nails

Summer Sandal S.O.S.

July 2, 2012 at 11:48 am , by Nykia Spradley

It’s officially sandal season, which means no more hiding. Yes, flats are still perfectly acceptable, but why not let your toes feel the warm air too? Even though cold weather wreaks havoc on our skin, summer slaps your feet with some harsh hits too. We’ve all had a cracked heel emergency at some point. Chicago-based dermatologist, Brooke Jackson, M.D. shared a few tips for getting your tootsies in tip-top shape.

Platform wedges don’t look so cute when you have dry, cracked heels. Use a pumice stone or gritty exfoliant once a week and apply a cream with AHA’s at night to keep them smooth. Jackson recommends CeraVe SA Renewing Lotion or Amlactin Plus.

Giving yourself a pedicure? Prevent ingrown toenails by cutting your nails straight across. Don’t try to cut or file the nail into the sides of your toe.

Apply sunscreen on the tops of your feet. “I see patients every summer who forget to put sunscreen on their feet and they get burned on the tops of their feet,” says Dr. Jackson. “Skin is skin and any skin which is exposed to the sun needs to be protected.”

Breaking in new sandals? Blisters and chafing are caused by rubbing and friction, so apply a product like Gold Bond Friction Defense to areas of the foot that feel friction before irritation as prevention. You can also use this on irritated and burning feet to treat and soothe skin.

 

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Our Favorite Ombré Trends Spotted on Pinterest

March 22, 2012 at 4:11 pm , by Rachel Shippy

Whether it’s my clothes or the walls of my apartment, it’s safe to say I’m typically drawn to bold, uniform colors but lately the ombré trend has really caught my eye.  If you’re not familiar with the word ombré, it is a French term referring to the gradual gradation of color and is also quickly becoming a favorite of Pinterest boards everywhere. That’s right – it’s not just for paint chips anymore! Here are some of the best ombré pins that made LHJ’s board this week…

Find more colorful pins on our Om Sweet Ombré board.

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How To Wear It: Hot Holiday Nails

December 19, 2011 at 4:14 pm , by Nykia Spradley

Just because it’s the holidays doesn’t mean you have to paint little candy canes—or Santas…or reindeer—on each of your fingernails (unless you’re a 10-year-old). Here are a couple of grown-up ways to show-off your season’s greetings with lacquer.

Get glitter happy

Not only is glitter polish festive, but it holds on a little longer and is forgiving with chips and smudges, says celebrity manicurist Beth Fricke.  If you can’t find a glitter polish in the color you love, try putting a coat of sparkle over your favorite hue (and don’t forget to seal the deal with a good topcoat).

Break it up

Swipe your nails in a traditional red and then top them with silver or gold shatter polish. “It will look like you have an ornament on every finger,” says Fricke.  Apply polish and let it dry completely for 10 minutes, and then apply the shatter. When it is shattered to your liking, apply a shiny topcoat.

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Nailing It: Summer Mani Pedi Favorites

July 25, 2011 at 4:00 pm , by chandrajohnson

Anyone who knows me—or sees me a few times a week—knows my obsession with nail polish. There’s simply no hiding my lacquer love. (I nearly passed out the first time I saw shatter nail polish!) And though I make sure my toes are meticulously painted even when they’re tucked away in winter boots, now that we’re smack in the middle of sandal season, my fixation is at an all time high. Here, my summer color theories:

You can’t go wrong with any bright ROYGBIV shade, but pastels and nudes are just as fun. And toss those old-school rules out the window: Fingers and toes do not have to match. Instead, pair colors that complement each other. Say, a sunny yellow and a vivid pinkish coral.

Right now, I am drooling over Sally Hansen Salon Effect Real Nail Polish Strips in Girl Flower (these last super-long and you don’t have to wait for them to dry!); the entire Pirates of the Caribbean OPI collection (great pastel colors); and of course, OPI’s Shatter in navy and black. I plan on expanding my Shatter collection with the newer turquoise and red shades.

Of course, your feet need a little prep work before you swipe on your color of choice. A few easy steps: First exfoliate (try Thymes Essentials Foot Scrub) , to soften heels and soles, and get rid of dead skin. Once you’re sloughed and rinsed, slather on a foot moisturizer (AHAVA’s Dermud Intensive Foot Cream is great), file your nails to your preferred shape and lightly buff out the most egregious ridges. Next, be sure to remove any traces of old nail polish (and newly applied lotion) with a non-acetone remover and cotton pad. Finish with a base coat, two coats of color and a topcoat. Et voilà! Go show off those pretty tootsies!

Shades from left to right:

Sonia Kashuk Nail Colour in Tutti Frutti

Barielle Shades in Gotta Have Fate

TopShop Nails in Bee’s Knees

Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Fast Dry Nail Color in Lickety-Split Lime

OPI Nail Lacquer in Mermaid’s Tears

Deborah Lippmann nail polish in Glitter in the Air

SpaRitual Nail Lacquer in Surreal

Duri Cosmetics nail polish in Pocketful of Rainbows

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Spooky Halloween Nails

October 18, 2010 at 5:59 pm , by Mandy Hendrix

Are you dressing up for Halloween? Do you know what you’ll be? I love these press-on nails from Kiss, in festive, creepy colors. And unlike most most pieces of your over-priced costume, these nifty little guys are only $4, at drugstores.

I’ve actually worn Kiss glue-on nails before, and even though these are press-on nails (so they’re easier to take off), they are just as easy to apply. Here, a few application tips:

• Start by laying all the nails out on a flat surface
• Find the correct size of the press-on that fits your nail and put in order from pinky to thumb
• Pull paper backing off of glue tab, place glue tab on natural nail with rounded edge toward cuticle
• Peel off paper backing and firmly adhere artificial nail
• Repeat for all ten nails

Even if you’re not dressing up on Halloween, how cool would these look when you’re passing out candy?

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Nail Art: Let Your Manicure Do The Talking

February 11, 2010 at 1:16 pm , by Mandy Hendrix

The latest craze in nails isn’t a fiery red polish or even slick jet black. Lately, celebrities have been sporting Minx nail decals, often in metallic colors or wild designs.

Check out Beyonce’s Minx manicure from the Grammy awards.

And a close-up of Rihanna’s Grammy nails. She has a custom Minx manicure with crystals.

Or, show your support a la Kim Kardashian who spelled out her boyfriend’s name and jersey number (#25 B U S H) on her fingers for the Super Bowl.

Want to do something special for yourself, but can’t splurge on a full set of Minx? Take inspiration from these cool ladies above and add a little dazzle to your nails. Here’s my interpretation, in time for Valentine’s Day.

First, coat your nails with fun red or magenta color. (I’m really into OPI‘s Red My Fortune Cookie.) Then to keep the look from being overly saccharine, paint a heart on one finger only. Make a “v” shape—the polish bleeds a little and will turn into a heart—and four dots. The trick is to use a contrasting polish shade (white works best) and the thinnest brush you can find. Milani has introduced their Nail Art Nail Lacquers, $4, available in 10 shades, which lets you do a little Van Gogh on your digits. Have fun!

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