When it comes to choosing nail polish color, I’m about as “plain Jane” as you can get.
My color choice is most always a pale pink or a pearly white. I love a good French manicure. If I’m feeling particularly sassy, I might go with a hot pink — on my toes only.
I’m a real daredevil, I know.
But, you know the great thing about summer? It’s the perfect time to step out of the box and play with a little color. The calendar says there are only 49 days left until fall arrives — so let’s get experimenting, shall we?
If you want to kick your standard mani/pedi up a notch, look no further than ORLY’s Summer 2009 Tiki Time collection. The four creme colors include: lime green Mint Mojito (I’m thinking this would be a great complement to Jo-Lynne’s favorite drink), classic red Teeny Bikini, bright navy blue Calypso Breeze and soft orange Sol Cabana.
The red and navy blue provide great coverage — you can get away with applying only a single coat. The green and the orange need two or three coats to achieve the desired color “pop.” The polish wears well and didn’t seem to chip easily. All ORLY polishes are free of DBP, formaldehyde and toluene. (That means I can feel good about painting even my 2-year-old’s nails with it. Budding diva that she is, she took a particular shine to Teeny Bikini.)
ORLY polishes usually retail for $7.50 a bottle, but I’ve seen the Tiki collection on sale here and here — so hurry before the temperatures begin to dip.
If you’re still a little hesitant to take the color plunge — try experimenting with Spa Ritual’s Cherish collection, featuring hues such as lavender, baby blue and orange shimmer.
The great thing about the Cherish collection is that you can build up to a deeper color as your confidence grows. I started with one coat of the aqua blue Delight — and once I got used to the hint of blue, added another coat. I like it because the color is still sheer, pearly and very light, but it’s not as predictable as my neutral standbys. Spa Ritual polishes are Vegan, and also free of DBP, formaldehyde and toluene.
Incidentally, both the ORLY and Spa Ritual polishes feature great rubberized handles that make opening the bottles a breeze.
Now, even though temps are still steamy, fall is just around the corner. So, while you’re painting your nails those bright, beautiful colors and savoring the last remaining days around the pool, here are a few of the nail color trends you can expect to see this fall:
- Deep shades of purple (think eggplant and aubergine)
- Rich reds (like burgundy)
- All shades of gray
- Dark browns — like espresso and chocolate
- Shimmery polishes in a variety of dark colors
ORLY’s Fall 2009 Once Upon a Time Collection — and its 2009 Holiday Collection have turned out two of my favorite shades for the cooler months — Temptress, a deep red shimmer and Mirror, Mirror, a beautiful grey creme.
I never thought I’d say it, but the grey looks really cool.
I realize it’s not that big of a jump from my favorite pale neutrals.
But what can I say?
Baby steps.
ORLY Nail Lacquers are available at www.orlybeauty.com, Sally Beauty and Ulta stores. Spa Ritual Nail Lacquers are available at fine salons and spas, as well as online at www.skinstore.com.
I love a good French manicure! And I also usually stick w/ the neutrals except for the toesies. Anything’s fair game for them.
I so love these colors. I am just a sucker for pretty nail polish!