Festive Nail Art By Expert Nail Charmer Sarah Nguyen

You may have noticed the epic nails in the Pat McGrath “Beauty Is Everything” shoot for the December issue of Vogue, the handy work of nail tech, Chrmd By Sarah, Sarah Nguyen. Originally from California but now based in New York, Sarah has only been doing nails professionally for a year and a half and is already being requested by legendary make-up artist Pat McGrath. Prior to going pro, Sarah worked in fashion retail.

“Nails were kind of a hobby that I picked up. I was going through a break-up so I wanted to clear my mind and I thought: ok, I’ll just go to school and get the license. That was four years ago," she told us. "I then moved to New York and nails were still on the back-burner, and then last year I quit retail altogether and just dove right in.”

On set, Sarah’s nail kit is extensive. Boxes and boxes of crystals and glitter and nail jewellery, most of which I’ve never seen before. She also introduces me to the KiraKira+ app, the sparkle-amplifying filter which lends itself very well to Sarah’s nail aesthetic. Her signature nails which are always long and almond shaped are so ornate and decadent that it seems fitting to show them off during the festive season. They might even spark the nail artist in you.

The nails for the December issue demonstrated Sarah’s style and penchant for decadent nail creations. Model Leomie’s nails were a classic red, Sarah’s favourite nail shade. “Red is just so classic, it’s such a signature look and it always speaks power and volume. You could be dressed all in black and you could have a bright red nail and even if it’s embellished or not, it speaks volumes.”

Leomie’s nails were "almost Art Deco-like" with a long rim of Swarovski bar crystals with metal rods and a half moon at the base. "They're like a pendant for a necklace. My nail designs are decadent, ornate, sculptures. Always with gold with some form of embellishments with Swarovski. I get inspired by so many different things. Gates and doorways that have decadent style. And jewellery, I love vintage jewellery and Faberge which is a really big inspiration and I’ve even been inspired by Queen Elizabeth’s jewels.”

Although Sarah won’t divulge where she gathers all her incredible nail gems, crystals and jewels from - “you can’t tell everyone, everything!” - she does offer a bit of supply advice for budding nail artists. “A good starting point is Ocean Nail Supply online, they have so many different little studs and jewels and adornments for nails and you can also try Nail Labo, which is a Japanese company. These are the two main nail companies to start with as they have a wide range of nail accessories”.

How to find the perfect lipstick shades for Indian skin tones

India is a mix of cultures, each more different than the other. Equally diverse are the skin colours of the people in our country, ranging the entire spectrum of fair to lusciously dark. With this comes an obvious observation: there's no such thing as the perfect lipstick for an Indian woman, because you never know what her skin colour may be and which undertones suit her. However, most Indian complexions are warmer as opposed to cooler with gold undertones, so that's a definite starting point when shopping for lipsticks.

As with everything else, the final rules of what you use on your face are the ones you make for yourself, but a little help to guide you along doesn't hurt. Read this before you head out to find the perfect lipstick shades for your skin tone.

Light
If you fall under the ‘light' bracket that covers everything from almost white to a warm beige, lipsticks with bluer, cooler undertones are perfect for you. Think a fuchsia pink, a scarlet red, bright corals and salmon nudes.

Medium
If you're anywhere between a wheatish colour to a copper, you fall within the medium category. For your skin tone, its best to play around with lipstick shades in warmer undertones. We're talking a cherry red, strawberry pink, rosewood nudes and fire corals.

Dark
If your skin tone ranges from a caramel to a chocolate brown, you're part of the dark skin category. Definitely look for shades with yellow undertones. Try a punch-like pink, crimson red, tiger lily coral and gingerbread nudes.

What's the ideal number of lipsticks you should own? We've given you the 5×5 grid before—five shades (pink, red, coral, nude and oxblood) in five different textures (lip tint, liquid matte, satin finish, matte and gloss). Flip through the gallery below for a look at each of these shades—bookmark this link for when you're beauty shopping next.

Time for deeper, darker eye makeup

As hints start dropping that the seasons are due to shift again (I'm sorry to even bring it up, truly), I'll stop buying skin-based products like moisturisers and foundations for the most part. This is because I'm conscious that my skin's needs are about to change with central heating, dropping temperatures, and the general chagrin which comes with darker days. At this time of year, there is true joy to be had in focusing on eye makeup to last from now all the way to October. Prepare to go deeper, darker, and a little “more”.

Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado

I am not a big fan of eye cream generally, but have developed a deep devotion to this unique cream. Super rich yet with a deliciously light texture, this is perfect for anyone over 30 or those with dryness around the eyes.

Signature de Chanel Eyeliner Pen

I have been wearing gel or liquid eyeliner almost every day for 12 years, and am extremely fussy about finish, pigment and lasting power. Though this is expensive, it is the single best eyeliner I have ever used, and I will never be without it.

