Deborah Lippmann

The Day in Beauty Vol. 18: Bath & Body Works Honolulu Sun Body Lotion, Deborah Lippmann Gel Lab Pro Polish in Splish Splash, and Birthday Vibes!

June 11th, 2016 by Karen 36 Comments

honey lavender latte final — Happy weekend, my friend!

Hey, girl, haaaay! Happy Saturday. I hope you’re doing well. Hello from sunny Novato, Californ-eye-aye. I’m still in celebratory mode because…

birthday cake — Thursday was my birthday!

Thursday was my birthday, and it was a great one, not that I did anything too ambitious, but we did leave the cave (huzzah!) and brave the outside world for the afternoon with my Babylove (a.k.a. Connor Claire).

Connor actually took me out to lunch (her dad helped, of course). We went to the town of Petaluma a few miles north of us in Sonoma County to a place called Della Fattoria. It’s a really cute Napa-style place right on the downtown boulevard with long wooden tables, communal seating and Italian-inspired California cuisine, and they have this otherworldly fresh-baked bread and a glorious dessert case filled with things that look like homemade Hostess Cupcakes and Ho Hos…but we didn’t have dessert because there was a Baskin-Robbins pistachio almond ice cream cake waiting for me at home.

Anyway, though, at lunch, I had a honey lavender latte for the first time ever, and if you do anything in this life, please, please have a honey lavender latte… SO delicious. You get the sweetness from the honey and the floral notes from the lavender, and I know it might sound weird because, you know, lavender is used in a lot of bath products, but no. They’re really good!

And I also had a cup of broccoli cheddar soup and a spring panzanella salad with crisp, fresh peas; asparagus; various leafy greens; chicken and these HUGE croutons… I’m drooling just thinking about that salad now. If you’re ever in Petaluma, I highly recommend it.

El Hub's dish, a turkey bacon sandwich — El Hub’s turkey bacon sandwich

So yeah, nice birthday. Super mellow. After lunch we just did a little window shopping around downtown Petaluma, then headed back home for ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins (with Connor supervising…because she can’t quite sing happy birthday yet, LOL!).

And the birthday wasn’t the only milestone this week. Connor had one, too, because she’s starting to hold her head up when we do tummy time now, which is very exciting.

connor holding head up — Sweet babylove!

I can’t wait till she starts crawling, but at the same time I’m a little scared, because then she’ll be mobile and, like, I don’t even know how I’m even going to keep up with her.

As for new developments on the beauty front, I got this lotion last week…

bath body works honolulu sun — Bath & Body Works Honolulu Sun Body Lotion and Deborah Lippmann Gel Lab Pro in Splish Splash

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The New Deborah Lippmann Sweets For My Sweet Limited Edition Nail Polish Set

March 9th, 2016 by Nicole Fraser-Herron 16 Comments

Pastel blue nails are my jam. I’ve had my nails painted the same shade (Sugar Fix by Sally Hansen) for about a year now, but when I saw the limited edition Sweets For My Sweet set, mainly that powder blue, My Boy Lollipop, I pretty much lost it.

Pastel blue is my idea of a neutral. I wear a lot of black, grey, and jewel tones, and it serves as a simple surge of energy for any outfit. I like the way it contrasts with red lips, and I think it makes me look slightly tan.

It’s a color that, in my mind, flows through every season. It’s akin to clear skies at the beach during spring and summer and those chilly, but sunny, days during the colder months.

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The Day in Beauty, Vol. 10: Flamingos, Polka Dots, Deborah Lippmann Spring 2016, and The Pleasure Principle

February 15th, 2016 by Karen 23 Comments

Um…if this teal rash guard (complete with rollerskating flamingos) and matching ruffled polka-dot bikini bottoms are designed for babies, why do I want them so much for myself? 🙂

They’re from Carters, which, coincidentally, is having a 50%-off sale online now.

Obviously, I had to get them for BG (along with matching sun hat).

Obvs.

And, um…here’s to hoping that Baby Girl will actually like to splash around in the water. Yup, I really hope that she’s a water baby (*crosses fingers and monkey toes*).

Jeez, she’s not even born yet, and I’m already researching and plotting different ways to get her to fall in love with the water, haha.

For now I’m indulging El Hub, who thinks that BG is going to grow up to be an Olympic soccer star, but I wouldn’t protest if she said that she wanted to be a pro surfer instead. Because then I’d be able to hang out with her at the beach all the time.

