FASHION Magazine

To the polish-free crowd, nail enthusiasts are assumed to be greedy hoarders who blow disposable income on bottles of lacquer (most of which are in the exact same shade of goth-purple or apple-red). But, as any nail-painter will tell you, a polish addiction is so not the reason our bathroom cupboards can house nothing but […]

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If I’m going to put so much effort into creating cool nail art, how can I guarantee it won’t chip away the very next day?
Fixing nail polish that’s chipped already and preventing it from happening from the start are two totally different dilemmas. Investing your time in detailed handiwork validates the placement of a security blanket—that is, a good quality base coat and top coat. But not all protective layers are created equal, and some are more useful in particular instances.

Ah, the French manicure. Is there a beauty technique that’s more divisive? While there’s no denying that when done well and in moderation it’s a flattering look, its reputation has been tarnished by aggressive acrylics and—shudder—the growing popularity of French pedicures. So bring on the reinvention! This week we’re exploring new approaches to painting the tips of your nails. By changing up the colour and the shape, you’ll still achieve the optical illusion of longer nails—without the dated look of a conventional French mani.

Learn how to get these looks! »

“This hair is chaotic⎯it’s an organized mess,” said Paul Pereira, Schwarzkopf Essential Looks Stylist who enlisted OSiS Dust It mattifying powder and OSiS Freeze hairspray to achieve the big volume and tumbleweed-like textured updos that reminded us of the lopsided beehives at Vera Wang’s Spring 2011 show. The organized part revealed itself when the models turned around. “Lucian wanted the nape of the neck to show,” said Pereira, so he created a tight and tiny French braid that ran up the back of the head to meet the messy portion.

The new crop of matte nail polishes has been causing controversy on the nail polish blogs in a way you never imagined a nail polish could. Some like it, most are dubious, but almost every one of them has tried it. Orly, Zoya and OPI all have matte collections for fall. We grabbed a few bottles of OPI’s effort—six popular shades recreated in a flat finish—and got painting.