Here’s the full line up:

• Glenn – Bold berry red shimmer
• Rachel – Warm rich copper shimmer
• Meryl – The perfect neutral, sophisticated gray creme
• Marisa – Dark, rich cobalt blue shimmer
• Viola – Deepest dark purple creme
• Elizabeth – Midnight blue with a hint of shimmer
• Oscar – Sparkle like a star with this ultra chic, multi-dimensional gold glitter

According to Julep’s style quiz, I’m an American Beauty so the polishes selected for me this month were Glenn and, of course, Oscar.  I also received their cuticle oil which smells amazing.  The cuticle oil comes with a rollerball applicator which is pretty unique and genius if you ask me.  The other thing that just made me completely giddy was the Oscar shaped chocolate bar.  Julep is great about adding a fun surprise here and there.

My sister is American Beauty as well and she layered her Oscar over a pretty coral polish and it looked great.  There’s so much you can do with a great gold glitter polish.

If you haven’t checked out Julep yet, you can get your first box for only $5.00 with code XOXOTRINA.  And it’s not too late for the February Oscar box!

But it is surprising that it’s taken me nine frigid,dry winters to discover nail brushes.

I keep it in my shower, and spend all of 30 seconds brushing my nails every day in the shower. My fingers are soft, cuticles are where they should be, and I haven’t seen a hangnail since I started.

The best part? At  most, you’ll pay about $5.

Is this news to anyone? Or am I the last person on this earth to figure out how surprisingly powerful these little nail brushes are?

So when my sister-in-law gifted me with a bottle of Rescue Beauty’s nail polish in Anne, I was raring to give it a go.  And let me tell you, it is stunning.  A bewitching dark green with specks of gold and pink.  Every type of light creates a new shade when this is on your nails.  I received so many compliments on this polish that I’m wearing it for the second week in a row (I’m usually not so committed to a color!)

AND the first time I applied the polish I ran out of time and didn’t apply a top coat.  No problem though, the polish stayed for seven days.

anne – 360 – au chocolat – grunge – coral

Rescue Beauty Polish runs at $18 a bottle, but is worth the investment with the amazing color selection and quality!  And right now you can get free shipping on all orders over $100!

Yesterday I was looking for a Bloom.com deal and guess what showed up in my inbox from Plum District this morning?  Oh yeah, it’s like the beauty product gods were listening.

Plum District brought back the Bloom.com deal today as part of their Best of 2011.  Get $50 to spend at Bloom.com for only $25.  That’s 50% off!  And if you’re a new Plum District member, you’ll get an additional $5 off when you sign up through this link.  Also, there is a reported coupon code out {fabulous} that should get you an additional 10% off.  Report back if it worked for you or not.  This deal expires Saturday 12/31/2011 at midnight EST.

Here’s a little more info about Bloom.com so you know what a great deal this is.

• Bloom.com is a social beauty store. They offer top beauty products and once you tell them a bit about yourself, Bloom recommends products for you.  I love this feature. It makes choosing the right foundation, moisturizer, mascara etc a lot easier.

• Bloom.com also offers gifts with purchase called BloomBonuses.  Depending on the amount you spend you could getup to 10 BloomBonus items with your order.

• As a Bloom.com member, you earn 10% back in BloomDollars every time you make a purchase.  BloomDollars are actual dollars that allow you to choose your own rewards. For example, if you’ve earned $25 BloomDollars, you have $25 to shop with at Bloom.com.

• Bloom.com offers a great return policy too.  They call it the 365 Try It, Love It Guarantee.  If you are unsatisfied with any product purchased from them, simply return it for a full refund, even if the container is empty.  Read more details about the guarantee here.

I’m new to Bloom.com but I’ve already planned out my first purchase.  I’ve been on the hunt for a new foundation and Bloom recommended Stila Illuminating Liquid Foundation so I’m anxious to give it a try as well as the Beauty Blender.  Have you heard about this beauty sponge?  I have read about it several places and it has fantastic reviews.  Now that I can get basically 50% off through the Plum District deal, I think I’ll finally take the plunge!

I’m a recent member of the new Julep Maven program, and this weekend they announced Share On, their new referral program which rewards Maven’s for sharing the Maven Program with their polish addict friends.

