The Hottest Spring Nail Trends

I'm all about manicures these days. Ok in all honesty, I love how great they look on me but don't always get have the time to get them done or do them myself. But, I really do always feel more confident and pretty when I have my nails done. I recently asked a guy friend whether he noticed girl's manicures. He said, "the only thing I notice is when girls don't have their nails done". Hmm...for me that would be frequently. So in honor of my new found desire to have my nails done on the reg. (ular) here are some of my favorite Spring nail trends courtesy of CND Nails. 


CND Nail guru, Roxanne Valinoti says we'll be seeing a lot of power pinks, sandblasted neutrals (including grays) and corroded darks. I like that dark nails shades aren't exclusive to just the fall and winter. 

3.1 Phillip Lim's dark brooding nail

Valinoti says, it looks like "oilslick topped with asymmetrical sweeps of Gold Sparkle for a deconstructed, oxidized finish". She says dark is the season-less neutral! Wahoo! Loving dark nails in the spring without looking goth! If you go dark this Spring, go bad-ass with deconstructed and corroded textures. 

For a more classic look, opaque sand-blasted nudes and matte metallics are a unique way to wear a neutral nail.  Try CND Colour in Desert Suede for the perfect opaque nude! Malandrino's Putty Earthy Vibe:

Nail Color in "Desert Suede texturized with coffee grounds and sugar for a dense, sandy mani topped with Super Matte"

For those looking for their nails to pop, try candy-inspired pinks like CND’s Sweet, a limited edition poppy-pink pastel Colour available for a limited time this Spring.  It was seen on the runway at Milly, and looks great on short to medium length nails in a soft square. The color reminds me of pink cupcake frosting. It's A feminine, girlie way to play up spring colors and your new warm weather attitude!

All photos courtesy of CND Nails. Follow them on Twitter @CNDWorld and check out their website for all the latest products, retailers and nail news.

Beauty Buff Find: Glittery Goodness in Genius Packaging

How often do you jumble through your purse looking for that one small thing you need? For me it's almost always my keys, phone, lip gloss, lotion; so basically everything. I can never find anything, no matter how small my bag is. I recently thought I'd misplaced my iPhone, while carrying around a clutch! My trinkets somehow always get lost in the little crevices.

I recently tried a new lip gloss that solves my Mary Poppins-bag lady issues. YoYo Lip Gloss come with a retractable clip, so you'll never lose it. You can clip the tube onto anything (your bag, your pocket-subtle, your belt-in a non-dorky way, your keys, etc.) and you'll never have to scour the contents of your bag/flip it inside out in the name of beauty. Best of all, you don't even need to unclip the gloss to shine up your pout. The innovative clip has a retractable cord so while it's affixed to your area of choice, you can easily pull it up to your lips, apply the yumminess and then watch as the end of the tube (attached to the cord) recoils back like a…YOYO!  Genius analogy I know.

The glittery gloss also leaves your smoochers feeling tingly cool. The shades all have a fun sparkle and flavor to them, leaving your lips looking luscious and smelling delicious. I'm wearing one of their redish hues and enjoying the hint of Green Apple on my lips. Who needs breakfast!? Joking!

The mouthwatering flavors include: Bodacious Blueberry, Crazy Cotton Candy, Power Packing Pineapple, Big Bounce Bubblegum, Cha-Cha Chocolate, Super Strawberry Cheesecake, Kissable Kiwi and Girly Green Apple.

Yummmm!

And, Cosmetics Executive Women, a non-profit organization of cosmetics executives (my product gurus) nominated the gloss as one of their favorites of the year in their annual beauty awards.

* Disclosure Policy-products  provided for sampling purposes by third party

What's In Your Makeup Bag Today?

I tend to overstuff my makeup bag with cosmetics and products. That way I can dash out of the house sans makeup and expose my under eye circles and uneven skin tone to only a few innocent bystanders on my commute to work. Then, as soon as I get to a secure location I whip out my face transformation tools and magically add on youthful rest, bright eyes and flushed cheeks. It basically looks like my version of a superhero costume change or in 80's iconic girl power cartoon childhood obsession terms: Jerrica Benton to Jem and the Holograms-with only slightly less spiky pink hair and cheezy fashions! 


