Makeup Minute » Nail Polish

Holiday 2009: Borghese Nail Lacquer

Dina Fierro — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:55:18 +0000

Borghese is feeling festive this season, and their newest limited-edition holiday Nail Lacquer collection, Festivo, proves it. Dominated by cool metallics and rich jewel tones, what I like most about this collection is its wearability .

For a flashy effect (think New Year’s Eve!), choose from shades like Prima Platinum – a sleek silver infused with glitter, and Gusto Golddust, a rich, yellow gold with a sparkle finish.

For a bolder look, choose from shades like Ecstasi Indigo – a deep blue with a hint of shine, or Brava Blackberry – a rich, shimmering shade of maroon. For classic red holiday nails with a twist, try Festivo Fuschia and Magnifico Magenta – two bright shades of red that are sure to make a classic statement when paired with that little black dress (or anything, for that matter. As far as I’m concerned, red nails are a neutral!)

Borghese Nail Lacquer retails for $8 each, and is available at drugstores nationwide.

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NOTD: Miss Sporty

Dina Fierro — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 23:39:43 +0000

‘Tis the season for purple - I’ve been loving every shade of the hue for clothing, bags, eyeshadow and especially nail polish this fall.

My latest find is the Miss Sporty polish below – it’s a cool, metallic light purple that I picked up in Superdrug here in London (that’s right, I’m blogging from across the pond!) It was really inexpensive too – under 3 pounds for the bottle.

One of my favorite things about traveling is shopping for local beauty products, magazines and candy but since I live in New York City, it’s actually a challenge to find brands here in the UK that I can’t get back at home. Miss Sporty fit the bill, as did Barry M. and Gosh (two other British drugstore brands).

If there are any British or French Makeup Minute readers out there with beauty suggestions for me, leave a comment and let me know what you think I should be shopping for!

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Chanel Tests It’s Luck with Jade

Dina Fierro — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 04:28:45 +0000

Peter Philips, Global Creative Director of Chanel Makeup, has pulled together a surprising palette with this fall’s Jade Nail Collection. It’s comprised of two limited edition nail enamels – “Jade” and “Jade Rose” – that debuted during the Ready-to-Wear Autumn/Winter 2009-2010 runway show. These mineral-inspired shades recall the jade jewelry and the pink knit and pistachio tweed of the collection.

“For the nails, Karl (Lagerfeld, Chanel’s designer) wanted a green shade to evoke the jade notes of the collection. I worked with our laboratories to offer him a monochromatic palette of 10 green shades. We chose the color that most resembled the green tweed skirt suit from the collection,” explains Peter Philips.

The CHANEL Jade Nail Collection will make a retail debut on September 10th at the CHANEL Soho Boutique in New York City in celebration of Vogue’s Fashion Night Out. And starting the 11th of September, it will be sold for limited time exclusively at www.chanel.com, CHANEL Makeup Studios and CHANEL boutiques for $25.00.

What do you think? Will you be snagging either of these limited edition hues?

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Fall 2009: NARS

Dina Fierro — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 13:34:53 +0000

Fall’s runways were dominated by two words: bold and feminine. Strong shouldered and form-hugging silhouettes, extreme heels and provocative thigh-high boots, and a color palette of classic hues turned up a notch to Technicolor volumes. These trends also illustrate the NARS Fall collection.

“For this collection, I wanted to create something fragile and strong, and seductive but not aggressive,” said François Nars, Founder and Creative Director of NARS Cosmetics. The combination of strength and refinement has become a hallmark of the brand, and is particularly fitting this season as the brand celebrates its 15th anniversary.

Here’s what I’m looking forward to:

NARS Fast Ride Lipstick – $24
This seemingly dark purple may intimidate, but swipe it across the lips and its true shade is revealed: a sheer mulberry. A color that falls somewhere between an intense plum wine stain, and a moody, deep violet.

NARS Tokaido Express – $16
This new hue is a cult classic in the making. Named after Japan’s most heavily frequented high-speed rail route, this lacquer is an opulent blackened amethyst doused with ultra-fine gold dust particles.

NARS Silk Road Duo Eyeshadow- $32
This new shade mirrors the hues from traditional damask fabrics. Classic meets edgy in this new duo – an icy pink is paired with a warm rose gold with golden flecks.

NARS Brumes Duo Eyeshadow- $32
These new hues perfectly capture the moody shades of a cool twilight sky. Brumes pairs a velvety matte charcoal with a sparkling, blue state for a smoky eye that is both confident and serene.

NARS Indian Summer Duo Eyeshadow- $32
A typical Indian summer comes as a surprise, balmy sunshine meets brisk fall. Swipe the summery, frosted champagne shimmer up to the brow, and line the upper lid with the autumnal deep, matte mustard for a striking look, appropriate for every season.

NARS Mekong Single Eyeshadow- $22
This is the perfect addition to the NARS woman’s adventurous palette. The intense, blackened espresso hue scattered with rose gold is a study in contrasts. Applied liberty across the lid it exudes a sexy attitude, or applied lightly, a simple, fashion-forward sophistication.

What do you think? Anything you’re eyeing to add to your collection?

To shop NARS Fall, visit this link.

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Giveaway! Sally Hansen HD Nail Color

Dina Fierro — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 03:30:43 +0000

I’m an equal opportunity lover of all things beauty. So when I discover a drugstore line that delivers high-end results, I get a little excited. The perfect example is Sally Hansen, whose stellar nail polishes are a staple in my stash.

