Summer Must Have Beauty: Pretty Pedicure Polish

June 19, 2008

In search of a lovely shade for your tootsies this season?  Raging Rouge has tested, deliberated, and compiled a list of pedicure-worthy selections to take you through the entire summer!  From red hot reds to ballet slipper pinks, these nail lacquers are all you’ll need.

Remember my post about divesting my nail polish collection of DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde?  The nail lacquers featured in this post are all DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde free– but the removal of these chemicals has not compromised the quality of the product.  Each polish featured in this post delivered long-lasting, tough and gorgeous color.  Proving that those nasty little chemicals aren’t needed to formulate a superior nail polish (and making me wonder why so many brands still hesitate to remove them from their formulas). 

summer must have beauty products, NARS Dovima Nail Polish

If a Ferrari had feet, it would choose NARS Dovima Nail Polish for its pedicures.  This incredibly popular fire-engine red shade is frequently sold out, such is the demand to be seen wearing it! 

Raging Rouge is a big fan of all things red.  I’ve probably owned 50+ different shades of red polish in my time, and this… by far… is the most perfect shade of them all.  A true red, it’s the classic shade that you’ll reach for over and over, and restock when the bottle is empty.

NARS Arabesque Nail PolishWhen I was a little girl and my family headed to the Bahamas for a vacation, I selected my polish carefully, and opted for a opal white shade with rainbow glitter in it.  NARS Arabesque Nail Polish is the grown-up version of my festive childhood polish choice.  A sheer base packed with pink glitter, this is ideal for a pre-party pedicure and is fun in ways only summer polish can be. 

NARS Pussy Galore Nail PolishYou can’t appreciate it in my photo, but NARS Nail Polish in Pussy Galore is actually a delicate opalescent pink.  This shade conjures up images of the inside of seashells.  The color changes subtly and beautifully when the light hits it.  These color variations make this pedicure polish complex and interesting.

NARS Nail Polish retails for $16, and can be purchased at NARS Cosmetics, Sephora.com and Beauty.com.

Butter London Portobello Pink 3-Free Nail LacquerHollywood has been all about neon pink nail shades this season.  This bright fluorescent pink shade by butter LONDON, called "Portobello Pink" is the brightest and beachiest shade I’ve worn since the 80s neon craze, and is a fantastic way to embrace the Hollywood summer style.

My pedicure with butter LONDON’s 3 Free Nail Lacquer in Portobello Pink lasted for a whopping two weeks! 

Butter London Primrose Hill Picnic 3-Free Nail Lacquer Looking for a pink that’s bright, but not quite so shocking?  butter LONDON’s Primrose Hill Picnic delivers, with a gorgeous shade of fuchsia that’s bold and modern. 

butter LONDON 3 Free Lacquers can be purchased on line at the butter LONDON website.  Or, indulge in a pedicure at one of their many salons by searching for a location near you! Click HERE to buy butter LONDON at beauty.com!

elf Light Pink Nail PolishBeauty on the cheap is nothing to be embarrassed about, particularly when you manage to score a high-quality nail polish for only $1.  That’s exactly what e.l.f. cosmetics delivers, with their relatively new line of Nail Polish.

Available in a range of colors from white to black, this shade, called simply "Light Pink" is a gorgeous ballerina pink that looks heavenly on toes with a tan.

eyes lips face Coral Nail Polish

The shade "Coral" by e.l.f. is actually a deep shade of pink mixed with a frosty gold shimmer.  It dries into a fabulous coral shade that reminds me of a frosty summertime cocktail.

Infused with Vitamin E, this polish also helps nails grow stronger and longer!

Snag yourself a dozen bottles of Nail Polish at Eyes, Lips, Face for only $1!

summer beauty product reviews, OPI Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It Nail PolishOPI’s Australian Collection isn’t new for this season… but some of the shades are super-hot for the summer.  I love this bright orange-red Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It Shade.  It’s the perfect shade to usher in warmer climes. Select shades of OPI Nail Lacquer are currently on sale drugstore.com. Ordinarily, each bottle retails for $7.50 at select nail salons.
Filed Under: Nails, Summer

Best-Ever Mommy Manicure: butter LONDON

March 24, 2008

I’ve always wanted to try butter LONDON nail lacquer.  After all, many a starlet and supermodel swears by the brand, and I love every shade offered in their diverse selection.  Roughly half-way through my pregnancy, I was hesitant to sample any nail polish, as many contain toxic chemicals that can be harmful to the fetus. 

