OPI collaborating with Serena Williams for new nail polish line

This just isn't fair! Tennis pro Serena Williams announced earlier this week on The Oprah Winfrey Show that she is launching her own nail polish line with OPI.

Turns out tennis isn't Williams' only passion. Apparently, she has been taking classes to become a certified nail technician and has already logged 200 hours of training! To complete the course, she'll have to complete 600 hours of manicures, pedicures and other nail training. Sources say Williams even does her sister Venus' nails and is considering opening her own salon once she's certified!

Her OPI nail polish line, planned to be called the Grand Slam Collection, will be inspired by various tennis tournaments, including the Australian Open, French Open, U.S. Open and Wimbledon. The line is said to be hitting shelves within the next few months. I, for one, am super excited to see what she comes up with.

Anyway, girl has some pretty serious street cred in the nail salon. Who knew?

Pretty headband+rainy day=perfect combination

It's been raining here in NYC for the past two days, making for some pretty dreadful hair days. This wet weather has me racking my brain trying to think of cute ways to tame my mane, and I can't think of a more perfect solution than a pretty headband. I love the latest headband styles -- not just for their extreme level of cuteness, but also for their comfort! Unlike their hard plastic predecessors, a lot of the latest headband styles are made of fabric and elastic. These things are so comfortable -- once you put one on, I promise you'll forget you're wearing it! I purchased one last winter at Banana Republic, and let me tell you, I lived in that thing.

Here I am with my doggie nephew, Oliver. Isn't he the cutest?

A simple headband can really jazz up a ponytail or low bun on a rainy day while keeping the flyways in check. Who really wants to deal with a fussy hairstyle that's just going to get messed up as soon as you go outside, anyway? Not me! On a rainy day, I'm all about comfort and ease. 

Here are some great headband options: 

1. Banana Republic Crochet Headband - $25
2. Juicy Couture Pavé Heart Stretch Headband - $30
3. Forever 21 Beaded Braid Headband - $3.80
4. ZARA Turban Headband with Side Flower - $15.90

I am obsessed with the ZARA headband. What about you -- which is your favorite? Do you wear headbands? And how do you style your hair on a rainy day?

Heads up! Macy's is having a major beauty sale!

Hey beauty lovers! If you're in the market for some new products I suggest you get your pretty little butts over to Macy's STAT! They're having a major beauty promotion called Macy's Beauty Scene (in store and online) with tons of discounts and freebies from some of my favorite brands including Philosophy, Lancome, Clairisonic and a ton of others! Check out some of these amazing deals you can score: 

1. FREE Origins Starter Set with any Origins Skin Care Purchase! 
2. FREE Gift with $75 Peter Thomas Roth purchase!

3. FREE Sample Trio with $50 Lancome Purchase!

4. FREE Gift with Clarisonic Sonic Cleansing System Purchase!

And click here to see all of their deals. 

I am super excited about this promotion because I actually need a new bottle of Peter Thomas Roth Anti-Aging Cleansing Gel, which I got a few months back as a free gift from Sephora as part of their Beauty Insider rewards program. I absolutely love the Peter Thomas Roth anti-aging cleanser because it smells great and does wonders for my skin. It contains "glycolic and salicylic acids to gently exfoliate and stimulate cell turnover." After using it just once, I swear I could see and feel an improvement in my skin. And because it doesn't foam up too much it's perfect to use with the Clairisonic Sonic Cleansing System (another great beauty product, but more on the Clairisonic some other time). 

Anyway, nothing like a good sale to kick off the weekend. Happy shopping and let me know if you get anything! Find me on Twitter @PrettiedUp or email me at prettiedup@gmail.com. 

Beauty-wise, what are you excited for this fall?

Wednesday is the first official day of fall and the crisp chill has already been creeping its way into the air. I'm super excited to get out of NYC for a weekend and check out a football game at my Alma mater, West Virginia University. (Let's go Mountaineers!) But more than anything, this change in season has me excited for something else . . .

After enduring a long summer full of unruly hair, I'm ready for the Battle of the Frizz to be over. Like every summer, I put up my best fight, but even my most potent serums and sprays could not overcome mother nature and her humidity. Every morning I'd style my hair like usual, but by the time I got to work it was a frizzy mess! Most days, I succumbed to the frizz and pulled it back into a low bun.

Bring on the chilly air and shiny, smooth hair!

What about you -- is there anything you're excited for this fall, beauty-wise? Are you thinking about trying out a cute new haircut? Are you planning to do anything different with your makeup? Or, like me, are you just relieved that frizz fighting season is over?

