Meagan’s recent post about nail polish storage (and how she has never actually finished a bottle of nail polish) reminded me that I still haven’t posted about one of my favorite new products: Polish thinner. The purpose of polish thinner is simple: It brings old polishes back from the dead. Whether your favorite polish is way too thick to apply, separated into different layers (even after you shake – ahem, roll - the bottle) or totally dried up, a few drops of thinner can fix what ails ya.

I grabbed a bottle of Orly Polish Thinner at Sally because one of my favorite polishes – OPI’s Mad as a Hatter, a delirious multicolored glitter – had become impossibly goopy and unmanageable; in short, it was a nightmare to apply. I’ve only used it a few times and I wasn’t about to toss it, so I knew polish thinner was my only hope.

Ordinarily, you only have to add a few drops of thinner to make your polish viable again. (After getting this stuff, I went on a veritable polish thinning spree, successfully rehabbing polishes I’ve held onto since high school with just two or three drops. Polish hoarders, you have been redeemed!) But Mad as a Hatter was a little more stubborn than that. I’m not sure how many drops I added – truthfully, I lost count. But hallelujah, my persistence paid off and I was actually able to paint my nails with the stuff again!

In short, don’t – I repeat, do NOT – throw out those old nail colors you adore. Invest a few bucks in some polish thinner first and see if you can’t bring them back to life. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised…

Last week my friends threw an “end of summer” barbeque but it was pretty chilly here in SoCal that evening, so we all hung out inside their fabulous place instead of hanging by the pool.  Oddly enough, this change of plans led to a beauty tip discovery.  As someone was rooting around in the fridge for another beer, they noticed that there were bottles of nail polish lining the refrigerator door.  This led to questions…

Guest: “Um.  Why is there nail polish in your fridge?”

Friend: “I read in a beauty mag forever ago that it helps preserve the color and texture of the nail polish longer.  So I’ve always kept it in my refrigerator.”

Friend’s Husband: “That’s why??  I just figured that it wasn’t an accident you put them there but decided it was better not to ask…”

Oh, husbands…

I had never heard of this nail polish preservation technique before!  Have you??  I think I’m going to have to start storing my nail polish this way though because I definitely don’t use my bottles quickly enough.  Seriously though, who does?  That is another question…have you EVER gone through an entire bottle of nail polish before it went bad?  I have trouble getting through the mini bottles before the color starts to separate.  Maybe I should paint my nails more…

Leave a comment and let us know how you store your nail polish!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always felt like I had two choices when it came to buying makeup: I could go low-end (i.e., drugstore) or I could go high-end (i.e., department stores/Sephora). Drugstore makeup is super affordable and easy to come by, but higher-end products are usually better quality and better for my skin – not to mention the invariably sexy packaging. Unfortunately, I’ve more or less resigned myself to buying drugstore makeup lately, with the occasional Sephora splurge here and there…and then I started thinking about beauty supple stores.

Of course, I’ve always been aware of beauty supply stores, and I’ve ducked in once or twice, but I had pretty much written them off as being primarily hair care. (Why did I think this? I have no idea.) But Sally, in particular, kept popping up on the blogs I read, from Nouveau Cheap’s guest post on an intriguing mint shampoo to RFC’s comparison of the Palladio Dual Wet&Dry Foundation to MAC StudioFix – in which she concluded that they were very close, but she liked the Palladio better!

So I ducked into my nearest Sally’s, and whoa! So much cheaper than a trip to Sephora, and everything I bought is awesome! Here’s what I hauled:

• Palladio Dual Wet and Dry Foundation in Laurel Nude ($8.99)
• Queen Helene Mint Julep Shampoo ($3.99)
• Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque ($3.29)
• Beyond Belief ABH Intensive Repair Serum ($7.99)
• Orly Polish Thinner ($3.49)
• Orly “Galaxy Girl” polish from the Cosmic FX collection ($7.99)
• …plus the $5 I paid for a 1-year membership to the “Beauty Club”

I decided to take the plunge and get a club card because there are tons of discounts exclusive to club members listed on the website; plus, they gave me a $5 coupon good on any purchase during the month of October, so it’s like my membership was free!

As for the awesomeness of my purchases, I’m thinking of doing a series of individual reviews, because seriously, they’re all great. The Palladio powder foundation, in particular, is so much better than the Neutrogena Mineral Sheers I’ve been using – and it was about $5 cheaper!