Here's what I have in my makeup bag right now:

Clinique: Perfectly Real Compact Makeup in Shade 138 (my saving grace powder foundation that matches my skin to a T)

Lipstick Queen Oxymoron in Minor Crisis (a long lasting beautiful light pink convertible lip and cheek color that's natural and feminine looking)

L'OREAL Paris Voluminous Mascara in Blackest Black (Not actually one of my favorite mascaras. The wand is a bit too big and the mascara smudges on my eyelids as I apply it on. I definitely don't think this tube is as good as DiorShow Blackout or Maybelline Great Lash but it really does separate the lashes and gives them plenty of volume)

Lancome Effacernes Waterproof Undereye Concealer in Bronze (stays on all day and isn't cakey or heavy)

Labello Nivea Tinted Lip Balm

in Cherry (My ALL TIME FAVORITE lip color and lip balm. Labello in Cherry makes my lips look beautiful and instantly revives my dull skin. I literally look ten times better with this universally appealing color. The texture of the balm is absolutely satiating to extra dry lips and it smells AHH-MAZING!)

Lipstick Queen 15 Minutes of Fame Lip Gloss in 9 Minutes ( a pink/raspberry tinted unsticky gloss with an easy to use one-click brush from one of my true favorite lip brands. You'll never get more innovative lip colors and applicators than you will from Lipstick Queen)

Julie Hewett Creme Liner/Shadow in Mystere (a gorgeous gray/silvery brown hue that's a fantastic base, all over the lid or accent color on the eye)

Julie Hewett Eyeliner Pencil in Soot (the liner goes on smooth, especially because they use Camellia oil-an oil closest to your skin's natural oils).

Clinique Eyeliner Pencil in 207 Black Amethyst (an amazing purple/black eyeliner that looks amazing on anyone with brown eyes)

Paula Dorf Cheek Color Cream in Candy Apple (an easy way to get instantly flushed, rosy-looking cheeks)

I'm a little fickle when it comes to product loyalty in my makeup bag. It's just not in my nature! I'm loving one blush one week, (cream blush is great when the weather is dry, a cheek stain works well when it's rainy out). I'm always adding new products and taking others out to change up my look and try new things out but right now these are some of my beauty staples. What's in your makeup bag and why would we love it?

Did you read your Glamour Mag. beauty tips this month?

Glamour Magazine Tip: Put your makeup brushes in the dishwasher (in the silverware tray) and run it on the light cycle. Stand the wet brushes in a glass to dry after. Will you give this Glamorous tip a shot? Thanks to Beauty Columnist, Andrea Pomerantz, for her innovative tip.

Check out other amazing Glamour Beauty Do's and Don'ts on their fab site here.

Beauty Trend? Chain Nails

Check out the edgy manicures seen at the Gareth Pugh Fall 2010 Paris Fashion Week collection. CND nail master Marian Newman helped the designer pair an out of the box manicure with his heavy metal line.

Newman also created the Chevron theme nails. Loving the nail art people. Newman says, she wanted to use Gareth's chevron theme and team it with the 'black blend to nude' seen in the makeup". The collection had a lot of angular silhouettes with only a hint of softness. So the nails reflected that cutting edge style. This is a trend I'm probably going to admire from a distance, but loving the fashion forwardness!

Photos courtesy of CND Nails

Oscar Blandi Talks Up Do's

I've always admired people who can pull off an up-do hair style, looking all effortlessly chic, while glammed up in an elegant gown, ready for a special night out. My up-do's are reserved for days when my hair looks so greasy and bad it can only be put up in a messy bun on top of my head. My go-to hair for special occasions has always been down, loose, sleek and if I'm feeling adventerous pulled into a half-back. In fact, I'm pretty sure up-do's look bad on me, or perhaps the issue is I was never schooled on Hair Style 101 Basics.

Luckily, hair guru, Oscar Blandi, has doled out some of his up-do's tricks to achieve Oscar-worthy hair. Blandi, who has collaborated with Penelope Cruz and Jennifer Lopez, worked with Faith Hill at this year's Academy Awards and created a romantic, tendriled upsweep that wasn't polished or tight. It had a very loose, casual, almost messy look to it.

In fact, messy up do's were seen all over the Oscar red carpet this year. Starlets, in addition to Faith, like Jennifer Lopez, Sarah Jessica Parker, Rachel McAdams, Miley Cyrus, Penelope Cruz, Zoe Saldana and Kristen Stewart all rocked messy up do's at the awards show.

