Easter Basket Nail Colors: Transform Your Tips with A Mani Makeover

Shades of spring: Celebrate the season with SpaRitual Love Is In the Air Creme (thumb), Delight Creme (index finger), Lucid Creme (middle finger), Idyllic (ring finger) and Eye of the Beholder Creme (pinky).

Are you in the mood for a makeover? Spring is a great time of the year to do it--whether it's in your personal or professional life. People seem more open to renewal due to the change in weather, blossoming flowers, and the celebrations of Easter and Passover.

Many of you will be attending sunrise services this Sunday for Easter. You'll also be spending more time with your families and friends. So, in honor of this special season, we'd like to present several transformative nail colors that will revitalize your look and soul. They're ideal for a mani makeover. 

May your Easter basket overflow with these lively lacquers.

 SHINE: Butter London Nail Lacquer. BEAUTY: Teddy Girl (pink), Bossy Boots (pale green), Cheeky Chops (yellow), Cream Tea (white) and Squatter (bright green). BEACON: Formulated without formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate or parabens.

 SHINE: Dazzle Dry Nail Lacquer. BEAUTY: Dawning Desire (purple), Pea Pod (green), Citrus Streak (orange), Girlishy Giddy (soft pink) and Morning Sky (blue). BEACON: Vegan, and contains no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, camphor or nitrocellulose. 

SHINE: Essie Nail Polish. BEAUTY: Flawless (mauve), Mint Candy Apple (creamy green), Lilacism (pastel purple), Better Together (soft pink) and Borrowed & Blue (baby blue). BEACON: Free of dibutyl phthalate, toluene and formaldehyde.

SHINE: LCN USA Nail Polish. BEAUTY: I Love Mint (soft green), Vintage Rose (pinky orange), Soft Daisy (light yellow) and Lilac Blossom (pastel purple). BEACON: Contains no formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate or toluene.

SHINE: SpaRitual Lacquer. BEAUTY: Eye of the Beholder Creme (pear green), Idyllic (sheer pink), Delight Creme (creamy aqua), Love Is In the Air Creme (soft bubble gum pink) and Lucid Creme (lilac blue). BEACON: Vegan, and free of synthetic dyes, dibutyl phthalate, toluene and formaldehyde.

SHINE: Zoya Nail Polish. BEAUTY: GeiGei (pink metallic), Piaf (yellow metallic), Blu (baby blue), Neely (creamy green) and Julie (soft purple metallic). BEACON: No animal testing. Contains no toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin or dibutyl phthalate.

Pot of Gold Nail & Eye Looks for St. Patrick's Day

 Lucky lacquers: Create two-tone tips using OPI Nail Lacquer 
Mermaid's Tears and Bring on the Bling. Start with a top coat. Next, apply two layers of green polish over two-thirds of your nail. Fill in the bottom portion (near your cuticle) with the tip of the glitter gold lacquer brush, and then finish with a top coat. 

Calling all lovely lasses. St. Patrick's Day arrives on Sunday, which means it's time to release your inner green goddess.

You may need to share the spotlight with a few leprechauns during this national observance. Irish lore says these mischievous mythical creatures possess magical powers. For instance, if they get captured by a human, they have the ability to grant three wishes in exchange for their release.

Many believe that they also store coins in a hidden pot of gold. So, in honor of St. Patrick's Day lore, leprechauns and loot, we've compiled lots of luxurious green and gold nail lacquers, eye shadows, liners and pencils. Some of the shadows contain lighter pigmentation with gold undertones. 

Lucky you! You've just hit the jackpot. 

SHINE: VB Cosmetics Dazzle Dry Polar Jade and Jazzy Gold. BEAUTY: Shamrockin' style for your tips. BEACON: Vegan, and contains no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, camphor or nitrocellulose. 

SHINE: Sormé Treatment Cosmetics Mineral Botanicals Eye Colors in Suspence 640 and Status 646. BEAUTY: Go from demure to daring depending on your mood with these sassy shades. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, talc and fragrances. Supports Look Good...Feel Better.

