Here are my 5 favorite colors. I had a few more, but I wasn’t all that fond of them and let them go to better homes. These are a great alternative to creme glitter palettes or loose glitters. You get precision and you can go light or heavy because it layers well. I don’t recommend it for your whole eyelid though, it’s an eyeliner so it will look dry.

No Flash.

With Flash.

Metal Head- An awesome shade of dense purple.

Spandex- Black blue mixed with a rainbow of colors.

Glam Rock- Your standard metallic silver.

Midnight Cowboy- This is a light, antique gold. I actually really prefer it to Baked which is a regular gold shade.

Stagedive- A teal-green, awesome pop of color.

No Flash. Left to Right: Metal Head, Midnight Cowboy, Stagedive, Spandex, Glam Rock.

No Flash. Left to Right: Metal Head, Midnight Cowboy, Stagedive, Spandex, Glam Rock.

Check out the sparkle on Spandex! Such a unique color combo! Do you have these or something similar? How do you like them?

We’ve all been there: you get an amazing manicure idea and either your nails aren’t working for you or you botch it! Here are a few things that should help!

1) How to Cure Discoloration:

Nail discoloration is unsightly to say the least, but there are some ways to get red of it!

If you KNOW you have a polish that discolors your nails, but you love it, apply an extra coat of base. DO use a good base coat. Find one you love that makes your nails smooth so polish glides on flawlessly.

If your nails have been stained from nail polish and not for another reason, there are some things to try! Pour 3 tablespoons of Hydrogen Peroxide  into about 1/3 a cup of water. Soak your fingers for two minutes. Next, dip a nail brush or toothbrush into the solution and lightly buff away the discoloration. Make sure you use cuticle oil afterwards to replenish your nails and reestablish moisture. Rub into not just cuticles, but nails as well.Nail brighteners might also be an option if you have slightly naturally discolored nails. I use Sally Hansen nail brightener (see below) when my nails aren’t looking their brightest, especially when I do french tips where my nails clearly show.

2) How to Fix Smudged Nails:

You sit down, admire your newly painted nails, and somehow you end up smudging one. It doesn’t have to ruin your day! To prevent smudges, its all about drying time. See below for fast drying tips. This is going to
sound insane, but lick one of your fingers on the opposite hand and ever-so-gently smooth over the top of the smudge. I realize this sounds insane, but someone taught me this a long time ago and it always works! Something in our saliva reacts with nail polish to soften and blend the smudge.

3) How Do You Know if Your Nails Need to be Seen by a Doctor?

This is a tough one. My advice is ALWAYS to see a doctor if you think something may be wrong.
Normal nails are smooth without significant ridges or indentations. As you get older, vertical ridges become normal. Injured nails often have a white spot from the impact of the injury.

Here are some signs of nail conditions that aren’t normal and require attention from www.mayoclinic.com
– Curled nails
– Yellow discoloration in a severe form (not from nail polish)
– Your nail separating from the nail bed
– Nail piting
– Many strange nail issues are a sign of illness so definitly see a doctor.

4) Nail Polish Spilled and Now You Have a Stain:

First, DO NOT wipe at it!

Spills on Fabric: In order to not ruin the fabric, test it with a little nail polish remover somewhere where it won’t show in case it has a negative reaction. Try the inside of the hem since it won’t be shown. Get a handful of cotton swabs and get to work by dipping them in nail polish remover and dabbing lightly on the stain from the outside in. Switch swabs so you don’t spread the stain around. After it is removed, immediately wash the fabric to get the damp nail polish remover out fast.

Spills on Wood: Use olive oil and white vinegar on a rag to get it up. If it is persistant, use the solution with steel wool to buff it.

Spills on Carpet: Window cleaner treatment! Mix equal parts acetone and window cleaner in a spray bottle. Test on a piece of carpet somewhere unnoticeable, like in the back of your closet. This will take awhile so be ready to spend a bit of time on this project, but its a pretty gentle method. Get a white cloth so you can see your progress and get it damp, not soaking. Spray the solution on the stain and start dabbing lightly on top. Remember you don’t want to make the stain deeper! Keep at it until the stain is gone, and being careful not to make it spread. Last you need to take a toothbrsh to the area with a little soap and white vinegar as you don’t want the window cleaner or acetone to set. Then rinse with water on a cloth to get up the soap!

5) Acrylics Have Ruined My Nails!:

In high school, I decided even though my nails were beautiful that I was going to delve into acrylic nails for a special event. From there I kept them on and had them redone twice. Finally, I couldn’t stand it anymore. They were thick and awkward and I wanted those suckers off! What I left with were seriously brittle and thin nails, only a shell of their former glory. I was appauled and upset to say the least as I have always loved having beautiful nails.

I talked to a friend who had done nails and she told me the manicurist probably overbuffed them, which I had no idea about since I was new to acrylics. Here are the steps that were suggested to me and worked:
– Being obsessive about using my nail hardener
– Cuticle oil to help restore their health
– Don’t bother trying to have pretty nails until they grow out. Keep them short.
– Never EVER get my nails done by a questionable nail technician!

Have you ever tried any of these tips? How did they work for you? What are some of your thoughts and remedies? 

Jessica’s look will be a matte gray smoky eye with a pink lip.

To get this look, keep reading!!!!

