Lately I’ve been wearing OPI “Thanks A Windmillion” nail polish. The shade is from OPI’s Spring/Summer 2012 Holland Collection and I can’t seem to get enough of it. The polish is a lovely, creamy sea green. The delicate hue is perfect because it compliments all of the neutrals and pastels that have recently overtaken my wardrobe. But the thing I like most about this polish is that after just two coats, the color looks just as it does in the bottle. (Don’t you love that?) 

Here’s a snapshot of the polish on my nails:

What’s your favorite nail polish for spring?

XO Lauren



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One of our biggest inspirations here at LaurenConrad.com is you! So you can imagine how excited we were when we laid eyes upon Holly’s super chic, solo sparkle manicure. Let’s just say it was love at first click! That's why Holly is our first official Chic of the Week! Each week we will select one ambitious, stylish, amazing member from our community to spotlight in the Chic of the Week banner on our homepage. Fun, right?

We love how Holly transformed a simple manicure into a serious statement. The unexpected sparkle adds a perfectly understated flair that’s sure to spice up any ensemble.

After a not-so-in-depth beauty investigation, we figured out two ways you can achieve this look: First, you can use a highly concentrated glitter polish on one nail (the obvious method). Or, if you want to get crafty, apply one coat of clear polish and then sprinkle some craft-grade glitter over it and finally seal it off with a layer of topcoat. Easy as pie. And chic as ever!

What do you think about Holly’s manicure? Are you going to give it a try?

If you do give it a shot, snap a photo and upload it to your profile page. Don't forget to click "Submit this photo" for a chance to be featured in the Primp Gallery! (Click here to learn how to use the Gallery.)

XO Team LaurenConrad.com

P.S. We’re constantly scouring the Forum, the Gallery and all of the submitted photos so be sure to share your stuff for a chance to be the Chic of the Week!

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I’ve had my fair share of trips and travels during which I’ve been stranded with chipped nails and peeling polish. Chipping a nail on day two of a seven-day vacay can really put a damper on your mani-morale. To avoid said situations, I always travel with a few pre-packaged nail polish remover wipes and a box of Sally Hansen Nail Polish Strips. The strips are easy to apply, require zero dry time and you don’t have to stress over the polish bottle breaking or spilling in your bag. Personally I have found that the sparkly strips are especially chip resistant (I prefer the gold).

Have you tried Sally Hansen Nail Polish Strips?

XO Lauren

P.S. I just posted a blog about my favorite workout wear. Be sure to check it out by clicking here!

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Polished, shellacked, gelled or sparkled—many of us rarely see our nails in the nude. But what happens when the paint comes off? Do your nails hold up in the buff? Well ladies, it’s time to strip down and find out. This month I encourage all of you to take a quick polish vacation for the sake of your health. Believe it or not, your nails can reveal important things about your overall wellbeing. Who knew?

Your nails (and cuticles for that matter) are indicative of a wide range of ailments including stress, anxiety, nutritional deficiencies, infection and even disease. Once the polish comes off, take note of what lies beneath. A healthy nail bed is “smooth without ridges and grooves” with a light pink underlying flesh tone that’s “free of spots or discoloration” (Share Care). So whether it’s a white spot, a yellowish tinge or excessive chipping and peeling—all imperfections should be investigated. Below is a quick list to help you decipher what your nails are telling you…

Yellowish. Most of the time, yellow nails are simply the result of wearing dark nail polish for long periods of time without a proper base coat. Typically, a few days sans polish will do the trick in removing the yellowish tinge. However, if the yellow tone sticks around for longer than a week or so (and/or your nails are reddish, tender or swelling), you may have a fungal infection and should consult a doctor.

Peeling. According to WebMD, your nail plates are “made up of several layers of keratin,” which are sealed together. When hands are routinely exposed to water or even cold, dry air, the top layers of your nails can “delaminate “ and therefore peel. Usually, polish will help seal the layers together. Using a good hand lotion also helps. However, excessive peeling may mean your diet is lacking in a nutrient called linoleic acid. Amp up your linoleic acid intake by incorporating more vegetable oils into your diet such as olive oil, sesame oil or even peanut oil.

Brittleness. Did you know that 20 percent of women suffer from a condition called “brittle nail syndrome”? (I never even knew this was a real “condition” until I started researching brittleness for this blog. Oh the things you learn on WebMD…) Usually, an iron deficiency is related to this condition so try eating more dark leafy green veggies and eggs. Biotin can also help (plus I’ve heard it’s good for your hair). More often than not, brittle nails are the result of excessive exposure to—you guessed it—water! If hand lotion and diet changes fail to improve this condition for you, you should see a medical professional.

