Deborah Lippmann Fall 2011 Polishes

Oh my stars, Deborah Lippmann has done it again. I just got an email about the DL Fall 2011 collection, and wow, it's a keeper! Seriously, just look at these photos...

First, there's the regular colors: richly pigmented polishes that definitely have fall written all over them! I can almost smell the crisp autumn air already! This includes a special polish done in collaboration with fashion designer Narciso Rodriguez.

Click the above image to see it full size!

The press release had this to say about the fall polishes:

Fall
Billionaire: moody hunter green (creme)
Brick House: shimmering rust (shimmer)
Single Ladies: flirtatious red (creme)
Stormy Weather: an edgy granite (crème) is a collaboration with fashion designer Narciso Rodriguez.

PRICE: $16 (each)

WHERE TO FIND IT: Barneys New York, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and online at www.deborahlippmann.com

Then there's the glitter collection, and may I just say WOW! I am seriously drooling to get these on my fingers! How delicious are these?

You really want to click this to see those glitters more closely!

You see it, right? Are these AMAZING or what?! I cannot wait. I absolutely cannot wait!! Forget You was plucked straight out of my dreams! This is the Nordstrom Anniversary Set, and I'm almost holding my breath for these!

Nordstrom Anniversary Set

Happy Birthday: a party in a bottle (glitter)

Forget You: party all night (glitter)

Candy Shop: bubblegum pink (glitter)

PRICE: $42 (set)

WHERE TO FIND IT: Barneys New York, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and online at www.deborahlippmann.com

Oh yea, this one's definitely a keeper! Look for swatches as soon as I can put them up! And be sure to check back tomorrow when I'll be showing my fourth of July designs! They're cute as a button- you won't want to miss these!

Deborah Lippmann polishes rock my stripey socks!

See my disclosure statement for more information.

Deborah Lippmann: Girls Just Want to Have Fun

Oh my goodness, I am absolutely loving this look. Let me start by saying that I'm really not one to wear corals... they tend to make my skin look kind of oogy. On other people coral looks amazing, but on me? Meh.

So I had a massive problem once I had Deborah Lippmann's Girls Just Want to Have Fun in my hands. It is such a gorgeous coral and I wanted to wear it! Something about this color just absolutely won my heart- it's pigmented, it's bright, it's all the wonderful things about a hot summer day without all the ickiness of actual humidity and frizzy hair! I kicked some ideas around in my head, trying to figure out what I could do to make this color wearable for me.

Before long, it hit me. This was dying to become a Hawaiian print! I've been stashing adorable little floral nail stickers away here and there in my nail art box, always wanting to wear them but never knowing how to do it without looking silly. I'm not sure I managed with this look, but I don't care... I love it too much. The beauty is that even if you're all thumbs, you can do this look too!!

The most important part of this look for me was variety. I used four different sheets of floral stickers in colors that worked together, hoping to make a playful mishmash of pattern that worked together as a fabric, almost. It's not as good as it could be, but every time I see my nails, I giggle a bit to myself!

It really is as easy as picking the stickers off their little sheet and placing them onto your nail wherever you like! Rather than try and keep all the stickers complete, I cut some in half and some in thirds so that the pattern seemed to continue past my nails. I used a pair of nail scissors to cut the stickers and a pair of tweezers to place them gently. After that, a couple of Seche Vite pulled everything together, giving it a coherent look.

However, it still needed something else... something fun, something silly. A quick dig through my nail art box gave me just the thing- Love My Nails Dazzling, a super-fine glitter that made the whole design pop! One more coat of Seche Vite finished it off, and now my nails are perfect for a Louisiana Luau, complete with ice cold beer and a pretty flower in my hair! Now... to find that luau... ;)

Let me know if you try this look. I've love to see photos! This could work with any bright base color, too- yellow, pink, orange, even lavender would be gorgeous! Relax, have fun with it, and remember it's only nail polish!

Til next time!

Polish and stickers were provided by the manufacturers for consideration.

See my disclosure statement for more information.

Deborah Lippmann's Lara's Theme = LOVE!

Let's be honest here... I've never worn a fluorescent polish. I know, it's strange, but I've never had one I thought would look good on me. I did win a couple of fluorescent yellows a while back, but...  let's just say they're still in my untrieds box.

