Nails

Spring Fashion Updates

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There’s no denying that it’s starting to feel like spring in the northeast. Especially with the time change, everyone is starting to feel that springtime bug.

 

I downsized my wardrobe back in the winter and have mostly stuck to a smaller collection of things that I love since then (with the exception of buying all of the activewear to avoid all of the laundry!) Lately, I’ve been starting to add in a few key pieces to update my wardrobe for spring. Here’s a quick look at what I’ve been buying and/or eyeing!

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I originally wanted this Topshop Structured Bardot Top in cream or black, just because I’ve somehow developed an aversion towards actually wearing colors over the past few years, but the only color that wasn’t sold out was this red-orange. I was so in love with the shape and style of it, I decided to buy it anyway, and I actually love it. I think it will get a lot of wear this spring and summer since it’s got a casual, flowy, relaxed vibe, but is structured enough that it can be dressed up for drinks or dancing!

Destructed denim looks so easy chic and cool for warmer weather. I have been wanting to add a pair of white jeans into my wardrobe, but it’s just not practical for me. I’m convinced that on the first wear I’ll spill some green juice or tomato soup or something devastating will happen to ruin them. Instead, I’m looking for a pair that’s a very light wash of denim which can serve the same function as a stark white pair, but a little less anxiety inducing. These Jbrand low-rise crops are the perfect light blue color, and I love that they’ve got both destruction above the knee (which is placed perfectly for us shorter girls) and a raw hem. If only they weren’t quite so expensive!

Backpacks are so trendy right now, and a lot more convenient and comfortable to carry! This one by Rebecca Minkoff has a removable clutch on the front, making your day to night transition even easier. I love the neutral putty color, and it’s large enough to fit a 13″ Macbook Pro. This piece would even transition well into the fall paired with a leather jacket and boots. I legitimately haven’t bought a new handbag since 2014, so maybe it’s time for an update?

On the beauty side of things, I’ve been wanting to stick to a similar effortlessly cool look for spring, which means swapping out dark or bright nail polish for more natural looking nails. I picked up the Deborah Lippmann Genie in a Bottle nail enhancer recently and love that it makes my tortured nails look clean and even and bright and fussfree.

Along the same lines, the Glam Glow Plumprageous Matte Lip Treatment makes your lips look a bit swollen (like you’ve just been making out!) without any added color or shine. It’s great to wear alone without worrying about transfering or smudging while giving your lips just a little extra something, or layered under your usual lip color for a little extra boost. The only complaint that I have is that the packaging and the applicator are tricky and gimmicky, but I’ve gotten over it!

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Spray Manicure

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Hairspray, spray tan, face mist, even spray bronzers and airbrush foundations…. the beauty world is no stranger to spritzes and sprays. But a spray manicure?

Nails Inc, leaders of nail polish innovation, are coming out with a line of spray on nail polishes. It looks like an aerosol can that you can spray onto your fingers, then wash off the cuticles, leaving color only on your nails. There’s also a 2-in-1 base and top coat (top spray?). It doesn’t look like they are available yet for sale in the US, but I think it’s worth a test once it is.

Image via us.nailsinc.com

While I don’t think that this would be necessarily less messy than your typical DIY manicure, it certainly seems a lot faster. What I’ve noticed about other aerosol and spray on products is that the formula can dry a lot faster since it’s stored in an airtight container. You also might get a more even coverage and thinner coats than traditionally trying to spread paint with a brush.

My concerns would be that it could prove difficult to wash off of skin or irritating to sensitive or damaged cuticles. You’d also probably have to set down a rather large drop cloth to prevent making a huge mess. But the payoff could be a much faster application with less drying time. I guess we’ll see!

At $11, the Paint Can will run you slightly less than a typical bottle of prestige nail polish, more than a bottle of Essie or OPI, but less than Dior or even a Nails Inc bottle. There’s no saying however how many applications are in a bottle or how long it’s shelf life will be.

Nails Inc is already known for pairing with high fashion celebrities, such as Victoria Beckham and Alexa Chung, and also for creating new, if sometimes a bit bizarre, nail trends, such as their “NailKale” and Gel Effect lines. I’ve tried a few of their polishes and found them to be good quality, but dry out and get a bit thick fairly quickly. I’m interested to see how the spray manicure fairs when it hits the market!

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Nail Art for Grown Ups

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And by grown ups I mean adults.

 

As in these are (subtly) NSFW.

 

Sara M. Lyons is a self described “professional weirdo” and has a line of nail decals that are 1) awesome 2) playful and 3) not for the faint of heart. They’ve been featured in NYLON magazine and on Refinery29.com, Buzzfeed, and the Beauty Department. And now averyalina.com (every artist’s dream).

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Sara’s nail decals are like tiny temporary tattoos for your nails. They apply with water right over your dry polish. You can seal them in with a clear top coat and remove them with regular nail polish remover when you’re ready to change your polish. It’s way easier than trying to mess with tiny brushes and dot tools to DIY nail art, and way cheekier than anything I could possibly draw myself.

I love that these are a simple way to show some personality without drawing too much attention and that the designs are edgy enough to keep you from being #basic. Here’s how they look on my (non hand model) nails.

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Thanks to Matt for helping me take this photo. Who knew how hard it is to get both hands in the frame?!

 

I went for the hot air balloon, Diet Coke can, electric guitar, diamond, rocket, and swan. I wanted a safe-for-work set so I could feel cute and confident about it without being self conscious at the office. Otherwise I totally would have gone for the naked pin up girl. My other favorites include the handcuffs, any of the ice cream cones, the poodle, the hot dog, the kitty mask…. Literally I’d wear them all. Well, maybe I’d save the penis for a bachelorette party or something 😉 They would also be super cute on toes!