My mini-meltdown in Sephora

I have to tell you all about the mini-crisis I had in Sephora yesterday.

When I asked the saleslady if they had any refill pads for the Shu Uemura eyelash curler, she dropped a bombshell on me. Not only did they not have any refill pads, but Shu Uemura is no longer being sold in the U.S.

Cue mini-crisis. 

WHAT? How could this be? What did I do to deserve this? This is only the maker of one of my all-time favorite beauty tools ever.

If you have never heard of Shu Uemura, it's a cosmetics company that was first launched in Japan but has gained international popularity. The company is arguably most well known (at least here in the U.S.) for its amazing line of eyelash curlers. In 2004, Shu Uemura was bought out by L'oreal, which also owns Lancome, Matrix, Kiehl's, and a ton of other fragrance, makeup, and skin care brands. I first discovered Shu Uemura years ago when I worked as a saleslady at a Lancome outlet store in New Jersey. I have been hooked on this eyelash curler ever since. 

Upon further research, I discovered there has been talk within the beauty community about L'oreal pulling the plug on Shu in the U.S. since at least this March. Yesterday, the Sephora here in NYC's Herald Square had just three Shu eyelash curlers left. I obviously picked one up. 

There is a silver lining to this story. Us die hard Shu Uemura fans here in the U.S. will not have to go without our favorite eyelash curler. Fortunately, they will still be available online. 

Do you use the Shu Uemura eyelash curler? 

I'm loving Kelly Osbourne's new blonde hair

Let's face it -- Kelly Osbourne used to be a hot mess. Now she's just hot. 

She was out and about at New York Fashion Week flaunting her new blonde hair and svelte figure and as far as I'm concerned, she has never looked better. Sitting next to Denise Richards at the Tracy Reese show on Monday, Osbourne showed off some new platinum extensions.

Photo courtesy Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

"I am having fun with it," Osbourne, 25, told UsMagazine.com at the Chris Benz show on Monday. "I love experimenting and trying new looks."

Do you like Kelly's new look as much as I do? Let's put it to a vote! Tell us your opinion in the poll to the right. 

Twitter just got prettier

Want your beauty fix quick? If so, I have great news for you. Prettied Up has joined the Twitterverse! Click here to follow Prettied Up on Twitter. Then,  be sure to check out some of my favorite beauty microbloggers:

@ELLEBEAUTYTEAM

@Sephora

@nordstrombeauty

Have a beauty-related question? Email me at prettiedup@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer it! 

Do you have a signature makeup look? I do.

When it comes to makeup, do you have multiple personalities or are you more of a one-hit wonder?

Having a signature look has its benefits -- it's easy, foolproof, and you don't have to worry about wasting money on a product you might not like. But playing around with different colors and styles is fun! And every beauty junkie deserves to have some fun every now and then, right? 

Back in college I had a big black case filled with tons of different makeup and I experimented all the time. These days, I keep it a little simpler. All summer I've been wearing the same makeup every day, for every occasion. It's fared me well through a vacation to Punta Cana, my 25th birthday, my cousins wedding, a work trip to Vegas, and all my random adventures around NYC. Here's the look I've been sporting: 

That's me on my 25th birthday!

A close up of the eyeshadow:

And here's exactly what I use to get this look:

1. SEPHORA COLLECTION Smoothing Primer, $15
2. MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Invisible Cover Foundation, $40
3. MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Invisible Cover Concealer, $28
4. Yves Saint Laurent TOUCHE ÉCLAT Radiant Touch, $40 
5. TheBalm Bahama Mama Bronzer, $19
6. NARS Blush (Desire), $26
7. Lorac Little Black Palette ($72 Value), $32
8. Dior DiorShow Iconic Mascara, $27

Please pay special attention to product number 7 because I absolutely love this palette and it's really what the whole look is all about. I use the lightest shade on my lid and along my brow bone, the two middle shades in my crease, and the darkest as eyeliner. To use the shadow as liner I simply wet an eyeliner brush (Smashbox makes a great one), dip it into the shadow, and apply to both the top and bottom lash line. On my lips, I generally wear a gloss from C.O. Bigelow (they make the best glosses) or just Burt's Bees chapstick.  

So, this is what I have been using for the last few months. It's simple and fresh-looking, but I'm thinking of changing up my look now that fall is here. I might try a maroon eyeshadow and black eyeliner for the fall and winter. 

But, I want to know -- do you have a signature look? What products do you use? Do you think I should change it up? And if so, what should I try? Leave a comment! 

