A veteran magazine beauty editor/writer (and a member of the 40+ club), Genevieve Monsma created MediumBlonde to help Gen Xers and Baby Boomers age the way they want.
All in Nails
I’ve found a fail-safe gift idea for your best friend, your sister, your daughter…or yourself.
I’ve been wearing Essie’s Stop, Drop and Shop non-stop for two weeks now: It’s a surprisingly neutral deep rose that’s part of Essie’s Fall Collection—but doesn’t look out of place on September days that still feel like summer. (Note: Essie calls it “mulberry red” but I think it’s more dark, velvety pink.)
If you’re a regular reader, you know I’m a fan of Essie’s Treat Love & Color one-step nail lacquer. It goes on in a single coat, requires no base or top coats—and it strengthens weak (prone-to-peeling-and-breaking) nails in as little as a week. It’s also now available in two dozen new shades.
With holiday reds and metallics behind us—and warm-weather brights still (alas) months away—early February can feel like nail lacquer purgatory: neither here nor there.
I am impatient. Nearly two decades of living in New York City taught me to loathe long lines, inefficient service, and slow-walkers (if a New Yorker bumps you while you stroll down Fifth Avenue, you probably deserve it. Think how you’d feel if she went to your town and drove a Suburban 10 mph down a one-lane road.). When we first moved to Ann Arbor, I even stopped visiting one coffee shop because the barista was too chatty, greeting my order of a soy latte with “soy-tainly!” and then taking 15 minutes to mix my drink. Nope. Not before 8 a.m. Buy-bye.
When I interviewed Erin Cotter, GOOP’s VP of Beauty, earlier this fall she raved about Jao's Goe Oil, an all-natural, plant-based hydrator she said smelled like a tropical vacation. Sounded nice but I wasn’t totally motivated to try it until this week when Mother Nature dumped eight inches of snow on Ann Arbor, and I started to feel like I was never not buried in a goose down coat and heavy Sorel boots.
In our teens and twenties, most of us gamely embraced new trends, feathering, then bobbing, then shagging our hair—and seesawing from frosty pink lipstick (80s pop) to matte brown lipcolor (90s grunge). It made us feel pretty, current, and allowed us to play around with different personas. But somewhere along the way, many settled into “what works best for us," adopting a haircut we’ve more or less maintained ever since, choosing an everyday, goof-proof lipcolor (pinky nude for me), selecting a grownup signature scent…and letting Millennials have all the fun with hair and makeup. I think this is a mistake.
Here in Ann Arbor, the air is crisp, the kids are back in school, there’s football at the Big House, and I’m loving all the fall colors. (P.S. I’m talking about nail lacquer; the leaves haven’t started changing yet. We’re not that far north.)
All month long, I’m asking discerning beauty insiders to share their favorite hot-weather staples. Today’s expert: Kristen Comings, VP of Integrated Consumer Communications at L'Oreal Paris
Despite writing about nailcare and polish trends for decades, I’m terrible at a DIY manicure. My fine motor skills are nothing to brag about; sewing on a button takes effort, and my “scissor skills” (or lack thereof) screwed up my GPA in preschool. Thus, when I “do” my nails myself, I typically stick to a buffed finish. However, pigs must be flying because I just discovered a polish even I can apply—and be pleased with the results.
If you read Monday’s post, you know I spent the past week on the road (and in the air). I discovered so. many. amazing. products. But, to avoid overwhelming you with a list as long as my arm, I’m parceling them out in a series of posts. To start, these three dusty-blue finds are surprisingly versatile— neutrals (but not) that will break you out of a beige/brown/pinky-nude rut.
As part of a regular series, I’ll be asking inspiring, in-the-know women (all 40+, of course) to share their best tips and favorite products. The point? As always, to find out what works. This week's beauty insider: Jane Park, CEO and Founder of Julep
This week marked the official beginning of the new season. And though it still feels pretty wintery here in Michigan, when I went to get a manicure, I decided to trade in my navy Essie After School Boy Blazer and Chanel Pirate for something less moody from Essie’s new cheery spring collection.
