nails Archives - Page 3 of 9 - Belle Belle Beauty

Revlon by Marchesa

I’ve been so looking forward to trying my Revlon by Marchesa 3D Jewel Appliqués! The problem was I needed an event fun and festive enough to call for using these beauties. This past weekend, I visited old high school friends. While there was lots of work – lots of fun stuff to come here at Belle Belle! – there was plenty of fun. We always manage to have the best time. There is a reason these girls have been in my life for so long!

These limited edition collection of nail stickers are all inspired by Marchesa’s signature designs. Each set has 18 stickers, ensuring you can find the right size for each nail. Apply to a clean dry nail and make sure to press the sticker down firmly. Bend excess over the end of your nail. Use the included file to remove the remaining sticker filing in one direction only. The eight glamorous patterns were pulled from the archives:

Pick up yours at your nearest Walgreens, CVS, and select retailers nationwide through Fall 2013.

AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE MAY HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

Golden Manicure

Last night was a manicure night that is not to be forgotten. I wanted to try out a chocolate brown from seasons past, Laura Mercier Cocoa Suede, and layer what I thought was a gold glitter over it. Well, I was in for a surprise. First, a note on the chocolate brown – I was worried this could look dull and dirty. But I actually found it to be a perfect fall neutral. It is technically limited edition (I believe from last fall), but it is still in stock here.

Then the magic happened. I opened nails inc. Galaxy in Knightsbridge Road and was met with an opaque golden with dimension galore. This full-coverage polish had 3-D effect pearl with foil and small colored glitter. This is the first “glitter” polish that I’ve found with such an opaque finish. On my right hand, I used a lighter touch and the Laura Mercier Cocoa Suede shows through slightly, if you prefer a less brilliant look.

Which do you prefer? The plain chocolate brown or the golden manicure?

Also, Dallas folks, my favorite skin care guru will be at Nieman Marcus Northpark. Kate Somerville will be doing a private master class and meet & greet on Saturday November 2nd. Call to make an appointment today! I wish I could be there!

And don’t forget, we are in the final hours of Shopbop’s Friends and Family sale! Use code INTHEFAMIL25 for 25% off site-wide.

AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE MAY HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

nails inc. Gel Effect Polish

Frankly, I’m not wild about gel manicures. They tend to do a number on my weaker nails. But I do absolutely love the shiny finish and lasting power. This at-home gel effect collection from nails inc. provides all the glossiness without the UV lamp or complex removal process. You know what else I love about gel manicures? I love the plump, jelly-like finish. And nails inc. included a revolutionary technology in Gel Effect polish to get that same plump-y look we get in gel manicures.

The pigment makes for opaque coverage in two coats. The polish goes on smoothly. And I get a solid five days without chipping (that’s a quite a bit for me – I’m hard on my nails). Here I am wearing Porchester Square:

Layered on top is Kensington Caviar Gel Effect Plumping Top Coat that amps up the plumping factor even more. The top coat has that wet-look and great shine, not to mention extending the lifetime of my manicure. Finally a gel-like look without all the hassle (or price tag!). Gel Effects is available at Sephora.

AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE MAY HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

Londontown Nail Treatment and Color

I’ve been putting my nails through the ringer lately, testing and reviewing loads of nail art and polish. But amazingly, my nails have never been stronger or longer. Under all those coats, I’ve been using Londontown kur Nail Hardener. Not only is it improving the condition of my nails, but the entire Londontown line has crazy healthy formulations.

Londontown was created when founder Natasha Dillon noticed negative effects of UV gels (they always leave my nails stripped and weak too). Building on a family remedy, Natasha developed kur, a treatment system, and lakur, nail color. Both kur and lakur are “5-free” (Formaldehyde-free, Toulene-free, DBP-free, Formaldehyde resin-free and Camphor-free), vegan, gluten-free and cruelty-free. And the entire line is infused with rapeseed flower oil, evening primrose and biotin to strengthen and hydrate nails.

This line isn’t all about treatment. The lakur line has fabulous and fashion-forward shades. They are infused with the same healing ingredients. A sample of two favorites:

Thames From The Eye

Purple Reign

Also impressive, the Protective Top Coat contains nourishing vitamins and minerals and leaves nails chip-resistant and glossy. If you are in the market for a little rehab in the manicure department, look no further. This line is guilt-free and performs. Shop the post here:

AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE MAY HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

Adorned Bare Nails

My fifth installment of nail art with Suave^® and Q-tips^® for their awesome ManiCure Pinterest sweepstakes is all about intricacy. And what better way to show off details than against a bare nail? Twists on bare nails have been spotted on runways and in the glossies and I’m excited to give my own spin on the trend. Along with getting creative with nail art, I’ll also be sharing tips on keeping skin moisturized and nails looking clean and healthy with a precise finish.

