Pearlescent Bridal Polish Trends: Amal Alamuddin Weds George Clooney in a Classic Ivory Mani

Photo by Michael Vlasaty

Two small words we thought George Clooney would never say were spoken loud and clear over the weekend: "I do!" Hollywood's most eligible bachelor tied the knot with British human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in Venice, Italy, the amore capital of the world. 

Classic and classy wedding white served as the theme of the ceremony. The bride chose an off-white lace Oscar de la Renta gown, which featured hand-embroidered pearls and diamanté accents, and an opaque ivory mani, while the groom wore a tuxedo by Giorgio Armani. The couple exchanged vows in front of a large wall of white candles, and white roses, lilies and carnations added a fresh, fragrant touch to the romantic venue.

The bride accessorized her custom Oscar de la Renta dress hand-embroidered with pearls with opaque ivory nail polish.

Amal Alamuddin's cream-colored Stella McCartney pantsuit, 

which she wore at the civil ceremony, matched her mani.

Fast forward to 0:26 to see the bride's stunning nails.

The presence of Clooney's celeb pals turned the private ceremony into a star-studded event. They included Bono, Cindy Crawford, Rande Gerber, Matt Damon, Vogue editor Anna Wintour, Emily Blunt and John Krasinski. Mr. and Mrs. Clooney reportedly sold their wedding photo rights to Vogue, People and Hello! magazines in exchange for donations to charities of their choice, such as Not On Our Watch Project, American Foundation for Equal Rights and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network--organizations that the groom actively supports.

In honor of Alamuddin's beautiful pearl embroidered wedding dress and ivory matrimonial mani, we present several pretty pearlescent polish shades. Best of all, you don't need to be a blushing bride to vow to wear them. Cheers!   

SHINE: Color Club Zodiac Nail Kit (Gemini). BEAUTY: Turn your tips into nuptial nails with this handy kit, which includes a bottle of oyster white polish, petite pearl birthstones and gem art tool. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of toluene, dibutyl phthalate and formaldehyde.

SHINE: Dazzle Dry Nail Lacquer (Down the Aisle). BEAUTY: Say "I do" to this wedding white color that features tiny glitter gold flakes. BEACON: Vegan, and contains no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, camphor or nitrocellulose. 

SHINE: essence Colour & Go (Give Me Nude, Baby!). BEAUTY: Wedding bells will ring with this sheer off-white shade. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of toluene, dibutyl phthalate and formaldehyde. 

SHINE: Essie (Show Me the Ring). BEAUTY: You can put your ring on it with this iridescent pearly white hue. BEACON: Contains no dibutyl phthalate, toluene or formaldehyde.

SHINE: OPI Nail Lacquer (Pearl of Wisdom). BEAUTY: This sheer oyster shade with undertones of pink and green glows with an iridescent silver shimmer. BEACON: Free of formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate and toluene. Through the Schaeffer Family Foundation, OPI donates to the American Heart Association and the Leukemia Research Foundation. 

SHINE: SpaRitual (Ice Ice Baby). BEAUTY: This shimmering shade of frost will glisten underneath a Venice moon. BEACON: Vegan, and formulated without toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, dibutyl phthalate and camphor. 

SHINE: Zoya Nail Polish (Ginessa). BEAUTY: Soft, silvery white glitter flakes dance off of a sheer winter white base. 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.

Va-Va-Voom Looks for Valentine's Day: Luscious Lipsticks & Nail Lacquers

Photo by Sture Jonasson

Cupid goes a little cra-cra today, so you know what that means? It's Valentine's Day! Not only do couples have a chance to express their love for one another, they also get to spend the evening under the glow of a full moon this year. 

It's been said that the lunar spectacle may prompt intense emotions and behaviors. This creates the ideal setting to take part in the most romantic day of the year and everything that the celebration typically yields--candlelight dinners, candies, cards, champagne, jewelry, flowers and heartfelt sentiments. 

Photo by Sean McClean

Since the evening sky will be filled with bright moonlight, you should glow too. Luckily, it doesn't take a lot of time or effort to design a dynamic duo effect with your lips and nails. Check out these luscious lipstick, gloss and lacquer looks. They're color coordinated to create the perfect pucker and mesmerizing manis.

Pouts and polish make a great team--just like you and your lover, and a full moon and Valentine's Day!   

SHINE: Alba Botanica Mineral Terragloss. BEAUTY: Make your pout stand out with this tantalizing trio of lip glosses--Garnet (pinot noir shimmer), Bloom (pink shimmer) and Blaze (red shimmer). BEACON: No animal testing and vegan. Free of sodium lauryl sulfate, parabens, phthalates, artificial colors and silicones. Supports Farm Sanctuary.

SHINE: Zoya Nail Polish. BEAUTY: Create lots of memories and manis with Rekha (bold blood red with a glossy cream finish), Sweet (pale bubblegum pink cream) and Maura (electric crimson cream). BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate.

SHINE: Hemp Organics Lipsticks. BEAUTY: Sneak a smooch with your significant other in Pink Satin (shimmering pink) and Rose Petal (sheer light pinkish red). BEACON: No animal testing and USDA Organic certified. Free of gluten, artificial fragrances, parabens, SLS, phthalates and FD&C colors. Supports The Library Project.

SHINE: Zoya Nail Polish. BEAUTY: Love will conquer all with these captivating colors--Jolene (pink cream) and Zanna (light rose-mauve cream). BEACON: No animal testing. Free of toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate.

SHINE: Pacifica Coconut Kiss Creamy Lip Butter. BEAUTY: Create a kissable moment wearing Stardust (silver nude). BEACON: Vegan and cruelty free. Free of parabens, petroleum, carmine and FD&C colors. 

