Mani Monday: Give Me The Eye

You know how sometimes you see something–in fashion or otherwise–that isn’t exactly in tune with your personal aesthetic, but you somehow love it anyway? This manicure is that for me. This week’s nail art is the epitome of eye-catching with super bold prints on each individual digit. On-trend, captivating, and artistic? Definitely mani-Monday worthy. Personally, I’d file these long-lashed, bright blue eyeballs under “creepy cool” and call it a day.
What do you think of this manicure? Would you rock something similar?
xo,
Liza, Editorial Director

Image via Tumblr

Mani Monday: Oscar Nails

Catch the Academy Awards last night? Maybe just the pre-show? The world seems to have developed a love-hate (or maybe just hate-hate) relationship with E!’s signature “mani cam”. This illustration Newsweek posted on Tumblr sums things up pretty nicely, actually. Thanks to the introduction of said mani cam, however, we’ve all gotten a much better, closer, high-def glimpse at the hands, nails, and rings on our favorite celebrities. So, what was trending at last night’s Oscars? In a word, neutrals. The classic next-to-nude, safe, whisper pink mani graced many a celebrity nail with notable exceptions in Emma Watson and Charlize Theron, both of whom donned deep, inky hues. So, in honor of our dark beauties and last night’s festivities, we bring you this fab Oscar-themed nail art from Polish Dept. Bold, dramatic, and eye-catching–better than most of the manis last night!
What did you think of last night’s Oscars? Catch any cool nail art the cameras missed?
xo,
Liza, Editorial Director

Mani Monday: Dark Princess Oxblood Mani

Image Credit

Sometimes, a single photo starts an obsession. For me, this photograph–which has been circulating its way around Tumblr–is one of those photos. Instant obsession. The high-gloss oxblood. Subtle point. Thin, chevron-accented pointer and ring finger nails. A glittery gold border on the middle finger. Simple, unadorned pinky and thumbs. It’s just…Love. I don’t ever think I’ve seen a manicure like this before, and I (like I said above,) am obsessed. And hey–that ring game is strong, too. It’s the perfect overall look for a dark, bohemian princess. Pretty, but also a little bit sinister. Maybe even a little witchy? Whatever it is, it’s flawless. 

xo,

Liza, Editorial Director

Mani Monday: V-Day Nail Inspiration

Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to indulge in a few things: pink/red combinations, chocolate, frilliness, and anything and everything girly. Enter: Valentine’s Day nailspiration! From basic red to candy hearts to ombre, here are  five v-day inspired nail looks sure to thrill!

Glitter-Spiked Half-Moon Mani

Image via Pinterest.

Who knew pink + gold made for such a cute combo, right? The half-moon styling on this manicure provides a little edge to an otherwise very feminine and tame nail game–perfect for a v-day spent with your girls.

Loves It: Red & White Heart-Spotted Accent Nail

Image via Pinterest.

A traditional red manicure? Not for you! Spice things up with a heart and a white accent on a single digit! Note the ring finger placement 😉

Conversation Hearts Manicure

Image via Pinterest.

Nail art aficcionados, this one is for you! Utilize your five favorite pastel shades as a base and slap on sassy conversation decals to rep your favorite chalky hearts. Super cute.

Sweet & Sassy V-Day Chevron

Image via Pinterest.

Another accent nail?! Uh huh, honey! This one is chevron-inspired–super simple, super stylish. Bonus: change up the colors and it’s perfect for just about any holiday.

Gradient Sheer Pink Nails

Image via Pinterest.

If you’re a nail minimalist (like moi!) this just may be the v-day mani for you. This shiny sheer pink ombre provides a subtle nod to v-day sensibilities without hearts. I’d rock this one year round!

Doing anything special with your nail game this v-day? Which of these manicures tickles your fancy?

xo,

Liza, Editorial Director

Mani Monday: Gold-Spiked Nails That Go With EVERYTHING!

Image via Pinterest.

While I touched on the obvious perks of a neutral-hued manicure in my last Mani Monday post, more is always more. These gold-spiked nails are the perfect combination of class and sass: ultra-high shine and classic shape are taken to a totally glam level with the inclusion of tiny gold bars and a sparkly accent nail. To me, this is the ultimate in understated nail art. An elevated classic that goes with everything. Another thing I love about this look is the simplicity–these nails are short and shaped! Perfect if you’re not into traditionally long nails or trendy talons.  A final bonus: Achieving the look is incredibly simple for beauty aficionados and non-artists alike. All you need is your favorite neutral polish shade, a high-gloss topcoat, and a sparkly polish for your accent nail. Oh, and those gold bars? Nail striping tape! Told you it was easy. Just cut, apply, and you’re golden. Literally. Gotta love simplicity.

xo,

Liza, Editorial Director

Mani Monday: Ports 1961 Nude Nails

Image via Pinterest.

