For Spring 2012, Sally Hansen is continuing its successful designer collaboration with the innovative and colorful Prabal Gurung. Editorial Manicurist Jin Soon Choi is back for another season and this time she was challenged to create simple, elegant nail art. That resulted in a look she has dubbed the “slim silhouette.”

According to Jin, “[Prabal] said he wanted to have a softness with a strong statement.”  She shared that, “Sometimes it’s hard to do simple nail art. You can do crazy nail art, no problem, but simple nail art is hard to come up with. Prabal is so creative and he always pushes me to come up with something new.”

That something new involves polishing the entire nail with a pale lilac to give the look its softness then applying a darker shade just inside, leaving a ring of lightness around the rim. Jin chose Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Lacey Lilac to pair with Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Loves-Me-Not, one of the new shades from the Prabal Gurung for Sally Hansen Spring 2012 collection. To be clear, “This is NOT a French Manicure or Reverse French. French Manicure is outdated.” Jin was adamant about that.

To me, this look is a cross between the Ruffian Manicure from Fall 2010 and the “Slimline” Technique I learned from CND’s Roxanne Valinoti. The Ruffian covers the sides of the nails and in a proper “slimline” the polish starts at the cuticle.

The Prabal Gurung for Sally Hansen Spring 2012 nail polish collection was inspired by Nobuyashi Araki’s photographic series, “Sensual Flower.” These flowers are beautifully subversive, layered and at further glance very representative of Araki’s work – nuanced with a feminist twist and perverse undertone.

Loves-Me-Not, Purple Posy and Barely Bluebell

The Prabal Gurung for Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure collection will be available this Spring for $7.99/ea.

What do you think of the “slim silhouette” look? Is this something you will try at home? It would also look great using Barely Bluebell under Loves-Me-Not, don’t you think? Are you jazzed over the new Sally Hansen shades?

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. I try to make drugstore nail polish runs as often as I can. I like to check out the seasonal displays regularly and see what’s new. The last time I was out, maybe a month ago, I noticed a display of Sally Hansen Hard As Nails polishes that included a fun glitter called Ice Queen. I keep meaning to wear it but I didn’t know what I wanted to layer it over. Well I pulled out some of my Essence untrieds today and inspiration hit. There’s something about the moody, neutral hue of Essence Movie Star that made it the perfect partner for the glittery happiness of Ice Queen.

Formula & Application: Essence Colour & Go nail polish is 4-Free. For a full ingredient list, visit Essence.eu.  The bottles are small and round with a sizable smooth, plastic cap.  The brushes are wide, flat and long considering the bottle size.  The bristles are somewhat stiff (think MAC) which can lead to some dragging so use a light touch. The formula itself is pretty well pigmented. Two thin coats are all I need to achieve opacity.

Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Ice Queen is also 4-Free and free of camphor, which can be an irritant. The bottle is pretty tall and the brush handle is long with a short, stubby brush. The bristles are kind of stiff but I think that works as an advantage here as they tend to pick up a lot of glitter and place it pretty evenly on the nail. The sequin glitter will always need some finesse but it wasn’t a challenge to get them to stick.

Essence Movie Star is a deep blue-based grey creme. It dries a lot darker than the bottle would suggest. It’s about as dark as Models Own Moody Grey only with a blue-grey base as opposed to the green in Moody Grey.

The pink and blue sequins in Sally Hansen Ice Queen are reminiscent of Deborah Lippmann Glitter in the Air, only more intense. Those particles are more cotton candy colored and these are more intense. The pink leans toward lilac and the blue towards royal. The silvery micro-glitter is actually holographic glitter in that it reflects multiple colors depending on the light.

Bottom Line: Essence Movie Star is a great budget friendly basic and with its blue undertones it will flatter cool skin tones. The opacity and formula are pretty spot on so I see no reason to pass this one by if you’re in the market for a great grey. Sally Hansen Ice Queen is spectacular and ranks up there with my favorite layering glitters, Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow & Today Was A Fairytale. If you can find it, BUY IT!

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: I’m STASHing them both. And based on yesterday’s poll, it looks like I’m STASHing both of those as well. This weeding out thing isn’t really happening, is it?

Essence Colour & Go nail polishes are available at ULTA stores nationwide, availability can vary, and online at ULTA.com. Essence nail polishes retail for 99¢ for a .1oz bottle. Sally Hansen Ice Queen is a limited edition nail polish so check your local drugstores and mass retailers soon if you don’t want to miss out. Sally Hansen Hard As Nails polishes retail for $1.99/ea for a .45oz bottle.

