Fall Trend Watch: Can You Wear This Trend? Black Nail Polish

It's everywhere - all of the magazines, on of a LOT of celebrities. This black nailpolish trend is HOT right now. At least that's what they're telling us. But can everyday women pull it off? Well, I got all the DeLush gals on board to try it out, and here were our thoughts. -Melissa

(Alissa)
Polish Used: Living Nightmare Black Nail Polish

"I made an appointment for a manicure on Saturday morning for a nice treat. She used "Living Nightmare" brand, which I can only assume is a leftover from last Halloween. It actually turned out quite nicely considering the goopiness. After the topcoat was applied, it looked like patent leather or vinyl.

I don't think I will try this again anytime soon. I felt a little self-concious about it, like I should be listening to My Chemical Romance and wearing combat boots. I think it might be kind of sexy with the right outfit, though. Can't wait to see how everyone else liked it!"

(Jamie)
Polish Used: Cover Girl “Boundless Color” in Midnight Magic (#610)

"Knowing this color choice would be dicey for a pale redhead, I chose the warmest shade I could find – it bordered on navy, and had a hint of sparkle.

Disappointingly, the polish was thin and runny. I needed 3 coats (!) just to even out the color. Even if the polish was of a higher quality, this is one fall trend to which I won’t be subscribing."

(Toya)
Polish Used: Rimmel Lasting Finish Lycra Wear in Black Satin

"I have to say that I'm not feeling this black nail polish phenomenon AT ALL! It just doesn't look pretty to me - it looks like you painted your nails with permanent marker. Besides which, black is just not a good color for me - I think it makes my skin, which usually has really warm undertones, look ashen.

If I were to try to be in on this trend, I would go a really, really dark blood red or even a dark brown as a more fitting alternative."

(Jen)
Polish Used: CHANEL Black Satin (color available in department stores)

"I just had to have Black Satin, the hot color from Chanel this Fall, but I wasn't so sure that the black nailcolor trend was going to work for me. I have really long nail beds, and even though I had trimmed them short, I was sure that I would look too goth. And not that the goth look isn't in right now, but as someone who wears a lot of pink, feminine clothes...well, frankly, I thought I would be the subject of amusement at work and among friends. I am happy to say that I found this trend very wearable, from art parties to important business meetings. Not only did I not hear any snickers from afar, I didn't even get any comments about them! I thought the color, which is actually either a deep dark purple or a deep dark brown (I can't decide), looked very chic with my updated fall wardrobe and I never felt uncomfortable with my bold nail color.

Now, the wearability of the trend and the wearability of the color are two very different things. I didn't go to the nail salon to have them do the painting as I had planned, so this may be a lack of skill on my part, but I found that the color went away -- not chipped, exactly, but wore down -- more quickly than with other colors I've used. I also noticed that the color lost its luster more quickly. I have to apply a new layer of topcoat very frequently, every other day to be exact, to keep the polish looking shiny and fresh.

I am definitely more willing to experiment with these dark colors after trying the black, but I may end up going with a chic plum or chocolate on a regular basis if I find it easier to maintain."

(Melissa)
Polish Used: Sally Hansen's Xtreme Wear in Black Out

"I've been using this pretty much for the past month and right from the start, I had no trouble getting used to it at all. I've been keeping my nails pretty short the past few years anyway, so that wasn't an issue for me. It really is KEY to keep your nails short for this. I have small hands, and I think that may be another slight advantage to the success of the look.

This particular polish got compliments everywhere I went. I'm not kidding. Every time I checked out of a store at the counter someone would comment on how shiny they were (I did NOT even use topcoat) and our veterinarian (shut up, she's young!) even commented on how she'd tried black polish before but it just didn't look as good as this one did.

It's true that you have to touch it up a little bit every 3 days or so, even with this polish which I have in other colors and wears very well. This shade seems to wear off the tips of the nails much quicker than other colors. As soon as you notice that, just apply another (thin!) coat and you're good as new. The things I noticed that are imperative to make this look work are that the polish needs to be smudge-free (be careful and you can do it, I did mine myself!), shiny, and when you apply it, start JUST above the cuticle. Don't go all the way down to it. This really looks more professional and clean.

For me, this look gets a definite thumbs up. I didn't feel obvious in it at all, and I think it's kind of hot. The re-applying isn't a big deal when you don't have to spend a lot on each bottle."

Can You Wear This Trend? Lavender Eyecolor Edition

When I was flipping through the latest issues of all the fashion magazines, I kept noticing the same thing all over the place -- an emphasis on color, and no color was more prevalent than lavender. I haven't been a big fan of the lighter purples in my clothing wardrobe, I confess, because they make my pale skin with light hair look positively pallid. But after seeing so much lavender makeup, especially with lighter skin tones, I had to give it a shot. And I am so glad I did!

One thing that is easy to find in drugstore cosmetic shopping is eyeshadow and eyeliner in just about every color of the rainbow. I looked through several brands, but decided on Rimmel's Eyeshadow Duo in Slow Motion (Walgreens, $3.99). I liked that it contained a lighter purple for the entire eye area and a darker one for the crease. While I was at the drugstore, I also bought a Prestige Eyeliner Kohn Pencil in Poly (Walgreens, $3.29) that coordinated with the Rimmel eyeshadow.

