How to do an Easy French Manicure {Again}

We're back with a follow-up to some of our most popular posts - How to do a French Manicure... Effortlessly and The New French Manicure! And the reason I wanted to try this technique is because I've changed the shape of my nails. Not to share too much information, but this fall with all my traveling and a recent trip to Denver which zapped every bit of moisture in me made my nails weaken and split. So, to make them a bit stronger, I changed the shape to make them a bit more square to hopefully stop the corners from splitting. Now the typical DIY Easy French Manicure I like to do isn't working anymore. But this one is, and it's just as easy, so give it a shot and let us know which one you like better. Plus, we think it will work for all nail sizes and widths!

Supplies needed: Base Coat Bandaids (at least 1 {it can be re-used} up to 5 if you prefer not to re-use) Tip color Scissors (to cut bandaid in 1/2)

Step 1: Paint your nails you base color and let dry... or like us, wait a few days and enjoy a mani and use this method to extend a manicure a few more days!

Step 2: Cut band-aids in 1/2 and apply them to each finger with the tips exposed for your tip nail color. Be sure to press down firmly. Once the polish is almost dry, carefully remove the band-aid for perfect lines.

Step 3: Apply a clear top coat and enjoy your very easy french manicure!! Here's another option in dark grey and silver:

Enjoy your very easy french manicure and let us know which DIY french manicure you like best!

xo ~kim & chloe

Fall Hairstyles {PLL inspired}

Ask my friends what tv shows what they watch and Pretty Little Liars is usually on everyone's list. Why? It might be the plot. If I could explain the plot to you in 10 pages (or less) I would, but I can't. There are so many twists in turns in a 1 hour show, that my head is usually spinning {in a good way}. Keeping me on the edge of my seat and wanting to know more, season after season, is definitely a key to the show's success. But I suspect the crucial factor in Pretty Little Liar's success is something more... something I love tuning in for: fashion and hairstyles. And I'm hunting for fall hairstyles!

My fall hairstyle created using Vidal Sassoon Pro Series Spray Heat Protect & Shine and Vidal Sassoon Pro Series Hairspray Boost & Lift, both available at Target

Using tv shows to find great clothes and hairstyles, I'd have to put the wardrobe and beauty style of the Pretty Little Liars girls at the top of my list. Since all the girls on the show have luscious long locks {and oddly enough - this was totally not planned - so do my friends!} I was thrilled that Vidal Sassoon Pro Series sponsored a party so we had an excuse to watch some tv and chat about fall hairstyles & fashion for inspiration!

And not only did they sponsor our party, Vidal Sassoon Pro Series has a Pin-it-to-Win-It sweepstakes for you to win a $1,000 Target GiftCard! 2 runners up will win $500 gift cards. Click here.

The plan was to watch the summer finale to get us in the mood for the upcoming PLL October 22nd special episode. I've realized that all through the summer, PLL girls wore beachy waves, and it may be fall, but beachy waves are still hot! So I decided to try the Vidal Sassoon Pro Series Spray to protect my hair and the Vidal Sassoon Pro Series Hairspray, both available at Target, to get ready for the party and to make it my go-to fall hairstyle. It's an easy style to do, and the hairspray really protected my hair from frizzing, even with all the rain! Here's how to create the look:

But instead of watching tv, we spent more time trying playing in our "salon." In fact, once we started talking about fall hairstyles, fashion, beachy waves, and PLL, Bethany and Barbara jumped in for a hair makeover and Elsa played a very convincing hairdresser! Um, Elsa... can you come by weekly?? I'll make the cupcakes!

By the end of the night, not only did we all talk about our favorite fall hairstyles, we also picked our fave products. What are yours?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own, of course!

The NEW French Manicure

French Manicures have been around since... wait, wait. Who wants to hear the history of the French Manicure? Not me. In fact, I have no idea how long they have been around. All I know is that they can look dull and boring unless you brighten them up a little bit. You might recall our viral pin of the neon yellow French Manicure? We still love it, but we needed something new. And we've got just the idea for our New French Manicure! Metallics are hot for fall {and beyond I'm sure}. What looks better than a strip of metallic accenting a nude or almost nude nail? Nothing. It's our new obsession!

The NEW French Manicure... here's how:

1. Paint your nails a neutral color, but make sure it is not a sheer color. You do not want the white part of your nail to be showing through the color. We chose Essie's Fiji (an opaque pink) for the Silver French Manicure and Essie's "A Crewed Interest" (a gorgeous peach) for the Gold French Manicure.

2. Let your nails dry completely.

3. Either take your manicure tape (discussed here) or use stickers or tape (discussed here) to create a crisp and clean french manicure line at the very TIP of your nail. The trick to making your french manicure modern is using a very thin line of color. Since Chloe's nails were more square, we used manicure tape on the tips, which was a perfect choice for her. Just be sure to use a few coats of clear polish to secure the mani tape! If yours are more rounded, the sticker trick from the "easiest french manicure" might be a good choice. Or you can use scotch, painter's tape or even use manicure tape to create a clean line.