Then I got Lara's Theme. It doesn't hurt that I've really been enjoying orange as a color lately, or that this particular orange is almost fluorescent, but not quite. It probably helped that it also looked like it just might look decent with my skin tone.

Whatever the reason, I tried this the same day I got it. That's downright unheard of for me. Usually I'll wait a bit, or work through some more untrieds first, but this one absolutely called my name. What can I say, it's gorgeous!!

However, even though this polish is absolutely juicy-looking, it was a bit of a pain to work with. I'm assuming this is because it's a fluorescent (ok, how many times will I type the word fluorescent in this post?), but still I was swearing a bit by the time I was done. I think a good coat of Seche Vite would have helped loads, but I was out at the time.

Lara's Theme was very streaky for me, which is a first for Deborah Lippmann polishes. Normally they go on like butter, but this one was grumpy. Still, it was tolerable after two coats, so I don't think it's worth much complaining!

It's funny to me, because while I wore this (for either four or five days, I don't quite remember!) I would find myself looking for things to compare it to. I think I found several good comparisons! It's the orange of traffic cones, of hunters' caps, of traffic workers' vests. In shot, this baby is VISIBLE!

After a few days, though, I got bored as I normally do. I decided to pull out my China Glaze crackle polishes...

... but that's a story for next time! Til then, you'll have to be content with this video!




Til next time!

Lara's Theme was provided by the manufacturer for consideration.

See my disclosure statement for more information.

Deborah Lippman's Spring/Summer 2011 Collection- OMG YES!!!

I had a disturbing realization today. For my entire life, I have spent summers inside, quietly seething that summer was so infernally hot. I don't like hot weather, I don't like being outside with the bugs and the humidity, I just don't like summer at all. My hair frizzes, I sweat and smell funky after just a bit of being outside. Louisiana summers can get over 100° f with 100% humidity. At that point, the air feels like a hot wet sponge smacking you in the face when you step outside.

However, this year seems to be a bit different. Instead of stepping outside into 85° weather and complaining, I seem to be enjoying it this time. I'm wearing sundresses and tank tops, and for once, I feel kind of happy to be in the warm sunshine! It's weird.

Ah well, I'm not complaining! I'm also not complaining about all the summer collections coming out! I am absolutely DYING to get my hands on the Deborah Lippman Spring & Summer 2011 shades. These polishes look downright juicy!

Lara's Theme is such an incredible, warm, wearable-looking orange. I am dying to try it on! It's described as "a dare to wear shade of hot-hot orange," and is Deborah Lippmann's latest celebrity shade. Honestly, what else could you possibly want in an orange polish?


I Know What Boys Like is a deep, slightly muted blue. The press release says about this one, "A creamy periwinkle that credits to both the 80’s and my clients. Several of my clients have asked for interesting blues. This one is a blend of blue and purple with a creamy finish, which gives it a slightly retro look that is so playful and hip." Will I be able to wear this one? I don't know, but I'm certainly going to try!

Girls Just Want To Have Fun looks very similar to Lara's Theme in the photos, so I'm interested in seeing just how similar they really are in reality. This one is described as "a smooth, vintage coral that everyone can wear because it’s bold yet velvety – a sort of carefree, creamy coral." Hello, I'm DYING here...


Finally, Yellow Brick Road blows my mind! It's a yellow jelly!! How on earth... no, I'll wait. I have to see this one on myself! It's described as "a sheer mellow yellow with a jelly finish. The proof that it wears beautifully on all skin tones: it complements me and Lady GaGa, who wore it first for her “Born This Way” performance at the 2011 Grammy Awards."

This definitely fills my mind with thoughts of hot sandy beaches, of gulf waves washing over my toes while we laugh and walk... of summer, of family, of peaceful happiness. This is a set I want.

Also? GIVEAWAY- it's ending in just a few days, so you're running out of time!! GO ENTER ALREADY!!

Base images were provided by the product's PR firm for consideration.

See my disclosure statement for more information.

Lady Gaga Wears Deborah Lippmann at the Grammys

Wow. Did you watch the Grammys last night? I have do admit that Lady Gaga is one of my favorite performers, and last night she showed why. She debuted her new song "Born This Way" and absolutely blew me away, as usual. That voice is unreal, and I love the way she uses it. No oversinging, no trying to disguise a lack of talent with the ever-present autotune.

