National Polka Dot Day Nail Art: 3 Spotted Manis Serve Up Little Spheres of Style for Your Digits

If you're seeing spots today, don't try to adjust your vision. It's National Polka Dot Day!

These stylish little spheres can't help but make you smile. Maybe it's because there's nothing stuffy or formal about them. Instead, polka dots promote a playful repetitive pattern of spots that can appear on anything from attire, such as blouses, dresses, socks and nylons, to serving ware sets, wallpaper and furniture.

For beautynistas, spots and polish go together as well as itsy bitsy teenie weenie bikinis and yellow polka dots. They not only perk up your digits with a pop of color, but they also lift your spirits. So, in honor of National Polka Dot Day, we've created three spotted nail art manis. They're bright, bold and beautiful--just like you! 

Use a professional nail dotter, the tip of your polish brush or a rounded toothpick to create your polka dots. Plus, don't forget to apply base and top coats to these manis. You'll be a diva dotter in no time.

SHINE: Dazzle Dry Tranquil Gray (medium gray), Smitten (light beige), Midnight Express (black) and Cotton Candy (neon pink). BEAUTY: Apply two coats of gray lacquer to your index, ring and pinky tips. Paint another two layers of beige on your thumb and pink on your middle finger. On your ring finger tip, layer beige lacquer over two-thirds of the nail. Then draw pink dots and a black stripe to complete the look. Do the same on your pinky finger, but use a black backdrop with beige dots and a pink stripe. 

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

SHINE: Color Club Where's the Soiree (black), Poetic Hues (cream), Feelin' Groovy (neon green) and Peace Out Purple (radiant orchid). BEAUTY: Apply two coats of black polish to each nail. On your ring finger tip, paint a confetti of contrasting colors--green, purple and cream--in a tight polka dot pattern. 

BEACON: Free of toluene, dibutyl phthalate and formaldehyde. Vegan and no animal testing.

SHINE: Dazzle Dry Smitten (light beige), Midnight Express (black), Cotton Candy (neon pink) and Watermelon Slice (bright dark pink). BEAUTY: Apply two coats of beige lacquer to each tip. Layer another two coats of neon pink polish over half of your nail from top to bottom. Then paint three black dots along the inside edge of the neon pink polish and four bright dark pink dots along the other side to create an interlocking effect.    

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

Photo by Alex Proimos

Merry Macaron Manis: Start Your Own Nail Art Trend this Holiday Season with Pretty Pastry Party Polishes

Photo by Nurit Gazit

Move aside cupcakes, there's a new sheriff in town. Macaron mania has swept the country--and just in time for the holidays. Call it confection heaven!

Think of these pretty pastries as a somersault for your senses. A generous amount of ganache, buttercream or jam layered between two meringue-based almond biscuits sends your taste buds into a tizzy. Even better, these decadent dessert sandwiches come in several colorful creations--mint, pistachio, coffee, lemon, raspberry, coconut and chocolate.

The festive flavors inspired us to present playful party polishes for one-of-a-kind Merry Macaron Manis. Winter whites, noteworthy neons, mighty mochas and pretty pastels come together to make bold style statements. Alternate the shades on each digit, create a polka dot accent nail, or paint eye-popping half moons or French tips. 

This is the best time of the year to be a beautynista. So have yourself a holly, jolly mani season!

Photo by Louise Docker

SHINE: Color Club Professional Nail Lacquer. BEAUTY: Twiggie (retro green), Warhol (neon pink) and Almost Famous (bright yellow). BEACON: Free of toluene, dibutyl phthalate and formaldehyde. Vegan and no animal testing.

Photo by Louise Docker

SHINE: Dazzle Dry Nail Lacquer. BEAUTY: Cotton Candy (bright pink cream), Broadway Beige (medium tone taupe cream) and Pea Pod (light yellowish green semi sheer shimmer). BEACON: Vegan, and contains no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, camphor or nitrocellulose. 

Photo by Keven Law

SHINE: Color Club Professional Nail Lacquer. BEAUTY: Age of Aquarius (turquoise), Blushing Rose (pink), Almost Famous (bright yellow) and Killer Curves (daring brown). BEACON: Free of toluene, dibutyl phthalate and formaldehyde. Vegan and no animal testing.

Photo by Nurit Gazit


SHINE: Dazzle Dry Nail Lacquer. BEAUTY: Strawberry Macaron (light pink cream), White Lightning (white cream) and Sahara (bright yellow cream). BEACON: Vegan, and contains no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, camphor or nitrocellulose. 

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.

Hot Nail Art: Morning Coffee Manis

Java, cup of joe, morning mud, jitter juice... No matter what you call it, coffee serves as the go-to beverage of choice for those looking for a fresh roasted flavor fix each morning. 

Americans drink about 400 million cups of coffee on a daily basis, according to some estimates. Not only does the aroma perk up your senses, but its tasty goodness also warms your body and soul. Many describe the flavor as chocolatey and nutty with hints of citrus and caramel. 

Coffee seems to taste better this time of the year--especially on a cold winter morning. I've been snowed in twice since I arrived in Lake Arrowhead, Calif., on Christmas Eve. My hot steaming cup of java juice became my BFF as I watched the frozen flakes fall. 

The last snow storm inspired me to create several Morning Coffee Manis using Zoya Nail Polish. They're bright and lively just like their namesake, and require no caffeine. 

So rise and shine. You'll be brewing up beautiful nail art for your tips in about as long as it takes to prepare your coffeemaker for the first cup of the day. Enjoy!

LATTE WITH A FOAM MILK HEART

Photo by Nevit Dilmen 

Nail art by Natalie J. Wilson

SHINE: Zoya Nail Polish Helen (latte) and Christinna (foam milk heart). BEAUTY: Apply a base coat and two layers of Helen. Next, paint a heart with Christinna on one accent nail. Finish with a top coat. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Contains no toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin or dibutyl phthalate.

VIETNAMESE ICED COFFEE WITH SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK

SHINE: Zoya Nail Polish Gretchen (coffee and condensed milk poured over ice), Angelina (coffee) and Minka (condensed milk). BEAUTY: Apply a base coat and two layers of Minka. Then paint two coats of Angelina over two-thirds of each nail. Complete the mani with two layers of Gretchen over each tip and a top coat. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Contains no toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin or dibutyl phthalate.

COFFEE TOPPED WITH FOAM & CINNAMON

Photo by Lotus Head from Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

SHINE: Zoya Nail Polish Ginessa (foam), Raven (coffee) and Richelle (cinnamon). BEAUTY: Start with a base coat and two layers of Raven. Next, place large dots of Ginessa with the tip of the nail brush. Just before it dries, run a toothpick through the lacquer to add texture. Finish with tiny dots of Richelle and a top coat. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Contains no toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin or dibutyl phthalate.

ESPRESSO WITH FOAM

SHINE: Zoya Nail Polish Raven (espresso) and Austine (foam). BEAUTY: Apply a base coat and two layers of Raven. Then paint two coats of Austine over each tip. Complete the look with a top coat. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Contains no toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin or dibutyl phthalate.