Outlined in Fashion

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Keri Blair

Such an exciting visit to Ran Design this week…We decided to transform my self proclaimed man-hands into long and lovely lady fingers. It is seriously like I got a boob job for my hands…and as I sit and try to type with my new lady fingers I now remember why I have kept my nails short and square for so many years.

Like many attributes of fashion styling – it’s form over function for the win. Luxurious, yes…practical not so much but dayum do they look good!

Anyhoo..I took inspiration from many places this week – patterns, cut and sew and fashion illustrations…and after 4+ hours of soaking off the old, re-sculpting my man hands into lady fingers and painting this gorgeous manicure my new set was complete.

I also was so fortunate to connect (via twitter) with the insanely talented and gracious Kara Laricks. Check out her awesome wrist warmers…where practicality meets fashion – finally!

Its time for the breakdown:

Thumbs and Ring Fingers – M.A.C Pigment in Dark Soul & White Gold mixed to a green grey

Index and Middle Fingers – M.A.C Pigment in Pink Pearl & Frozen White mixed to a purple pink

Pinky Fingers – M.A.C Glitter in White with Gradient in 3D Glitter

Details and outlines were painted in Black and Neon Pink Gouache and the pink diamonds to create a pattern/cut and sew effect are flat vinyl cut outs.

;

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A Study in Nail Art History

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Keri Blair

Moons, Chevrons and French’s oh my! No matter how punk rock I like to think I am this girl can find away to appreciate a classic and a way to make it her own! This week I was scheduled to teach a class on Period Makeup and during my research I would have felt remiss if I hadn’t explored a little nail art history as well. In 1920 Michelle Manard (a French makeup artist) was fascinated by the notion that automotive paint could be used at a weaker strength on nails and viola by the early 30′s nail polish became available. It was used just down the center of the nail because painting the entire nail bed would appear garish…

you can read more here.…

I pulled a few references old and new to give Ran an idea of what I wanted…I brought in a few pigments as well. The list is as follows

M.A.C Pigment in

Black Black

Bright Coral

Bright Fuchsia

Chartreuse

Hi-Def Cyan

Blue Brown

Guise (from the Gareth Pugh Collection)

3D Gold Glitter

3D Silver Glitter

I love a little mixology and a little history repeating…

I hope you enjoy!

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True Confessions….I’m a comedy nerd

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Keri Blair

To know me is to know that when I like something and as my friend Pete from Brooklyn Fans has pointed out -I REALLY like it. Well all be told about a year ago I was reading an article about Aubrey Plaza who had spilled some personal beans on a podcast with some guy named Marc Maron that hosts these podcasts in his garage at the cat ranch ?!?! (interest immediately peaked) Not previously a fan of podcasts per say there was something about the title of Maron’s pod that caught my twisted sense of humor (as well as his moniker not your average cat lady) WTF with Marc Maron. He even has an app.

The rest is pretty much history -during many a train or car ride my head is filled with the monologues, confessions, interviews, shameless plugs and cat updates. It’s official I am a comedy nerd. I have fallen in love with many a conversation, connected with many of Marc’s insights and even today was brought to tears while listening to Jon Glaser (the Wrist Hulk -DUH) chat about the recent adoption of his baby girl Freddie – regaling the hubby (much to his chagrin) with tales and factoids of our (or my new) favorite comedians.
For months I have been missing Marc’s stand up. Arriving in Seattle the day after his two days of shows, leaving L.A. the afternoon before an appearance. So when I saw his listing for a 2 day gig in New Brunswick, NJ I had to get over my awesome-New Yorker self and buy seats to his show tomorrow night. To honor the presence of his voice to my ears I decided to comedy-up my nails in full nerdy nail art junkie style. These babies took over 4 hours…Ran hooked it up as per usual and the results speak for the self! WTF? (What the French, Toast!) I said to myself – these nails are for lack of a better term – bad ass!

Right Hand-
Thumb – m.a.c marine ultra pigment – La Fonda painted in black & white gouache
Index & Middle Finger – M.A.C Pigment in Naval Blue into Mutiny Pigment with M.A.C Pro White Glitter (sadly no longer available)
Ring Finger- M.A.C Pigment in Primary Yellow – Monkey painted in black & white gouache
Pinky Finger – nail foil

Left Hand -
Thumb – M.A.C Pigment in Heritage Rouge Marc mug painted in black & white gouache
Index & Middle Finger – M.A.C Pigment in Naval Blue into Mutiny Pigment with M.A.C Pro White Glitter (sadly no longer available)
Ring Finger – M.A.C Matte Pigment in Auburn (sadly no longer available) Boomer cat head painted with black & white gouache
Pinky Finger – nail foil

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The Gilded Nail

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Keri Blair

As sad as I was to soak off my gorgeous Chen Man nails – it was time to refresh my set and pay a visit to my main nail squeeze Ran Kowatari. If you had a chance to read my last post you saw a DIY version of a gold chip nail tip…well I was so inspired by them that I needed to have them for myself as well…

I mixed up a few pigments and dragged out my gold leaf and we got to work. Although a bit more expensive for this manicure we used actual 23 K Gold Leaf and you know what I’m worth it! (Just a note – imitation gold leaf is far more tenacious, a bit easier to work with and way less $$$ although the real stuff is more fragile and pricey it looks and is more compatible with gel).