Blandi dished on the simple steps needed to recreate the look at home: :

Step 1: Blandi emphasized the importance of creating a base. Do this by letting 70% of your hair air dry and then apply a volumizing spray, like Oscar Blandi Volumizing Spray ($18, Sephora.com) from your roots to your ends. roots to end. Flip your hair upside-down and then blow-dry it on low heat.

Step 2: Take all your hair from the nape and pull it into a hair elastic. Use your fingers to separate and comb your hair for a more natural, pulled back look. Take individuals sections of your locks and wrap them around the ponytail. Secure the wrapped pieces with hair pieces for an undone chignon.

Step 3: Carefully pull out loose pieces of hair along the hairline that will act as a romantic, tussled-looking frame for your face.

Step 4: Complete the look by spraying a finishing product like Oscar Blandi Lacca Hairspray ($23, Sephora.com) to add shine and a lasting, yet flexible hold.

Voila! That doesn't seem so hard right? Fairly confident I can pull off this look!

Lakmé India Fashion Week-Pria Kataria Puri

Every year hoards of Non-Resident Indian brides flock to their native land with one goal in mind: shopping. Shopping for exquisitely decorated wedding garments. Brides make week long jam-packed trips to scoop up beautiful jewels, wedding party outfits, gifts and finally a series of elaborate outfits appropriate and absolutely necessary for every wedding-related occasion. Brides then scour shop after shop looking for the most exclusive outfit made from the most luxurious grouping of materials: saris woven with gold, adorned with semiprecious stones and draped in chiffon, satin and raw silk.

At Lakmé India Fashion Week this year, brides and non-brides alike were exposed to bridal haute couture, fit to impress even the most hard to please bride and everyone else in between.

At the Pria Katari Puri collection, guests enjoyed a visual treat for the eyes in the designer’s Summer/Resort 2010 collection, aptly called “The Royal Rajputna Collection”. The garments were seen in spectrum of rich hues that ranged from creamy pearl, golden topaz, coral, aquamarine, emerald, onyx and more. Fabrics such as silk, chiffon, tulle, satin, and jersey hugged the curves and helped create a stunning silhouette, that made each model look like Indian royalty from another era. Gorgeous bejeweled cholis, embellished gowns, and colorful kaftans, and saris cascaded down the runway one by one, each more beautiful than the next. Fabulous accessories and elegantly painted red pouts helped add allure and drama to each outfit and look. Pleating, hemlines and prints from Rajasthan royalty were apparent in the tailoring and clothing was adorned with crystals and gems to create a 3D effect of jewelry on the body. Unique construction and heavy embellishments also kept the saris interesting and original, a must in Indian bridal couture. An Indian bride mustn't be upstaged by a fashionably dressed blinged-out auntie or cousin! Oh the drama that would cause!

It was a stunning show geared towards the NRI bride who comes to India expecting the most romantic, visually spectacular creations, ready to wow their community of friends and family back home, at their no doubt glamour-filled over the top fabulous shadi (wedding). Do I smell a reality show called The fabulous life of the Indian bride brewing? I'll keep you posted!

Happy Spring New Yorkers! Spruce Up Your Spring Color

For all my fabulous Big Apple-ites who are gearing up for the warm weather and need a little boost of color, here's a little treat for you! Eve Salon located at 55 West 8th Street is now offering St. Tropez spray tans for free! From now till the end of March you can get a free St. Tropez leg spray tan and for only $20 more get a whole body tan. Pretty amazing peoples! St. Tropez spray tanning products are one of the brands that don't have that narsty spray tan smell you just can't seem to get rid of post-spray tan.

Call 212-807-8054 to book an appointment. Also follow Eve on Twitter @EveSalon and click here to get more info on how to get free bi-weekly St. Tropez Spray tans for a whole year!

Having the perfect glow is the best way to kick off Spring and say good bye to the pasty winter.

Oscar Beauty 2010-Mariska Hargitay Blue Shadow Trends

Law and Order: SVU actress, Mariska Hargitay looked gorgeous on the red carpet at the 2010 Academy Awards. Her hair was tousled just so and her makeup was impeccable. Her look stood out especially for me because of what a huge fan and supporter I am of blue eyeshadow. Blue eye makeup screams sophistication and is an unusual yet classic take on the traditional smoky eye. Blues are also incredibly flattering on every skin tone, if you find the hue that suits you best.

