street Mini Audrey in Strawberry Froyo
$328 at katespade.com

Sophia Leather Mod Crossbody in Cashmere Rose
$128 at juicycouture.com

New Sally Hansen Rent the Runway Nail Polish Strips

SH' newest limited edition collection is heavy on the florals and includes some hot picks for winter and some more delicate and springlike. My pick of the litter is Full Plume.

 

 

From left, the patterns are:

Don't Be Koi: Japanese-inspired whimsical, red and black on white. If you like fish print manis it's your lucky day!
 

Hide and Peek: Standard-issue transparent black lace. This one could be jazzed up if worn over vibrant stripes for a stained-glass effect.

Fl-roar-al: Red and purple flowers and a black leopard print against a white background. A little confusing—too much going on here.

Ruffled Feathers: Black feather print on a medium blue background. Looks more floral than feather-y to me, but still very pretty.

Full Plume: Black peacock print on emerald background. Like for the holidays.

Empress-ive: Delicate blue floral on white. Very sweet for spring.

Ama-zen: Black bonsai floral/leaf on non-metallic gold background. Another like for the holidays.

On the Prowl: Black zebra print on a gold glitter background. This is a good choice for a ten-year-old, in fact my niece would say it's purrrr-fect.  But as animal prints go I prefer Brattlesnake which is part of the regular collection (link).

See below for closeups.

 

 



Great Lash Mascara is in Bloom!

It's summer—time for Maybelline's annual limited edition colored shades of Great Lash mascara. When I say these mascaras are colored, I don't just mean subtle hints of color, I mean vibrant and full-on color to make your eyes pop!

Last year when I posted about these shades (Link) there were four colors available: royal blue, green, teal and purple. This year, Maybelline has upped the ante by adding two more shades to the collection: a hot pink and a soft berry/burgundy.

The shade names, which have changed since last year, are:

• I See Blue

• Teal Appeal

• Green With Envy

• Wink of Pink

• Vision of Violet

• So Very Berry

Hello Summer! DJ Play That Song by essie

The calendar may say it's not quite summer, but in my book Memorial Day marks the beginning of my favorite season! Time to bring on the bright nail polish shades, and you can't go wrong with this vibrant purple jelly. 





Blue Multi-Striped Mani

Okay, so my stripes aren't perfectly even. Still, I love this combination of shades. Here's what I used, starting at the bottom:

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Breezy Blue

Wet n Wild I Need a Refresh-Mint

essie avenue maintain

Revlon Surf

Revlon Midnight

L'Oreal Nail Lingerie over essie avenue maintain

These limited edition nail decals are from L'Oreal's Versailles Romance collection. The gold shade was sold out at the Walgreens where I picked them up, so I bought one each of the white and silver. So many possibilities for these! I chose to wear the silver over essie avenue maintain.

 

I've also had my eye on the the essie shade in the cab-ana, but found a near exact match in this Wet n' Wild shade I Need a Refresh-Mint. Six dollars cheaper and just as pretty! I used this shade as a base for the white decals.

Sweet, Hot and Pink! nails inc. Shoreditch

Here's a bit of trivia: If you were one of the many people who had to read the book 1984 in high school English class, you may remember a reference to an old English nursery rhyme called “Oranges and Lemons.”   And if you have a really good memory you may remember that the poem refers to a church named Shoreditch.

 

All trivia aside, this is a sweet confection of a shade.  It's a hot, girly, summer-y pink. Of all the pinks in my collection, of which there are many, I have nothing that matches it.  Also it applies with a very glossy finish so a glossy topcoat is optional.

Discontinued Hall of Fame: Revlon Royal

This shade was from Revlon's Top Speed Fast Dry collection and I'm sorry to see it go. Cobalt blue shades with a jelly finish are pretty hard to come by—in fact, this is the only one I know of!

Fortunately it's still available on Amazon, and although I wasn't able to find it at Ulta or any of my favorite drugstore chains (CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens and Target) I did find a bottle at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Also try Big Lots or your local dollar store.

OPI Oz the Great and Powerful: Lights of Emerald City

This is a clear glossy shade with chunks of holographic glitter. The possibilities are endless—it would look great layered over so many bases.  I chose a shimmery blue/violet—Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Virtual Violet.

Sephora by OPI Mr. Right Now

A red mani for Valentine's Day? Admittedly it's a little cliché but who can pass up a deep, glossy, sexy red like this shade? Sephora describes it as a wine, but your mileage may vary—it's a deep red on me.

More Big Fun at Big Lots: Tiara Style On Nails

Here's more proof that you don't have to spend a lot for cool nails. These press-on nails fit me perfectly. I like that they're not too long—makes it easier for me to type! $4 for twenty-four nails.

 

Rainbow Mani: China Glaze Cirque du Soleil It's a Trap-Eze

This is not the first rainbow mani I've done—see my previous posts: Rainbow Sherbet and Rainbow Marbled. But this was definitely the easiest. Just a few coats of this white-based rainbow glitter then a glossy topcoat and you're good to go.  If you like it then better act fast—I noticed this was the only sold-out shade in the limited edition Cirque du Soleil display!

The Winter Blues: NYC Water Street Blue with Sally Hansen Gem Crush in Showgirl Chic

Here's a follow-up to my blue mani post yesterday (link) I guess I've got the winter blues because I'm craving all shades of blue lately! 

Nicole by OPI Stand by Your Manny and On the Katwalk

Both of these Nicole by OPI shades are from tie-in collections. The first, a pale opaque blue, is from the Modern Family collection, and Katwalk is from the Kardashian Kolor collection (now on clearance at my local CVS.)

Sally Hansen Nail Polish Strips—The Bold Rush

Gold and purple are such a regal combination. Here's a beautiful offering from SH' latest limited edition collection.  

Emerald Nails: Sally Hansen Mint Sprint and Piggy Polish Embrace Adventure

I'm really feeling this emerald trend—the jewel tone is especially beautiful for winter. Here are two nice options. I love the Piggy Polish shade—it has a little more shimmer to it. The price is a bit higher ($7.50 at Ulta.)

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Mint Sprint is a great value (just $3.59 at Target). Of the two it has a more glossy, satin finish. I love this product because it applies evenly and the opaque shades require only one coat.