Patriotic Party Pedis: Light Up Your Fourth of July Celebration with Shimmering Fireworks Shades

© U.S. Army/Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod

Ready to start the Fourth of the July with a bang?

Independence Day allows us to celebrate America's birthday and freedom. Even better, since it falls on Friday this year, it also means we get to enjoy an extended weekend of fun, family, friends, food, flags and fireworks. 

Declare your patriotic spirit and individuality with a party pedicure in shimmering fireworks shades. Metallic and glitter hottie hues of red, white and blue--as well as bright and bold green, orange and purple--light up the night like the stunning sparklers in the sky.

Take a look-see at the following pretty pedi polishes from Zoya. You'll be the life of the party as you rock on with your bad self in chic summer style. Cause, as Katy Perry sings, "Baby you're a firework... Come on show 'em what you're worth... Make 'em go 'Oh, oh, oh!'... As you shoot across the sky-y-y."

Have a safe holiday!

Baby you're a firework: Red, white and blue 

glitter glory.

SHINE: Miranda PixieDust, Tomoko and Liberty PixieDust. BEAUTY: Boom, boom, boom--even brighter than the moon, moon, moon--with these rose, champagne silver and blue sparkle shades. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate.

Photo by Neurovelho

SHINE: Twila, Mosheen and Liberty PixieDust. BEAUTY: Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!" in bright blue with hologram glitter accents, astro ice blue (which can be layered over other shades) and blue sugary sparkle. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate.


Photo by Vojta Jahoda

SHINE: Stassi. BEAUTY: You're an original that cannot be replaced with this brilliant citron green that features a gold metallic glaze and holographic finish. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate.

Photo by Kropsoq

SHINE: Alma, Beatrix PixieDust and Jesy. BEAUTY: Own the night with golden peach metallic, sparkling tangerine and coral orange metallic. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate.

Photo by Florian Rommerskirchen

SHINE: Miranda PixieDust. BEAUTY: Ignite the light with shimmering rose. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate.

Photo by Alessio Sbarbaro

SHINE: Binx, Stevie PixieDust and Arlo Magical PixieDust. BEAUTY: Let your colors burst with spicy orchid purple, sparkling violet and glittering violet amethyst. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate.

Photo by Rhonda J. Wilson

SHINE: Cosmo Magical PixieDust. BEAUTY: You're gonna leave 'em all in awe, awe, awe with this silver crystal sparkle shade textured with mega hex iridescent particles. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate.

National Doughnut Day: Rainbow Sprinkles Nail Art Treats For Your Tips

Photos by Jackie Donut

Mmmmmm... Welcome to rainbow sprinkles heaven. National Doughnut Day has arrived!

The appeal of doughnuts goes far beyond a childhood obsession. Kids at heart enjoy them too. In fact, Americans consume approximately 10 billion doughnuts each year, according to estimates. Glazed, powdered or frosted, who can resist these ring-shaped, whimsical wonders?

Rainbow sprinkles turn doughnuts into a festive funhouse of flavor. The colorful confections provide a feast for your eyes, as well as your tummy. They kick up sweet doughy goodness to a whole new level.

In honor of this decadent day for doughnut lovers, we present a sweet treat for your tips--two beautiful rainbow sprinkles manis. These tasty tutorials have been created exclusively for SHINE Beauty Beacon by Jackie Donut, a gifted nail artist and designer. Please feel free to check out her amazing line of handmade accessories on Etsy and Tumblr.

Enjoy these delicious digits. Just make sure you get 'em while they're hot!

WHITE ICING DOUGHNUT WITH RAINBOW SPRINKLES & COFFEE MANI

STEP 1: Begin the mani with a base coat. Next, apply two coats of white lacquer on each nail except your ring finger to mimic the icing on the doughnut. Then layer two coats of pink polish on your accent nail.

STEP 2: Paint rainbow sprinkles over your white nails with shades of red, green, orange and pink. Before you begin, wipe the polish brush along the rim of the bottle to rid yourself of any excess lacquer. Then hold it at an angle by tilting it upward, so only a quarter of the bristles come into contact with your nail, and use short, quick strokes to create bold slivers of color. TIPS: Apply the lightest shades first and then work your way toward the darker ones. In addition, space out the colors to give them enough room to stand on their own.

STEP 3: Position your fingers in a claw pose with the nails pointing downward to begin creating the coffee cup on your ring finger. Paint a small white square with rounded corners using tiny circular motions. Then, for the handle, draw a thin half circle starting from the top and sweeping downward. Using the same technique as you did for the sprinkles, hold the polish brush at an angle by tilting it upward so only a quarter of the bristles come into contact with your nail. Barely touch the surface as you motion across, down and around to connect the handle back to the cup. TIP: You can also use a striper brush for this step.

STEP 4: Use black polish to design the look of coffee inside the cup. Lightly stroke the nail brush in a straight motion and then apply a small amount of pressure in the middle of the coffee line to create an oval shape. This gives the image more dimension.

