West elm paper flowers | Essie “navigate her” polish | Little Luxuries bow flats in mint | Kate spade wellesley quinn | visions in rose swimsuit  |  shimmering flower studs

I am still struggling to fathom that we are discussing spring break, Easter, March, BATHING SUITS!???? sandals, and all things Spring but, we are, so here’s my vintage inspired spring fling complete with a few hints of some St Patrick-green. Happy new week everyone!

- <3 A. 

Posts Like This: 

  Modern Victorian                    Sweater Girls                     Vintage Winter

]]> http://sparklingnoise.wordpress.com/2013/01/07/manicure-monday-color-of-the-year/ Mon, 07 Jan 2013 17:14:42 +0000 danalynnbar http://sparklingnoise.wordpress.com/2013/01/07/manicure-monday-color-of-the-year/ This one’s for the Nailistas out there!

The Color of the Year for 2013 according to Pantone is emerald, so I thought the best way to kick off my first nail post of the year would be an ombre mani (light-to-dark) featuring shades of green.

Index finger: Navigate Her by Essie. Middle Finger: Posh by Revlon. Ring Finger: Bright Green by L.A. Colors. Pinky: Stylenomics by Essie.

How do you feel about emerald being the color of the year? Would you paint your nails emerald?

It’s super easy to find these if you search amazon.com … but since I’m wonderful, I’ve provided the links for you!

Navigate Her, East Hampton Cottage, Brownie Points, Turquoise & Caicos, Mezmerised, Good as Gold, Braziliant, Clambake

The colors that I used are:

green- navigate her.  by:essie

purple: Lacey Lilac. by:Sally Hansen

shimmery rose gold: gilded coral. by:Orly

Hope you enjoyed!  Tell me what you think down below!
Stay classy.

xoxo

Lydia

This is Essie’s “Navigate Her” from the Navigate Her Spring 2012 Collection. It’s a pretty light green color but with a twist! Instead of a pastel green, it reminds me more of a pistachio green color. Two coats was enough for me to get the color to be opaque.

What do you think of Navigate Her (the polish and collection)? Do you own this polish or want to buy it? What’s currently on your nails? Tell me in the comments!

Stay classy!

NAVIGATE HER er navnet på min første neglelak af mærket Essie. Man kan nærmest ikke sige lak uden at sige Essie, så nu syntes jeg at det var på tide at anskaffe mig en af slagsen. Og endda til en rimelig pris.

Jeg faldt for farven øjblikkeligt. Min yndlingsfarve er grøn, men udover det fandt jeg den frisk, sommerlig og anderledes. Jeg er blivet rigtig glad for den. Humøret og outfittet stiger 10 grader når jeg har den på.

Jeg starter med en klar underlak, der gør at lakken holder sig bedre (også fra Essie), derefter to lag af NAVIGATE HER (find billig essie neglelak HER), selvfølgelig med god tørretid imellem. Tilsidst lægger jeg endnu et lag af den klare beskyttende lak. Det efterladen farven mere klar og den holder i længere tid.

Nu er problemet bare hvad for en farve Essie jeg skal have næste gang.

Hvad med dig, hvad er din farve?

_____________________________________________________________

English Translation: I got this amazing nailpolish from Essie. Essie is the brand to choose if you want variety, good hold and a reasonable price. I really do love nailpolish. It helps a great deal to round of any outfit. It makes a statement. No matter if you want to be a rock chick, hippie, romantic or just a goof.

I absolutely love the color NAVIGATE HER. My favourite color is green, but I also find this one fresh and fun.

Now I just need to find out what my next Essie color is

What is yours?

Find it Essie HERE

The two polishes are very close in color but have different finishes.  One is Tracie from Zoya’s Beach Collection.  Tracie is a shimmer, the only one in the set; the other five are cremes.  The other is Navigate Her (pronounce it “navigator,” I suppose), a creme from Essie’s spring collection by the same name.