Last night, Gaga's performance began with an egg that was carried down the red carpet by four scantily-clad muscular men, and watched over by her supermodel "nurse." Gaga's publicist had said on twitter that she was "in incubation," and on the red carpet that "nurse" said Gaga was in a "creative embryonic stage and won't be born until her performance this evening."

Later, that egg was rolled onto stage on large carriage wheels, where Gaga emerged in a buttery yellow ensemble. She then launched into her new song, accompanied onstage by her dancers. It was a hell of a show, and ended with a visually stunning image of Gaga and her dancers, all with one hand up in the air. To me, it spoke of solidarity, of acceptance. "We were born this way, and you were too. We stand together, for us, for you, for them..."

What can I say, it moved me. I love the message of acceptance, the idea of supporting people as they are instead of ask them to fit into some cookie cutter mold of society's choosing. I guess it's obvious that Lady Gaga is one of my favorite artists...

Also as usual, she was wearing Deborah Lippmann polish on her nails. Last night's creation was a stunning yellow polish called "Yellow Brick Road," and I for one cannot wait to get my hands on this polish. Yellows are known for being difficult to work with, so I'm hoping this one performs as well as the rest of the Lippmann polishes I've worn. If it's even half as nice as the rest, it's gonna be a showstopper.

So what do you think? Is this a yellow you'd wear, or is this just a bit too far out there for you?

Images were provided by Deborah Lippmann's PR.

See my disclosure statement for more information.

Deborah Lippmann- Some Enchanted Evening

Finally, we come to the end of the All That Jazz collection. Today I'm showing you Some Enchanted Evening, an understated pink glitter topcoat. Well, it's as understated as salmon pink hexagons can be!

While you can wear this polish on its own, I think the beauty of it really shines when it's used to layer over other colors. I chose to layer it over three separate polishes to give you an idea of the versatility of it.

First, I've put it over the Milani polish Bare in Mind, from their limited edition Bare It All collection. On its own, this is a lovely pale pink with a striking duochrome shimmer. However, topped with Some Enchanted Evening it becomes truly elegant. I see this being worn with a beautiful gown for the holidays, or even for a bride at her wedding. (What can I say, I would be a flashy bride! :D)

As you can see, the two pinks play nicely together, creating something soft, feminine and girly, if with a touch of edge. It's fun, funky, and I absolutely love it.

I felt like showing something totally opposite to this girlie girl look, so I decided to pair Some Enchanted Evening with a black creme polish. I don't even know the name of this one, because I picked it up for 50 cents last year. It's a Fantasy Makers polish, so I assume it was leftover from Halloween. Beyond that, I have no idea.

What I do know is that this combination kicks ass! It's funky, with a lot more bite to it than the first combination. However, it softens up the black, so that someone who's a bit self-conscious wearing plain black polish could ease into darker colors. It's also glittery, which this just doesn't capture well enough, IMHO. The sparkle is spectacular!

Finally, I paired Some Enchanted Evening with a color some might not have thought of. My whole life I've been told red and pink don't go well together, but I have to disagree after seeing this. Instead of competing, the pink enhances the red, giving it a shimmer and sparkle that really draws the eye.

Again, I think just about anyone could wear this. It's fun, it's playful, and most of all it doesn't take itself too seriously. I love looks that have a bit of whimsy to them.

So, what do you think- what would you pair Some Enchanted Evening with? Is it too over-the-top for you?

Some polishes were provided by the manufacturers for consideration

See my disclosure statement for more information.
All That Jazz collection photo courtesy of DeborahLippmann.com.

Deborah Lippmann- Lady Sings the Blues

I decided that since these Deborah Lippmann polishes come in a set, I'd review them back-to-back. Today's polish is Lady Sings the Blues, an absolutely stunning jelly-ish navy blue polish with glitter in multiple sizes. Once again, this polish is a total keeper, and one I can see being worn for all sorts of occasions!

Deborah Lippmann seems to be known for her use of glitter in interesting ways. From Happy Birthday to Funky Chunky, her polishes consistently push the envelope, giving us new ways tow ear glitter- stylish, edgy, and always interesting. You may love it, you may hate it, but you'll definitely notice it!