Turns out, butter LONDON lacquer is named "3 Free" for good reason!  All butter LONDON polish, including base and topcoats are free of Formaldehyde, Toluene and DBP!  In fact, butter LONDON’s motto is: "we believe in color, not carcinogens".  This has become a personal mantra of mine, as I recently purged my beloved polish collection of anything with these three ingredients. 

Thus I embarked upon the first manicure I had had in almost 6 months, and did so using three of butter LONDON’s vast selection of mani/pedi products.  Here’s the rundown:

1)  Nail Foundation (retail $18):  This basecoat (pictured above) fills ridges and dries lightening fast.  Its nude, matte finish is even pretty enough to wear alone!

2)  Yummy Mummy 3 Free Lacquer (retail $12):  Apply one coat and you’ll have nails the shade of sand.  Two will give you a darker beige.  In either case, butter LONDON brags that this shade is a perfect match for any skintone, and I must concur!  The shade also happens to work with any attire!

3)  Hardwear (retail $18):  This final manicure step is like a suit of armor for your polish.  This long-lasting topcoat dries fast but gives your nails the amazingly shiny appearance that they’re still wet!

My butter LONDON home-manicure experience was a delight.  As the pregnant mom of a toddler, I’ve come to think of certain grooming rituals as chores… manicures included.  But I was able to complete an entire manicure from start to finish in 15 minutes using these three products, and my nails were ready-to-use dry 20 minutes after that (smart- in case the little guy wakes from his nap early).  No ultra-violet light needed!

The polish remained chip-free for 4 extremely active mommy days (one mommy day translates to roughly 2-3 "normal" days in my book).  When I read that butter LONDON is actually based in Seattle, you could have knocked me over with a feather.  Specializing in inexpensive manicures and pedicures in a luxurious setting, I definitely plan to splurge on a professional service courtesy of butter sometime soon! 

I was also thrilled to read that butter has even opened a salon in the SeaTac International Airport, so perhaps the next time I’m delayed I can indulge in a mani/pedi instead of waiting at the gate jabbing crazily at a voodoo doll of an airline executive.   

Click HERE to check out the butter LONDON website.

Filed Under: Nails, Spring

Avoiding the Pedi-Scare: Dos and Donts for a Relaxing and Safe Spa Pedicure

February 27, 2008

Pedicure SafetyAccording to most American women, a trip to the nail salon or spa for a pedicure is not just a luxury – it is an accepted portion of their weekly beauty regimen! With so many women including pedicures as routine, it is no surprise that the bar has been raised when it comes to safety standards. According to New York City cosmetic podiatrist Dr. Oliver Zong, “a pedicure is something I recommend to my patients who want to maintain both the health and look of their feet, but I warn them to ‘proceed with caution’ when choosing a nail salon to frequent.”

Dr. Zong’s hesitation is warranted: in October of 2000, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention investigated the first known outbreak of Mycobacterium fortuitum cutaneous infections acquired from whirlpool footbaths. As a prominent podiatrist in New York City, Dr. Zong has seen countless patients who have developed infections in their feet as a result of spa pedicures.

Dr. Zong’s Pedi-Do’s:

  • Do ask salon workers how the foot spas are maintained and how often they are cleaned. Take notice of their actions while they are working on clients to see if footbaths are disinfected with each customer.
  • Do pay attention to the time spent cleaning footbaths between customers. The disinfectant needs to work for the full time listed on its label, typically 10 minutes, depending on the type of disinfectant. It is worth your health & safety to practice patience at the spa!
  • Do check your skin for infection during the days following your pedicure. Open wounds may appear on the skin of your feet and legs and can look like insect bites, but increase in size and severity over time.
  • Do visit your podiatrist or primary care physician if you suspect you may have a serious infection.

    • Dr. Zong’s Pedi-Don’ts:

  • Don’t get a pedicure if you have cuts or abrasions on your feet or legs. Microorganisms living in footbaths can enter through the skin and cause infection.
  • Don’t shave, wax or use hair removal creams within a day before getting a pedicure
  • Don’t get a pedicure if you have bug bites, bruises, scratches, scabs or poison ivy.

    • About Dr. Oliver Zong
    Dr. Oliver Zong is a podiatrist in Manhattan’s influential Financial District. As one of the premier cosmetic foot surgeons in the country, he serves as the Director of Surgery at NYC FOOTCARE and is on the Board of Directors at Gramercy Park Surgery Center. Besides traditional and cosmetic foot surgery, Dr. Zong is also an accomplished cryosurgeon and co-founder of the Podiatric Cryosurgery Center of New York. He is an attending physician at New York Hospital Downtown, Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, Cabrini Medical Center, and Gramercy Park Surgery Center.  Dr. Zong graduated as Valedictorian from New York College of Podiatric Medicine where he earned his degree, Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM).  For more information please visit www.NYCFOOTCARE.com.

