No, I don’t work for Essie. I just love their polishes. In all of my many nail polishing years, I have not found a line with better staying-power and better colors. So I stick with what I know and what I like. The same goes for the colors I wear. I’m somewhat of a nail color purist, staying away from the unflattering yellows, sparkly grapes, or glittery silvers that come in and out of favor and sticking to the classics: reds, pinks, nudes, and, for fun, some dark vampy colors. Like Diana, I don’t generally paint my fingernails, as I can’t stand the sight of a chip and therefore usually have to remove all ten fingers with 48 hours of painting them (hmm, in that case, maybe I should go Laura’s route and try the gel…). Anyway, this means that nail color for me means toenail color.  That said, here are my favorites. And if you ask me, they make the perfect stable of nail colors for every mood and occasion!

Reds

Essie 5th Avenue (a vibrant, slightly orange red)

Essie Really Red (a more traditional bluish red, but not too deep)

Pinks

Essie My Place Or Yours? (a creamy, ever-so-slightly mauve-ish pink)

Essie Watermelon (the absolute perfect hot pink for summer)

Neutrals

Essie Jazz (a lovely beigey grey that looks good on anyone)

Essie Au Natural (a nude that’s completely opaque to cover any nail discoloration, but simultaneously completely clean and natural looking)

Vamp Time

Essie Wicked (an almost-black red that will have you channeling the ’90s, your inner-vampire, or a sultry sex-goddes depending on your mood and the day)

The Necessary Extras

Essie Good To Go! (a quick-drying, fairly shiny top coat for you gals on the go)

Essie Top Coat (an extra-shiny top coat if you have some time to let it dry properly)

While Laura goes for a new nail color every few days I hardly ever paint my nails. I guess I like the natural look. Or maybe I’m forced to since I always mess up the polish within minutes and I just can’t be bothered to fix it every day. If there is one word that describes my personal style, it’s “low-maintenance.” Some less generous folks might say “lazy.” Both are accurate.

The natural nail requires its own maintenance, although thankfully less frequent:

• Trimming: Fingernails without polish look best really short, in my humble opinion. I try to keep mine no longer than the tip of my finger, which means I usually trim my nails once a week. Also, your nails won’t trap as much dirt when they’re short.
• Cleaning: Pretty self-explanatory. A dirty fingernail is gross.
• Filing: I like them a little rounded. Square is good too. Super-pointy only looks good with polish… of the black diamonds variety (amazing!)
• Moisturizing: Also obvious, I would hope.
• Buffing: this simple piece of rubber is as magical as twelve-sided dice and it only costs $1.50. It will make your nails super shiny and pretty, and the effect lasts for days. Just plop yourself down in front of the TV and buff away. 10 minutes later, your nails will be so shiny you’ll need sunglasses just to look at them! My eyes… the goggles… they do nothing!!!

For a full-on DIY manicure, our step-by-step home pedicure guide can easily be applied to the hands with a few tweaks.

We asked and you answered! Here’s a run-down of some reader face-saving favorites.

From Matt S.: CVS Gentle Skin Cleansing Towelettes ($5.99) are affordable and great for travel.
Editor’s note: I keep cleansing cloths next to the bed for those nights when getting to the bathroom to wash my face is just a tad too challenging.

From Tara D.: Clarins Multi-Active Day Early Wrinkle Correction Cream Gel ($55) leaves me feeling fully moisturized, but not greasy.

From Vanessa B.: Origins ‘Checks and Balances’ cleanser ($18.50)! I have a whole batch of friends who swear by it.

From Doug F.: Skyn Iceland Glacial Face Wash ($30) is gentle, yet cleansing. I love how it lathers and tingles and never leaves my skin feeling dry or tight, even in the winter. Knowing it’s made from natural products is a bonus.

From Cara C.: I’ve worked in beauty most of my career here are my inner secrets! Cleanser is the most overpriced product; all derms suggest good ol’ Cetaphil ($20)! For eye make-up remover, I use olive oil straight out of the pantry. Break outs are banished by Mario Badescu Drying Lotion ($17) and the effects last awhile. For masks, I love Clarins HydraQuench Mask ($35) and Kinara’s Red Carpet Facial Kit ($145)… to die!

From Madeline C.: Demalogica Special Clearing Booster ($45) is a great on-the-spot pimple treatment and totally worth the price; I swear by it!