Fashion Week's prettiest makeup

It's Fashion Week here in New York and besides all the amazing clothes, the designers have managed to whip up some major beauty inspiration. When looking through the runway photos, I found the prettiest makeup look at the Monique Lhuillier show, and it's something you would never expect!

So far, my pick for prettiest makeup of the week has everything to do with a little something called blue eyeshadow. Yes, you read that correct. If you're getting images of Drew Carey's crazy co-worker "Mimi,"on The Drew Carey show, think again! Case in point:

See how the subtle light blue looks good on all these ladies, who have a range skin and hair colors? Here's a close up so you can get a better view of the makeup:

I think the trick to this look is to apply the blue eyeshadow on the eyelid, stopping before the crease. Don't apply the eyeshadow into and above the crease or it could start to look clownish. Instead, use a smoky gray shade in the crease, pair the whole look with black or gray eyeliner and tons of mascara. Then you're set!

I challenge you to change your perception of blue eyeshadow. Take a risk for your next big night out and give it a shot!

Do you ever wear blue eyeshadow? Will you try it?

2010 MTV VMAs most outrageous beauty looks

There was no shortage of outrageous beauty looks at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. First and foremost, let's start with the queen of shocking beauty looks herself: Lady Gaga. Never one to be outdone, Gaga wore a gold feathered mohawk along with long gray and teal blue hair. We would expect nothing less. Aside from the wacky hair and headdress, I am actually really liking her soft, pretty makeup.

Photo: Getty Images courtesy MTV.com

Meanwhile, Katy Perry surprised us with pink and blue "My Little Pony" streaks. 

Photo: Getty Images

Instead of her trademak poof, the Jersey Shore's Snooki was sporting a new set of bangs along with stick straight hair.

Photo: Picture Group courtesy MTV.com

What do you think of these outrageous VMA looks? Are you liking Snooki's new bangs? What about Lady Gaga's toned-down makeup and out-there hair? And do you think Katy Perry should lose the streaks?

Beauty test run: the Minx manicure

If you're not familiar with the Minx manicure, it's a technique where a film-like applique with an adhesive back is applied to the nail. Tons of celebrities have rocked Minx nail coverings, including Katy Perry, Beyonce, Jordan Sparks, and Scarlett Johansson. Some salons here in New York City started offering the Minx manicure recently, and when I saw that a local salon was offering it I had to give it a test run. There are tons of different designs and colors to choose from, including shiny metallics, but I picked this pink fishnet pattern.

So, let me give you a breakdown of what I liked and didn't like about the Minx manicure. 

Pros: Unlike polish, there is absolutely no drying time with Minx. The manicurist applies it to the nail, files away the excess and it sets very quickly under a heat lamp. The designs and colors are super eye-catching and I got a lot of compliments on my manicure. When you're ready to remove it, you can just peel it off and it does not damage your nails. 

Cons: The manicurist told me it should last up to two weeks but it only really lasted a few days before the film started peeling up. Also, it cost about $45 - much more expensive than a typical manicure and took about 30 to 40 minutes to apply. 

One tip: If you are going to get the Minx manicure, your nails should be a little longer than mine are in the pictures above. Because my nails were so short, the manicurist had some difficulty filing away the excess film and this may have been the reason why my Minx manicure did not last very long. 

My final assessment? It was fun to try but I probably won't get it again. 

Have you tried the Minx manicure? 

Lindsay Lohan returns to her red roots

The latest celebrity hair news is that Lindsay Lohan, after having a train wreck of a summer, has returned to her natural hair color. Lindsay, 24, had been sporting blonde locks for the past several months but has also tried various shades of brown, black and red over the past few years. After serving 14 days in a Los Angeles jail earlier this summer for violating her probation in a 2007 drug case, Lindsay possibly thought the new color would be a fresh start. After all, her red hair was her trademark years ago when she had a successful career and starred in movies such as The Parent Trap, Freaky Friday and Mean Girls. 

What do you think of her new (old) hair color?

Have you smelled Gucci's new perfume?

Ladies, have you smelled Gucci Guilty? According to the salesperson at Bloomies, it just came out a few weeks ago. I've been looking for a new perfume for a while now and I think I'm in love. If you haven't smelled it yet, please do yourself a favor and get down to your local department store stat. This perfume is a winner.

This mix of mandarin, pink pepper, peach, lilac, geranium, amber and patchoul "wakens the senses with a daring edge of sexyness and sensuality."

Gucci Guilty 2.5 oz. Eau de Toilette Spray - $95.00