Archive for September, 2008
NY Fashion Week Nail Watch – Thakoon
To compliment Thakoon’s sexy, provocative collection for Spring 2009, CND created what I think is the coolest nail look of the season. A reverse moon manicure. Totally funky, unique and innovative. Would you expect anything less from CND? They certainly know how to put a twist on traditional nail styles.
The CND team took the 20s-style moon manicure and flipped it on its ear with a black moon on a nude base. For those that are unfamiliar, the moon manicure was originally created in the 1920s by a manicurist at MGM studios as a twist on the French manicure. A traditional moon manicure leaves your lunula (that white half moon at the base of your nail) bare or white and the rest of the nail dark and vampy.
Get the look: Reverse Moon Manicure
For advice on how to recreate this style, I went straight to the expert, CND Education Ambassador Roxanne Valinoti. Here’s her 5-step technique:
- Coat the nail with “Stickey” base coat.
- Apply 2 coats of “Serenity” enamel.
- Use a small detail brush, or the corner or the enamel brush with “Voodoo” to outline the half moon at the cuticle of the nail.
- Use the detail brush dipped in enamel, or the enamel brush lightly dotting in enamel to fill in half moon for full coverage. Be careful not to apply to much enamel.
- Let dry for 3-5 minutes before applying “Airdry” topcoat.
China Glaze Sleigh Ride for Holiday 2008
Just hear those sleigh bells jingling, ring-ting-tingling, too
Come on, it’s lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you
-”Sleigh Ride” lyrics by Mitchell Parish
The holidays are coming early kids. Have you made out your wish list? Because I did. Back in January I wished for an emerald green version of China Glaze Ruby Pumps named Emerald City and now it’s been fulfilled. It may not be called Emerald City but you won’t hear me complaining.
I showed you a sneak peak of the polish back in July when I talked about my visit with the women of China Glaze but now you can finally get a bottle of your very own. The Sleigh Ride collection is all you need for a truly blingtastic holiday manicure. Included in the set is the ultimate green dazzler, Emerald Sparkle, a glitzy silver, Tinsel, and core collection best seller, Ruby Pumps. All three are well pigmented, packed with micro-glitter and include that amazing China Glaze jelly finish. The glitter will cause the polishes to dry slightly matte and bumpy but a coat of Seche Vite brings out their brilliance and fire.
Emerald Sparkle! That so deserves an exclamation point. There aren’t enough words for how truly stunning this polish is. I couldn’t dream up a better green shimmer if I tried. Bravo China Glaze! You have just made my year. Not only have you created the perfect green but you made it PIGMENTED. Like seriously pigmented. What you see below is two coats and there’s no sign of nail beneath.
Tinsel will be your go-to color for New Year’s Eve bling. Better yet, can you imagine this icing your Emerald Sparkle tips? Totally over the top and not for everyday but come on, it’s the holidays. Live a little! Now Tinsel is not as pigmented as the other two polishes. What you see is two coats and there is still a bit of tip showing but with three coats, you’re solid.
Ruby Pumps is a classic, jazzy red, glitter bomb. For the past two years, this has been my holiday pedi choice. Originally introduced with the Wizard of Ohh Ahz collection Ruby Rumps is the lone survivor that made the China Glaze core lineup. A brilliant twinkling red, this is a great shade for conservative gals that aren’t ready for green but still want to up the ante on special occasions.
The China Glaze Sleigh Ride collection is on sale now at 8ty8beauty.com and will be arriving soon at Head2ToeBeauty.com. China Glaze is also carried at ULTA and Sally Beauty Supply. Call for seasonal collection availability.