Both applied well except that Navigate Her dried very, very quickly so I felt rushed during application.  Both seemed to drag a bit near my cuticles and that’s slightly visible in the photos.  I used two coats of each, no top coat, and here are Tracie (index and middle fingers) and Navigate Her (ring and pinkie fingers) in indirect outdoor light:

You can see that Tracie is slightly more yellow-toned, even though the shimmer particles are silver,  and Navigate Her is a little more pastel.  With the flash:

Outdoors in direct sunlight:

So, no I don’t think they make my hands look horribly red like I was afraid they would.  I like both polishes a lot and think they look very fashionable.  Bet they’d look even better on someone with a warmer skin tone.  Do you need both?  Probably not.  Pick the finish you like better, shimmer or creme, and dare to wear green.

This week in pictures:

celebrated life with a Chinese take-away/finally got round to watching The Decoy Bride/visited the queen/made friends with a teeny tiny bird/made our bed look pretty/bought some essie nail polish (navigate her and too buy or not to buy)/a beautiful sunset over London/got my latest in beauty sample box/read The Hunger Games in one night!/green nails/husband made me an amazing apple pie/framed one of our favourite wedding cards (a Rob Ryan design)

Instagram: emilyfordham

x

I was so excited about the way you were looking that I went real crazy and got you all over my cuticles. Don’t care at all. I have been doing significantly more writing since putting you on because of how much fun it is to see the green dancing around the keyboard.

Love, Amy

Polish #3 of my Project Use my Un-Used.  I have wanted this polish ever since I read that pistachio green was “IN” for this spring.  Honestly, I could go off on a crazy tangent about trends because I follow them and hate them at the same time.  Since I didn’t have a traditional pistachio in my collection (shocker!) I put this beauty on the top of my wish list.  Essie “Navigate Her” is a light green with a yellow undertone.  Everyone raves about Essie “Mint Candy Apple”, and while I love it, a mint green has too much of a blue tone for me to be as ga-ga over it as other people are.  This is the way I love to do a light green!

Navigate Her is a light green that is a little bit muted.  It has almost has a dusty quality to it, which I was not expecting because it seemed so bright in the bottle.  It is absolutely stunning though! I am honestly in love with this color and I know it will be a staple this spring and summer.  In the sunlight it retains that brightness which I was expecting but indoors it reminds me a lot of OPI “Stranger Tides” with a little more boldness to the green hue.  This was 2 coats, over the dark puple shellac, so if it can be opaque over a dark purple it definitely is opaque over the nail.  Not streaky at all and I am super impressed with this essie polish!

Navigate Her

To Buy or Not to Buy

Tour de Finance 

Ole Caliente

Orange It’s Obvious

A Crewed Interest

Get the new spring collection here!

Photos: Essie

I am the kind of person who always has to have polish on her toes, even though in the wintertime, no one will really ever see my toes. I don’t know why I just can’t be a clear polish person for toes, because most of the time I have the clear polish thing going on for my fingertips. I wonder if anyone else is like me.

Anyways, I am loving this new nail color by Essie, Navigate Her. I saw it in the March 2012 issue of Allure, and decided to try it out on my toes. I’ll admit that I was a little skeptical about the color… I was afraid that it’d look more like I spilled split pea soup on my feet. But actually, it is very pretty and flattering, a delicate milky jade green shade. Too bad the only person who I get to show it off to is Hakim when we’re at home, because sandal weather has yet to arrive.

Florence was my musical inspiration in those last few yards yesterday – ‘Dog Days Are Over’ has to be one of the most perfect running tunes, I felt like I was flying to the beat of those drums.

Saturday began with a lot of cheering for my son.  It was his first swimming lesson after a couple of previously failed attempts when he flatly refused to get in the pool.  So as you can imagine I was a little nervous about how it was going to go this time.  Fortunately with his sister around and a friend from school he was gently persuaded to give it ago.  I basically legged it as soon as he was distracted and thankfully he didn’t bat an eyelid – success!  For a post swimming reward we all headed to Goldberg‘s for fully loaded bagels.  Even though my body shape tones and changes, I’m still convinced I gain weight the more I run, I am always hungry! I’ve sworn off the scales until after the race…that might change tonight though when my new Boden bikinis arrive and need to be tried on.

