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. 

Not a Member and like The (Style) Guide? You’ll love Rue La La. Join now.

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. 

Not a Member and like The (Style) Guide? You’ll love Rue La La. Join now.

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. 

Not a Member and like The (Style) Guide? You’ll love Rue La La. Join now.

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.

Not a Member and like The (Style) Guide? You’ll love Rue La La. Join now.

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.

Not a Member and like The (Style) Guide? You’ll love Rue La La. Join now.

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.

Not a Member and like The (Style) Guide? You’ll love Rue La La. Join now.

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.

Not a Member and like The (Style) Guide? You’ll love Rue La La. Join now.

To achieve on-trend pointy nails – as seen on Lady Gaga and Rihanna – without actually getting the clippers out, check out the DIY illusion manicure below (it also makes for a great April Fools’ trick).

What You’ll Need:

• Two nail colors – one neutral, one bright (I used Sally Hansen’s “Nude Now” and OPI’s “Dutch Tulips”)
• Tape
• Scissors
• Clear top coat

The How-To:

1. Paint your nails with two coats of the neutral color.
2. Apply a clear top coat and let dry completely.
3. Cut semi-thin pieces of tape and place two strips on each nail, forming an open triangle.
4. Using the bright polish, paint the inside of the triangle and let dry completely.
5. Gently peel the tape off the right side, followed by the left. Doing this will help prevent smudging.
6. Finish with another application of the clear top coat.

By Carolyn Schultz, Staff Writer

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

Not a Member and like The (Style) Guide? You’ll love Rue La La. Join now.

Winter isn’t the only time when a smoky eye is appropriate. In softer shades (think brown, bronze, and even purple), this brighter, smudged-out makeup trend is completely doable for spring. Below, a step-by-step guide to achieving the look.

1. Prep skin with a super silky foundation to even skin tone and create a blank canvas.
2. Dust a warm brown, bronze, or light purple eye shadow all over lids, blending toward the brow bone.
3. Paint a slightly darker shade in the crease of your eyelid for depth.
4. For super-sharp definition, use a high-precision liner (in black or dark brown) with a handy smudger on the end to line your upper and lower lashes.
5. Smudge, smudge, smudge until you achieve a soft, blended look.
6. Finish off with a swipe of jet black mascara to frame your spring smoky eye.

By Brianna Lapolla, Staff Writer

Will you try the smoky eye for spring? Share in the comments below, or tweet us at @ruelala.

Not a Member and like The (Style) Guide? You’ll love Rue La La. Join now.

Spring is officially here, and that means one thing: it’s time to break out those pastels. My favorite way to rock them? With a manicure, of course.

For a new take on pastel nails, I’m looking to a spring tradition of mine – dyeing eggs for the holidays. Check out a few egg patterns here and then follow the steps below to create your own egg-inspired manicure.

What You’ll Need:

• Pastel nail colors (I used essie’s “turquoise & caicos” and “lilacism,” Milani’s “Tip Toe Pink,” and American Apparel’s “Neon Yellow”)
• Sally Hansen’s Nail Art Pen in white
• Clear top coat
• A steady hand

The How-To:

1. Paint each nail a different pastel color with two coats of polish.
2. Apply a clear top coat and let dry completely.
3. Using the Nail Art Pen, draw different designs and patterns on each nail. (Polka dots and squiggly lines are my favorites.)
4. Finish with another application of the clear top coat.
5. Show them off!

By Carolyn Schultz, Staff Writer

Have a manicure tip? Share in the comments below, or tweet us at @ruelala.

Not a Member and like The (Style) Guide? You’ll love Rue La La. Join now.