A Polish Problem

Duri Icicles

2011-11-24T01:21:00.001-05:00

This is part of the new Duri Girl with the Dragon Tattoo collection (for which I am currently working on the review). I was going to wait to post this one until I am finished with the post, but I have had it on my nails for 2 days now, I love it to pieces, and I just had to share it with you. I will give a more detailed review when I review the collection.

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving.

Deborah Lippmann Glamorous Life

2011-11-22T01:59:00.001-05:00

Every so often, I get a wild hair and decide to order a Lippmann polish. As I’ve been out of the loop for awhile, I really wasn’t sure what was out there in terms of new Lippmanns. As it’s almost Christmas, I expected total glitterbombs (which there are) and some awesome-looking cremes (which there are). So, I completely shocked myself when the one I chose to order was Glamorous Life.

It looked interesting in bottle pics and the few swatches I’d seen of it looked really nice. Aaaaand, as soon as I read that Deborah Lippmann described this as the perfect rose gold, I knew I had to get it. I’m a complete sucker for any thing rose gold.

The only thing that made me nervous was the finish. It looked brush-strokey. However, I didn’t even give it much though. I loved the idea of it that much.

Well, it came yesterday…

Truth be told, I’m a little torn. On one hand, Deborah was right… this is an amazing rose gold. Unfortunately, OTOH, it’s not the satin finish I was expected based on it in the bottle. It seemed very frosty to me. On the first coat, in fact, I was ready to immediate add it to my “donate” pile.

But, I gave it 2 more coats, and I must say that while I’m not in love with the finish, or the fact that I had so many issues with drag and strokes, I think the color of this is perfect. It almost reminds me of a pink/gold version of Lippmann Purple Rain (which was another beautiful color with a nightmare application/finish).

That said, I just don’t know if the beautiful color is enough to offset all of the negatives or not-positives on this one. I think I’m going to try it as a full manicure and definitely use a sticky base coat, as I feel that would really help with the brush-strokes. It would also allow me to use 2 coats, rather than 3.

All-in-all, if you are a sucker for rose gold that’s not a foil or a bright metallic, then the color on this one may tempt you. Just know that it’s frosty. And while, it doesn’t give me old-lady-hands, but it does show strokes and drag.

Lippmann polishes are available through Deborah Lippmann’s website (www.deborahlippmann.com). I usually get mine from What She Buys. They ship super fast and change nothing for shipping.

Lippmanns can retail up-to $20, though this polish like most other non-glitters is $16.

This polish was purchased by me.

Thanksgiving Skittles

2011-11-21T16:10:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone, it’s so hard to believe that Thanksgiving is a matter of days away. I swear, the older I get, the shorter the years become and this time around, it feels like we should be somewhere in May.

As I was sitting here contemplating the upcoming holiday, I suddenly had the idea to create a Thanksgiving-inspired skittles. My desire was to do more of an “ombre” effect, but it wasn’t quite there.

This is L-R, Zoya Tamsen, NARS Dovima, OPI A Good Man-Darin is Hard to Find, and Barielle Angora Aura.

I swear, it looked better on. My flashed washed out the oranges, and yet when I managed to get one that was true to color, it made my skin look odd. Oh well. I still think it was a cool concept. While I was doing it, it really reminded me of the colors of the fall leaves, though at this stage, they are almost all gone.

Anyway, just in case, I don’t post, I hope you all have an amazing Thanksgiving to my US readers, and to my international folks, I hope you have a great Thursday.

I do plan on posting soon, however, as I do have Duri’s new Girl with the Dragon Tattoo collection begging me to swatch them. I also have to play catch-up with holiday collections from OPI and Zoya.

Curtsy & Bow

2011-11-11T15:43:00.000-05:00

A couple of months ago, I was asked by Curtsy & Bow's PR to review their products. Given my love of new brands, I was all over it.

I received 2 colors from their debut collection, "The Yacht Club" collection. The inspiration behind this collection was the creator's, Melissa Huynh's, travels throughout the caribbean.

Here's a list of all of the colors in the collection:
Intimate Sand is a powder pink solid lacquer
Shell We Dance is a peach/coral pink solid lacquer
Wasap-bi? is a Khaki/Green Solid lacquer
St. Thomas Blue me Away is a powder blue solid lacquer
Shiraz with tha Stahz is a deep wine with silver speckles lacquer
Supernova Girl is a silver glitter top coat
Jetset In My SunSet is a gold glitter top coat

I received Intimate Sand and Shell We Dance...

Intimate Sand - soft pink. This one is a pale pink, but it's not sheer. The color was extremely pigmented. I always find that I love the color of pale pinks, especially in early spring, but I hate the fact that it takes a gazillion coats to reach opacity. And if you do get one that is opaque in just a few coats, it looks chalky. This one only took 2 coats to reach opacity and isn't chalky.

Shell We Dance - creamsicle orange. I know Curtsy & Bow describes this as coral/pink, but on me, it definitely looked like the color of orange push pops. It's a pretty color, but with my pink skin, it seemed a little off. I think this would look fantastic on someone with darker skin. Two coats.

I liked these colors. I felt that the formula was a bit thick and I thought the brush was a bit hard to handle, but I got the hang of it after a few tries (the handle is very short). I really liked that they were opaque in just a few coats. My favorite was definitely Intimate Sand.

These retail for $15 (I think) and for more information, you can view their blog.

These were sent to me for review

Hi again :)

2011-11-11T15:15:00.000-05:00

Hi girls (and boys). Hope everyone is well. I can't believe it's been 2.5 months since I've blogged. When I started this blog almost 3 years ago, I swore to myself that I would never be one of those bloggers that allowed their blog to fall by the wayside. Unfortunately, this year has been incredibly rough for me, both of our older dogs passed away, my son was diagnosed with autism, and my grandmother died on Labor Day. I also got a new job which is eating up all of my free time. So it just happened. For those of you that have stuck with me, I greatly appreciate it.

I am desperately trying to get back in to blogging, not only because I enjoy it greatly, but because I do feel a responsibility not only to my followers and readers, but also to the polish companies that ask me to review their products. I am currently working on posts. However, I have such a backlog, that you may see posts from collections that have been out for awhile. I am going to try and get to the holiday collections first, though.

Thank you so much for reading,
Megan

OPI Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Review

2011-08-24T14:29:00.001-04:00

As I am continuing in my tradition of striking while the iron is hot (LOL)... I bring you the months-old OPI Pirates of the Caribbean collection. Unfortunately, this one that got put aside while I had to take a little break and I'm just now able to review it. However, as the movie is due to be released on DVD in November, I figure I'm still relevant. Heck. I'm now ahead of the curve. :P

Anyway, this was OPI's "Brights" offering for 2011, and that kind of threw me, as their brights collections in the past have been extremely vibrant, and bright hues. These colors, as a whole, are far more subdued that past collections. However, I actually think it's a misnomer to call them pastels. While the are lighter shades, there is still a vibrancy about them that I would not associate with a pastel shade (as when I think of pastel, I think of soft baby-ish colors).

Mermaid's Tears - Mint green creme. This one has perhaps a bit more blue in it and is perhaps a tad brighter than a traditional mint. However, it still gave me a dreadful (say that in a pirate voice) case of red-hands. The color is absolutely beautiful, but I just can't wear it. :(

Planks A Lot - Slightly dusty, mid-tone purple. This one is probably on the lighter end of what I consider mid-tone. However, it's much darker and brighter than what I consider to be a light purple or a lavender. There is a slight dustiness to it, but I don't think it's a dupe for RBL Purple Haze (though if any one wants a comp, I will be glad to do one).

Skulls and Glossbones - Pale grey creme. Yes, this one is a pale grey, but going back to the vibrancy I mentioned above, it's not a color that looks white. It is most definitely grey. It's also got enough warmth in the base to not give me dead-hands, but it's not exactly what I would consider to be a warm grey. It also has a touch of green in there to give it just a slight dirtiness (along the lines of Stranger Tides, but not nearly as funky).

Sparrow Me the Drama - Tea rose creme. When I was swatching this, I thought it may be a dupe to RBL Smitten, but after looking at pics, I don't think it is. Sparrow Me the Drama has a smidge of purple in it, whereas Smitten is a true rose creme. That said, it a gorgeous color, and it looks amazing under Lippmann Glitter in the Air

Steady as She Rose - Pale dirty rose creme. Again, like most of the other colors in this collection, Steady as She Rose has a slight dirtiness to it. These colors really do fit in well with the Pirates of the Caribbean theme. It is a pale pink, so you wouldn't think it would be that unique, but the dirtiness really sets it apart.

Stranger Tides - dirty, artichoke green. This color is completely funky and it didn't work with my skintone. That said, I completely loved it.

Also, the formula on these was fantastic. I had no application issues with any of the colors and each color was opaque in just 2 coats.

I kind of wish that they had included a bright Caribbean blue with this collection (perhaps lose one of the pinks), but I think being a collection based on a movie, it was cohesive and well-thought-out.

Additionally, along with these 6 cremes, OPI released Silver Shatter along with this collection...

Here it is swatched over Stranger Tides with no TC.

The fact is, I stink at crackles/shatters. I hate that you have one chance at getting it right. You also have to have just the right amount on your brush and go in the right direction. It's just too much pressure. LOL. I have problems with getting the right amount on the brush, so I either end up with a thin coat with drag marks or a thick coat that never cracks. That said, the finish on this one is gorgeous and if you and crackle work well together, I think this would be an amazing option to add to your collection.

This collection is out now and OPI retails for $8.50 a bottle.

these were sent to me for review

Julep Charlotte Revisited

2011-08-22T14:56:00.000-04:00

So late last week, I happened to "like" Julep's Facebook page and discovered that they had linked my recent review post of their products. At first, I thought it was so cool. Then... I realized that almost all of the comments were blasting me. :( They thought my application was sloppy, my pictures were bad, and generally, my post was crap.

My immediate reaction was to get extremely upset and vow to cease blogging (I may have even teared up). I mean, no one likes being the center of negative attention. I honestly think that most non-bloggers don't realize how much work goes in to a post. It seems that the entire nail blogging culture (and maybe the blogger-verse in general) is completely different that it was when I first started. I am not a professional. Everything I do is through a process of trial and error. With each post, you learn what doesn't work and what does work. You try to improve with each week and sometimes it work and sometimes it doesn't, but as a blogger, I am always trying to get better. Trust me, go back and view some of my older posts. Those were crap. LOL.

Then I got pissed. :P

So, after licking my wounds and emotionally cutting by reading the replies over and over, I decided that for my own sense of pride, I would re-swatch Charlotte. I thought the color was awesome, but most of the replies centered about just how bad my swatches were of that particular color. So, I dug out my old camera (seriously, this Canon and I are not getting along) and took some new pics.

This is 2 coats of Julep Charlotte. I used my older Sony DSC-W310 with a filtered flash under a desk lamp. I also cut down my nails as I just don't think longer nails and I get along.

If you had an issue with my previous photos, I really hope this shows Charlotte in a different light. It's a beautiful color.

Also, I wanted to ask that if you are a nail blog reader, please realize before you trash someone elses' pictures, that attached to those hands is a person. Yes, it's a person that is taking pictures of her (his) hands and putting them on the internet, but it is still a person. The internet gives us so much anonymity that we oftentimes forget that we aren't just faceless, emotionless automatons. This is one of my main issues with the nail blogging community at the moment. With the rare exception, we are all doing this as a hobby, so please be mindful of that. Yes, as a fellow blogger or reader, you are entitled to your opinions, but in the immortal words of my mama... "a little decorum never hurt anyone". :)

Julep Maven - Box 1

2011-08-16T13:32:00.000-04:00

So last week, right after I showed you my review for Julep polishes, I caved and joined the Julep Maven program. I thought it was a great deal at $19.99, and also, as nail mail is one of my guilty pleasures, I figured it was a good way to get a box of nail goodies every month.

I received my first box today, and I am very happy with it. Here's what I found when I opened the box (it was all in a gift bag, btw)...

And here are the 2 colors I received...

Samantha - bright pink. This one is amazing. It has a jelly-ish finish, but it was opaque in 2 coats.

Zoe - bright copper. Seriously. This is like the color of new pennies. This is one of their not-yet-released fall colors. 3 coats.

This is the "Bombshell" box. Honestly, I had to do a little manipulation to get this box. I took the "style quiz" at least twice, and it each time it came back as "All American Beauty". Well, while that may fit my fashion sense, it's not exactly what I prefer on my nails. So, I chose the strappy shoes instead of the platforms, Chanel as my designer, rather than J.Crew, and picked Colin Farrell over George Clooney (what?) and voila... I'm a Bombshell.

Also, keep in mind that Julep has a few coupon codes for the Maven program floating around. I think there is one on Facebook, and also, when I took the quiz, I got a code in my email box to for 1/2 off my first month. Unfortunately, I had already joined by that point, and I'm still trying to see if I can get that retroactively applied. So be sure to check for those codes before joining.

Even with paying full price, I still think this is a great deal. I know Julep polishes get a bit of a bad rap for being such a small amount (.27 oz, compared to .5 for OPI), but as I have NEVER used a full bottle of polish, I think I'm good. LOL. Plus, there are other goodies, and 20% off all other items that you order (I am eyeing Stella) and free shipping (which when I get free shipping, I feel like I've won the lottery, so that's awesome!).

And, if you refer your friends to Julep, you will get $15 when they become a Maven as well. You can join the Julep Maven program on their website, or by clicking here.

I paid for my own membership to the Maven program. However, the links within this post are affiliate links. I will receive $15 when you join by using my link. When you join, you will get your own link.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Look Rich, Be Cheap

2011-08-13T02:53:00.000-04:00

Due to some recent nail growth, I am trying to keep my nails polished, which means that I am polishing my nails everyday (I have the attention span of a gnat). I've been mainly sticking to new releases, as that's what I've had on my desk, but tonight, I brought this one out of the depths of my storage container, and oh how happy it's made me.

RBL's Look Rich, Be Cheap was from the 2009 Spring glitter bomb collection, which in my mind was the catalyst for all the full-coverage glitters we've seen over the past 2 years. I remember when I first saw swatches of this glitter and her sisters, Locavore and Frugalista. I fell instantly in love, but still being a newb and balking at an $18 polish, I resisted until the half off sale in the fall of 2009, where I picked them up. And my love for them has not waned, considering that the glitters and a couple of other colors were the only things I kept when I decided to part ways with my RBL collection (the formula just doesn't play nice with me). Unfortunately, I just haven't worn them as much as I should have. Well, lemme tell ya... that's gotta stop. :P

This one is absolutely amazing. It's varying shades of gold glitter with pops of bright, purple glitter, and as yellow and purple are opposites on the color wheel, the color combo is gorgeous. The base is clear, and though it looks like there are bald/thin spots in my swatch, the coverage on the nail is actually quite good. Any thin spots that are on there, don't show up to the naked eye.

This is 3 coats of Look Rich Be Cheap over a coat of CND Stickey. I also had to apply 3 (!) coats of TC as it still seemed really textured at just 1, or even 2, coats. Honestly, even with the 3 coats of TC, it's still not smooth, but that's pretty much par for the course with a dense glitter.

Also, I realize I have reviewed Look Rich, Be Cheap already in the past, but as that way back when my nails were recovering nubs and my camera was crap (and perhaps a lot of user error), I figured I'd give this one another showing.

