Initially there wasn’t going to be a Day 7 in my NYFW NOTD Challenge.  Even though I was in NYC for seven days I purposely didn’t schedule any shows or meetings for the last day so I could wander the city.  Every time I go to NYC for blog business I pack my schedule so full I never have time to just explore and I made sure to leave time for that on this trip. Then I got a call from my pal, Celebrity Manicurist Elle, on Day 6 inviting me to come visit her on a photo shoot.  You don’t have to ask me twice.  Naturally I was curious to check out her kit and see what she brings to a shoot.  While I was there, Elle offered to give me a manicure and I couldn’t pass that up.  When she started dragging out her Nfu Ohs and playing with different layering combos I knew I was in for something fun.  Check it!

Elle goes to set with a wheeled carry-on containing her bags of polish, manicure supplies and tools.  Being that a lot of her shoots for editorial and celebrity covers require a natural nail look, she carries a LOT of sheers/nudes that she uses in different combos to create the perfect clean manicure.  I know that’s the job but how boring.  Show me the colors!

Elle’s collection of nail polishes was like a treasure trove.  Old school Dior, Chanel and NARS polishes, Jill Stuart and other Asian brands we can’t get here.  It’s an amazing sight.  When the Nfu Ohs came out and I spied colors I haven’t ordered yet, Elle started playing.

We both liked the green base and foil flakes in 55 but what to put underneath.  Elle originally tried a yellow, no go, and China Glaze Flyin High, a fave of mine, but we both loved how 55 looked over the teal creme 528.  Think of it as a deeper version of China Glaze Aqua Baby/Shower Together.

Elle proceeded to give me one of the best manicures I’ve ever had, even in spite of my constant hand talking and the lack of lighting.  She called it “Elle’s manicure in the dark.” Seriously though, she got my nails in such great shape that you wouldn’t guess that I swatch polish on a daily basis.  Thanks to her magical bottle of Orly Cutique, she was able to get up a lot of the yellowing that had been plaguing my swatching nails.  She swears by that stuff and I can see why.

Using two coats of my beloved CND Stickey to avoid staining and a new secret top coat, my nails were dry before I knew it. When we headed out to grab a bite to eat I was worried about wrecking my mani but it was completely dry. AND it held up like a champ. After five days that included packing, hauling luggage and housework my nails barely showed any tip wear.

Nfu Oh polishes can be purchased in the US at FabulouStreet.com for $12.50/ea with FREE SHIPPING. Can’t beat that!

Have any of you tried this combo?  What do you think of the look?  Am I like the last nail fanatic on the planet to discover how amazing Orly Cutique is?  Where HAVE I been?

Oh hello there!  I didn’t forget about the challenge.  I’ve just been running around NYC like a madwoman.  I returned late Wednesday night and literally slept my Thursday away.  A week of only sleeping four hours a night will do that to you.  I could actually crawl into bed right now, I’m that tired. Not that you want to hear about any of that.  I was having an absolutely fabulous time so a little sleep deprivation is a small price to pay.  So Day 4 for me was Sunday.  It’s always one of my fave days at NYFW because it kicks off with the triple threat beauty team of Deborah Lippmann, Sarah Lucero from Stila and Ted Gibson backstage at Lela Rose. Since I knew I’d be seeing Deb, I concocted a layering combo using her holiday color Today Was A Fairytale.  I’ve been pretty obsessed with it ever since I wore it to an Emmy watching party.  This time instead of using a pale blue underneath I opted for something a little more industrial and gritty, the new Dashing Diva Penthouse Views from their fall color collection.

My day actually started an hour before the Lela Rose show when I went backstage at Derek Lam and got to see the talented Jin Soon again. She showers me with more love than I deserve and always compliments my nail color. We have very similar taste when it comes to nails so getting a compliment from Jin is very high praise.

The base color of this manicure, Dashing Diva Penthouse Views is a metallic gunmetal gray. It looks more shimmery in the bottle but on the nail, you see those telltale metallic streaks.  I hadn’t actually worn this color on my nails prior to this so I was disappointed in the application and VERY happy to be layering something over it.  The consistency was pretty thick and while the color is very pigmented I wouldn’t wear it on its own simply because the finish is so streaky.

