Big 3 Free
Get The Look – Miley Cyrus’ Nails at the MTV Movie Awards
 While everyone else has been praising and critiquing the beauty and fashion looks from last week’s MTV Movie Awards, I focused on the nails, natch. One of the nail standouts of the night was Miley Cyrus. Personally, I’m not a fan but that’s here nor there. She’s a pretty girl, a paparazzi princess, a tween sensation and obviously a nail fanatic.
I couldn’t help but notice Miley’s gorg teal nails and I loved how they paired with her beige dress. Like I said a few weeks back, I’m loving the whole neutral clothing with bright pops of nail color that’s happening this summer. Bold tips are your best (and cheapest) accessory. Fortunately I was privy to a little celeb nail gossip regarding this look so if you wondering what she wore read on! |
Of course the keen-eyed Tamar who writes for MTV’s Buzzworthy Blog was dead on when she suggested Artful Dodger to get Miley’s look. Good call Tamar! Artful Dodger is a creamy teal blue that looks much more blue in person than it does in the pics of Miley. Flash and direct sunlight seem to be a nail photographer’s worst enemies. Anywho, the formula glides on the nail with ease, is highly pigmented and dries in a snap to a glossy finish. Note: Thanks to a reader, my past complaints about the polish cap are resolved. I just didn’t pull hard enough to know that it slides off. Oops! Thoughts? Did you love the nude dress/teal polish look? Are you on board for Artful Dodger regardless of Miley wearing it?
Nonie Creme of butter London dropped me a quick line to share that Miley was rocking the brand’s Artful Dodger hue on the Movie Awards red carpet. Apparently Miley is a fan of the the 3Free formulation and fashion forward color palette.
So after hearing of Miley’s affinity for butter London, I spotted this pic of her at a charity event and wondered if this too was a bL shade. Though taking the lighting into consideration, I can’t tell if she’s wearing Aston or Fash Pack. What’s your guess?
Artful Dodger retails for $14 and is available online at butterlondon.com and beauty.com
Celebrate Earth Day – Check Your Ingredients
Happy Earth Day kids!
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the “greenest” person when it comes to my daily life. I do drive a gas guzzling SUV so I can get through rough Cleveland winters, I’m not great at turning out lights when I leave a room and I do use paper towels religiously. But what I love about Earth Day is that it’s a way to check yourself. A reminder to look at your lifestyle and find ways to improve it that helps the planet.
Last year I made a commitment to waste less paper. I was terrible about writing stupid notes on full sheets of paper only to toss them later. So I dedicated myself to utilize my PDA and laptop for all my random scribblings. It’s not huge but it’s a good step. This year I want to focus more on recycling. We have a great recycling program in my neighborhood and I’m going to be more tenacious in my efforts. I would also like to break my paper towel habit.
So what will you do? What small change will you make for a greener globe? If you’re thinking of greening up your manicure routine by switching to less toxic polish, look no further for I have your ultimate shopping guide. You may remember last year that I published a pretty comprehensive list of polishes based on ingredients, well I’ve updated and made it even more thorough. Check it out!
For quick refresher on the ingredients we’re talking about, check out, The Big 3 (toxic chemical that is).
Formaldehyde and DBP Free polishes – Carolyn New York, CND (Creative Nail Design) and NYX
Big 3 Free polishes – butter London, Calvin Klein, China Glaze (black label), Color Club, Essie, Finger Paints, Hard Candy, Illamasqua, Maybelline Express Finish, Maybelline Salon Expert, Nicole, OPI (green label) and Sally Hansen Salon
Big 3 Free, No Formaldehyde Resin – MAC, Milani, N.Y.C. Long Wearing, Nailtini (except Vodka), NARS, Nocti, Orly, PeaceKeeper, Pop Beauty Nail Glam, Rescue Beauty Lounge, SpaRitual and Wet n’ Wild
Big 3 Free, No Formaldehyde Resin, No Camphor – Chanel, Dashing Diva, Dior, Estee Lauder, Givenchy, Lancome, Lippmann, L’oreal, No-Miss, Nubar, NYC In A New York Color Minute, Revlon, Rimmel London 60 Seconds, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri, Sante, Shades by Barielle, Shu Uemura, Sinful Colors and Zoya
Water based, Big 3 Free, No Formaldehyde Resin, No Camphor, No Ethyl Acetate – Acquarella, Honeybee Gardens, Sula and Suncoat
Note: Some brands have changed their formulas over the past few years so bottles of their old formulas may still be on shelves. Please check labels before purchasing.