Look Rich, Be Cheap is the only glitter bomb still remaining in stock on RBL's website (though I think Locavore is coming back). Price is $18.

this was purchased by me during RBL's half-off sale

Lex Cosmetics Seashell

2011-08-11T18:12:00.001-04:00

You may remember that around the first of the year, Ji offered a RBL fan submission contest. My entry was for an "oilslick" polish. Unfortunately, it wasn't selected (it may have been put in her "impossible" catagory. LOL), so I was more than a little excited with Sarah's Seashell/Oilslick inspiration polish was voted to be in Lex's line up of polishes.

I finally got around to getting this one last week, and while it's a very pretty polish, I have to say, that I'm a tad underwhelmed. :( This is a deep charcoal base with tons of subtly holo microshimmer. Again, it's pretty, but it doesn't quite meet what I had in mind. I expected it to be a duo/multi-chrome rather than a holo, and the black base really took me out of the "inspired by a seashell" backstory. It's silly, but in my mind, there is a bit of a disconnect between a deep charcoal polish and a seashell (of course, I fully admit that is probably nitpicking).

Also, when you have a polish like this, it comes with the territory that it's going to be compared to OPI My Private Jet holo. And when you do that comparison, there is no contest. My Private Jet will always reign supreme (of course, it's now super rare and $$$, so perhaps this would be a good lemming slayer) However, Seashell seems very similar to Color Club Revvvolution (which I blog-sold or I would compare) and perhaps Diamond Cosmetics Chainmail Charm (which I never owned).

In terms of application, my bottle leaked quite a bit in transit and I think that made the formula a bit thick. It wasn't impossible to work with by any means, but I just had to be careful with it. It was a good formula, though, and it dried fast and is super, super glossy with just 1 coat of TC (which is awesome considering sometimes, these kinds of colors have a tendency to eat up TC and end up looking muddy). I haven't been able to stop looking at my nails today because the finish is so SHINY! :)

Even with my issue regarding the color and leakage, I still wouldn't dissuade you from picking this one up, especially if you don't have any of the similar colors, and one of the reasons I'm saying this is because of the company, Lex Cosmetics. First off, this is the only company, that I can think of, that let's their customers decide on their entire color line, not just a couple here and there. Also, $1 of each bottle sold goes to the charity of the creator's choice. In this case, Sarah's requested that $1 go to the fight against sexual assault.

Seashell is available at www.lexcosmetics.com, and the cost is $10 per bottle.

this was purchased by me

OPI Stranger Tides

2011-08-09T20:47:00.001-04:00

I shouldn't love this one as much as I do. It gives me red-hands, and it's not a particular pretty color, but that doesn't stop me from being madly in love with it. I can't really tell you why. It's an odd, slightly dirty, artichokey green creme. However, the formula is fantastic and the application was flawless. Plus, I like that the color is a bit of an odd duck. It's not typically "me", but I do like it. LOTS.

Stranger Tides is from OPI's Pirates of the Caribbean collection that was released earlier this year. This has been out for several months and OPI's polishes retail for around $8.50.

This was sent to me for review

Julep Polishes

2011-08-09T04:50:00.005-04:00

You wouldn't think so, as I am someone that has an undisclosed amount of polishes (read TONS), but more times that not, I have a tendency to get in a rut and find myself only using certain brands. As such, I absolutely love when I discover a new-to-me brand. One of these brands, Julep, I recently had the opportunity to try.

UPDATE... Here's a better picture of Charlotte:

Charlotte - Dusty, plummy purple creme. This color is absolutely beautiful. It's a dusty purple creme, with enough red in the base, to not be a dead-on dupe for RBL Purple Haze. That said, as RBL Purple Haze is currently discontinued (though I think it is coming back for a limited edition redux), Charlotte may just fufill and "dusty, mid-tone purple" lemmings you may have. And since I know you are asking, here's a comparison...

Charlotte is on middle and pinky, Purple Haze is on ring finger.

As much as I love Purple Haze, and I do love it as it's one of the few RBLs I've actually kept, I think I may love Charlotte more. First off, the formula on Charlotte was EXCEPTIONAL. Both swatches of Charlotte above are one coat. ONE. That's it. Y'all know how I love my one-coaters. :P Purple Haze is a 2-coater for me. Also, the color just seemed to work so much better on my skin-tone. If you have super pale pink hands like me, then you may find that mid-toned purples have a tendency to give you dead-hands. Because of the plummy/red base in this, I didn't get that with Charlotte.

Emmanuelle - Pale, soft baby pink creme. While I call this one a creme in my descriptor, it actually seemed more like a jelly to me, or at least jelly-esque. It really reminded me of the soft shades from OPI Femme de Cirque. However, this formula, again, was so much easier to work with. I had zero drag with Emmanuelle, and I didn't even have to wait between coats (something I normally have to do with paler shades). It's a super pale pink, so of course, it's a little on the sheerer side, but it is buildable. The above picture is 3 coats, and I was able to reach opacity. However, I bet if you used a sticky base coat, you may actually be able to reach opacity with 2 coats.

Natasha - Bright red-orange creme. Ahhhh. Natasha. I swear, I have been craving this exact shade of red/orange, so when I opened my box from Julep and saw this little beauty in there... I admit it... I squealed. This one, like Emmanuelle, did have a bit of a jelly quality to the finish. It almost looks like hard candies. I was able to reach opacity in 2 coats, however, so it's not a true jelly. And, I know I sound like broken record, but again, the formula on this one was great.

All in all, I really like all 3 Julep polishes that I had the opportunity to try. As it was a brand I was unfamiliar with, during my review, I happened to check out their website, and I was happy to see they had around 70 colors (I'm currently eyeing Stella). They also have something called "Julep Maven" which is a monthly shipment program. For $19.99, each month, you get $40 worth of nail polish and treatments (and extra goodies like free shipping). I haven't joined it yet, but I must say... I am EXTREMELY tempted. Also, $1 of each bottle purchased goes to Julep's "Powered by Girlfriends" program. Plus, and this is a HUGE plus, the formula on all of these was fantastic. It makes me tempted to try more. :)

Julep polishes are available for sale on their website (and if you are in the Seattle, WA area, I'm guessing they are for sale in-store). Price is $14/ bottle.

these were sent to me for review

Nicole by OPI I Love You Cherry Much

2011-08-08T19:40:00.002-04:00

When I posted my review of this collection yesterday, I was very unsatisfied with my pictures. However, as soon as I finished my review, I put I Love You Cherry Much on my nails as a full mani, so I wanted to share that picture, as I feel it's MUCH better.

After I've gotten a chance to wear this color as a full mani, I must say that I really love it. It's also completely unique. Yes, it's a glass fleck shimmer (a la China Glaze Summer Days) and yes, it also has a metallic element (like the shimmers from OPI Burlesque), but the finish on this is what truly sets it apart. It was hard to capture with the camera, but this one dries to an almost-satin finish. That allows the shimmer to become "trapped" (like it is when you put a matte top coat over a shimmer or a glitter), and gives the shimmer much more depth. Again, that's one of those things that just couldn't be captured with a digicam. If you like bright, pink-based reds, I would totall give this one a look-see, as it is gorgeous! Also, in my swatch yesterday, I used 3 coats, and in my full mani, I only used 2. I do have a bit more VNLs in this one, but they aren't that noticeable.

Like I mentioned yesterday, these are available at Target now (or at least they are at mine). And, like most of the other Target-exclusive NOPIs, I am assuming this will also be available at Target.com (though I don't see it now). Retail is $7.04.

Nicole By OPI Something About Color Target Exclusive collection Review (Fall Colors)

2011-08-08T01:50:00.002-04:00

Back in March, I showed you the Nicole by OPI Spring Target exclusives. Well, they have come out with 4 additions to this collection for Fall 2011.

FYI, I got a new camera, a Canon SD1400IS, and I am still trying to work out some growing pains, so I'm sorry if these pictures are sub-par.

Cherry Much In Love - bright cherry red, glass flecked shimmer. This one is beautiful. The base was a little jelly-ish, so the glass flecks kind of suspended in the base. I had no issues with application and the formula, was great, though a little thin. Three coats

Green Up Your Act - dusty, greyed olive creme. I struggled with this one. I swear, I swatched it twice and took a gazillion pictures and I still wasn't satisfied. The color is definitely unique. It's not a traditional camo green, or an olive green for that matter, it seemed to have a lot of blue/grey in the base. It also had a dustiness to it. I struggled with the formula, as it seemed a bit goopy to me. Picture is 3 coats, and I had an issue with drag, so it looks lumpy in places.

It's Not Me, It's Blue - Grey/blue metallic shimmer base with purple microshimmer. This one is amazing. I saw it at my local Target, and I immediately fell in love. I promply came home and put it on my nails. It's very similar to Sounds Grape to Me, it terms of formula and finish, and it feels almost like a foil. It also has a beautiful purple shimmer that will pop when you turn your hand (there is also some golden shimmer, as well). The formula was thin, so I did have to use 3 coats, but they dried quickly, so no issues. Also, this picture was taken with my old camera, so that's why it seems a bit different.

Sounds Grape to Me - Deep purple/burgundy shimmer base with golden shimmer particles. This one was very reminiscent of OPI Tease-y Does It or Zoya Valerie, but unlike Tease-y Does It, this one didn't seem muddy. I think this one is my favorite of the 4. The color is practically mesmerizing. Formula was good and it reached opacity at 2 coats.

All in all, I like this little addition to Nicole by OPI's Target collection. Green Up Your Act does seem to be the odd duck, but those of you that like dusty, ugly-pretty colors, will love it. Also, and this may just be because my were press samples, but only Green Up Your Act had Nicole's new brush, and that's perfectly fine with me. However, if you are a fan of their new brush, be sure to check your bottles at Target to see if they have them.

These are at Target now and retail for around $7 each.

these were sent to me for review

Cult Nails My Kind of Cool Aid

2011-07-27T14:22:00.000-04:00

This is one of those polishes that I purchased earlier this year and just never got around to posting it. My Kind of Cool Aid was Cult Nails' very first color. I ordered it as soon as Maria said it was for sale on her website and then I got it and it quickly got lost in my collection.

Then yesterday, Maria tweeted that Cult Nails had given 600 bottles of My Kind of Cool Aid to the HollyRod Foundation in support of their Design Care 2011 event. As a mom of an autistic child, I thought, "that's awesome!" and then, I thought "I have that". So, today, I dug it out of my (still) disorganized polishes.

And now I'm kinda sad that I left it unworn so long. LOL.

My Kind of Cool Aid is a "greige" shimmer, but it also leans a bit lavender. Kind of like Wild Orchid from Color Club's fall 2010 collection, though they aren't dupes. The shimmer in this one is micro-shimmer in shades of pale blue and pink, but you have to look close. When I first looked it it, the shimmer just looked silver. The formula was good. I did have a bit of an issue with drag, but that's easily solved by waiting a couple minutes between coats. Pic is 3 coats, though it you are careful you could probably get away with 2.

This makes me really want to try more Cult Nails polishes, and I'm still kicking myself for not picking up Captivated before it sold out. :( :P
l
Cult Nails polishes are available on their website. They are $10. Also, I noticed that during the month of August, Cult Nails will donate a portion of its sales to the HollyRod Foundation.

this polish was purchased by me

OPI Serena Williams Glam Slam pt. 3 Review

2011-07-22T02:14:00.002-04:00

This is the 3rd installment of OPI's collaboration with Serena Williams. As this one was meant to coincide with Wimbledon, the names are subtly English. Also, this is the first set in the Serena Williams collection that isn't a sparkley base color with a shatter top coat, and as someone that still has issues with correctly applying crackles/shatters, I must say that this was a welcome change. These sets consist of a base color and the same glitter top coat.

Grape...Set...Match - grape purple shimmer base with pink, blue, and turquoise shimmer particles. Sigh. I loved this one. It is an amazing color and the entire time I was swatching this one, I kept thinking that it is a marriage of OPI Ink and Lourve Me Lourve Me Not. It's got qualities of both. However, unlike Ink, the shimmer doesn't get lost and unlink LMLMN, it doesn't look muddy. So, in my mind, it's the perfect combo of the two. The application on this one was fine, though it was still thin in spots after 2 coats, so it was a 3-coater for me.

Servin' Up Sparkle (over GSM) - Small round and large hex HOLO glitter in a clear base. Okay, now this is amazing. I'm in love with this topcoat. In fact, as soon as I received this from OPI, I slapped it on my nails. This looks beautiful over every color I've tried, but really shines when placed over a shimmery base. This is one coat over GSM.

Your Royal ShineNess - Silver foil metallic. This one is pretty straightforward. It's a little more muted than a bright silver, though. It's reminiscent of Orly's Shine FX colors from last year. The application was perfect. 2 coats.

Servin' Up Sparkle (over YRSN) - believe it or not, the effect of this over the silver was much more subtle than it was over the purple, but it is still crazy pretty. I think I'm in love with this TC.

All in all, I'm a huge fan of this collection. Everything about it is fantastic. I'm a fan of the Serena Williams collection, in general, but this is my favorite one. LOVE.

These were sent to me for review

OPI Nice Stems Review

2011-07-21T13:37:00.000-04:00

Again, I'm trying to play catch-up with all the collections I received during my unplanned hiatus. Nice Stems is OPI's summer 2011 collection. I loved it from my first glance at the PR pics. I mean... come on... a collection of all pink. I may think pink to be a commonplace when it comes to nail polish, but it's still my favorite color. Hence, OPI had me at hello. :P

Be a Dahlia, Won't You? - bright fuchsia shimmer. In the bottle, this one reminded me of Ali's Big Break. However, it didn't have the metallic sheen. Nonetheless, this is a beautiful color. It also has a subtle blue flash (as you can see in my picture). Formula was great. 2 coats.

Come to Poppy - Coral pearl. This one is a hard one to describe. It's not peach, it's not pink, and while I think it's a coral, it also reminds me of those salmon pink crayons from the Crayola box. Honestly, when I put this one on, I thought I was going to hate it. In fact, after I put it on, I hated it. Then I took the pictures and I have to say that I really like it. It quickly grew on me. The formula on this one was fantastic. It glided on the nail. 2 coats.

I Lily Love You (over Be a Dahlia, Won't You?) - Holo flakies in a pink clear base. I was a little saddened that this one wasn't opaque, as this was the one I was most excited for, based on the PR pics. Nonetheless, it's a nice top coat, especially over Dahlia. It reminded me of a pink, more functional, version of CC Covered in Diamonds. Also, over Dahlia, the gold tones in the flakies really pops. One coat over the base.

Play the Peonies - pale pink pearl with silver micro-shimmer. This one is crazy pretty, and I really wasn't expecting much from it. However the color is beautiful. It's pink, but it almost looks like a colored white, if that makes sense. The finish is pearly, not frosty, which doesn't age my hands. And the micro-shimmer is subtle, but gives depth to the color. This one really made me wish I had darker skin and pretty feet, as it would look amazing as a summer pedi. 3 coats.

All in all, I really liked it. Dahlia and Poppy are beautiful, as is Peony. I think Lily is a bit of a miss, as it's not really usable on it's own, but as a TC for brighter colors, I think it works. It's a nice collection. Certainly nothing revolutionary, but it's pretty for summer.

These were send to me for review

Zoya Touch Review Redux

2011-07-21T11:58:00.001-04:00

A few days ago, I reviewed Zoya Touch. Unfortunately, I've been out of this for so long that my pictures were crappy and my review was a little half-assed. As I was able to find my good camera, I figured I'd re-do my pics and the review, so here goes...