Want to add to the list? Tell us your recommendations in the comments section below.

I can probably count on one sausage-fingered paw how many times I’ve treated myself to a manicure, but when I do go get one, I’m always like, “Dayum gurl! Why you been making those pretty babies suffer so long?!” That is, until I leave the salon, walk down the block, fish around my purse for my phone, and fuck it all up. Or, manage to salvage the beauty until I get to work, where it’s ruined after washing countless cocktail glasses. Such a waste. Which is why I tend to paint these puppies at home for free, usually when I’m sad about something. I don’t know, it’s therapeutic, leave me alone.

ANYWAY. I decided to try this gel manicure I’ve been hearing about cause apparently it lasts for weeks without chipping and frankly, I felt like pampering myself. And pamper myself I did…cause at $45, this was by far the most I’ve ever spent on some goddamn fingernails.  I wanted to be sure I wouldn’t be walking out with some 8th grade status stick-on looking claws, so I did a little research before going and found out that a gel manicure is simply a gel that’s applied to the nail and cured under an ultraviolet light. It doesn’t contain the same acid as acrylic, so it won’t damage my nails. Additionally, a gel manicure tends to look more realistic, as the gel nails are more flexible and bond naturally to the real nail. The only downer, for me, is that I have to go get them soaked or filed off… which is annoying for someone who goes to a nail salon like, three times a year, but whatever, I’ll deal with it when the time comes. Fine, good, sign me up.

The salon I went to used OPI Axxium Gel. They applied one coat of clear gel, then my hands went under the light for about 3 minutes. Then they applied the first coat of color, then back under the light. I realized the pink I chose was way too sheer so I asked them to apply a darker shade for the second coat, which they did. Then I asked for a second coat of that second color, cause I’m a pain in the ass. The end result I lovingly refer to as “grandma pink.” I don’t hate it… just probably should have gone with the navy.

The whole manicure process took about 40 minutes. My nails look natural, but they are ridiculously shiny and smooth. I keep rubbing them cause they feel so perfect. I’ve already worked two shifts since getting them and there’s no chippage yet, which is a good sign. I’m kinda excited to see if they really hold up.

My only real suggestion to those who want to try this is to ask your technician about the colors; which are pretty sheer, which aren’t, etc… cause if you’re not thrilled with the color you chose, you can’t really go back and change it like with regular polish.

As for me, I can’t say I’d do it again. There was nothing unpleasant about it, I just don’t think dropping $45 for this kind of thing is really my style. Also, the colors are pretty neutral, and I’m sorta going through a… louder phase. Also, I like to change my nails pretty often. Like even every couple of days sometimes. Like I said… therapy. I think if nails are real important to you and something you get done professionally pretty often, this is right up your alley. If you’re someone like me who sorta just plops on the couch one day and digs through your 10 year old nail polish selection and tosses some shit on there and calls it a day, maybe not so much.

I consider myself to be a good shopper. I do my research. I try things on. I carefully consider each purchase and ask myself if I really need whatever it is that’s caught my eye. If a pair of jeans or shoes is amazingly flattering and comfy, I buy several pairs. In return, I have cute stuff that I really love and people are always asking me for shopping advice. So today I’m sharing my latest finds here with you:

My mother, and her entire family, are from Iceland. As a first-generation Icelandic-American who traveled to the island in the upper-Atlantic before most kids in my class had ever heard of it, I now reap the rewards of the US’s newfound obsession/appreciation/fetishization of everything from the land of Björk. The latest import is Skyn Iceland, a fantastic skincare line and my newest obsession to share from the land of ice.

Not only am a I big fan of their Glacial Face Wash (gentle but completely cleansing, leaving my combination skin neither oily or dry and (mostly) blemish-free), but I also love their Antidote SPF 18 Mineral Sunscreen, which I use every morning as my moisturizer. And we all know we should be using SPF on our faces every single day of the year, now that we’re getting older, the effects of sun damage are real. And we’re terrified. Is that a line?

And if you become a fan of Skyn Iceland on Facebook, they’ll often post discount codes, so if you want to try it and save a few bucks, “fan” them today. And while you’re there, “fan” us too!

