Enter the at-home gel mani. I hate chipped nails as much as the next girl, so with a promise of chip-free nails for two weeks, I had to give it a try.

Several brands have joined the DIY gel market like SensatioNail and Sephora, but I’m using the Salon Gel Polish Starter Kit from Sally Hansen. The kit includes a small LED lamp (safer than a UV lamp!), a base coat, nail color (my kit included the bright red shade Red My Lips), a top coat, nail cleanser pads, a file and cuticle stick, plus special acetone remover.

I often paint my nails while multi-tasking on the couch, but this technique requires about 15 minutes of devoted time and a tabletop near an outlet. I followed the simple instructions, leaving my nails under the light for 30 seconds between every coat of polish. After “curing” the final layer of top coat, I was thrilled to see that my nails were completely dry. I usually spend about as much time waiting for my regular polish to dry as I did completing this entire process.

I’m not used to such a high-tech mani at home, but I have to say, the results are pretty amazing. The candy apple red is seriously glossy, with a shiny, glass-like finish that regular polish rarely achieves. Despite showers and dishwashing, I’m still chip-free on day four, which is pretty impressive in my book.

The downsides? The color options are pretty limited, and the removal process for gel nails (whether at home or in a salon) is a bit daunting. The instructions for my kit recommend soaking a cotton ball in remover, pressing the cotton ball to each nail, and then wrapping each finger with aluminum foil to let your nails soak for 15 minutes. Time consuming, yes. Difficult? Not really. Potentially harmful if done excessively? Possibly.

I like to switch up my polish too frequently to commit to gel nails year-round, but they’re brilliant for a vacation, wedding, or any time when I don’t want to worry about chips. And forget the salon—I’ll be plugging in my LED lamp for the same results in the comfort of my own home.

UPDATE: My gel mani stayed in beautiful shape before peeling off on day 8. Since regular polish rarely makes it past day two, I give this DIY gel process a big thumbs up. 

I was happily surprised to see my November Birchbox sitting in my mailbox this afternoon – I’d completely forgotten it was on its way. And an even happier surprise: it’s a great one this month! Here’s what I got:

Curly Hair Solutions Curl Keeper: I haven’t tried this product or brand yet, so I’m excited to give this a whirl. I keep going back to DevaCurl products no matter what other brands I try…but maybe this will be a winner? At $10 for the full-size, it’s certainly kinder on the wallet than my current hair care regimen.

J.R. Watkins Lavender Hand & Cuticle Salve: My hands are already starting to feel the wrath of winter, so this is a great product for me. I love that this salve is almost completely natural, and it smells good, too. The ingredients are simple (canola oil, sweet almond oil, beeswax, etc.) so I probably wouldn’t pay full-price when I could make a similar concoction in the kitchen, but I’m happy to use this great-sized sample!

Sumita Color Contrast Eye Pencil in Ziba (lime green): This full-sized eyeliner has a wonderfully smooth formula, though I can’t say I can see myself wearing lime green eyeliner with much frequency. How would you use this pencil?

ModelCo SHINE Ultra Lip Gloss: Another full-sized product, I’m impressed! It smells like something I would have worn in 7th grade…which I actually sort of enjoy. The color is very sheer and it’s quite glossy, though it wore off pretty quickly on me. The mini-mirror on the side of the tube is a smart idea!

Chuao Chocolatier Assorted ChocoPod: I will admit that I ate this about 4 seconds after I snapped the photo. Delicious! Mine was Honeycomb, with amber honey carmelized in crispy pieces in dark chocolate. Yum.

Are you a subscriber? If so, what did you get this month? Let me know in the comments!

Polish L to R: Leading Lady, She’s Pampered, Butler Please, Beyond Cozy, Snap Happy, Where’s My Chauffer.

Dresses L to R: Carmindy Dress, Pleated Ponte Dress, Tabitha Dress, Hothouse Floral Dress 

What a great color palette for the holidays. Will you be picking up any of these new shades?

Head on over to the Birchbox Blog today for a full tutorial…

1. Kure Bazaar Afrika 2. Deborah Lippmann Brick House 3. China Glaze Code Orange 4. Butter London Jaffa 5. Essie Meet Me At Sunset 6. OPI Deutsche You Want Me Baby 7. Nails Inc. Porchester Place 

Do you have your nails or costume picked out yet? Let me know in the comments!

You really can’t go wrong with a deep red polish, and that’s certainly the case with ten over ten Church.

It’s rich, glossy, and applies smoothly in two coats. I tried three coats on my pointer finger, which made the shade significantly darker without turning completely black. This shade works well with my skin tone, and I think it would be universally flattering on just about everyone.

The bottle shape is a bit unconventional, but it works perfectly for me. Unless I’m doing detailed nail art, I generally paint my nails while sitting on the couch with my knees up by my chest (I’m not recommending this method…), and the large, square bottle is perfectly suited to hold between my knees as I paint! Is that strange? Nevertheless, I like it.

I topped my mani today with Sally Hansen Hard as Nails, one of my top coat standbys.

As I gear up for a “battle of the base coats and top coats” post, I’d love to hear your favorites so I can test-drive them myself. What are your top/base must-haves? Let me know in the comments!

It’s starting to feel like fall here in Brooklyn, and I couldn’t be happier. The air is cool and crisp, and I’m more than ready to trade in tank tops and crops for jeans, sweaters, and boots. Fall is brimming with nail art inspiration, so today I’m bringing the classic argyle pattern out of my closet and onto my nails. Here’s how to get this look in four simple steps.

