butter LONDON introduces LIPPY + spring/summer '12 polish collection

for spring/summer 2012 butter LONDON has released a gorgeous collection of polishes. in addition, they've entered the gloss game with a new line of lip lacquers called...LIPPY!

slang in britain, the term lippy refers to someone who makes impertinent or cheeky remarks. the dictionary also says it means impudent and fresh...

because one of the big trends seen on the runways during the spring/summer '12 shows was a "matchy/matchy" look {not just with fingers and toes but also lips}, what was once thought to be a bit outdated reemerged in a fresh, bold way. the look is deliberate, sometimes clashing with the pops of neon clothing, and definitely a gorgeous compliment to current trends.

LIPPY includes 5 high-pigmented shades ~ Primrose Hill Picnic {fuchsia pink}, Trout Pout {peach-cantaloupe}, Yummy Mummy {medium beige nude}, Snog and Teddy Girl.

Snog and Teddy Girl

free of parabens, petroleum, phthalates, sulphates, or bismuth, LIPPY is definitely pigmented and it's sticky. if you like a thicker, long-wearing gloss, you'll enjoy these. Teddy Girl {a retro, bublegum pink} isn't a flattering shade on me, but Snog {a happy, hot pink} offered my lips the pop of color that's bold and daring without taking me into my uncomfortable red lip zone {try as i might, i'm just not a red lip gal}.

the new spring/summer '12 collection features 5 new fabulous shades:

Bossy Boots ~ a beautiful neutral, opaque pistachio green 
 Knackered ~ a shear, twinkling oyster shade, flecked with micro glitter particles
Slapper ~ a truly teal lacquer, bold and gorgeously bright
Disco Biscuit {not swatched}~ tropical hot pink with an undercurrent of tiny iridescent glitter particles
Trout Pout ~ an opaque cantaloupe, pale and retro

this is such an amazing collection of shades, all of them unique and wearable. love, love, love! if you're a butter LONDON fan, chances are you already have a few {or all!} of these new polishes in your collection.

tell me: have you tried LIPPY? yay or nay?

visit butterlondon.com for more info.

products featured sent to me for review consideration; pics taken my me :)

currently loving...

spring is in full swing...isn't it fabulous?

mornings are still cold, but the days are getting warmer, longer, and i'm so inspired by all of the new and gorgeous things in my life that are making the season so much more splendid...

fresh blooms!
i love fresh flowers, and seeing them everywhere always brings a smile to my face.

a new scent!

i've enjoyed wearing Shenandoah, by Terri Michelle fragrances, a lot lately. the clean-smelling scent has floral notes, but also musks, making it sophisticated but still light. i admit, i probably wouldn't have liked this a few years ago, but i now find this to be quite lovely. this gem is perfect for the spring season with its notes of bergamot, white lily, white musk, freesia, lotus, ylang ylang and sandalwood.

pastels!

coral and mint in particular are among the eye-pleasing, happy-inducing pastel shades every beauty girl should be adding to her daily life this season. both shades are uber flattering and can easily be incorporated through clothing, accessories and beauty products. i'm loving Sally Hansen nail polish in Mint Sorbet and Revlon's Coral Reef lipgloss.

new mascaras!

even if i'm not wearing shadow or liner, i wear mascara. three i can't get enough of all happen to be made by Maybelline ~ One by One {clump-free, fabulous volume}, Lots of Lashes {amazing, glossy length and volume with a fabulous brush to get at every lash} and Illegal Length Fiber Extensions {gorgeous, flake-free length}. trust me, dolls, you need these eye-opening gems in your beauty arsenal.


what are you currently loving??

Shenandoah fragrance sent to me for review consideration; pics taken by me

nail color of the week: L'Oreal Owl's Night

this week i dressed my nails in a fabulous shade i purchased last year from the L'Oreal Project Runway collaboration, Owl's Night.

this dark olive green nail polish is loaded with gorgeous gold, rust and green micro-glitter and is a dream to apply. i love this deep shade ~ it's perfect for the current chilly-weather season and will be a daring color to rock when it begins to warm up!

what nail color are you wearing this week?

pic taken by me :)

beauty news: Betsey Johnson x Sephora for OPI

happy wednesday, beauties! here's some fabulous beauty news...

