Fall / Winter Polishes for Everyone

After a long Summer, thankfully, Fall has most definitely arrived. Finally it's the season for pumpkin spice lattes, knits, and deeper polish shades. Let me help you pick your next CHILLY weather Manicure.

Here are my picks for the cooler weather polish colours.

Reds

Every season needs it's Red it's the color of couture. Whether you're a fire engine red girl  or deep burgundy gal, you can find the perfect red made for winter wardrobe.There are so many gorgeous rouge but I love these two.

(left to right: OPI's Lost on Bombard, CND Shellac's Wildfire)

GREENS &BLUES
Not you grandmother's colors but I promise once these polishes are on you'll never want to take them off. Because of their rich tones and dark shade they pass as a neutral and will go with anything

From left to right: Butter London- British Racing Green,  OPI's CIA- Color is Awesome, China Glaze's Jagged Little Teal

NUDES
Beige, Tan, Taupe, no fall polish collection is complete  without  your basic  nudes and skin tones.They're a Fall classic. Perfect for an easy natural look and to keep your look fresh even in Winter with these warm tones.

(left to right: Zoya's Noah, Essie's Topless & Barefoot, CND Vinylux's  Field Fox, OPI's You Dont Know Jaques)

Greys
You can't go wrong with a grey. Sassy light and classy darks go with it all. Grey is the new....everything! Steels to charcoal cover all the basics. Its bold amd confident but never overstated.

(left to right, CND Vinylux's Silver Chrome, OPI's Dark Side of the Mood, CND Vinylux's Cityscape, China Glaze's Change Your Altitude)

Metallics
Every palette has to have a metallic. The shine gives off the bling to make your nails jewels not just 'make-up' so match your mood not only your clothing.

(left to right:  Essie's Penny Talk, CND Shellac's Locket Love, Zoya's Cinnamon, Julep's Leo)

Have any old favorite you would include or new stunners we need to see? I want to hear and try your faves!

Who gets nail art done, really?- Nail ART 101 For clients

Nail ART 101-For clients

Every so often I have a client in the chair that asks me, "Do people really get nail art done?".  My first thought to that is, "Are all my clients hermits??".  I look over at my coworker and wonder if she knows hers are all gloving up as they leave.....

I know that's not the case but I think when I ask people if they want nail art, they immediately think of the long bright nails on our salon magazine covers with 3D bows and dangling Navy anchors or pearl strands.  For example:

January 2014 Nailpro Cover by Max Estrada

 

That's a lot to take in, and it's not even one the more out there designs we see on our industries magazines and even shows.  But that's not all nail art is.

 

Nail art runs that gamete from crazy sculpted creations like Max Estrada's design on this month's cover of Nailpro Magazine to the simple pink and white French manicure that your sweet Mimi has worn since your mom was little.   Most people think of the Frenchie as less done then polish but it is in fact nail art. Some of my favorite nail art manicures are different French designs.

 

  Web Image search of 'Nail Art' produced these and hundreds more.*

 

There is so much and so little you can do to spice of your nails a bit.  They don't have to be all over the place and catching your clothing.  They can be! And I'd LOVE to plan something out with someone! =))

If you are interested in the bolder stuff but hesitant to do your whole hand, find as wild an design as you could wear and do it on one finger or two and match a solid color polish to the other nails.  A bold design on the index and ring fingers only is my current favorite format.

If you want something simple start with a single swirl or stripe on all 10 nails.  Really simple on 1 nails seems like a safe idea, but usually look like you thought about it and quit.

While writing this I decided I should do a quick little project of my own for the post, on my winter wrecked nails.  What do you think? Simple and I loved it because it was quickly done while I was finding images and writing this post.

 

If your curious at all about having some nail art done, ask you nail tech to show you her designs.  If you like her skills, ask her to try a couple ideas, you two come up with, and have them on swatch for you to see next time you come in.  I'd be glad to plan ahead so much, so my client leaves in love with her nails and I am sure your girl would too.

*None of these nail art images are from my clients or myself. You will find them in the top 100 images on bing images if you search Nail Art, January 9th 2014.



12 Manis of Christmas: Day 4 My Holly and me

Day 4: 12 Manicures of Christmas

 

 

My Holly and Me

Today's 12 Manicures of Christmas manicure is a really simple clean single finger nail art design. I wanted to use some more traditional colors in some of these manicure so I went with a OPI Classic Color.

I don't wear a lot of reds because of my pasty coloring but for you.....drum roll, please......is the gorgeous deep OPI Chick Flick Cherry!

 

 

For My Holly and Me I did all but my ring finger in very winter/ Christmasy Chick Flick Cherry Red from OPI.  I used the bright white OPI Alpine Snow for my ring finger. I added 3 tiny holly berries in Chick Flick Cherry in the left corner of the tip of my nail and added the 2 holly leaves with a green glitter nail art pen. I used Seche Top Coat to seal and show it off in high gloss finish.

 

 

 

I would like to do this on a client with all white nails, or red with white holly berries and a holly bunch on the corner of all ten nail tips.

 

If you are doing some cute holiday nail art post it on the In Love and Lacquer Facebook Page and I'll add it to our Album.

Day 3 : 12 manicures of Christmas Oh Christmas Tree

3rd Manicure of Christmas.

 

 

Oh Christmas Tree

 

This, Oh Christmas Tree, Mani was done with full color on all 5 nails of OPI Funny Bunny. It's a nice opaque soft whit I really like for full set of solid white.

 I actually used a dotting pen and 3 different greens  Jade is the new Black from OPI, This is Tree-mendous from China Glaze, and Jaded Jack from Butter London for the tree I added a gold glitter start with a nail art pen.

I didn't want to do just the ring finger and felt like it was too much for all five. This was my practice hand.  Can't wait to do it again and on a client, now that I know what to fix.

 

I really love this design even though the execution isn't quite what I had hoped.

Is one tree design enough or should I come up with another?

Hello and Welcome to my World!

Welcome to my blog, In Love and Lacquer!

This is my first official post on this blog, that I have created to share my love of all things nails, polish and art with the rest of the world as I rediscover the craft, career and art of manicuring.

I thought I'd start off with a bit about myself.  My name is Jennifer Love K. and I got my manicuring license in 1995.  I started cosmetology school, but realized I was a 'natural' at nails, and they became my obsession.  I loved doing sculptured names, nail art, and finding ways to beautify and correct problems with natural nails.  I've done competitions at shows, and peer pressured almost all of my clients into art of some type.

My husband and I have 5 children in our blended family and 2 boys at home.  I am pretty spoiled by them and you'll see some little and big boy hands every now and again, as these guys will do anything for me!

My hands and nails won't always be in awesome shape and never hand model shape, but I'll try to hide the cuts and bruises!  I do other peoples nails, throw pottery, and clean a house full guys, dogs, and other pets and do a lot of volunteer work.   Most pictures will be of either my nails, clients, or friends.

                                       The normal me, not poking fun at swatches, just myself!

I am in love with color and sculpture and indulge in both though my work and play with natural and sculptured nails.
I will be indulging myself in the artist aspect of nail design, with posts on polish color, nail art styles and tutorials, sculptured nail design, but also in the professional aspects of my career and technical subjects like sanitation safety and product review.  I will also be posting color swatches weekly as I buy and try new lacquers obsessively.  And believe me, this is all coming off a lot fancier the it will be!

　
Hopefully you will find my blog entertaining and informative.  I'm new to this so bare with my pictures, grammer, and rambling.  I would love feedback of all sorts, comments, suggestions, and sharing! I am also setting up a Facebook page so you can follow me there and here on blogspot and not miss a thing.