Pink Gellac Gel Polish Review!

*Sent for review*

Hi everyone! I have something different (for me) today- a review of a gel polish system! This was my first time trying gel polish. The appeal of gel polish for other people seems to be the long wear time, but I like to change my polish often and wearing the same thing for 2 weeks isn't usually what I feel like doing. But I have been curious, so when Pink Gellac contacted me to see if I'd be interested in reviewing this kit, I decided to give it a try! 

This is the starter kit plus 1 free polish, according to the Pink Gellac website. Above is everything that came with the kit, including

1 x Free Primer 

1 x Free Color Dynamic Pink

1 x Pink Gellac LED Lamp

1 x Pink Gellac Base2 

1 x Pink Gellac Ultra Shine 15ml 

1 x Nail file 240-180 grid 

1 x Orange Woodsticks 

10 x Cleaner pockets

10 x Remover pockets

The website also says this comes with 4 free online lessons, which is great if you have never applied gel polish before. I found the instructional booklet to be very information, so I did not use the online lessons. I started by thoroughly cleaning my nails with the cleaner pockets, as instructed. I did use the primer first before the base coat. The instructions said to use the primer if you have some damage to your nails or peeling. I have peeling on some nails, so thought it would be best to use that. The primer does not cure in the light box, but the base does.

After primer and base, I used two coats of the Dynamic Pink color. It was nicely pigmented, so two coats was perfect. I used pretty thin coats, as I typically do.  I cured each coat after application. The final step was the top coat, which added a ton of shine. Overall, I thought the application was very easy. The brush shape and size were nice to work with and the formula was a pretty good consistency. 

So let me just say... if I am going to wear something for almost two weeks, it needs to be this gorgeous flamingo pink. This color is very hard to photograph, it's super bright, but not quite a neon. It's pink, but has coral touches. Every time I caught a glimpse of it on my hands, I loved it, even on the last day of wearing this mani.

Now on to the question everyone wants to know- how was the wear time? Below are two photos of this mani on day 10 of wear. You can see the shine is still going strong and I have almost no wear at the tips. I had zero chips. I do have some wear on the cuticle edge. I would chalk that up to my application of the polish in that area. Maybe I went too thin near my cuticles? But this wear didn't really show up until late on day 9, so I wasn't too concerned. I only removed this because I really needed to swatch some other things. I would imagine it would last 14 days without a problem.

Removal was not too bad either. I used the included remover pockets and allowed my nails to soak in the pockets for at least 10 minutes. Any polish that didn't seem to want to budge after that time I just made sure to soak in for another 5 minutes. By then, it was easy to push off with the orange stick.

Overall, I am very pleased with my first gel experience and with the Pink Gellac starter kit. I am planning on ordering the Mint Green color for sure, it looks gorgeous! View all of the Pink Gellac colors here and check out their great starter kits!

Swatches of 2 New Sally Hansen Secret Garden Miracle Gel Shades!

*Sent for review*

Although I'm knee-deep in swatching fall collections, I still have a few summer goodies left to show you! The weather here is distinctly summer-y, so I'm not feeling fall stuff yet anyway. Today I have two new shades from the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Secret Garden collection for summer. First up is Sally Hansen Freesia Your Mind, a bright fuchsia pink creme. This is a great pink with berry/blue undertones and it looks fantastic with all the shine the Miracle Gel top coat adds.

This is two super easy coats. I do love the Miracle Gel formula. It has that gel-like consistency that makes the polish really stay right where you apply it. The larger, oval-tipped brush allows for a nice shape by the cuticles, so I barely need any clean-up. I finished this off with one layer of the Miracle Gel top coat.

This is a perfect end of summer shade while the weather is still steamy! Sally Hansen Ba-Bloom is a hot orange coral with plentiful golden shimmer. This one has a touch more pink/peach in person, but it is more of an orange coral for sure. The shimmer is so beautiful in the sunshine!

This is two coats as well and the application was also excellent. I used one layer of Miracle Gel Top Coat here too.

*Sent for review*

Both of these shades are limited edition and are available at a drugstore near you!

OPI Infinite Shine Spring 2016 Swatches and Review!!

 *Sent for review*

I have a great collection for you today- the OPI Spring 2016 Infinite Shine shades!! I am really feeling this collection and I think it has something for everyone to enjoy. OPI Reach for the Sky is a dusty grayed out blue creme. It's a light blue, but with the dustiness, I wouldn't call it a pastel, it's edgier feeling than a pastel blue. Kind of like a grungy version of a pale blue for spring and I love it! It's like a summer sky right before a thunderstorm hits, cloudy and murky!

This was two easy coats, topped with the Infinite Shine Gloss top coat. This will probably start to sound repetitive, as most of the shades in this collection were two coats with a wonderfully easy application. They have a great, gel-like consistency that applies really nicely.

OPI Half Past Nude is a pretty nude pink creme. It seems to have pretty equal portions of pink and beige, so I'd imagine it would flatter a good variety of skin tones. It doesn't seem to lean too cool either, so that is nice to see in a pinky nude.

