Oct. 7, By Leave a Comment

Nail Trends with Aija Vilemsonne

FW2011 Nail Trends

This past September, major cities worldwide debuted the cream of the fashion crop during Fashion Week 2011. And as you know, every element and accessory is important, down to your fingertips. Now in October, it’s time to put to work what we learned during FW2011.

Aija Vilemsonne, creative director of Pretty Women USA has some great insight on how to really polish your look. First of all, experiment. “The most important thing to remember about nails is to have fun with it. Make mistakes, test out new colors, and see what you think works best for you,” says Aija. Here are three trends to try out…

Be blue. This Winter, break out the icy blues and show off your blue crush. Aija says the blue trend is perfect for fairer skinned females so opt for pale, pastel blues.

Sparkle and shine. Metallic is the “colorless” trend of the season. “You can customize the trend to work for you,” says Aija.

Go in the buff. Nude nails rounds out the top three nail trends. Once applied, a dried, nude color can clash with your skin tone so choose a shade that matches the undertones. Camel and peachy colors for those with creamy ivory and golden brown skin tones, peach skin tones should go with a beige shade, and rosy nudes for “Summer” skin tones that will match rosy cheeks.

Next time you’re at the nail salon, try one of these hot nail fashion trends.

-Vernize Rios

 

 

Filed Under: Beauty, Celebrity Style, Trends Tagged With: ,
Feb. 23, By Leave a Comment

Fashion Week: Makeup Edition

vivienne tam

Fashion week isn’t just about the clothes, you know. What about the makeup? In fact, the wrong kind of makeup can really ruin the look and theme of a runway. Let’s take a look at some of the looks created by Maybelline New York recently at New York Fashion Week for some Fall 2010 (yes, I said Fall) trends.

DAY 1: RVCA x Erin Wasson
Playful craziness and a touch of wacky ruled the roost at RVCA x Erin Wasson. Most notable, the feathered brow and heavily-lined bottom lip, which gave the look a bit of a “tribal” feel.

DAY 2: Michael Angel
Bright, colorfully-rimmed eyes captivated the runway at Michael Angel. Bold Lime green and deep jeweled blues added intensity, while earthy tones added depth against a fresh face. A neutral nude lip sealed the deal.

DAY 3: Vivienne Tam
Bare eyes and cheeks allowed for a bold red lip to steal the show at Vivienne Tam. The traditional femme fatale pairing of a luscious cherry pout and porcelain complexion was complemented perfectly by a more relaxed natural brow.

DAY 4: Custo Barcelona
Utter femininity was celebrated at Custo Barcelona. Flawless skin, arched brows, and a sheer, neutral shine on lips balanced the bold fashions that graced the runway.

DAY 5: Carlos Miele
Less was certainly more at Carlos Miele as Gato banished pinks and reds opting for nude all over. A shade range of barely-there hues contoured and polished faces for a natural, refined finish. A touch of mascara was applied just to roots of lashes to keep with the minimalist look.

DAY 5: Tracy Reese
Charlotte turned to intense color and texture for a “masculine-feminine” look at Tracy Reese. A carefully highlighted and illuminated face and toffee lip complimented and kept focus on eye-catching smoky, yet shiny, peepers. Chocolate and beige shadow hues and carbon black mascara and liner showcased strong eyes for the ultimate in glam style.

DAY 6: Max Azria
A punchy pop of orange was the talk of the tents backstage at Max Azria. Created specifically for the show, Charlotte doused the lip in the bold hue, which stood out against a dewy complexion, bare eyes, and naturally touched-up brows. Long, black lashes rendered a cat-like effect.

DAY 7: William Rast
For William Rast, Charlotte concocted an edgy, modernized Brigitte Bardot look. Fresh, flawless skin lended a platform to thick mega-lashes built up with layers of black mascara. Nearly-there nude lips were the finishing touch on a soft, sexy face.

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Sep. 24, By 1 Comment

Fashion Weeks Reveal Top Nail Trends

polish

With the wrap of New York and London Fashion Weeks, and Milan and Paris showcases still to come, the nailistas, especially those behind the scenes at Creative Nail Design (CND), are providing a glimpse into what’s hot in nails this fall, winter, and spring. A breakdown for nail techs:

Color
The best nail techs are no longer settling for the basic color palette of reds, corals, and pinks. They’re customizing colors, sometimes to match fabrics, accessories, or even lipstick.

Nail colors are more extreme this season, with fashionistas wearing anything from gray to beige to black. After all, gray is the new neutral. Lighter or cooler skin tones look best in pale, cool shades of gray, while darker or warmer skin tones can handle extra richness with warmer shades of gray.

Nails are deliciously dark and metallic, appearing in hues of gold, silver, burgundy, and sapphire blue. Brown has been declared the polish for fall — think warm, yummy chocolate. Ultimately, rich, dark color is the way to go. For clients who are a bit more traditional but still want to keep a finger on the pulse of fashion, steer them toward the richest reds and burgundies.

Texture
Texture is another defining element of this season’s nails. Creamy lattes, dove-soft grays, cloudy pastels, and gritty, sooty, grainy blacks are all the rage.

Since huge, faux jewels are replacing the “it” bag as the accessory to covet, gem-crusted nails are taking the runways by storm. Sapphires, emeralds, amethysts, and rubies are bejeweling the hottest nails of the season.

Shape
Fall and winter are bringing the longest, darkest nails of the year. Shapes are dramatic and extreme, extending the short square nail to a longer soft almond (this is where tips come in!).

For clients who are reluctant to show a little more length, be sure to mention the almond shape’s lengthening effect on hands, making short, chubby fingers look longer, leaner, and more natural. Plus, this shape is stronger and can actually absorb more impact when filed correctly.

Want to be on the frontlines of global fashion? Start by becoming a licensed nail technician, then take the nail trends from the catwalk to your chair.

-Robyn Tellefsen

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