Fall Nail Polish Colors

Fall Nail Polish Colors

One of my favorite things I love to do to treat myself throughout the month is getting my nails done. It feels so good to look down at your hands and feet and see a beautiful colored polish. Wearing nail polish on your fingers and toes helps to make you look more put together and polished which is always a great thing.

Along with treating myself to the nail salon a couple time a month, my other favorite thing right now is FALL! Fall is by far my favorite season of the year. Nothing is more beautiful than the changing colors of the trees and plants. Fall truly makes me feel blessed to live in a place where natural beauty like the leaves changing on the trees can be admired for a couple months.

Putting my two obsessions (getting my nails done and the beautiful fall season), I decided to pull some of my favorite nail polishes from my extensive collection to share with you what my top fall choices are. Note: Some of these colors may be sold out or limited edition, however, with all of the nail polish brands and choices out there, it won't be hard to find a dupe if it's not available anymore.

Ravishing Red's
- OPI I'm Not Really A Waitress (cool red with shimmer)
- OPI Go with the Lava Flow (red-coral with gold shimmer)
- OPI First Date at the Golden Gate (brick red)
- Orly Red Flare (true red)
- L'Oreal He Read My Mind (true red with gold shimmer)

Rocking Rose's
- Sally Hansen So Much Fawn (light dusty rose)
- Sally Hansen Scarlet Lacquer (bright rose)
- China Glaze Sex on the Beach (light dusty rose with gold shimmer)

Popping Purple's
- OPI Suzi & the 7 Dusseldorfs (warm purple with shimmer)
- Sally Hansen Pat on the Black (deep purple)
- L'Oreal Violet Vixen (violet purple)
- L'Oreal  Breaking Curfew (black purple)

Beautiful Blue's
- OPI Into the Night (true blue with shimmer)
- L'Oreal After Hours (deep blue)

Gorgeous Green's
- OPI Amazon... Amazoff (emerald green)

Outstanding Orange's
- OPI In My Back Pocket (bright orange)

Glamorous Grey's
- Sally Hansen Commander in Chic (taupe grey)

All Photos by Becky Schutten

L'Oreal Collection Exclusive Review

L'Oreal's Eva Longoria Lipstick and Nail Polish

L'Oreal's exclusive collection with a handful of famous celebrities helps give everyone a look into what these ladies favorite colors are when it comes to lipsticks and nail polish. A few of these women include Eva Longoria, Juliana Moore, and Jennifer Lopez. This exclusive collection comes with a signature lipstick and nail polish that was picked to represent each of the women that they are named after. The lipstick and the nail polish come separately for purchase, but they are made to compliment each other beautifully.

After looking at all of the colors from the collection, I decided to go with the lipstick and nail polish that was designed for Eva Longoria. I felt that both of these products suited my taste the best of all the choices that were available. I have previously purchased the Jennifer Lopez lipstick in the nude collection, and I love the formula and scent of the lipstick. Also, I have bought many of the L'Oreal nail polishes and I have always loved the formula and lasting power.

Eva's Pink Lipstick
Price: $8.99
Where you can find it: Walgreens, Walmart, Target, Ulta, etc.

This current exclusive collection that was released by L'Oreal is a group of pinker toned lipsticks and nail polishes. I'm not a huge fan of a super pink lip on my skin tone on a day to day basis, but the Eva Longoria pink lipstick is a beautiful balance between a statement pink and a pink that you can wear on a daily basis. The lipstick itself is called Eva's Pink. It is a gorgeous medium-deep rose toned pink. The formula is opaque and creamy, so it is very easy to apply on the lips. Also, the longevity of these L'Oreal lipsticks is great! They last for a couple of hours without crusting on the lips or bleeding outside of your lip line. Eva's Pink is a neutral enough pink that you can pair pretty much any lip liner with it and it would blend easily. I would suggest using something like Dervish from MAC Cosmetics. I think that Dervish is he perfect color to define the lips without taking away from the lipsticks stunning color.

Eva's Pink Nail Polish
Price: $7.99
Where you can find it: Walgreens, Walmart, Target, Ulta, etc.

