Dior Vernis 607 Blue Denim with gold star decal on ring finger.

Dior Vernis 607 Blue Denim.

Rich royal blue nail polish with a touch of indigo.

Dior has great varnishes. They have the same type of big one-stroke brush as Lancôme varnishes do, and while they are exorbitantly expensive (as usual), the good news is you can get full coverage in one coat with many of the creme formulas, so you really don't use that much product compared to a lot of polishes. 

But the formula is quite thick and dries out quite quickly as well, so make sure you have a nail polish thinner like Seche Restore (I don't use anything else because this works SO well) on hand to thin it out.

I applied two coats for a thicker lacquered effect, applied gold metal stars to each ring finger. (You can use either nail glue or a tiny bit of craft glue to glue them on!)

Tip: Make sure you press each piece of metal decal to a curved object like a pen, so that it curves. If it's flat, it won't fit on the surface of your nail properly. 

Metal decals are available from online stores like Bornprettystore.com for just a couple of dollars for 80 pieces. (Now there's a deal.) Delivery takes awhile if you opt for free international shipping, but it usually arrives in a couple of weeks or so.

Just make sure you apply a very nice thick layer (or two) of topcoat so the edges aren't sticking out much. The more they curve to fit your nail, the longer they stay on!

Nail Colors I'm obsessing over for Fall 2013

Favorite metallic Fall polishes: Chanel Bel-Argus, Taboo and Butter London Knees Up

Metallics are incredible. They are able to look bright AND dark at the same time, and different in different lighting conditions.

Here are 3 of the ones I find the most incredibly beautiful.

• Chanel 667 Bel Argus - rich nuanced sapphire that shifts to an azure blue sheen
• Chanel 583 Taboo - Black, and purple, and red, with hints of copper AND flecks of gold. This polish looks like the night sky.
• Butter London Knees Up - Best metallic red in the universe. Well, MY universe anyway. This is so rich it shifts from bright ruby to blood red.

OCC Lip Tar in Sybil, a true chocolate sauce brown, with Chanel Bel-Argus on nails

Cremes, on the other hand, are solid colors that make a strong statement. I particularly like these 3 blues and greys that still echo a bit of Summer’s bright blues, but with a touch of Fall’s cooler, more somber skies.

Creme polishes for Fall: Dior Vernis in Blue Denim, China Glaze Secret Peri-wink-le, and Sally Hansen Greige Gardens

• Dior 607 Blue Denim - Looks like a primary blue but actually goes on with deeper, more grey, and not bright.
• China Glaze 683 Secret Peri-wink-le - Periwinkle is usually a word associated with Spring, but this shade has just that hint of chilly grey to it, like the sky when Summer is transitioning to Fall.
• Sally Hansen 404 Greige Gardens - Grey-beige with just a hint of lavender. More of a typical Fall color, greys always look cool and atypical, but still classy. If blue is a little inappropriate for school or work, go for a nice grey!’

Starry, Starry Night: Navy and Silver Glitter Ombre Nails

(For the fabulous Yina of The Velvet Dolls.)

Super simple, and pretty darned quick to do. This nail look requires no ready-made glitter polish and no mixing of pigments into clear polishes. All you need is:

• A dark blue nail polish (I used L.A. Girl Dance Club)
• Repositionable glue (below) or nail foil adhesive
• A silver glitter (fine-grained)
• A soft blue eyeshadow (I used MAC Shimmermint)

Lea Michele Red-Carpet Sapphire Look

Photo credits: People.com

I don't have any particular love for Lea Michele. I happen to be one of the freaks on this planet who has only watched 1 episode of Glee, and didn't feel compelled to follow up with more doses.

But I love this deep, dark sapphire eye. It brings out the warm, rich tones of her brown eyes and complements her olive skin. I have to say it's a little bit of a navy-overload with the matching dress, makeup, AND nails, but what the hey - the eyes are gorgeous.

Current: Orchid Hush nails (L.A. Girl Robin Blue Creme)

L.A. Girl makes 2 items I love.

1. A true black creme lipstick which has a beautiful sheen and is surprisingly flattering (though I wouldn't wear it to work)

2. One of my favorite creme nail polish colors in the world, #329 Robin Blue Creme lacquer



#329 Robin blue is not really a robin's egg blue. I think someone needs to do some research before naming these shades.This has lavender undertones, not green.

It's a gorgeous muted Orchid tone, that elusive hybrid between grey-blue-lavender, which is lovely on most skins. It's not a fully opaque polish, by the way, so you will need at least 3 coats to make it even. But I wear this to work all the time with no problem. It's surprisingly neutral and muted, flattering on the skin, and does not look too outlandish for a corporate environment.

At the same time, it's an interesting color to look at.

I haven't been able to find a shade quite like it from any other brand, and I love that it's cheap and comes in a big bottle.

My gripe?
It doesn't last as well as Sally Hansen or O.P.I., etc. But then it's not expensive, so I can live with that.