In conclusion, if you haven’t ventured into a beauty supply store in years, I recommend you take the plunge. They have cosmetics, skincare and hair products far better than what you’ll find at most drugstores, but at a fraction of the price you can expect to pay at the mall. Love you, Sally! XOXO.

For some reason, I have been obsessed with finding Revlon’s Lilac Pastelle, a creamy purple lip gloss. Unlike most glosses, which have at least a hint of shimmer, this one is absolutely shimmer-free – and, having seen pictures of it on the lips, it’s way more flattering than you might expect. (There’s also a Lilac Pastelle nail polish, if you’re into that matchy-matchy kind of thing.)

Another drugstore obsession: Sally Hansen’s Xtreme Wear polishes. I already own quite a few of these (in fact, I’m wearing Blue Me away, a vibrant blue creme, right now!) but the new shades that I’ve seen on a handful of blogs look pretty hard to resist – and, since they’re only $1.99 apiece, why fight it? There’s a glass-flecked deep crimson called Fireberry Red, a smoky purple/gray with delicate green shimmer called Mystic Lilac, and a glittery purple/silver combo called Purple Gala…sigh. Why haven’t I been able to find these yet?!

There they are…my current drugstore obsessions! Which affordable makeup or beauty products are you dying to get your hands on?

Speaking of inventive beauty tie-ins and Halloween-appropriate nail polish, here’s a fun little set that combines both! In case you’re not aware, there is currently an Addams Family musical that is doing very well on Broadway, starring Bebe Neuwirth as Morticia and Nathan Lane as Gomez. Morbid though she may be, Morticia has always been quite the style icon; from Carolyn Jones on the ’60s-era TV show to Anjelica Huston in the ’90s films, no one works a little black dress and severe makeup quite like Morticia – and the current Broadway iteration of the character is no exception. Even if the Addams matriarch leans a little too far toward the dark side for you, you’re probably up for a vampy manicure every now and then, especially once fall rolls around. Enter Morticia’s Nails, a trio of morbid shades created by Essie with creative input from Neuwirth and her husband.

Inside the adorably goth packaging, you’ll find three colors: Midnight Tango (a deep navy blue), Bone Chilling White (a stark white creme) and Blood Curdling Red (a bloody crimson). The entire set is $30, with all proceeds benefiting the Actor’s Fund, a non-profit group that raises money for the performing arts.

So which set would you rather have on hand this Halloween?  Morticia’s Nails, China Glaze Awakening…or something else entirely?

Lindsay Lohan made quite a stir at her recent probation hearing, where she was sentenced to 90 days in prison. (Of course, she’s planning to appeal the decision, so time will tell whether LiLo actually ends up in the clink.) But one thing’s for certain: People aren’t likely to forget about her courtroom manicure anytime soon. It appeared that Lindsay decided to show her displeasure with the proceedings by scrawling a certain, um, message on her middle fingernail, on top of her swirly, multicolored pastel polish. Now, in Lindsay’s defense, she claims that the profanity wasn’t intended for the judge at all. Instead, she and a friend had painted their nails “as a joke” the night before, and it just so happened that the mani coincided with her fateful court date. Others have speculated that the message was actually intended for the paparazzi. What do you think of Lindsay’s manicure? Kinda funny, or totally inappropriate, given the circumstances? It certainly doesn’t seem to have worked in her favor as far as the verdict is concerned…

P.S. Elaine over at Lacquer Laine did a really fantastic job of duplicating this unusual manicure (sans profanity) – check out the pics and a step-by-step how-to on her blog!

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I LOVE Halloween…seriously. I’m one of those people who starts planning her costume around, oh, November 2nd. (Yes, I already know what I’m going as this year, but it’s a secret!) I also totally adore Halloween-themed anything, and that goes double for beauty products. (And, as a nail polish junkie, it goes about triple for seasonally themed polish collections.) Thus, it was all I could do to keep from squeeing out loud when I learned today that China Glaze – the company that brought us last year’s wildly popular limited edition Fortune Teller polish (orange glitter in a black base) – has just unveiled their Halloween collection for 2010. It’s called “Awakening,” and the name and artwork indicate a loose vampire theme, but the polishes are a lot more inventive than your standard blacks and blood reds. Here are the three “ghoulish glitters” that will be available exclusively at Sally Beauty come September (click the links to see the glorious swatches posted to the official China Glaze Twitter):

• Mummy May I: “Vampy, wine colored purple with flecks of hot pink glitter”
• Zombie Zest: “A mossy green shade with gold flecks of micro glitter”
• Ick-A-Body: “A dark green base chocked full of orange glitter”

I love these! The names are perfect, the colors are beautiful and unexpected, and everything is as glittery as possible! What do you think of this collection? Or is it still just a little too early for you to start thinking about October?

