An Unboxing with a Twist! London Models My March Julep It Girl Box!

The inspiration for this month's Julep color selections was "Get ready to play!" With just about everyone longing for the warm, bright welcome of Spring, I think it's a super fitting theme!

Anatomy of a Mani! AKA: Mama's Mani Madness

Disclaimer: I am not a nail blogger or professional (so sometimes I color outside of the lines and my cuticles look a bit ragged). I am merely a girl who LOVES nail polish!

Want to know more about the polishes used? Keep reading...

Anatomy of a Mani! AKA: Mama's Mani Madness

Disclaimer: I am not a nail blogger or professional (so sometimes I color outside of the lines and my cuticles look a bit ragged). I am merely a girl who LOVES nail polish! And I did this particular manicure in the car, so I think I did quite well considering the circumstances...

Want to know how I did it? Keep reading!

I LOVE Brit Speak!-AKA Mama's Mani Madness with butter London's Fall/Winter 2012 Collection

I'm totally enamored with the butter LONDON products that I have in my stash (Rosie Lee, Knackered, and Disco Biscuit) so I'm super excited over their new collection for the Fall (plus I'm a sucker for the awesome British slang they use as names for the equally awesome lacquers). Here's a sneak peek:

Fall 2012 Trends the butter LONDON way:

Sequins! Velvet! Satin! Tweed! This season, the catwalks were abundant with rich texture! We’ve translated this to nails through the infusion of glitter particles and metallic and holographic finishes. The colour tones speak to “earthiness” but are not specifically earth tones – think rust, shimmering greens and silvers. This collection feels future-forward but not futuristic. This season is all about using texture to add interest and depth to your look!

Lovely Jubbly

Lovely Jubbly-(translation: excellent; used when a person hears great news or has a stroke of good luck) The lacquer is a vibrant magenta flecked with red, blue, and gold micro particles for a distinctly retro 70's feel. This sultry glitter gives high impact sparkle, perfect for even modern Disco Divas.

Trustafarian

Trustafarian- (translation: a spoiled rich kid who pretends to be a hippy, but still weekend's at Daddy's estate). The lacquer is a delightful sage green with a golden holographic finish that gives it a surprisingly sophisticated edge.

Gobsmacked

Gobsmacked- (translation: to be totally speechless or unable to think of anything to say). The lacquer is a heavily pigmented charcoal grey glitter with a slightly textured finish. It is a butter LONDON legend in the making and unlike anything seen before!

Shag

Shag- (translation: Brit equivalent to "knocking boots"). The lacquer is a high shine metallic in a warm orange burgundy shade. Think fallen Autumn leaves...

Dodgy Barnett

Dodgy Barnett- (translation: a seriously bad hair cut or 'do; the mullet is the perfect example). The lacquer is a highly holographic shade that blurs the line between grey and silver. A must have! 

Backstage with butter LONDON: butter LONDON is a backstage staple at Fashion Week, having created the nail looks for shows including Victoria Beckham, Calvin Klein, Betsey Johnson, and Yigal Azrouel. Sought after for their innovative design, technique, and custom blended colours, this season the brand created the nail looks for Altuzarra, Kevork, Kaelen, Simone Rocha, JS Lee, Craig Lawrence, Matthew Williamson, Michael van der Ham, and Roland Mouret. Each Lacquer retails for $14 and they are available on butterLONDON.com and select Ulta Beauty stores. 

So it's official, I want them all! Stay tuned for information on the coordinating lipgloss (or "lippies" as the Brits say) collection! What color in the collection is on your wish list? What's your favorite butter London shade? My inquiring mind wants to know! Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. Until next time...


Ciao, XxO


Q


PS-This press release and the photos are via beautypress.com :)

MMM: My Tips are California Cool with NCLA

My pretty new lacquers from NCLA

I had the privilege of receiving these AWESOME polishes from NCLA, a new to me brand that features gorgeous nail lacquers and unique nail wraps (stay tuned for a post on those). All of the lacquers are 100% 4 free (no DBP, Camphor, Toluene, or Formaldehyde) and are NEVER tested on animals.

MMM: Glitters and Pastels the Sally Hansen Way

Mama's Mani Madness: Glitter and Pastels from Sally Hansen by mamafashionist1 featuring sally hansen nail polish

Sally Hansen is a beauty industry leader, providing anything a woman could need for her nails while remaining budget friendly, fun, easy, and accessible for any style, trend, and skill level. Whether you want to keep your fingers office appropriate, bling out your nails with glitter galore, or find a happy medium, here are a few products from Sally Hansen that can help you get the look that is just right for you!

MMM: Simple Gradient/Ombre Manicure with Essie, Julep, and Sinful Colors

From l-r: essie ridge filling base coat, Sinful Colors in Easy Going (300), Julep  Nail Vernis in Kelly, Hayden, Alicia,
and Sasha, essie luxeffects in Set in Stones, Julep Nail Vernis in Oscar, and Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat (picture taken without flash)

Mama's Mani Madness! Avon nailwear pro+ Nail Enamel

Um... the title of this series is a work in progress; what can I say, I like alliteration! Anyway, I really enjoy nail polish and being able to experiment with different colors, designs, trends, and techniques all on my fingers and toes. To that effect, I'm always on the look out for new brands, formulas, colors, etc. to grow my ever expanding nail polish collection. As my photography skills improve (and if you lovelies request it of me), I will start to do swatches on my nails of different colors as I collect them. But to start off, I thought I'd share my discoveries with you with pictures of the bottles, etc. (Perhaps, I'll insert pictures of swatches at a later date; I'll keep you posted, if you promise to stay tuned!)

A selection from Avon's nailwear pro+ line. From l-r: barefoot beige, viva pink,  starry sky, decadence,  cosmic blue, and absinthe