Pigment Mix-ology -

Base color – M.A.C Matte Pigment in Black Black mixed with M.A.C Pink Pearl Pigment

Gradient – M.A.C Glitter in 3D Gold mixed with Reflects Antiqued Gold Pigment

Tip – 23 K Gold Leaf

Top Coat- M.A.C Pro White Glitter (no longer available)

Pinky Finger – M.A.C Glitter in 3D Gold mixed with Reflects Antiqued Gold, Gold Leaf and topped with M.A.C Pro White Glitter.

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Trying my hand at some Ore-Inspired Gold Chipped Nail Tips

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Keri Blair

There is something so artful about gold leaf. I love its dichotomy. Its so delicate and yet gold is such a substantial metal. As most of you may know I recently spent a week in Israel – mostly a work based trip it was life changing none-the-less (but that is for another post at another time) In the days prior to my arrival the holiday of Purim was buzzing through Tel Aviv. The M.A.C Artists at our locations in Israel were out doing each other in the makeup department to celebrate this festive holiday! Although all of them were incredibly mind blowing in the art department the one that caught my eye was the team that utilized gold leaf in their makeups…and that started my nail art chart in motion.

In addition to the Purim inspiration, one of the biggest trends in makeup for this spring/summer season is burnished metallics in golds, bronze and coppers. M.A.C’s moniker is Ore-Inspired and while I was in the Holy Land one of my work engagements was discussing trends…what a better way to connect makeup & nails than to bring this concept to life on the face and hands…I used these to complete the look I designed for Lea Shnirer my Ore-Inspired model for the SS2012 Trends Presentation.

Base – M.A.C Nail Lacquer Nocturnelle (painted from base to tip)

Gradient – M.A.C Nail Lacquer in Soiree (available soon) this was sponged on to create a gradient effect on the nails

Tip – M.A.C Imitation Gold Leaf (this product is sadly no longer available)

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Chen Man International Woman’s Day

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Keri Blair

There are many reasons to celebrate Beijing’s fashion photographer Chen Man (today IS International Women Day after all) – and my #1 reason is M.A.C’s Chen Man collection inspired by her infatuation with water and love, yin and yang, pink and blue (not to mention my very own makeup hero Terry Barber created the makeup for the stunning visual)

Soft and sensual, highly saturated with color and femininity Chen Man’s prolific images are stunning to behold. I pulled together a myriad of images and pigments to inspire a feeling of a misty watercolor (memories – sorry I had to)

Recently I have been posting many DIY mani’s here on NAJ but a masterpiece of this magnitude requires the skill of a professional! So (wait for it…a pun’s a comin”) I put my hands into the hands of my favorite nail artisan Ran Kowatari.

We created a melange of colors on most of my nails with accents of nail art on my ring fingers and thumbs – Chinese characters in the spirit of Chen Man’s namesake and the character for Love.

Pink Matte Pigment – (sadly no longer available)

Mutiny Pigment – a soft icy blue

Acid Orange Pigment – a bright frosty orange

True Chartreuse Pigment – frosty lime green

Naval Pigment (featured in the CHENMAN collection)

Deep Purple Pigment – deep blackened purple

White Glitter – (I had to dig deep for this one – and oldie but good that is VERY special to me -i magine a Vellum hued cellophane) This gives this manicure its under water like finish. Dive-in.

Post Disclaimer – I originally composed this post yesterday on International Women’s Day and sadly lost it moments before saving my first draft. Boo.

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MAD Splatter

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Keri Blair

Being a true 80′s girl nothing makes me happier than some splatter paint. (Does anyone else remember that collection from Esprit years ago?) For a trip down memory lane or for the GEN Y’s reading click here for some additional visuals.

Anyway my digression is kicking in so back to the paint splatter at hand (yes I get pun-nier and pun-nier with every post) In my week-long exploration of nail art designs and inspiration I decided to give splatter a chance!

Tools – scotch tape (use around your nails to protect your cuticles), disposable mascara wands and a plate or palette and some polishes

M.A.C Nail Lacquers

Base Color – two coats of Vestral White (Hello Kitty and Give Me Liberty)

Splatter Colors

Phosphor- (Neo-Sci Fi)

Al Fredo – (Shop M.A.C Cook M.A.C)

Imperial Flower (Nail Trend F/W 10 Jin Soon)

Naughty Nautical (Naughty Nauticals)

Lovin” Pink

GIrl About Town (available soon)

You can mix a few drops of nail polish thinner into your polish colors to get a thinner consistancy to your splatter color if that makes it easier for you. I have seen some techniques where you use a paint brush to create your splatter but I found that using two mascara wands and brushing the fibers back and forth over the nails works great! Its a bit more challenging to do on yourself that way but the splatter is very fine and looks more realistic!

