80s Ladies Week: Laura Mercier 24 Karat Nail Lacquer is a Scene Stealer!

If you’re a child of the 80s, you probably remember a delightful gem of a spinoff called Just The Ten Of Us. Coach Graham Lubbock, introduced on Growing Pains, moves his super-sized family to California and takes a job at St Augustine's Academy. The sitcomy twist? It’s an all-boys school, and he has five daughters to enroll.

Why can’t the daughters attend a nearby coed or all-girls school? Shhhhh…don’t ask questions.

Anway, most of the laughs come courtesy of the eldest girls: nun-wannabe Marie, sweet but slow Cindy, Wendy the blond flirt, and snarky intellectual Connie (my fave). Despite their diverse personalities, I think they would have all loved Laura Mercier’s new Nail Lacquer in 24 Karat.


This long-lasting, quick-dry, formaldehyde-free formula looks amazing…not just on the ten of your fingers – but also on toes! And as you can see, it’s the perfect color to set off your summer sun- (or spray-) tan.

Picture it…it’s Friday night and Cindy and Wendy don’t have much time to get ready for their respective dates. They wrestle and pillow fight over who gets to wear 24 Karat, while Connie jealously schemes to pilfer the polish for herself. All the while, Marie’s praying for her sinful sisters’ salvation. Hilarity ensues.

[Insert laugh track here.]

End scene.

Check out 24 Karat Nail Lacquer and the rest of the Gold Digger Collection at lauramercier.com.

And be sure to check out what 80’s inspired beauty product Amber reviewed today.

MAC Metalist and Neon 8 Nail Lacquer

Hello, my pretties. Meet Metalist and Neon 8, two pretty polishes from MAC's Neo Sci-Fi collection. The former is described as a "neutral coppertone with white pearl," the latter as "bright orange with matching pearl."

I'm partial to Metalist - it's the perfect compliment to my summer tan. Neon 8 is good, but I wouldn't go so far as to call it great. It just didn't do it for me. But don't take my word for it...the shade is sold out online, so someone is feeling it.

The formula is long-lasting, and is enriched with conditioners and UV protection.

I've been walking around for nearly two weeks with mismatched nails (a running joke at work). What kind of self-respting beauty blogger does that? Anyway, I've gotta go...I'm overdue for a date with the polish remover.

Toodeloo!

Nailing It: OPI Don't Socra-tease Me!

My friend Angela just got her nails did again. Last time, she rocked OPI's Pompeii Purple. This time around, she went with Don't Socra-tease Me, a spicy orange. As you can see, it's hot like fiya!

Orange makeup is in full effect this summer, and painting some on your nails is an easy way to try the trend. Angela wears it well - don't you think?

Check back in a two weeks for the next edition of Nailing It.

Nailing It: OPI Pompeii Purple

My friend, Angela, has the most fabulous nails.

Every two weeks, she visits her local nail salon and emerges with the most marvelous manicure. And Angela doesn't play coy when it comes to color. With nail polish, she goes for the gusto. Right now, Ange is rocking OPI's Pompeii Purple - a shimmery magenta. Oooh...pretty!

Since I'm lazy when it comes to doing my own nails, I will be featuring Angela's on a regular basis. Check back in early July for the next edition of Nailing It. I can't wait to see what shade she chooses next!

Trend Alert: Fluorescent Fingernails

Fancy yourself a nail trendsetter like Rihanna? Then the next addition to your beauty arsenal must be Essie's Neon Collection.

Even if you're a bit color-shy, your little piggies will love these polishes. In fact, these eye-popping shades are so sublime, your fingers will be jealous that your toes are having all the fun!


The Neon Collection consists of four va-va-voom varnishes:

Short Shorts: shockingly flamingo pink (see above)
Mini Shorts: vibrant orange pop
Shorty Pants: light up the night electric yellow
Bermuda Shorts: high-voltage violet

Each color is such a superstar, it's hard to play favorites. I can tell you my mom's fave, though...she pleaded and pestered me until I surrendered Bermuda Shorts.

Essie's Neon Collection is limited-edition, so get 'em while they're hot. And they're hot, trust me.

