Happy Manicure Monday! I'm one of Amy's college friends. I don't wear a lot of makeup but I do share Amy's passion for nail polish. I usually prefer cremes, which is why the manicure I'm about to endorse is such an unusual choice for me.
I have creme polishes in a range of colors, but my favorites are deep nudes and dusty pinks. Thus it makes sense that when I branch out into something more shiny, I go for colors that harmonize with my skin tone. Sally Hansen Firefly fits the bill. It's a gorgeously restrained duochrome that shifts subtly from rose to light olive-gold, hitting different notes of copper on the way. I thought Firefly would be too warm for my coloring but it worked surprisingly well on me.
I love nail polish because I love color - every time I go to the drugstore I get sidetracked by the nail polish displays. I had been eyeing Essie Stroke of Brilliance since it first came out: the combination of a calm periwinkle-gray hue and a bold sparkly texture immediately stood out to me.
This morning the magic happened - two coats of Firefly followed by a coat of S.O.B. (heh) and an additional layer of clear topcoat. I had to dab extra sparkles on a goodly number of nails, but I can imagine a more laid-back person not needing to do this. My nails were drying for a long time, but it was so worth it. I love the contrast of the colors up close and the sparkly lilac effect they create from a distance. It's a perfect "I'm-on-vacation" manicure, full of bright light and texture.
Awesome, right? Now I need to get my hands on Firefly, stat. What are your favorite unexpected color combinations?
