Butter London in Scrumptious

Brand: Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer-Vernis

Shade: Scrumptious
(magenta purple color, glossy finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
I'm loving this shade for Feb. I feel like red is too racy (and predictable), pink is too sweet. This dark magenta color feels sophisticated. Scrumptious, indeed!

Butter London in Bubbles

Brand:  Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer-Vernis

Shade: Bubbles
(pale rose gold color, metallic finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
Happy 2018! You might be hung over from last night, but your fingers aren't. This is a great shade to keep the celebration going into the new year. Plus, it's got a gold cap so you know it's fancy...

Butter London in Cool Britannia

Brand: Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer-Vernis

Shade: Cool Britannia
(blue black color, glossy finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
I'm always a fan of a dark nail. I love Butter too. And, it's nice that they make mini sizes that are less expensive than the biggies (though I generally buy them in packs, so that kinda defeats the purpose). What I didn't love was how this stained my nails REALLY badly when I took it off... Mr Clean Magic Eraser to the rescue!

Butter London in Mum's the Word

Brand: Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer-Vernis

Shade: Mum's the Word
(mauve nude color, glossy finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
You know I don't love nude shades that make my fingers look like mannequin hands. So I'm not crazy about this one. But my nails are short right now. And I guess it looks clean -- if you're made of plastic.

Butter London in Scallywag

Brand: Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer-Vernis

Shade: Scallywag
(turquoise blue color, matte glitter finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
I thought this was a festive shade.  And it is!  But much like the tinsel on your Christmas tree, it looks better at night than in the daytime. Use this one sparingly and keep a chisel handy when you want to remove it.  It's a stubborn one!

Butter London in Disco Biscuit

Brand: Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer-Vernis

Shade: Disco Biscuit
(fuchsia pink color, purple iridescent glitter finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
Here's an oldie from Butter that reminds me of my love of ABBA and 70s disco. The shade is great and the iridescent microglitter pushes it over the top, but I wish it wasn't so sheer. LOTS of coats used here. But it will make you look good on the dancefloor.

Butter London in Prince's Plum

Brand: Butter London 3-Free Nail Lacquer Vernis

Shade: Prince's Plum
(deep purple shade, metallic finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
This photo doesn't do this regal shade justice.  It's purple in some lights and blue in others. I'm not totally sure I like it, but I want you to have all the facts. This one's a mini, just like the prince.

Butter London in Kerfuffle

Brand: Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer-Vernis

Shade: Kerfuffle
(pale peach color, glossy finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
I just love this name. It says troublemaker -- like causing a commotion, but in a lighthearted kind of way. What I don't like is this shade. It's just not me. It makes me think of perms and power suits in the 80's. But the name is pretty great!

Butter London in Come to Bed Red

Brand: Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer-Vernis

Shade: Come to Bed Red
(cherry red color, glossy finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
This is a classic red, perfect for all your holiday parties.  Butter is great because it's really glossy straight out of the bottle, but use a top coat anyway. Santa doesn't like chipped nails.

Butter London in British Racing Green

Brand: Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer

Shade: British Racing Green
(deep forest green color, glossy finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
This one's a keeper. A nice twist on black or navy, it shows up as different shades of dark green colors depending on the light. Gotta love those Brits!

Next Week: Julep in Monaco

7 Red Carpet-Ready Manicures

Looking at the Oscar nominees for Best Picture this year, I realized I've actually seen most of them, which is rare for me. Usually, I just root for the one or two films I actually recognize, but this year I'm torn. Too many good ones!

So, I did what any sensible movie-lover would do: I turned to nail polish.
 

Here are 7 easy nail designs to help us decide who should take that little gold man home. Pick your favorite movies -- and manis -- below.
 

Brand: Julep Nail Vernis

 

Shade: Oscar

(gold color with glitter finish)

 

Cost: $$$

 

Inspired by: American Hustle, starring Amy Adams & Jennifer Lawrence

Brand: OPI Nail Lacquer

 

Shades: Big Apple Red & Be-Claus I Said So

(fire engine red color with glossy finish & red glitter with clear finish)

 

Cost: $$

Inspired by: Her, starring Scarlett Johansson & Amy Adams

Brands: Sephora Formula X Color and Red Carpet Manicure Nail Art Appliques

 

Shades: Dark Matter & White Matter, Champagne Wishes & First Class

(jet black & snow white colors with glossy finish, white & black floral decals)

 

Cost: $$$$ & $

Inspired by: Blue Jasmine, starring Cate Blanchett

Brand: Essie Nail Lacquer

 

Shades: Ignite the Night & Matte About You

(pewter & black color with glitter finish, clear color with matte finish)

Cost: $$

Inspired by: Gravity, starring Sandra Bullock

Brand: Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer

 

Shade: HRH

(royal purple color with metallic finish)

 

Cost: $$$

Inspired by: Philomena, starring Dame Judy Dench

Brand: Nail Rock Velvet Manicure Kit

 

Shade: Velvet Burgundy

(mulberry color with velvet textured finish)

Cost: $$

 

Inspired by: Dallas Buyers Club, starring Jennifer Garner

Brand: China Glaze Nail Lacquer

 

Shades: Smoke and Ashes & Graffiti Glitter

(forest green color with shimmer finish, emerald green with glitter finish)

 

Cost: $$

Inspired by: The Wolf of Wall Street, starring Margot Robbie

I think I've got to go with American Hustle. Gold glitter and Oscar are like peanut butter and chocolate -- a perfect match!