Betsey Johnson has collaborated with Sephora for OPI to create a fun collection and it will launch in Sephora stores next month!

with names like Forever Wild, It's My Pink!, Cartwhells on the Catwalk and XOX Betsey, these girly, standout shades are pure Betsey. less than ten dollars per bottle, the collection also boasts nail tip designs and a six-shade kit. and just when it couldn't get better, the collection's hot pink shade is scented! oh, what a gorgeous & cheerful way to make spring even better...

Betsey says: "i am 'Too Too' excited for my first nail collection with Sephora by OPI! the collection is just how i like it ~ loud, outrageous, pretty, pinky, and kicka** rock and roll."

full color and shade descriptions below...

Forever Wild ~ black grape-ish hue
Pushing Your Luck ~ a deep red shade
It's My Pink! ~ hot pink & scented with the designer's latest fragrance, Too Too!
Sparkling Personality ~ silver glitter
Alley Cat ~ fuchsia
Cartwheels on the Catwalk ~ seafoam green
XOX Betsey ~ sandy nude shade

source

nail color of the week: Julep Viola

happy thursday, beauties! this week i dressed my tips in the fabulous, deep purple Viola from the brand that is fast becoming a favorite in my nail polish wardrobe, Julep.

included in the february Maven Box, Viola, as i mentioned, is deep and so fabulous for this time of year. you'll also notice the box {pictured below} included a hair shine product, dark chocolate and glittering shade, Oscar, to celebrate the award season...

and while there are other colors in this award-season collection {Meryl, Glenn, for example}, i love that Julep put Oscar and Viola together ~ a bit of foreshadowing, perhaps? ;)

what nail polish are you currently wearing?

pics taken by me :)

Duri nail colors inspired by The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo

attention all Lisbeth Salander fans! you'll be happy to know that in addition to finally seeing the film, you can also add a bit of disturbed grunge and give your nails some edge with a coat or two of darkly intriguing, misunderstood style thanks to Duri Cosmetics...

deep hues inspired by Lisbeth's troubled nature puts nails in character with fiery hot shades and shivering cool nordic winter whites to capture the complete picture...

colors include:

Fallen Angel {pictured; dark plum with a hint of red shimmer}
Black Diamond {pictured; black with shimmer}
Dragontini {pictured; dark purple}
Angels and Demons {pictured; dark grey with silver glitter}
Icicle {creamy white with crystal shimmer)
Frozen Fire {sheer pink with sparkling crushed ice}

Icicle or Frozen Fire can be layered over the deep, dark hues in the collections for even more fierce nail variations!

p.s., all Duri nail products are completely environmentally-friendly and free from dbp, toluene and formaldehyde. visit duri.com for more info!

products pictured sent to me by brand pr; pic taken my me :)

Julep Zoe and Samantha + a giveaway!!!

as my love for nail polish grows {really...it's only slightly out of control! *wink}, i love discovering new brands. like lipstick, gloss and mascara, nail lacquer is something that we gals can purchase as a way to treat ourselves without breaking the bank.

one brand i was recently introduced to, and have had the pleasure of using, is Julep. you may have heard of them by now since they recently started a fun program for nail polish lovers {more on that in a minute} and are being featured quite frequently in print and online.