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Stay-cation / Grade-ation

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Keri Blair

This week I have been combing the likes of YouTube videos from cute polish, flying mio mio and misschievous. If you can say nothing else about the vortex that is the interwebs – it is such a generous place to find information, tutorials and of course inspiration!

For years I have been using various combinations of MAC pigments and clear soak off gels to create an gradient or hombre effect on my nails. Well NAJ fans now thanks to Misschievous I can bring you gradient effects using any (or in my case all) of your favorite nail polish colors.

The only tools you need are scotch tape and a makeup edge sponge and of course a few (4-5) polishes.

I have been on vacation this week so here are three color combos that I created

Green base –
M.A.C Lacquers in

Mischievous (quite cute)
Phosphor (neo-sci-fi)
Plasma Blue (neo-sci-fi)
Deep Sea (mac me over)
Unconditionally Fabulous (glitter & ice)

Lilac base –
M.A.C Lacquer

Little Girl Type (quite cute)
Luxuriation
Hyper (Gareth Pugh)
Beyond Jealous (Jin Soon nail trend)
Unconditionally Fabulous (glitter & ice)

Taupe base -
M.A.C Lacquer

Endless Night (Daphne Guinness)
Sacred White
Dry Martini (Jin Soon)
Fatigues (mac me over)
Jade Dragon (Jin Soon)

Apply the base color to your nails. Apply tape around your cuticles and then just sponge on colors from light to dark starting at the tip of your nail and move up to base!

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Please read the fine print

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Keri Blair

Hi Nail Art Junkies – this week I have been in between visits to Ran so since I have been on vacation I have been trolling the inter-webs for fun nail art ideas and inspirations! I stumbled upon a really fun youtube.com channel called cute polish (it seems she also has a facebook page and new blog). There you can find some very “easy” and fun DIY nail art designs. (I use quotation fingers cause don’t let her quick surgeon like applications fool you – they all take some practice)

I have been anxious to try the newsprint nail applique technique – this would prove to be my second attempt (I tend to lack patience when it comes to small details like letting polish dry – thus my addiction to M.A.C pigments and soak off gels) However, last night I painted my nails and was somehow able to sit still long enough to let my polish COMPLETELY dry before dipping my nail bed in 70% isopropyl alcohol and then applying a small piece of newsprint or newspaper across my nails to get the ink to transfer. I kinda think its adorable and I even got some encouraging words from the hubs (all puns obviously intended)

Its time for the breakdown

Thumb, index and middle finger – 2 coats of M.A.C Nail Lacquer in Quiet Time (from M.A.C Me Over) This grey-ish stone color offers a newspaper-y backdrop to this mani)

Ring finger – 2 coats of M.A.C Nail Lacquer in Formidable (from Venomous Villains)

Pinky finger – 2 coats of M.A.C Nail Lacquer in Discotheque (available soon)

Next time I may just have to don my nails with the contents of Page 6 for better subway reading!

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It feels like a h<3art attack

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Keri Blair

In the words of Olivia Newton-John ….

If you only knew what you’re putting me through
It feels like a heart attack
You’re giving me a heart attack
Heart attack
You’re giving me a heart attack
Must have died and gone to heaven
What a way to go

I can’t catch my breath
You must be a dream
But you’re the cutest thing I’ve ever seen
I’m way past the point of recovery
You’re gonna be the death of me

Its never too late for a Valentines Day’s tribute, right? My hubby has the biggest heart and so it only makes sense that he is the best at Valentine’s Day and every year since we have been together I have been a busy worker bee painting faces backstage at New York Fashion Week (this year being no exception) on February 14th. My call time this v-day was 6 AM for Tory Burch (very glamourous, indeed) and at the sound of my alarm at 4 AM I stumbled into the bathroom to find candies, cards, pez dispensers and valentines decorations of all shapes & sizes. Ok a moment for a collective sigh of AWWWWW’s!!!

These nails are dedicated to cutest thing I’ve ever seen – my hubby!

I have been dying (all puns as usual intended) to have Ran try the gradient in the middle of the nail and somehow this concept just seemed to make sense.

Base – M.A.C Pigments in White Gold & Frozen White
Gradient – M.A.C Pigment in Basic Red & Pink Pearl
Heart Attack – in Black Gouache (all HAND PAINTED by Ran Kowatari)
Pinky – M.A.C Very Pink Reflects Glitter
Top Coat – M.A.C Pigment in Reflects Transparent Pink

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