However, applying a coat of Deborah Lippmann Today With A Fairytale on top really saved the day. The streaks were still there but the glitter and hexagonal sequins masked it for the most part. Unless you held my nails up to your face, you weren’t going to see any problems including the oops I made on my pinkie finger when I accidentally bumped the polish with an orange wood stick. At 2am mistakes are bound to happen!

Deborah Lippmann Today Was A Fairytale is available now at Barneys NY stores and will be coming to DeborahLippmann.com in October. Dashing Diva’s Fall 2010 nail color collection is available now on DashingDiva.com and at Dashing Diva salons.

What do you think of this combo?  Do you like Today Was A Fairytale better over the light blue-grey or this gunmetal shade?  What colors would you suggest putting underneath it?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by Deborah Lippmann and Dashing Diva. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

The days are getting longer people and I’m in serious need of sleep but I’m powering through New York Fashion Week like a champ.  Even though my feet want to go on strike, the humidity is having its way with my hair and I can’t seem to remember what day it is, I’m having an absolute blast.  I figure I can sleep when I get home so I may as well make the most of my time here and I’ve been doing just that. Saturday was Day 3 of my NYFW experience and I was feeling the need to keep my green streak going.  After rocking RBL Anne and Chanel Khaki Vert it was time for something dark and creamy.   Enter Maybelline Grand In Green.  But what fun is wearing just one color when you’re at Fashion Week?  I pulled in GiG’s collection sibling, Gray-T Glamour for a funky but easy to replicate manicure.  Check it!

Alright so here’s the deal. Maybelline polishes have never really been on my radar. Prior to this Fashion Week collection I have purchased maybe two Maybelline colors and they were both identical shades of lime green, only with different names. The perm color range just never drew me in.

Then last Spring the pastel, candy colored polishes were released and my interest was piqued. Unfortunately, the formula was janky and dried with bubbles and pock marks on my nails. Weird, right? I even tried getting a second bottle of some colors just to see if I had a bad batch and for some reason they didn’t work on me.

Needless to say, I was skeptical when I saw that Maybelline was introducing a fashion inspired collection for fall. I mean, what good are gorgeous hues if the formula doesn’t deliver? Well thanks to a review on my pal Steph’s blog, Steph’s Closet, raving about the Gray-T Glamour formula I decided to dip my toe back in the Maybelline water. I couldn’t be happier about that decision.

Both Gray-T Glamour and Grand in Green are highly pigmented, providing excellent coverage. The polish is a bit thick and the first coat goes on unevenly but once that second coat lays down, you’re in business.  Gray-T Glamour is a blue tinged gray shimmer.  It’s definitely got a slate feel to it and it makes total sense to combine it with the cool, evergreen creme.

I originally thought about painting four nails on each hand with Grand in Green and applying Gray-T Glamour to my ring fingers but then inspiration hit.  It’s not anything complicated but I feel it marries the two colors together.  That it makes their pairing look intentional and not an afterthought.  I painted my middle fingers green and applied the gray to the rest.  Then using the narrow, flat Maybelline brush loaded with a minimal amount of polish, I quickly and deliberately swiped the color on an angle from the middle of the sidewall to the opposite side’s tip.

My only concern is that the polishes started to show tip wear pretty fast. I realize that I’m exposing my nails to more stressors than normal while running around NYC but tip wear in less than 24 hours makes me go hmmm. I wore the polishes with CND Stickey base coat and Air Dry top coat and the green was looking kind of beat up.  I’ll definitely have to give them another go when I get home as I really like the colors.