This is three thin coats and the formula was my least favorite in the collection. It's not bad, but I found it to be thicker than the others and not as buttery smooth when applying.

Between this and the New Orleans collection, OPI has churned out some really stunning purples this spring!! OPI Don't Provoke the Plum! is a rich, warm-toned red grape creme. It's jewel-toned, but bright enough to feel like a spring color. I love warm-toned purples, they seem so much more vibrant than cool blue purples. In brighter lighting, this almost has elements of fuchsia/pink too (see the last picture). The fuchsia tones make this one different from OPI Spare Me a French Quarter (which happens to be on my toes right now!). That one has more berry undertones and looks darker.

 This is two flawless coats. So easy to apply!!

When I need a break from wearing neons in the summer, I like to hit up a really stark, mod-looking white or white pink. OPI It's Pink P.M. will definitely be my go-to this summer. It's Pink P.M. is a super pale pink with a ton of white in the base. It's almost a white with a tinge of pink. It has that almost chalky look that is fun sometimes with a summer tan (just kidding, I never get tan!).

This is three thin coats. The formula was very good. I thought the first coat was a little sheer and streaky, but it built up nicely in three coats and any streaks were eliminated with the third coat. Same great consistency as the others!

NEW FAVE ALERT---- OPI Olive for Green!! As you already know, I do live for green polish, so this one was probably destined to be my favorite. I LOVE the idea of having an olive green in a spring collection. It's fresh, but murky at the same time. This is really the perfect olive green too, not so yellow-toned that you think of baby poop. It has a more sophisticated feel than some olives we've seen, and it's perfect for spring! When you get tired of pastel mania, check out this great dirty green!

Two perfect coats, no clean-up!

It wouldn't be spring without a good coral polish and OPI In Familiar Terra-Tory is a great coral. It's a rich, brick red toned coral with some burnt orange tones. It's not a crisp, fresh coral, more like a coral with a sunburn. Like Olive for Green and Reach for the Sky, it has some of that grungy, murky feeling, while also being bright. I have plans to wear this as my next pedi color!

This is two easy peasy coats! Lovely application!

OPI Rose Against Time is a bright bubblegum pink, a real classic spring shade! Rose Against Time is the perfect balance of brightness and softness, it's not at all neon or chalky, but it's not a super soft pastel either. Very nice blue-leaning pink creme. 

This is two coats of Rose Against Time. It was fairly easy to work with, maybe a little streakier than I was expecting based on my experience with the others. I had some streaks on my ring nail and middle in particular, plus some strange bubbling on the ring nail. But I didn't have any of this bubbling with the others in the collection, so it may have been user error.

OPI Sunrise to Sunset is a nice cantaloupe melon creme. It's a nice mix of orange with softer peach. Like Rose Against Time, it's not too bright, nor too pastel. Just a great balance of color and softness!

This is two coats and the application was great! I love this shade, so I was happy the formula was lovely too!

*Sent for review*

My favorites in this collection were Olive for Green, In Familiar Terra-tory, and Don't Provoke the Plum!. If you are a fan of the Infinite Shine line, I think you will really love these. If you haven't tried the line, this is a great place to start! Hope you are all having a relaxing and fun weekend!

The OPI Infinite Shine Spring 2016 collection is available now at Ulta, ulta.com, and other fine salons.

Two New OPI Collections for Spring- SoftShades and Infinite Shine!

From Runways with Love:

EIGHT NEW SPRING INFINITE SHINE SHADES FROM OPI

There’s so much to love about spring. Flirtier frocks. Shorter sleeves. And the wardrobe refresh extends to nails and toes thanks to eight chic new OPI Infinite Shine shades.

OPI Infinite Shine No Light Gel-Lacquer is a professional 3-step system offering the high-shine and long-wear of a gel manicure with the ease of application and removal of nail polish. Prepare to shine on (and on) in spring’s most sophisticated hues, with up to 10 days of wear and gel-like shine.

“This collection takes its color cues from the spring runways. Look for baby pinks, heartwarming corals, blooming berry, lush green, shower-cloud gray, and un-bashful nude, all rendered in crème formulas,” said Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Co-Founder and Creative Director. Infinite Shine now boasts a choice of 70 colors in total.

Infinite Shine features a simple three-step system; first, apply Infinite Shine Primer (Step 1), which goes beyond the capabilities of a standard base coat to prime nails for a revolutionary grip on color, while also preventing staining. Next, select your gel-lacquer shade (Step 2) and paint two thin, even coats for richly-pigmented, vivid color. Finish with Infinite Shine Gloss (Step 3), a state-of-the-art gel polymer top coat that cures in natural light. Product is easily removed with standard nail lacquer remover; no soaking is required.

New OPI Infinite Shine colors for spring 2016 include:

Rose Against Time

Get set...this bright pink is ready to GO!

It’s Pink P.M.

The perfect time for pastel pink is anytime.

Don’t Provoke the Plum!

A hot-blooded purple to stir things up.

Olive for Green

I pine for this deep evergreen

In Familiar Terra-Tory

I’ve seen this rich coral...in my dreams. Sunrise to Sunset

This glowing orange shines with golden light.

