Get The Look – The CND Ruffian Matte Moon Manicure
Brian Wolk and Claude Morais, the designers behind Ruffian, have declared the “moon manicure” their signature nail. After two seasons of incorporating the moon mani into their runway look, the nail world went nuts for the crescent moon inspired design from their Fall ’10 show (shown left).
Each season it’s not just about a moon manicure it’s about invoking a specific look or reference. The Fall ’09 ruby colored moon (below right) was inspired by a vintage Vogue cover while the Spring ’09 raspberry and black art deco design (below left) was pulled from a tapestry.
For Fall ’10 the nail came together in a magical way. After meeting with the designers, CND’s Jan Arnold was walking the Manhattan streets when she looked up to see a crescent moon glowing against the midnight blue sky. The moon had a golden cast to it and she was immediately inspired. When she spoke to the designers, they had also seen the moon and had the same thought to translate it onto a nail. |
Dashing Diva Design Nails on the Go
Ever since Beyonce made Golden Lightening Minx an international hit, nail fanatics worldwide have been looking for a way to replicate the look at home. Brands have been putting out “Minx-like” polishes but no lacquer can truly achieve that blinding chrome finish.
Now thanks to Dashing Diva’s Design Nails on the Go… you can bling your nails like Beyonce for a fraction of the Minx service price. These full coverage stick-on nails come in range of chrome finishes and animal prints. I had the good fortune of running into Pattie Yankee, Product Development Advisor and Lead Educator for Dashing Diva Professional, backstage during Fashion Week where she showed me these fun tips. She sent me home with a set in Gold Digger to try out and they are just what I was looking for. |
The Arsenal – Nubar Foundation Base Coat
I get a lot of questions and comments regarding the tools and treatment products I use to keep my nails healthy and in tip top shape. Since my routine changes as I test new products, I’ve launched, The Arsenal, to share with you the items that are “must haves” in my nail kit.
The bare bones basics of any good manicure is base coat, top coat and color. I’ve shared with you one of my all-time fave top coats but I’ve never dedicated a post to base coats. Obviously this is long overdue!
I’ve been a fan of CND Stickey for forever and a day. I even posted about the “Stickey Sandwich” method back when ALU was just a baby. However Stickey has a major competitor for the “holy grail” crown in Nubar Foundation Base Coat.
I’ve had bottles of Foundation Base Coat floating around the polish room for years now but it wasn’t until I ran out of Stickey that I discovered its magical powers. It doesn’t dry tacky like Stickey or Orly Bonder but Foundation Base Coat grips on like glue. I get amazing wear every time I use it. And although it’s not a ridge filler, it provides a smooth surface for the polish to glide along even in spite of my less than stellar nail beds. I told you it was magic.
Nubar Foundation Base Coat can be purchased online from ByNubar.com for $6.99. The shipping is steep though so I suggest banding together with some friends to hit the $75 limit for free shipping.
Exclusive – Illamasqua Nail Varnish Competition Winners
Exciting news Fanatics! As you know Illamasqua hosted the first ever Nail Varnish Competition giving nail fanatics worldwide the chance to create their own signature shade of nail polish. Talk about an amazing opportunity!
Over 6,000 entries were received and those were pared down to a Top 100 for a panel of experts to vote on. The panel consisting of Sophy Robson, Alex Box, Pixiwoo girls and David Walker Smith of Selfridges were given such amazing choices that they selected not just one winner but THREE!! Thanks to Illamasqua, ALU is one of the first to bring you the news of the winning shades and the inspiration behind them. Have a look-see! |
CND Monday – Experimenting With Girlie Pink
Welcome to CND Monday, a regular series here on ALU. On each CND Monday I’ll be sharing a new layering combination from CND Colour & Effects to show you the versatility and creativity of the line.
Recently a reader emailed me asking about some of the lighter shades in the CND Colour range. After seeing my comparison of China Glaze Something Sweet & CND Tutu she was interested in finding additional opaque, cool-toned pinks in the CND lineup. Even though pinks aren’t necessarily my bag I’m happy to oblige reader requests when I can. Though unfortunately for this particular reader there aren’t any colors lighter than Tutu that are cool and opaque. Instead I went one step darker and pulled out Girlie Pink and some coordinating Effects to play with. |
Lisa N.
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