Save for the color, these polishes are identical, so I'm going to post pictures and color descriptions/color reviews first and then post my review of the application and finish.

Minka - warm yellowish tan. When I first had this one on, I hated in on my hands. Then, last night when I was swatching it for this redux post, I realized it wasn't so bad. It almost reminds me of China Glaze Classic Camel, though it's lighter and doesn't have the same shimmer. Like Classic Camel, it doesn't work with my skintone, but I did like it. I think this color would look amazing on someone with a darker skintone (actually, all of these colors would probably work MUCH better on darker skin).

Pandora - Pinky Beige. Again, I find myself really liking Pandora (though, I'm not sure I will wear it regularly... more on that below). It just works with me. This is the only one of the 3 that didn't give me red-hands.

Shay - Silvery beige. Shay is probably the most neutral of the 3, however, it's the one I liked the least. The color just wasn't flattering on me. I thought it made my hands look old. Like Minka, thought, this one probably would work on a darker skintone or someone with more yellow in their skin.

This collection was a bit of an odd duck, especially for Zoya. It was nice in concept, but there was something about it that just seemed off to me. Even though they were similar in a lot of ways, each color was unique in the way that a display full of foundation colors is unique. They all had subtle variants, but they were all, in essence, beige. So it really is like foundation for your nails. Normally, nail polish is more one-size-fits all. However, these were not. You would have to really know where you fit in terms of your skintone before you picked up one of these.

Also, the formula wasn't typically Zoya. I found it to be difficult to work with and it was easy to get application marks. So, I had to go slow and use thin coats. Because of this, it took 3 coats to reach opacity on these.

Additionally, I didn't really find myself a fan of the frosty finish. In part, I think that is what aged my hands, in the pictures. That's why I probably won't wear Pandora regularly, though it is a nice color.

All in all, I hate to say it, but I think this was a bit of a miss for Zoya. I've heard Smoke and Mirrors is fantastic, though, so I think Touch was just a small misstep. Again, the concept is cool, but the finish is what didn't work for these.

These were sent to me for review.

Zoya Touch

2011-07-15T16:10:00.000-04:00

Finally, I am able to start to review some of the polishes I received during the time I've been out of commission. First up is Zoya Touch. This collection has been out for a few months, and with Smoke and Mirrors just being released, you may no longer care, but I wanted to review them nonetheless.

Unfortunately, I had to use my backup camera, as my children have absconded with my better camera, so I didn't realize the pictures were sub-par until I'd already written the review. My apologies. Once I find my good camera, I will try to re-take them.

This is a small collection of only three colors, each one being a shimmery nude.

Minka - warm tan.

Pandora - Pinky beige.

Shay - Silvery beige.

These were all identical in finish, though Shay had a bit more silver in the sheen, but and application (3 coats, a little streaky). And unlike most other collections, this one that I wouldn't say you need them all. In fact, you may just need one. It's almost like foundation for your nails, and like foundation it's not a one-size-fits all. Shay and especially Minka just didn't work for me, but Pandora was perfect. It completed my pink skin and didn't give me red-hands. If you are warmer, then you would probably love Minka.

These were sent to me for review.

Hi!

2011-06-23T13:52:00.000-04:00

As my last post was a month ago, I feel it necessary to pop in and give you all a little update on my life. It seems like blogging hasn't just taken a backseat, it's more like stuffed in the trunk. :\

About 2 months ago, we started the process of getting my son evaluated for autism. Two weeks ago, we got the official diagnosis... he's autistic. Being a rational human, I realize that autism is not a death sentence, by any stretch of the imagination. It just means that it's going to take a bit more work on everyone's part. However, the mommy in me died a bit that day. I was reeling and it took about a week for me to quit crying. I kept going back and emotionally cutting myself by reading "A Trip to Holland". I feel quite a bit better now and we do have a plan on place, but those first few days were rough.

Also, I've started working out like a mad person. I go to the gym everyday and workout for about an hour and a half each time. I've seen inches lost, but the scale keeps going up. Stupid muscle mass. LOL. So there's where a big chunk of my free time has gone.

Plus, my job really ramped up over the past few weeks, but now we are seeing a decline in volume again, so I hope (*hope*), I may be able to get in some swatching soon.

I hate it that my blog has essentially died. I do try to keep up with the blogging world on Twitter, but I still feel like I'm completely out of the loop, and I miss it. :( I think I really need to make a concerted effort this weekend to swatch some of the new collections I've received. Though at this point, some are so outdated, you may no longer care. :P

Also, I really don't want to do this, but I'm going to have to suspend blogger round ups. I just don't have time to do them, and I don't want anyone entering in their info and waiting on me to get my act in gear. I just don't know when that's going to happen. I do plan on slowly doing them again, and I have plenty of blogs to list (both from my form and from my giveaway), so if you give me your blog info, you may see it in a roundup in the future, but for now, the round ups are going on an indefinite hiatus.

Anyway, thank you all for sticking with me. I really hope I'm able to get back in the action again soon.

OPI Serena Williams French Duos Review + England Press Release

2011-05-25T18:11:00.001-04:00

Hi all, I sincerely apologize for being out of comission for awhile. However, today, I received the new press release for third installment of the OPI Serena Williams Glam Slam collection and since the "French Open" Glam Slam duos have been sitting on my desk for awhile, I figured now was the perfect time to swatch them. Fair warning, however, as it's been awhile since I've swatched, my pictures are not great... so please bear with me.

As the come in pairs, I'm going to review them as such. However, I will descibe each of the polishes individually.

This first duo is the combination of Spark de Triomphe and White Shatter. When I first saw the image for this combination, I was immediate smitten. I even tried to duplicate it, because I couldn't wait for it to be released. And while I like what I created, I must say that I really love this combo. Spark de Triomphe is a champagne gold glitter. The large and small round glitter is suspended in a clear base, but because it's so dense, you don't really see the base. It took 3 coats to reach opacity. I love this glitter and think it would work so well for the "glitter tips" look, I was so fond of, before my life cut out all time for polist. :P

As for White Shatter, I like this one as well. It didn't create the "leopard" look of Black Shatter, nor did it crackle like the ChG white crackle. However, it created more linear cracks. I know it looks bumpy, but that's simply because I didn't apply a TC. Once you use a TC on the shatters, all the bumpiness goes away. :)

This second combo, of Rally Pretty Pink and Red Shatter, was the one that had me feeling a little more dubious. I mean, they should work it theory... purple and red are complimentaty colors on the color wheel, so it makes sense, but I just wasn't sure how they'd work on the nail. Turns out... pretty dang well. Rally Pretty Pink is actually a bit of a misnomer, IMO. I do see the pink in the shimmer, but in my mind, this is more of a dusty plum with golden metallic shimmer (much like Zoya Faye). It's a beautiful polish on it's own, but when combined with the red shatter, it is even better. First pic is 3 coats of Rally Pretty Pink, as it's a bit thin.

Also, Red Shatter, in and of itself, is great. The base seems very jelly-like so it applied very well. The consistency of the formula was one of the best I've seen in a crackle polish. Plus, as it's a pink based red, I can't wait to try this over pale pink.

The Glam Slam duos are available now and retail for $14.95 each.

Additionally, like I mentioned above, I got the release for the "Wimbledon" installment of this collection, and let me tell ya, girlies... I am dying for the purple. :) Here's the release...

Get “Unbeatable” Sparkle!

OPI Unveils Three New Shades from

Serena Williams’ Glam Slam! Series

OPI joins tennis superstar Serena Williams in announcing the latest three lacquers in the Glam Slam! collection. To celebrate the world’s oldest, most prestigious tennis tournament, Glam Slam! England features two duo-packs filled with sparkle.

The first Lacquer set includes Your Royal Shine-ness, a metallic silver shade, paired with Servin’ Up Sparkle, a shimmer-packed silver glitter. The second Lacquer set also features Servin’ Up Sparkle, along with Grape…Set…Match, a metallic purple.

“England’s premier tennis tournament warrants colors with extra glitz and glamour,” said Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “The next big trend in nails is making lacquer look 3-dimensional by adding different micas and glitters, turning fingertips into jewelry. With two bold metallics and a sparkling glitter, these colors are fit for royalty.”

“For stand-out nails, I love experimenting with different glitter shades,” explains Serena Williams. “The new Glam Slam! England lacquers can be worn alone for a bright pop of color, or layered with Servin’ Up Sparkle to create a textured effect.”

Serena Williams has received the World Number One in singles ranking by the Women’s Tennis Association on five separate occasions, along with being listed as sixth on the all-time greatest champions list. Additionally, she has won two Olympic gold medals in women’s doubles and has earned 27 Grand Slam titles to date. Serena is the most recent player to have held all four Grand Slam singles titles simultaneously and only the fifth woman in history to do so.

New shades in the Glam Slam! collection will be introduced to coincide with each of the four major tournaments, beginning with the Australian Open in January 2011, followed by launches in May 2011 for the French Open, June 2011 for Wimbledon and August 2011 for the US Open. As with all OPI Nail Lacquers, the Glam Slam! collection contains no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and each includes OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application.

Glam Slam! England will be available beginning June 2011 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $14.95 ($20.95 CAN) suggested retail for each duo-pack.

For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!

Update

2011-05-06T00:11:00.000-04:00

I wanted to do a quick update as I tweeted about this last week.

Two weeks ago tonight, I started feeling my throat closing up. I wasn't happy about it, but figured it was the precursor to a cold, so I took some Zicam and went to bed. The next morning, I woke up with a killer sore throat. I stayed in bed the entire day and around dinner time, woke up enough to down some painkiller and some DayQuil. Voila... pain went away. I felt so much better, that I thought I was out of the woods until the next morning. :\

That was Saturday morning. Over the next 2 days, my sore throat went from slightly painful to excruciating. I couldn't even swallow, it was so bad. I missed out on Easter with my family. :( By Sunday night, I had convinced myself to go to the doctor, but that would mean making it through another sleepless night. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), by 3am. I had had enough. There was no choice but to go to the ER.

They said I had strep throat, gave me a bag of fluids (I hadn't eaten or had anything to drink in days), a steroid, and a script for both an antibiotic and Vicodin. I naively thought I wouldn't need the Vicodin. I was wrong. :\ It took me over a week to feel human again and finally after 2 weeks, I am able to eat and drink without any pain.

I am finally better, but the moral of the story is... do not mess around with strep throat. I hate doctors. As a mom, I tend to think about myself last of all. However, I honestly think I was about 12 hrs away from going septic, so at some point, I had to quit being brave and suck it up and go to the ER.

Anyway, I hate to do a post on a nasty infection, but I wanted to give you all an update because at 3am on 4/25/11, the girls on Twitter were the only things keeping me sane. I wanted you all to know that I'm feeling much better. Thank you so much for all your concern. <3

Friday Blogger Round Up

2011-05-05T17:45:00.002-04:00

So, it's Thursday in the US, but I know it's Friday for some of you girls, so this is in your honor. :P

I know I have been quite lax in the Blogger Round Up department, so over the next few weeks, I hope to get caught up. This first batch of blogs are the bloggers that filled out my Blogger Round Up form. Next, I will be working on getting all the bloggers that asked to be in my Round Ups off of my giveaway form.

Also, if you have asked me in the past via email to be in the Round Up, and I have yet to include you, I ask that you please ask me again via the Round Up form. That's the main way to ensure I won't miss you.

Paws to Polish

Colores De Carol

Sara <3's Pretty Little Things

Polished Pirate

Gotham Polish

Polished Punkii

Polish Wonderland

disenos de gennie

Varnish Me

Orphea

I Heart Beauty

Lacky Nails

My Nail Obsession

~~Digital Design Nails~~

Beautifully Polished Up

Prettyfulz

~~HaveYouSceneHez~~

Princess Poly

Lucy's Stash

Nail Utopia

Melissa's Manis

So, Hi

Vermilion Art

Lust for Color

My Nail Art Blog

The Real Polish Princess

Live. Laugh. Love. Lacquer.

Candy Coated Tips

My Nail Graffiti

~~Nailyorkcity~~

Good Lack, Nail!

Beej's Nails

Nailside

Also, I wanted to let you know, that if you were listed, I tried to email you and let you know that you were on the Round Up. I've had a few bounce back to me, so if you didn't get an email... that's probably why. :)

Additionally, I went back through the list and followed all the blogs if you had the option on your blog. I am also going to add these blogs to by blogroll. A few of the links were dead links, so I marked through those in the list. If your blog happens to be one of the dead links and it's an active blog, please let me know and I will correct it.

As always, if you'd like to included in my Blogger Round Ups, please see the "Blogger Round Up" tab for more information. Any new entries to the form will be included in a Round Up after all my current requests have been honored. Thank you for understanding. :)

Quick Update

2011-04-14T11:55:00.000-04:00

Hi all, I apologize for being off the radar for much of the past 2 weeks. I'm in the process of moving some rooms around in the house so that's made everything a bit topsy-turvy. Also, I started my new job 2 weeks ago and I still haven't found a good balance. I blog in my free time from being a SAHM. Unfortunately, that free time is now being eaten up by this job. Hopefully, in the future, I will be able to reach a happy medium, but for now it seems I am only able to blog in bursts.

I'm going ot be OOT for the next 2 days so I will have to make up that time with my job, so here's hoping I'll be able to bring you a few more posts next week. I'm always available via email or twitter if you want to reach me. :)

Nicole by OPI One Less Lonely Girl Collection pt. 2

2011-04-14T00:06:00.001-04:00

Nicole by OPI has followed up their very successful first collaboration with Justin Beiber with a second set of polishes (and I hear there is a third set in the works).

"Baby" Blue - light blue creme. This one is probably my favorite of the collection. Usually pale/light blues have a tendency to give me red-hands. This one does not. It's a beautiful lighter blue, which isn't in the pale or baby blue category (despite the name). This one had a great formula, but due to brush issues, I had to do 3 coats in places.

I'm a Beleiber - dusty purple creme. I thought this one was going to be pretty straightforward, but once I added the third coat, the red in the base came out. The formula was thin, but manageable. 3 coats.

I've Got Beiber Fever - deep Tyrolean purple with blue, red, and purple shimmer. This one is beautiful, if not completely unique. I especially love it on my short nails. Good formula, but at 2 coats, it was spotty in places, so I had to do a third coat.

Make U Smile - bright, multi-sized silver glitter in a clear base. I'm showing this one over I'm a Belieber. This one is a really nice top coat. You could do a 1000 coats and never be able to reach full-coverage, but it is very nice to add some sparkle over a base color. This one would also look nice to create a "glittered tips" look. This is 2 coats over the base color.

My Lifesaver - light minty green. I've already shown you My Lifesaver in the review of the first Justin Beiber collection (it was included in the press samples for that collection), but I thought it deserved a second look. Mint greens, with rare exceptions give me red-hands. This is one of those exceptions. It's reminds me of wintergreen mints. Perfect formula. 2 coats.

Not a Gold Bigger - Bright golden foily metallic with silver and golden shimmer particles. This one reminds me of OPI Glitzerland, though it's not a dupe. Golds and I rarely get along, though I love them in theory, but this one actually looked nice with my skintone. Aside from the name, which I feel is beyond stupid, I like this one. Formula was spotty. 3 coats.