Nail polish. You’re either obsessed with it – like I am – or you probably don’t give it very much thought at all. But for those of us who simply can’t get enough polish, it’s all too easy to become jaded about the latest colors. Thanks to ’90s-era polish pioneers like Hard Candy and Urban Decay, not to mention drugstore stalwarts like Wet’n'Wild who have been offering unusual colors ever since I can remember, there’s basically nothing new under the sun, right? Wrong! The latest nail innovations are all about texture and finish rather than simple variations in color. Case in point, last year’s unavoidable matte trend. Every polish company imaginable created a collection of mattes, and while the prospect seemed exciting at first, many women were dissatisfied with the reality of a matte manicure. Mattes are difficult to apply evenly, tend to chip almost as quickly as they dry, and – oh yeah – look pretty dull when it comes down to it. But hope is on the horizon: The big nail trend of 2010 looks to be satins, and Orly is right there at the forefront with their Plastix Collection for fall.

Instead of the dull finish of mattes or the glossy gleam of traditional polishes, Plastix polishes have a “shiny and rubbery look,” according to a press release from Orly. The idea is that your nails won’t merely look painted – they’ll look like they’ve been coated in liquid plastic. The collection is available in four different shades: An eye-catching teal, a vibrant purple, a summery neon orange and a bright strawberry red. If the swatches over at All Lacquered Up are any indication, Orly has certainly achieved their goal of giving nails an unusual, plasticky gleam. I love how strange and futuristic this finish is, and I’m excited that polish companies keep pushing the boundaries when it comes to their product. What do you think of the Plastix collection and satin polishes  in general?

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Yes…I have to admit…I wasn’t entirely planning on seeing Sex and the City 2 this weekend.  I know that a lot of people are gathering their girlfriends, grabbing some cosmos and buying their tickets – if they haven’t already.  The movie officially opened yesterday and I wasn’t sure if I would set aside time to see it while its theaters.  But there is something about the above picture of the ladies doing the red carpet thing at the London premiere that makes me want to make some room in my schedule.  They all look stunning and I’m wishing I was in on this conversation.  Kim has got something juicy to tell,  SJP is eager to hear, Cynthia isn’t sure if she buys it and Kristin is shocked.  They epitomize their characters in this picture and it makes me want to see the movie, just to feel like I’ve gotten a glimpse into this picture on the big screen.  Even if it was just a clever ploy to get me to buy a ticket…it may have worked.

By the way, let’s just talk a little fashion for a moment.  SJP is paying homage to her friend, the late and great Alexander McQueen by wearing one of his runway pieces.   And notice the black band on her arm?  A subtle and classy way to honor a friend’s passing.  The color of Cynthia Nixon’s dress is stunning with her skin tone and hair color.  And I love the way the bodice pulls off the one-shoulder trend.  Can I say enough about Kristin Davis’ dress?  From the elaborate gold to the flattering waistband this dress is something I wish I had hanging in my closet.  And Kim Cattrall looks like a classic Old Hollywood siren.  The cleavage and the slit are sometimes too much when paired together but Kim shows us how to do this daring look just right.  Blake Lively should take some notes….

And I love the vibrant color on Kim’s nails.  It may just be classic red but this picture makes it look like there may be a slight orange tone to the polish.  Fire!  I know what color I want to paint my nails for this holiday weekend now.

A quick search over at Essie is leaving me feeling satisfied.  Doesn’t this red-orange shade called Vermillionaire look awfully similar to Kim’s mani/pedi?  I think it is time to paint the town red-orange with a little help from my girlfriends…both real and onscreen.