Find out who really wins when the 86th Annual Academy Awards airs tonight on ABC at 7pm ET/4pm PT.

 

Butter London in Gobsmacked

Brand: Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer

Shade: Gobsmacked

(charcoal gray color, matte glitter finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:

I love Butter.  And this is a great shade for New Year's Eve.  Unfortunately, don't plan to touch anything all night because it chips off super fast.  Like, an hour after you put it on.  But it's pretty while it lasts.  No matter what shade you choose, may 2014 sparkle!

Next Shade: Nails Inc in Trafalgar Square

15 Christmas Nail Polish Gift Sets

Santa brought me 15 nail polish gift sets.  Best.  Christmas.  Ever.

Brand: Butter London Luxe Rock 12-piece mini set

 

Shades: Yummy Mummy & The 444
(nude color with glossy finish & clear with gold glitter finish)

 

Cost: $$$$

 

The Scoop:

Pretty box, great shades. On a scale from 1-10, a 12. 

 

 

 

Brand: Ciate Mini Mani Month 24-piece set

 

Shades: Boudoir & Christmas Tree Caviar
(candy apple red color with glossy finish & gold, green, red caviar balls)

 

Cost: $$$$

 

The Scoop:

A nail polish advent calendar? Genius. 

 

 

 

 

 

Brand: Deborah Lippmann Starlight 6-piece mini set

 

Shade: Twilight Zone
(greenish black color with multicolor glitter finish)

 

Cost: $$$$

 

The Scoop:

Can the holidays ever have too much sparkle?   

 

 

 

 

Brand: Dior Golden Winter Holiday Collection 2-piece full-size set

 

Shade: Diorific
(gold color with metallic finish)

 

Cost: $$$$

 

The Scoop:

Didn't like the pearls, but the polish was nice. 

 

 

 

 

Brand: e.l.f. Nail Polish Collection 15-piece mini set

 

Shades: Sea Escape & Love Me
(dark green color with shimmer finish & clear color with red glitter finish)

 

Cost: $$$

 

The Scoop:

Awesome value, great set. 

 

 

 

 

Brand: H&M Nail Polish Collection 6-piece full-size set

 

Shade: $$

 

Cost: Petrol Sky & Skyscraper
(blue green color with glossy finish & clear with silver glitter finish)

 

The Scoop:

Festive shades for the holidays.

 

 

 

 

Brand: Hard Candy Cube of Color Nail Polish Collection 24-piece mini set

 

Shades: Green Glitter & White
(lime green color with glitter finish & white color with glossy finish)

 

Cost: $$$

 

The Scoop:

Lots of colors, but man, these smell horrible! 

 

 

 

 

Brand: Julep 2013 Gen Holiday Collection 12-piece full-size set

 

Shade: Kenya
(fire engine red with metallic finish)

 

Cost: $$$$

 

The Scoop:

Beautiful gift box, irresistible shades. 

 

 

 

 

 

Brand: LA Colors Nail Polish Collection 18-piece mini set

 

Shades: Silver Glitter & Gold
(clear with silver glitter finish & pale gold color with metallic finish)

 

Cost: $$

 

The Scoop:

Surprising drug store find, another keeper! 

 

 

 

 

Brand: Lila Grace Nail Polish Collection 7-piece full-size set

 

Shades: Red & Gold Glitter
(orangey red color with glossy finish & clear with gold glitter finish)

 

Cost: $$

 

The Scoop:

Really low quality polish, skip this one. 

 

 

 

 

Brand: Lord&Taylor Deluxe Nail Polish Collection 18-piece mini set

 

Shades: Green Glitter & Silver
(clear color with green glitter & silver color with metallic finish)

 

Cost: $$$$

 

The Scoop:

A bit expensive, but a nice set. 

 

 

 

 

Brand: Nails Inc. London My Nail Polish Diary 12-piece mini set

 

Shade: Fibre Optic Belgravia Square
(clear color with metallic red & silver feather finish) 

 

Cost: $$$$

 

The Scoop:

Just what this 13 year old girl (in a 40 year old body) needs -- a diary! Cute. 

 

 

 

Brand: OPI Take Ten 2013 Nail Polish Collection 10-piece mini set

 

Shades: German-icure, Tickle My France-y & Pirouette My Whistle
(burgundy with metallic finish & pale pink with glossy finish & clear with silver glitter finish)

 

Cost: $$$

 

The Scoop:

Their best-selling shades, a great collection. 

 

 

 

Brand: Sephora X The Twenty Two Nail Polish Collection 22-piece mini set

 

Shades: Flashy & Wham!
(cherry red color with glossy finish & clear with white splatter finish) 

 

Cost: $$$$

 

The Scoop:

I was on the fence at first, but I'm glad I got it for the neons, chromes and splatters.

 

 

 

Brand: Zoya Build Your Own Dream Box 6-piece full-size set

 

Shade: Hunter
(mossy green color with glossy finish)

 

Cost: $$$$

 

The Scoop:

The perfect way to get the exact colors you want.  

 

 

 

 

 

 For more behind-the-scenes scoop on these presents, check out my other blog.