Check out this awesome Halloween-inspired nail art we found at thebeautydepartment.com!

From the runway to the streets, the neon trend has exploded–and painting your nails a bold hue is an easy way to electrify your look! We’re loving American Apparel’s range of six eye-catching, color-popping neon nail lacquers! Wear just one–or mix and match a couple favorites for a custom colorblock mani!

{Images via Tumblr}

Happy Fourth of July from Calico!

We love this over-the-top crystal-encrusted mani from Christen Mitchell! Christen notes in her blog that her usual Boston salon didn’t offer crystals. (What???) And her subsequent trip to CVS only yielded a minuscule packet of nail jewels. To avoid Christen’s disappointing plight, might we suggest a pre-mani craft store raid? Hit up your local Michael’s or AC Moore and stock up on low-priced crystals in a variety of colors and sizes. Armed with a trusty tube of nail glue, you’ll be ready to bedazzle your talons to your heart’s content!

Loving these vintage nail ads!

{Images via Google}

From sweet to insane, this week’s Mani Monday is all about candy- and junk-food-inspired nails!

{Sources: Google Images, The Berry}

The leopard print mani technique may take a tad extra dexterity–but, once you get the hang of it, it’s surprisingly easy to master! Check out these YouTube tutorials, using everything from toothpicks and acrylic paint to felt tip eyeliner to create the spots! (We like Sally Hansen Nail Art Pens, $7)

Here’s a quick simple how-to we love:

Can’t wait to try this technique? Show us your results on Facebook or tweet a photo @shopcalico!

{Sources: Fuck Yeah Nail Art, Wah Nails, karinaraquel & ChristenMitchellStyling.com}

I’m Lizzy, one of the interns here at Calico. I’m a senior in college, finishing up my degree in Fashion Merchandising and Retail Marketing. And I’m obsessed with puppies, old things, bows, my moped…

… and nails!

So readers… Let’s talk about my latest mani addiction – Minx!

My first Minx experience was the 90′s-inspired floral pattern, pictured above. Amazing, right? You might have seen this trend lately on celebrities in magazines: Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Rihanna and Lindsay Lohan have all been spotted with these babies!

Minx nails are a unique alternative to traditional nail polish because they are mess free! No gross fumes or chipping after two days! Also, since there’s no paint involved, you don’t have to worry about smearing or denting your polish. And, best off all, you can choose from literally hundreds of awesome patterns and designs – even metallics!

Now, a Minx mani can run you over $50 in Boston – and even higher in New York! But I discovered an awesome local secret to share with our readers!

My Minx nails were done by Sarah Varley, a really fabulous nail artist located in North Dartmouth, MA – mere minutes from Calico! She only charges $30 for a set of Minx – just a few bucks more than a regular manicure!

The process is simple: Before application, Sarah gives me a basic manicure, so the nails are completely dry and oil-free.

Then, she heats each “sticker” individually for a few seconds under a lamp and places it carefully onto the nail.

After that, the transfers are pressed down with a special tool under the light to bond the decal to the nail. Finally, the edges are smoothed to match your nail.

Voila! You have an amazing set of nails – No dry time required! Did I mention Minx nails last for up to two weeks??

Need this now? Set up an appointment with Ms. Sarah Varley at 508 728 1775 and check out her Myspace for more Minx photos!

Not a local? You can still get Minx’ed! Check out minxnails.com to see new styles and patterns (There are over 100 of them!) and find a location near you!

What are you waiting for? Go get your Minx on and tell everyone Calico sent you!

This ombré effect is perfect for fall! Each nail is painted descending shades of the same color.  We’ve never tried anything quite like it, and we had to share!

First, choose a rich, opaque shade (one that will mix well with white.) A die-hard OPI fan, I used “Manicurist of Seville,” a deep raspberry hue, from their new Espana collection. For my white polish, I chose OPI ‘s “Alpine Snow.”

I used four small glass jars to mix my polish. You can also use small disposable plates, but we like small jars or plastic containers with fitted lids – that way, you can save your ombré palette for touch-ups.

InStyle’s instructions suggest adding the white polish to your pigment, but we found it easier to start with white, and add tiny drops of color, as needed. Remember, a little goes a long way! To mix the lightest shade, barely half a drop of your dark color will do.

Mix your other three colors, adding a little pigment at a time until you feel you have just the right amount of variation to your shades. The fifth shade is straight-up from the bottle.

With your the darkest, from-the-bottle shade, paint the same finger on both hands, starting with the pinky. InStyle doesn’t mention this, but you will need to rinse your brush with nail polish remover between shades. I found this to be a little bit of a pain, especially with wet nails, and might try disposable craft brushes next time.

After you’ve applied two coats to all ten lovely nails, don’t forget to finish off with a clear top coat! You don’t want it chipping, after all that hard work!

I’m totally loving my ombré manicure! This would also be fun technique to try with black or a deep green!

Thanks to In Style for the great inspiration!

xoxo,
Cody