One Time Lime - Bright spring green creme. This one is such a beautiful green. The color saturation is fantastic. As we are in the middle of spring, this one reminds me of all the bright green leaves. Formula was thin. 3 coats.

Redy To Runaway Love - bright red creme. Okay, so this one isn't at all unique, but it is a fantastic red creme. Perfect formula. 2 coats.

All in all, I think this one was another winner for Nicole by OPI. The colors are very nice, and there isn't one of them that I don't like.

One thing I don't like? Nicole by OPI's new brush. They still haven't worked out the kinks and it's moppy and hard to handle and not consistent from bottle to bottle. Hopefully that will improve.

These are still available at drugstores and big boxes. Nicoles are usually in the $7-8 range.

These were sent to me for review

Essie/TOMS One Day Without the Blues

2011-04-04T21:32:00.000-04:00

Hi all, my nail polish table/storage is still in a state of flux, but I thought I'd take a short break from my break (LOL) and post about TOMS One Day Without Shoes.

Recently, on Facebook, TOMS Shoes along with Essie offered a contest where 5000 FB followers could win a bottle of an exclusive polish, One Day Without the Blues. I was very fortunate to be one of the 5000. The contest was to raise awareness of TOMS shoes' One Day Without Shoes, a day to raise awareness of shoeless-ness in third world countries.

For more information on One Day Without Shoes, click here

Also, here is the color, One Day Without the Blues...

If it looks familiar, it is... it's Essie Coat d'Azure. I cannot find my bottle of Coat Azure for the life of me, so you are just going to have to take my word for it. :P I know some people were upset that they weren't one of the 5000 chosen, and if that was you... fret not... as Coat Azure is easily available.

I still greatly appreciate the message and the cause, but it's not an exclusive polish (which is fine, I just don't want you lemming it as it's easy to find).

Short Hiatus

2011-03-31T19:00:00.000-04:00

Hi all, I just wanted to let you know that for a few days, I plan on going on a short hiatus. May be as long as a week. I am in the process of moving my office to our garage. That will give me much more room in our bedroom, but it will also let me put in a vanity table. Unfortunately, all this switching around is taking forever, so I will be on a short break until I get everything together again.

Zoya Sunshine Review

2011-03-29T23:29:00.004-04:00

Recently, Zoya came out with 3 new summer collections. The new Mod Mattes (which I recently reviewed), Sunshine and it's (yet to be reviewed) counterpart, Summertime. Today, I have for you Sunshine, which a collection of 6 glass-flecked metallic shimmers.

On all these, the finish is the same. It's a jelly-ish shimmer base with tons of golden shimmer. As this is the same on all 6 polishes, I'm simply going to list the base color in my color description. Additionally, each swatch is 3 coats, as they were a little sheer at 2 coats.

Apple - bright yellow-based green. This one reminded me of green apple candy, specifically, the green apple Blow Pops I was addicted to in middle school. The gold shimmer in Apple looks beautiful against the bright green base.

Faye - dusty browned-plum. This color is so unique. It's not purple, it's not pink, it's not brown... rather, it's a happy medium of the 3. Of the 6 polishes, this one has the brightest shimmer. I love this color and thing it would great on any skintone.

Kimmy - bright orangey red. Kimmy is so beautiful. It's an orange-based red, but I really like it on my skin, and the golden shimmer compliments the base really well. I think this would look amazing with a tan. Also, this one is definitely a summer red. IMO, it's the summer version of Zoya Carrie Ann, from the fall collection.

Reva - bright raspberry pink. This one reminded me of ChG Raspberry Festival, though it's packed with golden shimmer (IIRC, Raspberry Festival had golden glass flake shimmer, but it was rather subtle). This puppy is far from subtle. I love this one, and I think it's probably my favorite of the collection.

Rica - coppery pink. The base on this one is almost the exact shade of watermelon candy (the pink kind, not green), but it's so loaded with golden shimmer that the overall effect is a coppery pink. This is a beautiful color, but it didn't really compliment my skin. I think this would amazing on someone with a tan or with darker skin. It reminded me of ChG Strawberry Fields (another pink + gold combo that didn't like me).

Tanzy - golden orange. Okay, I have a love/hate relationship with golds. I love them in the bottle, but dislike them on me. This one isn't an exception, and because this one was an orange as well... it was a double-whammy. It's a beautiful color... a warm, golden orange base with tons of that golden shimmer, but it just didn't play nice with my skintone. Again, it would amazing on tanned/darker skin.

All in all, I like this one. It seems like Zoya's been doing a lot of these glass flecked metallic shimmers lately. I can think of at least 4 collections with some level of this finish. That said... that is fine by me. :) They do them exceptionally well! There isn't a color I don't like, just that some of them work with my pink skin and some don't.

These are now available at Zoya.com. Zoya retails for $8 a bottle.

These were sent to me for review

OPI Soft Shades Cirque de Femme Collection Review

2011-03-29T00:20:00.003-04:00

Every summer, OPI releases a small collection of "soft shades". These are usually milky pinks and whites in various levels of sheerness. This year's offering is Cirque de Femme. When I first got the PR info for this collection, I was intrigued, but also didn't expect much. I mean... it's whites and pinks and sheers. Zzzzzz. :P

But then I tried them. I've never really used many pale/sheer shades. The main reason is streakiness. I hate it when you apply a polish and you can see streaks. I got NO streaks with these polishes. NONE. In fact, I've always thought that sheer/thin = streaky, but these polishes proved me wrong. I think these are very pretty polishes and they do serve a purpose in the polish market as not everyone can, or wants to wear, bright blue holo.

Two of these can be worn semi-opaque if you so desire (I'll point those out in the review). I did 3 coats on all colors, except I Juggle... Men, which is two.

In the Spot-Light Pink - Milky, pink sheer. In the bottle, this one looks like it would be the deepest in tone, however, when you put it on, it's very sheer. In fact, I don't think there is a way to get this polish opaque. It's that sheer. That said, this is a gorgeous polish. It looks great at just one coat for a clean nail look. If would also look nice with a french manicure. The formula is nice, and it's actually thick for the polish being so sheer. I had no problems with application and I think this may be my favorite of the bunch (check my head).

So Many Clowns... So Little Time - Milky, off-white semi-sheer. I love the color on this one. It's definitely an off-white, but there's also a faint whisper of pink. Like I mentioned above, I did 3 coats on this one, but it looked very nice at one coat, for just a simple wash of color. As you can tell, I was able to get this one semi-opaque in three coats, though can see a bit of pink coming through from my nail bed, as well as VNLs. Also, I love the name. It's my twenties all wrapped up in polish form. :P LOL.

Step Right Up! - Milky, shell pink creme. This one was the most opaque of the bunch. It's a lovely pale pink, and like So Many Clowns... So Little Time, this looked nice at simply one coat, though I did 3 in the picture. The finish on this one was really nice. It had the squishiness of a jelly... almost like OPI's new Sorbet finish... only in super pale pink.

I Juggle... Men - Purple and blue, microshimmer in a clear base. This one reminded me of the Nubar glitter/shimmer topcoats we've been seeing of late. It's a thicker clear base, with very fine, micro-shimmer suspended in the base. It's hard to see the colors on my nails, but you can definitely see the sparkle in the bottle. 2 coats.

All in all, I really like these. I know lately, I've been sporting a lot of naked nails because I just don't want to deal with the hassle. These would be great to do as a simple, one-coat manicure for a little bit of color, when I'm in a hurry or polished-out.

These are available now at e-tailers.

These were sent to me for review.

OPI DS Coronation over Black

2011-03-25T11:28:00.000-04:00

Seems like I'm all about layering polishes over black nowadays. This is 2 coats of OPI DS Coronation over 2 coats of Illamasqua Boosh.

Hope you all have a good weekend. I'm going to try and stockpile some posts over the weekend as my training is really ramping up and I don't know if I'll have much time to post after it all goes live.

Both polishes were purchased by me

OPI Texas Collection - Cremes and Shimmers

2011-03-25T02:05:00.000-04:00

Finally, girls, I am bringing you the 2nd half of OPI's Texas collection. I thought it'd been about 2 weeks since I reviewed the sorbets. Um, no (insert embarrassed smiley)... it's been a month. Hopefully, it's better late than never. :P

So, like I mentioned in the sorbets post, OPI broke this collection up into 2 groups... cremes and shimmers and their new sorbet finishes. Today, I have for you the cremes and shimmers. If you'd like to see my review of the sorbets, click here.

Austin-tatious Turquoise - Bright turquoise blue with purple and pink shimmer. Sigh. As this one is amazing in the bottle, I wanted to like this one, I really did, but something (or perhaps several somethings) just doesn't work for me. First off, the color... it's bright and yet washed out all at the same time. It has almost a muddiness that doesn't work with the bright, caribbean blue. It takes forever to reach opacity (this is 4 coats) and the formula was think and slightly runny. I've heard it mention that Iceberg Lotus from Nicole by OPI's Target exclusive spring collection is a good, better formula dupe, but though I have that one, I haven't compared them.

Don't Mess with OPI - Dusty grass green. Another one that seems dupe-able. It reminds me of ChG Starboard, though if I recall correctly, Starboard is less dusty and more vibrant. Nonetheless, I liked this one okay, but it was nothing memorable. Formula was a tad iffy. I had a wonky brush on this one and the formula was uncharacteristically thin. I also had a bit of a problem with drag.

I Vant to be A-Lone Star - Pale, silvery blue with a slightly pearl finish. I liked this one a bit more than the first two. I did struggle with the formula is it had the same runny consistency as almost all the colors in this half of the collection. The color is very pretty, like a pale, silvery version of Nubar Blue Hydrangea. Like that polish, this one also gave me dirty-red-hands. Also, I get the Greta Garbo reference, but it seems a bit of a stretch to use a quote by a Swedish actress in a collection of Texas-themed polishes (but I fully admit that's nitpicking). 3 coats.

Totally Fort Worth It - Pale, champagne silver with coppery pink/red microshimmer. This one I really liked. It reminded me of Color Club Ms. Hautie and Barielle Jess' Champagne Toast. Both of those polishes were silvery, frosty bases with micro-shimmer/glitter. IMO, Ms. Hautie was a disaster and, while Jess' Champagne Toast kinda worked, it still had issues. The probably with both of them was the thickness of the frosty base. Well, in this polish, the thinness of the formula works. Because it is so thin, you are able to build up the shimmer without in sinking in the base color. It was frosty, so you had to watch your strokes, but it wasn't a huge issue. 4 coats.

San Tan-tonio - Warm, medium tan. Okay, I thought I would hate this one. I put it on, expecting to go "ugh, get if off" when surprisingly, I loved it. There's something about this color that works with my pale pink skin. It's a good neutral without getting into freaky "mannequin hands" territory. It reminds me of leather. Also, I think this one would look amazing topped with white crackle. The formula was still thin, but more manageable with this one. 3 coats.

Suzi Loves Cowboys - Warm, red-based chocolate brown. Okay, if you could take Stetson and make it a nail polish... it would be this color. There was a redness to this one that reminded me of mole' (which is appropriate for a Texas collection). I did find the red-tone a tad off-putting with my skin, but it's such a pretty brown that I can overlook it. Best formula of the bunch. 2 coats.

All in all, I have to say, I was maybe a tad let down by this part of the collection. The sorbets were so amazing that I was expecting such greatness from these 6 as well. Unfortunately, the just didn't meet my high expectations. San Tan-tonio, It's Totally Fort Worth It, and Suzi Loves Cowboys were my favorites. Austin-tatious Turquoise was my biggest disappointment, sadly enough.

These were sent to me for review.

Sally Hansen Nail Prisms Turquoise Opal

2011-03-24T17:25:00.000-04:00

I waffled on posting this all day. Thing is, it took this about 2a, after taking a sleeping pill, so my cuticles look awful. I'd been swatching Zoya's summer collection and I must have been high when I removed the last one. However... this color is too amazing to not post it. So, my apologies in advance for my bad cuticles and for any lemmings this may have created.

This is one coat of Sally Hansen Turquoise Opal over 2 coats of Illamasqua Boosh.

Remember all my whining about wanting an oilslick polish. Well girls, this *almost* kills the lemming. I still want something a bit more pastel, but this is so gorgeous that I may forget about the oilslick. LOL.

Then, just a little bit ago, I got a little creative. I was getting ready to take this off, so I figured I'd play with it. This is ChG Crushed Candy over my original mani. I used a swirl/circular motion. I also topped it with another coat of Turquoise Opal and then TC.

Unfortunately, Turquoise Opal is HTF and you have to resort to eBay. I hate to say it because scalpers make me stabby, but if you can afford this... you need it.

These were all purchased by me.

Zoya Mod Mattes Review

2011-03-24T09:37:00.000-04:00

Just when you think every polish company is busy churning out crackles, Zoya does the unexpected and takes us back to 2009 with another matte collection. Don't get me wrong, I love it when a polish company keeps us on our toes, and this was certainly unexpected.

Unlike Zoya's previous matte offerings, these are matte neons. Now, normally, neons dry with a satiny finish anyway, but these dry super matte. Also unlike the previous matte collections, only one of these polish contains any shimmer. The formula on these was pretty much the same for all the colors. They were surprisingly thin and and a tad streaky up until 3 coats, which isn't a HUGE problem. Normally with mattes, multiple coats is just asking for weird marks and bumpiness, but these evened out really well.

Lolly - Bright pink matte. Given the fact that OPI came out with La Paz-itively Hot matte almost 2 years ago, this color isn't incredibly unique. I blog-sold my LPH matte, so I don't have it for comparison, but I do think that Lolly is perhaps a tad lighter. Also, it doesn't have any shimmer. I do like the color though. It's very pretty, and flattering for any skintone. 3 coats.

Mitzi - Bright chartreuse green matte. You may remember from my NOPI Target spring review that I love anything in this tone of green. Back when in mid 1990's, I think I had a gazillion shirts in this color, and still gravitate towards it... in clothing. While I like the color, and think it's flattering when worn on my body, it just looks a little odd on my hands. It doesn't give me dirty-red-hands like mintier greens, it just doesn't play nice. That said, I think this would look great as a base for some of the upcoming crackles. Can you imagine this with OPI's new Navy Shatter? Amazing. 3 coats.

Phoebe - Bright caribbean blue matte. This one, probably not surprising, was my favorite of the bunch. It's a beautiful medium-toned blue. It makes me want to go on vacation... preferably somewhere warm, with palm trees and umbrella drinks. This one was my first of the 3 to swatch, so I had yet to realize that these were 3-coaters, hence the thin spots (though they were not as noticeable IRL as they are in my macro pics, so perhaps you can get away with 2 coats). This one was the only one of the 3 with any shimmer, which looked amazing when covered with a TC (see below).

Though, only Phoebe had any shimmer, I went ahead and topped all 3 with one coat of TC.

IMO, all 3 look really nice with the TC added, but it doesn't really give the "aaaaah" factor (like TC over the OPI Suedes or the other Zoya mattes) as seen on other matte + TC combos. It does make the shimmer in Phoebe come to life, but it just makes the other 2 look like normal, non-matte polish.

All in all, I think I like these. I wasn't a huge die-hard matte fan, and in fact, I've blog-sold all my mattes/suedes away, but there's something about these that make me like them. Maybe it's the bright colors or the pretty frosted bottles, but these are just happy and fun (something we can all use a bit more of, IMO).