Lady Sings the Blues is no different. It's reminiscent of some of her other polishes (Ruby Red Slippers, Bad Romance, Across the Universe) with the mix of large hex glitter and tiny square glitter suspended in a gorgeous jelly-ish base. What can I say, I am absolutely drawn to this sort of look, and once again this polish is a total winner. The hex glitter is very eye-catching, and the navy is such a beautiful tone. I think almost anyone could wear this polish and look wonderful in it!

This polish is sort of tricky to apply, but it's not too bad. The key is to let each coat dry for a few minutes before applying the next coat. This lets the glitter sort of set up, so that it won't all end up at the tips of your nails. Try and keep a light touch on the brush as well, and you'll end up with a really beautiful arrangement of glitter on your nails!

Removal of this polish isn't too horrible, considering it's a glitter polish. I'm going to assume that's because it isn't a glitter-heavy polish, but instead has so much open space.

I also decided to try stamping with this polish, just to see how it would work. Silly? Probably, but look- it actually works! My little stample shows how nicely it transferred, although the hex glitter did cause a problem or two. You can see a few blobs there- that would be because of the hex glitter.

Gee, I wonder what tomorrow's post will be... :D

Deborah Lippmann's Lady Sings the Blues was provided by the manufacturer for consideration.

See my disclosure statement for more information.

Deborah Lippmann- Razzle Dazzle

Mmmm, it's time to showcase yet another delicious Deborah Lippmann polish. This time, I'm showing what may be one of my all-time favorites- Razzle Dazzle. It's no secret I've got major glitter love, and this is one spectacular glitter polish.

Razzle Dazzle came out with the All That Jazz collection, which also includes Some Enchanted Evening (a sheer polish with multi-sized pink glitters) and Lady Sings the Blues (a jelly navy polish with multi-sized glitters). Razzle Dazzle is a deep blackened raspberry with super-dense glitter. It is absolutely LUSH!

As with other Lippmann polishes, application was a dream. I swatched this on artificial nails originally, but then decided I needed to wear it on my own nails while they were super-short. Those photos will be coming up.

The good news is that even without a base coat or topcoat, this polish wore like iron on me! I think I kept it on for 5 days, maybe 6, without a chip. Crazy! It's such a deep, rich color that I think it's perfect for fall, or holiday parties, or even just curling up with your favorite book!

See? Nubs. I ended up breaking most of my nails, so I decided to cut them all off and start over. I think these photos were taken on day 4 of wear. I'd also received a couple of Migi nail art pens in the mail, so you can see where I tested them. They do nicely, but I'll have more about those soon!

Removal is the one big drawback to this polish, and it's the same as any other glitter. Just take your time and use a good strong polish remover. I've started cutting my cotton pads in half, then soaking each half in remover and sticking them onto my nail to soak for a few minutes. After a bit, I wiggle the pad, then slide the polish right off with no real hassle. It's sweet!

Finally, I've got the stample to show you! Would you believe you can stamp with this polish? To be honest, I'm not even sure why I tested it with my Konad stuff, but it actually worked decently. The sticker you see is half black, half white, and the polish shows up nicely on white. It's slightly sheer, but it's a pretty look.

So tell me, what do you think of Razzle Dazzle? Keep your eyes peeled, I've got some fun things coming up for the holidays!

Deborah Lippmann Razzle Dazzle was provided by the manufacturer for consideration.

See my disclosure statement for more information.

Why Is Kim Kardashian Naked In My Email?

Man, my life is bizarre some days. I get press releases for all sorts of nail polishes, thanks to this blog. It's a lot of fun, and I enjoy reading them even if I don't always write about them. (Seriously, if I wrote about every one I got, I'd have no time to polish my nails!)

So today, I get a press release in my email titled Kardashian Wears Nothing But Deborah Lippmann. I think to myself, "Cool, I wish I were rich enough to only wear Deborah Lippmann nail polish... but what about all those other awesome colors..."

(I'm putting a jump in this post because there is a not safe for work photo of Kim Kardashian and her naked bits. I figure if I had to get the shock, I may as well share it with all of you. If you don't want to see Kim Kardashian naked, then don't click the jump. 

I'm serious. There are nipples under the jump. Don't act surprised when you get there and see... well. Yea. Nipples.)