Voilà, no fuss, no muss, and so chic. Another idea to create the easiest french manicure ever, but this time, it's a new version of the french mani!

What do you think?

Our Beauty Routines

I was surprised to have a few of you ask about my beauty routine. I mean, I'm always curious to know what other people use, but I thought I was just overly curious. I like to know the latest beauty products and see how they work on real people, not celebs. I seriously thought the only person who cared about my beauty routine was my husband who only wants to know "are you ready yet?" I keep telling him that 45 minutes to shower, dry hair, go through my beauty routine, put on makeup and get dressed (not just jeans and a tee, but really dressed) is not high-maintenance! I'm quick. But he just won't believe me. I do believe I'm low-maintenance, at least when it comes to my beauty routine, but one thing I will never, ever skimp on is my skincare. We only get one shot and if we mess up our skin, that's it.

Everyday:

1. Olay Regenerist micro sculpting cream - Once I started using this moisturizer, I started getting compliments. It took about a week and then people started asking me what I had done. I kid you not. And was it coincidence that we were asked to shoot our first magazine cover? (Yes, I said 1st -- because you never know!) You be the judge. I'll just keep using my Olay.

2. Olay ProX deep wrinkle treatment - My wrinkles aren't gone, but they haven't gotten any worse and I haven't stopped laughing and smiling. Sometimes, I even think they are better, but I'm not sure how people measure these things.

3. Yon Ka Fruitelia Age Correction -  I haven't been using this long, but I love it. Most anti-wrinkle creams make me break out. I have extremely sensitive skin and this has been amazing. You use it for a few weeks, then take a break and when your skin starts looking like it needs it, you use it again. Perfect for me!

4. The Everything Pencil EraseZit - I love this pencil. I use it under my eyes which have very, very dark circles from allergies or genetics or bad luck. Who knows, who cares, I just don't want to see them and since this matches my skin perfectly, I can use it every day. And I use it on pimples. It treats them as well as covers them so they disappear faster.

5. Clarisonic Aria - Simply the best thing to ever happen to my skin: I couldn't live without this... and didn't think I needed it. Once you try it, you'll wonder how your face ever felt clean before using it. There's a reason everyone becomes a believer once they start using them.

6. SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 - no matter what the weather is doing, I use SPF. It was a BB cream before the term even existed. And it's SPF 50! It evens out my skintone and protects me from the sun. If I do nothing else at all, this goes on. The sun is my worst enemy. (And best friend - have you had your Vitamin D checked?!)

Occasional Use

1. YonKa Masque - LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this masque. I don't follow the directions at all. I just wash my face in the shower and leave the masque on while I wash my hair and shave. Then rinse. I do it 1-3 times per week. It makes my skin feel great!

2. Bobbi Brown BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 35 - Although not technically "skincare" it finishes my skin, so I've included it. When I'm heading out at night or taking a photo that I want to look super-fab in, I'll dab this on. Note I said dab since a little goes a looong way. I think I might try more Bobbi Brown products.

3. CosMedix Pure C Mixing Crystals - I've been mixing a little of this powder in my moisturizer to brighten & firm my skin. I like that it's separate from my moisturizer so I don't always have to use it. Vitamin C definitely makes a difference so I seem to use it more when I'm tired!

I am not a huge make up wearer. I wish I was one of those girls who could just slap on some foundation and blush and look absolutely fantabulous, but I always feel like I look clownish. I don’t know what it is, but it’s the truth, my friends. I have been getting more into lipstick though so I might be starting to get into the whole makeup world.

BUT I have always been into my hair. I think I am addicted to getting haircuts, probably because I just like someone playing with my hair. In sixth grade I got my first straighter and ever since then I feel like I have to have my hair done in order to have a great day - regardless of whether or not I’ve just sat on the couch all day. At BlogHer this year, Mark Hill - yes, THE Mark Hill who is like hair royalty in England & knows every British famous person there is - invited us to have our hair done. When I got the e-mail I may or may not have squealed just a tad bit. Like I said before - I LOVE having my hair done! I never had a better hair day than when they did it (check our Instagram for the photo)! I truly felt like a princess during and after and I am now absolutely head over heels in love with the Mark Hill hair line. My hair literally bounces. Crazy, right? They just launched their line in Walgreens across the US so we finally have the chance to make our hair look royal too!

1 & 2 These shampoos and conditioners by Mark Hill smell almost as good as they work. Why did it take so long to get to the US? I don't know, but I'm thrilled I can pick this up when I run out!!!

3. I need to start deep conditioning and I'll use this one by Mark Hill. Curly hair and flat-ironed hair need more moisture, and I'm swearing by this.

4. Sometimes I like my hair straight and my ghd flat iron was worth every penny (especially since it was a gift, haha). It heats up a lot, so that's why I need to condition, a lot! Higher heat means more breakage.

5. Sometimes I like my hair curly. And this makes the curl just how I like it.

And that's it, our beauty routines: we each have our focus of hair or skin and maybe it's because of our age. Either way, we'd love to hear what you focus on more!

In my Top 10: Rank & Style

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