When rainy days hit, brighten things up with this fun (and easy) DIY umbrella manicure. Follow the steps below to create your own.

What You’ll Need:

• Grey nail polish (I used SEPHORA by OPI’s “Metro Chic”)
• Sally Hansen’s Nail Art Pen, in black
• Light blue nail polish (I used OPI’s “What’s with the Cattitude?”)
• Scrap paper
• Mechanical pencil
• Clear top coat

 
The How-To:

1. Paint your nails with two coats of the grey polish and let dry completely.
2. Below the tip of the nail, use the black nail pen to make the umbrella – draw multiple “W” shapes from left to right, then fill it in.
3. Continuing with the black nail pen, draw a backwards “J” for the handle.
4. Place a dot of blue nail polish on a piece of scrap paper.
5. Dip the tip of the mechanical pencil into the polish and sporadically place dots on the nail to create the look of rain drops.
6. Finish with a clear top coat.

 
By Carolyn Schultz, Staff Writer

Want more mani how-tos? Check out our weekly Mani Monday column. 

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Spring is upon us and we can’t let our feet have all the fun. Dazzle your tips with this DIY sneaker manicure – just follow the steps below.

What You’ll Need:

• Colored nail polish (I used SEPHORA by OPI’s “Metro Chic”)
• Sally Hansen’s Nail Art Pen, in both white and black
• Clear top coat

The How-To:

1. Paint your nails with two coats of the colored polish and let dry completely.
2. Using the white nail pen, paint the tips of the nails (like a thick French manicure).
3. Make the lace holes by placing eight dots on each nail with the black nail pen.
4. Line the nail tips with the black nail pen to create the look of a Converse sneaker.
5. With the white pen, connect the dots with diagonal lines to make the laces.
6. Finish with a clear top coat.

By Carolyn Schultz, Staff Writer

Want more mani how-tos? Check out our weekly Mani Monday column. 

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If you’re determined to master the coveted cat-eye (it took me months), you’ll appreciate this DIY. Before you head to the makeup counter and spend upwards of too much money on liquid eyeliner, make your own out of eye shadow already in your arsenal.

All you need? Contact-lens solution. I used Bausch + Lomb ReNu® multi-purpose solution. You’ll need three or four drops at most. Keep it on the dry side – you can always add more when you’re ready to use it. If you’re not a contact wearer, steal some from a friend or head to the drugstore and pick up a travel-sized bottle.

Tip: Hesitant about mixing a whole palette? Try dipping your eyeliner brush into contact-lens solution before applying your shadow.

By Julia Ivins, Staff Writer

Did you find this beauty tip helpful? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us at @ruelala, then check out our Rue How-To column every Wednesday.

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Photo courtesy of nailside

Stuck in an office and can’t always get outside for some fresh air?  Well, this cloud manicure is the perfect substitution for all you 9-to-5ers.

What You’ll Need:

• Three nail polishes (any colors will do)
• Clear top coat

The How-To:

1. Paint your nails with two coats of the polish you would like for the base, and let dry completely.
2. Using the second color, start on the right side of the nail and make a straight stroke from the center to the tip. To make the cloud shape, allow the polish to drip and form rounded edges at the start of the stroke.
3. Once dry, repeat step 2 with the next nail color, leaving enough room to see the second color.
4. Repeat step 2 a couple more times as you move to the left side of your nail. Make each stroke shorter than the one before.
5. Finish by applying the clear top coat.
6. Let the daydreaming commence.

By Carolyn Schultz, Staff Writer

Want more mani how-tos? Check out our weekly Mani Monday column. 

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A big trend for spring? Leopard print nails. I particularly love Lindsay Lohan’s fun spin on the typical leopard manicure, so I decided to create a bright version of my own. Check out the DIY steps below.

What You’ll Need:

• White nail polish
• 4 – 5 colorful nail polishes
• Scrap paper
• Mechanical pencil
• Sally Hansen’s Nail Art Pen in black
• Clear top coat

The How-To:

1. Paint your nails with two coats of the white polish and let dry.
2. Place a dot of colorful polish on a piece of scrap paper.
3. Dip the tip of the mechanical pencil into the polish and place a dot on each nail.
4. Repeat steps 2 – 3 for each polish color.
5. Once the colored polish is dry, use the black Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen and outline the sides of the colored dots. These outlines don’t have to be perfect (or, should we say, spot-on – sorry, had to). Also add some black spots to any empty white nail space.
6. Apply a clear top coat to finish.