Face:

Products Used:
– Hard Candy Sheer Envy Skin Perfecting Primer
– Revlon PhotoReady Concealer in 002 Light
– Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse in Light #3
– Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in 005 Silky Beige
– ELF All Over Cover Stick in Spotlight
– ELF Wet Gloss Brow Clear Mascara

How To:
1. Apply face primer on clean, dry skin. Place a small amount on face and run in well. Let set 5 minutes.
2. Apply eye primer to eyelids or use face primer if acceptable.
3. Apply concealer to under eye area and problem areas if necessary. You can also apply this after foundation if you wish.
4. Apply foundation and then set with powder. Use setting power if desired, I recommend ELF HD setting powder.
5. Apply ELF Cover Stick in Spotlight to cheek bones, blend with fingertips. You can also apply this to your cupids bow for this look.
6. Use ELF brow gel to set brow shape brushing in an upwards motion. If you’re doing eye makeup I do this AFTER I’m done apply all my makeup as my left step so it doesn’t attract fallout

ELF All Over Cover Stick in Spotlight. Available from eyeslipsface.com.

Eyes:

Products Used:
– Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Gel Cream Liner in the black from Brown Eyes Collection. Comes in a trio. Other sets available.
– ELF Mineral Eyeshadow in Partier.
– L’Oreal HIP High Intensity Pigments in 102 Exciting.
– ELF Eyelash Curler.
-Covergirl LashBlast Mascara in Very Black.
– Revlon Custom Eyes Adjustable Mascara in Blackest Black.

How To:
1. Apply eyeliner using an angled eyeshadow brush (mine is from Sonia Kashuk) to the inner eye, both top and bottom. Then apply eyeliner to eyelid as close to the lashes as you can in a straight line of medium thickness from outer corner to inner using small, precise strokes.
2. Tap some of the ELF Partier in the lid lightly and dip your eyeshadow brush in. Apply eyeshadow gradually in order to build up color evenly. Apply it in the crease to darken look and blend out and up. Apply eye highlight if desired.
3. Tap some of the L’Oreal in Exciting into its cap lightly and dip in an angled eyeliner brush. Apply to inner corners of the eye, both top and bottom. Blend out.
4. Curl lashes with ELF Eyelash Curler (Only $1!!!)
5. Apply mascara wiggling from base to tip.

Left to Right: HIP in Exciting, Physician’s Formula in black (for Brown Eyes), ELF matte shade in Partier.

Lips:

What do YOU think of this look? Would you rock it? How often do you use matte colors like this?

I can’t wait for True Blood on Sunday!!!! Get ready for another look tomorrow!

Free Men of True Blood Calendar on orders of $50 or more. Click Here

It takes a serious woman to be able to switch from girl next door to leading lady to edgy chick. Happy birthday Selma, cheers to you for being your own person with your own look.

Photo Credit:www.pynkcelebrity.com

Photo Credit: www.photos0.com

Photo Credit: Peter Kramer/Gettty

Photo Credit: www.lemurpublishing.com

Photo Credit:Mark Von Holden/WireImage.com

Photo Credit: www.photo0.com

Here’s a sneak peek at what will be hitting the blog tomorrow……

Love buying scrubs but want to learn to make your own? You can, and at the fraction of the cost!

 Choose Your Exfoliant and Oil

 Salt/Sugar:
There are lots of exfoliates out there but I like to stick with the standard sugar or salt scrub.
Some options: brown sugar, raw sugar, table sugar, flavored natural sugars, sea salt, table salt, coarse salt, and large grain salt. You can also use epsom salts or
mix half epsom salts with sugar or salt to create your scrub.

When using salt scrubs, there are some things you definitely need to remember. If you have an open wound or skin irritation, salt WILL sting. If is also harder, so you might want to grind some of it finer or use it in a foot bath. Salt is not only muscle relaxing, but also detoxifying.

If you’re using sugar, you can use any of the types above at your preference. Brown sugar has a stronger scent and is gentler against the skin. Remember that sugar scrubs do not contain muscle relaxing qualities like the salt scrubs do.

You can choose from a wide variety of oils to make your scrub, and some you probably have in your pantry now! Your oil will be your moisturizer. As you exfoliate away the dead swin, your new skin will become moisturized thanks to your oil selection.

Some types to try: Safflower oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, and remember you can add a few drops of scented oils like lavendar,vanilla, citrus or floral oils.

Note: Don’t use baby oil as it will not penetrate your skin and moisturize it.When choosing your oil, remember to consider allergies. For instance, I’m not allergic to peanuts but my best friend is.

When creating your scrub, you might want to consider a multi-tasking ingredient. You can add epsom salts in combination with your regular salt for a different consistency. Add baking soda for a nice fizz. Honey is a natural moisturizer if you have dryer areas to exfoliate like feet or elbows. You can also grate up soap finely to make a combination scrub/cleanser.

Scenting Your Scrub:
You have tons of options when it comes to giving your scrub an amazing scent. Besides scented oils, you can also try natural ingredients like ginger zest for extra soft exfoliation, citrus zest, and you can also try clear teas. Try something like jasmine, green tea, or a white tea. They smell amazing and can be very relaxing, as well as a pleasant scent. You can also try fresh herbs like mint or lavender. Steep the tea or herbs in oil by gently pressing the leaves to get the oils out to scent it. You can also put it through a food processor to blend it all together and strain it if you wish.

Combinations to Consider:

Keep your scrub in an airtight container. If it is kept in the shower, remember that water needs to not be able to penetrate it. Lip scrubs should be very fine, consider grinding it. Hope these recipes and information helped you!

It seems like as nail polish colors progress, so do the once plain bottles that contained them. Here are the bottles of nail polish I have found to be particularly artistic or beautiful:

OPI Bling Bottle from Special Event in Taiwan.

Anna Sui Shimmer Nail Polish Available from Urban Outfitters.

White Marshmallow Cube Available from Hot Topic.

Need Me from Enchant Cosmetics China.

No 7 Nail Polish.

Forever 21 Nail Polish.

Jill Stuart Nail Lacquer.

Specialty Nail Polish from Nails Inc. for the Royal Wedding.

Sheswai Laquer.