Hand Sands

On the hunt for the secret to making your manicure and pedicure last during the beach season? Neri Ortega, nail expert of Butterfly Studio Salon, recommends the following for a long lasting, perfect manicure without chipping:

1. Following a hand massage, it is vital to clean the nail bed twice with acetone or acetone free nail polish remover to make sure that there are no emollients left on the nail- a clean, oil free nail bed is the most important part of a lasting manicure, as it creates a clean surface to begin on.

2. Continue with a protein based base coat- this is key in keeping polish from chipping. A strengthening treatment like OPI's Nail Envy, works wonderfully to keep nails strong, and polish from chipping.

3. Following the application of polish, a good basic top coat is needed. Neri recommends Essie, and prefers classic top coats over "quick dry" as she finds that quick dry top coats tend to peel faster.

4. Pushing back cuticles rather than cutting them will also help a manicure last longer. To keep nail polish looking shiny and new, and cuticles from looking dull and ashy, she recommends a good cuticle moisturizer like Solar Oil - the oil treatment will multi-task to keep your manicure going for extra days.

With tips this easy, the hardest part will be choosing your favorite color!

New Trend: Imperfect Polish

According to the New York Times, chipped nail polish is the new thang. But not everyone can get away with it.

"A girl with skinny jeans and a great bag looks like she did it on purpose," said Deborah Lippman, a manicurist who has worked on the hands of Gwyneth Paltrow, Mary J. Blige and Madonna. "Those damn skinny girls can get away with murder."

My nails typically look jacked, so I suppose I'm ahead of the curve.

Click here to read the article in its entirety. I dare you not to laugh at the absurdity of it all.

Photo: nytimes.com

Gossip Girl: Nail The Look

Serena, don't be sad.
Your nail polish looks fab.

For the last 24+ hours, I have been obsessing over Serena’s nail polish from the May 12th eppy of Gossip Girl. Check out the following pics and drink in the frosty golden mauvelousness.







To replicate the look, I rifled through my lacquer arsenal, and found three that were just about spot-on.


Essie Tea & Crumpets is a subtle, ladylike frosted beige.


Essie Mambo is a frosty mocha.


Boys in the Bottle Frank N’ Flesh is a shimmery pink/purple nude.

I just about hit the nail on the head, right? Get it? Nail…on…the…never mind.

xoxo,
Spoiled Pretty

What's The Scoop?

I love nail polish. But to be honest – I don’t wear it all that often because I’m too lazy/busy to do them myself or to go get them done. So nine times out of ten, you’ll see me with bare nails.

Because I sport nekkid nails so often, one of my pet peeves is gunk under my fingernails. Anytime I’m playing the waiting game or trying to kill time, I find myself picking at my nails – making sure they’re not embarrassing me.

I used to think that orange sticks were great, but you really don’t know what you’re missing until you’ve tried the Sephora Brand Nail Scoop Cleaner. It’s got this miniature scoop on the one end that really gets under nails and removes every little bit of debris. Quickly and easily. It’s one of those beauty implements that makes you think, “What did I ever do without this in my life?”

$14 at Sephora

China Glaze Nail Collections: Spring & Summer 2008

All winter, I wore dark and neutral nail colors. That is, when I actually had the time to do my nails. Now that Spring has sprung, I’m excited to switch things up. As I pack away my winter clothes and start rotating warm-weather fashions into my wardrobe, I’m excited to also dress my nails in something more vibrant. Bring on the brights, I say. And for Spring and Summer 2008, China Glaze has answered the call. So without further ado, I bring you China Glaze’s latest offerings…


OMG: Spring 2008

Stylish and techno-savvy ladies will surely want to put their fingers on OMG, a collection of holographic nail shades with just enough sparkle to create the ultimate frenzy. OMG features twelve micro-particle, holographic nail lacquer shades with names inspired by the age of text messaging. The OMG collection includes:

