Another day to chill and a chance to charm the copper

If you have today off, why not treat yourself to a mani-pedi? I like places that let you byob and my polish du jour is The Old Bill, $14, by Butter London.  It’s a tawny copper with a subtle sheen that’s quick drying and resistant to chips. And how convenient to know that if you decide the Old Bill (English slang for police) is getting too close for comfort, you can simply lock it up in a cool spot until the next time you fancy a spot of copper.

Butter is well picky about what goes into its products.

The makers of Butter products, Sasha Muir and Nonie Creme, pride themselves on providing “color not carcinogens” and call themselves a “3 Free” company, which means their products contain no formaldehyde, no toluene, no DBP [dibutyl phthalate]. What a concept!

And I love the variety of their colors. Looking to avoid the Old Bill forever? I get it. In that case, try the Artful Dodger (an arresting teal), Come to Bed Red, Pearly Queen or their latest No More Waity, Katie!, an elegant greige with a splash of lilac glitter; available for pre-order now, shipping March 1. Visit Butter London or try a beauty-supply store.

Additionally, Butter makes a matte-finish, non-toxic basecoat called Nail Foundation, $18, which primes your nails for the main event. Creamy beige in color, it can also be worn on its own in case you are evading, oops, I mean avoiding attention, as is sometimes necessary when you tend to look like trouble. 😉

Product Source: From my own collection; I did not receive products or compensation from Butter London.

MAC nails it with five-color polish set

Santa MAC brings a bounty of nail beauty.

Looking for a last-minute gift for your favorite mani-pedi diva? MAC Cosmetics’ 5 Naughty Little Vices Nail Lacquer, $25.50, is a must-have for any polish-happy bad girl.

This limited-edition collection contains five colors in mini-size bottles. Asiatique is a fresh, crisp red that’s perfect for Christmas gatherings and sure to turn Santa’s head. That might not sit well with Mrs. Claus, but she’ll forgive and forget once she tries Beyond Jealous, a festive, modern forest-green. The grape-colored Vintage Vamp, classic and versatile, gives you lots of looks for the holidays and beyond.

Night owls will adore Nocturnelle, a gun-metal gray that with a few coats becomes a delicious pitch-black. My favorite is Vice is Nice, a soft, great-looking gold that goes with just about everything. I’m especially liking gray and gold this season, so I’ve been wearing Vice is Nice quite a bit and I’m looking forward to trying it with red or green for a vintage half-moon manicure.

MAC’s polish is light, sheer and long lasting. Two quick coats of Vintage Vamp lasted several days (and endured a trip from LAX) with no chips in sight. And the darling mad-about-plaid container in a clear-plastic pouch with ribbon means there’s no need to wrap.

For more info, visit MAC; pick it up at MAC shops or department stores.

Product Source: From my own collection; I did not receive products or compensation from MAC Cosmetics.