SHINE: SpaRitual Lacquers. BEAUTY: Make a style statement with Silver (metallic shimmer) and Twig (light latte). BEACON: Vegan, and free of toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, dibutyl phthalate and camphor.  

SHINE: Sormé Treatment Cosmetics Perfect Performance Lip Color. BEAUTY: Make your lover's heart melt with this hot shade--Perhaps (light pink shimmer with hints of gold and silver). BEACON: No animal testing. Supports the Noreen Fraser Foundation and Look Good...Feel Better.

SHINE: Zoya Nail Polish. BEAUTY: The champagne will be sparkling and so will your mani with this chic shade of Shimmer (light pink with gold and silver glitter undertones). BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate.

SHINE: SpaRitual Lip Glosses. BEAUTY: Set the mood with these sultry and chic shades--Radiant (red shimmer), Glow (pink shimmer) and Clarity (nude shimmer). BEACON: Free of sulfates, fragrances, GMOs, gluten, petrochemicals, phthalates, triclosan and parabens.

SHINE: SpaRitual Lacquers. BEAUTY: Keep the romance alive with candles, candies and lots of color--Intention (red shimmer), Love Is In The Air (bright pink cream) and In The Buff (nude cream). BEACON: Vegan, and free of toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, dibutyl phthalate and camphor.  

SHINE: Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Lipsticks and Mighty Shiny Lip Gel. BEAUTY: Put a little pop in your pout with Tangelo (orangey/red), Flaunt (brilliant pink with a hint of golden shimmer) and Blushing Nude (pink caramel beige). BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, petroleum, mineral oil, talc, alcohol, and artificial fragrances and colorants.

SHINE: Color Club Professional Nail Lacquer. BEAUTY: All you need is love and these lively lacquers--In Theory (bright coral), Warhol (expressive pink) and Nature's Way (light latte). BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of toluene, dibutyl phthalate and formaldehyde. 

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

Halloween Nail Art: To-Die-For Day of the Dead Digits

Photo by Cody Garcia

Make no bones about it! Gravity star Sandra Bullock recently got into the Halloween spirit with an otherworldy outfit. She and her 3-year-old son Louis wore matching macabre skeleton costumes to his school party. Bullock also completely covered her face with Day of the Dead makeup using white paint accented by black eyes, nose, lips and cheek stitches, and a red flower chin and petal socket eyes. 

Sandra Bullock: Superstar sugar skull look.

This type of face paint honors a holiday celebration in Central and South America called Day of the Dead. Dia de los Muertos, as it's known, takes place on November 1 and 2, and actually brings about joyful rather scary feelings. The tradition remembers deceased friends and family members with special altars that have been lovingly adorned with edible sugar skulls, flowers and other gifts that the departed enjoyed during their lifetime.

Sugar skulls inspire festive nail art designs in a scary good way. Whimsical elements that can be applied with polish include petal socket eyes, cobwebs, stitches and flowers. So, in honor of Halloween and Day of the Dead, my niece, Natalie J. Wilson, and I created several easy patterns using glue-on thumb nails as our canvas. They're drop-dead gorgeous!

Please feel free to share your own Halloween or Day of the Dead nail art ideas. We'd love to hear about them!  

SIMPLIFIED SUGAR SKULL

Nail art by Natalie J. Wilson

SHINE: Karma Organic Nail Polish San Gennaro in September (red), Velvet Night (purple) and Cobblestone Matte (gray). BEAUTY: Start with two coats of gray polish. Then, using purple lacquer, paint two large eye sockets, a triangle nose and a mouth with a long, straight line and several small vertical stitches. Use the tip of your brush or a nail art dotting tool to finish the skull with red flower-like petals around the eyes. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate. 

STYLISH STITCHES

Nail art by Natalie J. Wilson

SHINE: Ruby Wing Color Changing Nail Polish Green Peace (bright to dark green), Summer Love (bright to burnt orange) and Horizon (bright to deep red). BEAUTY: Sugar skull art often features flowers, stitches and geometric shapes. To create a sophisticated stitch-'em-up look, apply two coats of orange polish. Next, paint two layers of green lacquer over the upper half of your nail bed. Where the two colors meet, draw a red line across the entire nail. After it dries, paint small uneven vertical stitches to complete the look. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Supports GLAAD, Autism Speaks and the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.

CLASSIC COBWEB

Nail art by Rhonda J. Wilson

SHINE: Dazzle Dry Nail Lacquer Portia's Wit (white), Midnight Express (black) and Oh My! (bright orange). BEAUTY: A spider web design playfully presents a gothic graphic look on a sugar skull--and your nails. Start with two coats of white polish, and then paint fan-shaped straight black lines from the bottom of the nail to the top. To complete the cobweb-like effect, draw arches in between the lines to connect them. Finish by painting orange polish over some of the black lines to create more depth. BEACON: Vegan, and contains no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, camphor or nitrocellulose. 

FESTIVE FLOWER

Nail art by Natalie J. Wilson

SHINE: Dazzle Dry Nail Lacquer Morning Dew (bright green), Oh My! (bright orange), Rapid Red (crimson), Midnight Express (black) and Strawberry Macaron (pink). BEAUTY: Sugar skulls often get crowned with paper or fresh flowers, such as gladiolas. To recreate one, layer two coats of pink polish over the entire nail. Next, use a nail art brush or the edge of the polish brush to draw a large star-like outline with four pointed corners in black lacquer. Then, begin coloring in the look with green leaves and orange petal polish. Complete the flower by placing a large red dot in the center. BEACON: Vegan, and contains no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, camphor or nitrocellulose. 

Photo by Shabnam Mogharabi

My Halloween version of Day of the Dead.