Zoya polishes are available at Zoya.com and various online boutiques. They are regularly $8, however, through tomorrow, they are offering a BOGO sale on all summer colors (this collection plus the 2 bigger collections). You have to already have registered for this, so if you are new to the brand, you won't be able to participate, but if you've ever purchased from Zoya before, taken advantage of their previous promos, or if you registered on their website by Sunday afternoon, then you probably have a promo code waiting in your account.

These were sent to me for review

Also girls, I wanted to mention that today is the last day for my giveaway. Be sure to click the link above to enter.

Brokenhearted Nail Art

2011-03-23T12:38:00.001-04:00

This is 3 coats of Zoya Lolly (review coming) with freehand hearts in ChG Black Mesh and Lightning Bolt. It's pretty easy to freehand with the crackles, but you have to make sure you have just the right amount on your brush, as you really only have one shot (the black heart on ring finger is weird because I tried it twice).

Picture was flipped so you can see detail. Also, I know my cuticles are a little rough. I've been using acetone during swatching and it kills my cuticles. I try to use my Kaylala cuticle creme between swatches, but sometimes it's not enough (as you can see on my middle finger).

Lolly was sent to me for review. Lightning Bolt was sent to me for review. Black Mesh was purchased by me.

Press Release: OPI Bold Blue Shatters

2011-03-22T17:44:00.000-04:00

Wow. OPI has been sending out press releases like nobody's bidnez. I know you guys are probably sick of them, but I thought this one was so pretty I couldn't help but post it. Also, they posted these pics on FB, so you may have seen it there. I can't wait to see Turquoise Shatter.

Shatter Line Extended with Bold Blues!

OPI Launches Bestselling Shatter Coat in

Three Blue-Hued Shades

OPI expands its Shatter line with the addition of three new trendsetting shades: Blue, Navy and Turquoise. With nautical hues of cobalt, indigo and sapphire, these blues provide the perfect look for summer nails in one simple step. Inspired by graffiti art, Shatter leaves behind a crackled, two-texture finish when painted over any dry OPI hue.Adding top coat takes Shatter from matte to glossy in seconds.

“Black Shatter was received with great fanfare, showing that women are looking for new ways to express themselves and are excited to try different textures on their nails,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “By adding a variety of colors to the line, there are more options for every woman, whether she is looking for a funky aquamarine or elegant deep blue. Unlike traditional nail art which can be complicated and difficult to replicate, Shatter is easy to use and allows everyone to experiment with this new trend.”

In addition to the original Black Shatter, the line also features the Shatter coat in White, Red and Silver. All Shatter retail displays now feature Quick Response (QR)code, a two-dimensional barcode readable by smart phones and mobile phones with cameras and Internet capability. A quick scan of the display’s QR code will directly link to a demonstrational video – making application foolproof.

All Shatter products contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application.

Blue Shatter,

Navy Shatter

and Turquoise Shatter

will be available beginning May 2011 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $8.50 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each Shatter coat.

For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!

Press Release: OPI Serena Williams Glam Slam - France

2011-03-22T14:46:00.000-04:00

This just in from OPI. I am dying for ~~the pink and red shatter~~ all of them. :P I love pink and red together, so I can't wait to try that set in particular. Also, that gold glitter looks amazing and with white? That would be TDF for summer. Swatches should be hitting blogs sometime next month.

White and Red Shatter Debut for French Open!

Serena Williams Serves Up Four New Shades for OPI Glam Slam! Collection

OPI captures Serena Williams’ winning spirit with four additions to the Glam Slam! collection, including two new shades of the fashionable, must-have Shatter – Red andWhite. Launching in conjunction with the French Open, Glam Slam! France celebrates with two duo-packs for four unbeatable looks.

The first Lacquer set includes Spark de Triomphe (a monumentally marvelous silver glitter), paired with White Shatter.

Once applied over completely dried Nail Lacquer, Shatter begins to crackle, leaving behind a two-texture pattern on each nail.

The second Lacquer set features Rally Pretty Pink (rise to the occasion with this shimmering sunset-pink), paired with Red Shatter.

“We are very excited to continue working with tennis superstar Serena Williams to launch the next Glam Slam! shades,” said Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “France is a country with a rich history in fashion and setting trends. These four new color options are ideal for showcasing your own personal style, à laSerena, whether worn alone or overlaid with Shatter for instant nail art.”

“Whether I’m on or off the court, style is important,” explains Serena Williams. “In addition to watching the runways for the latest trends, I think it’s important to add my own unique elements. With the new White and Red Shatter, I can customize my nails for a high-fashion take on the classically elegant silver and sunset shades in the Glam Slam! France collection.”

New shades in the Glam Slam! collection will be introduced to coincide with each of the four major tournaments, beginning with the Australian Open in January 2011, followed by launches in May 2011 for the French Open, June 2011 for Wimbledon and August 2011 for the US Open. As with all OPI Nail Lacquers, the Glam Slam! collectioncontains no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and each includes OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application.

Glam Slam! France will be available beginning May 2011 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $14.95 ($20.95 CAN) suggested retail for each duo-pack.

For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!

Press Release: China Glaze Island Escape

2011-03-22T12:22:00.000-04:00

I remember on Twitter yesterday, there was a bit of a buzz about when Island Escape will be available. Well, I just saw this come through my email (though the release itself is dated 10/2010 - LOL). There's no availability date, however. I have asked Irene at China Glaze when these may hit the stores, so when I hear something back, I will edit the post.

These look so pretty and summery. I love the pink, purple, and blue ones already.

ESCAPE THIS SUMMER WITH HIGH SHINE AND BRIGHT SHIMMER

China Glaze Introduces Six Sizzling Shimmers and Cremes

Los Angeles, CA – (October 2010): Take an exotic island escape with China Glaze this summer with a tropical, shimmering rainbow of brilliant bright colors! Mix and match these hot hues to add a candy-like pop to that summer manicure and pedicure. Colors in the collection include:

· Papaya Punch: Crème based vivid orange.

· 108 Degrees: Flirtatious berry pink with specks of micro glitter.

· Senorita Bonita: Passionate purple shimmer with pink micro glitter.

· Blue Iguana: Bold and daring sparkly blue.

· Cha Cha Cha: Vivacious shimmer green.

· Electric Pineapple: High intensity crème based lime green.

Escape this summer to a far away place with China Glaze. Vacation in color!

The China Glaze Island Escape collection will be available as open stock colors, 6 piece box collection, 6 piece counter display, 12 piece counter display and 36 piece rack.

China Glaze is free of DBP, toluene, and added formaldehyde.

China Glaze nail lacquers are available through salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide. For more information, visit: www.chinaglaze.com or follow China Glaze on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ChinaGlaze

China Glaze is a division of American International Industries.

About American International Industries

For nearly 40 years, AII has been the leading manufacturer and worldwide distributor of innovative, quality beauty and skin care products for men and women. Our product lines include Ardell, Andrea, Body Drench, Bye Bye Blemish, Checi, China Glaze, Clean + Easy, Clubman/Pinaud, Duo, European Secrets, EzFlow, Fright Night, Gena, GiGi, Gypsy Lash, IBD, Jeris-Lustray, No Tweeze/Micro Tweeze, 'N Rage, Prolinc, RAW, Seche, SuperNail, Surgi-Care, Waterworks, Winning Nails, Woltra, Woody’s, and Youthair. For more information, visit our website: www.aiibeauty.com.

Experimenting with Crackle

2011-03-21T21:09:00.002-04:00

When I first got my China Glaze crackles, I'd heard that changing the direction of your strokes, will change the crackle effect. This stands to reason, of course, but I tried it once and it was a big fat fail, so I gave up. Then, I happened to receive a half of the collection from China Glaze to review about 2 weeks ago. They were sitting on my desk and I was bored, so I figured I'd give it another chance. I think this time, I was much more successful. :)

This is China Glaze Cracked Concrete over Zoya Charisma. I love this combo. From L-R:

1. Middle finger - I created this look using horizontal stripes rather than vertical. I think this is probably my favorite of the three.

2. Ring Finger - This was created by using half vertical strokes and half horizontal stripes. The "dividing line" is diagonally down the nail.

3. Pinkie Finger - This started out being more of a cross-hatch pattern, but morphed into a truly random patter when I started filling in the gaps.

Basically, the sky is the limit when it comes to creating designs with these thicker crackles (i.e. OPI, ChG) There's just a few ground rules you need to know...
- be quick
- have just the right amount of your brush. Too much will glob and too little will pull.
- just one coat. you can always apply another coat of crackle over the top of the one you are currently doing, for a cool layered effect, but don't try to do multiple coats of the same color at the same time. It won't crack and it will just look really thick and glumpy.

UPDATE - I wanted to add this pic. Per Kimberly's suggestion, I tried a swirl pattern. Starting with a dot of color in the middle and working my way around it in half-circles. Here's what I came up with...

Sorry for the quick and dirty pic, but I think this is the best one yet. Thank you, Kimberly, for the idea. :)

ChG Cracked Concrete as well as 2 others were sent to me for review. I also purchased the entire set of crackles prior to receiving my review samples. Charisma was purchased by me.

Zoya Charisma

2011-03-21T11:47:00.001-04:00

Sometimes I feel like all my polishes have a tendency to run together, so when something really catches my eye, I usually take notice. One of those such eye-catching polishes was Zoya Charisma. I picked this up a few months back, but just now got around to posting it. This polish is amazing. Seriously.

Here she is without TC. Charisma is a neon, so she dries satiny. (sorry for the weird mark on my middle finger. that's thanks to my recent trip down fake nails lane :\).

She's beautiful on her own, but once you add a top coat... sigh.

Charisma is a beautiful red-based, bright purple neon. I love this polish and I love it on my nails. I find it very flattering.

Does anyone know of anything else along the lines of Charisma in Zoya's line up? I love it so much that I'm dying for similar polishes (more in brightness of color and finish rather than color itself).

Also, does anyone else call Zoya polishes "her". Such a weird habit. LOL.

FYI, I wanted to mention, as this is a post about a Zoya polish, that currently, Zoya.com is offering a BOGO promotion on all their SUMMER polishes, limit 7 free (EDIT: I didn't realize initially that this promo was only for the new summer releases) The catch? You have to have registered before the promo went live. Basically, if you've ever bought from Zoya in the past, taken advantage of one of their previous promos, or registered prior to yesterday at 5p... you're in. I know they are doing individual promo codes for this promotion, so you will have to log in to your account and access the promos section. The code should be there. I know they recently mentioned on Facebook, that they still had 50,000 more codes to roll out, so if yours isn't there, give it a bit more time.

Giveaway (and general) Update

2011-03-20T03:03:00.000-04:00

Hi girls, you have 5 more days to enter my giveaway. Ends on 3/24/11 at 11:59p.

Please click the link above to see the prizes.

Also, I wanted to mention that as I am typing this, I have 437 entrants with most everyone qualifying for extra entries. Because of this (which is awesome, BTW), the results of the giveaway may be delayed. Especially considering that I recently got another contract job offer and the training class begins on 3/24 (yeah... happy birthday, but hey... money!).

I will do my best to have everything compiled and both winners notified by 4/8/11 (that gives me an extra week), but if it's delayed further, no worries. I promise to have it completed as soon as I can.

Like I mentioned above, I have another job beginning on 4/1 with my training starting on 3/24. Unlike my last position, this one does not have an end-date, so I'm going to have to figure out ways to juggle blogging and my job, as well as the kids and the house, and all the other hats I have to wear. :P Here's hoping I don't completely crap out on you guys like I did before.

I'm going to try my hardest to swatch through my backlog this week, as well as schedule some new posts for future weeks. I'm in the process of moving my office from my bedroom into a corner in our garage, so finding the time may be a bit difficult, but I'm gonna try. Famous last words, huh? :P

Press Release: OPI Nice Stems Collection

2011-03-19T12:00:00.000-04:00

Seems like I've been posting a lot about OPI's new collections and I have another one to show you. Seems like every summer, OPI has a soft shades collection, a brights collection, and a "regular" small collection. I've already showed you the releases for the soft shades (Cirque de Femme) and the brights (Pirates of the Caribbean), and today, I have for you the release of their summer collection, which is usually a small 4 piece collection (last year it was Summer Flutter).

This year, they have a small collection of... get this... all pinks! Now, I know we as nail polish fans have a tendency to poo-poo "basic" colors, but I am so excited for this collection. I adore pink (especially bright pinks) and these look like beautiful colors.

Here's the info from OPI... FYI, guys, these won't be available until June, though press samples should be making the rounds sometime in May.

Summer Pinks in Bloom!

Nice Stems! by OPI Revamps Nails with Vibrant Pink Hues for Summer 2011

Stop and see the flowers with summer’s Nice Stems! by OPI, a limited edition collection featuring four new nail lacquers in stunning shades of pink. With whimsical names based on their floral inspirations, these vibrant, flirty colors range from pale, frosty pink to rich fuchsia. Nice Stems! offers fingers and toes a perfectly pink shade for all of summer’s looks.

“These vibrant, feminine hues complement 60’s ladylike fashions, 70’s glam looks, and bold color-blocking, which are the season’s staples,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “The Nice Stems! collection also offers an interesting contrast and feminine accent to the punk and biker looks on the runways.”

Nice Stems! by OPI shades include:

Play the Peonies

We’d put our money on this lovely soft-pink.

Come to Poppy
Surrender to shine with this shimmering coral-pink.

Be a Dahlia Won’t You?
Give the gift of fabulous fuchsia—to yourself! (Megan here... dying for this one)

I Lily Love You
Fall head over heels with this light pink sparkle. (this one, too *sigh*)

“Using different micas and glitters can give lacquer a 3-dimensional look,” adds Weiss-Fischmann. “I Lily Love You is a glitter coat that can be layered over any of the other three shades to add a bright sparkle; or, it can be worn on its own for a subtle tint of pink with strands of glitter.”

The Nice Stems! Nail Lacquers by OPI contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application.

This limited edition Nice Stems! collection will be available beginning June 2011 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $8.50 ($10.95 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!

Comparison: Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow vs Nicole by OPI Brilliant Idea

2011-03-18T16:47:00.003-04:00

In yesterday's review post, I mentioned that Nicole by OPI Brilliant Idea reminded me of Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow, so I figured I'd do a quick comparison for you (and for me. LOL).

I also mentioned a few days ago that I wore Nubar Honeysuckle with Boom Boom Pow on the tips and got tons of compliments, so I wanted to show you that look as well. Well, I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone. :P

This is Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow on my middle finger and pinkie and NOPI Brilliant Idea on my ring finger.

Tonally, though the NOPI is very green in the bottle, once you get it on the nail, especially layered, it really does look like a golden polish, so it's very similar to Boom Boom Pow. The differences are that the NOPI has a thicker base which is tinted (the Lippmann base is clear, but full of gold dust) and the hexagonal glitter in the Lippmann is larger. It's easier to layer with the Lippmann as there is no way you are gonna get that puppy opaque. That's not the case with the NOPI, so while you can do 3 coats with the Lippmann, you can only do 1, possibly 2, with the NOPI. Also, Brillant Idea doesn't contain the gold dust that Boom Boom Pow does, so it's lacking a bit of the brilliance, but again... it's still very close.