Thoughts on Movie Star and Ice Queen? If you have Ice Queen what is your favorite polish to layer it over? Which do you prefer, Ice Queen or Glitter in the Air?

Disclosure: I purchased both of these nail polishes. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

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. When Chanel Riva came out this past spring, I was less than thrilled with it. The sheerness, the lack of sparkle or uniqueness. It just didn’t live up to the Chanel reputation or cost. When I spotted Sally Hansen Barracuda from the Tracy Reese for Sally Hansen Spring 2011 collection, I immediately thought of Riva and thankfully it comes with a more affordable price tag.

Formula & Application: Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail polishes are 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin) and free of camphor, which can be an irritant. The hefty glass bottles are topped with a smooth chrome cap that has a rubberized grip around the base. The grip makes opening the bottle easier and keeps the brush from slipping while polishing.

The brush is the same flat, paddle style as the Insta-Dri line with curved bristles. The bristles are firm so use a light touch to avoid streaking or dragging the polish.

The Complete Salon Manicure formula has a thin, squishy consistency and while it usually becomes opaque in two coats, Barracuda required three due to slight patchiness. Since this line is meant to be worn sans base and top coat, it dries with a high gloss shine.

Sally Hansen Barracuda is an energized baby blue creme with the slightest hint of turquoise in its base color. You don’t notice it as much on its own but when you put it next to Riva,  you see the subtle difference.

When you line Barracuda up next to Rescue Beauty Lounge Bikini Bottom and Chanel Riva, it really stands out from the crowd. The other two appear quite muted in addition to the slight color variances.

One of the major differences between Barracuda and it’s competitors is opacity. Bikini Bottom is a sheer and Riva is semi-sheer so they both require at least 1-2 more coats to become opaque. Color-wise BB is more aqua and Riva looks pale and more blue next to Barracuda.

Bottom Line: While Barracuda may be a bit brighter than Chanel Riva, I find it to be a great substitute in addition to $OPI Havana Dreams, another LE polish. I prefer the Sally Hansen version simply because it’s brighter and I find it to be more pigmented than Havana Dreams. Plus, Sally Hansen is frequently on sale.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: SHARE the old, SOPI Havana Dreams, and STASH the new, Barracuda.

Sally Hansen Barracuda is available in drugstores nationwide as part of the limited edition Tracy Reese for Sally Hansen Spring 2011 collection. Sally Hansen CSM nail polishes retail for $7.99/ea for a .5oz bottle.

Thoughts on Barracuda? Of the three, Riva, Barracuda, Havana Dreams, which do you prefer? Did you pick up Riva or one of its dupes?

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

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. Let’s kick off the week with my “lesson learned” moment Fanatics! When I started this 365 project I told myself I wouldn’t do any posts in advance unless I was going to be out of town. I wanted it to be as organic as possible and show you my untrieds selections as the mood struck me. The whole point was to challenge myself to post a new polish swatch and review every day. Well when I became sick this weekend, it threw a wrench in the plan. I actually slept until 2pm today. CRAZY! So in case of emergency I’m going to put a couple posts in the hopper should this issue arise again. I learned my lesson and will add a couple days to the 365 to make up for it. Though there’s no point in dwelling on what I can’t fix so let’s just move forward, shall we? I had the good fortune to attend the Tracy Reese Spring 2011 RTW runway show which had a 70s chic, jetsetter-on-safari kind of vibe. Mixed in with the graphic prints, black & white basics and sandy neutrals were pops of lavender, blue and coral. Tracy pulled inspiration from her fabrics when it came time to collaborate with her longtime partner-in-polish Sally Hansen. Of the seven shades in the collection, Sally Hansen Coral Fever really piqued my interest.

Formula & Application: Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail polishes are 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin) and free of camphor, which can be an irritant. The hefty glass bottles are topped with a smooth chrome cap that has a rubberized grip around the base. The grip makes opening the bottle easier and keeps the brush from slipping while polishing.

The brush is the same flat, paddle style as the Insta-Dri line with curved bristles. The bristles are firm so use a light touch to avoid streaking or dragging the polish.

The Complete Salon Manicure formula feels thin when you apply it but Coral Fever is well pigmented so it becomes opaque in two coats. Since this line is meant to be worn sans base and top coat, it dries with a high gloss shine.

