If you follow me on Instagram(@polishandpout) you know that my 3 great loves are lashes, lipstick, and nail polish. As I was painting my nails last night I marveled at the fact that for about 7 years straight I painted my nails the same color! I also recalled that 3 years ago I decided to change that because of something that happened to me at work (when I worked at a makeup counter). I posted the story on Facebook (I wasn’t blogging at the time). So I thought I’d share it with you along with P&P’s favorite nail looks lately…perhaps it will inspire you to branch out from your usual mani too!

Glitter, glitter, and more glitter. All over, as an accent, tips, fade, outline…you name it!

Neon and colors so bright you can practically see your nails in the dark!

The accent nail is still alive and well…if you’re like me and the big bulky nail gems and plastic flowers et cetera seem cumbersome then opt for decal or paint accents!

Bold colors and bold lengths! Sporty and square nails are WAY OUT and have been for a LONG TIME. As in, do not touch square with a ten foot pole. Almond, rounded, and stiletto nails are dominating trend and will continue to do so for a long time I’d wager! Don’t let the length scare you, you can rock the current shape short too!

If almond nails are still uncomfortable for you, start with a rounded edge. Think natural in shape. Baby steps. And do yourself a favor and watch a Marilyn Monroe movie or something from that era, pay attention to all of the lovely starlets nails…you’ll be on board with rounded nails after I guarantee it!

I’ve been crushing hard on pastels and lavender especially…light purples too!

Maybe you’re stuck in a beauty rut like I was: “The other day I complimented a coworkers nail polish…it was a gorgeous shade of teal. She responded by offering to loan it to me so I could paint my nails the same color. “Oh no thank you, I usually paint my nails black,” I said. She asked how long I’ve kept my nails black for, so I told her about 6 years or so. She looked at me like I was nuts and said, “You HAVE to get out of that rut!” I brushed off her comment at first, but then later that day I had an epiphany. I saw someone who had apparently stepped out of a time machine. You know the type: mullet-like hair with big bangs, hot pink lipstick, blue eye shadow, a skirt that is older than her children and shorter than it should be. She looked like she was an extra in an 80’s teen flick, but worse because while she had continued to age, her appearance screamed “It’s still 1984, right?!” Was this to be my fate? I looked down at my nails and suddenly they were mocking me. I do need to get out of my rut! So the next chance I had I picked up a bottle of white nail polish. It seemed the natural choice since it’s the exact opposite of what I normally wear. I must admit, it looks pretty chic. I highly recommend white polish for spring and summer. And while I most likely will return to my black polish in the nearby future, this week I changed my beauty destiny and proved to myself that I will not be stuck in the past! Now I just need to figure out what to do with my mullet…”–April 22, 2010

Cheers to Mullets, Manicures, and Changing your Beauty Destiny,

Tangerine Tango was named Pantone’s color of the year for 2012! Pan-whaaaat? you say…Well nutshell version is: Every year Pantone (a company that established a system of identifying and matching colors for use in design et cetera) chooses a color of the year. And this color is used a lot in fashion, beauty, and design forecasting. Orange you glad I explained that?–umm, sorry couldn’t resist that joke–I bet you $10 if you haven’t noticed this color everywhere yet, you will know that you’ve read this!

I love the energy and confidence that this color communicates! Here are my Tangerine Tango beauty pics:

 

 

1. NYX eyeshadow in Hot Orange: It’s a steal at only $5!
2. MAC Lipstick in Morange: Literally one of my favorite lipstick shades OF ALL TIME! $14.50
3. ChaCha Tint by Benefit: Cheek stains are the best for giving a believable long wearing glow $29
4. OPI nailpolish in On The Same Paige: around $9
5. NARS blush in Taj Majal: looks lovely on deep skin or layered with bronzer if you’re more fair $28
6. Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti: creamy vibrant color $6
7. Cover Girl Lashblast: the mascara is black but the colorful tube and great applicator make this mascara a winner $6
8. YSL Rouge Volupte #14 Orange Shiver: The epitome of luxury, you’ll feel like a celeb pulling this bad boy out of your handbag! $34

And my final pick is the lippy above: Sephora brand Hot Hues Lip Balm in Crazy Coral. I picked this one up on Saturday for $10 and can’t wait to go snag the other shades it comes in (a bright pink & purple). It feels like chapstick, looks like jello, smells yummy, and leaves a bright orangey-peachy popsicle looking stain on my lips! I seriously can’t stop staring at it…it looks good enough to eat!

I’ve been pretty fixated on this color…in fact in the last 2 months I’ve added 3 tops and a pair of jeans in this color to my closet! Check out my clothing picks in this trendy shade HERE. So what do you think of Tangerine Tango? Any beauty picks off this list you’re going to pick up or already have?

Cheers to Confidence, Color, and Crazy Coral,

I did a shoot a while back that turned out SO beautifully and I’ve been dying to share the pics with you all but had to sit on them for a bit until they were published in the wedding blog Every Last Detail!  The fabulous Lydia Takeoka took the pics!

All 3 of the models were so gorgeous I thought it’s be nice to tell you how you can get each of their looks!  The first one that we will look at today is Ashley…

Ashley is often my partner in crime on shoots but usually as the hair stylist…this time though I had the pleasure of doing her hair and makeup! She is absolutely lovely, no?! I love the unique accesories: chains and pearls, and that gorgeous ring! And the vintage wedding dress was from a second-hand store!

To achieve this sultry eye I swept a rich cool undertoned brown all over her lid, blended her pinky-peach blusher shade into her crease, highlighted the inner socket and under the brow bone with a shimmery vanilla, and smoked out the edges with matte black shadow. A strong liner and loads of L’Oreal’s Voluminous mascara finished off her look! Try Dior’s 5 pan in Mystic Smokys 004

On Ashley’s nails is OPI’s Monsooner or Later…this was a bridal themed shoot so I especially loved this unexpected flash of color on her nails! Would you wear a non-traditional color on your nails on your wedding day? I would! (And I did! Haha…mine were black!)

Ashley showed up with her hair already with a bit of curl in it which made my job easier…to get this touchable updo start by running a curling iron through your locks or if you have natural texture use a scrunch spray. Next gently tease the crown, gather the hair like you are going to put it in a some-up-some-down look and pin. Pull the ends up and tuck into a french twist or chignon. Pull out small sections of hair as needed to add volume and texture. Then hairspray liberally!

Give this look a try and let me know how it turns out!

Cheers to sultry eyes and vintage dresses,