Showing posts with label spring 2012. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spring 2012. Show all posts

December 28, 2012

More Nicole by OPI Selena Gomez Pretties


Base: one coat Zoya Get Even
Color: three coats Nicole by OPI Selena
Top: one coat Poshe
Application: good (out of poor, average, good, excellent)


Thanks to a blast of winter sunshine, I have the rest of the Nicole by OPI Selena Gomez polishes for you today! I had a serious swatch-a-thon this morning. With snow coming tomorrow, I couldn't pass up this sun! These polishes made it pretty easy to pretend it was a warm spring day, especially Nicole by OPI Selena. Selena is a pretty peach crelly (creme+jelly) with very delicate shimmer. I am not a huge pastel fan, but even I have to admit this is gorgeous. Something about the not quite creme, but not full on jelly finish is really lovely with this peach color. Also, the peach is less orange and more pink than some peach polishes I own. In the bottle, I thought this was a snooze, but once I put it on, I loved it!


Selena applied pretty well for such a pale color. This is three coats, and there is a tiny bit of VNL. I think that is purposeful VNL though, with the jelly-ness of the polish, and I don't mind it. The first coat had a bit of streaking, but as you can see, that evened out completely with the second coat and there are no streaks in the finished look.




Base: one coat Zoya Get Even
Color: three coats Nicole by OPI Selena, two coats of Nicole by OPI Inner Sparkle
Top: one coat Poshe
Application: excellent (out of poor, average, good, excellent)



Nicole by OPI Inner Sparkle is another great glitter topper from this collection. Like the gold glitter Kissed At Midnight, Inner Sparkle has a couple different sizes of glitter in a clear base. This time, the larger glitter pieces are a lavender pink, and the tiny glitters look like they are a pale gold. It's kind of an interesting "dainty" color for a glitter polish. I like it! I think I will try it over a lavender polish next, to really bring out those tones.


Inner Sparkle was nice and easy to apply. This is two coats over Selena. I did not need to do any dabbing or special application methods. There were no problems with bare spots or needing to fish around for glitter. Overall, a very nice glitter topper!




Base: one coat Zoya Get Even
Color: two coats Nicole by OPI Scarlett
Top: one coat Poshe
Application: excellent (out of poor, average, good, excellent)



Nicole by OPI Scarlett is a pink-leaning red glass fleck-like shimmer. On me, this looks more like a fuchsia than a real red. Either way, it's bright and shimmery! Maybe not the most unique polish in the collection, but definitely a must have color for every polish lover.


If you're in the market for a fuchsia red shimmer like this, Scarlett has a fantastic formula. You can't go wrong with this one. You can tell how excellent the formula is by how close I was able to get to my cuticles. These pictures were all taken with absolutely no clean-up. This is one of those formulas that feels a little gel-like, so it's so easy to work with. Scarlett has great pigmentation too, this is just two coats.



Base: one coat Zoya Get Even
Color: three coats Nicole by OPI Mi Fantasia
Top: one coat Poshe
Application: good (out of poor, average, good, excellent)



Nicole by OPI Mi Fantasia is an interesting polish. Mi Fantasia combines lots of medium blue-purple glitter and small holo bar glitter in a clear base. Being a bar glitter hater, I am never sure how I will feel about polishes containing bar glitter. I like this one though! I think it's because there is more purple glitter, and the bar glitter can't look hairy with all that non-bar glitter. It just adds a holo flash now and then.


Just for kicks, I wanted to see if I could wear this alone, and it turns out, I can! This is three coats of Mi Fantasia, and the coverage was a bit better looking in person. My camera always like to make glitter seem less dense. This was pretty easy to apply. The glitter is pretty packed in there, so it doesn't take long to build up the coverage. I think this would also look fantastic over black.