Have any of you seen or tried the new Maybelline Fall Fashion Week Collection?  Which colors are your fave?  Have you had any issues with tip wear?   If not, what base/top combo worked best for you?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by Maybelline. For more info, view my Disclosure Policy

In addition to it being my first full day covering Fashion Week shows, yesterday was also Fashion’s Night Out.  I can’t even begin to describe the madness.  I’ve never seen so many people in one place who have NO CLUE there is anyone else anywhere around them.  It’s like everyone walks in their own bubble of oblivion.  When you can’t even get out of the subway because people are standing 12 deep on a sidewalk, you know it’s bad. That being said, I was not deterred from my original NOTD plan for FNO.  I did a manicure using the Chanel Les Khakis De Chanel colors and visited the redesigned Chanel SoHo Boutique.  I’ll be sharing a full FNO recap in a separate post but first up my nail look for Day 2.

So I showed you my trial run of a Chanel Khaki camouflage manicure the other day. Apparently I have first time luck when it comes to nail art because my second attempt was one step above FAIL. I kept looking at my photo from Thursday to try and recreate the design and I don’t know if it was the unfamiliar environment, lack of sleep, lack of time or just my lack of skills but the final result was not at all what I planned.

Based on what I heard from fellow bloggers, brands and manicurists it wasn’t a total loss. I did receive many compliments on the design, including the amazing Jin Soon, I just wouldn’t call it camouflage. It’s more like some kind of abstract blob art.  I know, I know I’m too hard on myself.  That I should just embrace the fun and go on.  After all it’s just nail polish, it’s not that serious but I’m a perfectionist and this is far from perfect.  Or at least what I pictured as perfect in my head.

I ended up applying Khaki Vert on all my nails, using Khaki Brun and Khaki Rose to create the camo pattern on my ring fingers.  Though I ended up throwing in an extra blob of Vert on both nails to add to the craziness.

I want to thank those of you who commented yesterday regarding the online launch of the Chanel Khaki collection. It’s hard when I’m out and about with just a smartphone to rely on. I am able to see and approve your comments but doing much more beyond that can be a challenge and huge drain on my oh so precious battery life. I’m just happy to hear that the Khakis didn’t sell out in minutes. That it was a tech issue on Chanel.com and people were able to place their orders.

If you haven’t placed your order yet, the polishes are still available on Chanel.com as of now but I have no clue how many bottles are left. So I suggest if you’re hemming and hawing over the purchase, you make a decision asap before you end up regretting it and cursing the eBay sellers.

I hope you’re all having a wonderful weekend. The weather here in New York couldn’t be more beautiful. I have lots of fun things to share about my trip including some cool new polishes I got a peek at. Stay tuned Fanatics!

That’s right Fanatics.  I’m attempting my bi-annual NYFW NOTD Challenge.  I’m challenging myself to change my nail color every day of Fashion Week no matter how tired and worn out I am.

NOTD Challenge lesson learned… DON’T apply nail polish less than hour before you leave for the airport. Why? Because no matter how quick drying your top coat is, you’re going to wreck yourself. Case in point, moi!

I have this travel ritual. I never sleep the night before a trip. I’m always up doing laundry, packing, clearing out the DVR, etc. Totally random stuff including giving myself a manicure. In a perfect world I would be more organized but I’m always so afraid I’ll forget something that I stay up all night crossing every “t” and dotting every “i” on my packing list.

That pretty much sums up my Wednesday night as I prepared for my early morning flight to NYC. Usually I do my manicure way earlier in the evening so it’s set and dry by the time I leave but this time, not so much. I thought an hour would be good enough but even using my beloved Olan Quick & Slick top coat I ended up eff’ing up my manicure with Rescue Beauty Lounge Anne before I even got to the airport. Picking up my bag, that barely weighed in under 50 lbs, I completely biffed the nails on my left hand. UGH! An entire day spent backstage and with other editors having them look at my janky nails. Good times!

I mean, just look at that mess. Embarrassing! Fortunately I didn’t have a ton on my plate yesterday. Just two shows, nothing major, and I hid my left hand from the world. The sucky part was that I wore Anne knowing I’d be seeing Ji from RBL and it’s a good thing she sat to my right since that hand still looked flawless! All I can say is that I was very happy to come back to my room with an excuse for a polish change.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Anne goes on sale at RescueBeauty.com later this month for $18/bottle. Pre-orders will ship out then as well.

