Are we stuck in some kind of 2007 nail polish flashback? Did Chanel Blue Satin just launch? First we talked about grey nail polish, now we’re moving onto blue. Those of you who have been reading ALU since way back in its infancy will remember that blue and grey were big nail trends for Fall 2007 and as I approach my fifth year of blogging, it’s like it’s all coming full circle.

The past couple years there has been a greater focus on greyed slate blues and teal but this time around we’re looking at a more true blue range that varies from denim to sapphire to indigo. And as brands have continued to evolve their mixing techniques we are being treated to more unique finishes and sparkle combinations than we’ve seen in the past.

The Bold & The Beautiful of Blues (Fall 2011 Release) – all polishes (except two noted below) are shown using two coats

From left to right - NARS Night Flight (bottom), OPI Road House Blues (top), Dior Denim (laying down), CND Midnight Sapphire, Color Club Blue-topia, Rescue Beauty Lounge Piu Mosso (laying down), Sparitual Blue Moon, Nubar Elegant Indigo, China Glaze Skyscraper

China Glaze Skyscraper ($3, Head2ToeBeauty, TransDesign. $6, Sally Beauty) is a blue ball of fun. It’s a semi-sheer glitter jelly polish with a softened midnight blue base. It reminds me of a twilight sky, before it darkens to an inky navy. It’s one of the two polishes that required three coats and that’s so that the glitter can be properly suspended. What intrigues me about this color is how the finish can look similar to a glass fleck at one angle and like a foil-ish metallic from another.

I used my cell phone to take this shot so the color isn’t as accurate but I thought the slight bluriness showed the finish off well.

CND Midnight Sapphire ($9, CND.com for locations or GoIndulge.com) is part of CND’s “Look” for Fall 2011 and it’s a densely pigmented creme that I showed you as part of my Cleveland Indians themed manicure. It applies beautifully and barely needs two coats. In fact I only used one coat in this shot and I like that it looks a bit lighter than the two coats I used in my Indians mani.

Color Club Blue-topia ($8, ShopColorClub.com) is a deep navy jelly polish. As much I love the idea of jellies, they are hard to do with darker colors. They tend to be pretty streaky as was the case with Blue-topia. I used three coats with this one and it’s still pretty uneven.

Dior Blue Denim ($22, Dior.com & Nordstrom stores) is part of the emerging sub-trend of denim inspired blues. This faded sapphire creme effortlessly blends comfort and chic. I love that even though it’s really pigmented, it has a jelly-like finish.

NARS Night Flight ($17, NARSCosmetics.com & NARS counters nationwide) is part of the Night series of sparkle polishes and in spite of its inky blue base, the tiny light blue and purple glitter particles lighten it up to a glorious mid-tone navy. You really have to see this one on the nail to appreciate the depth of its glitz.

OPI Road House Blues ($8.50,OPI.com for locations) is a lush navy creme that leans towards indigo. Makes me think of blueberry juice. I have a LOT of navy cremes but none are quite like this one. OPI Sapphire in the Snow from Holiday ’09 looks downright purple next to it.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Piu Mosso ($18, RescueBeauty.com) is an unusual flower combining fiery orange shimmer with a blackened blue base. As I mentioned in my initial review, it’s a challenge to bring a complimentary shimmer to the party without it affecting the base color but RBL’s Ji Baek achieved that with ease. It’s definitely one of my favorite fall colors this season.

Sparitual Blue Moon ($10, Sparitual.com & AveYou.com) is hands down my favorite of all the blues that have come out for fall. I wasn’t sure what to expect based on the bottle color. It looked pretty murky, more purple than blue, with this odd rose gold-ish flake glitter. On the nail it’s electric. Imagine Essie Aruba Blue being jolted to life with a defibrillator then injected with flakie goodness. The picture really does it no justice. I had this one for a full week and it looked smashing the full seven days. It pained me to take it off. In short… BUY THIS!!!

The Old School Blues

You don’t have to buy new colors to be on trend, just shop your nail polish wardrobe for these classic sapphire blues.

Click the names to view swatches: ULTA Moody Blues, China Glaze Bermuda Breakaway, Barielle Berry Blue (laying down), Essence Just Rock It.