Step 1: After applying a base coat, paint nails with the shade of your choice. To bring a metallic kick to this preppy mani, I chose tenoverten Worth, a gold foil polish. Apply a quick-dry top coat, and let your nails dry completely (I’m talking about at least an hour of drying time here).

Step 2: Cut four small pieces of Scotch tape for each nail. Apply the pieces of tape diagonally to stencil off a diamond in the center of each nail, firmly pressing down on the edges to ensure a tight seal.

Step 3: Choose a contrasting shade of polish and paint over the taped-off diamond. You have to remove the tape while the polish is still wet, so work one nail at a time. I used bubblegum-pink If You Moust You Moust from OPI.

Step 4: To complete the classic argyle pattern, use a small nail art brush or pen to paint two criss-crossing lines of white polish onto each nail, creating an “x” in the center. You can rest your elbow on the table to steady shaky hands, but don’t worry if your lines aren’t perfectly straight! After the polish has dried, apply a glossy top coat for shine and protection.

Try pastels for a classic look, or use brighter, bolder shades like these from Color Club to add a little edge.

Do you have any nail art ideas for fall? Let me know in the comments!

L to R: Hi, Pumpkin!, Candlelight, A-Rose From the Dead, Mourning Glory

Hi, Pumpkin!: This creamy orange is a little softer than most of the oranges I have (Essie Meet Me at Sunset, Kure Bazaar Afrika, etc.), and I like that. I needed three coats to reach full coverage, but it dried to a smooth, glossy finish.

Candelight: One day I will find a flattering yellow nail polish, but today is not that day. I applied three coats of Candlelight and it is still very streaky and sheer. This one is a no-go for me.

A-Rose From the Dead: I really like this bright, saturated pink, even if it doesn’t feel very “Halloween” to me. It applied beautifully in two coats.

Mourning Glory: This black polish has a high-gloss finish, and I can see myself wearing it this fall. Black manicures can be harsh, but if you keep your nails short, filed, and generally well-groomed, they can look very chic, too.

Overall, this is a pretty good collection, other than the yellow (no surprise there). Since the bottles are so teeny, it’s a great one to pick up for Halloween nail art – you won’t feel so bad if you only use these colors one month out of the year.

Are you thinking about Halloween yet? Let me know in the comments!

On days when I’m running out of the house or don’t feel like taking off all of my polish (especially dark polish or glitter, which can be labor-intensive), I turn to nail art for a quick cure. Today I brought life back to my chipped nails with a simple technique—reinforcement sticker half moons. Here’s how to get the look:

Step 1: Apply a round binder hole reinforcement sticker to the bottom of each nail—you’ll find these in the office supply aisle of the drugstore. I applied them on top of a days-old manicure, but if you are starting fresh, make sure to let your base polish dry completely before applying the stickers. I’m wearing China Glaze Smoke and Ashes, a nearly-black polish with green shimmer.

Step 2: Choose a second polish color. If you’re trying to cover up chipped tips, this polish should have a full-coverage consistency—sheers, jellies, or thin glitters won’t work well here. Apply one or two coats of the polish over the top portion of your nail, leaving the section beneath the sticker untouched. I’m using Zoya Dove, a creamy pale grey with great coverage.

Step 3: While the polish is still wet, carefully remove the reinforcement sticker. (It’s best to work one nail at a time so you can remove the sticker before the polish dries).

Step 4: Clean up any polish that ended up outside the lines with a Q-tip or small brush dipped in nail polish remover, and add a top coat for shine and protection.

I love this geometric look. It’s modern and on-trend without being too wild. And the best part? No one will ever guess that you have chipped nails underneath!

[Cross-posted from the Birchbox Blog. Check them out here!]

As much as I love stripes, gradients, and polka dots, to really going to kick our nail art up a notch, it’s time to bring out the studs. A 3D manicure is an edgy, fashion forward way to take the trends and textures from the runway onto your nails, and you don’t need to go to a pricey salon to get the look. Sounds like a trip to the craft store is in order!

STUDS IN A ROW

You’ll need two shades of polish and about 25 small metallic studs for this two-toned mani. You can find studs or flat beads at your local jewelry or craft store, or from a variety of online shops. Begin by painting each nail with the lighter of your two polishes. After it dries, split the nail diagonally, filling in half of each nail with a darker polish. You’ll be covering the horizontal line with studs, so don’t worry if your line is a little shaky. While the polish is still tacky, pick up each stud with tweezers and apply them in a diagonal row. Top your manicure (studs and all!) with a thick layer of top coat for shine and protection.

Colors used: OPI My Very First Knockwurst, a soft, creamy pink, and tenoverten Church, a rich, high-gloss deep red.

NEON NAILHEADS

Candy-colored nailheads add a burst of color and visual interest to a regular ol’ mani in just a few minutes. After painting each nail with the polish of your choice, carefully place the nailheads down the center of each nail, pushing them gently into the wet polish to make sure they adhere firmly. A layer of glossy top coat will ensure that your 3D mani stays intact for at least 2-3 days.

Colors used: Tenoverten Commerce, a saturated cobalt blue with a rich, full-coverage formula.

BEADED HALF MOON

To add a little pizzazz to the classic half moon mani, head to the craft store for small beads or rhinestones (hint: look in the scrapbooking section!) You’re likely to smudge your freshly-painted nails if you use your fingers, so grab a pair of tweezers to carefully apply the beads to the base of each nail in a half moon pattern. While a mani with this much texture isn’t the most practical for everyday wear, it’s an edgy, conversation-starting look fit for a party or special night out.

Colors used: Tenoverten Worth, a shimmery metallic foil. For a similar look, try Color Club Disco Nap.

What do you think of 3D nail art? Let me know in the comments!