In this case, the rich metallic shade, celebrity makeup artist, Tina Turnbow opted for seriously complimented her honey brown highlights, glowing latte skin and perfectly nude pout. I'm in awe of how M&M's milk chocolate with almonds her eyes looked and how beautifully the shadow brought out the depth of color in her pupils. Turnbow filled me in on what products she used to get Hargitay to her Oscar best.

To achieve that warm dewy complexion the star wore

Chantecaille Tinted Moisture in Tan. Turnbow then used Nars Orgasm Illuminator on her cheeks, shoulders and décolleté to get her skin glowing. She then rimmed the star's eyes with Cover Girl Cobalt Blue Perfect Blend Eye Pencil and brushed on YSL #5 Colour Harmony on the eyes for that smoothed over icy blue sheen. Turnbow completed the look by applying a few coats of Cover Girl Lash Blast in Luxe. Her lips were kept super simple. Turnbow lined and filled them in with Jouer Lip Definer in Natural and then added a basic clear gloss over them.

Hargitay was a vision of Old Hollywood glamour and perfection and her legendary actress mother, Jayne Mansfield, would be proud of how effortlessly Hargitay assumed the role of the graceful, beautiful, movie star her mother once was.

Oscar Beauty 2010-Beauty Tips from Oscar Makeup Man

The Academy Awards is always the perfect venue to showcase all the latest beauty trends on our favorite starlets. Even the cascading curls in the most well coiffed hair style looks shiner and more resplendent and even the most perfectly glazed pout looks more glamorous and sparkling on Oscar night.

Bruce Grayson, Head Makeup Artist for the 2010 Academy Awards, has every trick in the book up sleeve to get stars looking Oscar gorgeous. He gives us the scoop on how to achieve Hollywood’s hottest red carpet looks at home.

Tip 1: Prep Your Skin.

In addition to a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water, Grayson recommends sticking to a strict skincare regimen. He says to try a firming treatment on your skin like Olay Professional Pro-X Intensive Firming Treatment kit. It comes with a hydrating mask and tightening serum to bring moisture to the skin and rejuvenate the skin cells. Grayson says he likes it because it helps restore your skin’s natural fullness and elasticity with its effective mixture of anti-aging ingredients. It’s important to use effective skin care treatments before getting glammed up for the evening.

Tip 2: Glowing From Within Skin

Grayson believes “fabulous makeup begins with a flawless canvas (aka your skin)”. To get an even looking, blemish free complexion use the tried and true favorite, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. Grayson says it’s important to apply foundation with the a foundation brush and use short, quick strokes to brush on the skin. Try a foundation brush from Giorgio Armani

Tip 3: Smokey Eyes: Tired-Free and Fabulous

Grayson combats dark circles and puffiness with Olay Regenerist Anti Aging Eye Roller. It’s cooling and soothing around the eyes and seriously works to fight wrinkles. Be sure to wait till the eye gel has properly dried to add any more makeup, powder or concealer to the area.

Grayson then uses a double-ended shadow stick like CoverGirl Smoky Shadow Blast, which comes in several rich shades, all over the lids. One side of the stick is rounded and perfect for painting over the eye, while the other side has an angled edge, which is great for creating bold definition along the lash line.

Tip 4: Pinch Your Cheeks!

Create a contoured look with plenty of definition and depth using a soft blush in a pink or a peach like the perennial favorite NARS Orgasm Blush. If you prefer to skip the shimmer, Grayson recommends trying Cargo in shade Catalina. It’s the same price and looks natural and sun-kissed when dusted on the apples of your cheeks with a big fluffy brush in an outward stroke towards the hairline.

Tip 5: Kissable Kissers

Grayson says great lips are created with prep work and diligence. Lips prepped with a conditioner will help hydrate your pout and keep the color on longer. Grayson loves Karite Lip Balm, an all-natural shea butter formula that moisturizes and protects your lips. For modern Hollywood lips, apply a red lipstick like YSL Rouge Volupte in Red Temptation or a coral shade like MAC Lipstick in Vegas Volt. Grayson then says to define lips even further using a liner like NARS Lip liner pencil in Jungle Red. Finally, setting the color in place with a high shine gloss like MAC Clear Lip Glass or NARS Lip Gloss in Triple X will give that extra dash of movie star glamour.

Grayson has worked with tons of stars at the Oscars and beyond and I love his fab tips and product recommendations. Hopefully some day, Bruce will be doling out tips and helping me prep for the big day IN PERSON! Ha! I can dream, can't I!? Enjoy!