Butter London Pantone in Bodacious, $10
I never thought I'd see the day where I would find a color to replace my beloved OPI Lucky Lucky Lavender but it seems that day may have come. This color is doing it for me and has chip-free staying power. I went 6+ days with the perfect mani ;)

bliss That's Incredible-'Peel'! Spa-Strength Glycolic Resurfacing Pads, $29.40 (On Sale!)
Every.single.night.before.bed. I am all about these glycolic pads, I've been using these for a few months now and I can easily say these are my favorite glycolic pads to date. It's a spa treatment in a tiny little packet. 

Parlez-vous français? No? Well don’t feel badly about it because this is about the extent of my French expertise, but all that matters here is the universal language of…dessert! Inspired by the perfectly arranged, delectable, sweet morsels found in patisseries and among Paris’ iconic sidewalk-lined cafes, essie’s summer 2017 collection incorporates jovial pastels and darling metallics inspired by the city of lights, sure to have you dreaming of all things Parisian, ultra-sugary, and perfectly manicured nails. Per usual, the tongue-in-cheek names of each of the six colors in the lineup riff on the French motif with food at its core; shades include éclair my love (red candy), fondant of you (sparkling apricot), baguette me not (lilac), blue-la-la (pastel blue), s’il vous play (lavender pink metallic), and sweet soufflé (iridescent white). There’s always a favorite of the collection, which is usually predictable as I tend to basically just rotate the same 5-6 shades around, in ever so slightly varied hues, but this time it was different – s’il vous play stole my heart! Perhaps it’s the smoothness in which it spreads on the nails, or the way in which it catches the light and gleams, but there’s just something about this girly yet edgy pale pink metallic foil shade that declares it a smash hit, and may I go as far as to say THE color of summer of 2017?  Grab this one, or for that matter, all six shades, here. (essie.com)

I'll be the first to say that nail art is really not my strong point, mainly because in most cases I get distracted and end up botching things up. But, in this case I found the watermelon inspired nails to be a little easier than I initially thought it would be. If you follow me on instagram you might have already spotted them on my feed over the weekend I thought I'd give them another share with some steps on how to get the look yourself. Because, why not be festive this summer?

How To: 

Start with a base coat of green. Let dry. 

Top with a red or pink leaving a sliver of green showing for the rind. Let dry. 

Next, with a lighter shade of green or white draw a line above the darker green with bobby pin or thin brush.

Now, for the seeds. Dot with the end of a bobby pin and black polish (you can use the lighter green/white as well). Let dry and top with a clear top coat for shine. 

Enjoy with watermelon slices. 

With Summer just around the corner it's time to start thinking about adding a little more color to my mani - pedis line up. You know, now that it's officially sandal season and all. So, I've been playing around with my favorite hues to try for the summer, and at under $15. As you may have noticed (via Instagram) I just can't seem to keep the Lavender shade off my fingers, and toes. It's just too pretty, and lasts for what seems like forever.

What colors are you loving right now?

 Essie Ballet Slipper, $8.59 // Nails Inc. Charlotte Street, $11

OPI Lucky Lucky Lavender, $8 // Butter London Kerfuffle, $15

Sonia Kashuk Tango Mango, $4.50 // Essie Hide and Go Chic, $8.50

While last week's nails were also sparkled I thought a little a play on neutrals would be a fun way to go to kick of NYFW in a couple of days. Since I didn't want to go full on gold glitter, I started with a light pink base coat and applied the gold in jagged uneven lines going down my nails. Not quite drip effect but a little on the geometric side. Subtle but enough pop to do a double take, plus they'll last for most of the week or until I have time for a mani change! 

Here's What You Need:

Sally Hansen's Arm Candy

Zoya's Pixie Dust in Tomoko

Butter London's Hardwear Topcoat

What You’ll Need:

A Bobby Pin Or Dotting Tool

Sally Hansen’s Salon Manicure Black and Blue (Base Coat), Sally Hansen’s  Salon Manicure Mermaid Tale & Jaded

How To:

1. Apply Your Base Coat Let Dry.

2. On a piece of paper (or cardboard in my case) dab a small amount of nail Mermaid’s Tale & Jaded.

3. With your “tool” dot Jaded in diagonal lines across your nails, let dry. Next, dot Mermaid’s Tale in the blank spaces between. Let dry and apply a top coat.

