Caviar Nails Are Taking OVER !!!

Black Pearls

Rainbow

I'll always welcome an British Invasion in the form of chic nail appliques.  Ciaté Caviar Manicure kit is now available state-side exclusively at Sephora Stores and Sephora.com . This two step process is completely easy, check out the instruction diagram below: 

Although these nails are not meant to last a week, average time is 48 hours -  they're great just for fun or a special occasion coming up.   They come in  three colors -  Black , Rainbow and White Pearl (not shown)  . The Black Caviar are beyond chic , but I love all the color options they give you a different feeling.  


This Avant Garde Nail kit is VERY affordable at $25 !!!! Please go to your nearest Sephora or Sephora.com  for this luxe kit.  Your nails will thank you! 

Springs Most Coveted Little Accessory

Spring is here, and along with the beautiful sun, flowers, and spring showers are : colds and allergies.

This is why I am sooo loving the  pocketbacs from Bath & Body Works!  These pocket-sized bottles contain natural ingredients and powerful germ killers that get hands fresh and clean wherever you go. Tahitian Palm Milk leaves hands feeling conditioned. Kills germs without water!


They're so small they can fit into handbags and most importantly the smallest of clutches ( for night) . So there is no excuse as to not staying germ-free this Spring season.


At only $1.50 each ( can be purchased at Bath & Body Works and www.bathandbodyworks.com  )   you can definitely grab them all !!!

Bootcamp for Tummies anyone????

Post - Holiday Bulge is a stranger to no one. The great news is that you can say Auf  Wiedersehen to some inches in 30 days with this three-step system titled : Bootcamp For Tummies by Skincare Mastermind Brand Mama Mio  ($99) .  ( Boobtube is a great product that I LOVE from them as well.)

The three step system is as follows -

Step 1: Skin Tight™ Toning Serum  helps lift, tighten and tone This body care breakthrough brings facial peel technology to the body, exfoliating, tightening, and moisturizing for firm, toned skin.  

Step 2: Get Waisted™ Body Shaper rehab for abs Packed with nine clinically tested waist-sliming ingredients to help flush out fat, eliminate puffiness and give a more defined, tighter appearance. 

   

Step 3: Your 4-minute exercise program Developed by fitness trainer Julie Tupler, RN, the Tupler Technique exercises develop abs to act like a corset by pulling in your potbelly, redefining your waist and strengthening your back. There is virtually no reason why these exercises can not be done given that they can be done from anywhere and take less time than a phonecall with a girlfriend about the sale currently taking place at your favorite boutique.  What I also love about this system besides it being only 4 minutes of my day...... NO Crunches !!!! , who really ever enjoys doing them? This system explains why so many people do hundreds of crunches, and hardly sees the results they want. 

Keep in mind, this bootcamp regimen does not promise to give you washboard abs- that only comes with hard work and dedication ,BUT this 30-day system has been proven to give you noticeable results, and it is a fool proof ( as well as pain proof) way to get your abs in gear.  Check out www.mamamio.com for more info.  

Seductive Winter Wonderland on your Fingertips

One of my favorite nail lacquer brands Mattese Elite released a collection titled " Seductive Winter Wonderland" . A collection of six shades three blingy-glitters and three amazing-metallics that will add instant "heat" to your winter with a WOW factor.  The Glittery shades just SCREAM "Happy New Year!"!  

"Temptation"

"Intoxicating"

"Uninhibited"

"Passion"

"Mysterious"

"Seduction"

These colors are great alone, but my suggestion is pairing the glitter over the metallics.. My suggestions are :

• "Intoxicating" as a base coat  with "Passion" over it as the glitter top coat.
• "Uninhibited" as a base coat with "Seduction" over it as the glitter top coat. 
• "Temptation" as a base coat with "Mysterious" over it as the glitter top coat.

Don't forget that a base and top coat is an absolute MUST in addition to the colors listed above.  

All these shades are 5.99 each and available at RickyNYC stores , and www.rickysnyc.com 

Last Minute Gift Ideas !!!! All Under $50 !!!

Christmas is a few days away , and if you have not gotten your favorites goodies yet , there's still a couple of days to do so.  Another factor with gift-buying is budget: sometimes lack of funds around this time of year can also make one leave out some names on our gift lists.  So I've decided to put together some of my favorite last minute gift ideas that are just as much fabulous as they are economically friendly.

Redken Gift Sets 

Brilliant Blow-Dry ($24)


For the girl who can not live without going on her regularly scheduled salon blow-out appointments. This is giving her the gift of creating Salon-worthy hair in the comfort of her own home.

Travel Essentials Gift Set ($22)

For the jet-setter in your life, who is always traveling from one fabulous adventure to the next. She can always have great hair no matter which timezone she's in.  The cosmetic bag the items come in is so chic, she can definitely re-use it to keep her favorite beauty products in. 

Color Extend Gift Set ($23)


 For that friend/family member who changes her hair color as often as she does her choice of nail color.  This set  is a sweet gesture showing that you too care about her hair color choices, and want to help her keep not only those fabulous hues but also her hair healthy! 