Entity Blue (bottom), China Glaze Up All Night (top), Nubar Sapphire (bottom), NYC Skin Tight Denim Creme (top), OPI Yoga-ta Get This Blue, Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Blue It, Zoya Indigo (laying across), Essie Aruba Blue (laying down), Sparitual Surreal

Best colors to pair with Blue – Grey, camel, pumpkin, ruby, silver, gold

Thoughts on the resurgence of the blue nail color trend? Do you prefer straight-up blues to the greyed and green tinged tones? Which new colors do you plan to pick up? What are your favorite blue nail polishes?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for China Glaze, CND, Color Club, Dior, NARS, OPI, Rescue Beauty Lounge and Spatirual. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

I don’t know about you but I am so sick of “greige” and “griolet” and every other bastardization of grey nail polish. To the point that it’s extremely refreshing to see the real deal re-emerge as a hot nail polish trend for Fall 2011. It’s not exactly like grey has been on hiatus for the past few years but it was feeling pretty tired post-2008 and I’m ecstatic to see it coming back.

During NYFW Teen Vogue’s Eva Chen tweeted from backstage at Rag & Bone about the Revlon Stormy Canvas nail color Manicurist Jin Soon Choi used. Jin was quoted as saying, “I love this color because it’s a true grey. I’m sick of greige,” and upon reading that all I could say was, “Yes! Real f*cking grey is back!” Sorry, I’m just not the type to use “effing” in my everyday vernacular. The boyfriend, who I constantly embarrass with my ill-timed, foul-mouthed outbursts, would concur.

Black and grey are pretty much staple colors in most fall wardrobes but it wasn’t until 2007/8 that grey really became a staple in nail world. Before brands like Rescue Beauty Lounge and China Glaze started producing hot greys, we were left to franken our own. I still remember, with longing, the dove grey CND previewed at the Fall ’08 shows that was slated to go into production before they overhauled their polish line. Now, we have so many grey nail polish options it would make Rachel Zoe proud.

Grey is the new Grey (Fall 2011 Release) – all polishes are shown using two coats

From left to right - Pop Beauty Foggy (laying down), Zoya Tao, Deborah Lippmann Stormy Weather, Nails Inc Paddington, Finger Paints Stunning Stiletto (laying across), Essie Power Clutch, Sally Hansen Dorien Gray, China Glaze Concrete Catwalk

China Glaze Concrete Catwalk ($3, Head2ToeBeauty, TransDesign. $6, Sally Beauty) is a blue-based wet cement creme. It’s the moody, blackened older sister of fan fave China Glaze Recycle.

Deborah Lippmann Stormy Weather ($16, DeborahLippmann.com, Barneys, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom) is a deep granite creme that was created with Narciso Rodriguez for his Fall 2011 collection. It doesn’t bear any resemblance to that other “Stormy” grey we all know so well (see below). It’s much darker and moodier and blue-based as opposed to green.

Essie Power Clutch ($8, Essie.com for locations and online shopping) I feel completely colorblind when it comes to this color. It’s described by Essie as “green” and yet I’ve been wearing it for over a week and do not see it as green, no matter the lighting. Yes, it has a green base but I would never file this away in my green Helmer drawer.

Finger Paints Stunning Stilettos ($4.99, SallyBeauty.com) really would make a “stunning” shoe color. I’d probably scuff the heck out of them in a week this blue-based mid-tone grey would pair perfectly with any ensemble.

Nails Inc Paddington ($9.50, Sephora.com) is knocking on the door of “almost black” territory so this green-based grey is great for all the vampy nail polish lovers out there.

Pop Beauty Foggy ($10, PopBeautyCosmetics.com, ULTA) isn’t really a fall collection release but it’s relatively new enough for me to include. It has a neutral, rubbery base color that’s been glammed up with silvery shimmer and micro-glitter. I dig that they didn’t pack in so much sparkle that it messed with the integrity of the color. It’s still a grey at its core.

Sally Hansen Dorien Grey ($7.99 at drugstores and mass retailers nationwide) is the palest of the new greys and has that fresh and clean feeling that I love about dove hues. It’s work safe for even the most conservative offices but still on trend.