Base: one coat Zoya Get Even
Color: two coats Nicole by OPI Here We Kome A-Karoling, two coats of Nicole by OPI Heavenly Angel
Top: one coat Poshe
Application: average (out of poor, average, good, excellent)



Nicole by OPI Heavenly Angel contains irregular sized shards of iridescent glitter in a clear base. The glitter pieces are very iridescent and almost look like they are changing color every time you move your nails. I have used other polishes similar to this, but I sometimes find the glitter doesn't look as rainbow-y on the nail as in the bottle. Heavenly Angel looks way MORE rainbow-y on the nail.


Now for the down side, Heavenly Angel was not the easiest polish to apply. It definitely needed some dabbing and placement of the larger shards. It also seemed like the shards didn't want to come out to play, so I needed to do a bit of fishing to load up the brush. This is two dabbed/pushed coats of Heavenly Angel and in my opinion, the glitter could be more dense after two coats. If you're willing to put a little work in, the effect is gorgeous though! The glitter shards look like they're glowing!




Base: one coat Zoya Get Even
Color: two coats Nicole by OPI If the Blue Fits, two coats of Nicole by OPI Sweet Dreams
Top: one coat Poshe
Application: excellent (out of poor, average, good, excellent)



I love when Blogger thinks my pictures aren't fun enough and flips them sideways! Cool!!! (not). Anyway, I saved one of my favorite in the whole Nicole by OPI Selena Gomez collection for last! Nicole by OPI Sweet Dreams is a super cool and unique mix of teal, purple, and violet glitter in a clear base. The silver glitter is a largest, the teal is a medium size, and the violet glitter is small and really adds a lot to the mix. Look at the close-up below, doesn't this look like an indie glitter?


Sweet Dreams had the same great formula as Kissed At Midnight and Inner Sparkle. Just apply like a normal polish and go! This is two coats. I think you could wear all three of these glitters by themselves in 3-4 coats, I just like layering them! This combination made me remember how much I like If the Blue Fits too! I may actually wear this combo for New Year's Eve!


If you missed my two other posts about the Nicole by OPI Selena Gomez collection, you can check them out here and here. My favorites from the collection are Confetti Fun, Hit the Lights, Kissed At Midnight, and Sweet Dreams. Now that the spring collections are all coming out, it's interesting to see how Nicole by OPI decided to stray from the all pastel creme collections that other brands are doing, while still making this feel spring-y.

Nicole by OPI Selena Gomez lacquers have already been spotted for $7.99 each at retailers including select Target, Walmart, CVS, K-mart, Rite Aid, ULTA, Sears, Meijer, Fred Meyer, Kroger and H-E-B locations. In Canada, this line will be available for $10.99 each at Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart Canada, Jean Coutu, Loblaw, and London Drug.


Products sent for review. For more information, please read my Disclosure Policy.

April 24, 2012

Lynnderella Forget You Not Will Never Be Forgotten!!


By now you all know I have a raging Lynnderella obsession. Sometime in March, I was invoiced for two Lynnderellas, Forget You Not and Change. Let me tell you, I have never been so happy to Paypal someone! I decided to wear Lynnderella Forget You Not for the first time on Sunday night. OMG. When I finished this mani, I started singing "I just died in your arms tonight" at the top of my lungs. No joke. (Oddly enough, I then heard that song on the radio while driving to work on Monday!)


This is two coats of China Glaze Agent Lavender as a base, with two coats of Lynnderella Forget You Not. Forget You Not is a amazing combination of light purple/periwinkle hex glitter (large and small), round glitter (also large and small), some random translucent yellow glitter, and very fine hot pink shimmer. The below picture gives you a good idea of some of the glitter pieces in this polish. In some lights, the hot pink shimmer shows up, in others, it looks kind of speckle-y like it does here. Either way, I am in love with this polish.




I would say that Forget You Not is my favorite Lynnderella, except that every time I put a Lynnderella on, I say it's my favorite. I think I am going to wear this again very soon, but over Essie Smooth Sailing and with a layer of matte top coat. If it looks awesome (it probably will), I will definitely share pics. What other polishes would you use under this beauty?


