365 of Untrieds is my personal challenge to weed through the polishes in the ALU stash that I’ve been wanting to try but just haven’t gotten around to. Ah, where to begin. I’m not really one to overshare the details of my life that include other people but I’ve been kind of a mess the past of couple days. I came home Thursday from Put-In-Bay to find out that my dad went to the emergency room, thinking he had a heart attack. As an only child with very little extended family, my parents are my whole world and my father is my rock. He may tease me like he’s the older brother I never had and he may be more stubborn than me (which is a feat) but he’s funny, smart, caring and, most importantly, always there when I need him. So needless to say, I’ve pretty much been a crying mess ever since. Even now as I wait to see if he will be released, I’m crying just typing this. While I have every belief that he will be okay, if you could send a positive thought his way, it would mean the world to me. As you can imagine, talking about polish is about the last thing I care about right now so I’m not even going to apologize for effing up my 365. Some things are just more important than polish. Needing a little cheering up, I put on Barielle A Bouquet For Ava which came out with the Barielle Wildflower Collection last year and was created to benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. There’s even a group that raises awareness for the disease through nail polish called Teal Toes.

Formula & Application: Barielle nail polish is 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin) and free of camphor, which can be an irritant. The long, thin plastic caps house a round, dense brush with flexible bristles. Barielle’s brush was definitely developed with a professional in mind even though it is a consumer brand. It doesn’t hold too much polish and it easily fans out, giving great coverage and control, without any resistance that could cause dragging.

The polish is highly pigmented, barely needing two coats, and has a thin, creamy consistency that allows you to lay down thin coats without streaking. The only downside I can see is that the color does stain a bit so be careful during removal to avoid smurf fingers.

Barielle A Bouquet For Ava is a medium teal creme that leans heavily towards blue. I wouldn’t quite classify it as a “bright” even though it is rich and vibrant. I think that’s what I like about it. It feels very season-less in that it isn’t some moody muted color more suitable to fall/winter yet it isn’t a screaming bright aqua that some may deem “too loud” outside of summer.

Back when I reviewed the OPI Hong Kong collection, I included A Bouquet for Ava in my Suzi Says Feng Shui comparison and against all the polishes featured, the Barielle shade is much brighter/greener than its competitors.

The closest I’ve come to finding a twin is MAC Morning After from the Alice & Olivia collection though A Bouquet For Ava isn’t quite as murky or green.  Though, since that one is discontinued, it’s kind of a moot point unless you own Morning After and want to avoid having too many polishes of that color family.

Bottom Line: The formula is full of win and the color is gorgeous. It’s not the most unique shade I’ve ever seen and I certainly have plenty of teals but this one takes me to my happy place and right now, that’s a very good thing. If you haven’t tried Barielle before or you’re looking to beef up your blue-green arsenal, A Bouquet For Ava won’t let you down.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: I’m STASHing it.

Barielle A Bouquet For Ava is available online at Barielle.com. While Barielle treatments are carried in a number of retailers, Shades nail polish availability will vary by location. Visit their store locator for details. Barielle nail polishes retail for $8/ea for a .5oz bottle but they regularly offer specials to their email list and are always BOGO 50% off.

Thoughts on A Bouquet For Ava? Are you a fan of Barielle nail polish? What is your favorite teal? Have you ever polished your toes teal in support of ovarian cancer?

Disclosure: A product sample was provided by Barielle. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

I’m sure you remember seeing these amazing lace nails created by Celebrity Manicurist Elle.  I posted about the lace nail trend back in September when Blake Lively and Jennifer Lopez were spotted wearing the look.  Scratch Magazine loved it so much, they featured it on their December cover. Since then I’ve seen various tutorials pop up on YouTube but none of them have looked as good or been as detailed as this one by LovelyInstinct so I thought I’d share. She uses a different method than Elle in that she applies a base coat of color underneath the lace and a lot more products. Those of you that aren’t a fan of seeing your natural nail through the lace, this is a great alternative. To recap, these are Elle’s instructions: 1. Start with a clean nail  2. Brush on Gel Resin  3. Pick a thin Parisian piece of lace and attach   4. Spray with Glue Dry  5. Cut and shape using an embroidery scissor   6. Re-Resin  7. To remove, soak in acetone

Have any of you tried lace nails yet? Do you have any application tricks or tips? If you’re not a DIY gal, would you request this look from your manicurist?

Here’s a great bit of news for you.  The three Barielle Wildflower collection shades benefiting the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund are NOW ON SALE! You can pick up Flowers for Ava, Junebug and Myrza’s Meadow through the OCRF website for $8/ea with 100% of the proceeds going to the charity.