Zoya Tao ($8, Zoya.com) is unique in that it’s a medium grey with shimmer that doesn’t venture into the more traditional gunmetal territory. It’s softer and more feminine while maintaining that urban edge normally associated with grey. Think uptown meets downtown.

The OG’s – The “Original Greys” in my stash

Not all of these shades are still available but if you have them in your nail wardrobe, now is the time to rock ‘em.

Click the names to view swatches: Illamasqua DWS, RGB Steel (laying across), Orly Mirror Mirror, ULTA Concrete Evidence (bottom), Zoya Dove (top), Rescue Beauty Lounge Stormy (laying down), China Glaze Pelican Gray.

CND Asphalt, American Apparel Factory Grey (laying down), Barry M Grey, Essence Movie Star, China Glaze Recycle, Barielle U-Concrete-Me (laying across), OCC Dangerous, Models Own Moody Grey.

Best colors to pair with Grey – Teal, eggplant, sapphire, plum

Thoughts on the Real Grey nail color trend? Are you happy to see it make a comeback? Or did you never stop wearing it? Are you over “greige” as much as I am? Which new colors do you plan to pick up? What are your favorite grey nail polishes?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for China Glaze, Deborah Lippmann, Essie, Finger Paints, Nails Inc, Sally Hansen and Zoya. I purchased Pop Beauty Foggy. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

*** UPDATE – The Bergorf event has been canceled at the last minute. Sorry NYCers. But you can still see CND at Malandrino and near 3.1 Phillip Lim.*** As I mentioned in my Fashion’s Night Out post, CND will be offering “Mood Ring” manicures today at Bergdorf Goodman to customers who purchase the four CND Effect shades used to create the look ($40). You will be able to choose your Shellac base color (Romantique, Hot Pop Pink, Wildfire, Rock Royalty, Asphalt, Black Pool) and the Effects will be layered on top to create the look. Unfortunately we don’t all live in NYC but that doesn’t mean you can’t create the look yourself. Using any nail polish base color you desire, you can have your own custom “Mood Ring” nails.

The “Mood Ring” nail is created by layering four CND Effects over a base color. The original look used Black Pool so I’m showing you the look with CND Blackjack nail polish.

Start with your Blackjack base and add a stripe of CND Emerald Shimmer Effect down the middle of the nail.

Add a stripe of CND Ice Blue Shimmer Effect on one side.

Then a stripe of CND Violet Shimmer Effect on the remaining third of the nail. I find that slightly overlapping the three Effects helps blur the lines between the colors.

Finally, add a coat of CND Copper Shimmer Effect over the whole nail.

When I was originally practicing this layering effect, I was wearing Sally Hansen Gray by Gray and I loved the final product even more than over black. I can only imagine how gorgeous it will look over Asphalt and Rock Royalty.

Head to Bergdorf Goodman today between 9am and 10pm to get your own “Mood Ring” manicure with a Shellac base from one of CND’s talented nail artists. Or purchase the Effects for use at home and create your own custom version. Locate a CND retailer near you at CND.com or purchase online from GoIndulge.com.

Are you liking the “mood ring” look? What base color would you use under the Effects? NYC gals, will you be hitting up Bergdorf’s to get your own set of “mood ring” nails?

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

From olive to hunter, military inspired designs and colors dominated the Fall 2011 runway shows. Those shades came straight off the models and into nail polish bottles in a number of the fall collections.

Over the next couple weeks I’ll be walking you through the big nail polish trends for the season, showing you the newest shades to hit the market and the old school colors you may already own that will get your nail style ready for fall.

The New Class (Fall 2011 Release) – all polishes are shown using two coats

Laying down: MAC Fatigues & Deborah Lippmann Billionaire. Standing: China Glaze Westside Warrior, Color Club Artsy Crafty, Finger Paints Military Green, Butter London Wallis, OPI Uh-Oh Roll Down The Window & Cult Nails In A Trance. Top Row: Zoya Yara & Zoya Dree

Butter London Wallis ($14, butterLondon.com, Beauty.com, ULTA, Nordstrom) is a metallic olive green that leans heavily towards gold. The base is a dark olive but the green-gold flakes floating on the surface give this colors a foil-like finish.