    Many thanks to Dr. Oliver Zong, for allowing Raging Rouge to publish this article on pedicure safety! 

    Filed Under: Nails, Winter

    Stocking Stuffer Suggestion #30, OPI Russian Collection

    December 22, 2007

    The Russian Collection OPI, The Raging Rouge Beauty BlogI recently reviewed the fabulous Russian Collection by OPI, and must reiterate here that I’m in love with the bold reds, rich browns and sleek navys in this winter-worthy collection of nail polish.  Yes, OPI has developed a new formula free of DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde.  Yes, even this new formula is extremely long-wearing.  What a great stocking stuffer, at only $7.50 a bottle!

    Head over to the OPI website to check out the Russian Collection and the new "Holiday in Hollywood" collection!  The site has a "Where to Buy OPI" tool, so you can locate a retailer near you.

    Filed Under: Holiday, Nails

    OPI Russian Collection

    December 10, 2007

    My regular readers will remember my post about OPI changing its enamel formula to remove DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde. For those of you newer to Raging Rouge, here’s a quick summary to get you up to speed. I love–and I mean love–OPI nail enamel. I owned over 40 bottles of it prior to the formula change.  After reading about the alleged harm these three chemicals can have (particularly on an unborn child), I decided to purge polishes including these three ingredients from my collection.  Luckily for OPI lovers, OPI has revamped it’s enamel formula to exclude these ingredients!

    I recently had the opportunity to sample the Russian Collection by OPI.  Naturally, Raging Rouge (a lover of all things red) couldn’t resist St. Petersburgandy, a deep wine shade of red (pictured at left).  To test the new formula fully (and much to the protests of my manicurist) I used no base coat and no top coat…  just the polish.  The verdict?  OPI’s new formula provided an 8-day chip free manicure!  Amazingly, my pedicure looked salon fresh after a whopping 2 weeks.  OPI has managed to remove the nasty trinity of chemicals, but never compromised on quality.

    The colors in the Russian Collection are sinful and decadent, just like the land of vodka and caviar that inspired them!  I’m loving the edgy colors included in the collection like Midnight in Moscow that even a 30-something can pull off.  OPI experiments by combining a charcoal color with a maroon glimmer… resulting in an almost-black chocolate-bar brown shade.  Delicious!  Be sure to check out the Russian Collection at OPI (each bottle retails for $7.50), and while you’re there, check out the Holiday in Hollywood collection, introduced for the holidays!

    Filed Under: Holiday, Nails

    Stocking Stuffer Suggestion #2, Bella Il Fiore Pedicure Set

    November 24, 2007

    Beauty, Beauty Blog, Beauty Blogger, Makeup, Cosmetics, Product Reviews, Makeup Reviews, Raging Rouge, Bella Il Fiore Couture Cosmetics Pedicure Set Bella Il Fiore’s pedicure set is an ideal holiday surprise.  Both the packaging and its contents are the perfect combination of naughty and nice!  The box is an innocent cream-colored pink with a sexy fishnet-style black design.  The color polishes enclosed are an innocent sheer pink and a sexy deep pinkish-red.  Flowery toe separators and a clear top coat make this set complete!

    The Bella Il Fiore Couture Cosmetics Pedicure Set retails for $20 at the Bella website, or can be found at luxury retailers like Henri Bendel.

    Filed Under: Fall, Holiday, Nails

    ELF Nail Enamel

    November 21, 2007

    Every time I think elf can no longer surprise me, they introduce new salon-quality product for (yet again) $1.  elf’s new nail enamels come in 11 shades (and one clear coat, for a total of 12 polishes).  elf launched the new product with all of the basics you could ever possibly need to own, nothing over the top or trendy.

    My manicure with elf’s new polish lasted a whopping 6 chip-free days!  Plus, for those of you looking to divest your nail-polish portfolios of Toluene, Formaldehyde, and Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)–you’ll be happy to know that this nail polish is free of all three!  I highly recommend Medium Red on the nails and Dark Red on the toes for a coordinating (but not matching) manicure and pedicure! Click HERE to snag an e.l.f. Nail Enamel.

    Ever-expanding their brand, elf recently announced the launch of their new Bath & Body line! I have yet to sample the new line, but with fragrances like peony petal, cucumber melon, lavender blossom, pineapple mango and vanilla coconut… I know it is only a matter of time until I indulge.  Each item in e.l.f.’s new bath and body collection retails for $4.

