Bling in a Bottle: Summer Send-Off Sparkle Manis

The glowing glitter mani of the receptionist 

at the vet's office.

As a beauty blogger, I get most of my ideas from people, places and pop culture. I've learned to keep my camera close at hand, since I never know when inspiration may strike next.

This summer, I couldn't help but notice the growing popularity of sparkle mani tips. Glitter, shimmer and metallic polishes have rocked red carpets and runways for years, but partially pairing them with a solid color has taken the trend to a whole new level. 

The stunning style statement of sparkle manis can only be described in three syllables: Ah-maz-ing. Their jewel-like, carat-cut quality brightens your look--as well as your outlook--and promotes a runway-ready radiance. Plus, they can be worn by women of all ages and skin tones, and serve as an inexpensive indulgence. Call them bargain bling in a bottle.

As summer comes to a close, paint the town and your tips with the latest looks and lacquers. They're guaranteed to dazzle your digits this Labor Day holiday weekend, and bid farewell to the season in a big, beautiful way. 

The stunning silver shimmer tips of an assistant 

at the dentist's office.

The mesmerizing metallic mani of a friend 

at a wine tasting party.

SHINE: Butter London Disco Biscuit and Knackered. BEAUTY: Iridescent hot pink and oyster/purple/teal with micro glitter particles. BEACON: Formulated without formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate.

SHINE: Dazzle Dry Extreme Glitters Caught Red Handed, Cold As Ice and Gold Digger. BEAUTY: Holographic red with gold glitter, iridescent clear glitter and holographic gold glitter. BEACON: Vegan, and contains no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, camphor or nitrocellulose. 

SHINE: Deborah Lippmann Dream A Little Dream of Me and Bring on the Bling. BEAUTY: Sheer shimmer cupcake frosting pink and shimmer diamond (contains virgin diamond powder). BEACON: No animal testing, and free of toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate.

SHINE: Keeki Pure & Simple Nail Polish Grasshopper Pie, Grape Soda and Blue Frosting. BEAUTY: Shimmery mint green, sparkly purple and silvery blue. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of gluten, parabens, phthalates, toluene, formaldehyde, acetone and sulfates. 

SHINE: Bari Cosmetics Pure Ice Keep Walking, Over You and Darkside. BEAUTY: Fuschia glitter, metallic lilac/turquoise and lavender confetti glitter. BEACON: Contains no formaldehyde, toluene or dibutyl phthalate.

SHINE: SpaRitual Burst and Ha...Ha... BEAUTY: Pink and silver glitters shades. BEACON: Vegan, and free of synthetic dyes, dibutyl phthalate, toluene and formaldehyde.

SHINE: Zoya Nail Polish Solange, Stevie and Destiny (Pixie Dust collection). BEAUTY: Gold metal foil sparkle, lilac purple with silver shimmers and coral metal sparkle. BEACON: Vegan friendly. No animal testing. Contains no toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin or dibutyl phthalate.

Surprise Celebrity Weddings: Quick & Easy Looks For Your Own Romantic Summer Ceremony

Photo by Georges Biard

Kerry Washington exchanged vows in a hush-hush wedding ceremony with NFL player Nnamdi Asomugha last June. 

Location: Hailey, Idaho.

So much for a sure bet. Odds were high that Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston would tie the knot this summer. Not to each other again, but to their respective partners--Angelina Jolie and Justin Theroux. With summer coming to a close in a few weeks, it looks like we'll have to wait until the fall or winter for both of these highly anticipated ceremonies to take place.

Still, Hollywood bridal season didn't fail to disappoint this summer. In fact, it took several unpredictable turns--which surprised even the most seasoned celebrity wedding watchers. Kerry Washington got tongues wagging when she married NFL player Nnamdi Asomugha in a super secret ceremony in Idaho. Although the "Scandal" star continues to remain mum about the nuptials, she debuted her bridal bling earlier this month. It included two bands--one diamond-encrusted and the other a simple gold design. 

Sean Parker spent a large chunk of his fortune to marry singer/songwriter Alexandra Lenas in a lavish ceremony last June.

Location: An outdoor wedding with an enchanted forest theme 

in Big Sur, Calif.