China Glaze Westside Warrior ($3, Head2ToeBeauty, TransDesign. $6, Sally Beauty) reminds me of castelvetrano olives. I only recently discovered these buttery gems through a friend and I’m obsessed. My only complaint with Westside Warrior is that the formula wasn’t up to par. It was pigmented but a little goopy and hard to work with.

Color Club Artsy Crafty ($8, ShopColorClub.com) is a lush forest green with a greyed underbelly that gives it some grit.

Cult Nails In A Trance ($10, CultNails.com) is a browned olive green shimmer. The satiny finish and old world charm hearkens back to medieval tapestries or royal gowns.

Deborah Lippmann Billionaire ($16, DeborahLippmann.com, Barneys, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom) is the darkest of the fall green offerings. It’s as if you took a vivid hunter green and drabbed it out with a touch of brown and black. The color was used at the Lela Rose F/W 2011 show and it’s got this great jelly consistency that is packed with pigment.

Finger Paints Military Green ($4.99, SallyBeauty.com) honestly looks terrible in the bottle. It was kind of yellowish, like baby poo or something but on the nail, LOVE! It’s reminiscent of Essie Sew Psyched or Chanel Khaki Vert and applies flawlessly on the nail.

MAC Fatigues ($15, MACCosmetics.com) is part of the MAC Me Over! collection and what I love about it is that it’s not as yellow based as the other colors in this category. It’s more cool tone friendly.

OPI Uh-Oh Roll Down The Window ($8.50,OPI.com for locations) is a vivid olive hue. I know the words feel wrong together but I’ve been calling it a bright drab. The name is the only thing that bothers me. Even though, at my core, I’m a 12 year old boy with a love for potty humor, mixing that with something in the beauty world doesn’t sit right with me.

Zoya Dree ($8, Zoya.com) is the darkened version of OPI Uh-Oh. They definitely live in the same neighborhood, go to the same school and may even share some classes together.

Zoya Yara ($8, Zoya.com) – Okay so I have this sweater that I refuse to get rid of even though it’s so out of style it’s not even funny. The reason I keep it, it looks exactly like Yara! It’s this yellow-based green knit hoodie that has small golden threads woven throughout. Now that I have a polish to match it, why would I donate it?

The OG’s – The “Original (Military) Greens” in my stash

Not all of these shades are still available but if you have them in your nail wardrobe, now is the time to rock ‘em.

Laying down: NARS Mash & Rescue Beauty Lounge No More War Standing: Essie Sew Psyched, Chanel Khaki Vert, American Apparel Hunter, Zoya Gemma, Rescue Beauty Lounge Diddy Mow, Illamasqua Hectic, NARS Platoon

Best colors to pair with Military Greens – Berry, gold, pewter, camel

Thoughts on the Military Green nail color trend? Did your faves make the cut? Which new colors do you plan to pick up? Are there any readily available shades that I missed that we should know about?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for butter LONDON, China Glaze, Color Club, Cult Nails, Deborah Lippmann, Finger Paints, MAC, OPI and Zoya. 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. Color-blocking was all over the Spring 2011 runways but being that my own personal style doesn’t really mesh with color-blocking, I translated the trend to nails. As much as I love how bright colors look on others, I tend to stick to neutrals when it comes to my own wardrobe. My nails are my color statement. Inspired by a dress I saw while online window shopping on Nordstrom.com, I incorporated Orly Ancient Jade from the Precious Spring 2011 Collection to create a color-block manicure.

Formula & Application: Orly nail polish is 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin) and does not contain camphor, which can be an irritant. Orly polishes come with the fan fave rubberized cap. That signature easy-to-grip topper makes it easy to control the polish. The brush is long and thin with flexible bristles. I personally would like it if there were more bristles to get more coverage in each stroke.

I clearly have not been wearing enough Orly polish lately because their formula continues to amaze me, as if it’s the first time I’ve ever used it. I raved over Royal Navy’s application and Ancient Jade was just as fantastic. Thin, easy to manipulate, well pigmented. For a color so light, two coats were more than sufficient. In fact to avoid my color-block manicure from getting too thick (which it did) I should have used one coat. I totally could have gotten away with it if I wasn’t photographing the color on its own for this post.

