So, what’s hot for Halloween nails?

Sephora

The easiest thing, obviously, is to, well, fake it. Dashing Diva’s Design Nails on the Go, available at Sephora, are TOTALLY cute – as in black with skulls! – but are natural-looking press-ons, meaning you don’t have to commit to them, at all. (And can have them even i you have short stubby nails.)

Of course, something to remember…if you are going for a non-skull-sympathetic costume (like, say, a nun) – you won’t want to choose this design.

I’m going to be Glenda the Good tomorrow, and I’m aiming for a shimmery pink – last year, I was more of a castaway starlet, and went for the palest peach. Your nails should reflect the rest of your look, or it’d just look like a…costume. And a not very good one at that.

We can’t have that, now, can we?

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Sxc.hu

Get this: Even getting a manicure during flu season – -especially during the H1N1 (swine flu) scare can lead to getting sick. However, according to Dr. Kenneth Gerenraich (aka Dr. G, founder of Dr. G’s antimicrobial products), there are ways to protect yourself.

1. Ask your technician if they have washed their hands. Imagine a doctor not washing his hands before touching a patient! However it’s not just simply about washing hands; it’s the technique and time a person employs while washing that matters. “While in school training to be a doctor, I learned to sing happy birthday at the proper speed to determine the length of time to wash. I also learned to wash underneath my nails, between my fingers, (both favorite hiding places for germs) and then dry thoroughly with a clean, dry towel. Once my hands are dry, I use the towel to turn off the water and then use it to open the door to exit the restroom. This is very important because we don’t know how the person before us washed or if they did at all,” Dr G. says.

Touching germs after washing recontaminates the hands before the technician or client even returns to the station or table. Although we and the technician should both ALWAYS do this before any salon service, unfortunately in real life it doesn’t happen this way. When proper hand washing is not readily available, a technician should use a sanitizer to clean her hands and her client’s hands prior to starting the service.

2. Use properly use hand sanitizer - Like hand washing, it’s how a person uses a sanitizer that makes the difference. Sanitizers only work where they touch. A sanitizer must cover all these locations and similar to happy birthday, the sanitizer must be rubbed on these areas for 15-20 seconds. It’s important to note that hands can be recontaminated during a procedure. If a technician or client sneezes, sanitize again. A customer can always ask a nail technician to use sanitizer before starting a service.

3. Ask the nail salon if they use antimicrobial products to clean their tables and implements. This translates to instruments as well. “All tools should be soaked in proper disinfection solutions, not just wiped off with a cloth. If there are germs are on the tip of an instrument and the technician is pushing cuticles back, then the germs are directly deposited under the epinychium. Used instruments should not touch clean instruments. Think about how a dentist puts contaminated or infected instruments on a separate tray,” Dr. G says.

Eeek…now, if you are like me, getting a salon service at least once a week – you should really take this seriously. Otherwise, beside your gunmetal polish, you may be bringing home a nasty surprise!

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As I was growing up, one of my mom’s and mine favorite weekend activities was getting our nails done together. Now that geography and schedule doesn’t allow this to happen very often, it has become a rare treat – but I still go to have my own done as often as I can. (i.e.: Last week, before leaving for my press trip, I chose a mani and pedi over packing, doing my work, or cooking dinner.)

As we get closer to the holiday season, having picture-perfect nails is even more important. Dashing Diva’s renowned nail tech Alisha Rimando, who has won several US awards for her professional nail creations has some tips to get us started.

Add a sizzling affect to any party ready manicure by applying 2 coats of either of chic black or winter white and then use a silver or gold polish for a festive accent. See below Alisha’s three favorite holiday nail looks:

Black Polish with Faded Gold French

How to apply: For this dramatic faded look, use the silver or gold polish sparingly half way down the nail to the tip. Wait to dry, then apply another coat just to the tip of the nail.

White Polish with Gold French

How to apply: Create a shimmering French by creating a soft, thin smile line at the tip of a black or white nail with a silver or gold finish.

Black Polish with Silver Racer Stripe

How to apply: For a subtle metallic affect, just polish one perfect stripe of gold or silver down the center of each nail to add definition and makes the nails appear longer.

What to do to avoid Smudges or Streaks?

Alisha Rimando from Dashing Diva says to avoid streaks, use a light hand when applying polish and let each coat dry for at least 5 minutes before applying another. If you can cover the nail in 3-5 strokes even better. Fewer strokes, fewer streaks! To avoid smudges, let each coat dry for one minute before applying the next coat. This lets the solvents from the polish evaporate creating a hard coating of color. Plus, apply a drop of Dashing Diva Flash Drip (or a quick dry silicone/oil solvent) after the top coat to provide a protective barrier to help prevent smudging. If you do smudge, apply a liberal amount of polish remover to your finger and lightly rub the top of the nail to smooth out the crease or smudge, let dry and the re-apply a top coat if needed.

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Applying mineral powder foundation

Jo’s how-to tip: A great trick that I love is to use two of these mineral powder foundations to give a subtle, natural looking contour to the face. Use the skin-tone matching powder for the base to matte down the face; then add contour by dusting on powder in a slightly darker shade around hair line, slightly below the cheek bone, and lift the face to pat onto the bottom of the cheek and neck line. The Rimmel London Lasting Finish Mineral Powder Foundation is really light, so it doesn’t build up and can be layered for a really natural look.

Go glam

Jo’s how-to tip: Curl lashes first to really open up the eye. The Rimmel London Glam Eyes VolumeFlex brush has two different bristle lengths. Separate lashes from root to tip with the long-bristled side of the brush to separate the lashes and then load up lashes with the shorter sides for volumized, thicker lashes all in one swoop.

The right way to wear red (lips)
Jo’s how-to tip: First, line the lips with a matching lip pencil to perfect the shape, apply the Bordeaux lipstick and then blot down with tissue for a deliciously dark, flattering lip-stained look.

Shock Gloss

Jo’s how-to tip: For a glamorous, lacquered up look that makes a statement, use a lip pencil underneath the gloss in your natural lip color to even out your lip shape and enhance the gloss color.

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