i love everything about jessica alba here (from 2011) – the orange lip, the playful braids, the simple diamond studs, and holy lashes! but it’s that royal blue dress that’s got me so inspired. i had to work it into my routine immediately and i think i might have squealed after laying eyes on butter london’s scouse, a royal blue glitter. i can’t wait to get a fresh coat of paint on to my nails and sport the shade all season long.
(photo by kate headley)
here’s the thing about nails. just like skin, they behave completely differently in the winter than they do any other time of year. mine get hard and brittle withy dry, unruly cuticles. it ain’t pretty, people. i was having this conversation with the butter london girls in nyc and they loaded me up with products to combat my problems, along with a new nude from their spring ‘starkers’ collection. here’s the combination that’s been working wonders on my frozen fingertips:
melt away cuticle eliminator breaks down and softens the stray skin around my nails and makes removal a cinch. after two minutes, you can push them down with an orange stick or even a cuticle stone eraser to eliminate the need to cut them.
horse power nail fertilizer can be used as a stand-alone strengthener, as a base coat, and a top coat. this 3-in-one works overtime to repair damaged nails and the results are quite impressive. like your best repairing skin cream or hair treatment, horse power improves the look and feel of your nails, especially important in the harsh weather.
the girls prescribed shandy (a light, apricot creme) as my go-to nude. it showcases my skin tone in a soft, understated yet sophisticated way. (fun fact: it’s named after a beverage that’s equal parts beer and sprite…yum?)
finally, they tucked handbag holiday into my pocket. they urged me to apply it nightly and enjoy the hydrating, intensely nourishing benefits. i’ve also been using it over my finished manicure for extra shine and a little “slip” that means i can spend less time sitting and waiting for my nails to dry.
what do you think of these manicure miracles? think you’ll give any of them a try this winter? (or even this weekend for those of you trapped inside during this crazy northeast blizzard? stay safe, beauties!)
i know i’m not the only one seeing green.
ever since pantone named emerald the color of the year for 2013, greens have been everywhere from teals and kellies to jades and shamrocks. i love the way that kermit’s favorite color has been popping up in fashion, but working this hue into your beauty routine can be a bit trickier. polish is an obvious choice (the best, in my opinion!), so here are six ways to get your nails on trend:
forever 21 nail polish in teal, $2.80
sonia kashuk nail colour in emerald city, $4.79
revlon nail enamel in posh, $4.99
butter london 3 free nail lacquer in thames, $15
julep nail vernis in emilie, $14
essie nail polish in going incognito, $8
will your nails be going green this season? which shade is your fav?
name: maggie
internet home: right here on the glossarie!
she says: embarrassing to realize how many lip sticks/glosses/balms i’m carrying around – i’m traveling…is that an excuse for the number of products I have?? ;)
number of products: 7
the bomb:
softlips marshmallow ghost, $3
mox botanicals lip butter in pomegranate & fig, $16
vs makeup color drama lipstick in exquisite, $14
rouge d’armani in rouge 400, $30 (remember this post?)
butter london lippy in queen vic, $18
chapstick classic lip balm in cherry, $1.59
maybelline color sensational high shine lip gloss in one shine day, $5.54
i love, love, love having maggie’s contributions here in the glossarie and i could not be more proud of her lip bomb’s breadth of brand (from chapstick to armani!) and depth of color. also, i think i need that mox botanicals lip balm…
keep sending your #lipbombs to theglossarie@gmail.com!
name: megan
internet home: pretty in my pocket
she says: “the lip explosion in my purse :)”
number of products: 7
the bomb:
the harsh effects of winter are so unforgiving on your skin, but perhaps no precious part is hit harder than your hands. while hand creams and balms play a big role in preventing dryness, i like to be sure to give a little extra love to my cuticles this time of year.
historically, they are probably the least cared for part of my entire body, but as i have slowly discovered the benefits of a good cuticle treatment, it has become a tiny luxury that i cannot live without. (dry cuticles can lead to snags and tears that are not only painful, but can open you up to infection – ouch!)
in the land of cuticle care, there are creams and there are oils. depending on your needs and your preferences, the options are endless. the key ingredient in all products is some sort of moisturizing oil, so you can opt for a convenient, less messy cream, or go straight to the source and choose an easily absorbed oil. some say that oils are best, especially if you’re dealing with super dry skin, but i find that a cream can definitely soften things up nicely.
now that you’re schooled in cuticle care, i’ve rounded up several of my favorite products, at all price points to help ensure that yours are not overlooked this season:
top row, left to right:
dior creme abricot fortifying cream for nails, $24
deborah lippmann cuticle oil, $20
sally hansen cuticle eraser + balm, $6
l’occitane cuticle & nail cream, $18
bottom row, left to right:
the body shop almond nail & cuticle oil, $12
butter london handbag holiday cuticle oil, $18
burt’s bees lemon butter cuticle cream, $6
lush lemony flutter cuticle butter, $16.95
i’m over on johanna’s blog today showcasing my five fall faves. johanna is taking a break from blogging as she loves on her sweet new baby lola. hop, click, jump over to 101 things i love to learn more about this fall fivesome!
(image via)
i am having an olivia munn moment and i cannot get enough of her in this look from the do something awards. combine an adorable hot pink alice + olivia number, a ponytail, and a winged eye, you get a sweet and sassy grand finale that i just had to recreate.
it’s treat yourself tuesday and aren’t you lucky? butter london, everyone’s favorite high fashion, non toxic nail brand is on major sale. between now and tomorrow, you can score 30% off your lacquers, lippies, and treatments – so get to shopping!
i’m scooping up nail lacquers in classic metallics (silver, gold, and rose gold) plus a bright or two to get me through the summer months. since sandal season continues to wreak havoc on my feet and i’m hearing amazing things about the glycolic callus peel, i’ll be adding one of those to my cart to melt away the rough stuff. finally, those lippies have been calling to me for the longest – i can’t wait to give ‘em a whirl.
are you a butter london fan? will you be taking advantage of their friends & family event?
this is no april fool’s joke. after many months of scouring the internets, i have finally found a more than acceptable duplicate for our beloved opi ‘i lily love you’. it is still the number two most popular searched phrase that lands new friends and followers here at the glossarie, only to prompt many an email to my inbox as to where the sheer pink tint with bright sparkle can be bought.
well, happy day! the fine folks at butter london have worked a nearly perfect replacement into their spring 12 collection. named disco biscuit, the creators are calling it a “tropical hot pink with an undercurrent of tiny iridescent glitter particles.” sounds about right on the money.
now, hurry and scoop it up before it’s gone! because if we’ve learned nothing from last spring, we now know how quickly these hot pink glitter nail polishes disappear from sight. you can score butter london’s disco biscuit for $14 here.
