I'm starting a new feature on The Beauty of Life! I'm always admiring people's manicures -- I'm the girl handing over my credit card at the cash register, telling the person on the other side, "Your manicure is AWESOME!" And I decided it would be great to share those manicures with my lovely readers! So, allow me to introduce Manicure Spotting!
I really want to hate on Katy Perry, but I just can't. Her songs are too darn catchy. And, since I love everything glittery and sparkly, I simply couldn't resist OPI Teenage Dream, a pink stunner from the brand's Katy Perry collection, on a recent trip to Beauty & Style.
Gel-cream moisturizers. One could say I'm obsessed. The fact that they're both a cream and a gel is precisely what draws me in -- their consistency is always light, fresh and creamy. I've had my favorites over the years (read: La Mer and Garnier), but right now, these three have stolen my heart.
I got a little something special this week -- four absolutely gorgeous Deborah Lippmann nail polishes! I simply had to snap a pic and show you how amazing all four of them are.
The colors are:
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I wanted something that sparkled this week -- and what better choice than M.A.C Soiree? This nail polish was originally part of the brand's Charm Pale collection back at the beginning of 2011, and now it's part of the permanent Nail Lacquer collection. I love the bronze-y gold hue, especially since it's packed to the gills with shimmer. The color feels like a nude, but with the frosty finish, it still catches the eye.
But what I really love? The formula! One coat covered the nail perfectly, although I did two for good measure. And, unlike a lot of other metallics, there are no streak marks. It applies evenly and dries beautifully.
What's on your nails this week? Let me know in the comments!
Two nail polishes named after icons. Two of the most iconic things in the world, honestly! And they're both yellow, which just made me need to do a comparison post for you. On the left, we have NARS 15 Minutes, from the brand's new Andy Warhol collection. On the right, we have Deborah Lippmann Yellow Brick Road ($16 at beauty.com), named after the famed road in The Wizard of Oz.
Admittedly, this is from a few weeks ago -- I meant to post it then, but somehow that didn't happen! In any case, this is one of my standard running about town weekend looks -- oversized tee, denim cutoffs, TOMS (because they're the most comfortable shoes EVER) and a Rebecca Minkoff bag!
It had been embarrassingly long since I made a video for all of you. I figured what better reason than to show you my (pared down) travel beauty regimen? Check out what I'm using on the road this week!
The products seen in the video are:
Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleansing Cloths ($15 at sephora.com)
Tweezerman Pink Tweezer Set
Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream for Dry Skin
Forever 21 Ponytail Holder Set
Lancome Genifique Eye ($60 at nordstrom.com)
SK-II Whitening Source Derm Revival Mask ($160 at nordstrom.com)
I originally started using this moisturizer I noticed it sitting on a coworker's desk. Before long, I had just about emptied the bottle! It's great for soothing dry, ashy skin summer or winter, especially knees and elbows. No matter how cracked or peeling your skin may be, this lotion just turns it into a soft, smooth expanse. This is due to Vitamin E, which works to moisturize and condition the skin.
And the scent? If I could eat the lotion, I would. It smells exactly like chocolate -- none of that fake, processed beauty chocolate smell here. I find myself applying more and more, just so I can feel like I'm eating chocolate all day long. Weird? Maybe. Necessary? Definitely.
Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula With Vitamin E retails for $4.99 at drugstore.com.
I'm completely in love with my manicure this week. I don't want to toot my own horn TOO loudly, but I think this color combination is pretty darn fantastic. I decided to pair butter LONDON Dodgy Barnett, one of the colors from the new Fall 2012 collection, with Dior Pink Graffiti, part of the brand's Spring 2012 Anselm Reyle collection. The result is bold, attention-grabbing and perfectly walks the line between the warmth of summer and the coolness of fall.
Gold, gold and more gold! On a recent trip to Sephora, all I could do was stare at all of the Sephora by OPI gold top coats. And you know what's better than buying one, or even two? Buying THREE, of course! Keep reading to check out my comparison swatches and reviews.
Teen Vogue. Harper's Bazaar. Vanity Fair. W. V. It's a who's who of fashion magazines ... and manicurist Rica Romain's work has appeared in all of them. The mother of two has a truly inspiring story about how she came to work in this business, not to mention great nail tips and a wide range of product loves! Keep reading to find out more.
How did you first become interested in beauty, and what led you to become a manicurist?
I am originally from Portsmouth, Virginia. I have two wonderful children: Heaven, 9, and Zion, 7. My story is so different -- most don't believe me when i tell them how I started to become a manicurist. I started to work for Verizon DSL and due to the death of my first son, I decided to take leave off of work.
During my life i was never the girly type, but I always seemed to have some type of obsession with always having to have my nails done when I touched people. I have always believed in the power of energy through touch, so I felt as though having your nails done when greeting a person would brighten their day (or yours). So during the time of my mourning, I found myself in the nail salon more than usual, but my nail tech seemed to not really care about the importance of my nail care. I decided I could do a better job on my own, so I knew I needed formal training. I went to Miracle Beauty and Nails Academy. After graduation, I went back to working at Verizon and doing my own nails, not wanting to ever make a career of it. As life does surely change, so did my goals.
When it came time to renew my license, I was growing more and more bored with my life and wondered why I never did anything in the two years with my nail license. So I quit a $60,000 dollar job a year to work in a nail spa. Single mother, no clients, no goals, no expectations. What the hell was I thinking! It was a struggle at first but with hard work and a soft smile I worked all the way up to being the nail department manager, which led to getting my Instructors license, and becoming the Director of Education for my spa.
Teaching for the salon, I had to stay up on the latest and greatest by attending trade shows. At one trade show I was able to meet the great Deborah Lippmann and later became her assistant. She taught me how to do nails on set and begin my portfolio and how to find an agent. I had to make another huge decision, to either stay in Virginia at the another great job or move to the city and see if i could make it as a editorial manicurist -- I'm glad I moved. It was much harder to adjust this time, but here i am today!
Are there any nail trends right now that you're especially excited about? What makes them stand out for you?
1) I love the pointed and stiletto nails. I always wore a round nail and often was told it was out of date or grandma-ish, so I'm glad they are back.
2) I am still a freak for short vamp nails. They can make any pair of hands million dollar worthy.
3) I love that color in general is back. I prefer that the nails are short to normal length because the length is what can make a neon pink classy not trashy! 
What are your favorite nail products?
I was told I'm a product whore because I don't believe in using one complete line to get the best look. But I do believe in supporting a line that is based on strictly nail products. These are the products I love.
Mehaz implements
What are your top 3 nail tips?
1) Educate yourself by all means available. Trade shows or tutorials, fellow manicurists, DVDs, nail publications ... you get my point. This is a business that is always changing and there is something you can always learn.
2) Keep your nails done. You are your best form of advertising. No one is above making a new client.
3) Practice. There are so many avenues in the field of nails -- be the best at whatever road you take. If you can't do enhancements well, practice giving the best manicure until you have perfected other things because life is full of surprises and you might make yourself famous by that manicure!
Being a manicurist must be fun, but what do you do in your spare time?
In my spare time I'm actually a poet. I write constantly. Also I make homemade aromatherapy candles!
As I write this, I'm tingling all over with excitement. In just a few minutes, I'm leaving to see the one and only MADONNA, live and in concert in Boston! I'm so excited to see her, and I decided I needed a fun nail polish color to celebrate the occasion. Enter butter LONDON Two Fingered Salute, one of the colors from the new Fall 2012 collection.