SHINE: Milani Nail Lacquer Mint Candy and Jewel FX Gold. BEAUTY: Irish-sistible shades. BEACON: Free of dibutyl phthalate, toluene and formaldehyde.

SHINE: Milani Infinite Liquid Eye Liners in Eternal and Forever. BEAUTY: Glam up your glance with these long-lasting liners. BEACON: Cruelty free.

SHINE: OPI Nail Lacquer Mermaid's Tears and Bring on the Bling. BEAUTY: Create your own clover couture. BEACON: Contains no formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate or toluene. 

SHINE: Beauty Without Cruelty Mineral Duo Pressed Eyeshadow in Everglade and Ultimate Natural Soft Kohl Pencil in Cedar Green. BEAUTY: Eye-popping pigmentation for your peepers. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. 

SHINE: SpaRitual Earth Matters Glitter and Aurum Shimmer. BEAUTY: Start your own green and gold party. BEACON: Vegan, and free of synthetic dyes, dibutyl phthalate, toluene and formaldehyde.

SHINE: Emani Mineral Color Dusts in Tree Hugger and Gold Digger. BEAUTY: Apply dry for a sheer look or wet with a brush for an intense finish. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Contains no parabens, petrochemicals, phthalates, GMOs, nano-particles, glutens or talc.

SHINE: Zoya Nail Polish Apple and Goldie. BEAUTY: Change your luck with these lively lacquers. BEACON: No animal testing. Contains no toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin or dibutyl phthalate.


SHINE: Smashbox Photo Op Eye Shadow Trio Develop (Oyster, Zoom and Royal). BEAUTY: Playful pigments in one palette. BEACON: Cruelty free. Recyclable packaging made using Sustainable Forestry Initiative certified paper and soy ink.

Women In Black Nail Polish

Remember all the fashion rules we followed when we were kids? Back in the day, wearing white after Labor Day and sporting black after Memorial Day were huge no-nos. Plus, sunglasses could only be worn outdoors (imagine that!).

Luckily, things have changed. Nothing brings this point home more than the release of "Men In Black 3" today. Not only do Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin rock their sunglasses indoors, but they also heat things up by wearing black after Memorial Day. 

In honor of the movie's release, we present eight bold and beautiful black nail lacquers. So grab your Ray Bans and enjoy a blockbuster Women In Black holiday weekend.  

SHINE: Butter London Union Black Jack. BEAUTY: Designed to look like liquid patent leather. BEACON: Formulated without formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate and parabens.

SHINE: Dazzle Dry Nail Lacquer Midnight Express. BEAUTY: Dark and daring color morning, noon or night. BEACON: Vegan, and contains no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, camphor or nitrocellulose. 

SHINE: Honeybee Gardens WaterColors Abyss. BEAUTY: Pure black bliss. BEACON: Contains no FD&C colors, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, xylene or formaldehyde.

SHINE: Milani Nail Lacquer Black Swift and Nail Art Black Sketch (with Precision Striping Brush). BEAUTY: Sleek and sophisticated black cremes. BEACON: Free of dibutyl phthalate, toluene and formaldehyde.

SHINE: Nicole by OPI Black Texture Coat. BEAUTY: Creates a two-textured effect when applied over a base coat and two layers of polish. BEACON: Contains no dibutyl phthalate, toluene or formaldehyde.

SHINE: SpaRitual Street Smart. BEAUTY: Pitch perfect pitch black. BEACON: Vegan, and contains no synthetic dyes, dibutyl phthalate, toluene or formaldehyde.

 SHINE: Sumbody Miss Mary Mack. BEAUTY: Luscious licorice lacquer. BEACON: Contains no toluene, formaldehyde or dibutyl phthalate.

SHINE: Zoya Nail Polish Raven. BEAUTY: Black magic with a subtle silver shimmer. BEACON: Vegan, and no animal testing. Free of toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate.