Half Past Nude

I have an appointment with this nude blush.

Reach for the Sky

This cool, airy blue is yours to achieve.

OPI Infinite Shine gel-lacquers, primer and gloss retail for $12.50 ($14.95 CAN) each at Professional Salons, as well as Beauty Brands, beautybrands.com, Chatters, Dillard’s, Regis, ULTA and ulta.com and Macy’s. For more information, please visit OPI.com. Follow OPI on Twitter and Instagram @OPI_PRODUCTS and go to OPI Products on Facebook to become a fan! 

Pastel Power

OPI SOFTSHADES 2016

April showers bring May flowers...and Pastels, six freshly minted OPI SoftShades.

Softly shaded, seriously opaque and knockout gorgeous, these pastels are unmistakably there. Pale lilac, yellow and green redefine cool, while creamy white makes an indelible impression. Baby peach and blue have never looked more grown up. All are demure with a bit of an edge, and über chic.

“Inspired by the spring 2016 runways, we offer a fashion-forward interpretation of the pastel palette,” saidSuziWeiss-Fischmann,OPICo-FounderandBrandAmbassador. “Insteadoftheexpectedsheer and muted look, we’ve chosen a finish that adds a ‘mod’ element to our shades without diminishing their refinement.”

“This is a color story we absolutely love,” adds Weiss-Fischmann. “Our pastels play well together, and create a myriad of sophisticated, feminine looks from accent nails to French tips and nail art. Plus, they bring plenty of modern romance to bridal, prom and other spring/summer occasions.”

OPI SoftShades 2016 Pastels include the following shades in both nail lacquer and GelColor formulas:

It’s in the Clouds

I’m storing this creamy white in memory forever.

This Cost Me a Mint

This cool, refreshing, pale green is so worth it.

One Chic Chick

Just take a *peep* at this downy soft yellow.

Stop it I’m Blushing!

A flattering flush of warm, baby peach

It’s a Boy!

This baby blue is a true bundle of joy!

I Am What I Amethyst

Honestly, this light pale lilac is really me.

Pastel power also comes in small packages. A special, giftable Mini-Pack features diminutive servings of It’s in the Cloud, This Cost Me a Mint, Stop it I’m Blushing! and It’s a Boy! Or give your manicure the sparkle treatment with the Trio Pack, which features One Chic Chick, Stop it I’m Blushing! and It’s a Boy!, along with real Swarovski crystals in coordinating pastel colors.
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SoftShades by OPI nail lacquers retail for $10.00 ($12.50 CAN) each, while sets range from $14.50 - $24.95 ($17.95 – 31.95 CAN) at Professional Salons, as well as Beauty Brands, beautybrands.com, Chatters, Dillard’s, Regis, ULTA and ulta.com. GelColor is an in-salon, professional service only. For more information, please visit OPI.com. Follow OPI on Twitter and Instagram @OPI_PRODUCTS and go to OPI Products on Facebook to become a fan! 

Swatches of New Sally Hansen Shades from the Digital Overload Collection!

*Sent for review*

Monday already??? The weekend really flies by, doesn't it? And here we are right back at Monday yet again.  But I do have some pretty new Sally Hansen polishes to show you to hopefully make your Monday brighter! These three are from the new Digital Overload Miracle Gel collection. Right from the minute I saw these, I was most excited about Sally Hansen Let's Get Digital. Now, I originally thought that this would be a pale blue standalone creme with loads of pink shimmer, but it turned out to be a sheer blue topper with lots of pink shimmer. It adds a lot of shimmer and depth with just one coat, so I'm not bothered by it being a topper. I think it will actually make it more useful, because you can layer it over lots of colors! 

 

Above, you can see one layer of Let's Get Digital over Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Dive Bar, a robin's egg blue creme. Let's Get Digital was super easy to apply and went on very evenly. Below, you can see two coats by itself. You can see it's nice and even, but very sheer. 

I want to try this over a mint green creme to see if it's sort of dupe-y for YSL Peace Green. Stay tuned for that post!

Sally Hansen World Wide Red is a bright orange-y red creme. It has little touches of coral in the mix too. I actually think it looked more orange than this in person. I love a good bright orange red for summer, so this will definitely go in the rotation!

This is two flawless coats. I do love the Miracle Gel formula! I find it to be easy to work with and a great consistency.

If you're looking for a new bright sunshine yellow creme this spring, look no further! Sally Hansen Gigabryte is a gorgeous sunny dandelion creme. Very bold-looking and happy!

This is two coats and nary a streak in sight! Yay for smooth coverage yellows! The first coat maybe had a streak or two, but they were quickly covered up and evened out with the second coat. This has a great formula, nice and opaque, and surprisingly easy to use for a yellow creme.

 All of these swatches were topped with one layer of the newly reformulated Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Top Coat. I love that top coat. I actually have been using it with other polishes. I find it to be very plush and shiny and it dries fairly fast without being a QDTC. It works really well with the SH Miracle Gel polishes for sure.

These three beauties are available now at a drugstore near you!