MM and I were planning a date night on Saturday, unfortunately this weekend was his turn to be sick so we had to postpone.  No bad thing really given I still felt weary from Friday.  It was fun to curl up on the sofa and catch up on some episodes of Dexter with a delicious glass of Malbec.

I’ve a feeling this week is going to be a little stressful.  It’s my son’s birthday party this Saturday and although on paper there doesn’t appear to be too much to do I know I’ll still be running around cleaning all week.  I love hosting parties but question my sanity every time we do it as I end up cleaning for hours before and after the event.

I didn’t post any photos this weekend as I have to be honest with you I spent all weekend in sweats, I even went to Target in my running gear which I normally wouldn’t even consider, but bear with my until this half is over and done with:)  Today in an attempt to feel a little more put together I’ve opted for my Boden Everyday Jersey Tunic in coal giant leopard (currently in Clearance at only $34!), Boden Cashmere Wrap (now sold out), and my Boden piped shoe boots.

I’ve even opted for a little black head band, following the lead of the gorgeous Michelle Williams at the Golden Globes this year, whose pixie cut always looks amazing with or without a headband.  Mine is a little less obvious due to my dark hair but I’m praying headbands will help me through the dark days of growing my hair longer, though I am already questioning that decision.

At last night’s Oscars Michelle was by far and away top of my ‘best dressed list’  in this fabulous Louis Vuitton tiered dress and the pink clutch was just genius.  The Telegraph, as ever, has great photo montages of most of the dresses on show last night.

My current choice of nail polish is Essie‘s Navigate Her from their Spring Collection, which in the bottle is a lovely creamy green color, I’m not convinced it suits my skin tone though.  Just a good excuse to pick a different color out tonight.

Essie’s A Crewed Interest, from the Spring 2012 “Navigate Her” collection (ha, get it? Accrued interest?)! It’s a light, saturated peach pastel creme. Let me just get one thing clear: I bought this mostly because of the name. I’m not usually drawn to pastels.

But I do love how the colour looks on me! Gorgeous, and makes my hands look extremely tan. The colour really pops and is incredibly pretty for spring.

I had some formula issues, as it’s rather chalky and streaky – I needed to apply three coats very gingerly. I feel like the extra effort was worth it, though. I mean, the name alone! Yes, I am obviously quite easily amused.

What will come:

The collection has a financial theme, “a woman of action who isn’t content to play it safe and hedge her bets during the wintery economic climate” says Essie founder Essie Weingarten. “2012 is all about the color green, there’s something really special about it, so you’re going to see a lot of it.” She is pointing out the pretty pistachio in her collection. Essie’s spring 2012 collection features six new nail polish shades with a bold, optimistic vibe.

What to expect:

The Bold’s and Bright’s are a stunning spring awakening, the pale pastel are the more traditional spring colors. The whole collection is opaque, classy and elegant:
Navigate her, a pale pistachio green
A crewed Interest, light peachy hue
To buy or not to buy, pastel lavender
Orange, It’s Obvious, a saturated bright orange
Ole caliente, bod red coral cream
Tour de Finance, a vivid shimmery fuchsia.

What I think:

I love Essie, always did and I am sure this spring I will wear all the colors of the collection. I already love “Navigate her”. Green will always be my favorite color! But orange on nail…honestly there’s nothing better and “Orange, It’s Obvious” is surely a must have for me.

Essie will be launched in Switzerland on March 2012

Stay tuned…

… And remember, have always nice manicured hands, think pink and just be wonderful as you are!!

Spring has sprung a little early in Canada this year and we certainly aren’t complaining! We are so ready to pack up our heavy winter jackets and re-introduce some fresh, bright colours to our wardrobe. We have been stocking up on spring polish shades for the past few weeks and they are all on stand by, ready to be added into our regular rotation this season. This mint green, pistachio shade has graced our tips in the past however this spring we are seeing a lot more variations of it – not only in polish, but also in fashion. We love how light and fresh the colour is – a perfect compliment to sunny days and floral patterns. Add one of these polishes to your collection and we promise you will thank us in a few weeks.