Mardi Gras Manis

Let the fun and frivolity begin. Today's Fat Tuesday, which means it's all about the Big Easy, Bourbon Street, beads--and maybe a few brews.


Fat Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras, falls on the day before Ash Wednesday on the Catholic calendar. In the 12 days leading up to it, dozens of celebrations take place in the French Quarter of New Orleans with parades of fancy floats, and face-painted revelers wearing elaborate masks, wild costumes and tons of colorful beads. Call it Halloween on steroids with lots of sparkle. 


In honor of Fat Tuesday, we've created four shimmering Mardi Gras Manis. The traditional colors of the festivities--gold, purple and green--serve as the inspiration. 

SHINE: Dazzle Dry Grape Lollipop (purple), Sahara (yellow) and Emerald (green jewel effect). BEAUTY: Parade around in a purple mani featuring two accent nails of yellow (ring finger) and green (pinky).

BEACON: Vegan, and contains no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate or nitrocellulose. 

Mani model/nail artist: Natalie J. Wilson

SHINE: Milani Nail Lacquer High Speed Fast Dry Yellow Whiz (warm canary cream) and Milani Nail Art Purple Outline (purple glitter). BEAUTY: Unmask the glory of yellow digits with shimmery purple tips.

BEACON: Free of dibutyl phthalate, toluene and formaldehyde.

SHINE: SpaRitual Disco Inferno Shimmer (iridescent purple), Enlightened Soul Creme (bright yellow) and Earth Matters (green glitter). BEAUTY: The party never ends with this color block mani. Begin with a top coat and then paint each nail with two coats of yellow. Next, apply two layers of green to the top two-thirds of each digit. Finish with two coats of a wide purple bar down the center of the yellow block and a top coat. 

BEACON: Vegan, and contains no synthetic dyes, dibutyl phthalate, toluene or formaldehyde.

Mani model/nail artist: Natalie J. Wilson

SHINE: Zoya Nail Polish Holly (gem-toned, metallic green), Charisma (neon magenta/purple cream) and Creamy (bright yet soft banana peel shade of yellow). BEAUTY: Enhance the fun and festivities of Fat Tuesday--or any other day of the week--with a sparkling green mani accented by a purple/magenta ring finger nail with a yellow tip.

BEACON: No animal testing. Also contains no toluene, camphor, formaldehyde or dibutyl phthalate.

Wear Red Day Nail Lacquers

Katrina Bowden

Red catches people's attention. Perhaps it's because this bold and beautiful color symbolizes everything good in life--courage, loyalty, honor, success, fortune, fertility, happiness and passion.

It has also become an effective tool to raise awareness for women's heart health. The first Friday of February has been designated as Wear Red Day to kick off National Heart Month and recognize worthy efforts such as the Go Red For Women movement by the American Heart Association. So if you're not sporting a red dress, blouse, sweater, shoes, lips or nails today, you might get pinched a la St. Patrick's Day. 

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women. More die from it than from all forms of cancer combined. Plus, experts estimate that 90 percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease.

Today's an ideal opportunity to have a heart-to-heart with your health--and nails. Consider the following luxurious lacquers to honor Wear Red Day. 

 SHINE: Babor Ultra Performance Nail Color Baccarat. BEAUTY: Formula designed to provide quick-drying and long-lasting benefits. BEACON: Contains no methylbenzene or formaldehyde. Also supports Dolphin Aid. 

SHINE: Dazzle Dry Garnet. BEAUTY: Part of the Jewel Effects collection, which also includes Ruby. BEACON: Vegan, and contains no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate or nitrocellulose. 

SHINE: Milani Techno Red Neon. BEAUTY: Top your tips with a pop of brilliance. BEACON: Free of dibutyl phthalate, toluene and formaldehyde.