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Is it just me, or is drugstore cosmetics brand Milani totally having a moment? They’ve always had a good selection of interesting, reasonably priced offerings, but lately I’ve been compelled to snatch up something new from one of their displays practically every time I set foot into a Walgreens or a CVS. Not surprising, I guess, since according to their website, this year is actually their “biggest product launch ever!” Here are some of their notable new offerings:

• 3D Holographic Nail Lacquer
• 3D Glitzy Glamour Gloss
• Crystal Eyez Sparkling Eye Shadow
• HD Advance Concealer
• Mechnical Glitter Eye Liner
• Neon Specialty Nail Lacquer

I personally own the purple holo nail polish, the blue (!) Glitzy gloss, the glittery black Crystal Eyez gel shadow, and a color from the “Liquid Metal” nail polish collection, which is apparently so new it’s not even listed on the website yet. (The color I chose is “Dot Com,” which I can only describe as a glowing, burnished plum - so pretty in direct sunlight!) I also have my eye on the HD concealer, which appears to be a dupe for YSL’s legendary Touche Eclat concealer, for a fraction of the original’s $40 price tag.

Have you had good luck with Milani in the past? Are you planning to snag any of these new products anytime soon?

Yes, yes, just a few days ago I was singing the praises of a polish as dull and gray as a storm cloud, but now I’m in the spring swing of things, and there is something incredibly appealing about Sephora by OPI’s newest nail polish collection, Modern Flowers. How gorgeous and seasonally appropriate is this pic of the six shades side by side!? Here’s a rundown of the shades from left to right, with descriptions courtesy of Sephora:

• Iris I Was Thinner - medium iris purple
• Go With the Flow-er - bright tulip pink with hot pink shimmer
• It’s Bouquet With Me - sheer violet with silver and holographic glitter
• Cover Me in Petals - vivid tigerlily red orange
• Handpicked for Me - light lilac with silver shimmer
• Leaf Him at the Altar - metallic vine green

The standout shades are obviously the creamy purple Iris I Was Thinner (hate the name though, am I right?!), the glittery It’s Bouquet With Me, and the shimmery green Leaf Him at the Altar, but all of them would make for adorable pedicures. All retail for $9 at Sephora, or you can buy a set of 4 of the shades (Handpicked, Bouquet, Iris and Leaf) packaged together in mini bottles for $18.

Revisiting old posts seems to be a theme for me on LB lately - case in point, last Friday’s update on how well it works to use sea salt as an acne treatment (hint: very!). In the spirit of finishing what I’ve started, I’m going to revisit two more products that I posted about but never actually got my hands on…until now. Fortunately, both were worth the wait!

First, I am happy to announce that I finally have my own glorious bottle of Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear polish in Wet Cement, which I wrote about in my gray nail polish post and have been attempting to track down for months. In fact, I’m actually wearing it on my nails as I type these very words! Hurrah. I’m not sure why I was so obsessed with this particular gray polish; maybe it’s something about the price tag ($3 or so), maybe it’s the fact that it’s at least a shade or two lighter than most gray polishes…or maybe it was just the fact that it eluded me for so long, which only intensified my frustration. In any case, I picked up a bottle (one of only two left on the shelves!) at a nearby Walgreen’s, and wow. It is creamy, shimmer-free, cement-colored heaven! Not only is the color fun and unexpected without being over-the-top, it was also extremely easy to apply; great coverage, opaque in 2 coats, and very shiny, even before a topcoat. Plus, it’s been a few days now and still no chipping! Love it. (Note: I actually have a few different polishes from the Xtreme Wear line, and they’re all pretty great - if you’re interested in trying out new/trendy colors on the cheap, I highly recommend it.)

While at Walgreen’s, I also spotted my other new beauty obsession - the EOS Smooth Sphere lip balm, which I wrote about way back in June of ‘09. I’ve been meaning to pick one up for a while, because I’m basically infatuated with the strange packaging, but I pretty much forgot all about them. The only flavor they still had in stock was Honeysuckle Honeydew, so I snatched it up. The bulbous container and lightly fruit-scented, waxy sphere of balm contained therein are both absolutely adorable, but I was even more delighted by how smooth and soft my lips felt after applying. I expected the EOS Smooth Sphere to be little more than a novelty, but I was wrong! It’s actually an excellent product, and earth-friendly to boot - 95% organic and 100% natural, to be exact. Like the Sally Hansen polish, these can also be had for a mere $3 or so. You’re welcome!

