Lacquer Lundi

First, let me thank each and every one of you that has left a thoughtful comment on my last post. I really appreciate the kind show of support from all my online friends. I realize that some people consider animals to simply be pets. I, however, love Simon as if he was my child. Maybe I'm the weird dog lady, but that's how it is with me. He is part of my soul.


Next up is a reader comment: Rosaline said, "Like the others I love the LL posts. I on the other hand, never wear nail polish because I've heard it can do great damage to your nails, such as softening them and turning them yellow. As a nail polish user, would you do a post on the topic of how often you use polish, do you give your nails "a rest", and how often you change your colors. I've always loved nail polish and as you can see, all the exciting colors you show are making me long for wearing it. Thanks for LLs."

I believe it is an old wives' tale that nails need a "rest" or that nail polish will damage them. What needs to be kept in mind is that nails are dead cell tissue (the same as hair). Although I still get the very rare split nail, I haven't had a break for as long as I can remember. I attribute my strong nails to four things: I keep polish on my nails always (I have not had a polish-less day in over a year), I take 3000 mcg of biotin per day, I moisturize constantly (although granted that is more for my cuticles than my actual nails) and I was blessed with good nail genetics. As for how often I change my polish - usually every day or two - I get bored easily and I like having on a new colour. Besides, my students like checking out my latest manicure! Now, in the interest of full disclosure, my nails are lightly stained due to dark coloured polish. However, since I never go without polish and I prefer opaque (as opposed to sheer) polishes, I don't really care too much.


This week, I decided to dedicate LL to Halloween. I have a selection of frightening and fabulous colours, guaranteed to get you into the spooky spirit. I have included some special edition, Halloween-only polishes, along with some regular polishes that have the proper attitude for the season. I hope you think they're a scream! So, let's get on to the pretties:

Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear - Red Carpet
- purchased at Rexall (chain drug store) for $2.95 CDN

Thinking about making an appearance at a Halloween gathering as a sexy vampire? Than Red Carpet is the one for you! This blood red polish is sure to make you look like a sensuous sucker, ready to drain the life out of any party. The deep, rich base, packed with sparkly red glitter is a corpuscular delight that is perfect for you and you and Nosferatu.

Red Carpet applied like a dream and covered beautifully in two coats. It wore well - very minor tip wear after two days. Now, this is a polish you can sink your teeth into.



Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear - Black Out & Nfu Oh - #60
- Sally Hansen purchased at Rexall (chain drug store) for $1.53 CDN
- Nfu Oh purchased at fabuloustreet.com for $8.50 US

If you're looking for a grungy, punk-inspired look with a unexpected punch, then this combo is for you. Black Out is a gothically gorgeous shiny black creme, that provides the foundation for this manicure. The addition of Nfu-Oh #60, which is a charcoal base packed with light reflecting orange and green flakies, adds a whole other deadly dimension (click on the photo to the right for an amazing close up view of this stunning polish). So, whether you're dressing up as a strung out rocker chic or bewitching sorceress, this manicure is sure to frighten the bejezees out of everyone around you!

Both polishes are shown with two coats on the nail. This manicure held up well for the day that I had it on - only minor tip wear and no chipping. This is certainly a spook-tacularly boo-tiful combination.


New York Color - Times Sq Tangerine
- purchased at Rexall (chain drug store) for $1.36 CDN

Looking fashionable while carving up that hapless pumpkin is no longer a problem - just sport Times Sq Tangerine on your tips. This pumpkin coloured polish is sure to get the knife blade moving and as an extra added bonus, you won't be able to see all pumpkin guts under your nails when you're done!

Times Sq Tangerine is a great polish for the price - two coats applied well, dried quickly and wore amazingly well (only extremely minor tip wear after two days). This polish is so gourd, it will squash the competition (ahem).



Sally Hansen New Lengths Ceramics - Ghoulish Green & Glow in the Dark
- both polishes purchased at Shoppers (chain drug store) for $4.49 CDN each

Zombies are a Halloween staple (and an obvious favourite around Chez HZC) and what better way to channel your inner undead than with a couple of coats of Ghoulish Green on your leathery digits? You'd have to be brain-eating fiend not to see the appeal of this polish - it's pus-atively putrid! But, why stop there? Add a layer of Glow in the Dark, to ensure that your victims see you coming, even when the lights go out.

Both polishes applied nicely. The wear was great - only minor tip wear after two days. However, Glow in the Dark dries a smidgen bumpy, so a layer of top coat is required to smooth it all out. Also, be aware that it takes a good, strong light to activate the polish to glow in the dark - the high fluorescent lighting at school didn't do it for me.