There were several coral pieces, from dresses to pants, that popped on the runway but it’s this casual chic look of a striped, dolman sleeve sweater and brown shorts that caught my eye.

Sally Hansen Coral Fever is what I consider a true coral creme. It’s at the opposite end of the coral spectrum from the one I wore the other day, Lancome Sarong. An ideal coral balances the warm tone, orange, with the cool tone, pink, creating a shade that is flattering to most skin tones.  That’s why corals are so wearable and perfect for summer. An added bonus… they make you look tan even if you have just the slightest faux glow.

Bottom Line: I’ve made it no secret that I’m a super fan of the Sally Hansen CSM formula. My only complaint has ever been that some of the shades can stain (I’m looking at you Grass Slipper) so while they can be worn without a base coat, I highly recommend putting one on or be prepared to de-Smurf yourself. In addition to the periwinkles and neutrals that I’ve been all about lately, you can add coral to that list. Clearly those are my color trends for the season. If you’re looking for an accessible, on-trend coral for the summer, Coral Fever won’t do you wrong.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: I have an abnormally low amount of corals and this one is perfect for my skin tone so I’m STASHing it.

Sally Hansen Coral Fever is available as part of the Tracy Reese for Sally Hansen Spring 2011 Runway collection in drugstores nationwide. Sally Hansen CSM nail polishes retail for $7.99/ea for a .5oz bottle.

Thoughts on Coral Fever? What are your favorite corals? Do you like them straight up or more pink/orange/red? What have been your go-to colors this season?

Disclosure: A product sample was provided by reps for Sally Hansen. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

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. I’m blaming the rainstorms and overcast, cloudy skies on my apparent grey polish streak. I think this is the 3rd or 4th grey in the Untrieds and we’re only a month in. Hopefully sunny weather and fun brights are in my future because I am OVER this blech, fall-esque weather. When the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure line debuted, I raved about the formula and its durability. It is, without question, my favorite drugstore brand. At first I questioned the marketing claims about ten day wear without base or top coat but my skepticism was easily shot down. If you missed my original test, check it out here. Today I’m wearing a shade from the line that I can’t believe I haven’t tried before now, Sally Hansen Gray by Gray.

Formula & Application: Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail polishes are 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin) and free of camphor, which can be an irritant. The hefty glass bottles are topped with a smooth chrome cap that has a rubberized grip around the base. The grip makes opening the bottle easier and keeps the brush from slipping while polishing.

The brush is the same flat, paddle style as the Insta-Dri line with curved bristles. The bristles are firm so use a light touch to avoid streaking or dragging the polish.

The Complete Salon Manicure formula feels thin when you apply it but Gray by Gray is so pigmented that you barely need two coats. Since this line is meant to be worn sans base and top coat, it dries with a high gloss shine.

Sally Hansen Gray by Gray is in no way grey to my eye.  If anything it’s a slate blue creme.  Considering that I file my polishes according to color , this one has been living in my blue drawer, not grey, for months.  I’ve talked in the past how most greys have either a blue or green base but this one goes beyond that limit.  It’s much more of a murky greyed blue than a blue grey.

What I discovered when I pulled this polish out is that it’s a close relative of the famed MAC Blue India. The now discontinued fan fave is one of the colors I’m most asked about in terms of dupes. Sadly I have yet to find an exact match but I believe that Gray by Gray is an excellent substitute as they come from the same base smoky blue-grey base color.

As you can see, Gray by Gray is a bit lighter than Blue India but unless someone really knows their polish, I doubt they’d know the difference.

Bottom Line: Gray by Gray has an amazing formula, excellent lasting power and is a gorgeous unique shade. I’m a huge fan of the Complete Salon Manicure line so the color would have be truly hideous for me not to give it a thumbs up.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: It’s staying where I found it… in my STASH.

Sally Hansen Gray by Gray is part of the Complete Salon Manicure core line which can be found at drugstores and mass retailers nationwide. Sally Hansen CSM nail polishes retail for $7.99/ea for a .5oz bottle.

How many of you own Gray by Gray?  Thoughts on the color?  If you’ve been looking for a MAC Blue India substitute would this quell your desires?  What has your experience been with the Complete Salon Manicure line?

