Summer

Summer Must Have Beauty: Pretty Pedicure Polish

In search of a lovely shade for your tootsies this season? Raging Rouge has tested, deliberated, and compiled a list of pedicure-worthy selections to take you through the entire summer! From red hot reds to ballet slipper pinks, these nail lacquers are all you’ll need.

Remember my post about divesting my nail polish collection of DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde? The nail lacquers featured in this post are all DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde free– but the removal of these chemicals has not compromised the quality of the product. Each polish featured in this post delivered long-lasting, tough and gorgeous color. Proving that those nasty little chemicals aren’t needed to formulate a superior nail polish (and making me wonder why so many brands still hesitate to remove them from their formulas).

summer must have beauty products, NARS Dovima Nail Polish

If a Ferrari had feet, it would choose NARS Dovima Nail Polish for its pedicures. This incredibly popular fire-engine red shade is frequently sold out, such is the demand to be seen wearing it!

Raging Rouge is a big fan of all things red. I’ve probably owned 50+ different shades of red polish in my time, and this… by far… is the most perfect shade of them all. A true red, it’s the classic shade that you’ll reach for over and over, and restock when the bottle is empty.

When I was a little girl and my family headed to the Bahamas for a vacation, I selected my polish carefully, and opted for a opal white shade with rainbow glitter in it. NARS Arabesque Nail Polish is the grown-up version of my festive childhood polish choice. A sheer base packed with pink glitter, this is ideal for a pre-party pedicure and is fun in ways only summer polish can be.

NARS Pussy Galore Nail Polish You can’t appreciate it in my photo, but NARS Nail Polish in Pussy Galore is actually a delicate opalescent pink. This shade conjures up images of the inside of seashells. The color changes subtly and beautifully when the light hits it. These color variations make this pedicure polish complex and interesting.

NARS Nail Polish retails for $16, and can be purchased at NARS Cosmetics, Sephora.com and Beauty.com.

Butter London Portobello Pink 3-Free Nail Lacquer Hollywood has been all about neon pink nail shades this season. This bright fluorescent pink shade by butter LONDON, called "Portobello Pink" is the brightest and beachiest shade I’ve worn since the 80s neon craze, and is a fantastic way to embrace the Hollywood summer style.

My pedicure with butter LONDON’s 3 Free Nail Lacquer in Portobello Pink lasted for a whopping two weeks!

Butter London Primrose Hill Picnic 3-Free Nail Lacquer Looking for a pink that’s bright, but not quite so shocking? butter LONDON’s Primrose Hill Picnic delivers, with a gorgeous shade of fuchsia that’s bold and modern.

butter LONDON 3 Free Lacquers can be purchased on line at the butter LONDON website. Or, indulge in a pedicure at one of their many salons by searching for a location near you! Click HERE to buy butter LONDON at beauty.com!

elf Light Pink Nail Polish Beauty on the cheap is nothing to be embarrassed about, particularly when you manage to score a high-quality nail polish for only $1. That’s exactly what e.l.f. cosmetics delivers, with their relatively new line of Nail Polish.

Available in a range of colors from white to black, this shade, called simply "Light Pink" is a gorgeous ballerina pink that looks heavenly on toes with a tan.

eyes lips face Coral Nail Polish

The shade "Coral" by e.l.f. is actually a deep shade of pink mixed with a frosty gold shimmer. It dries into a fabulous coral shade that reminds me of a frosty summertime cocktail.

Infused with Vitamin E, this polish also helps nails grow stronger and longer!

Snag yourself a dozen bottles of Nail Polish at Eyes, Lips, Face for only $1!

summer beauty product reviews, OPI Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It Nail Polish

OPI’s Australian Collection isn’t new for this season… but some of the shades are super-hot for the summer. I love this bright orange-red Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It Shade. It’s the perfect shade to usher in warmer climes. Select shades of OPI Nail Lacquer are currently on sale drugstore.com. Ordinarily, each bottle retails for $7.50 at select nail salons.

Steals, Freebies and Promotions!

Gift With Purchase:

Macys.com is offering an amazing Estee Lauder GWP.

You get to select your own gift! Choose one lipstick shade from 4 different colors plus a tote and makeup bag from 2 different colors. Gift includes NEW DOUBLE WEAR Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara and much more. Free with any Estee Lauder purchase of 29.50 or more. For FREE SHIPPING, enter promo code LAUDERATB at checkout. Once you have selected qualifying Estee Lauder products, you will be prompted to make your selection at checkout. One per customer. While supplies last. Click HERE to shop the Macys.com Estee Lauder selection.

Estee Lauder Gift contains:

Pure Color Long Lasting Lipstick (CHOICE) of Candy, Hot Kiss, Bois de Rose, or Tiger Eye

Bronze Goddess Soft Matte Bronzer with applicator

New Double Wear Zero Smudge Lengthening Mascara

Advanced Night Repair Protective Recovery Complex

Tote (CHOICE) in Red or Blue

Steals and Promos:

L’Occitane is offering up to 50% off of over 150 different products from their incredible bath and body collections. Click HERE to check it out.