You might think that some bright colors like these might bring some stares out in public if they were ever to see the light of day. Well, I wore these products to work for an entire week at various intensities. In order to make the colors more intense, just keep on piling on the color. I never felt like "that girl" (you know...that girl...the one who always wears too much makeup). I wore it with pinks and blues and gray and black. It went with a lot of my wardrobe, and I didn't even have to put on anything purple! The colors worked well with my complexion, and did a lot to brighten the eye area.

Apply the lighter color of eyeshadow to the entire eye area, all the way up to the eyebrow. The light color will highlight the area under the brow and brighten your face. Then, follow with the darker color along the crease and then exand the coverage so that there's a wider band of color on the outside edge of the eye. The Rimmel eyeshadow comes with the cheapy little applicators. Sometimes those guys work, but for the Rimmel eyeshadow, throw them out the window. You will not get the preciseness you need with the applicator that comes with the set. Use an eyeshadow brush so that the darker color only goes where you want it to. If you are sloppy with the application, you will look like your eyes are swollen and bruised. Since the intensity increases as you layer it on, I recommend applying the darker color judiciously and taking a look frequently to make sure you haven't crossed the line. If it looks too dark, use a tissue to remove what you can on the top layer without smudging it too much.

Once the eyeshadow is in place, apply your coordinating eyeliner. The Prestige Kohl pencil I got is certainly the right color, but it's not nearly as good as their automatic eyeliner product. I wanted to try something new, but I was definitely wishing I had stuck with my old favorite. The kohl pencil drags on my eyelid, requires too much pressure for any real color application, and doesn't allow you to get close enough to the lash line for blending. After the eyecolor is complete, use a dark black mascara that will really make the lavender eyeshadow pop.

As great as the colors were from my drugstore purchases, I didn't find the eyeshadow or eyeliner to be longwearing. They were both fairly dry, so chances are I rubbed them away throughout the day. At any rate, a quick glance at the mirror before heading to an afternoon meeting showed that it had pretty much disappeared. What a shame.
With all the shortfalls of the drugstore products, I decided to try out a department store product, and since I've been dying to try out Clinique's Colour Surge Super Shimmer eyeshadows (Clinique, $13.50 each), I headed directly to their counter. I tried to choose very similar colors to the Rimmel shades and ended up with Crystal Berry and Purple Pixie along with their Quickliner in Grape (Clinique, $14.50). Clearly, this was a much more expensive venture than the drugstore purchase.

My first impression of the eyeshadow application was that I couldn't believe the nice creamy texture and how smoothly it applied. The color goes on more boldly even with a light hand. I guess that's what they call it colour surge. Plus, it actually lasts throughout the day. The Quickliner for Eyes, applied after the eyeshadow, is always a favorite of mine, and it does everything right -- the coverage is good, it blends in easily with my eyelashes, and it lashes hours longer than my inexpensive drugstore liner. However, my color choices were poor and the shimmer just made it all too much. This is not a color palette that I would wear to work on a regular basis. There's nothing subtle about it, even in the mellow lavender shades that I chose. I am saving the Clinique shades for a night on the town.

The picture at the top? Those are the Rimmel eyeshadows with the Prestige eyeliner pen. That's a look that I would wear to work on a regular basis, or even to the grocery store. If I vary the intensity, it's really a look that I could wear anywhere.

Can I wear this trend? Absolutely! Now what do you think? Is this a trend in your makeup toolkit or one that you would consider?

The Fall Manicure/Pedicure

As the leaves are changing, the nail polishes that line the shelves change color, too; deeper reds and plums fill in the spots where the corals and pinks of spring and summer used to reside. I find these deep colors to be absolutely irresistible, and while I am changing out my closets, I like to change my polish wardrobe as well.

I read in a magazine at the start of fall that the new trend was to wear these deep, dark colors on your fingernails and leave the sheer nudes to your toes. I've done just the reverse for many years, but this idea makes a lot of sense. Unless you're living somewhere very warm, your toes aren't seeing much daylight these days. You might as well paint them a nice, neutral shade that looks clean and manicured but that is really easy to maintain. The darker shades will show chips more easily, and who really wants to spend a lot of time thinking about their pedicure when it's basically hidden most of the time?

I chose Revlon's Colorstay Always On Nail Enamel (Walgreen's, $5.99) for my toes in Stay Neutral. I liked that the shade of pink was very close to my skin color, and I also liked that it has subtle sparkles in it to give it depth. I've used this on my toes twice now, and while I do really like the color, I am not in love with the enamel.

It dries really quickly, which may be a blessing for those who have skills with the nail polish. I, on the other hand, need a few seconds to work out the kinks in my application. With this polish, by the time you've moved on to the next nail, the previous one is half dry. Any attempts at fixing something will lead to obvious clumps and bumps that can't easily be ironed out. At the same time, it doesn't dry fully for quite some time, definitely greater than 20 minutes. You'll regret touching them even lightly at this point.