The nail polish that goes along with the lipstick is also called Eva's Pink. The nail polish color is a beautifully muted rosy color. This color can be worn with any look because it is more on the neutral side of the pink and rose tones. This nail polish formula is super opaque and gives a great color payoff with one stroke. I like to use two coats of nail polish to make sure that there is no streaking, but you could absolutely get away with one coat and be fine. I usually don't even use a top coat to make sure that the nail polish lasts because I think that the formula is good enough that it doesn't need it. I would say that this formula of nail polish lasts about a week to two weeks without chipping depending on the color.

I would definitely recommend purchasing the L'Oreal Collection Exclusive lipsticks and nail polish if you are drawn to any of the colors. I loved some of the other colors as well, and I am strongly considering running back to the store to buy more. Let me know if you would like to see any of the other colors or reviews on the other lipsticks and nail polish colors.

All photos by  Becky Schutten.

Winter Nail Polish

Winter Nail Polish

Nail polish is a great accessory that you can use to express your individuality. People like to use specific colors during particular times of the year. For example, people like to use pastels for the spring/summer or red for the holidays. Personally, I paint my nails whatever color I feel like wearing
during any time of the year. To me, beauty is another way to express yourself and set yourself apart from everyone else. After going thru my nail polish collection, I have selected eight nail polishes that are my favorite for this winter season.

When applying nail polish, you want to make sure that you use two thin coats of polish to avoid early breakage. When you apply thicker coats or too many coats of polish, the chances of your nails chipping increase. A good way to tell if you have purchased a good quality nail polish is to see how
many coats of polish it takes you to achieve a flawless nail application. Again, the average amount of coats you want to use is around two. Using a bottom and top coat will help the longevity of your nail polish as well. The best bottom and top coats I have found are the OPI bottom and top coat as well as the Sally Hansen Gel Shine 3D Top Coat. The only drawback I have found with the Sally Hansen top coat is that it can take a little longer to dry. To help with this, I love using the OPI Rapidry Nail Polish Dryer Spray. After painting your nails and applying a top coat, you can spray your nails with the OPI Rapidry spray and it will help speed up the drying process.

The first nail polish I want to talk about is Essie Blanc (10). This is an opaque white nail polish. It has a bit of shine to it without it being shimmery or glittery. Essie Blanc takes about two coats of polish for it to be a nice finish. If you add any more layers than two or three, Essie polishes tend to chip more easily than others so I would be consious for this when applying. White nail polish is a great color to wear because it does with every outfit and every look. I would consider white more of a neutral color, but it is still gives you a pop against your skin especially if you have any kind of tan.

Essie Blanc: $8.50
Where can you buy this: Ulta, Target, essie.com
http://www.essie.com/Colors/Sheers/blanc.aspx

The next nail polish I want to talk about is Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Sweet Talker (340). Sweet Talker is a beautiful peachy nude polish that is slightly on the sheer side. It definitely gives enough color pay off but is not too opaque. I absolutely love the Sally Hansen Complete Salon
Manicure nail polishes. The longevity of the nail polish is amazing and the color pay off is always great. They are a little expensive for a drug store nail polish, but Ulta usually has some kind of deal or a $3.50 off coupon you can use. A nude nail polish is always a great choice and one of my favorite
colors for all year because like the white color, it goes with eveything. The trick is finding the nude color that suits your skintone the best.

Sally Hansen Sweet Talker: $7.99
Where can you buy this: CVS, Ulta, Walgreens, Walmart
http://www.cvs.com/shop/beauty/makeup/nails/sally-hansen-complete-salon-manicure-nail-color-sweet-talker-skuid-901518

The next polish I am loving right now is MAC Cosmetic Quick Million. This is a gorgeous glittery gold polish with baby pink sparkles in it. MAC Cosmetic nail polishes can tend to chip quickly so using a good top coat is super important when wearing a MAC polish. However, I think this color is well worth the chipping just for the color. It is so unique and can even be used as a nail polish topper with one thin coat over another polish. This is one of the few nail polishes I would recommend using three coat (but no more than that.) Since the formula is so sheer, you will need to use about three coats to get a good color payoff. Glittery nail polish is usually a big trend during the holidays, but I love glitter all year because who doesn't want a little sparkle in your life.