STEP 5: To create the steam, paint three super thin lines with zig zag strokes using white lacquer. Just as you did when drawing the sprinkles and coffee cup handle, angle the polish brush upward so only a quarter of the bristles come into contact with your nail. Finish the mani with a top coat. 

Voila... the grand finale!

SHINE: Dazzle Dry Nail Lacquer. BEAUTY (top to bottom): Midnight Express (black cream), Oasis (light green shimmer), Citrus Streak (tangerine cream), Linen Lace (white with a yellow undertone cream), Feed m’ Fantasy (bright pink-red cream) and Watermelon Slice (dark pink cream). BEACON: Vegan, and contains no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, camphor or nitrocellulose. 

WHITE CAKE DOUGHNUT WITH CHOCOLATE ICING & RAINBOW SPRINKLES MANI

STEP 1: Begin the mani with a base coat. Then apply two coats of gold polish to each nail to create the effect of a white cake doughnut.

STEP 2: For the rainbow sprinkles, layer two coats of pink lacquer over the tips of each nail. Stroke the polish brush in a rounded “M” motion to create a puffy cloud look.

STEP 3: Continue the design of the rainbow sprinkles by using white and hot pink polishes. Before you begin, wipe the polish brush along the rim of the bottle to rid yourself of any excess lacquer. Then hold it at an angle by tilting it upward, so only a quarter of the bristles come into contact with your nail, and use short, quick strokes to create bold slivers of color. TIPS: Apply the white lacquer first on each nail before finishing with the hot pink shade. In addition, space out the colors to give them enough room to stand on their own. 

 

STEP 4: To mimic the chocolate icing, outline the rainbow sprinkles area with a wide black ribbon in the same rounded “M” motion. Finish the mani with a top coat. 

Voila... the grand finale!

SHINE: Zoya Nail Polish. BEAUTY (top to bottom): Sweet (bubblegum pink cream), Purity (pure white with a glossy cream finish), Brooklyn (white-gold shimmer metallic), Ali (neon pink cream) and Raven (satiny black with a subtle silver shimmer). BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate.

Summer Vacay Tip Trends: Sun, Sand & Surf Nail Art Manis

Photo by Shabnam Mogharabi
The coast of Nice, France.

Why do most summer vacations involve a big, beautiful body of water? Lakes, oceans and rivers bring out the best in us. Just the mere sight and sound of colorful calm seas, waves crashing against a shoreline or waterfalls soothe the soul. Plus, when we splash or swim around in them, our bodies feel refreshed and revitalized.

My friend Shabnam recently returned from a family vacation in Europe. She and her siblings visited Greece, France, Spain and Ireland. The trip has now become known as "Four Sisters Tour Four Countries in Two Weeks." 

Photo by Shabnam Mogharabi
Mykonos, Greece

The photos from the beaches of Mykonos, Greece and Nice, France took my breath away. The hues of the waters look better than any Instagram color effect. In fact, they inspired me to create quick and easy Sun, Sand & Surf Nail Art Manis in honor of summer vacay season. The shades represent each element of the beach--yellow (sun), blue (surf) and toast/light brown (sand). 

For the first mani, apply two coats of blue polish to your thumb, and index, middle and pinky fingers. Next, brush on two layers of yellow lacquer over the ring finger. Then apply two coats of blue polish over two-thirds of the nail. Complete the mani by using the tip of the brush to paint large beach ball-like polka dots of sand. 

For the next mani, apply two coats of blue polish to each tip. Next, brush on two layers of sand lacquer over half of the ring finger nail. Complete the look by using the tip of the brush to place a large, solar-powered yellow dot on top of the design. As always, don't forget to use base and top coats to prolong the longevity of the lacquers for each mani. 

If you have more time, feel free to apply the ring finger nail art to each tip. You could also play around with the colors of the backgrounds and dots. The options seem endless--just like summer under the best possible circumstances.  

SHINE: Butter London Cheeky Chops (sun), Yummy Mummy (sand) and Slapper (surf). BEAUTY: These pretty polishes have "beauty and the beach" written all over them. BEACON: Formulated without formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate and parabens.

SHINE: Dazzle Dry Nail Lacquer Sahara (sun), Sentimental (sand) and Forget Me Not (blue). BEAUTY: It's smooth sailing with these sizzling shades. BEACON: Vegan, and contains no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, camphor or nitrocellulose.

SHINE: Milani Nail Lacquer Yellow Whiz (sun), Teddy Brown (sand) and Dude Blue Neon (surf). BEAUTY: Make a splash with these lively lacquers. BEACON: Free of dibutyl phthalate, toluene and formaldehyde.

SHINE: Zoya Nail Polish Darcy (sun), Shay (sand) and Rocky (surf). BEAUTY: Take the plunge into beachy chic. BEACON: No animal testing. Contains no toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin or dibutyl phthalate.

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.