The application was easy enough. The hardest part is peeling the clear film off of the front of the decals so you can apply them. But I think it’s worth the effort!

 

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Fall-ish Polish

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It’s September. It’s fashion week. So it’s fall, right?

I mean, kind of.

Temps are definitely cooling down, but it’s still sunny and relatively warm (this is Boston after all!) I’m dying to get back into tights and booties and leather jackets and scarves, but it’s still much too summery to dive into full on fall outfits.

So how do you transition to fall while still staying weather appropriate?

Easy. Switch up your nail polish!

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Summertime screams for bright colors in jelly or shimmery finishes. But an easy and subtle way to start shifting towards fall is to break out the creams in sophisticated shades. Easy guide below!

If your summer color was a bright white, go for a warm cream. It’s like your familiar white polish with two pumps of sugar-free nonfat caramel. My pick: Essie Urban Jungle.

If your summer color was baby pink, ditch it for a dusty rose. Something that’s still light and feminine, but less “oh, I’m eating cotton candy” and more “oh, I’m flushed from chilly weather”. Say hello to Dior Lady!

If your summer color was a flirty fuchsia, try a modern deep purple. Aubergines are in-season until October, just saying. Okay, fine, eggplant if you want to be American, but doesn’t aubergine sound nicer? OPI’s Lincoln Park After Dark is the perfect blackened shade.

If your summer color was aqua sparkles, check out a vibrant cobalt. Just because you’re not hanging out on a sailboat anymore doesn’t mean you can’t channel the sea. It’s just more of a fall sea. It’s colder. And cooler. Like Jin Soon Blue Iris.

And if your summer color was a candy apple red, upgrade to an understated oxblood. Goodbye beach, hello orchard. This is the ultimate classic fall color and my personal favorite! Julep Coco is my go-to shade (this is my 2nd bottle…)

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Of course nothing is done without a finishing coat of Seche Vite.

 

 

What are your favorite fall polishes? How are you getting ready for fall?

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Products I’ll Repurchase Until I Die

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I mentioned in my previous Kiehl’s Haul that the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser is my favorite cleanser ever. And it is. I thought I’d do a little rundown of products I feel similarly passionate about.

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1) Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat, $4.99 on Amazon for .5 oz.

Okay, just now creating that link I realized how much cheaper this is on Amazon than Duane Reade and now I’m kicking myself for ever paying more for it, especially since I’ve gone through like, 5 bottles since I discovered it a few years ago. It dries out quickly and gets thick easily, but honestly, I don’t mind replacing it often because it’s such a lifesaver. I do my own manicures19 times out of 20, and it’s because of this stuff that I’m able to do so. It smooths polish to a professional finish in literally a minute or less. I also find that it’s super long lasting and chip resistant. You do have to be careful because it will shrink the underlying polish if it’s still too wet, but for someone who is impatient like me, Seche Vite is a dream come true.

2) Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser, $19.50 for 5 oz., $10 for 2.5 oz.

The whole Ultra Facial line is pretty great. The toner has a more substantial consistency than other toners, a bit thicker, which feels like it’s doing more than just wetting your face with water. The moisturizing cream has an almost gel texture, but it soaks into skin and really does moisturize for 24 hours. But it’s the cleanser that stands out. It checks all of the major requirements: non-stripping, makeup removing, nicely foaming, clean rinsing, gentle, and effective. Your face feels actually clean afterwards, but not tight or flaky, and without any weird residue or build up. It doesn’t have any fancy claims or technology, but I always feel like those anti-aging ingredients are better left to serums and creams that stay on your skin for longer than 60 seconds. For cleansers, all I want is something that will get the job done quickly and prep skin for other products. People rave about Cetaphil and other inexpensive gentle cleansers, but I never feel like those actually get my skin clean. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser is the perfect balance.

3) StriVectin-AR™ Advanced Retinol Day Treatment with Broad Spectrum SPF 30, $99 for 1.7 oz.

Yes, okay, this is expensive. Too expensive. Confession: I originally picked it up hugely discounted from a Birchbox employee sale because it was a good value and I’ve liked StriVectin products in the past. I didn’t expect to get hooked. To me, it’s worth the full price since I use it in the morning as a 1) serum, 2) moisturizer, 3) spf, and 4) primer. All in one. If I were to buy 4 products to do the same job as this one, it would definitely cost more than $99. It also does amazing things for my skin. It’s been clearer, smoother, and glowing. I have gotten more compliments on my skin since starting to use this in January than probably ever in my life. Even my husband asked what I was doing differently. One tube has lasted me over two months with daily (generous) use. Also here’s a tip: If I squeeze out too much in my early morning, pre-coffee, stupor, I put what’s left on the backs of my hands. My mom always says that you can tell someone’s age by checking out their hands, so a little extra anti-aging boost there can’t hurt.  Seriously, an incredible product.

4) Becca Mineral Blush in Gypsy, $32 for .2 oz.

Described as “ballerina pink”, this blush is my holy grail. The slightly lavender tones do something with my skin tone to make it look naturally and innocently flushed. It also has a golden sheen that makes it work as a blush and a highlight in one. I never have to worry about putting on too much since it blends out so easily and it’s both pigmented enough and light enough to work for a large spectrum of skin tones. The formula itself is very soft, so you will kick up a good amount of powder when you go in with your brush. I know that bothers some people, but I don’t mind it. I bought this for the first time about a year ago and it hasn’t left the rotation. If the one in the photo looks brand new, that’s because it is. My original is shattered beyond repair, too embarasing for photos, but I continue to use it even though I bought a brand new one weeks ago, simply because I can’t bear to waste it. It’s that good.

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