Zoe is a fierce shade of metallic bronzy tangerine, just fabulous for fall and a shade i wouldn't have picked to wear had it not been sent to me. however, after wearing it, i'm an official fan.


the hot pink, Samantha, is characteristically more *me*, but since i'm in full autumn/winter mode, i've actually only worn only once.

i'm beyond thrilled with Julep's 4-free formula {that means it's free of formaldehyde or formaldehyde resin, toluene and DBP}; it applies smoothly and lasts with little wear {this is with regard to my personal i-don't-wear-a polish-longer-than-3-days, but i do plenty of handwashing, housework and everyday stuff, like typing, with my hands}.


the range also includes items for keeping hands and feet gorgeous. products like Facial for Hands Glycolic scrub {pictured, above} -- an amazing, simple way to pamper hands at the end of the day! -- spf 30 hand cream and a fun at-home spa pedicure set, just to name a few, is a perfect indication that the brand puts thought into their products when it comes to hand and nail care, but still keeps it fun ~ also makes me wish i lived closer to one of their salons!

another thing i love is that they have come up with, and so excited to share with you, is their Maven program. it allows polish-aholics to receive a set {called a sneak peek box} of their products each month, based on a fun style quiz you take via their website; from there, a selection of products are chosen for you {not-yet-released shades and products, as well as cult faves, plus a surprise}; if for some reason you don't like what is selected for you before the box is sent, you can request what they call a "shelf pull", and they'll select new shades for you. in addition, you'll have access to purchase products from their full line of goodies at 20% off.

each sneak peek box is worth over $40, but membership is less than half and ships for free! you choose when you want to receive your box, or you can skip the month {p.s. ~ if you like the box, but need a fabulous gift, you can opt to have it sent to your gal-pal-- it will arrive wrapped and pretty at her door!}.

sounds fab, right? needless to say, i love the polishes and am in love with this program. since i already belong to a few shoe clubs, and now style and beauty clubs, i figured this was clearly the next club to join! :)

would you like to join? what if i told you could have a 3-month membership for FREE?

you can...because i'm giving one away to one of you, compliments of Julep!!

{the crowd goes wild!} yay!!

i haven't run a contest in over a year, beauties, so i'm truly excited about this for you!

**entry is super simple -- here's how:

*email me, bgmcontests@gmail.com, with Julep in the subject line
*include your full name and mailing address and tell me what your favorite nail color is!
*next friday, december 9, 2011, i'll announce the winner {chosen at random}. u.s. entries only, please.

in the meantime, feel free to take advantage of this offer: enter code beautygirlmusings at checkout and your first sneak peek box will cost only $5! :)

be sure to follow Julep on twitter {@julepnailparlor} for fab tips and nail advice, and learn more about the brand and full range of products by visiting julep.com

good luck!!

*read please: entering this contest means you are giving me permission to forward your name and email address to representatives of Julep for fulfillment and mailing of contest prize. failure to include information requested will disqualify your entry. one (1) winner, chosen at random, will receive the prize mentioned. duplicate entries will not improve your chances of winning. giveaway sponsored by Julep. some restrictions apply. open only to US residents only. entries will be accepted through 11:59 am PST on thursday, december 8. winner will be announced december 9, 2011. thank you. :)

currently loving...

current things i'm loving...

crisp, clear, mornings; core fusion dvd workouts {they have changed my changed my body in such a fabulous way...i've all but the current release, and let me tell you, i love them all. the precise toning movements, stretching and gentle cardio are so effective, not to mention that no shoes are required!}; autumn leaves in my yard {yep, that top pic is mine}; the sound of my kids' laughter as they play; devouring books; sipping a freshly brewed cup of cafe bustelo coffee...


my adorable deep pink frame ~ j'adore the shiny lacquer finish ~ i found this beauty at TJ Maxx! for now i have an image of SJP, but will soon be replaced by a fab family pic soon...

mark Whipped Up body butter* in Lemon Sugar...need i say more? from the the fresh, light scent to the silky moisture it gives my skin, this is a keeper.


butter LONDON's British Racing Green nail lacquer is a shade i saw and really liked. i didn't anticipate that i would love it as much as i do. yes, my love affair with red polish continues {BL's Come to Bed Red is beyond gorgeous!}, but this perfect, deep hunter green is fabulous!


Smashbox Studio Skin 15 Hour Wear foundation* {spf 10} has been altogether brilliant with its hydrating, oil-free, buildable-coverage formula. i love that it has a pump and a little goes a long way.