MAC Girls Mischief Minx Palette

Ideal for olive or deep skins, this palette is warm, earthy, sublimely pigmented and soft as butter. It is also extremely good value for money given the quantity of shadows inside. It is one of a family of palettes in various colour ways – all covetable.

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow in Sandy Gold

This long-lasting cream shadow provides a base for anything you apply over the top, and looks beautiful alone. An ideal choice for anyone whose eye makeup tends to move, or those who prefer minimal effort.

Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon Eye Shadow Pencil in Bronzed Garnet

Another easy-to-use shadow which looks expensive on and gives an impression of expertise. Apply straight from the pencil and buff with a clean, fluffy brush for an impactful finish.

Clinique + Jonathan Adler Chic Colour Kit

Clinique has teamed with potter and designer Jonathan Adler to create a collection featuring his signature patterns and bright hues. This palette is the hero of the collection, offering choices to suit every mood.

Ardell Demi-Wispies False Lashes

Demi-wispies are beloved by makeup artists the world over. To get more out of them, cut each lash in half and apply the halves to the outer edge of your own lashes to wing out eyes and give volume.

Bobbi Brown Dual-Ended Brow Definer/Groomer Brush

I have used one of these to apply brow products every morning for years. Search as I might, I haven't yet encountered anything better. The bristles are just stiff enough for drawing clean lines and individual hairs.

Max Factor 2000 Calorie Curl Addict Volume and Curl Mascara

This is the only budget mascara which rivals my all-time favourite mascara, YSL Faux Cils. It gives powerful black pigment and boosts lashes enormously without clumping. You can comfortably layer two to three coats and this doesn't crumble or bleed through the day.

Find Your Ideal Nude Lipstick

The ideal nude lipstick is different for everyone and depends on skin tone, mood, and desired effect.

For a safe (but not at all unexciting) bet, opt for something as close as possible to the natural shade of your lips in a soft, creamy texture. This will make lips appear plumper, give makeup a finished, polished appearance and look good with any other products you choose to wear. It will also have the added benefit of never looking scruffy or worn off if you eat or forget to reapply during the day.

MAC is widely known as a brand which caters to all ethnicities, ages and genders, and is one of the best brands to go to when looking for a nude lipstick to suit any skin or lip tone. To make it even easier, MAC have just released a dedicated collection of nude shades in a variety of textures, as well as accompanying glosses and lip pencils. The collection, MAC x Nicki Minaj, includes two shades designed by Minaj herself – Nicki’s Nude and The Pinkprint (each is €20) – with 20 shades featuring overall from pale pinks all the way to rich mochas.

The collection is available now, and includes glosses and lip liners also but will likely sell out quickly. If you have been searching for your ideal nude lipstick, you may find it on MAC counters now.

5 Signs You are Wearing The Wrong Foundation

Finding the right foundation is harder than finding the perfect Bumble match. Not only do you have to worry about tone—are you warm, cool, or neutral? what's the difference between "alabaster" and "ivory"?—but you have to match your foundation with your skin texture and type. There's a lot you can get wrong here.

So how can you tell if you're wearing the wrong foundation? "Face makeup will look the best when it's kind of solved all the skincare problems that you have while looking super natural," says Shara Strand, makeup artist and owner of SHARA Makeup Studio in The Pierre Hotel in New York City. Here, we break down the most common foundation faux pas and how you can fix them.

The faux pas: Color mismatch is the easiest way to tell you're wearing the wrong foundation. If you can see the foundation sitting on your skin, that's a problem, says Strand. "If people say 'Oh, I love your foundation,' it's the wrong one. The right foundation should be undetectable."

The fix: Once you're in the right shade zone (fair versus medium versus dark), check your undertones. Does your skin have a yellowish hue or a pinkish hue? If you're pinkish, shop the section for "cool undertones." If you have more of a yellow hue, shop the "warm undertones." If you're feeling lost, test a warm and a cool shade on the back of your hand and see which one looks more seamless.

The faux pas: If you notice you're more prone to breakouts after switching to a new formula or after you layer on more than your usual amount of foundation, that's an issue. "You're probably wearing something that has a lot of chemicals in it," says Strand. "A lot of the [less natural-looking] more theatrical formulas out there really work against the skin."

The fix: If you're breaking out, look for a more natural, mineral-based foundation, says Strand, as those formulas tend to be kinder to the sensitive skin on your face. You might also consider picking up a mineral-based primer. "Primer acts as the shield between your makeup and your skin so it protects your skin," says Strand.

The faux pas: You spend forever putting your makeup on in the morning, only to find it's totally melted off by lunch. This means you're probably not wearing the right foundation for oily skin. "If you're anywhere on the oily spectrum, during the summer your skin will secrete even more oil," Strand says. So even if your foundation is fine through the fall and winter, you might need to switch to a more summery formula.

