Spring 2015

March 22, 2015March 22, 2015 ~ Taylor Justine ~ 1 Comment

SPRING! My favorite season is finally upon us, and I am overly excited for the gorgeous nail polish trends this year.

I am so inspired by the Pantone collection, En Plein Air, for Spring 2015. It’s a gorgeous blend of soft pastels and understated bright shades that you’d find in florals & nature, and ultimately will stand out beautifully on your nails. We seriously can’t do wrong with any of their choices. You know who else has channeled this trend TO PERFECTION? Essie’s collab Spring 2015 Collection, Flowerista, with Rebecca Minkoff.

I could continue to rave about how passionate I am when it comes to the absolutely gorgeous colors gracing nails this season, but how about I just show you?

Marsala – As Pantone’s 2015 Color of the Year, Marsala is rich and robust, which lends itself to great manicures. I love Mint’s Moonlit Stroll as the perfect, wearable version of this trend. It has so many dimensions, and when I have it on, I can’t keep my eyes off it!

Nude – If you ask me, a good nude is always on trend no matter the season. When you’re looking during spring, you need a nude that brings new life and depth into your wardrobe in the same way the earth begins to find life again after winter. If you’ll bear with me, I’m about to start my lovefest over Essie’s spring collection! Picked Perfect is one of two nudes in their new collection, and this guy specifially is a warm almond shade I’ve fallen in love with.

Teal – I’ve already mentioned how much I love Essie’s Spring Collection this year, so obviously my teal of choice this season is Garden Variety! There is no lack of pigment here, and if you want a punchy, funky teal, you’ve come to the right place.

Grey – I always crave a nice grey with blueish undertones for spring. It really is the ultimate color that allows brighter, more showstopping shades to take center stage. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Essie’s Petal Pushers is perfection! Another home run for their spring collection.

Dusty Pastels – Whether it’s blue, pink, purple or green, pastels shine brightest during the spring. This year, I’m extra loving the dusty versions of these soft shades. Julep’s Shelly, a dusty mint, has been the apple of my eye for the last couple months, and I can’t wait to continue to wear it through the spring months!

What are your picks for Spring 2015 nail polish trends? Happy Reading!

Say I Do {with Mint}

March 6, 2015March 6, 2015 ~ Taylor Justine ~ Leave a comment

Wedding bells and white dresses mean one of the most important days of a woman’s life. And while love is the primary focus of your wedding day, your nails are allowed to be important too!

I may not be getting married any time soon, that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate some of the polishes I would love to wear on my big day!

My love for Mint Polish is no secret. The formula is fantastic and the colors are gorgeous! Their brand new Bridal Collection is to die for, whether you’re a bride-to-be or not. I used some of these beauties in my Valentine’s Day collab, and I’m still not over them. They have a mix of class and personality that will make it hard to stop staring at your nails on the reg!

For the Classic Bride {I Do}

Mint’s original bridal color is a creamy pale pink, reminiscent of my all-time fav flower, the peony! If you’re the girl that lives by the mantra “less is more,” I Do is the polish you should be sporting on your big day. Make sure you build up the color with two thin coats, because like most pale colors, it struggles to dry evenly if you put too much on at once.

For the Glam Bride {She Said Yes!}

Who doesn’t love a little sparkle? Accentuate your gorgeous ring by adding a couple coats of She Said Yes! to your mani. I love this micro-glitter because its iridescent quality gives the shimmer a ton of dimension! I paired it with I Do, creating little shining half-moons and a fabulous accent nail. Whether you wear it as an accent color or on its own, She Said Yes! is every glam bride’s best friend.

For the Fun Bride {Bouquet Toss}

Coral looks great on all skin tones, and Bouquet Toss is even better than you can imagine. It’s a vibrant combination of pink and orange, and with spring on its way, there isn’t a better color to welcome it with open arms! If you plan on dancing the night away with your brand-new hubby, grab Bouquet Toss and get ready for the party of your life!

What color do you want to wear on your wedding day? Happy Reading!

Vintage Vibes

February 19, 2015February 19, 2015 ~ Taylor Justine ~ Leave a comment

Sometimes a color palette just appears in you head and you have to run with it. Case and point, this retro-chic pastel color combo I’m currently in love with. The colors are all soft and feminine, and together, they feel like they’re from another place.

Inspiration collages like the one above have always been one of my favorite types of images on the internet. It’s definitely a goal of mine to put these together for more of my manicures!

To achieve this fun, retro look, I combined some of my favorite pastel polishes from Julep, Mint and Essie. With the help of a little striping tape and matte top coat, the finished product came to life, and it was exactly what I hoped for!

Do you love pastels as much as I apparently do? Happy Reading!

hairpin image via brit & co.

Very Valentine

February 10, 2015February 10, 2015 ~ Taylor Justine ~ 5 Comments

I had the pleasure to partner with Mint Polish to create a fun Valentine’s Day mani tutorial for their blog, The Mint Glossy. It was a blast playing with some of their most popular feminine colors, and even a few that haven’t been released yet! Head over to their blog to see the full details. Happy Reading!

Pretty, Pretty Polish {Mint Polish Review & Swatches}

January 25, 2015 ~ Taylor Justine ~ 1 Comment

There are a lot of awesome nail polish brands out there – some big and some small, but no matter the size, equally as awesome. Mint is an LA-based company with beautiful bottles and smart shades that apply as easily as they look on the eyes. As a self-proclaimed lover of pretty things that function as decor in addition to their original use (case and point – Louboutin’s nail polish), I fell head-over-heels the first time I found this brand and their perfume-inspired bottles on Instagram. It only got better when I learned their polishes are 5-Free and brewed & bottled in sunny Southern California!