By the way, if you're wondering how to get your hands on some Lynnderellas, Leah Ann from Shop Llarowe posted on the Llarowe Facebook wall that they would be accepting new wish lists soon. They will also be doing regular orders on the website eventually, but they won't be telling us when the polishes are posted for sale. So, doing it that way will just be the luck of when you happen to check the website. I am probably going to stick with the wish list method myself. I think it's working pretty well. Definitely sign up for email updates on Llarowe's site if you're interested in sending in a new wish list. I have heard rumors that there will be NEW Lynnderella polishes on the new wish lists!! Gasp!!!

April 22, 2012

Rescue Beauty Lounge IKB:2012- ReBeLs Rejoice!!


I followed the whole process of the Rescue Beauty Lounge Fan Collection pretty intensely. When Ji announced her plans for a fan-created collection, I even thought about entering an idea I've had floating around my head for awhile. But, I'm actually glad that I sat back and enjoyed the voting process, finding out who the winners were, etc. Altogether, it was a fun experience for Rescue Beauty Lounge lovers!! The collection was available for pre-order a few weeks ago, and I snapped up Rescue Beauty Lounge IKB:2012, as well as Aqua Lily.


IKB:2012 is a super bright, vibrant electric blue jelly. This polish was inspired by Yves Klein's signature International Klein Blue color. I think RBL did an excellent job of bringing this color to life. Check out these Google Images of "International Klein Blue". Perfect match.


I mentioned that this polish is super bright and I think it actually has some neon pigment in it. It dries sort of like a neon, not matte, but definitely not glossy. With one layer of top coat, however, it becomes super shiny and even more gorgeous.


I used three coats of IKB:2012 for these pictures. I think I did really need the third coat, as this polish is a jelly. It dries VERY quickly though, so it wasn't a hassle to do three coats. Overall, I am in LOVE with IKB:2012. I have heard people compare this with Orly Royal Navy, but I don't remember Royal Navy being this bright. I will have to find my bottle and compare the two for you.

Rescue Beauty Lounge IKB:2012 should be on sale at rescuebeauty.com sometime this coming week. I suggest to subscribe to their email list to stay informed.

OPI at International Bridal Week!


OPI walked the aisle at New York International Bridal Week on fingers and toes at both the Vera Wang and Angel Sanchez showcases. On Sunday, April 15, models complemented their Vera Wang gowns with OPI nail lacquer in Did You ‘Ear About Van Gogh? on fingers and toes. This new sandy neutral shade offers an updated take on the classic nude look.

Did You 'Ear About Van Gogh?

On Monday, April 16, designer Angel Sanchez showcased his latest bridal designs with OPI nail lacquer in I Don’t Give a Rotterdam! on models’ fingers and OPI nail lacquer in Bubble Bath on their toes. I Don’t Give a Rotterdam! is a shimmery steel blue shade, perfect for brides looking for a unique “something blue” to wear on their wedding day. Bubble Bath is a bestselling pale pink that’s long been a bridal staple for soft, feminine color.

I Don't Give A Rotterdam!

Bubble Bath

April 16, 2012

Better In Person: China Glaze Liquid Crystal


Have you ever come across a polish that you didn't really like based on swatches and pictures you saw online, but then you LOVED it in person? Every so often, this happens to me. China Glaze Liquid Crystal is one of those polishes!! The China Glaze Prismatic collection was weird for me. When I saw promo pictures, I was all psyched for it. Then I saw swatches and really didn't care. I didn't end up buying any of them.


However, the awesome Heather from Peace, Love, & Polish sent me China Glaze Liquid Crystal as a thank you for doing that guest post on her blog! When I put it on this morning, I immediately knew I was wrong about the Prismatic collection. Liquid Crystal is a really pretty blue shimmer base with a slight purple/pink duochrome shift. This alone is pretty, but then China Glaze packed in multi-colored glitter!! I see pink, orange, silver, green and gold glitter pieces. Let me clarify: Multi-colored glitter. In a blue/purple/pink duochrome base. WHY did I think I didn't want this????


