What It Is: Illamasqua Nail Varnish in Stance (from the new Human Fundamentalism collection)

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

Illamasqua is a super funky brand that stands out with amazing quality products. I’ve never encountered an Illamasqua product that I didn’t love, so I was really excited to try out their new shade of nail varnish. Stance is a bright fuschia-violet with a glossy finish.

How To Use It:

Illamasqua nail varnishes come in square-shaped bottles with a sleek, black cap. I find that the large cap makes application slightly cumbersome; it doesn’t allow for much precision. However, the brush is standard-size.

CC Rating: A

Illamasqua is a wonderful brand; the products are always of stellar quality, featuring unique and fun shades. I love Illasmaqua not only for basics, but for bright, crazy products and colors. Their nail varnish in Stance is no different – it’s an almost neon magenta!

As I mentioned above, I really don’t like the cap of the Illamasqua nail varnishes. Application is a lot more difficult with the large, square cap, and I have to take my time. However, the varnish itself is fabulous and applies opaque with 2 coats. It goes on very smoothly and doesn’t streak at all. The wear-time was about average, and I noticed tip wear within 2-3 days.

Overall, I like the Illasmasqua nail varnishes, but I’m not blown away. If the price point was closer to $10, I think I’d be more likely to add these to my collection. Illamasqua nail varnishes, including Stance, are available on Sephora’s website for $14.

[Need some new makeup but not sure what to buy? Check out Alex's other beauty reviews here.]

Nails are one of the easiest fashion accessories to change. Last week, I introduced you all to Custom Nail Solutions, which are custom acrylic nails. Well, if acrylics aren’t your thing, then a good polish should be! My ever-growing nail polish collection just gained some new favorites: Ciate nail polish.

Ciate is one of the UK’s hottest nail polish brands, and it has made its way across the pond to Sephora. I tested them out for you guys, and I was not disappointed…

On my face: Painted Earth Pore Perfecting Primer, MAC Studiofix powder, NARS Multiple in Orgasm,  Urban Decay Naked palette in Buck and Sidecar, Maybelline One on One Mascara

On my nails: Ciate Budoir, OPI Gift of Gold on right ring finger

In my hair: Victoria’s Secret So Sexy De-Tangler, Hana Shine Shield, Free Your Mane Baobab Brilliant Restorative Hair Oil

New Year’s Eve is just around the corner and we all know it’s the one night of the year when you can’t over-glitter and over-sparkle your outfit. In fact, if you haven’t already dipped your heels in glue and glitter, then you’re behind schedule. If you have already done that, you’re ready for the next step: finding the perfect glitter topcoat for the last night of 2011.

Thankfully CollegeFashion is on the ball (as always) and they’ve selected the top 5 glitter topcoats you should use. Check them out right here!

What It Is:
Deborah Lippmann Wicked Game Nailpolish

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

Deborah Lippmann is the Hollywood queen of nails. She’s done the nails of every starlet you can think of and makes many of her custom-mixed colors available for adoring fans through her namesake line. I’m a nail polish junkie and was super excited to finally try out Wicked Game, a swirling lavender gray iridescent.

How To Use It:
Nailpolish application is kind of a personal thing. Everyone has their own method. I prefer to start by painting my non-dominant hand and moving onto my dominant, using vertical strokes and a thick coat. Deborah Lippmann polish comes with the usual brush applicator and applies very easily, so it’s fairly idiot-proof.

This is a fourth day photo, no base coat and no top coat. There is definitely some tip-wear and a few chips, but with no help, that nail polish clung on pretty darn well! This picture is also a great representation of the true colors of the polish: a gray-lavender base, with some green iridescence.

CC Rating: B

I like Deborah Lippmann nail polish. It applies beautifully, stays put extremely well and comes in a great range of shades. Wicked Game applied easily, with three coats needed for total opacity and went three full days with no chipping. That’s without a top or base coat, by the way. However, the $18 price tag is something I’m having trouble swallowing.

