Fashion-able: Hot Nails for Summer

Come summertime, your nails are your greatest accessory. Hands are out of gloves, toes are exposed… whether you like it or not, all nails are on display. Today, we present a few ways we will be having fun with our nails this summer.

Neons

A neon rainbow! Image source.

Neons are showing up everywhere and we love a bright neon pink or orange, especially on toes. Our recs? Summer Pink by Pixi Beauty, Neon Red by American Apparel, Glowstick by Orly and Orange You Hot? by China Glaze.


Caviar Manicures

Ciate Caviar Manicure. Image source.

We’re intrigued by these texturized manicures involving tiny microbeads stuck to the nail. Not really appropriate for a regular day at the office (no one wants to be blamed for a floor covered in beads), this would be fun for a wedding or bachelorette party this summer. Ciate offers a caviar manicure kit for $25 from Sephora, or you can invest in a thick topcoat and package of microbeads (also called bullion beads) from a craft store for less than $10.

Nail Art

An Erdem-inspired manicure from FASHION Magazine. Image source.

Inspiration is everywhere for
complex manicures that look more like miniature works of art than nail designs.
FASHION Magazine’s Nail Corner
has us in awe every week, while the f*ckyeahnailart
tumblr collects some of the most intense manicures from across the Internet. Try typing Nail Art into YouTube for step-by-step instructions – over
79,000 tutorials show up!

Cupcakes for your nails! Image source.

If you lack a steady hand (or
patience, creativity, an unending supply of nail polish colours, etc.), you
might want to have a professional step in. Tips
Nail Bar in Toronto is especially good for creative, out-of-the-box manis.


Nail Decals

Regular nail polish doesn’t get this shiny. Image source.

Nail decals are another fun
option. “Protective coatings” for your nails, they’re basically
stickers that can last up to two weeks. A favourite of celebrities like Beyonce, Katy Perry and Blake Lively, Minx
Nails make some of the craziest designs. A number of salons in Toronto apply
them, or you can buy a package off eBay
for significantly less and easily do it yourself. 

A design for every occasion!  Image source.

Sally Hansen Salon Effects nail polish strips offer a similar
effect. You can get them at most drugstores, or at Winners, where they’re usually discounted by a few dollars. 

Ombre

Ombre nails in Tangerine – this season’s hottest colour Image source & tutorial.

It was only a matter of time before the ombre trend moved from hair and clothing to nails. We’ve seen it done two ways: one nail with gradients of colour (like above), or gradients of colour going across all five nails (below). A great look for any girl who’s looked at her nail polish collection and realized she bought almost the exact same colour five times.

Only skill needed to create this look is excessive nail polish purchasing. Image source.

Fashion-able: Haute Holiday Nails

When we’re getting ready for holiday parties, it’s all in the details. We love our manis and having a nicely groomed set of nails can add a little extra to any holiday look. Here are some of our favourites:

Minx it up

Minx nails are a great addition to any nail routine. Even throwing in one nail with a creative pattern can make everything – disco. Below are some of our faves: Rockin’ around the Christmas tree, Winter wonderland, Dashing through the snow and Lighting the menorah.

Image source.

Peek-a-boo Lace

If you’re feeling crafty, a great DIY is lace nails. Eye-catching and elegant, we’re excited to try this look out before our next party. Our friends at Sweetspot posted a handy how-to, and video tutorial, on how to create this look at home.



Image source.

Image source.

Sparkle, sparkle

When in doubt, go for some standout sparkle. Either worn on their own or over a base colour, a great sparkle polish will add a little shine to any ensemble. Easy to apply, but beware, hard to remove – go to the pros for a polish change.

OPI’s Getting’ Miss Piggy With It over OPI’s Meep-meep-meep.

Image source.

Deborah Lippmann’s Boom Boom Pow with China Glaze Hi-Tek.

Image source.

Joe Fresh’s Gunmetal.

Image source.

Metallics

Silver, gold and copper are our go-to shades. Metallic nail polishes look great as a solid or if you’re more creatively-inclined, as a half-moon addition to a matte colour.

OPI’s Rinse Charming.

Image source.
 

Deborah Lippmann’s Theme and Filthy Rick by Quo by Orly.

Image source.

What are some of your holiday mani favourites? Show us some twitpics! @rockitpromo

Rave: Deep, dark nail polish

As you may remember from our earlier post on nail art, we love experimenting with different nail colours and designs, especially in the summer. Those bright, funky colours, intricate designs, patterns – we can’t resist. 

But sometimes you need a break from all the neon brights, and crave something a little more glam, vamp and chic. We started to wonder if we could find shades that will transition us from summer to autumn.

With all the variety we found below, we’re happy to report it’s an absolute possibility. If you see us out and about, you’ll definitely see us rocking one of these bold colours on our fingers and toes. 

If you’re a bit nervous about expressing your dark side, ease your way in with this pretty, electric blue (Aruba Blue) from Essie. You can get it at Shopper’s Drug Mart for around $12, making it an easy dabble in the dark arts. Geri Halliwell was seen with a similar colour earlier this summer while in Monaco. 

We liked the idea of a deep, purplish-blue, so we tried out O.P.I’s Light My Sapphire. It retails for about $10 at Trade Secrets. For all of you who want to emulate Kristen Stewart’s rocker-chic glam, this is the colour for you. 

  

We’re also loving burgundy for a dark summer colour. M.A.C.’s Vintage Vamp Nail Lacquer is sleek, sultry and Kim Kardashian-esque for events or a night out with family and friends. C’mon, you know you wanna look like Kim just a little bit, sometimes.

On a hot summer Saturday night, there’s no doubt that some of us will be as bold as Emma Roberts and go for pure, rich black. China Glaze is an office favourite, and we especially like China Glaze’s Liquid Leather, which can be found at select Trade Secrets for less than $10.

So there you have it. You don’t need to stick with bubble gum pink just because it’s August. Try one of these hot, deep shades now, all the way into autumn.

What’s In Your…Car?

While our driving practices, and skills may differ (ed. note: Abby can drive a truck in standard. That’s awesome.), we have one thing in common: we all have our car necessities. 

Here are some of the quirky staples the gang on the fourth floor keep in the trunk, glove compartment and wherever else we can safely store ‘em. There are some of our top picks: 
Crest Whitestrips: A 30-minute morning drive to work with no oral disruption equals a whitening and (en)lightening experience.

 
Two pairs of sunglasses: Never know when you’ll need an extra pair. 
Pocket change: Vital for quick and efficient drive-thru trips and meters. 
A ‘just in case’ kit: High heels, Band-Aids, Brush-ups and a notepad and paper.  
 
Soccer ball: You never know when the chance for a game of pickup might arise.

 

 
A bag of almonds for emergencies (it’s a snack that doesn’t melt or freeze) and great CD’s. It’s an old-school way to always have killer tunes in the whip. 

 

 
Reactine in the glove box. Sometimes allergies hit out of nowhere, making it difficult to see where you’re going through watery eyes. 
Quick dry nail polish: That’s what rush hour is for.

What are your car must-haves? Tweet us @rockitpromo.