Caviar Chic

There’s a new trend hitting nail beds across the world, one that hasn’t been done as far as I can remember. While I’m not a fan of caviar on a cracker, I’m oddly drawn to the effect it gives on finger nails.

The manicure doesn’t involve actual caviar, of course, but micro beads or “caviar pearls” that adhere to nail polish that provide an interesting and textured look. The company that is pioneering the market is Ciaté recently put up for sale at Sephora.com. The kits will be sold in stores in May. There are currently three kits available; a white, pink and black. Each set contains a polish, the beads, a tiny funnel (to put the unused beads back in the bottle to preserve for another use,) and a tray.

The idea is similar to a glitter project you did when you were a kid. You paint all of your nails with one coat of your chosen polish, then start on them one by one. Paint a second of polish, then follow with sprinkling the beads over the nail. They will adhere immediately, letting any fallout land in the provided tray. Continue one by one until your nails are to your liking, pressing the beads down very gently to ensure they’re intact.

The concept is new and fun to me, but I don’t like being limited in color selection. Also, the kits are selling for $25 each, and the manicure really only lasts 3-4 days with the beads all in place. This brings me to my next point…which is that Michael’s (or your local craft store) sells similar  beads that will adhere to nail polish the exact same way, and you can buy them for around $5 or less. You can choose to put those beads over any polish you like. I haven’t tried this first hand, nor have I tried Ciaté’s yet, but I’m dying to.

Stay tuned!

Magnetic Nail Polish

I’ve been curious about the magnetic nail polish craze for a while but never bit the bullet until now. The effect is unlike anything else on the market and it’s definitely a conversation piece. I picked up a Nails Inc. polish in “Whitehall” which is a creamy teal. The polish on its own looks fantastic. It’s quite creamy and goes on like a dream, opaque in one coat. It leaves a fantastic shine on the nails without any top coat, but I almost always use one for good measure.

To get the design on your nails, you simply turn the cap over and place the lip on your cuticle allowing the magnet to do its work. Hold it over your finger, being careful not to touch it to your nail, for 10-15 seconds. You’re left with the interesting design that you can see in the photo. It’s almost a chevron print, but the lines aren’t as sharp. I actually like it for something different to wear on occasion, but I don’t see this being my every day nail polish. If you want to tone it down, you can use the magnet for effect on just your ring finger. This can be your accent nail while you paint the rest with just the color.

In terms of wear, the polish on its own isn’t so good. I applied it without a base or top coat to test out the true longevity of the formula. It was chipping by the next morning. I would strongly suggest applying both a base and top coat to seal the polish.

Nails Inc. originated in the UK but has made its way to the US via Sephora. The brand features a wide array of shades in a regular formula, and five in the magnetic series. There is a deep purple, grey, berry and brown along with the teal color that I bought. They all look beautiful, but at $16 each I might consider trying one of the brands that are imitating this polish.

What do you think of the effect?

Summer on the Nails- Van D’Go

My nail color of choice for the last few days (which says something about wear, no chips yet) has been Essie’s Van D’Go. It’s a gorgeous, creamy shade of coral that looks stunning on medium skin tones, but it’s not terribly offensive on my fair skin.

Depending on the light, the color can lean more orange or more pink, but the important factor here is that it looks beautiful no matter what light you happen to find yourself in. The formula can apply a bit streaky, not unlike another favorite of mine by Essie: Fiji. This can be remedied either with some patience and repeated application, or my preference which is applying a matte base coat like Essie’s Fill the Gap. This polish provides a smooth canvas for any nail color to go over. It’s fantastic for reds and darker shades because it prevents any staining of the nail bed, and it’s perfect for pale pastels that may be streaky because it’s a strong base that holds onto color.

Van D’Go immediately inspires thoughts of spring and summer, and it adds a lovely and unexpected pop of color to any ensemble. I’m wearing it today with grey, if you can imagine. If you’re looking for a more wearable, softer shade of orange, this may be the one for you. I usually recommend starting off with more of a coral like Van D’Go before making the jump to a true shade of orange, but if you’re ready take the plunge!

Van D’Go premiered with Essie’s Spring 2010 collection, but I believe it is now a permanent shade as I have seen it at Ulta. Essie is also now carried at Target and Walmart if you’d like to peruse the nail polish section. Go out and have a look if you’re interested, and don’t forget your Ulta coupon for $3.50 off a $10.00 purchase this week.

Happy shopping!