Visit the shop at OCRF.org to purchase with FREE SHIPPING

Check out my detailed bottle pics and Junebug swatch HERE.  I’ll have the rest of the collection posted soon.

For spring 2010, get rooted into style with six new nail polish hues from Shades by Barielle. The Wildflower Collection blooms with floral-themed colors and Barielle’s signature healthy “3-free” formulation. Lending a helping hand to root out ovarian cancer, 100% of proceeds from three shades from the collection will be donated to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund when purchased at www.ocrf.org. Launching this February, the Wildflower collection from Shades by Barielle includes three polishes designed by Creative Director Elle to help fight Ovarian Cancer.  With two blues and two greens including some unique glitter accents, I’m smitten with the charitable concept and the colors.  The collection doesn’t launch for a couple months but I’ve got a preview of the bottles and Junebug for you to check out.

Three of the six polishes benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.  A Bouquet for Ava, Junebug and Myrza’s Meadow (named for Jennifer Lopez’s beloved aunt).  100% of the proceeds from the purchase of these polishes go to the OCRF when you buy directly from their website www.ocrf.org.  And honestly, they are the three coolest colors in the bunch.  The vivid teal of Ava, the multi-colored glitter in Myrza and my top pick, Junebug.  I couldn’t wait to show you Junebug so I did a quick swatch before applying my holiday manicure.

Junebug is named for Elle’s dear friend June.  She is a grayed teal shimmer with flecks of fuchsia glitter peppered throughout.  The base color has a sand-washed feel, in the same way that Slate of Affairs does but it’s the glitter that really makes it unique.  I have definitely not seen a color like this before.  It applies a lot like Slate of Affairs as well.  It has that squishy jelly texture and some thickness but it evens out well and is pigmented enough to only require two coats.

I took this photo in artificial light so you can see the subtle shimmer in the base color.

A Bouquet For Ava, Junebug, Myrza's Meadow, Snap Dragon, Blossom, Darling Dahlia

A Bouquet for Ava—a cool Caribbean blue
June Bug—a teal with fuchsia glitter
Myrza’s Meadow—a light lime green with silver glitter
Snap Dragon—a metallic sea foam green
Blossom—an opaque peach
Darling Dahlia—a deep fuchsia with a hint of silver metallic

The Wildflower collection launches in February on Barielle.com and the three polishes benefiting the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund will be available at www.ocrf.org.

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished to me by Barielle.  An affiliate link to Barielle.com appears in this post. For further information view my Disclosure Policy.

In spite of all the vicious downtime ALU has been experiencing as of late (it will be over soon, I promise!) today is truly fantabulous.  Why?  Because as of today, I am a published writer.  My first article for UK nail magazine Scratch hit stands and I’m beyond thrilled. I’m sure you remember the lace nail trend I spoke about a while back.  The concept created by my friend Celebrity Manicurist Elle. Well Scratch chose Elle’s work for their December cover and asked me to write the accompanying cover story.  So cool, right? You see, the lace nails were partially inspired by the Barielle All Lacquered Up collection.  During a shoot to promote the collection, Elle created some amazing fashion-forward looks that were an offshoot of concepts from the collection.  Read more about it and see my first print article, after the jump!

Some Close Ups (click for full size)

Aren’t those manicures amazing? Elle does such beautiful, meticulous work.  I love how Polished Princess pops against the purple and green clutch.  And I NEED to get to NYC so she can give me a set of lace nails.  Couldn’t you just see me wearing emerald green lace?

Well, I hope you enjoyed reading that as much as I enjoyed writing it. I couldn’t wait to share it with all of you. Let me know what you think in the comments.

After 7 long, tiring, fun-filled days in NYC, I returned home with one desire… to recoup!! Fashion Week takes a lot out of a girl. I have so many exciting things I want to share with you from my trip but let’s start off with the results of my NOTD Challenge (click to read part 1). In case you missed it, I challenged myself to wear a different nail color every day of NYFW. While I failed to change my color EVERY day, I did make a valiant effort.

Hear tales from my trip and see what colors I picked after the jump!

When we left off I was wearing Zoya Savita on the day of the Total Beauty Blogging Summit and Fashion’s Night Out. Wouldn’t you know it, I ended up being invited backstage to a show and seeing Deborah Lippmann while wearing another brand. The horror!!