    Filed Under: Fall, Nails

    Earth Therapeutics Professional Pedicure Set

    October 16, 2007

    Earth Therapeutics Pedicure Salon, The Raging Rouge Beauty Blog: Makeup and Cosmetic Product ReviewsI’ve been burned by battery-operated pedicure implements in the past.  They promise a quick and effortless way to file down wraps or buff away callouses.  The promise of an effortless professional manicure and pedicure is enough for any beauty addict to be hooked.  Each of my purchases were quickly rendered useless and now reside in a landfill.  Why?  The battery-powered files and buffers of my past were simply not powerful enough to do the job, immediately shutting off the second even a slight amount of pressure was applied to the nail or foot.

    These past disappointments made it even more surprising when I sampled the pedicure tool included in the Earth Therapeutics Professional Pedicure Set.  This gift-worthy set includes a powerful tool with five different attachments to buff, file and soften your feet to perfection.  And, most importantly, the tool actually WORKS! 

    In addition to the best pedicure tool I’ve ever used, this set contains a start-to-finish pedicure regimen.  It even comes with step-by-step instructions to achieve pedicure nirvana!  Included are: a tea-free oil foot soak to soften and refresh tired feet, a tea-tree oil foot scrub with pumice granules to scrub away tough skin, a footsie brush to clean under nails, toe separators to keep polish from smudging against toes, tea-tree oil foot repair balm to keep your tootsies extra soft, a pumice stone and a foot massage tool. 

    The Earth Therapeutics Professional Pedicure Set retails for $19.99 on the Earth Therapeutics website, Amazon.com and in drugstores.

    Filed Under: Fall, Nails

    Bella Il Fiore Couture Cosmetics- Pedicure Set

    September 13, 2007

    Beauty, Beauty Blog, Beauty Blogger, Makeup, Cosmetics, Product Reviews, Makeup Reviews, Raging Rouge, Bella Il Fiore Couture Cosmetics Pedicure Set Beauty junkie Jennifer Maloy surveyed the massive amount of product she owned and put her foot down.  From Jennifer’s desire to simplify her routine–but maintain glamour–was born the cosmetics line Bella Il Fiore.  Founded in 2000, Bella Il Fiore is a super-feminine brand of couture cosmetics, designed to be pleasing to the eye both in the package and when applied.  Jennifer has said "simplicity doesn’t mean sacrificing glamour and quality", and this mission statement certainly applies to each and every Bella product.   

    I recently treated myself to a manicure and pedicure using Bella Il Fiore’s gift-worthy pedicure set.  This adorable stiletto-adorned box contains three nail enamels: babydoll pink (a sheer innocent pink shade), Lola (a sizzling deep blue-red) and a clear topcoat.  If ever you needed to own only two colors of polish, these would be the two.  The babydoll pink shade is sheer and neutral, and works in virtually any situation.  The deep red Lola shade is glamorous and sexy.  Much to my delight, both my manicure and pedicure remained chip-free for a whopping 6 days!   

    Bella Il Fiore is sold in fashion-forward boutiques and fine department stores, including: Kitson, Henri Bendel, Marie Mason Apothecary and Ritz Carlton.  The Hollywood glitterati including Amber Valletta and Isla Fisher adore the collection, and even Oprah herself has praised it!

    The Pedicure Set retails for $20 on the Bella Beauty Website.

    Filed Under: Fall, Nails

    Credo Premium Pedicure Implements

    June 11, 2007

    The best pedicure I have ever gotten in my life was at a small salon called "Spalon" on 17th St., NW in Washington, DC.  I wish I could remember the name of the nail technician I miss so much, but I last visited her about 10 years ago, so I am at a loss.

    Why were her pedicures so special?  She went to TOWN on my feet, ensuring all rough skin and callous was completely removed.  Every time I walked out of there, my feet felt like the cliched "baby’s bottom".

    Sadly, many states have required salons to discontinue use of the Credo, a tool used for callous removal.  If it’s improperly cleaned and cared for, it can cause infection.  Many online sources warn against the use of a Credo during a pedicure, but in my opinion the tool is a miracle-worker.

    Rather than worry about using improperly cleaned tools, why not bring your own?  My Credo cost me $10 at a local salon, and I bring it along to every pedicure.  Since this tool has only touched my feet, and I keep it clean and safely stored, my risk for infection is significantly reduced. 

    Be sure to ask your nail technician if she would use a Credo Planer (some salons will still refuse to use it even if you bring your own).  One last tip… avoid buying this type of tool at a drugstore.  If you’re in search of perfectly soft feet, you need salon quality! 

    Filed Under: Nails, Summer