Ridges. Surprisingly, ridges are not usually something to be alarmed about. As you age, ridges will grow more prominent. However, in some cases ridges may be a manifestation of extreme stress so take heed (and maybe enlist yourself in a yoga class).

Bluish. If your nail beds are bluish, it probably means you are not getting enough oxygen. Definitely see a doctor if you are experiencing this.

Lastly, if you notice anything particularly strange with your nails (dark lines, white or concave nail plates, inflammation or puffiness), please see a medical professional. I’ve only just scratched the surface (pun intended) in the list above…

In most cases, a healthy balanced diet and good personal hygiene will ensure healthy nails and a healthy you. So eat your veggies, take your vitamins, make sure you are getting all your minerals and don’t forget to take a quickie polish vacay to make sure you and your nails are doing okay.

Will you join me in a quickie polish vacation?

XO Lauren

Sources: MSN Health, Medicine Net, WebMD, Inspirationail

This past weekend I headed to the nail salon with my roommate for a mani-pedi. I don’t get my nails done very often because I prefer to do a color change every few days and enjoy painting them myself so this was a treat. When we arrived I selected my color (cherry red) and she, instead of doing the same, informed me she would be getting a gel manicure. I was curious because I had seen the finished product, but never seen it applied. I watched as the manicurist applied layers to my roommate’s nails and had her place her hands under a blue light in-between each. She repeated this several times and then it was done. They looked beautiful and promised to remain that way for up to 2-3 weeks. This sounded almost too good to be true so I decided to do a little research on these gel nails…

First, I learned that there are two different kinds of gel nails. The first is the one my roommate opted for. This was a light cured gel. It is a premixed gel that is applied to your nail and then cured using an ultra violet light. Now growing up in a beach town and seeing first hand...

Read the rest of my post by clicking here!

XO Lauren

Source: TheBeautyDepartment.com
Photo: Spencer Higgins

Thank you to everyone who shared photos of your Independence Day inspired manicures in response to my post, Polished: 4th of July Nails. I love all the different variations of the red, white and blue look.

Below are three of my favorite photos from your submissions.

Afton Williams’ star spangled manicure…

Annie Stamell’s patriotic polka dot nails…

Lindsey Christopher’s red, white and blue manicure…

Thanks again for sharing everyone!

XO Lauren

As you may have noticed, I’m slightly obsessed with doing fun things on my nails these days. Holidays are always a great excuse to get creative. Here’s my Independence Day inspired manicure. I used the stick-on nail polish in blue + white nautical stripes and added one simple solid red nail to each hand.

Tools

• clear base/top coat
• red nail polish
• stick-on nail polish strips
• nail file
• cuticle nippers (optional)

Instructions

1. Apply a thin base coat, and then fit the correct nail polish strips to each finger. Skip any random one you want and leave it for the red polish. I chose the ring finger.
2. (Optional) Cut the excess off with cuticle nippers or scissors.
3. File the edges. This will give you a perfect edge with the nail polish strip.
4. Paint the plain nail red. I did 2 coats.
5. Go over everything (polish strips + red nail) with a clear top coat.

I hope you all have a great 4th of July. Be safe. Can’t wait to see your photos!

XO Lauren

P.S. Click here to learn how to upload and post your photos!

Source: TheBeautyDepartment.com

Lately, as I have been studying new trends for my clothing lines, I have been seeing vintage florals everywhere and some of the places they have been popping up are a little unexpected. I have seen sunglasses, platforms, hand bags… and now nails.

I couldn’t be more thrilled about this because I am the kind of girl who wears florals year round. So, when I stumbled across what is sure to be my next manicure I knew I had to share with all of you. If you have ever attempted to paint leopard spots on your nails you know that intricate designs like this are challenging, but doable.

If you want to try this look on your own nails get a tiny paintbrush (the brush that comes with the polish will be too thick) and use the nail polish as if it were paint. You can do any color or design you like.

Upload a photo of your floral fingers to your LaurenConrad.com profile page (click here to learn how) and link to the image in the comments below. I'll feature your photos in the Primp Gallery!

XO Lauren

Source: TheBeautyDepartment

Photo: thecommaqueen.tumblr, ale-kat.tumblr