Black nails have been everywhere for more than a decade now, but change has finally come to the nails of the rich and famous: Gray is the new black. (Check out Gwyneth, rocking the look at a movie premiere back in October.) Whether you covet the edginess of black but could never quite make the unforgiving hue work on your hands or you’re a black fanatic ready for a little change, there are tons of grays on the market right now - light gray cremes, dark gray cremes, shimmery charcoals, gunmetal metallics, and more. I’m currently obsessed with the idea of a medium gray creme, although I have yet to actually purchase one; in fact, I’ve been on the hunt for Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear in Wet Cement for what feels like ages now, and I still haven’t been able to get my hands on a bottle! (For fellow polish hunters, China Glaze Recycle and Rescue Beauty Lounge Stormy both look similar, although neither one appears to be an exact dupe.) Have you gone gray yet? Is this a nail look you’re excited to try?

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Los Angeles-based American Apparel is pretty much hipster central. I’m not a huge fan myself, but it’s hard to throw a rock in this town without hitting someone clothed in the brand’s leggings, body suits, or ’80s-inspired skintight dresses. I will admit that their T-shirts are very soft and have just the right level of stretch, but that’s about as far as my interest went…until now. AA has just unveiled a collection of nail polish in “18 unique shades of high-quality color,” and I have to admit I’m intrigued. I’m loving Hunter, a dark green creme, and Factory Grey, which is pretty self-explanatory. Passport Blue also nails that exact shade of, well, passport blue. No word yet on formula or application, but at $6 each, it seems like a risk worth taking. Also, with Christmas just two days away, these would make excellent stocking stuffers! Just sayin’…

There are only 10 days left until 2009 disappears into the ether of history and 2010 is upon us, so without any further ado, here is the final installment in my series of posts on the biggest trends of the year. Today, we will cover the most notable nail fad of ‘09, the wild hair trend sparked by a certain Gossip Girl, and the fashion trick that’s fit for a First Lady.

BEAUTY: Matte nail polish. This was, hands down, the biggest nail trend of ‘09 - and one of the biggest beauty trends of the year, period. After matte-centric ManGlaze and KO Knock Out made headlines early on with their unique colors and finishes, it seemed like every single polish company (OPI, Zoya, Nubar and Orly leap to mind) launched at least one collection of matte polishes this year - and, in many cases, several. Essie, China Glaze and Rescue Beauty Lounge took the craze one step further with by creating matte top coats, which can be brushed onto any shade to create that velvety matte look. I haven’t seen many low-end knockoffs of the matte nails craze yet - you still have to stop by a beauty supply store or specialty retailer like Ulta to stock up - but I predict that drugstore brands will be rolling out their take on the trend very soon. Something to look forward to in 2010 - unless you’re already burnt out on it, that is! So what was your take on matte polish? Did you dig it, or do you prefer your manicure shiny?

HAIR: Long, untamed tresses. If you’re wondering what the most popular hairstyle of 2009 was, then look no further than Blake Lively. The blonde bombshell, best known for her portrayal of Serena van der Woodsen on Gossip Girl, epitomized the wild, messy, borderline unkempt long hair that could be seen on countless Hollywood starlets this year. (Case in point: Check out my last Latest Trends post, in which Lindsay Lohan is shown rocking the look.) I would describe it as Brigitte Bardot meets a serious case of bedhead. The New York Times even likens it to “the ‘Rachel’” of the ’00s - in other words, the defining women’s hairstyle of the decade, just as Jennifer Aniston’s updated Friends shag was the ‘do of the ’90s. And if you lack the natural length necessary, don’t fret - there’s always extensions!

FASHION: Waist-accentuating belts. This is one of the most figure-flattering fashion trends in recent memory, and it is my humble opinion that we owe it all to First Lady Michelle Obama. Sure, women wore belts before Mrs. O emerged as a fashion icon, but I can’t remember so many ladies belting their dresses, cardigans, and so forth quite as much as they do now. The belt has evolved from a sartorial afterthought to one of the most vital accessories a woman can own. They can make an ill-fitting or loose dress incredibly pretty and polished, and they make any outfit look “done,” but not stuffy. If you don’t have at least one or two belts at this point - which I doubt - look for a wide one that’s fitted to your waist but has a bit of stretch, and consider an eye-catching color for added drama. Or you could go the First Lady route and pick up a clear belt, like this one. It’s sleek and futuristic yet pretty and classic, and it will certainly go well with any color combination. Belts, we salute you. Thank you for bringing the hourglass figure back into popular consciousness!

Welcome to the latest entry in my retrospective on the fashion, beauty and hair trends that have been making waves in 2009! Today I’m focusing on a recession-friendly way to keep your hair looking gorgeous, the comfy/sexy fashion sensation that just won’t die, and one of the two biggest nail trends of the year.