Disclosure: I purchased this nail polish. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips to be featured on The CW’s Hellcats, Tuesday May 3rd at 9/8c

When it comes to my weekly TV indulgences, The CW has got my number. Yes, my DVR looks like it was programmed like a fifteen year old girl and I don’t care. This season one of my new faves is Hellcats starring Aly Michalka of Aly & AJ, Bandslam, Easy A, etc.

If you aren’t watching Hellcats each week, I don’t know WHAT you’re doing on Tuesdays.  Seriously, if you loved Bring It On, and don’t tell me you didn’t, you have no reason not to watch. What really hooked me was the appearance of Gale Harold from Queer As Folk. I will follow him anywhere so Hellcats, PLEASE upgrade him from recurring to series regular!

Being that I am a fan of both Hellcats and Sally Hansen Salon Effects, I’m hosting a fun giveaway.  Keep reading to see what you could win.

On the next episode of Hellcats, Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips will make an appearance with the hot pink It Girl taking center stage.  And Aly’s real life sister, AJ Michalka, returns this week and we find out they have more or a connection than we originally thought.  It’s bound to be a great episode.

To celebrate the pairing of Sally Hansen and Hellcats, I have a fun prize package to give away.  Sally Hansen is providing 5 sets of Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips in It Girl (from the episode) and my four favorite designs Misbehaved, Blue Ice, Girl Flower and Kitty Kitty.  And from Hellcats the winner will receive a T-shirt, Pom-Poms, a Signed Football and Cast Photograph. Pretty cool, no?

Enter To Win: For your chance to win the Sally Hansen/Hellcats Giveaway prize pack, leave a comment telling me your favorite design from the Sally Hansen Salon Effects line. To see the full line CLICK HERE. Make sure you include your email address on the email address line in the form, not the comment body (for privacy reasons).

Rules: Giveaway is open to US Residents only (sorry International Fanatics). One entry per person. Winner will be selected via random draw. Winner must respond within 48hours or another winner will be chosen.

End Date: Entries will be accepted until Tuesday May 3rd at 11:59pm EST. Any entries after that time will not count.

Good luck Fanatics!  Make sure you tune into Hellcats on Tuesday at 9pm EST on The CW.

Let’s bowl, let’s bowl, let’s rock-’n-roll. Hey, come on, let’s get this show on the road. Let’s bowl, let’s bowl, let’s rock-’n-roll. ‘Cause the stakes are high, and the winner takes all! - “Score Tonight” from Grease 2 If you’ve seen the documentary My Date With Drew you know that the director/subject of the film believes that people can be divided into two categories; those who love Grease 2 and everyone else.  Drew Barrymore, the director Brian Herzlinger and I all fall into the Grease 2 loving category.  One of the most infectious songs in the cheese-tastic flick is “Score Tonight” which involves a night at a bowling alley. This past fall I officially became a bowling addict when the boyfriend and I joined a league with some friends.  Every Thursday night you can find me making a fool of myself on the lanes and a few weeks ago I made the committment to get my own ball. Of course, no ordinary bowling ball would do.  It had to express my colorful style.  When I saw this lime & lavender Brunswick Slingshot it was all over.  Purple and green?? Are you kidding??  It’s like they made it for me and me alone! Now what kind of nail girl would I be if I didn’t don a manicure inspired by my new ball? Check it out!

I wanted to match the main colors in the ball as closely as possible so I played with different lime greens and burples (bluish purple), layering to find the perfect combinations.  Sally Hansen Sea And Be Seen was too blue and Revlon Not So Blue-berry was too purple but combined the color was spot on.  OPI Call My Cell-ery was ideal for the glittery lime but it’s so sheer that it needed an opaque base color. Models Own Lime Green fulfilled that need.

I originally thought of doing gradations on all my fingers but the Revlon was too opaque over the lime green combo to make that happen. In the end I alternated fingers with the two layering combinations. The multi-colored manicure actually worked better because when I put my fingers in the ball, only my ring and pinkie fingers show so both combinations can be seen.

When I was toying with the gradation concept I tested it on my thumb nail using the sheer OPI Call My Cell-ery to create the gradient over the Sally Hansen/Revlon combo. I loved the look so much that I decided to polish both thumbs with the gradation just to change it up a bit. The overall look is totally over the top but I love it.  For more details on the gradation manicure technique check out my gradation mani using the CND Night Factory Duo & butter LONDON Stroppy.

I think I ended up with a pretty good match, wouldn’t you say?