Deep thoughts…

Speaking of beaches, here’s an important (OK, not really) question for you: do you believe that there’s an age after which one should stop wearing a two-piece? (See, I said it was important, LOL!)

My mom-in-law believes that nobody should wear a bikini after the age of 40, but I feel that if you’ve got the swagger, why not? #deepthoughts

Deborah Lippmann Gel Lab Pro Spring 2016 Afternoon Delight Collection

All this talk of beaches is making me think of another tidbit of paramount importance, and that’s pretty pedicure colors. I love wearing boots, but oh! — I love sandals, flip-flops and wedges at least as much, if not more, because…

TOE FREEDOM!

I’m so looking forward to warm weather footwear. 🙂

I always like to have my toes painted when they’re gonna be out and about because, I kid you not, my toes are freakishly long. Fo’ reals! They’re like little monkey paws…

I’m going to keep these new Deborah Lippman Pro Gel Lab Nail Colors ($20 each) close by so I can paint my toes with them just as soon as I can actually, ya know, reach my feet…

The four here are from the Deborah Lippman Afternoon Delight collection for spring 2016, available now at Nordstrom stores, Sephora and online.

Wearing Deborah Lippmann's Spring 2016 collection on my nails; the purse is by Jetoy USA — Wearing the Deborah Lippmann Spring 2016 collection on my nails (the purse is by Jetoy USA)

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What Are You Wearing on Your Nails?

January 14th, 2015 by Karen 56 Comments

Chanel Nail Colour in Tenderly and Deborah Lippmann Polish in Dream Weaver — I’m wearing Chanel Nail Colour in Tenderly with Deborah Lippmann Polish in Dream Weaver as an accent nail… I’m also holding one of my favorite scents du jour, Aerin Beauty Iris Meadow Eau de Parfum (available now at Neiman Marcus stores and online).

Ya all about that accent nail life, babe? You know I am. 🙂 Right now I can’t even fathom the idea of wearing the same color on all 10 claws. It would just seem…wrong.

There are too many cute colors to choose from!

So my mani mantra these days has been, “So many polishes, so little time.”

Today’s mani mixes two different finishes and plays with lovely lavender.

The main star of the show is Chanel Tenderly ($27), from the spring 2015 collection. It’s a creamy limited edition lavender with an undercurrent of tenacious tough girl grayish taupe and a faint whisper of traditional springy pastel.

Yeah, like something a tough-but-tender biker gal might wear on Easter Sunday.

FYI, if you’re going to take on Tenderly, treat her with kid gloves/paws. I sandwiched two coats between my standard issue base and top coats by Givenchy, thinking that altogether they’d last at least five days, but bah! — two significant chips appeared the very next day.

Don’t even think about doing a full sink of dishes without wearing a pair of gloves.

Heck, just leave the gloves in there, and then maybe your husband will take care of them. 🙂 (hint-hint) Or, perhaps that magical housecleaning fairy that you’ve been wishing for and dreaming about for the past 30 years will materialize… You never know.

To tango with the violet tones in Tenderly, I used Deborah Lippmann’s Dream Weaver ($18) as an accent nail. It’s a moody, iridescent peacock polish that leaves me weak in the knees. The fine, complex shimmer complements Tenderly’s creamy sweetness nicely, methinks.

Ooh! I love this shade… The first time I saw it flash from forest green to deep teal to dark purple, my heart fluttered, and even though it’s “officially” (air quotes) a winter color from the Deborah’s holiday 2014 collection, it has killer summertime pedi polish painted all over it. 🙂

Next time I wear this mani, I’m going to use Dream Weaver as the main shade. I also seem to have better luck with Lippmann polishes lasting longer. With a base and top coat, this shade should stay chip-free at least six or seven days.

So, friend, tell me about your mani situation right meow. What are you wearing on your claws?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy hump day.

This Year’s Christmas Mani: The Dance Music Duet by Deborah Lippmann

December 25th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

It’s been a minute since the last time I wore a Deborah Lippmann polish, and I forgot how sturdy these guys are!

On this most merriest of days, I’m showcasing a deep reddish brown with a cool-toned multi-colored accent nail via Deborah Lippmann’s two-piece Dance Music Duet set ($19, but it’s on sale right now at Sephora for $12).

I first applied both the glitter and the creamy darker shade in this duo about a week ago, and they lasted five days before two tiny chips appeared on my right paw/claw…but I liked the whole ensemble so much that I resurrected it with an extra coat of each last night.

Meowy Christmas! 🙂

How’s about you? Are you wearing a Christmas mani today?