Sure, Lippmann’s polishes definitely perform better than Revlon or Wet ‘n Wild polishes. However, brands like Zoya and Cult Nails do polishes in the $8-10 range that perform just as well. That means you can get two polishes from these brands for the price of one Deborah Lippmann. Like I said, I like Lippmann’s polishes, but I feel like I can find dupes elsewhere. Wicked Game is a pretty unique color, so if it’s a particular shade you’re after, you should stick to high-end. But if you’re just looking for quality, you may be wasting a bit of money, which is especially important for college-age gals!

If you love the look of Wicked Game, you can get it from Deborah Lippmann’s website for $18.

[Need some new makeup but not sure what to buy? Check out Alex's other beauty reviews here.]

It’s the moooost wonderful tiiiime of the yeeeear. Halfway to it, anyway. In a ‘Christmas in June’ inspired feeling, we can all celebrate because today is exactly six months away from Christmas. And, that being my all-time favorite gift-giving holiday, I rounded up a few presents I want now.

Oh manicures, we love you.  But why do you smudge when I’m reaching for my keys in my bag?  Or chip after I clean my dishes in the sink?  I think we need to talk.

Manicures are great!  Who doesn’t love getting their hands massaged and painted by a stranger?  I personally prefer to do my own nails, but that’s because my roommate turned me into a nail polish hoarder (hey Kel!).  While I can do my nails in about 10 minutes, I know a lot of people struggle.  Especially when painting your dominant hand with your non-dominant one.  Fortunately there are products like Sally Hansen’s Salon Effects nail strips that might be able to save you some trouble.

I was sent these strips in zebra stripes and a butterfly print, and I immediately thought of the one finger nail trend that’s been happening lately.  I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.  I was pretty skeptical about these things, but it’s been almost a week and they haven’t chipped, smudged, or budged.  It does take some practice and patience since the nail shapes aren’t really accurate.  You have to take the time to trim them once you put them on, which was kind of a pain.  I think I’ll be using them more for fun trends like my one nail, but if you aren’t good with nail polish or you don’t have a lot of time, then you should try this one out!

Got something you want me to cover? Post it in the comments below. And don’t forget to follow us on YouTube and check out my other videos right here! And for more beauty related tips, check out my website and follow me on Twitter!

Here are ten things you are definitely never too old for:

1. Glitter: Although you got away with wearing glittery lip gloss and questionable glittery eye shadows as a preteen, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a little glitz and glam now. Seriously, if Lady Gaga and Katy Perry can rock glitter on a daily basis, so can you. Not sure how to pull off glitter without looking like a five-year-old that got a little too crazy at the arts and crafts table? Add a glittery top coat to your nail polish or go for a subtle glitzy shimmer in your eyeshadow. Want to be a little over the top? Go for the gold in a metallic glittery shirt. Worst case scenario is that you look like a Claire’s employee. Best case: you look hot.

2. Pigtails: Preschoolers aren’t the only ones that can rock this look. While you probably don’t want to be known as “pigtail girl” around campus, going out with pigtails could be a fun and flirty alternative to your everyday hair. You probably had your pig tails pulled up high, so for a more-adult approach to this look that you’re never too old for — sport them lower. Also, pigtails work incredibly well when you’re working out.

3. Licking the bowl of batter: You know you did it when you were younger. Your mom baked a cake and you couldn’t keep your little hands out of the chocolately goodness. Go ahead — dip your finger in the mix. Or, just dig in with a spoon. Or don’t even cook the batter and just go after the cookie dough. You’re definitely not too old to enjoy any kind of sweets — baked or not. Go ahead, no one’s looking!

4. Sleeping With A Stuffed Animal: Just because you’re in college doesn’t mean you have to leave your favorite stuffed animal at home, you know the one that you have been sleeping with since you were two years old. While you probably shouldn’t bring your Beanie Baby collection and your CareBear stuffed animal set along with you, you don’t have to give up your best bed buddy entirely now that you’re 21. However, we do recommend you refrain from setting up your Polly Pockets on your dorm desk.

5. Reading Books For Girls: Who says that just because you’re an English major writing a thesis about Shakespeare’s heroines that you can’t appreciate your favorite book as a fourteen year old? Even though you aren’t writing essays about the importance of Harriet the Spy, it doesn’t mean you can’t go back to those old books you loved. Now that you’re older, maybe you’ll get something entire different out of them. Also, just because you never got the chance to read that Judy Blume novel you wanted to read, you don’t have to give up hope. Read it! No one will judge you reading a book for a high school girl. You can still feel young at heart with each turn of the page.