*sent to me by brand PR; pics taken by me :)

fun, fab nail look!

happy thursday, beauties ~ don't you love this fabulous nail look?!

i certainly do! it seems to be quite simple to do and looks fab, so i thought you'd also enjoy...

products used {you can, of course, experiment with different shades}:

OPI ~ Suze Takes The Wheel, RapiDray TopCoat
Mattese Elite ~ Always On Top
Deborah Lippmann ~ Boom Boom Pow

here's how to do it...

*paint all the nails with two coats of OPI Suze Take The Wheel, except the rings fingers on each hand.

*paint the ring fingers with 2 coats of Mattese Elite Always On Top.

*apply Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow to the top edge of the nails and then use the edge of the brush to lightly drag the polish down the nail bed, about 55% of the way down.

*wait a few minutes of that to dry, then apply more Boom Boom Pow to the top edge of the nails, without dragging down.

*apply OPI RapiDry TopCoat to the entire nail.

et voila! fun, fancy nails. can't wait to do this myself! :)

source: Annamarie Tendler

nail color of the week: Sonia Kashuk Taunting Teal

definitely a different flavor for me, but i am beyond gushing ~ j'adore this shade!

when i first spotted this beauty i thought, wow, gorgeous. my daughter was with me at the time said, "what, really, blue?"

please excuse her...she's 11

and besides, i own plenty of blues, thankyouverymuch...but with this one, it was love at first sight.

i didn't actually buy it that day, though.

then i kept thinking about it {does that ever happen to you?}, so i knew i really wanted and would wear it. also, it's affordable {$4.99}, so the next time i was at Target, i put it in my cart. :)

so, what do you think?

here's the rundown: the formula applies gorgeously and wears beautifully. since i don't wear my polishes longer than 3-4 days at most, i'm happy to say that there was very minimal wear, even after typing and lots of hand washing...fabulous job SK! i'll be wearing this one a lot this season...

you can find all Sonia Kashuk products at your local Target store.

all pics taken by me :)

essie dresses nails on the 2011 Primetime Emmys red carpet...

if you're like me, you find that award shows are one of the best places to get style inspiration. these days, it's not only for hair and makeup, but nails, too! since i have a special place in my heart for lacquers, i'm always overjoyed to discover what shades are featured in magazines {many mags are now listing what brand and shades the models wear in their fashion and beauty spreads}, on tv, and red carpet events.

at this past weekend's Primetime Emmy awards, some very fabulous essie nail polish shades were seen dressing the nails of tv's leading ladies...

Connie Britton {Friday Night Lights} wore Luxedo, a gorgeous dark mulberry, complementing her stunning scarlet gown.

Laura Linney {The Big C} was spotted wearing Hi Maintenance, a light-pink neutral hue on both hands and feet.

Mireille Enos {The Killing} chose to keep it neutral with Brooch the Subject from the winter 2011 collection.

Maria Bello {Prime Suspect} also went neutral on her fingers and toes with another light-pink classic, Limo-Scene

a BOGO not to be missed: butter LONDON at Ulta!

bonjour, beauties...

hope you're day has been fabulous! just had to share that you must. not. miss. Ulta's amazing buy one get one free {!!!} sale on butter LONDON nail polish! i personally have no experience with the brand {though they do have an awesome reputation and are loved by many a nail polish fanatic, not to mention are creating some killer nail looks at fashion week}, but plan to take advantage of this so i finally can!


and if you haven't already guessed, i think you should, too...

so visit your local Ulta or go online to Ulta.com on september 20th, 2011.

some popular shades i'm considering: Come to Bed Red, Fash Pack, Yummy Mummy, Marrow, Royal Navy and Wallis.

happy shopping!

nail color of the week: Zoya Tao

fresh from the fall Smoke and Mirrors collection, i picked up Tao and Jem {will share that beauty soon!}, along with some other things from a recent trip to my local Ulta...

well, it's 30 minutes away, but definitely worth the drive!

Tao is a gorgeous metallic, light smokey grey that leans a bit toward blue, giving it a very edgy, rock and roll vibe...

yet another reason to love the fall season.

pics taken by me :)