1. Urban Outfitters Wheeled Linen Dress Form
2. Drop Back Sleeveless Shirt – Top Shot
3. Moto Neon Mint Hotpants – Top Shot
4. KG Einstein Block Heel Sandals
5. Urban Outfitters Spike Pendant Necklace
6. Butter London – Bossy Boots
7. China Glaze – Re-fresh Mint
8. American Apparel – Office
9. Essie – Navigate Her

Alright, let’s get down to business…

Michael Logen, “St. Christopher (On My Way)” 

This lovely song is a find courtesy of One Tree Hill. To answer your question, yes, I do still watch OTH despite it’s rapid downfall post-high school years. That being said, the producers’ impeccable taste in music has yet to waiver. I cannot even fathom where my iTunes library and personal taste in music would be without OTH introducing me to MoZella, Keane, and my favorite Bethany Joy Galeotti. Michael Logen is an excellent addition to my ever-growing list and I will be extremely upset when OTH ends and I have to musically fend for myself again.

Essie Nail Color in Navigate Her

Normally, I’m not a fan of out-of-the-ordinary nail colors, but this creamy, dreamy avocado shade from Essie is simply delicious.

Florence + The Machine, “No Light, No Light”

At this point, I think it is fairly obvious how much I adore Florence + The Machine. With songs like “Shake it Out” and “What the Water Gave Me,” it is easy to see why I find her so infectious. “No Light, No Light” only further cements my belief that the world is a much better place with Florence in it.

J.Crew Natasha Top in Vivid Poppy

I am in l-o-v-e love with this flirty and fun blouse from J.Crew. I feel happier when I am wearing this lovely purple hue, and mixed with my bright green linen scarf and black BP Ginger Boots, I feel like I am wearing an instant hit, a timeless classic, and a million bucks.

]]> http://beautyofasite.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/essie-spring-2012-navigate-her/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:32:21 +0000 Anne http://beautyofasite.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/essie-spring-2012-navigate-her/ Check out the new Spring collection from Essie! We’re pleased to introduce the following six new colors:

Each hue is utterly unique and perfect for Spring 2012:

Tour de Finance: Incandescent fuchsia futures
Orange, It’s Obvious: Incredibly outspoken orange
To Buy or Not to Buy: Beautiful, limitless lilac shimmer
A Crewed Interest: A pretty pursue-able peach
Ole Caliente: Super spicy scarlet fever
Navigate Her: A brand-new growth green for Spring

These look a bit different on the nail than in the bottle, so here are some swatches for comparison:

Click here to start shopping!

I absolutely love Essie’s nail polish.  There are a variety of colors and the polish lasts for days, especially with a good top coat.  Just in time for Spring, Essie brings us the Navigate Her collection.

From the Press Release:

“With this collection, Essie is paying tribute to the beautiful, ambitious woman of action. Not content to play it safe and hedge her bets during the wintry economic climate.  In both fashion and finance, she’s ready, willing and able to strike out and try something fresh and new.

Never one to rest on her formidable charms alone, this self-made woman knows what she wants and exactly how to get it. She’s in the driver’s seat navigating her way through life with daring, wit and fashion aplomb.

“Fortune favors the bold,” says essie brand founder and global creative director Essie Weingarten. “I am so inspired by women who dream big, go with their instincts and always manage to put their best self forward.”

This supremely feminine collection creates the perfect spring wardrobe for every woman on a mission. With skin-flattering brights and power pastels to suit every occasion, she’s always at the top of her game with essie color. For those in the vanguard, blazing a trail of glory to new heights, there’s olé caliente. For a more gentle touch and soft-sell approach, a crewed interest is sure to post serious profits. Whatever your strategy, choose one of these six ingenious colors that means business.“

From left to right the colors are: Navigate Her, A Crewed Interest, To Buy or Not to Buy, Tour de Finance, Olé Caliente, Orange It’s Obvious!

I want to wear every single one of them just because of the meaning behind each and every drop of color.  I can identify with this Essie Collection!  Ladies, you shouldn’t be afraid to wear hot pink on the trading floor!

I’ll post pics as soon as I get my hands on these hues.

What do you guys think?