This month, Sally Hansen is introducing HD Hi-Definition Nail Color, a totally new nail color experience. This unique, patented formula with real liquid crystals translates the clarity of High Definition into an unprecedented nail lacquer.

HD Nail Color offers eight spectacular shades with pure, vivid pigments, multi-dimensional color and extraordinary brilliance. And of course, like all other Sally Hansen polishes, these babies are long-lasting and deliver intense shine.

To celebrate the launch, I have two pieces of good news.

First off, Sally Hansen is hosting a sweepstakes on their website from now through September 15, 2009. Check it out and enter to win:

Grand Prize of a 32 inch HD TV
An iPod Nano awarded each month to a randomly selected winner
10 winners total will be randomly selected to receive a Sally Hansen gift bag

OR If you’d rather test your luck here at Makeup Minute, enter a comment below telling which Sally Hansen HD Nail Color you’re most excited to try and you’ll be entered to win a complete set! Five lucky winners will be chosen.

Giveaway ends next Wednesday, July 22 at 11:59 PM!

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Luxe Must:StrangeBeautiful Library of Color

Dina Fierro — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 23:47:04 +0000

If you appreciate the beauty of art and design, you’ll appreciate my latest nail discovery, StrangeBeautiful. This luxe lacquer is sold exclusively in sets of eight - a Library of Color – and packaged in an engraved handcrafted Lucite box.

Jane Schub, the creator and designer of StrangeBeautiful, is a Rhode Island School of Design graduate who derives inspiration from some unusual places – including the Ettore Sottsass Red Valentine typewriter and Josef Albers Color Theory (a far cry from runway inspiration, right?)

Her color choices are bold and unusual – among my favorites are a rich rust creme and an intense olive green. Lacquers are Big 3 free (meaning they contain no formaldehyde, toluene or dibutyl phthalate) and eschew the cheeky names that are so common in other lines.

To learn more, visit www.strangebeautiful.biz or to shop the collection (it’s $79 per Library and they are only sold in sets) at Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Avenue.

Image via It’s Design Related.

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Look Pretty, Feel Pretty: OPI Breathe Life

Dina Fierro — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:58:22 +0000

Did you know that lung cancer kills more women than any other kind of cancer? In fact, it’s more deadly than the six next largest cancer killers combined. My own mother passed away of lung cancer earlier this year, after decades as a smoker, so it’s a cause that’s close to my heart.

OPI aims to do their part in the battle against this deadly disease with Breathe Life, a pearlescent pale blue nail lacquer that donates proceeds from each sale to the Lung Cancer Foundation of America.

For me, it’s nice to look down at my nails, admire the beautiful color and know that I’ve done a tiny thing to honor the memory of my mother and hopefully to help other women (and of course, men) fighting this dreadful disease.

For more information, visit www.OPI.com.

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Essie Weingarten: Queen of Collaborations?

Dina Fierro — Sat, 23 May 2009 17:52:16 +0000

Designer collaborations began in the world of fashion but have quickly become au courant in beauty as well – think MAC and Emanuel Ungaro or Smashbox and Tokidoki. Essie Weingarten, founder of essie cosmetics, has been a busy bee this Spring in particular, with three collaborations announced within weeks of one another.

First up, essie & Havaianas teamed up for a very special event recently that celebrated the Brazilian brand’s latest styles of flip flops as well as essie’s Spring Neon color collection. In fact, I’m still loving Perky Purple with my new silver Havaianas Fit.

Then, this week, the launch of a new collaboration with lingerie brand Hanky Panky was announced. The sweet but sexy “Panties & Polish” sets ($36) pair two coordinating colors of Hanky Panky thongs with matching nail lacquers. Since Hanky Panky’s retail for $18 each, you’re basically getting the polish for free…cool, right?

Last, but definitely not least – BellaSugar shared yesterday that luxury jewelry designer Judith Leiber will also be partnering with essie on a line of three diamond dust-infused polishes this August. Check out the full scoop here!

Image via essiecosmetics.com

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Review: Duri Nail Polish

Dina Fierro — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:29:53 +0000

When it comes to nail polish, I’ve tried them all – from cheapie Wet n Wild to the ultra high-end Rescue Beauty Lounge. Duri Cosmetics is the perfect mid-priced range. The new “Berry Ready for My Close-Up” Collection features six, romantic movie-inspired shades that are perfect for spring and summer.

My favorite lacquer from the collection is the coral (pictured left) – this bright, poppy hue looks amazing with a tan and the Duri formula glides on nicely and lasts for several days without chipping. Check out the line over at www.duri.com -each polish retails for $5.00 while the brand’s award-winning topcoat, Rejuvacote, is $12.00.

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Flower Power: Jessica Botanical Collection

Dina Fierro — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 19:47:39 +0000

Spring is in the air and the biggest runway-to-real-way trend is statement florals. Jessica’s latest collection, the Botanical Collection, is inspired by flora and foliage, and offers up six seasonal hues that remind me of lush floral bouquets.

Image courtesy of Jessica Cosmetics.

From left to right: Birds of Paradise (my personal fave – a shimmery metallic purple), Rosy Romance, Loving the Lilacs, Coral Reef Daisies, Color Me Calla Lily (a bright pink that’s fab on tips or toes) and Butterfly Kisses.

Jessica’s polishes are formulated with Vitamin A to help condition nails, as well as UVA & UVB protection. They’re also eco-friendly, eschewing toluene, formaldehyde and phalates.

Jessica Nail Lacquers retail for $7 each. If you’re in need of a spring mani or pedi, check out the collection at www.jessicacosmetics.com.

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