Honestly, if you are lemming Boom Boom Pow and just can't fork over $20 for a glitter topcoat, definitely consider picking up Brilliant Idea. It's not identical by any means, but it's very similar and will probably kill the lemming, and I'm saying this as someone that LOVES Boom Boom Pow. Plus, it's 13 bucks cheaper. Cheaper is better. :D

As for the look of Boom Boom Pow over Honeysuckle, I am love with this, and it's my new favorite thing to do with Deborah Lippmann's hexagonal glitters. I'm actually planning more as I type this.

Nicole by OPI Brilliant Idea and Nubar Honeysuckle were sent to me for review. Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow was purchased by me.

Nicole by OPI Something About Spring Collection - Pt. 2 (Glitters)

2011-03-17T21:10:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, I showed you the first 9 polishes of this collection. Tonight, I bring you the remaining 3 polishes in the collection, all of which are glitters.

Brilliant Idea - golden-green mulit-sized glitter in a tonal clear base. In the bottle, this one is definitely green. However, on the nail, it turned much more golden. It actually reminded me of Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow once it was on the nail. This one is jammed packed with glitter. I was able to reach opacity in 3 coats, something I didn't think would be possible one I saw it in the bottle.

Make a Comet-ment - holo micro-glitter in a clear base. This one seems pretty straightforward... a holo glitter top coat. However, it's actually pretty unique in that it there is tons of micro-glitter in the base, and after 3 coats, your nail is so covered in glitter that you could get away with wearing this alone. You can, of course, layer this, but you don't have to, which is great. The application on this one was fantastic. Also, unlike the other 2 glitters in this collection, the finish on this one is very smooth without topcoat. 3 coats.

Nicole's Nickel - hematite grey, multi-sized glitter in a tonal clear base. Remember in yesterday's post where I said that one of these glitters was amazing? Well, this was the one I was talking about. It's so beautiful and incredibly unique. It almost looks like you have marcasite on your nails. This one, like Brilliant Idea is packed with glitter. It was almost opaque in 2 coats, but completely so in 3. This is one of my favorites of the collection. Gorgeous!

Honestly, I wanted to mentioned that I did these separately because they are glitters and glitters in general are a PITA to swatch, but these were remarkably stress free. They removed extremely well.

I love these. Love. Nicole's Nickel is FANTASTIC. Seriously. If you get two from this collection, get I'm a Pool for Your Love and Nicole's Nickel. Hands down. Again, these are available at Target and Target.com.

These were sent to me for review

Nicole by OPI Something About Spring Collection - Pt.1 (Shimmers and Cremes)

2011-03-17T03:41:00.006-04:00

Recently, I received Nicole by OPI's Something About Spring collection for review. I had received the press release a couple weeks ago, and I was immediately intrigued by several of the colors, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on them. :) This collection is exclusively sold at Target and Target.com. This collection is pretty much divided into 3 groups... shimmers, cremes, and glitters. Today, I have for you the largest group, the shimmers, and the 2 cremes in the collection. Tomorrow, I should have the remainder of the collection.

First up... the cremes.

Daffy Dill - Bright lime green creme. This is a very pretty lime green in that it doesn't lean too yellow. It reminds me of the Fiercely Fiona and Who the Shrek Are You? from last summer's Shrek Forever After collection, but it didn't seem quite as bold as those two. Don't get me wrong... it's definitely in your face, but it's not day-glow. IRL, this is one of my favorite colors. I remember having a t-shirt this color that I wore into the ground. LOL. So it makes me smile, it's just a little too bold for me to wear everyday. Application was fine, though I had to do 3 coats to reach full opacity.

Pink. Seriously. - Bright, blue-based, medium-toned pink creme. This one isn't crazy unique, by any means, but it's so pretty. Really pretty. Seriously, pun intended, I think it's become one of my favorite pink cremes. Most of my favorite pinks leans to the warm side of the color (which is an anomaly for my pink skintone), but this one is definitely blue-based, and I really like it with my skin. I can see me wearing this one quite a bit. Application on this one was perfect. Pic is 2 coats.

Next is the shimmers, which themselves can be broken down into 2 categories... metallics and jelly(ish) based shimmers.

Sea How Far You Can Go - Champagne metallic shimmer. This one was a bit of an odd duck to try and describe. It's a bit champagne, a bit grey, and a bit taupe. It almost reminded me of Color Club Snakeskin without the frostiness. This is one of the 2 metallic shimmers. Formula was fine, but it was thin (which you want to achieve a nice depth to the shimmer). It took 4 coats to reach opacity.

Shell Me the Truth - Pale shell pink metallic base with golden shimmer. This is the second metallic based polish in the collection and truth be told, it was a total surprise. At first, I thought it was going to be your standard shimmery shell pink. Then I put it on and was blown away by the amount of gold shimmer in this one. It's overtakes the pink base, but not in a bad way. This one reminded me somewhat of China Glaze Pink Rox-E, but unlike that one, this one I actually like. Thing is, pinks with golden shimmer, rarely work on my skin. This one does. I love it, and think it's definitely one of my favorites of the collection. Again, thin formula, but not unworkable. 4 coats.

Dandy Lion - Goldenrod jelly base with tonal shimmer. This one has so much shimmer that it almost looks like a metallic. It's not. It's a jelly base that suspends the shimmer. I really like the concept on this one, but I'm not a huge fan of the goldenrod color. It's beautiful, but just doesn't work with my skin. Thin formula to allow for buildable shimmer. 4 coats.

Pink-Nic in the Park - Pink jelly-ish base with pink tonal shimmer. This one is so pretty. It does have a slight purple color shift, but it's not a true duochrome. I kept thinking, while I swatched it, that you pink-girls are gonna love this one. It's so pretty for spring and would look great with navy. Pic is 4 coats, but it was thin and buildable.

These next three shimmers are quite similar while being different colors. They all have jelly bases and are packed with pink, blue, and purple shimmer. FYI... I wanted to mention that while I call these and the 2 above "jellies", they are not what I consider *true* jellies because they are able to reach opacity. However, they had the same "squishiness" of a jelly. The were kinda similar to OPI's new sorbet finish, just they had shimmer. HTH.

Iceberg Lotus - Green-teal with pink, blue, and purple micro-shimmer. Okay, first up... I have to mention that my picture on both this one and You're S-teal the One are not color accurate. I tried, but my little camera just couldn't handle 'em. :P Honestly, if you want to see a good idea of this color... look below. That picture is very similar to the true color of this one. It's a really pretty green/blue shimmer (that leans more green that blue). Like the other colors, this one was thin and buildable. 3 coats.

You're S-teal the One - Cerulean blue shimmer with pink, blue, and purple micro-shimmer. Again... not color accurate. It's definitely more blue than my picture shows. It's a beautiful blue that leans a bit teal. Pic is 3 coats. The bottle pic on the Target website is actually very close to this one, though perhaps a bit too blue.

I'm a Pool for Your Love - deep purple jelly with blue, pink, and purple micro-shimmer. Okay, if you are a fan of purple... run... don't walk to Target and pick this up NOW. I knew I would love this one as soon as I saw the press release and I was not mistaken. It's absolutely amazing. The base is a beautiful, vampy, deep purple jelly, but what sets it apart is the gorgeous shimmer. It practically floats in the base. If you love purple... you need it. Enough said. 3 coats.

All in all, I like what I've seen so far. I do think some of the names are a bit silly, but that's neither here nor there. I still have to swatch the glitters, and there is one that I think is amazing, but for my money... I'm a Pool for Your Love is where it's at. It is so fantastic. Like Top 20 fantastic! I've always thought of Nicole by OPI as OPI's little sister with the not-as-good colors and the funky bottles, but they are really stepping it up. I know they've recently changed brush designs, and as I had a few straw hairs, I think they are still ironing out those kinks, but aside from that... I think these colors are all a step in the right direction, which is giving Nicole by OPI even-footing with her big sister.

Again, these are Target exclusives and only available in Target stores and on their website. They are in the $7 range.

These were sent to me for review

Nubar Spring Garden Collection (and a sale!)

2011-03-14T21:32:00.003-04:00

As soon as I saw the press release on this one, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I know it seems like a lot of companies are doing polishes along these lines for spring/summer, and I know that all the soft/pastel shades are starting to run together a bit. However, I really like them, and this Nubar offering is no exception. Maybe it's because they are just so springy. :)

Also, these are set a part by the pretty pearl finish that all of these colors, save for one and the top coat, have in them. Some are more and some are less, so I'll try to specify in the reviews.

Baby Sprout - Pale yellow-green crene. This one is one of the two that I fell in love with as soon as I opened the package. Given past experience, I was a wee bit afraid that this one would make my hands look red and dirty, but I was actually pleasantly surprised. There's a bit of redness, but nothing that would deter me from wearing this. This color is so pretty. It's almost like a colored-white, if that makes sense. Like most pastels, it took 3 coats to reach opacity. Formula was a tad streaky at 1 and 2 coats, but that evened out nicely. The pearl in this one was pretty evident in the bottle, but more "hidden" on the nail.

Blue Hydrangea - Sky blue pearl. This one is hands-down gorgeous in the bottle. Unfortunately, on the nail, it really gave me a case of red-hands. Funny, because normally pale blues don't cause this (it's normally pale greens as mentioned above). The pearl on this one is very noticeable, and I'd say that this is the only one of the collection that I would classify as a true pearl, rather than a creme with pearl shimmer. It's not streaky, like a frost, so the finish is perfect. No formula issues and pic is 3 coats. It really is beautiful, though. Would look amazing with a tan.

Earthen - pale taupe creme. This one a spring/summer interpretation of a fall-ish "greige" creme. It's slightly murky and dirty, but it's so soft that it's definitely work-safe. The pearl on this one is definitely less than Blue Hydrangea, but it seems a bit more evident that Baby Sprout. No formula issues. Pic is 3 coats.

Honeysuckle - pink-coral creme. As soon as I saw the info for Pantone's 2011 Color of the Year, Honeysuckle, I've been trying to find it in nail polish form. I've seen several recommendations, CND Smoochie, Orly Butterflies, but nothing completely hit the nail on the head. This does. Yeah, it's just a coral creme, but it's so much more than that. It's a coral that doesn't lean too orange, so it looks really good on my pink skin. It also has a perfect application. I was able to reach complete opacity in 2 coats, and the formula practically glided on. Last week, I wore this as a full mani (with Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow on the tips) and I got so many compliments. Basically, this is my HG coral creme (something I've been searching for for years). Hands down... it's my favorite of the collection. This was the color without any pearl in the finish. (FYI, this is a tad pinker than my picture. It is very close to the Pantone color).

Pink Lily - pale, warm, baby pink creme. This one is pretty straightfoward. It's a pale pink creme that leans slightly warm (in the vein of OPI ElePhantastic Pink, though that one is MUCH darker... same family). It almost looks like the inside of a shell. Very pretty. The pearl on this one is about the same as Earthen. Pic is 3 coats. No app issues.

Purple Aster - Dusty, orchid purple creme. I love this one. It's not your standard pale purple. It's very dusty and looks like it contains a good amount of grey. Again, same amount of pearl as Earthen and Pink Lily. No app issues and this was only pastel to be opaque in 2 coats.

White Peony - soft white creme. This one is so pretty, though you really have to see it in person to fully appreciate it. It's definitely a soft white, but there's also a whisper of pink to this one that really captures the feeling of a white peony. I can almost smell them simply by looking at it (I adore peonies). I didn't have any real issues with application, but, as common with a white polish, this took 4 coats to reach opacity. The pearl in this one is pretty hidden, along the lines of Baby Sprout.

Yellow Primrose - baby chick yellow creme. I'm slowly starting to warm up to yellows and Yellow Primrose is a really pretty one. It didn't look like crap on me (which is my main reason from steering away from yellows), it actually looked pretty nice on my hands and the formula was good in general and great for a yellow polish. The pearl in this one was similar to Earthen. Pic is 3 coats.

This collection also includes a glittery top coat...

Dewdrop (pictured over Honeysuckle) - opal glitter in a clear base. This one reminded me of the Color Club glitters, only with smaller particles and a better formula (along the lines of the 2 glittery top coats from the Holiday collection, 2010 and Pixie Dust). This was a great top coat. Formula wasn't goopy or glumpy at all. This is 1 coat over the base color.

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All in all, now that I've had a chance to review it, I really like it. The colors are just so peaceful and happy and serene, that I can't help but like them. I like polish that makes me smile. Simply in terms of wearability, Blue Hydrangea was a bit of a miss, but I still like the color quite a bit, and plan on trying it with nail art or a white crackle. On the flip side, Honeysuckle is amazing and it's definitely in my list of favorites.

Also, a review on Nubar polishes would be remiss if I didn't talk about one of my favorite things about the brand... the bottle cap. Seems so silly, I know, but application and ease of application are everything in the polish world. You can have the most amazing polish with a craptastic brush, and it just wouldn't be worth it. I absolutely adore the wand on Nubars. It has a perfect place to rest your index finger which allows you to be very precise in your application. It's almost like using a pencil. I love it.

And now the sale that I mentioned in my title... From now until 3/18, Nubar is offering this complete collection for $39.95 (the 8 in the case plus Dewdrop). As Nubars normally retail for $7.50 and this breaks down to $4.44 a polish... I think this is a fantastic deal.

These were sent to me for review

Quick Monday Update

2011-03-14T12:01:00.001-04:00

First off, I want to say Thank You to all of you that commented in my post and/or sent me messages/tweets/emails about Pepper. I'm feeling a bit better now, but during last week, I was beyond distraught, and your kind words really helped. I still miss her dearly, but it's getting better with each day. Thank you again.

Now on to happier things...

My giveaway ends in 10 days and I currently have 358 entrants. I will then have to compile all the entries. I wasn't expecting such a response (thank you so much for it, though), so I may be a little ambitious in saying I'll have the first winner picked by April 1. I still plan on it, but it may take me a little longer than planned.

Don't forget to request to be in my Blogger Round Up, if you are so inclined. As I have so many to post, I may do a round up this week of all the people that have requested via my form or email. I have had many people request via my giveaway form, but I don't want to touch that data until after I close my giveaway for fear of messing something up. So, if you requested to be in the round-up in the giveaway form, you will be in the round-up after the giveaway closes.

Also, I've gotten myself in a bit of a backlog. I have several reviews to complete and I hope to get to them this week. I have the spring Nubars, Nicole by OPI Target exclusives, the 2nd half of OPI Texas, and the new Justin Beibers to swatch and review. Whew. At least I know I'm gonna be busy. LOL.

Hopefully, I should be able to start on the reviews by Wednesday. I'm currently re-painting Amelia's room. She told me she wanted a big girl room. I was happy to oblige her. Under one condition... that she doesn't even look at her walls with a marker/crayon/paintbrush in hand. :\ About a year ago, she decided that her walls needed to be painted. :S I was in the process of making her a mural, and she wanted to "help". So, the mural stopped and Amelia's "art installation" began. LOL. I swear... it's gonna take forever to cover this stuff up. I'm already down a quart of Kilz and I'm looking at probably 1 more (yeah... I shoulda just bought the gallon). I'm a horribly messer painter, so at the current moment, my hands are a mess. So, I'm hoping to be done within a couple of days so I can start swatching.

Press Release: OPI Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (Brights)

2011-03-14T03:24:00.000-04:00

So the last press release I posted was OPI's Soft Shade collection, so this one is their yearly Brights collection. Unfortunately, I do not have images for this. I didn't receive them with my release. However, if you have yet to see the bottle pics, you can see the release with pics at The Polish-Aholic (amongst others... Jen's was just the first one I remembered).