Mint Polish

Now that we’ve seen the beauty of the bottle, let’s get down to the nitty gritty. The formula and brush are honestly equally as wonderful as the bottle’s design. I love the long brush and “stem,” if you will, because it allows for fantastic control while painting. The colors look great with one coat if you’re in a rush out the door, and the second coat leveled beautifully for fully opaque coverage.

Moonlit Stroll

Mint Polish - Moonlit Stroll

Out of Mint’s new collection, this color was the one I HAD to have. It came out just after Pantone announced Marsala as their 2015 Color of the Year, and the second I saw Moonlit Stroll, I knew that was the perfect way to wear that trend. It’s definitely not your mother’s mauve, with a wonderful gold shimmer built into the rich pearlescent shade. It applied opaque in two coats, and looks like a dream!

Fancy

What came first, the polish or the name? Because they reflect each other to perfection! Talk about a barely-there grey cream that is the essence of classy. It’s hard to find good grey polishes, and there’s no doubt in my mind that Fancy will be the bottle I grab next time I’m looking to freshen up an elegant look!

Ice Cube

Ok, let’s talk mint nail polishes. Some people think they’re overdone, but I adore ’em! I featured Mint’s namesake, Original Mint, in my gift guide this past holiday season, and Ice Cube is the perfect subdued version of that! It’s soft, feminine and classic, yet filled with personality!

Slumber Party

I think the description on Mint’s website says it all – Girls just wanna have fun, and wear Barbie Pink on their toes! It’s totally the truth! If you’re looking for fun and flashy, Slumber Party is everything. Rich and opaque in one coat, brightening up a look for spring or summer has never been this easy!

Have you tried Mint before? If not, and you’re looking to support a wonderful LA company, try their polishes out! Happy Reading!

Seasons Readings – A Book Lover’s Gift Guide

December 7, 2014 ~ Taylor Justine ~ 12 Comments

What is a niche blog without a holiday gift guide? Not much, I can assure you! I’m happy to introduce the very first Novels and Nail Polish Gift Guide for book worms and polish lovers alike. ENJOY!

Litographs The Great Gatsby Book Poster ($24) – A good book is a work of art, but this takes it to a whole different level! The Litographs book posters use the text of classic novels and turn them into a gorgeous, visual display of the book. Grab this for the artsy-fartsy book nerds in your life!
Litographs Temporary Book Tattoo ($5/set of 2) – I adore these temporary tattoos from Litographs! I joined the lucky group of backers for their tattoo Kickstarter campaign, and am now a part of the world’s longest temporary tattoo chain. These tattoos are made to be entertainment quality, just like the ones makeup artists use in the movies and TV shows. They apply easily, and if you’re a commitment-phobe, you’ll finally be able to live out your tattoo dreams!
Nails Inc Winter Wonderland ($29) – There are two main reasons I love NailsInc. One, the polishes apply beautifully. Two, their new bottles are absolutely gorgeous! I definitely bought this set for myself on Black Friday, and it is perfection for the holidays! For ladies that want to sparkle and shine their way through December, these are a must!
Rifle Paper Co. Puffin in Bloom Collection ($16 each) – Those who are familiar with my previous post about cover redesigns know my love for the Anna Bond designed covers runs deep! Whether you’re looking for shelf candy or actually want to read these classics, they’re a must-have for any serious book collector.
Fangirl ($19) + Mint Polish in Original Mint ($12) – If you love YA Fiction, chances are you love Rainbow Rowell, or have at least heard of her. She’s written a handful of incredibly popular and moving stories, and Fangirl was the first, and favorite, I’ve read of hers! The cover is the perfect mint, so it’s no surprise that I paired it with Mint Polish’s Original Mint! I am a huge fan of this brand and their products, and if you’re going for mint, why wouldn’t you grab it from a company who shares the name?!
I’ll Give You The Sun ($18) + Essie Polishes in Capri, In The Cab-ana & Blanc ($8.50) – I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson was one of the most highly anticipated YA novels of the fall. It’s two stories in one, each half told by a brother and sister. It’s high on my TBR list, especially because I already have a couple of great ideas for a cover-inspired manicure! I paired Essie polishes with it because the brand is one of my go-to lacquers. White, aqua and orange effectively capture the essence of the cover, without looking like a circus!
AngeliqueInk Custom Book Stamp ($40) – I received this stamp for my birthday six months ago, and it quickly became one of my prized bookworm possessions. The simple type paired with the custom hand-lettered calligraphy embodies everything I love in design. Stamps like this will bring the biggest smile to any book hoarder in your life!
R. Nichols READ Candle ($45) – How many people would raise their hand if I asked who loves the smell of libraries and old books? A TON, I’m sure. If you’re one of those bibliophiles, this beautiful book candle will be the perfect addition to your reading nook!
ThinkGeek Book Pillows ($10) – Pillows are important, but they’re not all created equal. That’s where these ThinkGeek book pillows come in! This set is their holiday collection, and they’re completely and totally necessary for your next all-night read-a-thon!
Hogwarts Travel Posters ($15 each) – Harry Potter. Minimalist travel posters. Enough said, my friends.

Tell me, what’s on your Christmas list? I’m always looking for more book/nail polish things to add to my already massive collections! Happy Reading!

Novels and Nail Polish

A pretty, little blog that celebrates well-written books and beautiful nail polish.