The fix: "Choose a formula that blends in a powder," says Strand. Look for foundations that go on like a liquid but dry like a powder like Motives Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation with SPF 15 ($30, motivecosmetics.com). You should also make sure you're going the extra mile by setting your foundation with powder and using a primer with silica, which will help to soak up any skin oil.

The faux pas: If you notice that your foundation is settling into any fine lines and making them more noticeable, that's a foundation formula issue, says Strand. "If you're older and have more mature skin you don't want anything that's going to make you look more dehydrated," she says.

The fix: To avoid looking cakey, there are two things you want to look for: moisturizing formulas and hyaluronic acid. Switching to a formula with more moisture—think tinted moisturizers and BB creams over full-coverage foundations—will help avoid that dry look that adds years to your skin. If you need the coverage, look for formulas containing hydrating hyaluronic acid. "Hyaluronic acid is really big for making skin look for youthful," says Strand.

The faux pas: If your pores suddenly look like craters as soon as you've finished applying your foundation, that's a formula issue—not an issue with your exfoliating routine. "Thick and heavy foundation will sit in the pores," says Strand. "Look for something with a lighter texture."

The fix: In addition to looking for lighter, more sheer formulas, the real issue might be your primer (or lack thereof), says Strand. "You can always tell if someones not wearing primer. You need something to fill in the pores before you put on foundation." Look for a mineral-based primer with a silky finish to keep pores looking small and smooth.

Alternative Ways to Wear Your Engagement Ring and Wedding Band

Tradition states that your engagement ring goes on the ring finger of your left hand, and that it goes outside of your wedding band once you've said "I do." But did you know that's not the only way to wear your rings? Our experts have a few different combos that are worth a look.

Wearing your wedding band on your left hand dates back to Roman tradition and the ancient belief that a vein ran directly from the left ring finger to the heart. The science may have been debunked, but that idea of a vena amoris, or a love vein, holds strong today, which is why when your fiancé got down on one knee, he most likely slipped a ring on your left hand (or intended to, anyway!). While wearing your band with your engagement ring stacked on top is the most common arrangement, there are many other ways to mix and match rings to flaunt your married status.

If you're a ring stack devotee, consider purchasing more than one wedding band that you can layer on either side of your ring, creating layers of sparkle around your engagement ring. They could be jeweled, plain, or a mix of both — whatever fits your style and flatters your engagement ring!

Don't want your right hand to be left out? Wear your wedding band on your left hand, but switch your engagement ring to your right hand. You can always add anniversary bands to create a pretty stack later!

Lefties, rejoice! In some countries and cultures, such as some orthodox Christian communities, wedding rings are worn on the right hand instead of the left, freeing up your dominant hand for tasks that an engagement ring could get in the way of.

Last, but not least, you can also skip the wedding band altogether: Instead, use your engagement ring to symbolize your marriage, too, and have your fiancé slip it back on your hand as you exchange vows.

Burberry's Latest Launch Makes Anyone an Eye-Makeup Expert

If eye makeup intimidates you as a whole, the chances of you purchasing a new liner with the words “Cat Eye” printed on the side are pretty slim. But hear me out—this time it's different. Burberry's newest launches, Full Brows ($35) and Cat Eye Liner ($38), are here to change the way you think about eye makeup, plus the way you apply it, with its all-in-one tools that finally take all the guesswork out of the equation.

Both the brow and eye tools are dual sided—one end houses a super thin felt tip; the other an easy-to-use powder—and deliver the easiest smoky eye and perfectly polished brow duo in two minutes flat (no joke).

First up: liner. Most formulas that promise an easy, no-mess application deliver the exact opposite, but this one is right on the money. The calligraphy-inspired brush is so thin, it lets you create anything from barely there definition to a full-on flick without any issues. On the opposite side, you'll find the silky powder shadow, designed to be used to amp up the intensity of your look in any way you please. Layer it on top of your liner for a grungy feel, swipe it under your lash line for a reverse smoky-eye effect, or apply it in your crease line for the quickest smoky eye you've ever seen (watch the step-by-step in the video below!).

Once you're finished with your liner and shadow, on to the brows. Unlike many eyebrow formulas, this one is water-based and ultra lightweight (it reminded me of watercolor painting when I initially tested it on my hand), making that unwanted, caked-on-brow look practically impossible. Like the liner, the felt tip defines with thin strokes—be sure to paint brows in the shape they naturally grow for your most natural feel—before the second step polishes it off. The opposite end of the pen houses a powder-meets-wax shadow, which creates both definition as the tiny minerals fill in any sparse areas and add intensity where you need it, and shape, as the wax grabs onto the hairs for a natural yet polished frame.

But there's more to these tools than just creating a crisp line and the set of brows you've been pining after—they're long-lasting too, as both formulas are waterproof and keep your eyes looking glamorous until you wash it all off. Once my liner, shadow and brows showed zero signs of wear after a full work day and a date night (complete with Florida-style humidity), I was hooked. To learn how to use the must-have duo, watch the video below.