Discover a Treasure Trove of Color with New BRIGHTS by OPI, Inspired by Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Create Waves with Silver Shatter!

OPI captures the bright colors and breathtaking escapades seen in Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides with six limited-edition Nail Lacquers and a new Silver Shatter! Disney’s highly-anticipated fourth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise is directed by Rob Marshall and features an all-star cast, including Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz.

To celebrate the new film, OPI launches its Spring 2011 BRIGHTS Collection, which features a groundbreaking new color addition in the Shatter coat formula– Silver. Inspired by graffiti art, this shade leaves behind a crackled, two-texture silver finish when painted over any dry OPI hue.

“OPI is thrilled to celebrate the latest film in this beloved series,” said Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “The Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides lacquers were inspired by a world filled with mythical mermaids, gleaming treasure, and high-seas adventure. With shades ranging from sage and lavender to khaki gray and pastel pink, these colors are evocative of a warm, tropical setting, with a classic nautical influence.”

The Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides collection includes:

Skull & Glossbones

Best light gray ever, no bones about it.

Mermaid’s Tears

Few have seen this magical green.

Steady as She Rose

This gorgeous pink is your final destination.

Planks a Lot

Dive into style with this lustworthy purple!

Sparrow Me the Drama

This cool, collected pink means business!

Stranger Tides

Explore this uncharted sea of sage.

Silver Shatter

A shimmering sea of silver with a two-texture finish.

The Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides-inspired Nail Lacquers by OPI contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™Brush for the ultimate in application.

This limited-edition Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides collection will be available beginning May 2011 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $8.50 ($10.95 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!

I know many are questioning the term "brights" used in conjunction with such soft colors (at least that's how they look in the bottle pics), but I know, I, for one, am super excited about this collection. I mean... Silver Shatter over Mermaid's Tears (amazing name, BTW)?... come'on... hell yeah!

Press Release: OPI Femme de Cirque (soft shades)

2011-03-14T03:01:00.018-04:00

As I am in the process of swatching through my backlog, I figured I'd take this opportunity to post a few press releases I've received over the past few weeks.

First up, is OPI"s annual soft shades collection, which this year is entitled Femme de Cirque...

Behold! The Most Magnificent Shades on Earth

OPI Launches Femme de Cirque,

New SoftShades for Spring 2011

This spring, step right up and enjoy Femme de Cirque by OPI, four new breathtakingly dreamy additions to the SoftShades collection, designed to unleash a woman’s inner ring mistress. The collection includes three pink hues and one sheer glitter coat that can be worn on its own or painted over any of the other lacquers for an entirely new look.

“SoftShades Nail Lacquers make a very powerful statement by being enticingly feminine with a delicate hue,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “Every woman can feel like a shining star with this high performance collection. The sheer glitter coat is perfect to wear alone for a touch of sparkle, or to layer over another shade for a personal touch.”

Femme de Cirque by OPI offers four subtle, sophisticated Nail Lacquers that are the perfect accessory to any outfit. Delicate yet empowering, each shade is an elegant choice for any occasion. These show-stopping hues will complement any look – from classic to trendy or day to night – by infusing a dose of soft feminine charm. Femme de Cirque includes:

In the Spot-Light Pink

Take center stage with this pretty pop of pink!

Step Right Up!

And see the most amazing light pink right before your very eyes!

So Many Clowns, So Little Time

And this creamy nude pink is next on the list.

I Juggle…Men

Drop everything for this iridescent shimmer coat!

Femme de Cirque Nail Lacquers contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and each features the exclusive OPI ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application.

Femme de Cirque by OPI will be available beginning April 2011, at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $8.50 ($10.95 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!

I hope these images work okay. I had to kind of manipulate them to get them to work.

As for the collection, I'm usually a little wary about pastels or sheers or "soft" shades, mainly because of the streak-factor, so I'm really curious to see these. Also, I'm really intrigued by I Juggle... Men.

Multi/Black Funky French

2011-03-12T03:10:00.000-05:00

Or, I should probably subtitle this post "macro is a bitch". :\

I took inspiration from my Broadway Nails "harajuku style" glue-on nails from a couple of days ago (link), and tried to replicate the look using my natural nails. I did it, pretty successfully, I thought. It was pretty messy, but I thought I'd done a damn good job of cleaning up. I used a brush and everything. Well... this is what my camera saw...

Really? :'( Holy effin smokes. I looked at my nails pre-pics and I thought it was so cute. It probably could have benefited from some nail guides, but other than that... I thought it was a success. Then I looked at the pictures all zoomed in and nearly had a heart attack. OMG. :| I promise you girls, I did clean up. Like I mentioned above, I even used an old eyeliner brush, for crying out loud (normally, I'm just a q-tip girl).

Honestly, I was gonna chalk it up to a huge failure when I figured I'd go on and post it. Afterall, it was a wee bit time consuming to create this look. I figured at the least, you'd get a good laugh, and at the most, maybe some of you would find inspiration in my mess and recreate the look with much greater success.

To create this look, I sponged on Nicole by OPI Pink. Seriously (part of the new Target collection), Fingerpaints Chrysanthe-mum's the Word, and Zoya Robyn. I think added a coat of Nubar Dewdrop over the sponged color, and a french in Illamasqua Boosh. I then added 2 coats of topcoat. I loved it before my disastrous macro pics, and even now, I really like the look, I just wish it was neater, and wish that macro was kinder. LOL. I think if someone were to try this on longer, squarer nails, it would look amazing. Just think of all the color combos. :)

Here's hoping my pic made no one sick. :P

Dermelect deal on Bloom.com

2011-03-11T11:47:00.002-05:00

If you've read my blog for any length of time, you know that I credit the Dermelect system for saving my nails. It really works. The downside, the complete system is around $60 (though you can sometimes find it for less). Well, I got an email yesterday from Bloom Circle* (formerly Bloom.com) stating that you can get the Dermelect Nail Recovery System FREE with a $70 purchase. It normally sells from them for $59. Code is der310. The have quite a few brands, including a small selection of OPI, Priti (which is Diamond Cosmetics, just more expensive), and Zoya. Unfortunately, it seems like the prices on their products are slightly inflated. Though, they are probably not jacked up too high to negate the savings on the free product.

Also, with your first purchase at Bloom Circle, you can get $40 in rewards. Your purchase must be over $40 and the reward dollars will be placed in your account after your purchase. So it's essentially like getting $80 worth of stuff for $40. BUT, it can't be used concurrently with any other code and it's for your first purchase only (at least that's their fine print).

DISCLOSURE: the above link is to sign up with me as the referrer. Honestly, I've never referred someone to them before, so I'm not sure of the "reward", if any. I tried to poke around and find that information, but they didn't have it listed. Doesn't seem to be like Hautelook or Zulily where you get $10 for referring a friend. If you'd rather sign up with out me as your referrer, simply follow this link. It takes you to their homepage. I just thought I would mention this because it seems like a great deal on the Dermelect Nail Recovery System.

Blogger Round Ups

2011-03-11T00:54:00.001-05:00

Hey girls... I just wanted to give you a quick little update regarding the round ups.

I have added a "Round Up" tab to the top of the page. On that page, you will find general information about the round-ups, as well as a form to fill out if you'd like to be included in my next one.

Also, in my giveaway form, I have asked people to include their blog URL if they'd like to be listed in my round-up. As of about 6 hrs ago, I had almost 300 entrants with maybe 40% of them requesting to be in the round-up. That's no problem. In fact... I love it. Just keep in mind that the round-up may be delayed because of this.

I hope to have the next round up live by April 1. For this next round up, it will consist of those of you that have emailed me, those that have responded in a comment, those that have requested to be included via my giveaway form and those that fill out my new swanky form. Due to the high volume of requests, I probably won't send out emails letting you know that you are included (something I've mentioned on the form).

Also, depending on just how many I have, I may or may not break it up into multiple posts. A lot of blogs to list is fantastic, but after so many they all run together, especially for someone reading the post, if you KWIM. :)

Keep up the requesting, btw. Just because I have lots already doesn't mean that more aren't welcome. :)

Broadway Nails Fashion Diva glue-on nails in Angel (BHFD02)

2011-03-10T22:47:00.002-05:00

You would think that as someone that habitually used glue-ons for almost 9 months and sucessfully recovered from the damage that I would shudder at the thought of glue-on nails. Well, I do... and then again... I don't. Quite frankly, I love the look of a lot of the funky french glue-on nail designs and in all honestly, I have about 6 boxes in the wings waiting on me to use them. Unfortunately, I always chicken out, remembering what a PITA they were when I had to use them.

Then I saw these at Wal-mart. I passed by them about 2 times before I saw "harajuku style" on the package. Well... after that point... they had to be mine. That also shot them up to the top of the queue in the "glue-on nails waiting to be used once I finally quit being a pansy" line. I guess because they are so adorable, I finally decided to do it. Well, that and the fact that I, once again, broke my pinky nail so I was able to use them without filing.

So, today, I decided to put them on. Unfortunately, as soon as I put on my pinky nail, I knew I wanted to get them off. Don't get me wrong... they are freaking adorable, but I just couldn't handle the thickness on my nails (due to the nail damage, my nail beds are hyper sensitive). Nonetheless, I decided to go on and finish my hand so at least I could show them to you all.

The Pros -
- Adorable. I wish I could do this with my natural nails.
- Nice length if you have shorties (like me)... anything beyond a smidge out from your fingertip will need to be cut down. So I guess that's a con if you have long nails.
- Gel glue that's easy to place and doesn't goosh out the sides of the nail.
- Easy-to-read sizing with tabs rather than the size on the underside of the nail.

Cons -
- Aforementioned length issues for long nails/nail beds.
- Easy to break the top of the nail when you remove the tab. I did this on my middle finger and had to file it down and cover up the damaged french tip with black polish.
- Thickness... and this is subjective. I really didn't like the way it felt on my nails, but someone else could have NO issues.
- Removal. On the package, it says to simply soak in acetone, and I know other people do this and have the nails desolve within minutes. With me... it seems that I always have soak my nails for at least 20 minutes (in acetone... ugh) and then I still have to work at removing the glue.

All in all... I think these were kind of a fail on me, but that's just because of personal preferences, rather than the product itself. I think they would be totally adorable on someone else. I can just imagine these with a brightly-colored dress for prom.

Broadway nails are available in a myriad of designs from full-nail designs, to funky frenches, to white and pink frenches, and you can find them at most big boxes, drug stores, and grocery stores with cosmetics departments. They are normally in the $6-7 range. I think these were $5.94.

Sad News :(

2011-03-09T08:31:00.001-05:00

I hate to be a downer, but I wanted to post this 1. because I've been tweeting about it and 2. because if I'm not posting as much or if I seem to sad or cynical or general bitchy, this is why.

On Monday, my husband and BIL went outside to fix a small leak in our roof (part of a series of bad events that had happened over the past few days). Unfortunately, while out there, they noticed that one of our dogs, Pepper, was still "sleeping" in her house. Normally one to jump up and be part of the action, it seemed odd that she wasn't getting up. So, Tim went to go check it out. Sadly, she must have died at some point during the day. She was fine earlier in the day.

I can't tell you how sad this makes me. We bought Pepper, a black cocker spaniel, when she was 10 weeks old, about 7 weeks before we got married. When we went to the breeder, there were 2 black, female puppies to chose from. One was small and dainty and the other one was a hoss. I remember picking them both up to see how they'd react and the big 'un peed on me. I figured that was my dog. :P

She was our "trainer baby" for years. I loved her like my own child. Unfortunately, when the twins came along, I wasn't as able to show her as much attention as I used to, but I still loved her like crazy. I feel like I have a hole in my heart and I can't go 30 minutes without getting weepy. She would have been 10 years old this year, and she was a purebred that had a few health issues during her life, so it's not unrealistic that she died, just completely unexpected.

I don't handle death well. I find myself wanting to go out and get a new cocker spaniel that looks like her and name it Pepper, but then I remember it won't be Pepper and I find myself crying all over again. Hopefully, in the next few days (weeks?), I'll start to accept it better. We still have another dog and 3 cats, but losing Pepper feels like losing a child.

I tried like mad to find a picture of her. Unfortunately, I think are all on long gone computers and online accounts. But, I did manage to find one, though I had to scan it. Here is she around Christmas 2003. We'd dressed her up as an angel and made her our Christmas card that year.

RIP Pepper Ann Williams
9/7/01 - 3/7/11

I will miss you forever.

Fingerpaints Sketch N Etch

2011-03-06T12:00:00.009-05:00

As you may or may not know, as I post about it every so often, Essie Dominica Green is my #1 lemming. I honestly can't tell you why, either. Greens in general have a tendency to look crappy on me, though dark greens, much less so. However, it can still be a crapshoot. Doesn't matter. I still need it.

I know some people would give their right arm for Essie Starry, Starry Night. Well, Essie Dominica Green is my Starry, Starry Night. I know in the past, Essie herself has been asked if she would bring back Dominica Green, and all she does in hem-and-haw around the subject, so I'm taking that as a no.

It's very rare to see Dominica Green in a swap, auction or blogsale, so my only real option is to find a good dupe. I felt like I'd searched and searched when about a month ago, I happened on a post by Kaz at Pretty Random about Dominica Green dupes. I tried to find the Nat Robbins she mentions, but to no avail. Thus, I was left with Fingerpaints. It's easily available and I happened to pick it up in my last Sally's run. Here she is...

Even though it seems a bit frostier than Dominica Green, it's still a gorgeous bright green with golden shimmer, much like DG. So in that regard, I think it's a very good lemming-killer. I'd heard that the Essie was on the thin side, however Sketch N Etch is not. In fact, it's opaque at 2 coats. Part of me will still want Dominica Green for the rarity of it, but as far as color goes, I'm very happy with Sketch N Etch.

Fingerpaints are readily available at Sally Beauty B&M stores and online. Price is $4.49 with your Sally card and $4.99 without.

OPI DS Desire with ChG Crushed Candy and Lippmann Boom Boom Pow

2011-03-06T00:07:00.000-05:00

Okay it is crazycakes how much I love this. :D

I was inspired by this post on the MUA NB. I don't have WNW Prancer, so I figured I'd do the gold one instead. I had on OPI DS Desire and because I can't go 6 hrs without doing something to my fingers, I figured I'd add some crackle (me thinks crackle is the new konad. LOL). Then it still needed something so I added Boom Boom Pow.

I love it so much and I will be a little sad when it's gone.

A few OPI Designer Series Swatches

2011-03-05T16:13:00.000-05:00

Like the rest of the nail polish world, I've recently found myself lemming holo (and duo/multi chromes, but that's another post) polishes like nobody's bidnez. With OPI Designer Series polishes being the main objects of my affection. :)

What's funny is when I first started reading nail blogs, I picked up a few holos and just didn't like them (*gasp*). I even had OPI Exclusive and gifted away to my sister (*gasp* again), though she said doesn't use it and I can have it back. Nowadays, I can't get enough of them. But (and this is a big but), they can't be sparse scattered holos. I recently saw ChG Tronica at Sally's and the holo was so scattered and so hidden that I immediately put them down. I like a holo, that even in low light, you can tell what it is. That's what I love about the older OPI Designer Series polishes.

Here are 2 of the old DS holos I picked up last week...

