Although Summer is the season of bright colourful nails, it seems some manicures are sticking to vampy neutrals — at least that's what it looked like in Hollywood this week. Katharine McPhee (top) adorned her nails with a shiny black lacquer, while Katie Holmes (bottom left) reached for a similar shade. And Anna Paquin (bottom right) opted for a midnight blue hue. These colors are usually kept to cooler temperatures, but whose dark Summer varnish did you like best?
While the rule that white should be worn only after Mayl Day is a bit outdated, there's never a better time than the present to break out your white makeup. White or off-white as an accent hue makes your brights even bolder, for instance. It also provides a fresh, crisp way to accent the bold, rich clothing and cosmetics colours associated with Summer (think: coral, turquoise, and jade). See how to use the pearly makeup shade on eyes, lips, and nails when you keep reading.
Chanel is celebrating their cult-classic polishes in quite the creative way: a visually stunning new video. The film introduces Les Vernis Couleurs Culte De Chanel: five of the brand's nail varnish shades that are so popular, they have a rabid fan following. Beige, Particulière, Pirate, Rouge Noir, and Black Satin dance along perfectly manicured fingers to the refrain of New Order's "Bizarre Love Triangle." And with nearly subliminal messaging at its finest, each hand spells out a letter of the polishes' namesake.
A visit to Chanel's online shop reveals the five shades, £18 each, all available for purchase, and beckons the customer to "join the cult." And with colors this gorgeous paired with British new wave music, you'll be reaching for the Pimms in no time.
Oscar de la Renta may be known for fashion, but this Summer we are most excited about the designer's new nail varnish offerings. We first spotted the three floral shades on the Spring 2013 runway, and now they're finally available for purchase. See how they look out of the bottle, and get an easy nail art idea that combines all three colours.
When it comes to Cannes Film Festival, some people are focused on the actors, others on the fashion, but we are zooming in on the manicures. The glamorous dresses call for equally exciting nail designs. Get an up close look at the best nail art and polish spotted in the South of France.
British nail care brand Ciaté is known for taking the nail-art trend from the streets to the comfort of your own home with its easy DIY kits, like this Very Colourfoil Manicure Set (£14). The end result is a colourful and intricate design that looks far more complicated than it really is. To see how to use this genius kit, just keep reading.
With all the new makeup launches, it's pretty clear that turquoise nail varnish is the must-have shade for Spring and Summer. Not only does this blue-green colour pop against Springtime pastels, but also, it looks even cooler set against a golden sparkle.
For this mermaid-inspired look, I used the teal-hued Paul & Joe Nail Enamel in Caribbean (£10), along with the gold-glittered Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow (£13
.11). Start off with a base coat like Butter London Nail Foundation (£15), and then swipe on two coats of the turquoise varnish. Next, dab the gold glitter polish on the base of the nail to create a gradient effect. Once you have your desired look, seal everything with a top coat like Essie Good to Go (£8.99) for fast-drying shine. Even if you're not soaking up some sun at the beach, one glance at your nails will take you there.
For even more nail art and polish trends, be sure to check out our ultimate nail guide!
YSL has topped themselves the industry this season, literally, by introducing a new top coat called Tie & Dye (£21). Perfect for Summer, it comes in four shades of purple, blue, orange and Pop pink. What makes this topcoat so unique is that it is comprised of three different layers in one bottle that allows you to create different effects on your nail.
The bottom layer is a glittery frost, the centre layer is a sheer colour (to coordinate with each of the opaque nail varnishes in the Summer range) and the top layer is your average translucent topcoat. Worn over any old lacquer, it will jazz up your everyday colour, or you can shake the bottle for extra shimmer. For more fun ideas on how to wear Tie & Dye, watch our beautiful editors on our sister site in American talk about a multitude of options.
What's your take on Tie & Dye? Is it to die for, or is it essentially a shimmer topcoat?
We are just about to enter perhaps one of the most stressful times of the year financially and creatively, however, it's also one of the most fun and the most rewarding. Shopping for others can be quite testy, but in the end, when you find that perfect piece for that special someone there is nothing more satisfying. Come shop three fashion and three amazingly fabulous beauty buys with me for your glamorous best friend!
October 2012's new nail polish releases run the gamut from the sparkly to the subdued, but there's nothing restrained about Halloween nail art. From jaw-dropping designs to some quick and easy options, here are some of the cutest and creepiest looks for your All Hallows' Eve enjoyment.
