Spring Nail Polish Trends 2012

I want to point out that none of the nail in this post are mine.  Click on the polish name for the corresponding blog post.  The polishes are from the OPI Holland Collection, Nicole OPI Kardashian Collection, Essie Navigate Her Collection, Zoya True Collection, and a new Milani.
I'll start with peach/pink polish. The Essie version is reportedly very streaky.

Nicole by OPI Paparazzi Don't Preach

Essie A Crewed Interest

 

Milani Juno

Another big trend is what I'll call denim blues.  Sort of a denim blue color with sparkles.

OPI I Have a Herring Problem, Zoya Skyler, and OPI I Don't Give a Rotterdam

Another trend it light greens, especially the colors in the first picture.

OPI Thanks a Windmillion and Zoya Bevin

Essie Navigate Her

Also, bright orange and red-orange, red-coral.  I'd imagine these are more like summer colors, but they are in the spring collections.

OPI A Roll in the Hague and Essie Orange, It's Obvious!

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Essie Ole Caliente

OPI Red Lights Ahead...Where?

Nicole OPI Strike a Pose

And is it just me, or does the name OPI A Roll in the Hague make you think of this too?

Nail Polish Trend: Glitter

The first thing I want to point out is that none of these pics are my nails.  Click on the names of the polish to see the corresponding blog post.

Now that every color has taken over the nail polish world, the next logical step is glitter.  Yep, glitter for adults.  Some of these glitters are the glitter nail polishes we traditionally think of, full coverage small glitter.  If you are looking for this type of glitter, China Glaze has lots of interesting options (at Sally Beauty Supply).  Another trend that has been around a while is holographic glitter, such as China Glaze OMG (last pic, bottom right). Some of the new glitters have bigger or different shapes.  Hexagon shapes are popular, but you will also see circles, donuts, and long, thin pieces.  There are some polishes have sparse glitter that looks more like polka dots on your nails.  Essie just came out with a collection of glitter top coats (first pic) called the Lux Effects Collection.  Some of the Essie collection have tiny shimmers, others with hexagonal glitter meant to look like small stones.  I've added some pics of  drugstore glitters popular with nail polish fanatics.   First, on the right, is Revlon Facets of Fuchsia (now renamed Scandalous).  It is a dupe(licate) of Deborah Lippman's Bad Romance (more expensive). It has purple hexaganol glitter and micro glitter in a black jelly base.  Next is Revlon Whimsical which is a dupe of Deborah Lippman's Glitter in the Air.  It is blue and pink hexagonal glitter plus blue glitter in a sheer blue base.  Third is Revlon Starry Pink, now renamed Revlon Popular.  It is a light pink base with silver hexagonal glitter and silver glitter.  Wet N Wild Party of Five Glitters is a sparse glitter overlay of glitters of varying size and color.

Another big trend in glitter is flakies.  In the first picture, the bottom left and center are Essie Shine of the times which is a flakie.  Flakies look like little pieces of mica.  In fact they could actually be little pieces of mica.  Who knows?? (not me, but someone knows)  These polishes remind me of the rocks with mica in the black hills of South Dakota.  As you can see with the two pictures above, flakies look quite a bit different over light or dark polishes.  Traditional flakies, like Shine of the Times, flash between green and copper, depending on the angle.  Some of the newer flakies flash blue to dark blue or green to blue.  Click for swatches of the newly released Zoya flakies or Finger Paints flakies (at Sally Beauty Supply).  I own Essie Shine of the Times, but so far I don't think it is for me, unfortunately.  I'm going to keep trying though and see if I can find a way I like it.
If  you want to ease your way into glitters, you can always do an accent nail in glitter.  An accent nail is where you paint one nail, usually the ring finger, a differently then the rest of  your nails.

See my post on how to remove glitter nail polish.

Lip Trends for Fall

I'm writing this for people who might have actual lives and can't keep up with all the new trends. If you'd like to know what lipstick color is in style but your baby needs her diaper changed, this is for you. Coming soon...Fall Eyeshadow Trends.

First of all, lipsticks are generally trending toward matte and opaque as opposed to sheer and glossy. Love sheer and glossy? Don't worry it's still in for now.

Red lipstick- The biggest news for fall is red lipstick is back. You ask: Wait. Was it gone? Answer: Yes and No. Red lips have been worn recently at night, for retro looks, for rock looks, and by people like me who just liked it. But, it hasn't been worn by women in general in the daytime since the 80's. Well, red lips are back baby. Look in fashion magazines, and red lips are on almost every page. All shades of red are in. All finishes are in from glossy to very matte. Matte, opaque lips are very in. If you try this, be careful. Matte opaque lipstick can be aging. Another new look is dark red lipstick with a sheer black gloss on top. This gives you a vampire look, but in a good way (pictured). If you wear the red/black combo, keep the eyes and blush to an absolute minimum to avoid a goth look (unless that is what you're going for).
For a less trendy look use a satin finish lipstick in cherry red. Avoid lip liner so you don't look overdone and add a dab of gloss in the center bottom. Allure suggest dabbing lipstick on with your finger so the edges aren't precise. That sounds like a pain to me, but give it a whirl if you like.
Some red lipsticks loved by makeupalley.com reviewers are: MAC in Russian Red, Port Red, New York Apple (frost) and Ruby Woo (matte); NYC Ultra moist in Retro Red: Revlon matte lipstick in In The Red and Really Red: Victoria's Secret in Ruby Slippers.

Elle Magazine's top 10 reds included MAC Ruby Woo (they say the Cure's Robert Smith wears it), Max Factor's vivid impact in Mrs. Right (blue based red), Revlon's Fire and Ice (a favorite since it's launch in 1952), andMaybelline's color sensational in Red Revival.

Purple lipstick- It's not always as scary as it sounds. I once had a sheer dark purple gloss (almost black in the tube) that I loved (now back in style). Fuchsia is back from it's 80's lipstick grave. Grapeish colors are also back. Grape was last in style 15ish years ago. My friend called this color her ummm ..."female dog" lipstick. Awesome on her, crayola on me. If you want to try a darker Bordeaux/wine/deep purple color lipstick, make eyes and blush pale. Metallic lilac is also in, but that just scares me.

Makeupalley.com reviewers like MAC in Purple Rite.
Allure Recommends: Cover Girl Queen Collection in Shiny Port Wine (Bordeaux) and MAC in Violetta (grape).

Nude lipstick-Nude lips are in. Choose a tan nude on the pink side. Shimmer, not glitter. Shine is also fine. Just not a matte nude. With a beige lip, be sure to add shadow (medium to lots) to your eyes, or you'll just look flat. If your natural lip color is darker then this lip color, apply a concealer or foundation to your lips first.

Allure recommends: Wet n Wild Lip Shine in Reckless and Clinique Glosswear in Whisper. Marie Claire recommends Maybelline Lip Gloss in Born With It.

Red and purple lip colors can be tricky. Sheer lip colors have a larger margin of error. If you want something more opaque, it's harder to choose. This might be a time where you can save money by going to a make-up counter and actually being able to try a color before you buy. I've heard some drugstores will let you return opened cosmetics. I haven't researched that, so I have no idea if any drugstore currently does it.