Back in Black

Back in black – polish that is. Once reserved for the punk and gothic counter culture, this eye-catching hue now makes a bold statement in film, on the runway, and on the streets. Fashionable celebrities such as Gwen Stefani and Sarah Michelle Gellar have been seen rocking this sophisticated look of late. In fact, Gwen had all of the models in her L.A.M.B Fall 2011 runway show sporting striking black manis.

The key to an awesome all black manicure is well-groomed nails and the perfect shade. Union Jack Black from butter LONDON is my personal favorite! Let's not forget that Halloween is right around the corner and any gals go-to hue for added drama is definitely dark and sexy shades of black. Want to dress it up? Try a matte top coat for a velvety effect or add a glitter top coat for some sparkle!

Crack-tastic Nails!

For a brief moment back in the early 1990s “crackle” nail polish came and went as a beauty trend without much to make it memorable. However, the idea has been vastly improved upon and has recently re-emerged as a fashionable and chic manicure trend. The process involves using two contrasting coats of specially formulated nail polish that “cracks” letting one color show through underneath the other. It's a simple way to achieve a complex-looking nail art pattern. For about a year the trend was gaining momentum in Europe, but it was very hard to obtain the polish in the United States.

Soon thereafter, celebrities like Katy Perry took notice of the fun and edgy look and influenced several American brands to produce their own lines of crackle polish. She released her own version of "shatter" polish with OPI in 2011 to great success and almost all of the major professional and retail lacquer companies have since released their own versions. Some brands are difficult to work with and it's hard to get a smooth even coat of it on nails, so a little practice with it goes a long way. Also, don't try to thin out these products with nail polish thinner! The formula will lose its ability to crack or shatter if thinner is added to it. Love the look, but hate working with the thick and clumpy formulation? Try Dashing Diva's new DesignFX nail appliques (available only to professional nail technicians) which are available in a multitude of patterns -- including several crackle designs.