If you pick up one beauty item this week, it should be  Sephora by OPI’s Only Gold For Me  nail polish. I have to admit, I used to be much more creative with my nail polish color choices. The past few years, I had been sticking to red and pink hues. This summer, I thought I was being daring with my neon orange choices and even walked on the wild side at the first signs of fall by lacquering up with Essie’s Licorice (a deliciously dark, black pigment).

When my dark manicure started to look a little less than glam, instead of putting on another coat, I swiped on just one coat of  Sephora’s  Only Gold For Me. It not only extended the life of my manicure, but I received numerous compliments. I love the dark and gold color combo for fall, or even a sparkle of gold polish over a more neutral tone or vibrant red nail color.

At only $9.50 this is a small beauty splurge that can satisfy your desire to incorporate a more flashy edge for fall.  Sephora by OPI’s Only Gold for Me sparkle is also available in a silver, copper and multi color glitter variety as well!

image via Pinterest.com

We’ve all had those mornings. You wake up late, and you only have time for your most minimal of routines.  Do you choice to swipe on some lip gloss to accent your pout, dab on some concealer to hide your late start or rouge your cheeks?

For me, I go for my  mascara wand. Without it, I feel half awake. A bold, luscious lash really is magic and helps me get through the day. If I have  to forego  all beauty products, but one, mascara is always my first choice.  I always start with an eyelash curler to open up my eyes, I give the curler a quick blast with my hairdryer to heat it and get a better curl. You can also hold your eyelash curler in your hand to warm it more gradually. The next step is just selecting the perfect mascara, easier said than done.

I’ve gone through my share of top mascara brands. With so many emphasising the blackest black, or biggest curl, here are my top three:

Dior Diorshow Blackout  ($24.50 at Sephora)- Dior’s Blackout mascara is indeed the Blackest of Black mascaras on the market. I LOVE this mascara. It is without a doubt, my favorite beauty product. My lashes transform from timid and lifeless, to bold dark and captivating. I would never dream of going out for a night on the town, date or event without it. Best part, it also comes in waterproof, so you and your lashes can weather any storm. For me, I look for a rich black pigment in a mascara, if you are the same this is your mascara match.

Benefit They’re Real ($22 at Sephora) – I recently discovered this mascara and though Dior still has my heart, it brought something else to the table – a more natural curl. I could swipe this mascara on my  dull lashes and, even without an eyelash curler, they perked right up! This mascara does not come in a waterproof formula, which I was skeptical about – at first. However, I have yet to see a smudge or start crying those nasty black tears, even when my eyes welled up upon learning my best friend was engaged last month.  Plus, it’s nice to not have to scrub your eyes with eye makeup remover to try to ride your lashes of waterproof mascara. If you’re looking for a mascara that will give your lashes a curvaceous look – this is your pick.

Maybelline Colossal Volum‘ Express  ($4 – $6 at your local drugstore)-  Lets face it, we don’t always want to splurge on products that we are restocking in our beauty repertoire. Plus, sometimes you just can’t get to the beauty department and you need to restock at Duane Reade. This is why I love Maybelline mascara! Especially the Colossal Volum’ Express Mascara, which not only lengthens, darkens and curls, it’s reasonably priced as well. Quadruple threat. I want to look like a million bucks without spending it. If that is the case for yourself as well, this is the mascara for you!

What is your one beauty item you can’t live without? If it’s mascara, which brand is your secret lash lengthening beauty weapon?

The manicure is back in full force, not that it really went away. Keeping your nail beds in tip-top shape has always been a necessity. However, it seems there is more creative license these days when it comes to your manicure. Girls are sporting more than just a bold neon Essie hue for summer.  Everyone from Justin Bieber to now the Kardashians want in on the nail polish trend.

Here are a few summer inspired polish trends that we are loving.

Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere has dubbed these “Mermaid Nails”. I can see why with their whimsical, carefree summer feel. You could play up any color and add some sparkle to just your ring finger nail, to make the color pop.

Ever since I saw Something Borrowed, I’ve been playing with this look. In one scene Kate Hudson’s character is sporting a black french manicure – did anyone else notice this?  Throughout the scene I was fixated on Kate’s nails, more than her character development (okay so there wasn’t really much of that going on in the film to begin with). Opting for a neon hue is the perfect mani for summer. I’d stick to just one shade, but if you are daring, trying to recreate this look featured above.

Sally Hansen Salon Effects, are nail  appliques  made from real nail polish.  These easy to apply nail polish strips come in an array of styles including solid color glitters and neons for those of us looking for a zero dry time, on-the-go manicure solution. The best effect of these nail polish alternatives are that they stay on your nails far longer than traditional nail polish (up to ten days).

What are your nails rocking this summer?