The next day, Friday, I had a visit to the Chanel offices planned so naturally I wore Jade. It launched the night before at the Chanel SoHo Boutique for Fashion’s Night Out and I spotted it on many ladies backstage that day. Considering the torrential downpour outside, Jade brought a bit of sunshine and light to a very gloomy day. Can we say rain-soaked shoes and a ruined blowout? Good times!

I was running late on Saturday, no time for a change. Luckily Roxanne Valinoti from CND was there to freshen up my look. She added a coat of Jade Sparkle from the new Effects line to totally bling me out! And once Jan Arnold set her sights on the shade, they started layering different Colours trying to duplicate the hue. Using Green Scene as a base, they came very close but not dead on. I hope they’ll keep working to find a twin.

Saturday night I went to a fab blogger party hosted by Lianne from The Makeup Girl and Paul from Beyond Beauty Basics. I was running so late that I didn’t even realize it was THE Ted Gibson holding the door for me at the W Hotel until the next morning when he asked if I enjoyed the party. What a memory he has. But seriously, how oblivious can I be? The man is a tall drink of gorgeous! Though I did get to meet his brilliant partner and hair color genius, Jason Backe, who said to me, “YOU’RE All Lacquered Up?” as though I’m someone to know. I was beyond flattered, to say the least.

Anywhoodle, post party and late night diner run I did this slightly drunken mani with Barielle Slate of Affairs in preparation of seeing my pal and ALU collection collaborator, Elle, at the Reem Acra presentation. Reem contacted Elle after reading that Slate of Affairs was based on one of her Fall collection gowns and asked her to do the nails for her show.
Monday was my uber-crazy seven show day and it started at 8am so as I’m sure you can guess, there was no color change. It wasn’t until I stopped by the CVS Beauty Lounge at Robert Verdi’s Luxe Lab on Tuesday that my nails got a much needed switch.

Not only did I get to do a little people watching, like Top Chef guest judge and former Queer Eye food guy Ted Allen and Miss J from ANTM but I got a little pampering too. Jake Bailey from CoverGirl, who is so adorable, was doing touch-ups and helped me find a foundation that doesn’t just sit on my skin (Simply Ageless) while Sally Hansen was giving manicures. I decided that for my last day in the city I wanted a little party on my nails so I went with a layering combo of Xtreme Wear Disco Ball over In The Navy.
So that pretty much wraps up my own personal nail story at NYFW but not to fret there are many more updates to come. I spent the weekend processing everything I saw so I can bring you the best of the best in Fashion Week nails. Stay tuned!!

As a girl who loves her some green polish, I’m uber excited that the color is becoming so prominent this season. Yes, we’ve seen some great greens in the past few years but at long last it feels like the rest of the non-nail fanatic world is ready to embrace it. I know it’s not right but it’s as though no nail trend is really a “trend” until we see at least one celeb rocking it. That’s why I’ve been furiously scanning red carpet events looking for a fun green nail and I FINALLY found it. Can you guess who dared to be different wearing not only a bright mossy hue but also a nail ring? Find out after the jump!

Did any of you say 90210 starlet Annalynne McCord? Who the Fug Girls lovingly refer to as Drunkface. Girl went over the top and THEN some. Between the fingerless lace glove, the banana yellow clutch and wifebeater/corset contraption on her midsection, the nails seem pretty tame. Is this hipster dominatrix chic? I can’t give her props for the wardrobe choice but the nails get an A+ from me. Why she had to spoil it with that ring, I haven’t the faintest. Get Annalynne’s nail look at home with Barielle Polished Princess from the All Lacquered Up collection.

I hope you’re all enjoying your holiday weekend. Today is our annual block party. What’s on your schedule for the day?

Peace, Love & Polish, Michelle

Love it or hate it, Matte Nails are the big trend for Fall. With all the matte nail polish collections coming out, it will be a hard style to ignore. If you’re not ready to jump in feet first, why not try a matte top coat instead? Using them to mattify any polish in your arsenal makes it a more versatile and budget friendly way to embrace the look. Give your tried and true shades an update with a new finish. From flat to satin there are a plethora of choices in the non-glossy top coat realm and I’ve tried them all so you don’t have to. Check out the results after the jump!

First things first. There are certain things you give up in using a matte top coat.

1. These are not fast drying products so you have to be willing to put in the time to get the look.
2. The more matte the top coat, the more unforgiving it is. Brush strokes or unevenness can plague you if your application isn’t perfect. As with all new things, practice, practice, practice.
3. Matte top coats absorb oil and water as you go about your daily routine so the finish will become more satin over time.