Orly Ancient Jade is a mint green creme but as the name indicates, it’s not a pastel. It’s rich, like the jade stone it was named after, and along the lines of Chanel Jade. In fact, if it had the same Chanel subtle shimmer, they could be close relatives.

In the past couple years Orly has released polishes in this color group but in comparison Gumdrop is lighter and more blue based, while Mint Mojito is much darker, almost a spring green. The closest I could come to finding a similar color is Models Own Jade Stone which is Ancient Jade’s slightly paler sister. I had hoped, based on the bottle color, that this was a MAC Peppermint Patti dupe but no such luck.

Using this dress from Jay Godfrey as my inspiration, I added CND Blackjack and Sinful Rise and Shine to Ancient Jade to create my color-block nails. Normally I would not attempt such a manicure. Nail art is not in my skill set and a lot of the nail art I see is too much for my personal taste. But thanks to readers who pointed me in the direction of Chloe’s Nails and her amazing scotch tape manicures, my first attempt at color-blocking came out pretty decent. Check out this tutorial for Chloe’s tips on working with scotch tape to create clean lines. I chose to not apply top coat between each layer to keep my manicure from getting too thick so I waited for at least 20 minutes before applying the next color. Application Tip: If you apply the tape too early, as long as it doesn’t pull of any color during removal, any surface marks from the tape will be erased with top coat.  I found that out when applying Rise and Shine. I totally marked up Blackjack and you can’t even tell.

Bottom Line: The jade/mint trend may not be the thing anymore but a great green can always suck me in. Ancient Jade’s formula is top notch and the pigmentation is strong with this one. If you’re into this type of color, you will not be let down.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: STASH!! In fact, I may be dumping other polishes from my collection in favor of this one. It’s that good!

Orly Ancient Jade is available now at Sally Beauty Supply and ULTA stores though availability will vary by store. Online shoppers can head to OrlyBeauty.com and Head2ToeBeauty.com. Orly nail polishes retail for $7.50/ea for a .6oz bottle.

Thoughts on Ancient Jade? How did my color-block nails turn out? Is this something you would attempt? Have you done a scotch tape manicure before?

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

When Katy Perry posted “Glove tip lace nails anyone?” on Twitter yesterday along with this pic I knew that Celebrity Manicurist Kimmie Kyees had to be involved and I was right.  We’ve seen lace used to cover the entire nail before but this is something new. Kimmie shared that these nails were created for a photo shoot but she couldn’t reveal which one so be on the lookout as Kimmie is hoping they make the cover!

Get The Look: “She wanted beige so I used nail tips from Broadway Nails and polished them in China Glaze polishes; Modern Elegance topped Nude. What an amazing shade that combination created.”

“I took out my lace and noticed the V shape. I decided to cut along the V’s and place it in the polish from the cuticles towards the free edge. Leaving the lace on the end came to me after I placed it. I tried the tips on myself and loved the effect. When I showed [the people from the magazine] what they looked like on, they were relived and impressed! Luckily Katy and the rest of the glam squad agreed it looked fantastic. Katy said she loved them!”

China Glaze Modern Elegance is a discontinued color from the Urban Chic/Platinum series but I did find it on eBay and Victoria Nail Supply.  China Glaze Nude also looks to be dc’d but it’s available on eBay and VNS as well.

What do you think of this look on Katy?  I’m thinking it could be something fun to try for a Halloween costume, like a gothic bride or something.  Would you wear this nails and for what occasion?  Have you tried incorporating lace into your nail style?

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.

Last February I had my first experience with what is now becoming a major trend in nails; Soak-off UV Gel Nail Polish.  You see my pal Heather Park from SeoulDiva had been raving for months about this NYC salon Sakura and showing off her wicked cool nail art designs using the CalGel brand of soak-off polish.  Heather has managed to get more than a few of her friends hooked on Sakura including MAC Artist Keri B. who has posted some her designs on Twitter. You can read about my experience and see some more CalGel designs HERE. Since that time Fanatics have emailed asking about CalGel and the other brands of soak-off polish on the market, including OPI’s new Axxium product so I’m giving you the 411 on the whole soak-off phenomenon after the jump.

What is Soak-off Gel Polish?
Unlike a traditional nail polish, soak-off gel polish is painted on with a brush and each layer is “cured” under a UV light to dry. Soak-off Gels come in a wide array of colors and finishes and like our “frankenpolishes” they can be mixed to create new colors. The purple on my tips (above) was a custom blended shade.