It does last for a long time, definitely longer than the 5 days promised on the bottle. The polish loses its shine quickly, so you'll want to reapply the supplied top coat regularly. Since their supplied top coat isn't as shiny as I would like, I recommend using Sally Hansen's Mega Shine Topcoat to refresh.

As disappointed as I am with Revlon's new nail enamel, I am absolutely in love with Rimmel's Lasting Finish Lycra Wear Nail Polish (Walgreen's, $2.99). The color I chose, Celebrity Bash, looks nearly black in the bottle, but goes on as a deep blood red.

I generally have a difficult time getting my nails to look as good as they do at the nail salon. Part of it is pure impatience, another large part is a general absence of hand/eye coordination. If you're like me, this polish is for you. It goes on so smoothly. It doesn't drip or clump when you're applying it. Even before I applied my top coat, the color had depth and was super shiny. This is one drugstore nailpolish that really rivals OPI for the great color and quality, all at a very reasonable price.

Other fall manicure tips:

With a color this dark, you've really got to trim your nails down so that the tip barely extends beyond the end of the finger. If you've got longer nail beds like I do, you might have to leave a little more length.

In order to prepare your nails, you'll need to do a little more now that you have in the summer months. When you're applying moisturizer to your hands at night, apply some to your fingernails and cuticles. It will keep your cuticles healthy in the cooler air, and keep your fingernails from splitting as well. Solar Oil is another great way to moisturize your cuticles and nails.

In the cooler and drier weather, it's also vital to use a base coat when you're applying a dark color to your nails. If your nails are parched, they will drink in the color and leave your nails looking yellow when the polish is removed. If possible, give your nails a couple of days of rest every 7-10 days so that the pigments from the nail polish have less time to do damage to your nails.

Revlon ColorStay Nail Enamel:

Rimmel Lasting Finish Nail Polish:

Rimmel Volume Boost Liquid Lipcolor in Plump

What They Say: "Liquid lacquer-like colour in London's hottest shades. Plumps your pout up to 40%. No collagen required."

Jen's Experience: I saw this stuff advertised in all the fall fashion magazines, so I absolutely had to try it. It's supposed to provide the same functionality as the expensive lip plumpers, but, you know, if it sounds too good to be true...

I chose a very neutral shade of gloss. They also carry clear, which may still be worth trying, but I thought this might cut down a step in my morning routine having both plumping and color all rolled into one. I put it on and it does have a slight, tingly sensation when I first apply it, just like LipFusion and Lip Venom. The plumping is pretty minimal, not at all what I was hoping for. The bigger problem is that the gloss itself is pretty thick and it doesn't apply very evenly. It's just -- goopy.

The final nail in the coffin for this new lipcolor is the fact that it dries my lips out within a couple of hours to the point where I feel like I need to be wearing some nice soothing balm.

I know it's tempting, getting a lip plumper at bargain prices, but I say, invest in the good stuff. Good products are worth the extra money.

Retail Price: $6.49 (Walgreens, available at the store but not online yet)

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Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil

If you'll remember, I overplucked my eyebrows one fine morning and, as a result, started using a brow definer to fill in the blanks.  Well, the missing hairs have all grown back again, but I've gotten to the point where I really like using a brow definer to get more perfectly shaped brows.  That Maybelline brow pencil was great, but I wanted to try one a little closer to my brow color, and I stumbled upon this product from Rimmel.

What They Say: "Professional Eyebrow Pencil is used to enhance and refine the shape of the eyebrows.  It can be used to fill gaps or lengthen the arc of the eyebrow to create the desired look."

My Experience:  Because my last eyebrow pencil was a darker brown than my eyebrows, I had to have a light touch when I was applying it.  This pencil was very close to the color of my eyebrows, and as a result, I got much more natural results, even if I pressed a little harder.  I was able to fill in areas to make it look like I have the perfect eyebrow arch, and that's all I really wanted in a product.  I also like that it comes with an eyebrow brush on the end so that when I am travelling, I no longer have to carry one.   This product doesn't perform miracles, but it is a very capable eyebrow definer.

Retail Price: $2.49 (Walgreens)

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Rimmel Extreme Definition Mascara

What They Say: "Extreme Definition Lash Separating Comb Mascara - To get lashes as individual as you are.  The unique fine-toothed comb applicator glides effortlessly through lashes capturing each and every one, for ultimate lash separation and definition, with no clumping or clogging at all."

Jen's Experience:  My friends all know what a hard time I have with mascara, so when this product was recommended to me by one of my best friends, I had to give it a try.  I'm so glad I did!  When I first took it out of the package and opened it up, I thought it was defective; I've never seen an applicator wand like this one.  I tried it out as soon as I got to the car and was impressed right out the gate.  It goes on lashes evenly and is so thin that it doesn't cause any clumping at all.   Although there is a comb on the end, I find that it works as well just to paint the lashes without trying to work my lashes into the tiny comb.  The big test was whether or not it would last all day without smudging.  I wouldn't say that it was smudge-free, but it produced the best results of any product I have used so far.  In fact, of all the mascaras I've tested to date, this is the best of the bunch.

Retail Price: $6.49 (Walgreens)

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