As you may remember, a few months ago I decided to try out Peter thomas Roth’s Lashes To Die For magical eyelash growing serum. I gave you an update on my progress at four weeks and promised another at eight, but decided that the impact would be great if I waited for twelve. All along, I have applied the $125 a tube magic potion to my eyelids like liquid liner each night before bed, as directed. Now twelve weeks in to the treatment, and at the end of my tube, I am here to give you all my final word.

The result speak for themselves: it works. My lashes, as promised, are fuller, longer, and darker (but most noticeably fuller). And just this weekend I got my first, “Wow! You have great lashes,” and I beat them double time and replied, “Why thank you!” When I curl my lashes, they’re so long they now touch the skin above my eyelid and I have to clean up the mascara that gets transferred. What more could I ask for?

Since eyelashes, like the rest of our hair, are constantly falling out and regenerating, it’s necessary for me to continue using the serum for as long as I want to see results or I will eventually go back to my old lashes which will be quite a blow at this stage in the game. However, at $125 every three months, the price for thick lashes is steep. Worth it, but steep.

Want to try it yourself? Buy it here (or at your local Sephora) and send your photos and updates to cody@omfgstyle.com.

Skincare. It’s something all of us think about, whether it’s using a daytime moisturizer with sunscreen, finding the right face wash for our skin type, or moving on into the world of anti-wrinkle products, eye creams, and beyond.

Lucky me, I have combination skin that’s oily and dry at the same time, and I’m dealing with “aging” skin, so products have to accomplish a lot—provide enough moisture, keep my face clean and healthy, manage occasional break-outs, minimize lines, dark circles and freckles, etc.

Periodically, I look for new products, and these days I like them to have natural ingredients. Recently, through OMFGstyle.com editor Cody, I found Isa’s Restoratives, and had such a good experience I’m giving sports a pass for this month to tell you about it.

Isa’s Restoratives is a small company that makes great products. Even better, founder Isa Brito is more than happy to consult with her clients and potential clients to make sure they buy the best products to meet their needs. I had started using her Blue Chamomile Face Cream as a nighttime moisturizer, and I loved it (and, of course, the compliments on my skin I had begun to get), so I emailed her to ask about a face wash.

I have to say, there is no better service than the service one gets from a small business owner. After an extensive back-and-forth, which involved Isa asking me a whole bunch of questions about everything from my eating habits to my stress level (and a lot of things in between), she recommended her Echinacea & Clove Cleansing Grains, and sent me a long email with instructions on how to use it as a cleanser for every-day, and how to make a mask to use once a week or when I had a breakout.

When my order arrived, she also included a sample of her Three Flower Astringent that I could use as a spot treatment if needed.

As if all of this isn’t enough, a week after my products arrived, she sent me a follow-up email to see how it was going, and to make sure I was happy. Now that’s good customer service!

As ya’ll know, I have a complete and utter obsession with Dr. Pepper lip balm. Besides the subtle-sweet flavor and the moisturizing properties, one of the the benefits is the sheer red color that becomes deeper with each coat.

As I mentioned in the article linked to above, I have spent much time looking for a similar color in a lipstick. Well, I’m here to tell you that I’ve found it! I’m on to my third tube, which I picked up at Eponymy yesterday, which reminded me I should really share this goody with the rest of you…

Lipstick Queen’s Medieval is the perfect shade of red for anyone. It goes on very sheer and the color gets redder—and glossier—as you pile it on, making it the perfect tube to keep in your purse so you’ll be ready to punch up your lips a bit for a quick happy hour jaunt or more for a surprise date.

Layered over any other shade, Medieval boosts the color and adds a not-to-glossy sheen that’s sure to get noticed.

The bonus is that it’s made with avocado oil, so it’s naturally moisturizing too.

Find a retailer near you and give it a try, or take my word for it and place your order today.

Trust me, this spring, mascara, a chignon, and the subtle red lip are all you’ll need to rock it chic French girl style!

Okay, so recently I decided to try out Peter thomas Roth’s Lashes To Die For magical eyelash growing serum. Since then, I have applied it to my eyelids like liquid liner each night before bed, as directed. Now four weeks in to the treatment, I wanted to give you all an update.

Clearly, from the picture you can see that a couple things have changed. For one, I got a tan (gracias, Mexico). For another, my lashes do appear darker and I do appear to have more of them. Though they’re not quite yet longer (which is what I’m really waiting for) they are noticeably more va-va-voom; even the beau has noticed.

Anyway, so far, so good. Stay tuned for another update at eight weeks!