However, this doesn't look that cool in my pictures!! It's just one of those polishes that looks WAY better in real life. But, it has me wondering, which other Prismatic polishes do I need now? I think maybe Optical Illusion and Raydiant. Do you have any of these? What do you think of them?


The China Glaze Prismatic collection is available now at an Ulta near you.

April 11, 2012

Two Fun New OPI Collections!


OPI’s All Ears!

OPI Announces New Limited Edition Minnie Mouse-Inspired, Nail Lacquers

OPI launches Vintage Minnie Mouse, including four limited edition nail lacquers, for summer. Created in honor of Disney’s beloved character, the colors encapsulate Minnie Mouse’s irresistible charm in playful, pretty shades of pink and red.
 “OPI is so excited to collaborate with Disney and draw inspiration from one of the world’s most popular characters,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director.  “This collection brings together the expertise of OPI and the iconic style of Minnie Mouse to inspire the distinct palette of vibrant, feminine shades for summer Nails will pop against summer skin in these classic, saturated hues – holding their own alongside the bold prints of the season.”

The line features a pink crème lacquer, one frosted red shade, a shimmery fuchsia, and a heart glitter confetti:

Nothin’ Mousie ‘bout It
Don’t squeak it – SHOUT IT! This confetti light pink is tops! 

I’m All Ears
Tell me how much you love this magenta shimmer. 

If You Moust You Moust
You gotta pink what you gotta pink.

The Color of Minnie
You had this little mouse at “red.”

As with all OPI nail lacquers, Vintage Minnie Mouse by OPI contains no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and features OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application.
This limited edition promotion will be available beginning June 2012 at professional salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for  $8.50 ($9.95 CAN) suggested retail for each Nail Lacquer.
For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!


In“Spider”ed Shades!

OPI Celebrates Sony Pictures’ “The Amazing Spider-Man” with Limited Edition Nail Lacquers

OPI announces the launch of six limited edition nail lacquers and a new Shatter, inspired by Sony Pictures’ The Amazing Spider-Man.  With an all-star cast including Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, this highly-anticipated series reboot opens in theaters nationwide in 3D on July 3, 2012.
 “OPI is so excited to work with Sony Pictures in welcoming Spider-Man back on the big screen,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director.  “This film explores a new chapter in the Spider-Man legacy that’s going to be both dark and sexy. The colors created for this promotion capture the movie’s exciting atmosphere, with standout shades like the deep shimmering blue Into the Night and the metallic golden green Just Spotted the Lizard.”
The film villain’s reptilian look can be replicated with a high-fashion twist by using the new deep green shimmer Shatter coat.  Shatter the Scales is inspired by graffiti art and works when painted over any dry OPI hue. Adding top coat takes Shatter the Scales from matte to glossy in seconds.
The line features six nail lacquers in addition to Shatter the Scales, ranging from white, coral and pink to mood-setting hues of blue, nickel and yellow-green:

Your Web or Mine?
The perfect pink for sticky situations. 

Into the Night
This perfect midnight blue was made for prowling. 


Call Me Gwen-ever
Girlfriend, be sure to pick up when this urgent coral calls.



 Just Spotted the Lizard
Be seen in this reptilian yellow-green. 

My Boyfriend Scales Walls 
Climb new heights with this cityscape white.



Number One Nemesis
Show your metal in this sparkling nickel. 

As with all OPI nail lacquers, these shades inspired by The Amazing Spider-Man contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application.
This limited edition promotion will be available beginning May 2012 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for  $8.50 ($9.95 CAN) suggested retail for each Nail Lacquer.
For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!

Are you excited for any of these? I am super happy that OPI is releasing a Chanel Peridot dupe. Peridot is one of my favorite polishes and I'm glad that I don't have to hoard it/pay tons of money for a second bottle!! Plus, Nothin' Mousie 'Bout It! looks so cute!!