FYI, this shot isn’t a great color representation. This is more for show & tell purposes. To see Anne in all her glory check out my RBL Fall 2010 review.

Welcome to CND Monday, a regular series here on ALU. Each week I’ll be sharing a new layering combination from CND Colour & Effects to show you the versatility and creativity of the line. With the exception of my unworn bottle of MAC Studded, the new matte polish from the Riveting collection, I actually completed my NYFW NOTD Challenge this season.  I ended up getting something top secret and very special applied to my nails on Day 6 so that nixed my planned MAC mani.  I’ll tell you about soon but in the meantime let’s talk about Day 5. As I mentioned at the beginning of the challenge I planned out my color according to the brand I’d be seeing that day.  Since CND worked on 20+ shows throughout the week, every day could have been CND day but I chose Tuesday since they were working with The Blonds that night.  The Blonds are known for their outlandish designs and over-the-top nail looks so if there was a day that green polish was in order, it was Tuesday. I could have just thrown on a couple of coats of Green Scene and called it a day but I wanted something a bit different.  I chose to create my own version of a Jade gemstone using Cream Washed.  Check out my look after the jump!

If you missed my detailed review of the new CND Formula, Bottle and Brush check out CND Colour, Effects and Henna? for a recap.

To refresh your memory, Green Scene is a vivid straight up AstroTurf green.  It really packs a punch in terms of vibrancy and pigmentation.  If you’re looking for that ideal mid-tone green creme, look no further.

For my interpretation of Jade I wanted something a bit softer so I layered the sheer neutral, Cream Washed, over Green Scene.  Unfortunately my application skills were failing me at the crack of dawn and it came out a bit streaky.  The overall color was what I wanted by the general unevenness was a downer.  Hey, they can’t all be winners.

When I tested it at home on a nail art wheel the color was ideal so when I ran into CND’s Angi Wingle backstage I asked her for tips on how to get a more even application.  Her suggestion… dilute Cream Washed with a bit of CND Air Dry.  Making it a bit more watery or jelly-ish will help eliminate streaks without compromising the integrity of the color.

CND Colour & Effects are available at salons nationwide including chains like ULTA. Colours retail for $9/ea and Effects retail for $11/ea. To purchase online visit your favorite e-tailers including GoIndulge.com.

What do you think of my Jade? Have you had luck layering sheer cremes over darker colors? What are your tips for making the finish smooth and even?

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished to me by CND. For more information read my Disclosure Policy.

Last Monday was a big day for me at NYFW. Not only did I run myself ragged covering like 6 or 7 shows in a day but I was invited to sit front row at the Tracy Reese runway show at the tents.  Can you even?  I nearly died inside when I found out. I’ve been to shows in past seasons and once I was even pulled to the front row as a seat filler at an off-site show.  But this was totally different.  I love Tracy Reese’s designs and her show is always one of my faves.  Plus she draws some great celebs each season and being a total Entertainment Weekly/E! type of girl, my inner celeb stalker was thrilled. Of course, I had to plan out not only what I would wear but my nail color.  Since Sally Hansen partners with Tracy Reese each season, a color from their new Complete Salon Manicure line was a natural choice.  But with so many colors in the line, which one do I bring?  Color of the moment and Chanel Particuliere doppelganger Commander In Chic?  A fun metallic like Pedal To The Metal?  A very “me” blue or green?  See what color I chose after the jump along with some pics from my front row vantage point and my web celeb encounter.

In the end I opted for the chic black cherry creme, Plum Luck, to pair with my ruffly black dress.  Plum Luck borders on the almost-black but it’s just a touch lighter to make it look plum in most lighting situations.  We’re not talking OPI LPAD darkness.  It applies a bit thin so I needed three coats but with the wide flat brush, like the ones in the Insta-Dri bottles, covering my wide nails in two strokes was a breeze.