DVG – Holographic Teal
LOL – Holographic Purple
BFF - Holographic Pinkish Purple
IDK - Holographic Lavender
2Nite – Holographic Periwinkle Blue
OMG – Holographic Silver
QT – Holographic Rose Pink
TMI - Holographic Coral
TTYL – Holographic Pale Peach
FYI – Holographic Taupe
GR8 – Holographic Gold
L8R G8R – Holographic Pale Gold/Green


Ecollection: Spring 2008

Ecollection is a set of six eco-friendly shades inspired by the sun, clouds, trees, water, sand, and earth. Designed to preserve the beauty of our world's colors, the collection proves that going green is always fashionable. The Ecollection includes:

Unplugged – Metallic Bark
Hybrid – Shimmering Sand
Shower Together – Sky Blue
Tree Hugger – Fresh Cut Grass
Recycle – Rain Cloud Gray
Solar Power – Sunshine Yellow


INK: Summer 2008

Tattoo art has moved out of back alley parlors onto the couture collections of fashion's top designers with INK, a new collection of brilliant neons for brilliant self-expression. The collection consists of six vivid shades, black nail art lacquer with a fine tip brush, nail decals and rhinestones, and a limited-edition bottle of their Orange Cuticle Oil. The INK collection includes:

Blue Sparrow – Neon Blue with Glitter
Flying Dragon – Neon Purple w/ Pink and Blue Glitter
Rose Among Thorns – Neon Fuchsia
Sacred Heart – Neon Red
Japanese Koi – Neon Coral
Celtic Sun – Neon Yellow

Here’s a real-life look at a sampling of the collections.


Top row (l to r): Flying Dragon, GR8
Middle row (l to r): L8R G8R, Japanese Koi, Recycle
Bottom row (l to r): QT, Blue Sparrow, TMI, Shower Together

Spoiled Pretty’s Picks: Blue Sparrow and Flying Dragon are ab fab, but be warned that the addition of glitter to the formula results in a matte finish. So if you’re looking for a lacquered look, add a top coat. I like Seche Vite because it speeds drying time while adding shine. I also give the holographic shades two enthusiastic thumbs up – particularly GR8, QT, and L8R G8R (don’t be afraid of the green…it’s gorge). And be sure to snatch up Recycle. Gray is the hottest new nail color, however there aren’t too many on the market. This mid-tone gray looks chic on both pale and dark digits.

Lady Gray

Ebony and ivory
Mixed together in perfect harmony
Side by side on my eyelids, fingers, toenails
Why don’t we?

I’m not going to say anything silly like “such and such is the new black”…because, really, we hear enough of that nonsense every season. There are so many makeup trends right now that even a beauty buff, like me, can’t keep up. But I will tell you that one craze I’m digging is the color gray.

Unlike brown or beige, this basic is anything but boring. It’s neutral, with an edge – yet very versatile. Which cloudy colors am I crushing on?


Essie’s Great Expectations (from the Spring 2008 ‘In The Mood’ color collection) is the lightest, softest, sheerest gray with a subtle hint of glimmer. It goes on creamy and lasts for-evah.

MAC Eye Shadow in Alum is a mid-tone blue grey with soft blue pearl (Satin). A few weeks ago, while browsing at Bloomingdale’s, I was eyeing up this shade for about 10 minutes - when a MAC makeup artist offered to dust some on my lids. A few minutes later, I had the sexiest (but somehow effortless-looking) smoky eye!

Boys In The Bottle Giveaway!

Do you ever wish you were the type of girl who has men wrapped around her little finger? Well, that can be you. You can have them wrapped around every finger, in fact – with Boys In The Bottle.

Boys In the Bottle is a trendy line of 36 nail polishes with adorable names like Adam's Apple, Blue Gene, Mad Maxwell, and Gigolo (my fave) – what does that say about me? Anyway…

Spoiled Pretty is partnering with Boys In The Bottle for your favorite thing and mine - a GIVEAWAY!

*First prize is 10 shades of polish (winner chooses preferred colors) plus a Boys In The Bottle hat

*Second prize is 5 shades of polish (winner chooses preferred colors) plus a Boys In The Bottle hat

To enter the giveaway, send an email to spoiledprettycontests@gmail.com and include your full name. The subject line should read "Boys In The Bottle Giveaway."

