Julep in Marika

Brand: Julep Nail Color

Shade: Marika
(graphite gray color, matte metallic finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
What better color to pick for back to school than a graphite gray? Like a pencil! Do students even use pencils anymore? I dunno. Anyway, I did like this shade very much, but I don't love the matte trend.  I like my nails like I like my apples.  Shiny.

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!

Julep in Becky

Brand: Julep Nail Color, Silk Finish

Shade: Becky
(graphite color, metallic matte finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
I'm wearing this shade because the streets are covered in snow and I'm wishing we could see the pavement again. Also, I didn't love the "silk" finish here (aka: matte), so I added a topcoat.  Like black ice.

Sally Hansen in Booty Camp

Brand: Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips

Shade: Booty Camp
(pink & white camouflage pattern, matte finish)

Cost: $$

The Scoop:
These polish strips are fun and pretty easy to apply.  I don't know if I can deal with this particular pattern on every finger, but maybe an accent nail or two would be cute.

Next Shade: Julep in Emerson

Maybelline in Mod Moss

Brand: Maybelline Color Show Limited Edition Vintage Leather

Shade: Mod Moss
(moss green color with iridescent flecks, matte finish)

Cost: $

The Scoop:
This is an edgy shade with a nice finish.  Somehow, it really does look like old leather. Maybelline is fast becoming one of my favorite drugstore brands, though my first love still is (and will always be) Sally Hansen.

Next Shade: Sally Hansen in Brattlesnake

Sally Hansen in Lick-O-Rich

Brand:  Sally Hansen Sugar Coat Textured Nail Color

Shade: Lick-O-Rich

(jet black color, textured matte finish)

Cost: $$

The Scoop:

I love Sally, so I can't resist trying a new line from her. Sugar Coat comes in mostly pastel colors, but I went black because I thought the texture would look cooler that way. The bottle is weird and cheap-looking (c'mon, Sally!), but the polish was actually pretty nice. An interesting technique.

Next Shade: Revlon in Posh

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.

 

H&M in Matte Silver

Brand: H&M Matte Metallic Nail Polish

 

Shade: Silver

(silver color, matte metallic finish)

 

Cost: $

 

The Scoop:

This was a good find. Cute shade, cool finish, didn't chip, super cheap. For some reason, I can't ever find a stitch of clothing at H&M that doesn't make me look like I robbed the lost and found at a middle school, but their cosmetics are worth a trip.

 

Next Shade: OPI in Aphrodite's Pink Nightie & Minnie Style

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

Nails Inc. in Noho

Brand: Nails Inc. Leather Effect Nail Polish

Shade: Noho

(jet black color, textured matte finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:

I think this is a great Halloween shade without being too gimmicky.  The textured effect is cool and looks pretty edgy.  I love Nails Inc. because they always come out with something different. Scare yourself up a bottle, or two. 

Next Week's Shade: Avon in Saturn & Gold Glimmer

OPI in Get Your Number

Brand: OPI Liquid Sand Collection

Shade: Get Your Number

(blue and silver glitter shade, matte textured finish)

Cost: $$

The Scoop:

I think this is from the Mariah Carey collection.  Can you tell?  Yeah.  The technique of liquid sand is cool in theory, but feels weird going on your nail, plus the polish starts to stiffen up on the brush.  I needed 3 coats to get a shade that matched the bottle.  Then, I took it off because it was ugly.

Next Week's Shade: Dior in Diablotine

China Glaze in Stone Cold

 

Brand: China Glaze Hunger Games Collection

Shade: Stone Cold
(charcoal gray color, matte shimmer finish)

Cost: $$

The Scoop:
Great color inspired by the movie and unique finish.  The polish is opaque but really thin so it definitely needs a matte top coat to protect it from chipping.  But even that won't work.  I had to touch this one up a ton, but I still love it.

Next Week's Shade:
Rimmel London in English Rose

Ciaté Velvet Manicure in Blue Suede

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Brand: Ciaté Velvet Manicure

Shade: Blue Suede
(navy blue color, matte textured finish)

Cost: $$$$

The Scoop:
Adorable package and cool technique but velvet powder is messy to apply.  Kind of looks like my nails have sheet marks all over them with a little layer of peach fuzz -- and after a few days my nails looked terrible -- dull, weird texture, and chipped.  It's an interesting effect, just not sure a novelty is worth the expense.

Next Week's Shade: Essie in Meet Me at Sunset