I ran into Julia Allison after the show and she noticed that we were both wearing similar nail colors except hers was the new OPI Axxium gel polish. She wasn’t sure of the color but I’d guess it was Louvre Me, Louvre Me Not. FYI, my camera settings were way off so please excuse the craptastic quality of this pic.  It was a pleasure meeting Julia and she even invited me to do an on camera interview about nail color trends for NBC New York Nonstop.

ps I know I’m a total dork for taking this pic but it was just too cool to see my site name on the seat back in the front row alongside editors from Seventeen and O Magazine.

I’ve gushed about my eternal love for Lauren Ezersky in the past.  I loyally watched her now defunct Behind The Velvet Ropes during its Style Channel run and still miss seeing it pop up on my Tivo. Watching her sit down across from me caused me to have a total fangirl moment. The woman is New York Cool personified. Love her!

The rest of the front row. You can spot Mary Rambin’s gorgeous gams next Julia Allison, just right of center.

Tracy receiving flowers from her family after the finale.

Of course the celeb factor caused a ruckus with the photogs. Michelle Williams, formerly of Destiny’s Child, was backstage before I took my seat and I had no idea how tall she is. What a beautiful presence. Also in attendance were Kristen Bell, Julia Stiles, Erin Lucas (The City) and Adrienne Balion (pictured below).

Getting back on the polish track, I’ve been meaning to rave about this new Sally Hansen formula but FW prep got in the way.  Sweet pickles you guys, the wear is insane.  I jokingly said to the Sr. VP of Marketing for Coty (SH parent company) Bill Boraczek that there must be glue in the polish because it wears like iron.  For the record, there is NO GLUE in the polish.

The big claim with the Complete Salon Manicure line is that you don’t need to use top or base coat.  For a fanatic like me, that’s crazy talk.  The cardinal rule to great polish wear is base & top coat so I decided to take this formula to task.  I was honestly not expecting much because we’ve heard this song and dance before but I’m here to eat my words.  I applied Commander In Chic and on two nails I left out my current base/top combo of Nubar Foundation Basecoat and Olan Labs Quick & Slick.

After my usual 5 day wear test time I couldn’t believe how good my manicure looked.  Seriously, I couldn’t tell the difference between the nails with base/top from the ones without and there was very little tip wear.  I was SHOCKED!  To push it even further I wore the polish an additional 5 days and just look at the results!!  Color me impressed Sally Hansen!

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure polishes are available now at drugstores nationwide. Of course, I’ll have a full recap of the beauty look from the Tracy Reese show so be on the lookout for that.

Have any of you tried the new Sally Hansen formula? Did you have similar wear results? What are your fave colors from the new line?

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished to me by Sally Hansen. For more information view my Disclosure Policy.

There is no rest for the weary at Fashion Week and while most people were enjoying their Sunday morning in bed, I was up with the roosters (like there’s farm life in NYC) to head backstage at Lela Rose. There are a few shows that I can’t miss each season and Lela Rose is one of them. Why? Because the dream team of Ted Gibson and Deborah Lippmann is more than enough reason to get out of bed in the morning. Add in Tina Turnbow for Tarte and Supermodel Carol Alt with her Raw Essentials skincare line and well, can life get any better? Seriously, there was so much magic in that room, I could barely handle it.  I spoke with Carol for over 15 minutes and couldn’t stop myself from going gaga inside over how fabulous she looks.  Total fan girl moment!

Of course I’ll spill the deets on the backstage action with you later but let’s get back on track with the nails. I had this whole plan set in motion about how I would plot out my polish based on who I’d be seeing that day.  Sally Hansen for the Tracey Reese show, China Glaze for Charlotte Ronson, etc.  Though I made the mistake of telling Deb’s publicist that I would be wearing Marquee Moon on Sunday. So even though I woke up with a massive hangover from being out WAY too late Saturday night, I somehow managed to drag my happy ass out of bed extra early for a polish change.  It’s a good thing I did because she totally checked up on me!

I’ve showed you Marquee Moon before so you know about its origins but in case you need a refresher, this is the shade Deb created with sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy the brains behind Rodarte.  It’s a silver metallic base with hexagonal silver sequins that look like tiny mirrors on the nail.