Bath & Body Works huge semi-annual sale continues! Click HERE to check out the selection, which contains a nice assortment of items from their signature and aromatherapy collections.

Beauty.com is offering an incredible $10 off of any purchase of $60 or more! Click HERE to score your $10 off $60 discount at Beauty.com! Don’t forget that beauty.com is still offering an incredible collection of Aquolina Body Mousses ($48 Value) for only $10! What a great gift for bridesmaids!

Bella Il Fiore is offering a great freebie in honor of July 4th! Place any order from now until July 4th, and receive a free Au Chocolate Lip Treats Palette with any purchase. Simply enter promotional code "TREAT" in comments section during checkout to receive your gift! Click HERE to head over to Bella Il Fiore online.

Summer Must Haves: Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF 55

summer must have beauty products, Shiseido Sunscreen, Shiseido Sunblock, Ultimate Sun Protection, Broad Spectrum I entered my local Sephora on a mission: procure a high-quality, high SPF, physical sunblock that’s also non-comedogenic.

When I asked an employee for some help in my search, I expected that she would need to mull it over. But no, she led me directly over to the Shiseido display without missing a beat. She raved over this SPF 55 formula for face and body, explaining that its consistency is light, it wears forever and wears beautifully under makeup. Just what the doctor ordered!

I plunked down $37 for a 3.3 oz. bottle and certainly haven’t regretted it. This sunscreen contains the active ingredients Octinoxate (a chemical sunscreen) and Zinc Oxide (a physical sunblock). Despite the high amount of physical sunblock used in the product, Shiseido’s Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion seemed to melt right into my skin. Makeup is easily applied over this sunblock, and its water-resistant formula ensures that you’re protected at the beach or during a workout. I have to be honest, there’s no "non-comedogenic" label on this product, but also must testify that I haven’t had any issue with clogged pores while using it!

This sunscreen is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts, as it is extremely resistant to water and perspiration. It’s also great for the sensitive-skinned, as it is PABA-free!

Click HERE to shop for Shiseido at Sephora.com

Summer Skin Care Tips & Tricks: Courtesy Of Dr. Murad!

Dr. Murad, Summer Skin Care, Tips and Tricks, Sunscreen, Sunblock, Sun Damage Jen: Is there any immediate action one can take after overexposure to sun, to prevent the pain of a burn and the damage it can cause to the skin later in life?

Dr. Murad: First of all it is important to get the inflammation under control. For immediate sunburn care, take an internal anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen or aspirin. Take a cool shower or a cool oatmeal bath to lower the temperature of the skin. Avoid hot showers and baths. When skin is still moist, blot dry and apply a generous application of a hydrating body lotion or body oil to hold moisture in the skin.

Jen: We've all made mistakes with the sun, quite sadly! What is the best way to combat the symptoms of sun damage, like hyperpigmentation?

Dr. Murad: To repair and revitalize skin that has been damaged by the sun, I recommend high levels of antioxidants such as vitamin c be applied on a daily basis, followed by a sunscreen. Vitamin C is a skin brightener and works very well to reduce pigmentation irregularities. Since vitamin c activity degrades when it is exposed to air and water, look for a stabilized formula that does not contain water, OR that is activated using a mix and apply method prior to application. (Murad Daily Renewal Complex, Murad Vitamin C Home Infusion Treatment ) Apply to face, neck and decollete and hands, areas that are exposed continually to UVA and UVB rays. Sunscreen of at least SPF 15 should be used.

Hydroquinone based products work wonders for lightening darker pigmentation. I prefer a glycolic acid + hydroquinone based treatment which addresses the pigmentation on two levels, first it encourages cell turnover reducing the excess skin cells that build-up and two, Hydroquinone is an FDA approved Over the counter drug (OTC) which is recognized as a skin lightener for hyperpigmentation. (Murad Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Gel) The key to results is to be consistent in application and always protect skin from the sun.

Jen: What steps can we take to increase the effectiveness of our favorite sunscreen?

Dr. Murad: Additional SPF support comes from internal use of antioxidants, such as pomegranate extract. As one of the early proponents of pomegranate extract, I was able to prove, through a pilot study, that ingestion of a standardized extract can boost the topical effective of sunscreens by up to 25%.

Readers! Do check out Dr. Murad's incredible skincare line at Murad.com, or shop for his products at Sephora.com or Beauty.com!

Like what you just read? Be sure to head to the Raging Rouge Beauty Blog homepage for more makeup reviews, product swatches and beauty news.

MAC Friends and Family, 15% Discount!

TODAY ONLY, MAC ONLINE is offering a friends and family discount (for North American shoppers) of 15% off of anything in the entire store! Want in on the action? Head over to the MAC website, and enter promotional code MACFF8 during checkout. What a great discount!

Have fun shopping!