MAC Cosmetic Quick Million: $12.00
Where can you buy this: MAC Cosmetics, Macy's, Nordstom
http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/13855/31461/Products/Makeup/Nails/Lacquer/MAC-Studio-Nail-Lacquer#/shade/Quick_Million

Another MAC Cosmetics nail polish that I have really been enjoying lately is Girl Trouble. Girl Trouble is an extremely light lilac color with shimmer running through it. Again, MAC nail polishes tend to chip more easily so you will want to top it off with your favorite top coat. This nail polish is
a great color when you are looking for a shimmery nail polish that does not have chunks of glitter in it. Also, I have been loving the light lilac color because it gives you some color without drawing too much attention to your nails.

MAC Cosmetics Girl Trouble: $12.00
Where can you find this: MAC Cosmetics, Macy's, Nordstrom
http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/13855/31461/Products/Makeup/Nails/Lacquer/MAC-Studio-Nail-Lacquer#/shade/Girl_Trouble

If you don't mind drawing some attention to your nails, L'Oreal Violet Vixen (500) would be a great color choice. I would consider Violet Vixen to be a deep violet/magenta shade. This is such a beautiful deep nail polish for winter while still adding a bit of brightness. I am in love with the L'Oreal nail polishes! They are so well made and are not too expensive. This is one of the few nail polish brands (especially in the drugstore) that barely ever chip. I have applied two thin coats of the L'Oreal nail polish and it has lasted a week and a half without chipping. That's amazing! The formula is consistent with almost all of the colors.

L'Oreal Violet Vixen: $5.99
Where can you buy this at: Walmart, Walgreens, Target
http://www.lorealparisusa.com/en/products/makeup/nail-color/nail-polish/colour-riche-nail.aspx?shade=AfterHours

You can never go wrong with a classic red. One of my favorite reds is OPI I'm Not Really A Waitress. This is a classic deep red with shimmer. The color red always reminds me of the winter, but wearing a red nail is so classic and feminine that you can never go wrong. When I can't figure out a good nail polish to wear, I usually go from a red or a nude. Red adds a pop of color, yet has become a staple nail polish color for most people so it doesn't come off as too much. OPI is also one of my favorite nail polish brands. Being on the more expensive side, you are paying for what you get. OPI polishes tend to be one of the few brands that last a long time without chipping. Again, you can find OPI at Ulta and use one of their coupons to get money off your purchase. Even with the price, I think they are well worth it!

OPI I'm Not Really A Waitress: $9.50
Where can you buy this: Ulta, OPI.com
http://opi.com/color/im-not-really-waitress-2#JlxgX3sYSkrCKpqF.97

If you want to add a true pop of color to your collection, I suggest getting Julie G nail polish in Kickin' It. This is a metallic electric blue color. It is truly a vibrant pop of color that goes with all skintones. You cannot go wrong with purchasing Julie G nail polish because they are so cheap! You can buy multiple polishes for the price of one top nail polish brand. I have a bunch of the Julie G polishes and I have found that they are very pigmented and a good quality formula. Blue is one of my favorite pops of color to wear on my nails because it is so unusual, so if you are looking for a metallic blue, you should definitley check out Kickin' It by Jule G.

Julie G Kickin' It: $3.99
Where can you buy it: jessiegirlcosmetics.com
https://www.jessesgirlcosmetics.com/product/julieg-nail-color-2012/kickin-it-341

Lastly, I love going for dark colors during the winter time. One of my favorite dark colors is L'Oreal Stroke of Midnight. Again, L'Oreal is one of my favorite nail polish brands and this color in particular is one of my favorite from the brand. It is such a beautiful deep gunmetal grey with a slight shimmer. If you do not like to wear black nail polish, but you want the same effect, you should try this polish out. It gives the vibe of a dark blackish grey but it has the shimmer running through it so it doesn't appear flat like some blacks can.

L'Oreal Storke of Midnight: $5.99
Where can you buy this: Walmart, Walgreens, Target
http://www.lorealparisusa.com/en/products/makeup/nail-color/nail-polish/colour-riche-nail.aspx?shade=AfterHours

All Photo Credits to: Becky Schutten