What are the benefits?
Dry time – The UV light dries the polish within minutes which means no dry time, no smudging, no dents. Talk about the perfect winter pedicure choice
Long lasting – Soak-off Gel lasts from 2-3 weeks with no chipping.
Less damaging – Unlike traditional enhancements you don’t have to fear the drills or filing down of your nails.
Works on natural nails – While you can add length if you choose, Soak-off Gel Polish can be used over a natural nail like traditional polish.
You can layer polish on top – If you want to change your color mid-manicure, you can. Paint right over Soak-Off Gel with regular nail polish and remove it with non-acetone remover.

What are the negatives?
Cost – Soak-off Gel Polish can only be applied by a professional and the service is more costly than a traditional manicure. If you are really skilled, you can buy a UV light and gel polish online but it’s not a cheap set-up.
Removal – While Sakura offers fill-ins, if you want to change your color, you must completely remove the polish every time. You can either pay to have the polish professionally removed or do the soak-off process (or to the MUA nail board “foil method”) at home. Soak a piece of cotton in acetone and then wrap the nail with aluminum foil. For me, even after soaking, I still had to file some of it off.
Nail growth shows – One of the reason’s my pal Heather tends to wear CalGel designs with a clear base is because it makes nail growth less obvious. If you choose a dark, solid color, by week two, growth will be very apparent.
Time – Getting a Soak-off Gel manicure can take longer than a traditional manicure. Especially if you are getting a gradation, nail art or using a dark color. I’ve heard with the darker shades, you need quite a few coats to get it the right color.

Brands
Several brands make a soak-off product with a wide array of colors. The most talked about brands include Akzentz, Bio Sculpture Color Gel, CalGel, Dashing Diva Gelife, IBD, and OPI Axxium.  Akzentz, Bio Sculpture, CalGel and IBD come in a range of colors and finishes including glitter. Gelife is currently offering sheer, natural shades to enhance the nail’s natural beauty but I hear they intend to offer additional colors.  Axxium comes in 26 colors based on existing OPI polish shades including You Don’t Know Jacques, Russian Navy, I’m Not Really A Waitress, Lincoln Park After Dark and Bubble Bath.

Where can I get a Soak-off Gel Manicure?
I suggest contacting the companies to locate a salon near year using their products but make sure you investigate the salon and ask how long they’ve been using the product.  If you are interested in nail art or gradations, ask about their experience doing those as well and inquire about a website or online gallery of their work.

I emailed CalGel and found a salon on the west side of Cleveland and my salon John Robert’s Salon & Spa just started offering OPI Axxium.  The last time I was there all the stylists I talked to who were wearing it, were really pleased.

And if you’re in Rhode Island, I suggest you check out the Nail Gallery from Gel Essentialz and book an appointment with Gina Silvestro ASAP. My friend, Celebrity Manicurist Elle, told me about Gina and she creates some sick designs.

So how many of you are curious about Soak-off Gel Polish?  Have you tried it?  Tell us about your experience, including which brand you used, in the comments!

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?

With the Konad nail art stamper fad still going strong (who would have guessed?) and Minx becoming a strong celeb nail presence where do we go from here? Well if Celebrity Manicurist Elle has anything to say about it we’ll be heading to the fabric store. You see Elle has taken nail art to a whole new level with the latest celeb trend, lace nails. See who she’s been lacing and vote yay or nay on the look after the jump!

A week or so ago I received an email from a reader asking about Blake Lively‘s nails from a Fashion’s Night Out event. I immediately scoured the web to get a peek and as soon as I saw the intricate lace pattern I knew my gal Elle was involved.

You see that’s her handiwork in the shot above. She created the look during an editorial shoot using our All Lacquered Up collection colors. Since she regularly works with Blake, I knew she’d have the scoop.

For the looks below on Blake and Jennifer Lopez (for the VMAs) Elle used Parisian lace. She brushes on a nail adhesive, lays down the lace, applies another coat of adhesive and then trims off the excess. For added strength you can add a layer of clear gel but she didn’t do that here.

image credit: Barielle and Celebutopia