Essie Matte About You ($10, essie.com) and Rescue Beauty Lounge Matte Top Coat ($18, RescueBeauty.com) are the most mattifying top coats I’ve come across. If you desire that truly flat finish this is your best option. The cloudiness does lighten the shade a touch but not significantly.

Nubar V For Men Matte Finish Nail Protector ($8.99, ByNubar.com) comes in a close 2nd to Essie and RBL in terms matte-ness and I love that it’s more forgiving in terms of application. It applies smooth and even every time.

Now for those wanting a satin style nail, the next three options are ideal. They take down the gloss giving a more buffed look. Orly Matte Top Coat is actually discontinued but still available on Head2ToeBeauty.com for $4.95 so get it while supplies last.
Orly Nails for Males ($6.99, SallyBeauty.com) performs similarly to the Matte Top Coat in spite of its dark appearance.

Finally, Barielle’s Matte-inee Top Coat will be launching soon on Barielle.com.

I received quite a few questions regarding InStyle’s June issue. One of the tips in the Summer beauty section was about matte nails. They suggested using “your base coat as a top coat to remove the shine from your lacquer.”

Here’s my problem with that. They showed ="font-weight: bold;">butter London’s Nail Foundation ($18, butterLondon.com) as an example yet they neglected to explain that only ridge filling base coats dry matte. Using your clear or tacky base coats won’t achieve that look. Overly opaque or shimmery ridge fillers won’t get it done either.

Nonie Creme of butter London used her Nail Foundation over Yummy Mummy backstage at Alexander Wang to matte down the shine and in this instance using a base coat totally worked. She even sent me a pic from her iPhone to share with you (above).

However when I used it over my test shade, OPI No Room For The Blues, it didn’t turn out as well. The nude pigmentation in the base changed the color drastically. If you don’t mind that, it’s a simple mattifying solution but I still prefer a matte top coat.

So did this clear up a lot of your questions reagarding matte top coats? Which do you prefer… matte top coats or matte polish? Or do you wish this whole matte thing would just go away already? Sound off Fanatics!

Who’s ready to see the second half of the Shades by Barielle All Lacquered Up Collection? If you’re looking for more color than the neutral palette I showed in Part 1 (Falling Star being the exception) then these colors are for you! With these polishes we’re getting into richer, more opulent tones filled with glitters, shimmers and pearls (oh my!). Check out what Elle and I came up with, after the jump!

I commented briefly on the formula in the shade descriptions yesterday as each polish applies a bit differently. With these darker hues, all the polishes are perfectly pigmented two-coaters. There is no unevenness in the consistency, they are all smooth like buttah!

Pin Up was inspired by the gorgeous tomato red lip MAC’s Gregory Arlt created for the Twinkle presentation using Lady Danger lipstick. He gave the models an updated retro look, reminiscent of the classic Pin Up girl (hence the name) or modern day Dita Von Teese. It’s a lip shade that’s just CRYING for a matching nail. We added a hint of gold fleck to add warmth and character.

Lava Rock is a semi-sheer black with red pearl that looks like a blackened plum in natural light and burns deep dark ember-y red in the sun.


You know I’m a girl that loves a good brown. One that isn’t too red or too “special dark” and Make It A Latte is just that. It’s a mid-tone cocoa with a glint of golden reflect.

What do you get when you combine the best parts of Chanel Nuit de Russie and China Glaze Blk-Bila-Bong? Blackened Bleu! It’s got all the bling of BBB with the uber-pigmentation of NdR. Packed within its semi-sheer black base is a massive amount sapphire glitter to create a polish that’s smooth, glossy and high on glam.


Since the collection spans the Fall and Winter months, it wouldn’t be complete without a fab holiday red. Enter Glammed Out Garnet, a deep wine sparkler that packs the same glitzy punch as Blackened Bleu.


I told you there would be a green and this one is a gem. Polished Princess is vivid mossy green shimmer. We wanted to go to the golden side of green with a vibrant, bold hue and I’m just so in love, love, love with it. Now I can see you reaching for your keyboard, ready to ask and no, this is NOT a Zoya Irene dupe. This is much brighter and more yellow based.
The Shades by Barielle All Lacquered Up collection goes on sale in August on Barielle.com. For those of you that have asked, I don’t have international release info yet but I will post anything I hear.

The polishes retail for $8/ea but take advantage of their Buy Two Get One Free deal to stock up on your favorite Shades. Oh and if you sign up for email updates, you’ll get a discount code for your order.

So now that you’ll seen the entire ALU collection, what do you think? Which ones are must haves? If you missed the first half view it HERE!