Every week as I’m driving to bowling I get this song stuck in my head and now with this manicure on my fingers every time I stare down at my hands it pops back in my brain. If I’m going to be infected with this earworm, I may as well share it. Enjoy!

Want to replicate the look? OPI Call My Cell-ery is a discontinued shade from the original Brights collection but I did see some for sale on eBay. Sally Hansen Sea And Be Seen was released this past summer and is available in drugstores nationwide. Revlon Not So Blue-berry was part of a limited summer collection of scented polishes (the scent penetrates top coat).  Revlon recently released new scented polishes and there’s a purple, I just haven’t seen it in person to know if it’s a match.  Models Own Lime Green retails for $8/ea and can be found on UrbanOutfitters.com and ModelsOwnIt.com.

What do you think of my bowling ball inspired manicure? Do you have suggestions for other manis that would look good with it? Do I have any fellow bowling Fanatics out there?

Disclosure: Product samples were furnished by Sally Hansen and Models Own. I purchased the Revlon & OPI polishes myself. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

It’s no secret that I’m not a nail art fan. I’ve always said that I appreciate the artistry, creativity and certainly the skill involved but it’s just not my bag. I do see designs from time to time that wow me but I won’t be jumping on the nail art bandwagon anytime soon. However for those of you who are into nail art but professional services, including Minx, are out of your budget and DIY’ing isn’t in your skill set, Sally Hansen has a solution for you.  The recently launched line, Sally Hansen Salon Effects, are nail appliqués made from real nail polish.  These easy to apply nail polish strips come in an array of styles including solid color glitters and neons for those of us looking for a zero dry time, on-the-go manicure solution. I recently gave the strips a go putting the “Lasts Up To 10 Days” claim to the test.  Keep reading to see how they fared.

Formula & Application: Sally Hansen Salon Effects are made with real nail polish and are 4-Free (including Formaldehyde Resin) however because they have a different formula than the regular Sally Hansen nail polish I suggest you read the ingredients in full before purchasing to avoid allergic reactions.  Each Salon Effects package includes 16 strips in varying sizes, a cuticle stick and mini file/buffer.

Application instructions are included with each package and are very easy to understand.  You select the correct size strip for each nail, peel off the protective film, detach the polish strip from the backing, press on to the nail and file off the excess.  What’s great about these strips is that each end has a different shape, one rounded the other squared, so you can find a good fit for your cuticle line.

Application tips:

• Warm the strips with your hands to make them more pliable.
• Bend the strip over your free edge and use the file to remove the excess rather than tearing it off.  Tearing can result in an uneven edge.
• Between sizes?  Size up and use the enclosed cuticle stick to remove the excess off your skin.
• Don’t submerge in water right after applying.  I took a shower shortly after applying and the pinkie strip popped right off and my ring finger pulled up some.  I pushed the ring finger back down and it lasted fine but I suggest waiting a couple hours before bathing.

Of all the patterns in the Salon Effects line I was most drawn to Misbehaved.  I dug the shimmery champagne background and simple black fishnet design.  Throughout the week I received numerous compliments from friends and strangers and I chuckled as the impressed looks on their faces fell when I told them it was an appliqué and not my own handiwork.  As if I could create lines that clean on my own.  I’d be a professional nail artist if that was the case.

I went above and beyond the promised 10 Days with my Wear Test, keeping Misbehaved on my nails for 12 Days.  In that time I went bowling three times (this is my bowling hand) and, with the exception of my middle finger starting to wear after Day 7, the rest of my nails looked pretty fantastic up until Day 10.  If it wasn’t for the growth that was SERIOUSLY starting to bug me, I would have left them on.

I don’t know when the cracks in my thumb nail started to occur but I didn’t notice them until I took this pic.  I have a feeling the tape I put in my bowling ball thumb hole last Saturday was part of the problem.  The tape is pretty rough to help with grip and I bet rubbing up against it plus everyday water exposure caused this strip to weaken and crack.

As much as I like Misbehaved, the glitters in this line are my fave.  Blue Ice is a beautiful smoky denim blue glitter and I love that you can get opaque glitter coverage without putting on layer after layer of polish and a thick top coat.  The Blue Ice strip is more flexible than the others I tried and it leaves a perfectly smooth finish.  Of course because it’s made of glitter nail polish it is more difficult to remove than the others and can leave traces of glitter behind if you aren’t precise in your removal.