Billionaire internet entrepreneur Sean Parker and his girlfriend Alexandra Lenas also amazed everyone when they exchanged vows in an over-the-top wedding ceremony in Northern California. Parker, who co-founded Napster and served as the first president of Facebook, and his singer/songwriter bride created a lavish enchanted forest theme in Big Sur, California--which cost a jaw-dropping $10 million. More than 350 guests were asked to wear custom-designed costumes made by Lord of the Rings wardrobe designer Ngila Dickson. 

Photo by German Marin

Halle Berry married French actor Olivier Martinez in a 
small ceremony in July.

Location: A civil union at Chateau des Conde in Vallery, France was followed by a religious ceremony in the village chapel.

It was no surprise when Halle Berry wed Olivier Martinez last month. She's due to give birth to their son later this summer, so the couple and Berry's 5-year-old daughter Nahla jetted off to the groom's native country of France to seal the deal. However, the small ceremony caught many fans and industry insiders off guard as they were looking forward to a more star-studded affair.

There's still time to plan a surprise wedding of your own this summer. To help you create a quick and easy romantic look, you're invited to check out the latest foundations, shadows, liners, lipsticks, mascaras and blushes. We hope you honor and cherish them.  

SHINE: Babor Cosmetics Super Soft Eye Shadow (Soft Violet, Plum and Shiny Terracotta). BEAUTY: Say "eye do" with these show-stopping shadows. BEACON: No animal testing. Supports Dolphin Aid.

SHINE: Colorganics Hemp Organics Lipsticks (Rose Quartz and Rose Petal). BEAUTY: Nothing but roses for the bride. BEACON: No animal testing and USDA Organic certified. Contains no gluten, artificial fragrances and flavors, parabens, SLS, phthalates or FD&C colors.

SHINE: IT Cosmetics YLBB Waterproof Nude Lip Liner Stains (Tan/Rich and Light/Medium), Hello Lashes! Mascara with Lash Ball Detailer (Black) and Tightline Full Lash Length Black Primer. BEAUTY: Wow your vows with fuller looking lips and lashes. BEACON: No animal testing. Paraben and fragrance free. Supports Look Good...Feel Better.

SHINE: Milani Cosmetics Powder Eyeshadow (Olympian Blue), Liquid Eye Liner (Infinite) and Shadow Eyez 12 Hr Wear (Aquatic Style). BEAUTY: No wedding day is complete without these "something blue" essentials. BEACON: Cruelty free.

SHINE: Mineral Fusion Pressed Powder Foundation (Warm 3), Lip Gloss (Gleam), Eye Shadow Trio (Espresso Gold--shimmering champagne-rose, semi-matte nude and semi-matte chocolate brown) and Blush (Creation). BEAUTY: Glam your glow as you walk down the aisle. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of gluten, parabens, SLS, phthalates, artificial colors and synthetic fragrances. Supports the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

SHINE: Sormé Treatment Cosmetics Lipsticks (Vibe and Shock), Mineral Botanicals Blush (Fever) and Long Lasting Blush (Wild Rose). BEAUTY: All you need for chic cheeks and pretty pouts during the ceremony and reception. BEACON: No animal testing. Supports Look Good...Feel Better.

SHINE: Susan Posnick ColorEyeDefine (Rose Quartz) and Matte Lipliner/Lipstick (Nude/Rouge). BEAUTY: Forget me "knot" (as in "tie the") with these lovely liners. BEACON: Supports Linking the World.

SHINE: Tarte Cosmetics Beauty & the Box Amazonian Clay Eye Shadow Quad (Secret Garden--shimmering golden yellow, light gold, olive green and dark green/brown). BEAUTY: He's a keeper and so are these shades for your peepers. BEACON: Cruelty free and vegan. Contains no parabens, mineral oil, sodium lauryl sulfate, phthalates or synthetic fragrance.

SHINE: VMV Hypoallergenics Velvet Matte Lipstick (Copa--hot pink with a slight lilac undertone). BEAUTY: He'll never forget the lip lock at the altar with this captivating color. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of fragrances, phthalates, dyes and parabens. Supports The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

SHINE: Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Incredible Wear Gel Liner (Sienna--metallic bronze). BEAUTY: This liner allows you to be flirty and fun as you think about forever together. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of mineral oil, alcohol, artificial fragrances, parabens and dyes.