The April Issue of ELLE magazine celebrates beauty with the gorgeous Rachel McAdams gracing their cover, funky pink highlights and all. As part of the ELLE Beauty Genius Awards they interviewed twenty-four of the nation’s best hair, skin and makeup specialists to reveal their best advice and product recommendations. Of course there is a nail expert – Marian Newman.

Thank you everyone for your love and support. Your emails and comments mean so much to me. I’m doing so much better and will be back to my normal posting very soon.

Since my nails are still bare, what are you wearing? Give me inspiration to put some color on my tips.

Hi everyone. I’m sorry that I haven’t posted anything recently but I’ve been dealing with a loss and just haven’t felt like writing. I haven’t even felt like painting my nails. It’s that bad. I hope you all will stick with me and not go away. I promise things will be back to normal soon.

If you had to pick your favorite polishes how hard would it be? What would your process be? What makes a color “Top 20″ worthy? It’s certainly not easy for me. I go through my entire stash and pull the colors I love and slowly dwindle them down. I try to keep my choices diverse; covering most shades and finishes. I want my Top 20 to represent the colors that would get me through any event or season if for some horrifying reason I had to give up the rest of my collection.

What makes a color great enough to be in my Top 20? Well, it has to meet 3 criteria.

1. Does wearing it bring me joy? A color that you can’t stop staring at. That makes me feel prettier/cooler/sexier.
2. Is it flattering to my skin tone?
3. Is it a unique color? Does it have an interesting finish, shimmer or pigmentation?

On the Makeup Alley Nail Board, we choose our Top 20 polishes in an attempt to find a “hand twin.” Someone with the same taste in nail polish. It’s mainly for fun but we also hope that by finding a twin, we’ll discover new polishes and avoid duds according to their likes & dislikes.

This is my 2nd Top 20 and it has remained relatively the same with the exception of a few recent releases.

(l to r): China Glaze Grape Crush, Masai Red, Moonpool, Ruby Pumps, Stroke of Midnight and Up All Night

(l to r): Lippmann Collection Bitches Brew, Misa Chocolate Icing, OPI Designer Series Divine & Glamour.

(l to r): OPI Espresso Your Style, Lincoln Park At Midnight, Jasper Jade, Rainforest, Rosey Posey and That’s an “EL” of a Color

(l to r): Zoya Anastasia, Divincia, Raven & Yasmeen

Ok I showed you mine, now show me yours. What are your favorites? How did you pick them? Are you my hand twin?

I just wanted to announce that All Lacquered Up now has its own domain.

www.alllacqueredup.com

Please update your bookmarks. The blogspot address still works and will redirect you to the new location.