SHINE: Sally Hansen Right Said Red. BEAUTY: Micro-encapsulated time-release technology infuses nails with advanced wear and shine ingredients. BEACON: Contains no dibutyl phthalate, toluene or formaldehyde.

SHINE: Scotch Naturals To Hell With Swords & Garter. BEAUTY: Water-based formula serves as an alternative to solvent-based polishes. BEACON: Hypoallergenic, 100% biodegradable, vegan and cruelty free. Also contains no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, acetone or heavy metals.

SHINE: SpaRitual Stiletto Shimmer. BEAUTY: Formula blended for better shine, dry time and coverage. BEACON: Vegan, and contains no synthetic dyes, dibutyl phthalate, toluene or formaldehyde.

SHINE: Sumbody It's My Party. BEAUTY: Become the life of the party with this confetti shimmer look. BEACON: Contains no animal oils, artificial preservatives or synthetic chemicals.

Halloween Candy Manis

Photo by Evan Swigart

Do you know what you're wearing for Halloween yet? I recently attended a Happy Hour Friday Party at Dtox Day Spa in Los Angeles, where guests were encouraged to come in costume. Some dressed as a butterfly, black cat, swamp monster, pirate and witch, while others arrived as Little Bo Peep and Richard Simmons. 

Many shared their favorite childhood Halloween candies during the evening. Most remembered savoring the delights of candy corn, lollipops and licorice when they returned home from trick-or-treating. However, I've always been a chocoholic, so I usually ate the Hershey's Kisses first.

The discussion inspired us to create several colorful Halloween Candy Manis. So whether you choose to be a mummy, ghost or zombie, your tips will still be drop dead gorgeous.

What's your most beloved Halloween treat? Please tell us in the comments section below.

DAZZLE DRY

SHINE: Have a hoot and a howl while enjoying Tootsie Pops, and orange, purple and red tips. BEAUTY: Citrus Streak (orange), Grape Lollipop (grape) and Rapid Red (cherry).

BEACON: Vegan, and contains no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, camphor or nitrocellulose. 

DEBORAH LIPPMANN

SHINE: Unmask the pleasures of candy corn, and yellow, white and orange digits. BEAUTY: Like a Virgin (white), Lara's Theme (orange) and Yellow Brick Road (yellow).

BEACON: No animal testing. Also contains no toluene, formaldehyde or dibutyl phthalate.

ESSENCE

SHINE: R.I.P. stands for Reese's In Pieces, and serves as the inspiration for an orange, a brown and a yellow mani. BEAUTY: Wake Up! (orange), Date With the Night (brown) and Mellow Yellow (yellow).

BEACON: No animal testing. Also contains no dibutyl phthalate, toluene or formaldehyde.

ESSIE

SHINE: Have a devilishly good time with Good & Plenty Licorice Candy, and pink and white tips. BEAUTY: Marshmallow (white) and Splash of Grenadine (pink).

BEACON: Contains no dibutyl phthalate, toluene or formaldehyde.

OPI PRODUCTS

 SHINE: Cross over to the dark side with Hershey's Kisses, and shimmery purple and silver digits. BEAUTY: Grape...Set...Match (dark chocolate purple foil) and Your Royal Shineness (milk chocolate silver foil).   

BEACON: Supports Gilda's Club Worldwide through the Schaeffer Family Foundation.

SPARITUAL

SHINE: You'll always be in high spirits with some scary good Skittles and a rainbow mani. BEAUTY: Disco Inferno Shimmer (grape), Hot Blooded Creme (strawberry), Moss (lime), Revere Shimmer (orange) and Enlightened Soul Creme (lemon).

BEACON: Vegan, and contains no synthetic dyes, dibutyl phthalate, toluene or formaldehyde.

ZOYA NAIL POLISH

 SHINE: Trick and treat yourself to Starbursts, and red, yellow, orange and pink tips. BEAUTY: Sooki (cherry), Pippa (lemon), Jancyn (orange) and Sweet (strawberry).

BEACON: Contains no toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin or dibutyl phthalate.