HAIR: Coloring your hair at home. Okay, so home hair dye has always been an option - but the big news now is that it doesn’t have to be your “last resort” anymore. More women are opting to save the money they would spend on a trip to the salon by stopping by the drugstore and picking up a box of their favorite shade instead. Personally, I’ve had good experiences with Clairol’s Natural Instincts, which can freshen up or slightly change your existing color for about a month or two, but you can find products that are perfect for everything from highlighting your hair to touching up your roots. Instructions are easy to follow and virtually foolproof, and the kits are very affordable. Does anyone have a favorite at-home hair color to recommend?

FASHION: Leggings. After several years in the fashion spotlight, it’s beginning to feel like a bit of an understatement to refer to leggings as a mere “trend.” Celebrities - including unofficial poster child Lindsay Lohan, who even designed her own leggings line - swear by them, as do non-famous ladies everywhere. They’re so widespread that it seems clear that they may soon be taking their place in the fashion canon, right next to jeans, as an indelible staple of the American wardrobe. Why? Because they’re form-fitting and sexy yet comfortable and flattering, and they can be styled in so many different ways, depending on the rest of your outfit and accessories. (Plus, they’re perfect for layering!) They’ve really come a long way from their workout wear/80s origins.

BEAUTY: Glitter nail polish. With so many different brands to choose from and the increasing popularity of nail polish blogs (yes, there is a subset of the beauty blogging world devoted solely to swatching and reviewing the latest polish collections!), nails are really coming into their own - and one of the biggest trends for tips this year was intensely glittery polish. Rescue Beauty Lounge came out with this amazing trio of glitter polishes early in ‘09, and pretty much everyone followed suit, from Zoya to OPI to Sally Hansen - and, most notably, China Glaze, who unveiled a collection of fifty gloriously glittery shades. There’s only one polish trend that eclipsed glitter this year…which I’ll talk about in next Monday’s Latest Trends! Stay tuned…

Nicole Kidman at the BMI Country Awards in Nashville - with red hair!

Okay, how gorgeous did Nicole Kidman look at last night’s BMI Country Awards in Nashville, Tennessee? I know I already gave my “Red Carpet Award” to Diane Kruger for her beautiful Chanel sparkler, but this slim-cut, strapless red dress with black sash is a close second. I love that this is a little edgy for Nicole, given the bold color of the dress and the black nail polish, but more than anything else I love that she is a redhead again! Back in the Moulin Rouge era, I thought Nicole was one of the most beautiful women alive, but ever since she switched to blonde my interest has waned a little. She’s so pale that the lighter color just made her look washed out. But with her lovely strawberry locks back in full effect, she once again looks like the fashion and beauty icon she was clearly born to be. What do you think of Nicole’s scarlet fever?

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Have you ever noticed that your nails get stained after wearing dark polish or wearing polish for too long?  I know I have, which is why I appreciate this “backstage tip” from the August issue of Glamour:

If your nails are stained from dark polish, stick your fingers into lemon halves for five minutes - it’s an instant brightener. (pg. 48)

That’s a tip straight from Jackie Saulsbery, the manicurist at the Tory Burch fall presentation.  And it’s definitely going to come in “handy” this fall when I’m wearing the forest green polish trend!

For me, fake toenails are something that I’m aware of, but I’ve never seriously considered wearing. Artificial fingernails are understandable, if a bit impractical, but fake nails for your feet?! I’ve seen these things in the drugstore a million times and never given them a second thought. Then BellaSugar made a very interesting post on the subject: Her mom apparently spotted a group of women on a plane with “matching perfect pedicures” that turned out to be cheap-o drugstore press-on nails! Even more intriguing to me are the comments on the post; several readers report that they use fake toenails all the time, with excellent results! Well, color me surprised. Now I have to know: What are your thoughts on the subject of faux tips for your toes?

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Fall is looming on the horizon, and you know what the means: Soon, it will be time to abandon your summer nail colors - your corals, your neons, your lighter, brighter shades - in favor of the darker, murkier, more complex fall polishes. (Secretly, I’m excited! I love summer, but fall’s color palette will always be my favorite.) Black, dark red and burgundy colors are always hot, but the big news in autumn nail polish this year is forest green. Check out this beautiful bottle of OPI’s Here Today…Aragon Tomorrow, part of their Spain Collection. It’s the perfect shade of dark, leafy, mossy green. Will you embrace this trend or are you adamant that it’s not easy being green? Do tell!