All Soft Gift Set ($23)

The All Soft line by Redken is perfect for every hair type. We all  deserve to have smooth, soft, luxuriously radiant hair. So this set can be given to anyone on your list.  Its even a perfect gift to yourself !!! 

Redken For Men Classics Gift Set ($20)

Self Explanatory - This set is the go-to for all the men in your life, Father, Brother, Beau, etc... Every man deserves a good set of grooming essentials!! 



Tarte Cosmetics Gift Sets
 

puttin' on the glitz limited-edition color collection & clutch ($48)

Perfect for the girl who loves her make up just as much as she loves being organized. She can organize her colors as well as have a fabulous clutch to keep her cards and cellphone in. It's two gifts in one with: 3 interchangeable palettes for a total of 18 eyeshadows, 1 Amazonian clay 12-hour blush, 1 Amazonian clay shimmering powder and 1 park ave princess Amazonian clay bronzer all packaged in a reusable purse that features 4 credit card slots and a removable mirror. Fabulous make up along with a fabulous clutch for a fun night out on the town. 

Precious Gems Waterproof Cream Shadow Collection ($44 - QVC Exclusive)


For the beauty addict in your life - this limited edition of smooth as butter cream shadows in four fun shades - Pink Champagne, Shimmering Moss, Shimmering Golden Beige and Plum Smoke along with a cream eye shadow brush for application with precision.  These shadows look great alone , or under her favorite Tarte powder shadows. They're small enough for her to keep in her purse in case she would like to change her look from day ( Pink Champagne) to night ( Plum Smoke) to meet you and the rest of the "girls" for drinks. 


Fabulous Nail Gift Sets  

Nails Inc. Crystal Colour ($19.50 each)

For the girl who has everything. When you cant afford to send your fav on a lavish trip to the UK , you can gift her one of the UK's hottest nail lacquers to hit the states. To make the gift all the more special, each Crystal Colour comes encrusted with crystals. She will feel so posh every time she applies her nail color. My favorite color is Porchester Square (pictured, middle) .  It also comes in a very pretty gift box so it is ready to be presented to the lucky recipient.

Deck the Halls Holiday Polish Collection ($36)

The perfect nail color selection for the party girl! She loves glitz and glamour , and when it comes to her nails its not different. This trio includes Vanessa: Glitter in a clear base,  Helena: Ultra-saturated fuchsia - such a FUN color!!!, and  Julep Nail Therapy - which can be used alone ( for when she may want to go for a clean bare look, or as a base coat. Another added bonus is that the nail therapy hydrates and protects dry, brittle, peeling nails by nourishing  nails with Vitamin E. Users have said to have seen dramatic results in just three days.

Glowing Hands Gift Set ($48)

This set is perfect for the girl (or maybe your Mom) , who rather not go get regular manicures.  She will have all the essentials needed to have spectacular hands from smooth palms to beautiful nails. Two colors, cuticle oil , and a "Facial for Hands" - a hand scrub that resurfaces the skin on your hands like no other and last but not least a glass nail file - I love to just have one of those in my handbag at all times. This is a very thoughtful gift. 

The Girlfriend’s Essential Nail Vernis Gift Set ($28) 

This is a great set for your BFF, or sister, etc..  It comes with two of Juleps most popular colors - Catherine and Jennifer along with their very decadent Cuticle Oil ( cuticle oil does wonders for the nails).  You're giving her the best of both worlds.. A demure pretty pink nail color, and a sexy alluring red. Can't go wrong for a set named "Girlfriend's Essential" !!! 


The Perfect Shade of Lipstick

Mally The Perfect Red Lip For Everyone 3-piece Lip System ($35- QVC Exclusive)

For the Femme Fetale - we all know one. The one who isnt afraid to put on a red lip and wear it with bullet proof confidence.  Another great feature to this set it comes in three shades of red - Neutral ( fool proof for everyone) , Cool ( If you feel that Silver Jewelry looks better on you - or that's your preference) , and Warm ( If you look better with Gold Jewelry) . Mally has said it herself, all three shades can be used on any skin tone , so you can gift any shade and it will be a perfect fit.  My best suggestion is to go with Neutral. I've seen Mally wear this color , and it looks AMAZING on, so this gift will be a real treat  ! 

NARS Cosmetics Semi Matte Lipstick in Schiap ($24)

This lipstick speaks for itself. This shade of pink is vintage, its modern, its pretty, its sexy, its whatever you want it to be.  This is a cute stocking stuffer idea . 

Perfume is Always a Great Gift 

Shine by Heidi Klum ($35)

This scent is the qunitissential "Eau de Parfum" its a sexy, mature scent that remind me of perfumes my mother had when I was younger. Its the perfect gift for my mother.  If she loves scents like Chanel No.5 , she will love Shine by Heidi Klum. It just has a very European perfume feeling. 

Homme by David Beckham ($14.99)


The man in your life ( may it be family, friend or beau) , would love the new Homme by David Beckham gift set which includes the cologne along with a hair and body wash (not pictured).  For 14.99 , you can't go wrong!!! 