Some additional ways you can green up your manicure include switching to a reusable glass nail file like the ones mentioned in Let’s Talk Files, using natural nail polish removers and replacing your orange sticks with a metal cuticle pusher.
What are you doing today to green up your lifestyle?
Zoya Ooh-La-La for Summer 2009
 As I’m sure you know by now, metallic polishes and I aren’t friends. Why? Because for the most part, metallic = brush stroke madness. So you can imagine my disappointment when I heard that one of Zoya‘s two collections for summer, Ohh-La-La, consisted entirely of metallics.
I decided to reserve judgment until I got my mitts on them and I’m so glad I did. With the exception on one or two problem children, brush strokes are nowhere to be found. Overall, the colors are fun and bright, I just wish they were more pigmented. The majority required three coats though I’ll take that over a thick gloppy polish. Check them out after the jump! |
Midori is the shade I was most excited to see. This green lover can never get enough. A lovely grassy hue packed with golden metallic shimmer, Midori reminds me of a perfect green apple. Though it’s not entirely unique. It’s actually a dead on dupe for last summer’s Sally Hansen Lacquer Shine Glow. In person, you can’t tell the difference.
Katy is a stunning hot pink shade with just a subtle hint of shimmer. Unlike the rest of the shades in this collection, Katy looks like a creme away from the bright sun. What I love is that is has a touch of rosy-ness that keeps it from being neon. I think this will be a knockout pedi shade.
Goldie was one of my problem children due to brush strokes but it wasn’t horrifyingly bad. It has to be the most gold bar-like shade I’ve ever seen. It’s very vibrant. I predict that this one will be a shade you either LOVE or HATE. There’s no middle of the road here.
When I saw the promo pic of Ginessa I was hoping for a sparkly white instead of a foil-like light silver. I’m all over whites for summer. Though the lightness of Ginessa keeps it from being disco ball silver. I just wish it applied better. It went on streaky, pulling at my cuticles, requiring three coats. And when I removed it, it left little sparkles all over my cuticles that were such a bitch to get rid of.
Emme was my other problem child. Think of her as Bender from The Breakfast Club. Rebellious and a royal pain in the arse. Emme’s warm pink hue is very bubblegum, which I love however, the brush strokes were unbearable, which I DON’T love. I know some people can deal but my perfectionist side can’t. My mom, on the other hand, loves this type of finish and will give Emme a great home.
Tallulah is my “must have” of the collection. It has this gorgeous cornflower base that is electrified with bright blue shimmer. It’s yet another unqiue blue to add to my stash. What really pleased me was that it applies a bit darker than how it looks in the bottle because side by side, it looked like an identical twin to yet another Sally Hansen Lacquer Shine shade, Flash. But as you can see below, Flash doesn’t even come close.
The Zoya Ooh-La-La collection retails for $6/ea and is on sale now at Zoya.com and in salons across the country.
What do we think? Who’s already hauled from Ooh-La-La? What did you get?
Chanel Celestial Lights Starring Cosmic Violine
 Recalling Mademoiselle Chanelรขโฌโขs fascination with the constellations, LUMIรหRES CรโฐLESTES รขโฌโ eight exquisite new shades of LรหVRES SCINTILLANTES Glossimer รขโฌโ brings a brilliant reflection of light to the lips. Ranging from a shimmering ruby glow to the sparkle of pink diamonds, the effects are as mesmerizing as a star-filled sky.
Ever since I caught wind of Chanel’s Celestial Lights collection, I’ve been waiting with bated breath to cover my tips in Cosmic Violine. As far as I’m concerned, there aren’t enough fun brown family shades on the market so hearing that they were coming out with a “brown copper” lacquer to accompany their eight new Glossimer shades, all I could think was “SIGN ME UP!” Of course, it did not disappoint. Check out my swatches along with the rest of the Celestial Lights Le Vernis lacquers after the jump! |
In addition to Cosmic Violine, Chanel is introducing a new pink for summer, Mica Rose, repromoting permanent shade Allegoria and bringing back Dazzling (originally intro’d with Holiday 2007). With one minor exception (noted below) all the shades applied like a dream, smooth and even. They are all shown without top coat, over a ridgefilling base.