By Carolyn Schultz, Staff Writer

Want more mani how-tos? Check out our weekly Mani Monday column. 

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With wedding season right around the corner, what better way to say “I do” to your date than with these DIY tuxedo nails? Even Zooey Deschanel got in on the fun when she put her tips in formal wear for the 2011 Golden Globes.

What You’ll Need:

• White nail polish
• Sally Hansen’s Nail Art Pen in black
• Clear top coat

The How-To:

1. Paint your nails with two coats of white polish and let dry completely.
2. Using the black nail pen, paint the tips of the nails (like a French manicure).
3. To create the bow tie, use the black nail pen to draw two sideways triangles (with the points facing toward one another) just below the cuticle.
4. Apply a small dot between the triangles to finish the bow tie.
5. Place three dots below the bow tie for the buttons.
6. Finish with a clear top coat.

By Carolyn Schultz, Staff Writer

Want more mani how-tos? Check out our weekly Mani Monday column. 

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No matter how careful you are, eventually that pressed powder becomes just thin enough to crack into a million pieces. Maybe it spent the night in the car when it was negative 12 degrees out, or you left it in your checked bag by accident (dreaded baggage handlers). Or perhaps, like me, you’re a klutz, and you’re constantly dropping things.

Before you toss that can’t-leave-the-house-without-it bronzer in the trash, check this out. A couple of drops of rubbing alcohol, a few dabs with a spoon, and voilà – your once-on-its-last-legs powder has two more weeks to live.

Tip: If there’s not enough powder left to re-press (or if it’s on its third drop), scrape it out of the compact, dice it up with a sharp knife, and pour it into a smaller mineral powder container.

By Julia Ivins, Staff Writer

What do you think of this makeup tip? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us at @ruelala, then check out our Rue How-To column every Wednesday.

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Spring is all about healthy, glowing skin, but sometimes we need a little boost from our beauty bags. With a little highlighter and a dose of antioxidants (dark chocolate counts!), you’ll be on your way to looking fresh-faced all season long.

By Brianna Lapolla, Staff Writer

Want to know more about beauty? Follow our Pretty Talk column every Tuesday.

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If you’re anything like me, you probably have a stash of old eye shadow that you know you’ll never use again, but you just can’t bear to toss. Here is a simple, inexpensive way to make it new again – all you need is a bottle or two of clear nail polish. If you don’t have any at home, search the drugstore for the best, least expensive clear polish you can find (I wouldn’t go above $3.50).

Mixing Tip: Boost your new color up a notch by mixing multiple powders. Try purple with grey for a matte mauve, or lighten any dark shadow with white.

By Julia Ivins, Staff Writer

Did you find this beauty tip helpful? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us at @ruelala, then check out our Rue How-To column every Wednesday.

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Spring is all about the return to lighter, airier things – fragrances being one of them. Just like in fashion and beauty, there are also scent trends that change from season to season. So whether your favorites include floral, citrus, or musk undertones, there’s a warm-weather alternative to your winter spritz of choice. Below, a guide to this year’s top trending perfumes.

Image courtesy of Chernetskaya/Stock Free Images.

1. Fruity florals (like Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh) are uplifting and simple, making them an ideal pick for spring.
2. If fruity scents mixed with musky undertones are your thing, try Van Cleef & Arpels Feerie Spring Blossom, which has hints of wild raspberry and lychee sharpened with pink pepper.
3. Labeled as more exotic than precious, Dolce & Gabbana Desire is the perfume to spritz on for rooftop bars and nights out.
4. Fusing juicy bergamot and apple with a floral bouquet of jasmine and ylang-ylang, See by Chloé gives off the scent of sweet musky vanilla. (Sephora labels it as the urban-chic scent.)
5. A blend of elegant jasmine and the unexpected, delicate sweetness of panna cotta create the sophisticated and fresh Salvatore Ferragamo Signorina Eau de Parfum, reminiscent of bright, sun-filled days.

By Brianna Lapolla, Staff Writer

Want to know more about beauty? Follow our Pretty Talk column every Tuesday.

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