Sweatpants. Sweatshirt. Laptop. Netflix. I’m officially having a sick day. The one good thing about being sick, though, is that forced down-time provides the ideal opportunity for an all-out online binge. I’ve spent the afternoon pouring over BuzzFeed, endlessly scrolling and re-pinning on Pinterest, and getting lost in my Tumblr dash. I may feel a leeetle bit like death, but I’m (almost) convinced that the ultra-relaxing white-blue glow of my MacBook screen is nursing me back to health one tweet at a time. Since I obviously have time on my hands this afternoon, I wanted to select a Mani Monday pic that really spoke to me. This is it! Coming from a pin from Lacquerous Nails’ “High-Fashion & Lacquer” board, the featured manicure is a bit of a throwback–it’s from the Ports 1961 Spring 2014 show. Remember when a nude manicure was THE nail trend a few years ago? Well, I for one am hoping that it makes a comeback. Nude manis are virtually impossible to mess up, chips are basically unnoticeable, they make your digits look ultra long and lean, and they provide a blank canvas for whatever statement jewelry you choose to rock. Pretty and polished, but totally understated. Ports’ particular paint job skews a little more toward pink and pearly (gotta compliment those dewy model cheeks, natch!) but I find a true nude (or almost nude)–whatever your personal neutral, nude shade is–flattering and fashion-forward.

Would you rock a nude nail?

xo,

Liza, Editorial Director

Mani Monday: Low-Key Luxury With Gold & Taupe

Image via Pinterest.

There’s something about winter that makes me gravitate towards neutral polish colors–grey, nude, brown. If it’s mousy, minky, or otherwise greige, there’s a high probability that you’ll find it coating my fingertips in the colder months of the year. Perpetual tope, however, has it’s downsides…namely, gloom. But not with these nails! A sparkle-spiked, gold-accented manicure completely solves that problem. It’s a little festive, a little glam, and still completely neutral. For a more mature look, ditch the sparkly tips in favor of the simple gold stripe. The two-tone metallic addition jazzes up a winter nail for a perfect dose of low-key luxury. It’s the perfect January mani.

xo,

Liza, Editorial Director

Mani Monday: Beachy Tribal Nails

Image via Pinterest.

Considering the fact that it’s winter, a beach-inspired manicure is probably not going to register on many radars. I mean, the first place I want to be is on a beach. The last place I want to be is in the snow. Nails that remind me that I’m nowhere near the ocean? No bueno…Or so I thought until I saw this manicure. Blue and white can be wintery, right?

Sourced from Pinterest, this manicure comes courtesy of Spehora and artist Mia Rubie of Sparkle San Francisco. Complete instructions for achieving the look can be found on Sephora’s The Glossy blog, but if you’re looking for a quick fix of tips, we’ve got you! Know that you’ll need multiple polish shades of your choosing, top and base coats, plus an eyeliner brush to create those little lines and shapes. It’s all freehand, baby girl.

Would you rock tiki nails in the dead of winter?

xo,

Liza, Editorial Director

Mani Monday: Coming Up Roses

Nailed It: Rose Nails by Dani and Jo of Dalia Nails! Image via Pinterest.

Confession: I’m typically not a fan of the classic red manicure. Red–unless it’s wine, oxblood, or so deep it’s almost black–just isn’t my color. This red manicure by Dani and Jo of Dahlia Nail, however, is totally crush worthy! It has all of the elements of perfect nail art: Cute detail, an accent nail (catch the cameo made by some sparkly red polish on the ring finger?) and the ability to team well with whatever you’re wearing. It’s stylish and mature–and even skewing towards abstract when viewed up close!–but still totally fun and feminine at the same time. The perfect combo! The girls over at Hello Giggles loved them too–this very manicure was featured on their site just last week! What can we say? Premium nails are always a style “do”.

xo,

Liza, Editorial Director

Mani Monday: A Precious Metals Manicure Tutorial via The Beauty Department!

Image via Pinterest.

The holidays seem to call for a little extra glitz, no? This Pinterest-perfect manicure tutorial, which comes courtesy of The Beauty Department, offers just that! And as you can see from the photo above, it’s super simple! All you need is a base coat of your favorite polish and a metallic sharpie and the possibilities are endless! Gotta love a look that’s actually doable. Bonus pro-tip: Print this tutorial, grab a pretty shade of  Essie or OPI nail varnish, gold and silver sharpies, and wrap them all up in pretty paper and you’ve got a very stylish (and economical!) seasonal gift!

Have you tried the sharpie trick on your nails? Is this a manicure you would rock?

xo,

Liza, Editorial Director