2014 VMAs Best Red Carpet Looks: Spread the Love with Matching Bright & Beautiful Nail Polish Shades

Photo by José Goulão

Love conquered all at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards last Sunday. 

Beyoncé not only stole the show with her moves and vocals, but she also put on one of the most iconic performances in VMA history. Her 15-minute music medley included heartwarming home videos of her hubby Jay Z and 2-year-old daughter Blue Ivy. Both then joined her on stage to exchange lots of hugs and kisses, and present the Queen of Pop with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. The show of support and affection served to shut down recent rumors that the couple's marriage may be on the rocks.

Lip Lock: The Carters stand united.

Miley Cyrus also spread the love by shedding light on homeless youths in America. After winning the coveted Video of the Year Award, she called on a young man named Jesse to take the stage while she looked on from the sidelines. Cyrus shed tears as he told the audience, "My name is Jesse, and I am accepting this award on behalf of the 1.6 million runaways and homeless youth in the United States who are starving, lost and scared for their lives right now. I know because I am one of these people." 

Miley Cyrus tears up when a homeless youth 
delivers a moving speech.

Cyrus met Jesse while visiting My Friend's Place in Los Angeles. She's supporting the organization's efforts to end youth homelessness by raising funds through a VIP concert contest. A small donation enters you to win a trip to her upcoming Bangerz Tour show in Rio de Janeiro with backstage access. 

The lovefest continued on social media for fierce red carpet looks. Here are some of our favorite Twitter comments:  

Jennifer Lopez' cutout dress--"Boss mama is killen em all!" 

Beyoncé's bejeweled bodysuit--"If I owned the bodysuit Beyonce is wearing I would feed it and walk it and take care of it and love it like a member of the family." 

Iggy Azalea's fitted Versace number--"Is there an Iggy Cam set up that just follows the back of Iggy Azalea's dress all night? Where's that feed?"

Demi Lovato's Lanvin ensemble--"Demi Lovato and that astonishing red dress just won best #imallgrownupnow award."

Are you feelin' the love? We're matching the following amazing red carpet looks with our favorite sparkling lacquer shades from Zoya Nail Polish and Color Club Nail Lacquer. Each manufacturer follows no animal testing and vegan practices. Let us know which one you like best! 

Jennifer Lopez heats up the red carpet in a shimmering silver peek-a-boo Charbel Zoe number with a thigh high slit.

SHINE: Zoya Nail Polish Cosmo Magical PixieDust. BEAUTY: Restore radiance to your tips with this silver crystal sparkle featuring textured PixieDust with mega hex iridescent particles. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate.

Beyoncé holds a mini concert by performing for 15 minutes 

in a bedazzled Tom Ford bodysuit.

SHINE: Color Club Nail Lacquer Surprise! BEAUTY: Create diva digits with this multi-colored confetti glitter polish. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of toluene, dibutyl phthalate and formaldehyde.

Katy Perry channels Britney Spears (circa 2001 American Music Awards) with a Versace denin-on-denim dress. 

SHINE: Zoya Nail Polish Rebel, Ling and Twila. BEAUTY: Rebel dazzles as a sky blue metallic with a silver shimmer, while Ling rocks as a vibrant royal blue cream and Twila sparkles as a unique bar glitter in a bright blue shade with hologram glitter accents. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate.

Iggy Azalea stuns in a skin tight silver metallic 
Versace gown. 

SHINE: Color Club Nail Lacquer Platinum Record. BEAUTY: Add the wow factor to what you're wearing with this sparkling silver glitter shade. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of toluene, dibutyl phthalate and formaldehyde.

Taylor Swift flaunts her long legs in a teeny tiny, 

super short blue onesie by Mary Katrantzou.

SHINE: Zoya Nail Polish Mosheen. BEAUTY: This astro ice blue topper can be worn alone for a sheer look or layered over other hues. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate.

Demi Lovato joins the daring cleavage club with a 

deep plunging Lanvin dress.

SHINE: Color Club Nail Lacquer Art of Seduction. BEAUTY: Create your own red carpet moment with this shimmering scarlet shade. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of toluene, dibutyl phthalate and formaldehyde.

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.

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.

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.

Halloween Nails: Candy Corn-Colored Polishes

Boo!-hoo... Too bad Halloween only comes once each year. Be that as it may, we're gonna supersize our sweet tooth craving with one of the most iconic treats of the annual celebration--candy corn. This classic confection not only screams Halloween, but also bursts with bold colors of the season (pumpkin orange, leaf changing yellow and ghostly white). 

Candy corn serves as a drop-dead template for a scary good mani. The devil's in the details, so begin with a base coat and two layers of yellow polish. Next, apply two coats of orange lacquer over two-thirds of the nail starting from slightly lower than mid-range to the top. Then, layer two coats of white polish on the tip of the nail. Finish with a top coat.

No matter "witch" polish you select, the following lacquers make your nails look more delightful than frightful. They may not raise the spirits, but they're guaranteed to lift yours. 

Happy Halloween Eve!

SHINE: Butter London. BEAUTY: Cream Tea (white), Cheeky Chops (yellow) and Jaffa (orange). BEACON: Free of formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate and parabens.

SHINE: Dazzle Dry Nail Lacquer. BEAUTY: Sheer Elegance (almond), Frozen Lemonade (pale yellow) and Orange Sorbet (orange). BEACON: Vegan, and contains no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, camphor or nitrocellulose.

SHINE: Milani Nail Lacquer High Speed Fast Dry and NEON (right). BEAUTY: White on the Spot (white), Yellow Whiz (yellow) and Awesome Orange (orange). BEACON: Free of dibutyl phthalate, toluene and formaldehyde. 

SHINE: Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color (middle) and Complete Salon Manicure. BEAUTY: 120 Polar Bare (white), 360 Mellow Yellow and 560 Kook-A-Mango (orange). BEACON: Contains no dibutyl phthalate, toluene or formaldehyde.

SHINE: Zoya Nail Polish. BEAUTY: Christinna (white), Pippa (yellow) and Pia (orange). BEACON: No animal testing. Free of toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate.