It's Raining Red Hot Nails Up In Here

We all need a red nail polish. Some of need more red nail polishes than others. Because, as you likely know if you are reading this, every red is different. Some lean towards the orange end of the spectrum. Some are more blue. Some are dark, dramatic & vampy, and some are sheer and yummy jellies. Somehow, Deborah Lippmann It's Raining Men manages to straddle all of these categories and make itself The Perfect Red. Don't get me wrong. It's not The Only Red, as I don't believe that exists. There are many Perfect Reds, and quite often how a particular shade of red works on one depends on skin tone and personal style.

Check out the geranium in the background...glowing red!

These days, I am enjoying a cheery red. A nice yummy bright red, with a little orange to brighten it up for warmer weather, but with enough blue in it that it doesn't wash me out. Pure orange is not a good colour for me, but a rich Chinese red or vermillion has just enough orange to make the red pop and give it a glow. The closest dupe for this colour would be OPI Red My Fortune Cookie but Lippmann It's Raining Men is just a wee bit bluer. A base of Lippmann Rehydrating Base coat, two coats of It's Raining Men and finish off the mani with a coat of Lippmann Addicted To Speed and voila! A shiny juicy red! 

What is sexier than a red mani or red pedi? A deep vampy shade comes close I suppose, but for now, I am vamping around in my deliciously bright red It's Raining Men...

Holiday Mani Pedi Courtesy of Lippmann & Essie

"Now listen gals, holiday nails must have glitter!"

Just a quick little post to share my fun mani-pedi. The mani is the stunning navy blue Essie Bobbing For Baubles from the Holiday 2011 collection. It is a creamy almost dusty blue and I just love it. Not flashy or bizarre, just elegant. The toes...well. Inspired as always by my Lippmann Guru, Elena, I opted for Lippmann Naked on the base and Lippmann Some Enchanted Evening on top. The gorgeous perfect nude with delicate rose glitter on top is beautiful! Perfect for holidays at home, and also will work perfectly with open toe shoes and flip flops on the beach! Goodbye snow.....

Lippmann Beauties Between The Sheets & Waking Up In Vegas

Well I am just loving my Lippmann Deluxe mani/pedi today. My toes are resplendent in Between The Sheets and my nails are uber cool and sophisticated in Waking Up In Vegas.

Waking Up In Vegas is a cool grey that looks warmer in the bottle that it does on nails but that’s ok. In darker light it looks like an edgy grey and in natural or sunlight it is a calm dove grey. I can get full coverage with ONE COAT and that is what I am wearing in the photos. It’s a compliment getter- people notice this one and always ask me where they can get it. Mind you, that usually happens as I am handing them money in a transaction and my daughter Emilie has told me to be wary of compliments at that time, by sales people. “What? You are mother and daughter? I would have SWORN you were sisters! Now, you will be taking all 3 outfits?” But I digress…I love Waking Up In Vegas and it’s cool but still age appropriate style.

Between The Sheets is an unapologetic fuschia/purple that seems lit from within. Rumour has it Ms. Lippmann based it on a pair of satin-marabou mules she fell in love with. Don’t they sound secksie? Sometimes it feels brighter than I like on my fingers, neutral lover that I am, but it is perfect for toes. Between The Sheets is very feminine and so great for summer peeking out of sandals. Love it! And the combo of grey and fuschia really works for me. Fun! Caveat- it is SO BRIGHT that it is really hard to photograph. Note the bottle pic above, it won't focus! I have had this happen with brightly coloured flowers too. 

So Fluffy announced that The Non Blonde kitties get to make blog appearances so it's only fair she does too ;)

Fluffy loves Lippmann!

It's Beautiful On The Dark Side of The Moon

Deborah Lippmann Dark Side Of The Moon is the perfect dark vampy purple burgundy. I adore it. This is a staple shade for any nail polish lover- everyone needs a dark vamp. DSOTM is so fabulously dark it becomes a neutral. It looks as fab with jeans as it does with a little black dress. I've been loving it as a pedi but wow, now I adore it as a manicure! Elegant and mysterious....

The real kicker with Lippmann is the wear and longevity. A friend told me that her manicurist told her (and so on...and so on...apparently everyone knows this!) that Lippmann formula's are designed to l a s t  and be gentle on your nails. She showed me an almost black mani that had survived longer than a week. The long-lasting formulas of Deborah Lippmann nail polishes contain green tea extracts and protein-building biotin so nails stay healthy and strong. They feature Aucoumea Klaineana extract, a natural resin from West African trees, which is known to strengthen nails and prevent ridges for smoother, healthier nails. Bonus- they are also free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, and Dibutyl Phthalates. 

That Deborah Lippmann is an interesting person- did you know she is also a jazz singer? Love it. Her personality comes through in the incredible selection of colours in her collection. She has several celebrity shades as well- fun! I already have several more shades picked out...

I am out of Lippmann base and top coats so I just grabbed the dual purpose Hard Rock base/top coat in one. Wow, this stuff is fabulous! Glassy and strong and one of the keys to making your Lippmann mani last is to use all the products. I have used the Hard Rock with Chanel and it extends the life of those manis too. What I need now is the Addicted To Speed Top Coat as my friend assures me it is THE BEST. The Rehydrating Base Coat sounds like another must-have...