The whole point of Marquee Moon is to have a perfectly imperfect manicure.  It’s not about getting the same number of sequins on each nail.  If some end up with no sequins, so be it.  Which actually makes this an ideal last minute manicure choice.  You can just slap it on and not worry about the end result. If you biff it, the world isn’t going to end.

BTW am I the only person one the planet still saying “biff” because everyone who’s heard me use that word this week is all, “aww, ‘biff’ I haven’t heard that in forever.”  Well, I’m bringing it back people!

Marquee Moon retails for $16/ea and can be purchased online from DeborahLippmann.com or Beauty.com. You can also pick up Deb’s polish at a Nordstrom near you.

ps I hear that Badgley Mischka selected this shade for their runway show this morning.  That there was a whole Avatar theme happening.  Can’t wait to see pics from the show!

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished to me Deborah Lippmann. For more information view my Disclosure Policy.

Day 2 of my NYFW experience started relatively late (noon). Knowing my usual travel patterns, I purposely left Saturday morning free so I could sleep in and catch up on the rest I missed while packing for NYC.

Since I had time for a full manicure (no matte polish needed today), I opted for NARS Purple Rain from the Spring collection that is inspired by Catherine Deneuve’s role as Lucille in La Chamade.  You know how I love a purple and I have to say this is one of the best colors NARS has put out in a while.

When I first saw the promo pic I thought there was no way this polish could live up to it.  We all know the story, vibrant under flash, almost black everywhere else.  I’m happy to say that Purple Rain surpassed my expectations.  Is it the blue-based purple we were teased with on their site?  No, it’s more of a red-grape but the metallic shimmer really gives it something special.  Literally everyone who looked at my nails that day asked about the polish and when I say everyone I mean other brands too.

FYI, being in NYC is so outside my normal swatching element that it’s throwing me off my game in terms of photography so know that this pic was taken in my hotel bathroom meaning it’s not 100% accurate.

NARS Purple Rain retails for $16/ea and is currently out of stock on the NARS website but I found it online at Bloomingdales.com and Sephora.com.  You can also check with your local NARS counters and Sephora stores.

What’s on your nails today?  Have you checked out Purple Rain yet?  Is purple still in fashion or totally out?

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished to me by NARS.  For more information view my Disclosure Policy.

Hola from Fashion Week Fanatics!! I arrived in New York City on Wednesday and it’s been a whirlwind of activity ever since. Not only am I here to cover backstage nail, makeup and hair trends for a third season but I also had the pleasure of participating in some fun beauty blogger activities with Total Beauty. Between all of that and visiting some of my favorite brands, I’m one tired nail fanatic!

As if I don’t have enough things on my plate while I’m in town, I decided to tack one more to-do on the list. This season I challenged myself to wearing a different nail look each day. Take a peek at my Day 1 & 2 manicures after the jump!

You may remember that I visited the now famous Sakura last season to get a gel gradation manicure. It was great for a long week like this when I don’t have time to deal with chipping nails and tip wear. However this year I decided to switch it up on the daily.

You see I was inspired by my pal Heather from MAC. She initiated a NY Fashion Week Makeup Challenge to all us bloggers which is really fun but hard to pack for. My makeup bag can only carry so much. So while I’m doing something a little different each day I’m no wizard with a brush. BUT I can do something similar with nails. Enter the NOTD Challenge.

BT-dubs you MUST check out the FAB Sakura manicures my girls Heather, Dina and Sarah did for this week.

Day One – I flew in early Wednesday after being up all night, my usual pre-trip packing nightmare. Some time in the wee hours of the morning I did a quick mani with RBL Orbis Non Sufficit from The Blog Writer’s Colors collection. Since I’m wearing Mismas on my toes I wanted a strong green creme to pair with it and this one fit the bill.
Day Two – I received the new Zoya MatteVelvet Winter colors but didn’t have a chance to review them before leaving. Knowing I’d want to bring some matte looks to the party, I had to pack Savita. This is not my proudest photographic moment but it’s proof that I did the change.
Be sure to check back for more looks from my NYFW NOTD Challenge and stay tuned for lots of fun backstage coverage. It’s just getting started!