Cosmic Violine is a micro-glitter packed, red-based brown. It’s very rich, even more so in person, and the glitter reminds me of the Moscow collection. Cosmic Violine could be the lighter, browner sister of Feu De Russie. What I love is that even though this type of shade seems more suited to fall or winter, I totally want to rock it on my toes for summer. It truly is the standout shade of this collection. LOVE LOVE LOVE!
Mica Rose is the cool toned alternative to last summer’s Flamingo, one of my all time fave pinks. Flamingo is a warm sparkly pink while Mica Rose is more of a true pink with a slight leaning towards lilac. It’s on the semi-sheer side so I needed three coats to make it opaque. Though with the majority of my pink collection consisting of warmer hues, I’ll happily add Mica Rose to my perm stash.
Allegoria is milky beige creme that is part of the permanent Chanel Le Vernis lineup. It’s a staple type shade but not really “me” and since my bottle was pretty streaky, requiring three coats (four on my pinky), for me, it’s not a keeper.
Dazzling is a true red creme and with all the celebrity red tip sightings these past few months, it only makes sense to bring this baby back for summer. You have no idea how many red creme pedicures I saw on the cruise so if you want to jump on that bandwagon, Dazzling is a good place to start.
The Celestial Lights collection officially launches in May though I believe people have already started finding the polishes at their local Chanel counters. Le Vernis lacquers retail for $23/ea and can be purchased online from Chanel.com in addition to department and specialty store Chanel counters.
So who’s planning to run out and grab a bottle of Cosmic Violine? Are the other shades striking your fancy?
Finger Paints Sunburst Summer
 Coming soon to a Sally Beauty Supply near you is the Finger Paints Sunburst Summer collection. One look and I immediately think of ice cream. Do you remember as a kid, going to the Baskin Robbins and staring at all the fun colored ice creams like Superman, Pink Bubblegum, Orange Sherbet, etc.? Well, they’re all right here in Sunburst summer. And for those of you that dig Icees, there’s a red that looks just like a cherry slushie.
It’s total nostalgia. I’m ready for the ice cream man to come round so I can get a push-up. They were always my fave. Now I’ve mentioned Finger Paints in the past but I really haven’t given them the love they deserve. This brand is the hidden gem in the retail sector. They’re totally accessible, affordable and come in a great range of shades. Check out my swatches, after the jump! |
For you ingredient readers, Finger Paints are Big 3 Free though they do contain Formaldehyde Resin. In this collection the formula was very jelly-ish, like Sinful Colors, and thinner than most 3 Free polishes which means more layers. All the shades required three coats over a ridgefilling base (Seche Base).
Yellow Bikini looks soft and creamy, like lemon sorbet, in the bottle but on the nail it’s more vibrant and buttery with a hint of shimmer. My only issue was a bit of streakiness but I find that happens with most yellow polishes. I don’t know if its the nature of that type of pigment or what but it’s frustrating. Though with three coats, I was good to go!
The only polish I have that comes close is Chanel L.A. Sunrise from last summer’s Robertson Boulevard collection. So if you avoided shelling out the $$$ for L.A. Sunrise, here’s a great alternative. I showed it next to Sephora by OPI IM Beauty but they are nothing alike.
Lilac Lagoon looked promising in the bottle because of the flecks of gold micro-glitter floating throughout but I obviously just need to give up hope of any pale purple looking good on me. It’s a gorgeous color, just not with my skintone. This one is the sheerest of the bunch and you may need four coats to achieve opacity.
Turquoise Tile is unlike any polish I own in this color range. Compared to my more blue turquoise shades, it looks green. Next to my green leaning shades, it’s more blue. Based solely on bottle color, it falls between China Glaze Beauty & The Beach and Martini Pedicure in my collection.
Ripe Peach definitely has that sherbet feel and even though it looks slightly shimmer in the bottle, it dries creamy on the nail. 
Strawberry Shake really lives up to its name. This shimmery pink looks very drinkable, though I wouldn’t recommend that.
Cherry Ices has subtle gold shimmer that warms up the vibrant maraschino hue. If you’re looking for a summer pedicure red, this could be your winner.
The Sunburst Summer collection will debut in May but as any Finger Paints fanatic knows, it’s best to call your local Sally’s in advance to see when they’ll arrive. You can also purchase Finger Paints online at SallyBeauty.com. Polishes retail for $4.99 ($4.49 with a Sally Card) but be on the lookout for specials like B2GO Free in the monthly flyer.
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
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