The contest ends at 9 pm EST on Sunday, February 17th. Winners will be chosen at random from among the entrants. On Monday, February 18th, I’ll announce the winners' names. Please, only one comment per person; duplicate comments will not increase your chances of winning. Contest is open to U.S. & Canadian residents. Good luck!

Haute Pink But A Hot Mess

A couple of days before leaving for Fashion Week, I realized I hadn’t given any thought to my nails. With all my last-minute running around, I didn’t have time to fit in a salon appointment. But then again, I certainly couldn’t show up to the fashion event of the season with tore-up looking nails.

Considering that my chosen outfits were mostly black, grays, and other neutrals – I wanted a nail color that would really pop. I wanted so badly to paint them with I’m Indi-a Mood for Love or ElePhantastic Pink, from OPI’s India Collection; but those polishes don’t hit stores until February 6th, so I had to improvise.

Milani Pink Pop satisfied my urge for bold, bubblegum colored nails – but this polish does have some major problems. Pink Pop goes on smoothly, yet - for some unknown reason - it dries to a semi-matte finish. But after two coats of the Milani, plus one coat of Seche Vite, my nails looked like pink patent-leather perfection.

Unfortunately, after 3 days, this polish starts chipping like nobody’s business. I suppose one could ward off the cracks by applying a clear top coat every few days. But I’m too lazy and scatterbrained for that.

Milani polishes cost around $3.50, so I suppose I can’t be too picky. I will use this polish again, because the color is just so darned fabulous. But if you’re at the drugstore and you pick up a bottle of Milani – be mindful that, in this case, you get what you pay for.

She Wore Blue Satin

When I heard that Chanel’s Blue Satin was the most coveted nail color for Spring 2008, I couldn’t run to the store quick enough, wrap my digits around a bottle, and bring it home with me. Normally, I would balk at paying $19 for nail polish. But when every magazine and website is promising it’s going to change my life, what’s a beauty junkie to do?

Blue Satin goes on smoothly, and the pigment is remarkably rich - so you only need one coat. In very bright light, the polish vacillates between sparkling sapphire and inky indigo. But most of the time, it just looks black. And not even a shimmery obsidian, either…just flat, matte black.


All I’ve read is rave reviews about this color…so I really wanted to buy into the buzz. Regrettably, I cannot. I expected the shade to pop more against my skin tone, which it didn’t in the slightest – and I’m convinced that it’s much more complimentary to paler complexions.

I’m going out on a limb – and you can take this review with a grain of salt – but I don’t think this lacquer lives up to the hype. In my humble opinion, the propaganda is outta control…some ebay sellers are charging $45 for a single bottle!

If Blue Satin cost half of its actual price, it might get more of an endorsement. But for my money, I’d rather buy three bottles of Essie, OPI, China Glaze, or Creative Nail Design.

I’ve got the blues.

Are You The Winner Of The Plexi Pop Giveaway?

Are you the winner of Spoiled Pretty's Plexi Pop Giveaway? You are if your name is Erin Mifflin.

Erin will receive CND’s Spring 2008 collection, Plexi Pop, before the polishes are available in stores; the collection will hit shelves in March.

Thanks to all of you who entered. Stay tuned, though – because our next giveaway is mere hours away.

Spoiled Pretty don’t mess around.

Spoiled Pretty's CND Spring 2008 Giveaway

Plexi Pop, the Spring 2008 color collection from Creative Nail Design, was inspired by colorful Lucite designs from modernist 60’s interiors. Bold in the bottle, while subtle on the nail - this collection includes:


Top Row: Retro White (bright white opaque crème), Turquoise Tint (aqua opalescent sheer), Nail Gloss (translucent medium pink sheer)
Bottom Row: Clearly Pink (translucent light pink sheer), Translucent Tangerine (coral shimmer sheer), Plexi Pink (vibrant pink opalescent sheer)

These shades debuted on runways during Spring 2008 Fashion Week in New York and London - including Badgley Mischka, BCBG, Carmen Marc Valvo, DKNY, L.A.M.B., Peter Som, and Rachel Roy.