6. Disney Movies: Every group of girls should at least have a Disney night throughout their college career. Remember how you loved The Little Mermaid so much? Watch it. You don’t always have to watch rated-R movies and crappy comedies about bromances. For so many kids, Disney was a main staple, so chances are that you and your friends will all have your own opinions about the best movies and the best Disney princesses.

7. Calling Your Parents: So you had a bad day in class — call your mom and cry about it. Although you may feel silly calling your mom to cry when you’re away at college, it’s not silly at all. You used to do it all the time, back in the days of glittery lip gloss and tutus. Not only will you feel better to be consoled by your mom or dad, you will make your parents feel like you still need them. In fact, call your parents frequently. I’m not talking about every day, but check in and say hi. Just because you’re out of the house doesn’t mean you can’t count on them. However, I think it’s safe to say that the one time you shouldn’t call your parents is when you’re drunk…all you need is one slurred word and they’ll have campus safety on the lookout for you.

8. Top 40 Hits: Just because it’s 2010 and the Backstreet Boys haven’t had a major hit in a few years doesn’t mean you can’t rock your body and sing along to “I Want It That Way.” In fact, you’re never too old for top 40 hits from back in the day. Remember when Britney was a school girl with pigtails? If not, you should re-vist this because no matter how grown up you are, pop music can still make you feel whatever age you were when it was a hit. Instant nostalgia anytime, courtesy of iTunes and the radio!

9.  Old TV Shows: You are never too old to go back and re-watch TV series’ such as Boy Meets World, The Adventures of Pete and Pete, and Clarissa Explains It All. In fact, you’re never too old to indulge in the drama of your favorite coming-of-age WB (remember when it was called the WB?) shows such as Dawson’s Creek, Felicity, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. While these shows might be a blast from the past, it doesn’t mean you can’t watch them with as much glee as you once did.

10. Saying “When I Grow Up”: Just because you’re “grown up” now doesn’t mean you can’t think of the future and what you want it to bring you. With the same vigor that you possessed when you were dying for your mom to paint your nails, get excited about the future and when you “grow up.” Don’t be scared to say things like “I’ll get botox when I grow up” and “I can’t wait to grow up and not drink boxed wine.”

A little Disney fashion inspiration

How to wear a belt

Top 5 green nail polish companies

Win a philosophy prize pack!

How to wear white after labor day

A nice little Saturday

3 essential fall jackets

Lucky for me, I moved in with a girl (Hey Kelly!) who has a habit of painting her nails multiple times a day if she’s bored. So I developed a new appreciation for nail polish and nail care, leading to a perfected at-home manicure. In this video, I’m taking you step by step and giving you some of my tips to make your nail polish last!

Got something awesome everyone needs to know about? A really rad singer? A wicked new book? A super product that makes your face glow? Email your “The Know” ideas to Jill@collegecandy.com or tweet me and I’ll pass them along to everyone right here, every week. Make your kindergarten teacher proud and share!

Remember the old saying “make new friends but keep the old”? Well, what if you could get a new friend for free just by getting rid of the old one? If this was real people we were talking about, it would be rude to say “peace out” to your pals since the 6th grade. But I’m not talking about people. I’m talking about nail polish. Old nail polish that’s been sitting in your medicine cabinet for years and somehow gets moved from house to dorm, dorm to house, house to off-campus apartment, year in and year out. And you still never use it.

You know, the bottles and bottles from 1997? The sparkly Wet and Wilds or neon Hard Candy’s (with those plastic rings that came on the bottle but barely fit your pinky finger)?!

Well lookie here: until June 30th, you can send in 6 bottles of unwanted, old, out of date, I-don’t-know-what-I-was-thinking-when-I-bought-this-color (bright yellow? Really?!) nail polishes and get 6 new fabulous Zoya bottles of your choice! And by choice I mean I hope you are better at decision making than I am, because the options are endless.

So start going through those pastels you still have from when you used to paint every finger a different color and start stocking up on the best spring shades all for F-R-E-E. It really doesn’t get much better than that.