If you love the flower pattern Minx that Katy Perry made famous, you can get a similar look from Girl Flower.  Maybe it’s just me but the patterns with light backgrounds, including Wicked Bamboo, and solid color neons feel thicker and aren’t as flexible.

Cry Baby is a hot pink neon creme.  It doesn’t look neon on camera but in person it’s BRIGHT!  As I mentioned above, the neon strips aren’t as flexible as the glitters or Misbehaved.  They also show every nail imperfection, like the ridges I didn’t realize were on my thumb nail.

The Full Sally Hansen Salon Effects Line

Cut It Out, Girl Flower, Booty Camp, Collide-O-Scope

Frock Star, Blue Ice, Bling It On, Glitz Blitz

Skinny Jeans, Check It Out, Misbehaved, Laced Up

Wild Child, Kitty Kitty, Fly With Me

Raise A Glass, Wicked Bamboo

Cry Baby, It Girl, Violet Night, Red-y For Trouble

Squeezed, Electric Shock, Groove, Teal With It

Bottom Line: Overall I was impressed with the diversity of colors and patterns, the ease of application and the wear.  Compared to the other nail appliqués I’ve tried, I definitely like Sally Hansen’s the best.  I’ve never been able to get the Incoco ones to stick to my nails (frustrates me to no end) and the Sephora by OPI version of Minx are thick and don’t last as long.  I personally haven’t tried any others but given the accessibility of Sally Hansen, the Salon Effects line gets my stamp of approval.

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips are in stores now and retail for $9.99/ea.  You can find Sally Hansen products at drugstores and mass market retails nationwide.

How do you feel about nail polish appliques?  Is this something you would wear?  What do you think are the benefits of this type of product?  Which designs, colors or patterns are your faves?

Disclosure: Product samples were furnished by Sally Hansen.  For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

This past weekend the boyfriend and I attended the wedding of one of our favorite people on the planet.  She is funny, smart, charming.  Just an amazing friend.  One of those people that you meet and just know you want in your life.  So you can imagine how happy we are that she found a man who realizes how special she is and treats her a queen. Of course a wedding means planning the right outfit all the way down to your fingers and toes.  I immediately knew which dress I wanted to wear but deciding on nail color was a challenge.  Do I go trendy because I’m the all knowing nail girl (my friend said that, not me)?  Do I play it safe because it’s a wedding?  Or do I march to the beat of my own drummer and go with what strikes my fancy?  I chose D – All Of The Above.

Here I am with the beautiful bride.  This was towards the end of the night after a lot of drinking and dancing so we are a bit beat down.  Plus the humidity on Saturday was unbearably disgusting so it was near impossible to stay shine-free. Anywho, as you can see I opted for a gray dress with a silver embossed floral overlay so my nail options were pretty vast.  I scheduled a pedicure for the day before the wedding so I would have to commit to color family and not be stuck trying to decide the day of.  Even though I wasn’t sure about which shoes I would wear I knew they’d either be black or silver so I wanted something that would pop. All the talk of turquoise being hot for 2010 has the color pretty ingrained in my brain so that’s the first color family I thought of.  After sifting through my blue-green drawer I settled on China Glaze Flyin High.

I love Flyin High because it’s vivid but not overly bright.  It feels summery but the creme finish keeps it chic.  It’s the perfect complement to the silver heels I picked up the day of the wedding during a lightening fast DSW run.

So I had my dress, shoes, jewelry and pedicure all picked out but what should I put on my fingernails?  My rule regarding mani/pedi combinations is to coordinate, not match.  Since I had such a bright turquoise on my toes I wanted either a lighter version of Flying High or a silver for my fingers.  I had pulled Orly Shine but decided there was too much silver/gray going on in my look and ended up with an oldie but goodie, China Glaze For Audrey.

To me For Audrey is the ideal wedding shade.  I would love to see every bride make it their “something blue.”  It makes me feel feminine and girly but still unique.  It’s soft enough to be wedding appropriate yet colorful enough to add an element of fun. FYI this was taken two days after the wedding which is why you see some growth.  My nails grow like weeds, I tell you!

I’ve been wearing For Audrey for a few days now. I’m enjoying having ten matching fingers at the moment since it so rarely happens during the week.  However, I wanted to switch it up a bit.