You could wait until March, when the collection will be available in salons and beauty stores. Or you could enter the Spoiled Pretty’s Plexi Pop Giveaway (say that three time fast!) and win all six shades now!

To enter:
*Name one of my ‘Holy Grail’ nail products I included on the Spoiled Prettiest: Best of Beauty 2007 list. Here’s a hint: I wrote the review on New Year’s Eve.
*Send an email to spoiledprettycontests@gmail.com - and make sure to include the product name, your full name, and email address.

The contest ends at 9 pm EST on Sunday, January 20th. A winner will be chosen at random from among the entrants. On Monday, January 21st, I’ll announce the winner’s name. Please, only one comment per person; duplicate comments will not increase your chances of winning. Contest is open to U.S. & Canadian residents. Good luck!

Obey Your Body

Thanks to a tip from the Beauty Blogging Junkie, I took a trip to a kiosk at the Montgomery Mall, outside of Philadelphia. This stand sells Obey Your Body, a complete line of skin care and spa products that are made in Israel using original Dead Sea minerals, water, and mud.

If you’re in the Philly area, I highly recommend that you pay this kiosk a visit. But don’t plan on drive-buy (your visit will take 10-15 minutes) – because the salesman is all about showmanship. He’s going to do demonstrations, tell jokes, and enlighten you about the healing powers of the Dead Sea. The routine almost takes on a magic show-esque quality. But trust me, it’s all worth it...because when you get the products home and try them for yourself, that’s when the real magic happens.

My mom, sister, and I all purchased The Ultimate Nail Care Kit, which contains a nail file, buffer, cuticle oil, and hand & body lotion. But the standout of the bunch is the nail buffer – which is unlike any other I have ever used. In the time that it usually takes for me to locate my bottle of clear polish, I buffed my way to super-shiny nails.

I took some before and after photos (left) – and while impressive, my digital camera could not accurately capture how reflective my nails look. Unfortunately, it can only be appreciated in person.

Don’t live anywhere near Philadelphia? No problem. You can still Obey Your Body by visiting the website.

OPI's Holiday In Hollywood

For Holiday 2007, OPI takes you to the place where glamorous begins and fabulous never ends – Hollywood! With twelve stunning Nail Lacquers (Glamour Reds and Dazzling Darks & Neutrals), Holiday in Hollywood makes you the star this season!


From the photo, above, you can see that my lovely nails are ready for the red carpet. What are they wearing, you ask? Hollywood Blonde, a pale gold shimmer.

To see the nail color on another skin tone, check out my friend Michelle’s product pic at All Lacquered Up.

The Holiday In Hollywood collection is available at Ulta stores and Ulta.com.

Can't Help It

I’ve been singing Fergie’s new song, Clumsy, for two days straight. It’s so infectious – I can’t get it out of my brain. The equally addictive video is below. Dean and Dan Caten (of Dsquared) make an appearance, as do some well-placed MAC products. Apparently, the new Viva Glam spokeswoman doesn’t waste any time assuming her duties.

And how fantabulous is the inky nail situation she's got going on?

Ugg?

Picture it…it’s January in Jersey and your toes are looking jacked up. What to do? You could get a pedicure, but afterwards, you risk ruining your perfect polish by putting your socks and shoes back on. So what’s the solution? You could take up residence in the nail salon until your toenails are completely dry (tip: bring a book, it could be a while), or brave the freezing cold and winds in flip flops.

Now, there’s a third option. A few years ago, three sisters longed for a solution to the age-old problem of how to enjoy their favorite spa service in winter - and not freeze their tootsies off. Bootie Pies is their brainchild.

Bootie Pies are suede boots have a patent leather toe that flips up when you get your toes painted, keeping the rest of your foot toasty and warm. They are currently offered in four colors, and come in women’s whole sizes 5-11.

Bootie Pies have been featured on the TODAY Show, in In Touch Magazine, and in the 2007 Grammy Celebrity Gift Basket . They have been embraced by celebrities, including Mary J. Blige, Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Hudson, Fergie, The Pussycat Dolls, and Trish McEvoy.

Bootie Pies seem to have a lot of fans. Are you one? Would you pay $128 for a pair?