4. Voila! Quick & easy, gemstone inspired nails to add a little winter sparkle in your life.

Let’s be real, what makes buying our necessary essentials more fun than getting a beauty freebie? And If you’re new to U By Kotex,  you’re going to love their fashion forward packaging, hello leopard print and neons!

disclosure: This post is sponsored by U By Kotex, all opinions are 100% my own.

For Mani Monday, Ok, it's actually Friday so we're starting a little bit early! I've teamed up with QVC for Mani Monday this Month to celebrate fall nail trends and was asked to create a cute manicure to kick it off. Now, let me be clear, I paint my nails like a 5 year old, ok that's a lie because my 4 year old can do it better than me. So, baby steps here.

I figured this Butter London Half Moon kit was a good place to start, I mean it's neutral enough, right?

Started with a fresh coat of Yummy Mummy.

 Added a few dots(ish)...Voila. 

Mani One, Done.

 Two, felt a little more fall with a pop of metallic, a coat or two of Union Jacket Black and a dab of gold at the bottom to make them really pop. 

In the past I haven't really been one to try an array of beauty products, maybe here and there I'll pick a new nail or lip color, but lately I've been on a mission to find amazing products that are paraben free. 

For me, makeup and beauty becomes limited because my skin gets irritated by the propyl, methyl, and ethylparabens used in my favorite beauty products. However, companies are becoming more and more aware and creating products that are just as amazing (if not better). So I did a little testing this month, and these 5 products were my absolute favorites, ranging in price from $8 to $75, these babies offer a little something for everyone. Check'm out...

1. IOMA Paris Soothing Gel For Legs, $75

This was an absolute life saver during NYFW, between my aching feet and sore legs this more than made up for it. Slather on a little before bed and you wake up practically a new woman. And while it's a bit of a splurge, a little bit goes a long way in this 4.9 oz bottle. If you're doing a lot of walking in heels, I'd recommend in A New York Minute.

2. Zoya Nail Lacquer in Song, $8

This deep blue with a touch of shimmer is one of my Fall favorites, and have had a hard time taking this color off since it works so well with just about everything. Plus at $8, it's easy to justify skipping that mani, and grabbing a bottle (plus a little something extra).

3. Benefit's Gimme Brow, $22

I'm all about a full brow, but in reality I'm lazy and don't have time to play fill in the blanks. However this one sweep brow volumizing brow gel is exactly what I need when I'm in the mood to channel brow goddess, Brooke Shields. I'm serious, it does wonders.

4. Stila Convertible Color in Lillium, $25

I've never been huge on cream 'colors' - Once a 'cheekers' gal, always one. However, this color goes on smooth and actually gives a gorgeous, flushed look over your makeup or without it. And if you're looking to just grab one thing and go, it's a great lip color as well. One stop shop, yes please. 

5. Novo ScarMD Scar Cream, $40

Got a pesky scar or some stretch marks you just aren't loving? This cream's secret ingredient is derived from human umbilical cord serum, and while I'm sure most of you are cringing, it actually works. I tried on a couple scars on my face without mentioning a thing to my husband and couple of weeks later he asked what was different. Bingo.

What are you loving this month?

 While playing I spy on the front row, I noticed red lips are becoming quite the trend and I'm ok with this.

 Deep green, almost black at Mark and Estel by Zoya was a personal favorite.

 Soft, effortless looking waves at Ruffian gave a pretty, feminine appeal without looking too done.

Fresh faces, colorfully manicured nails and messy chignons sum up the effortless beauty at Peter Som's Spring 2014 show. Between the messy yet chic low buns, which I am absolutely recreating, to the half moon manis I'm thinking this just might be the easiest beauty trend to give a try. 

Trend Report: Half Moon Manis & Messy Buns

During Fashion Week, one of my favorite events to cover is backstage beauty, I love going behind the scenes and watching the process and inspiration come to life. So, while in Miami last weekend I was invited backstage with Zoya to check out their looks for the Swim 2014 Collections. Not only are their people the sweetest, but the looks were killer and had the perfect pop out on the runway. 

The look from Suboo was more of a chic scuba white (using Purity) topped with a custom matte finish, it gave the right amount of pow without being over the top next to the disheveled wet look hair and smoky eyes. As you can see, white is sticking around.