I’ve had this bottle of Sally Hansen Sea And Be Seen sitting on my desk staring at me for a couple weeks now. I picked it up on a recent CVS run and came home to discover that it’s pretty sheer.  Such a shame considering  how gorgeous it looks in the bottle.  I guess I’ve left it out waiting for the right time to layer it and my current manicure just happened to be the perfect fit.

Sea And Be Seen turned For Audrey into a sparkly sky blue dream.  The base color has a sandwashed look to it while the demin blue micro glitter adds a glitzy punch.  This may be one of my fave layering combos ever!  It’s so much better in person, you must try.

Like I said above, I chose “D – All Of The Above” in plotting my wedding manicure/pedicure combo. I kept it somewhat conservative on my hands with a pale Tiffany hue. Choosing turquoise was definitely an on trend decision but it’s still very “me” in that I love blues & greens and everything in between. I seriously can’t recommend this color combo enough for any upcoming weddings you may have.

With wedding season officially in gear, what are your favorite nail looks to wear to a wedding? Have you been to any weddings already? What did you wear? Have any of you worn For Audrey to your own wedding? Do you think blue polish is too much for a bride?

Disclosure: Flying High and For Audrey samples were furnished by China Glaze. Sea And Be Seen was purchased by me. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

It’s Go Green Week on ALU! In celebration of Earth Day on Thursday, April 22nd I’m reviewing some of the great green polishes from this season that I haven’t yet shared. Included with the reviews are tips on how you can “green” your manicure routine. Last winter I was in Michigan visiting friends when I made pit stop at Meijer’s to check out the Massini brand of nail polishes that I’ve heard so much about.  The word on the interwebs is that Massini is made by Color Club and some of the polishes are dupes for the holographic CC’s. Of course, I got completely sidetracked when I spotted a bright green polish in the Sally Hansen rack.  I saw the Spring Tracy Reese shades backstage at Fashion Week last fall but hadn’t seen the core colors yet.  Grass Slipper from the Complete Salon Manicure line jumped into my cart and it’s a fantastic color.  Check it out after the jump!

If you missed my gushing rave for the Complete Salon Manicure formula when I wore it during NYFW, check out my review in my NOTD Challenge post. Long story short, the formula is smooth, glossy and long wearing even without base & top coat.  Though with Grass Slipper I HIGHLY recommend wearing a base coat to avoid staining.  Blue and green polishes are notorious for staining so always wear a base with those types of colors or learn to embrace smurf fingers.

Grass Slipper is a lime green that is very close to the paint in one of our bedrooms.  The one the boyfriend uses as his office.  I love unique wall colors and in our house you’ll find red, two greens, slate blue, yellow and purple. The green in the office/bedroom is called Jalapeno Jelly by Valspar and while I LOVE the color, Valspar paint is crap.  Seriously, avoid the brand at all costs.  Getting that instead of Behr was like the worst decision ever.

Getting back to Grass Slipper, the lacquer flows on the nail easily and dries with a nice glossy sheen though it’s not all that pigmented.  As I noted in my initial review of this line, the colors all seem a bit diluted so you need three coats to get them opaque.  As compared to the more yellow-based OPI Who The Shrek Are You? this color is much more flattering on me because it’s more green.  The overly yellowish greens make me look deathly

Now I know the brush is pretty polarizing among Fanatics but I personally love it. I like the curved tip that fits perfectly along my cuticle line. What I don’t like is the inconsistency. They aren’t all cut the same so I’ve had to do some trimming. Also, the long flat stick grabs paint like there’s no tomorrow so you REALLY have to wipe if off well to avoid excess polish flowing on the nail. All those things aside, I’m extremely pleased with Grass Slipper.

Go Green Week Nail Tip: Help the environment by properly disposing of your nail polish and treatments.  You CAN NOT just throw nail polish bottles in the trash, even if they are empty or dried up.  We’re dealing with hazardous chemicals here that can leach into the soil and contaminate groundwater.  Never pour polish down the sink or into a trash can.  Call your trash service and ask about hazardous waste disposal and take the time to responsibly dispose of your old polish.

Grass Slipper from the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure line is available now at drugstores nationwide.  Prices vary by location but keep your eyes on the weekly circulars for BOGOs and 50% off sales.

What do you think of Grass Slipper?  Who else is in love with the Complete Salon Manicure line?  Do we have any detractors?  Are you wearing green for Earth Day?  Or just wearing green period?

Disclosure: I purchased this polish from Meijer’s.