Playboy Fragrances For Women 3-Piece Set ($21.99) 

The perfect gift for your single ladies. Each alluring scent in this kit represents the three steps in the art of seducing a man from flirtation to temptation to total captivation.  Set includes : Play It Lovely, Play It Sexy ( pictured above) , and Play it Spicy ( this scent is my favorite of the three). Its a fun girls girl gift ! 






There you have it, all of my favorite cost-effective last minute gifts.  With an added bonus I will be gifting readers 5 lucky readers to be exact with a chance to win one  of my  favorite fragrance picks  from above : Homme by David Beckham gift set , Playboy Fragrances For Women 3-Piece set, and Shine by Heidi Klum.


Rules 

1. Email Me with the subject " Holiday Giveaway" your full details along with your pick of the three scents. 
2. Make a comment under this post about your favorite scent choice. 
3. Deadline to enter is Wed , December 21 at 11:59 pm est. 
4. Winners will be contacted via email that they've won.

Goodluck !!!! 

Winter 2011 Collections by Zoya Nail Lacquer Individual Color Breakdown

Zoya Nail Polish presents 3 new jewel toned metallic shimmer polishes and 3 glitzy, glitter glazes (featuring unique bar glitter)  in the Gems & Jewels Collection.  All six shades add the right amount of holiday cheer to your nails - from the jeweled toned colors to the mega watt bar glitter shades.

Rina

Rina can be best described as: A unique bar glitter in a bright shamrock green with hologram glitter accents.

Holly

Holly can be best described as: A rich holly green with subtle yellow tones in a luminous metallic finish.

Kissy

Kissy can be best described as: A glitter that combines red, pink, purple and hologram particles with unique bar glitter.

Izzy

Izzy can be best described as:  A bright, bold deep pink with hints of silver in a glowing foil-like finish. A fun party pink with big color and a touch of sparkle.

Twila

Twila can be best described as: A unique bar glitter in a bright blue shade with hologram glitter accents. This color looks amazing layered over darker hues. It really "pops" ! This color is so much brighter in person. 

Noel

Noel can be best described as: A faded denim blue with subtle hints of gold and silver in a dense foil finish. A dreamy, sparkling shade that's like blue jeans for your nails. This color is beautiful alone or layered under one of the bar glitter infused shades.

The Zoya gems & jewels collection allows for multiple looks!  

• Wear the full coverage, jewel toned shades alone for a classic metallic shimmer look! 
• Wear the glitzy, glitter glazes alone for a hint of glitz.  
• Wear several layers of the glitzy, glitter glazes for a unique textured glitz nail look.  
• Layer the the glazes over the shimmers to a totally glam nail jewelry look.  
• Layer the glitzy, glitter glazes over other colors to create a totally unique look that is all your own (According to the folks at Zoya,  silver, gold, white and black are great suggestions, I used a dark navy blue shade, and I loved it!).

Zoya recently released six hot neutral shades from the very popular "Greige" , to the signature "Nude" ,  and some "Blue" and "Rose" shades in between make up the "Feel" Collection.

Kristen

Kristen can be best described as a gull gray nail polish with a mild bluish hue. 

Carey

Carey can be best described as a periwinkle gray. 

Griege shades have been on the "hot" list for a couple of seasons now, and Carey surely does deliver! 

Megan

Megan can be best described as a full coverage, taupe gray cream. 

Kendal


Kendal can be best described as a lavender, beige cream nail polish shade. I love that this is a rose-hued neutral color!! This is something we have not seen recently when it comes to nude shades.

Kennedy

Kennedy can be best described as a full coverage, pale, french beige cream. This is a classic, timeless hue.

Avery

Avery can be best described as a full coverage, blond-beige cream. Yet another classic shade.

Both the Gems & Jewels and Feel Collections can be purchased at zoya.com. 

Tis' The Season To Be Sparkly!

When I think about the Holidays, I can't help but think of sparkles and glitter and lights . From decorations on Christmas Trees, Candles, Christmas lights, and one of my favorites - anything Sequins !!!!  Above, is some of my favorite things that are sort of like my "inspiration" for this month - some items are uber-luxe ( if I had no budget - ie.  that sparkly flower Miniaudiere) , along with some that are actually attainable. My favorites are the nail polishes of course !!! They're the most budget friendly way to feel fabulous , and also a VERY cost-effective stocking stuffer that you KNOW the recipient is GOING to use.

Winter "Bling it On" Collection

Holiday "Luxeffects" Collection

Essie's Winter "Bling It On" Collection  - along with the recently released set of top coats that feature fun festive effects to your nails from chunks of glitter ( that actually has a sequin-like texture) , to mettalic opalescent sheens rightfully named the "LuxEffects" ! Just in time for one of the most luxe times of the year!!!  I actually love the idea of doing a mix + match with colors from both collections, there is a lot of possibilities when it comes to making a creative footprint with your nails.


The "Bling It On" and "LuxEffects" Collections are available at salons and beauty destinations worldwide!!!

Happy Sparkling!