New York Fashion Week: Fashion's Night Out with Deborah Lippmann

Some days I'd like to be anywhere but here. I'd love to leave my boring life here and do something glamorous- visit New York during Fashion Week, hit up the shows of the hottest designers. I can see it all in my mind, my sleek hair and towering Christian Louboutins, the people, the shows...

Of course, then I remember I'm actually me, and those towering Louboutins would KILL me. I much prefer a pair of Docs, a ponytail, and some jeans. Still, wouldn't fashion week be something? Then I get this in my email...

New York Fashion Week is just around the corner. Can you believe it?! Kick off the week at Fashion’s Night Out on September 10, 2010 at Barney’s New York from 6-10 pm with fashion manicurist Deborah Lippmann.

Stop by New York City’s iconic department store on Madison Avenue (at East 59^th Street) and receive personal nail consultations with Deborah Lippmann. She can help select which colors are best for your skin tone and pick out shades for any occasion. She can also provide tips and tricks on how to find the right nail shape for you and how to give yourself a professional quality manicure at home.

Her new fall colors – Bad Romance, a GaGa blackened fuchsia, and Across The Universe, a blazing blue and metallic green glam in sheerest navy – will be on display for sampling and for purchase.

Wow. Would it be amazing to get to meet Deborah Lippman or what? Ahhh, excuse me while I get lost in my dreams of Fashion Week one  more time...

*Images and press release courtesy of Deborah Lippmann's PR firm.

Deborah Lippmann - Between the Sheets

I'm a simple girl with simple tastes. I've said for years that nail polish is nail polish is nail polish, and that I had no idea what could make a $16 polish so much better than a $1 polish. I've maintained that my Wet n Wild polishes, as long as I use a good base coat and top coat, are just as good as anything that comes with a fancier name and a fancier price tag.

Then I got polishes from Deborah Lippmann. First of all, they come in a sturdy plastic box, clear so that you can see the delicious color inside. The box is strong, and made me feel like I was getting something with a little bit more value. It's a nice touch, and I appreciate it.

After I opened the box, I was struck by just how solid the bottle feels. It's a square bottle with a little pedestal on the bottom, and to be honest, there's a lot of polish in it (.5 fl oz/15 ml). It feels substantial in my hand. At this point, I started talking to my husband about it, how silly I felt. I know I'm easily swayed by packaging, whether it's cute or elegant. But I didn't want to fall for this polish's packaging and be biased about the polish's performance. I wanted to give this polish a fair evaluation, and be willing to tear it to shreds if that's what it needed.

So I waited a day or two to apply it. I've got patience, I don't have to pounce immediately. But as soon as I got that bottle in my hand, I got excited. It doesn't smell quite as strong as other polishes, so that's a major plus. But as I started to apply it, I was absolutely stunned by how creamy and gorgeous this polish is to use. The color was almost opaque after 1 coat. My nails practically painted themselves!

I tweeted about it halfway through doing my nails. My friends laughed at me because I don't normally rave about a polish like this. But this polish was an absolute dream to apply, and as it dried, it didn't lose that wet glossy shine I love so much. Two coats dried quickly, and dried glossy. I had to call my husband in to see!

So today, we went to play cards, and as I was shuffling the deck, my husband noticed that my nails seemed glossier than usual. Nothing changed but the polish, but if my husband notices my nails something has to be different! He said the color looked rich, deep, and they made him think of a custom paint job on a fancy car. I think the color is juicy and inviting, to the point I can't stop looking at my nails.

After wearing the polish for two days, I've got minimal tipwear. No chips, no problems other than the tips, and that happens no matter what I'm wearing. I feel like the only way this polish could get better is if it cleaned my bathrooms for me!

So, I thought to myself... what else can I test? I decided to see if it would work with Konad stamping. Surely it can't be this fantastic and work with stamping too, right?

Wrong. I got the best stamp I've ever done from this polish. It's not quite opaque, and I don't think I'd try it on black. But on light colors, this stuff is a dream.

At this point, I can't think of any other tests to do with it. I'm wearing it with nail decals, and while my poor topcoat has had a time with them, the polish is still in perfect shape. It's official- the packaging, the product, and the performance of Deborah Lippmann polishes really are worth the extra money. If you feel like spoiling yourself, grab one of the creme colors- if you're anything like me, you'll feel like a million bucks!

Polishes were sent to me by PR for consideration.
See my disclosure statement for more information.