So what is Julep, and what is a Maven? Well very briefly, Julep started as a nail parlor in Seattle focusing on all natural nail care. No artificial nails in this salon and no bad chemicals in their polishes either. Just recently Jane, the founder, started the Maven program which works much like the other subscription sites. You pay a $19.99 monthly fee for a customized box of polishes based on a style quiz you take. Each box typically includes two polishes, a body care or nail care item, and sometimes another special goody. For December, I got a little pot of nail glitter as my extra goody.

For those commitment-phobes out there, you always have the option to skip the month, request a new box {aka “shelf pull”}, send your box to a friend or cancel your membership at any time, at no cost.

Here’s the exciting part. Right now Julep is offering an intro price for new Mavens through this link. Get your first Maven box for only 1 CENT with coupon code SHAREON.. Yep, that’s one penny, ladies — regularly $19.99. But, this offer is only good for the first 1,000 people to jump on board.

You’ve got nothing to lose. If you decide Maven isn’t for you after you receive your intro box, all you have to do is cancel your membership.

If you decide to continue your Maven subscription, you can share your referral link with friends, and for every two that become a Maven, you earn a free box.

My December box included a beautiful fushia polish called Helena. I absolutely love this polish and got tons of compliments on it when I wore it last week.

I’d love to know what you think about beauty subscription services and what you’re currently subscribing to.

This collection is FABULOUS! Check it out:

(from left to right) Super Bass Shatter, Metallic 4 Life, Save Me, Fly, Did It On ‘Em, Pink Friday

These shades are so fun and funky. Perfect for a night on the town!! Watch your stores – it’s launching in January 2012!

Everyone wants gorgeous hands with long, strong, healthy nails, right?

I used to have long, strong nails naturally but these days I have to work at it. Fortunately shorter nails are in vogue, so that helps. But as a mom of three kids with her hands going from dishwater to bath water to the garden throughout the day, it takes some work to keep my hands looking nice. Sometimes it’s tempting to just let them go, but with my job, the last thing I want to do is show up at a ritzy press event with hands that look like the yard guy.

It takes a little extra effort, but if you develop these six habits, you can keep your nails looking gorgeous.

Read more at The Skinny.

The Muppets! And nail polish! Strange combo, but I will totally take it. Image from OPI.com.

OPI has created a new line of polishes based on the upcoming Muppet movie release. How fun are these?? As a huge Muppet fan, this is right up my alley. With fun color names like Wocka Wocka, Gettin’ Miss Piggy With It and – naturally – The Rainbow Connection, it’s hard not to smile when you see the display. The polishes are glittery, bright and fun – what more could you ask for?

And, you know how whenever OPI launches a new line they have those mini bottles in a 4-pack? This line is no different. (sidebar: I adore the mini bottles, because let’s be real… how often do you actually use more than that anyway?) The 4-pack includes Wocka Wocka (metallic deep berry), Excuse Moi (pink glitter), Designer… de Better (metallic bronze) and Warm & Fozzie (metallic copper). It’s a great way to try out some fun colors for fall!

Look for the Muppet set at a salon where you normally buy OPI. I got mine at Beautyology (formerly Beauty First), but I think that’s a regional thing. Enjoy!

Here’s how it breaks down:

Portable UV Lamp: $19.99 (or the professional version for $50, but I’d probably just get this.)

Step 1:  Prep Max Adhesion Sanitizer dehydrates the nail plate for maximum product adhesion. $4.00

Step 2: Structure Base Coat Gel bonds to the nail plate without any damage. Secures color to nail. $9.99

Step 3: The LED Gel Polish comes in tons of colors (more than the 10-15 colors my salon has) and applies like a polish. $9.99

Step 4: Brilliance Seal & Shine Top Coat is the final coat. Seals in the application to a high shine. $9.99

So you’re looking at an investment of around $60 for everything, plus I’d probably throw in the Erase Gel Nail Polish Remover that removes LED Gel Polish in 10-15 minutes ($3.99). Definitely more affordable than the salon!

But all the colors in this collection are fabulous. I love how they are always just slightly different from last year – this year is classic with a twist, heavy on the neutrals. Just my style!!
I think my next mani will be featuring cocktail bling on my fingers and bobbing for baubles on my toes! And check out the Essie mini cube for a great gift for the holidays!