Up first, a little detail about the ManiCure Pinterest sweepstakes– make sure to head over to the Suave Beauty Pinterest page and pin one of my featured looks (or any other looks by my fellow influencers) and copy the pin URL to the Suave Beauty Facebook page to enter for the chance to win Suave^® Skin Solutions Body Lotions and Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs or $500 for the ultimate day of beauty and style!

The last couple of days, I’ve been slathering on Suave^® Skin Solutions Smoothing Body Lotion with Cocoa Butter & Shea. The tropical scent is delicious and my skin and cuticles look both richer and healthier. After moisturizing, I pushed back my cuticles and prepped nails with a strengthening base coat. Before the base coat, I used a little alcohol on a Q-tips^® Precision Tips™ cotton swab to make sure my nail beds were oil-free.

To contrast the simplicity of a bare nail, I painted the tips a dark and inky navy. Black would also work well. When painting the tip, often polish will get on the tips of my fingers. The Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs are perfect to clean up any rogue polish and ensure the line is clean and precise.

Allow this “reverse French” manicure to fully dry. Then, to add more interest, apply a glitter polish to the top third of your nails, overlapping the tip and bare areas. I like to match the glitter to the shade on the tips, but you could also use gold or silver.

Finish with a top coat so that shine is uniform throughout the nails and enjoy this long-lasting manicure!

This post was created in connection with my appointment as an Influencer for Suave® and Q-tips^®. Visit www.facebook.com/SuaveBeauty for the chance to win Suave^® Skin Solutions Body Lotions and Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs or $500 for the ultimate day of beauty and style.

Matte and Gold Accents on Robin Egg Blue Nails

I’m excited to share my fourth installment of nail art with Suave^® and Q-tips^® for their awesome ManiCure Pinterest sweepstakes! Again, we are talking about texture and I am doing another twist on matte finishes. Clearly, this is a trend I can’t get enough of! Along with getting creative with nail art, I’ll also be sharing tips on keeping skin moisturized and nails looking clean and healthy.

Up first, a little detail about the ManiCure Pinterest sweepstakes– make sure to head over to the Suave Beauty Pinterest page and pin one of my featured looks (or any other looks by my fellow influencers) and copy the pin URL to the Suave Beauty Facebook page to enter for the chance to win Suave^® Skin Solutions Body Lotions and Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs or $500 for the ultimate day of beauty and style!

I’ve been rotating between Suave^® Skin Solutions Soothing Body Lotion with Aloe and the Suave^® Skin Solutions Smoothing Body Lotion with Cocoa Butter & Shea. I really can see a difference in my skin and cuticles, looking both richer and healthier. After moisturizing, I pushed back my cuticles and prepped nails with a base coat. Before the base coat, I used a little alcohol on a Q-tips^® Precision Tips™ cotton swab to make sure my nail beds were oil-free. This week, I wanted to change things up from my normal fall routine of dark and moody nails. I went with a Robin Egg Blue base coat for something cheerful and fresh.

To add a little bit of interest, I decided to play with the texture of the base coat. But I wanted a bit of contrast. To paint only a portion of the nail, I used clear tape to cover approximately half of the nail on a diagonal. I alternated between both the top and bottom of the nail and the direction of diagonal. Although, I think symmetry in the shapes would also look cool. The Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs came in handy for pressing down the corners of the tape to ensure precise polish too.

I painted on a matte top coat to the exposed areas of the nail and allowed the polish to dry. Gently remove the tape to ensure the polish doesn’t pull. I did get a few areas where the polish was pulled off, but don’t worry about that. Our next step will hide any damage caused by the tape.

To take it to the next level, I used a nail art brush and gold polish to delineate between the matte and shiny areas of the nails. This extra step really makes the contrast in texture pop. Use a Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swab to correct any mistakes while the gold polish is still wet.

Vaguely reminiscent of that coveted little blue box, these gold and blue nails are a mix of playful and luxurious.

This post was created in connection with my appointment as an Influencer for Suave® and Q-tips^®. Visit www.facebook.com/SuaveBeauty for the chance to win Suave^® Skin Solutions Body Lotions and Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs or $500 for the ultimate day of beauty and style.