Chiffon - rose pink holo. I loved this one since the moment I saw a swatch of it, which was probably a year ago. Unfortunately, even back then, it was already d/c'd and being sold at ridiculously jacked up prices on eBay. So I passed. I picked up OPI DS Opulence in hopes that it would be a good substitute, but unfortunately, it wasn't as bright as I wanted. So I continued to lem Chiffon. I was finally going to pull the trigger on eBay, and then I found it for $8 on Amazon (unfortunately, they've since sold out :( ). Unfortunately, I think the pink may be a tad too warm for my skintone, but I think it's still a beautiful polish. The formula was thin, but that's okay, because you want it to be buildable. Pic is 4 coats.

Desire - Smoky, golden holo. This one is such an unusual shade. At some point last year, TransDesign happened to put a bunch of older Designer Series polishes on their site. Maybe they found a box hidden in a corner. Dunno? Anyway, I'd waffled on this one a few times. I obsessively looked at Scrangie's picture (which is amazing, btw) and read as many reviews as I could find, and when I finally decided that YES, I wanted it... it'd sold out. :( I was bummed, as the only other place I could find it was jacked up on eBay. I'd do a search for it ever-so-often, and I finally found this one, about a week ago, at Beauty Clutch. It was retail ($12.50), but I'd pay retail over jacked-up, eBay prices anyday. When I first put this one on, I was a little disappointed. It was more golden than I'd seen in pics. Then I started adding on the coats. With each subsequent coat, the base color deepened. By 4 coats, it was a beautiful smoky, blackened gold. I seriously think this is tying OPI MPJ holo as my favorite polish of all time. Sigh.

In addition to holos, it seems that OPI, especially recently, is using their Designer Series line to showcase duochrome-y shimmers, like this one...

Magic - royal blue shimmer with purple/pink duochrome shimmer. I knew I would love this one as soon as I saw it in the bottle. The royal blue is so pretty. I kept thinking "this is what I wanted ChG Dorothy Who to look like". It's so amazing. Formula was perfect. Pic is 2 coats. This one is a new release (came out end of last year), so it's easily available. I got mine on Amazon for $4+ shipping.

Hope you guys like these. I'm still lemming on OPI DS polishes (Illuminate and Coronation to name 2), but they are going to have to wait awhile, taxes are looming. :\

"Take that, 36"... A GIVEAWAY!!!

2011-03-04T01:04:00.009-05:00

QUICK UPDATE - If you entered before I changed the form to request a valid email address, please either resubmit your form, give your email in the comments, or email me. I will adjust your entry. My apologies. I knew I forgot something. :P

This month, I turn 36. And, quite frankly, I'm not having an easy time of it, either. Just the other day, I was visiting my mom and nana and I couldn't make my mouth form the word "six". I got the "thirty" part out without much problem, but it was the second part that was tripping me up. :P I suppose part of it is because I'm emotionally/mentally exhausted trying to figure out what's going on with Blake. But another (bigger) part of it is my deep-seeded age issues. I've always had a hard time with getting older. At 24, I started freaking out about turning 30. :| Part of the problem is that I feel like I should have done so much more, with each passing year. I feel like at this point... my mid-thirties... I should have my shit together. Of course, I told this to my 90-year-old nana and she said to let her know what that happens, because she's still waiting. :P Hahaha. I love my nana. <3

So anyway this year, to kind of thumb my nose up at my impending old age and essentially turn lemons into lemonade, I decided to turn the month of March into a celebration *throws confetti*. At least on my blog, anyways. :P So, from today until the day of my birthday, March 24, I will be hosting a giveaway. Well, technically... 2 giveaways. Never one for moderation, I am going to have 2 prizes for this giveaway, and I think they are both pretty awesome, if I do say so myself. :) Giveaways always put me in a good mood!

Prize 1 -

China Glaze Anchors Away Sand & Sea

- Below Deck

- Knotty

- Pelican Grey

- Sea Spray

- Sunset Sail

- White Cap

Lippmann Glitter in the Air

Prize 2 -

China Glaze Knotty Nauticals:
- Ahoy!
- First Mate
- Hey Sailor
- Life Preserver
- Lighthouse
- Starboard
Lippmann Happy Birthday

As you can tell, I tried to pick the Lippmann glitter than coordinated with the China Glaze collection. I definitely plan on doing a post with all these layered with the corresponding Lippmanns before the giveaway ends. :) FYI, the China Glazes in the pictures are brand new, but these are my personal Lippmanns. The ones for the prizes are still en route. If you a winner, yours will be NIB. :)

Entries -

Each (correct) entrant receives 2 mandatory entries. I'm also giving you the opportunity for extra entries. For this giveaway, you have a total of 5 available entries. As always, once you get to the extra entries, you can do none, one, some, or all.

1 and 2. You get one entry simply by filling out the form below and being a follower. New followers are always welcome. :) You get a second entry by telling me if you are in the US or international (I have method to my madness - see below).
You can get extra entries by doing the following...
3. Following me on Twitter
4. Tweeting about this giveaway
5. Blogging about this giveaway

As I mentioned in the form, this giveaway is open to US and international readers, alike. In the name of fairness, if the first name pulled is an international reader, then the second winner will be a US reader, and vice versa (this is why I need to know if you are US or international). Also, the first name drawn will get her choice of the prizes and the second winner will get the other prize. The first winner will have 2 days to respond to my winning email before I pull another name. The second name will be pulled after the first winner has been verified. The second winner will also have 2 days before another name is drawn. Giveaway ends at 11:59p EST on 3/24/11.

Also, be sure to fill out the "Blog Love!" section of the form if you'd like to be in my round up or if you'd like me to list your blog roll. :)

If you have any questions regarding this giveaway, please ask it in the comments, shoot me an email, or tweet me.

Thanks and GOOD LUCK!!!

DISCLOSURE - Anchors Away collection was provided by China Glaze (I was sent a second review set and got permission to include it in a giveaway). Deborah Lippmann polishes were purchased by me.

China Glaze Crackle Lightning Bolt over golden glitter

2011-03-01T12:43:00.003-05:00

This was inspired by pics of the new OPI and Serena Williams collaborations, due out this May. In the pictures, there is a new White Shatter that they layer over a champagne gold glitter, Spark de Triumphe (I'm assuming this is the French Open portion of the collection). I loved the look so much, I had to recreate it right now. So, I used 2 coats of OPI Glitzerland, with one coat of Fingerpaints Winter Wishes. I then topped the whole thing with China Glaze Crackle Glaze in White Lightning (which I'm quickly becoming addicted to) and 2 coats of Seche Vite. I love this.

FYI... if you'd like to check out the pictures of the new Serena Williams collections and the new "Shatters", check out this post at Addicted to All Things Pretty.

Blogger Round Up

2011-03-01T01:18:00.000-05:00

I swear, kids and schedules, and general down-in-the-dumps-yness can make me such a slack-ass blogger. I totally meant to do a Blogger Round Up 2 Fridays ago. Then I planned to do it last Friday, and well... I plan and Providence laughs. LOL.

So, here I am posting your Friday Round Up on Tuesday. :P

My Travel Diary

Kawaii Nail Art

Life and Polish

Lately, I'm Obsessed With...

Polished Pirate

Gimikdgirl

Embellishments

Love Bean Girl

Nail Polish Anonymous

Glitta Gloves

Whew! I think I got everyone. As always, if you'd like to be included in my next round-up (which look to be happening monthly now), please send me an email or reply in this post. You don't have to be a new blog (though that was the intended purpose when I began these round-ups). Just a nail polish or beauty blog. That's it.

While, I normally ask people to either respond in a round-up post or email me, this time around, I also added the girls that posted their URL in recent posts. I know I have mentioned this before, but I really don't mind you including your URL with your comments. No, no one likes a link-bomber, but if you are a new blog just starting out, or if you would like to up your readership, or even if you'd like me to review your blog, I have NO problem with you including your URL in any post. Simply, be respectful. That's all I ask. :)

Also, if you contacted me, and I forgot to include you, please email or tweet me. It wasn't on purpose. I just missed you. I'll be more than happy to add you. :)

Fingerpaints Palette of Petals

2011-02-28T23:30:00.000-05:00

So I happened to pop in my local Sally's yesterday afternoon, about an hour before they were set to close. Lucky for me, they'd put out all of their much-anticipated collections. They had Orly Precious, ChG Crackle Glaze, ChG Tronica (big fail for me) and the Fingerpaints 2011 Spring collection, Palette of Petals. They were all such beautiful colors and the display was so cute with the accompanying rings, that I had a mind to pick up all 6 of them, but the pink and the purple looked dupey and the orange would look like doo on me, so I opted for the most unique colors, Chrysanthe-mum's the Word, Carnation Creation, and Aren't You Glad-iolous. Horrific names aside, I think I may be in love with all 3 of these...

FYI, I had a bad break on my middle finger (stupid car door), so swatches are now down to 2 fingers. :S I apologize, but I tried to do 3 and they looked so horrid, I figured 2 was better than looking that that hot mess. LOL

Aren't You Glad-iolous - Pale lavender creme. In the bottle, this looked decidedly more periwinkle (though more on the purple side of periwinkle rather then the blue). However, when I put it on, almost all the blue disappeared on me and it became more of a grey-lavender, along the lines of Zoya Marley from the recent Intimate collection. I was a little bummed because I was hoping for a true periwinkle (must break down and by ChG Secret Periwinkle finally), but it's still a beautiful color. Best part? The formula on this one, and Carnation Creation, are fab. It flowed on the nail and if I'd wanted, could have done one coat. I did 2, but it could have been a one-coater if I wasn't so anal about 2.

Carnation Creation - teal creme. Okay, this one was totally frustrating to photograph. Much like ChG Flying High from Up and Away, in the picture, it looks far more green. If you want to see a truer swatch, please check out Kellie Gonzo's swatches. She did a much better job of capturing the true color. It's a great teal, and again, the best part is the formula. I did 2 coats, but I could have easily done one. BTW, the looks amazing topped with ChG Crackle Glaze in Lightning Bolt. All that said, as much as I love this color... Head's up, girls... it will stain. A base coat is not optional with this one. I didn't wear a base, and now my nails are green. :\ Not a big deal... just make sure not to forget that BC.

Chrysanthe-mum's the Word - Spring green creme. This color is so happy. I originally picked it up to recreate the look that Jen at The Polish-Aholic created using this and ChG Lightning Bolt (it's the first one in the post), but then I swatched it and realized that it's a pale green that actually looks good with my skin. So while, I definitely plan on trying out her idea (and I told my Sally's SA about it as well), I do plan on wearing this alone as well. The formula on this one wasn't as nice. It seemed thicker and goopier and could probably have benefited from a drop or 20 of thinner. 2 coats.

Also, like I mentioned above, these come with these adorable stretchy rings that coordinate with the polish color...

Aren't they adorable??? Fair warning, though. My SA told me I could swap out ring color if I wanted, I didn't, but if you wanted to make sure you picked up the ring that coordinates with the polish (the thought of them being swapped out drives me bonkers), you may want to pick these up sooner than later.

I'm pretty sure these are meant to go live tomorrow, March 1st, but there's been talk of them being out a bit early. I got mine yesterday.

I purchased these for myself

Sunset Gradient

2011-02-21T19:21:00.000-05:00

Because of the formulation of the sorbets and closeness of the colors, I was able to do a gradient without sponging. I created this using 4 colors from the OPI Texas sorbets. This is 2 coats of Y'all Come Back Now Ya Hear topped with 1 coat each of Guy Meets Galveston, Too Hot Pink to Handle, and Houston, We Have a Purple in a gradient pattern. I topped it with one coat of Seche Vite, after everything had dried just a bit.

This really reminds me of a fruity tropical drink.

OPI Texas Collection - Sorbets

2011-02-21T14:22:00.002-05:00

Today, I have for you the first half of OPI's new spring 2011 Texas collection. This half of the collection consists of 6 "sorbet" finish polishes. All of which, to some degree, are in the red/orange family.

As the finish on all these is the same, I'm going to only post color descriptions with the pictures and then discuss the finish below. All these had the same formulation and on all of them, it was 3 coats.

Big Hair... Big Nails - Orange-leaning, tomato red. OPI's PR info stated "rosy pageant peach", but on me, this was definitely a tomato-y red. I get the hint of peach, and the more I stare at it, I do see a touch of rose, but the first thing that stood out to me was the orange/red.... which I guess is just a more vibrant way to say peach/rose. :P

Do You Think I'm Tex-y? - Berry. Pretty straightforward. Just a different interpretation of OPI's classic berry cremes (i.e. No Spain No Gain or Manicurist of Seville).

Guy Meets Gal-veston - Bright coral. Coral was the descriptor in OPI's PR stuff and while I definitely agree, I almost wanted to use "guava" in my description. It's feels very tropical and makes me want a fruity drink.

Houston, We Have a Purple - Red-based purple. Very similar to Do You Think I'm Tex-y? (almost like the differences in No Spain No Gain and Manicurist of Seville, which I mentioned earlier). One is more grape and one is more berry, but they are quite similar.

Too Hot Pink to Handle - Bright red-pink. Again, another straightforward color. It's a beautiful red-based pink. Honestly, as boring as it may be... I think this is my favorite of the sorbets.

Y'all Come Back Now, Ya Hear? - Juicy orange. OPI says it's "tangerine". Potato, Potahto... same thing. LOL. :P Again, this reminded me of a new take on another OPI polish... Nicole by OPI Fresh Squeezed Orange.

One thing you must keep in mind is while the formula isn't thin per se, it isn't your typical OPI formula. It had a tendency to spread, especially down near the cuticle. It took me a couple of strokes to get the hang of it, but once I got it... they applied really well. You can't have too much product on your brush. In fact, less is more. You will want to do thin coats with all of the sorbet polishes, otherwise, you will get streaks as you build the polish. These dry very fast, so while it does take 3 coats to reach opacity, it doesn't take long. If you are interested, here's a link to a video from OPI about how to properly apply the sorbets (sorry about the link, I tried to embed and it wasn't playing nice)...

Sorbet Video

Regarding the finish on these... over the past few weeks, in the nail polish community, there has been quite a bit of buzz about this new "sorbet" finish. Admittedly, it has been as big of a buzz as the hubbub surrounding all the new crackle polishes (:P), but the chatter is still there. Mainly it's focused on if the sorbets are actually jellies or not. For my money... while I do see plenty of similarities with sorbets and jellies, I don't think that "sorbet-finish" is just a glorified term for jelly. To me, these have a milky quality that makes them stand out. While many people compare jelly polishes to candy or jell-o, IMO, these look like fruit snacks. I really hope that makes sense... otherwise, it means I spend WAY too much time around 5-year-olds. :\

Also, I really like the finish on these, and I'm not a huge fan of jellies. I find them to be frustrating as a true jelly will never reach opacity. These do. It takes 3 coats, but they will become opaque. However, like OPI mentions in the video, you can of course wear these as a colorwash over your nails by using only one coat. Here, I used one coat of Too Hot Pink to Handle, to show you the effect with just one coat...

I'm not a huge fan of this look, but at least it doesn't look like a streaky mess. So if you wanted just a bit of color, this might be a good solution.

All in all, like I mentioned above, I really like these sorbet polishes, and I'm kinda hoping that OPI offers more of them in the future (hopefully some in a different color range). These are available now at B&M suppliers and online at etailers. OPI retails for $8.50.

These were sent to me for review

Comparison: Zoya Caitlin vs Zoya Kelly

2011-02-19T14:46:00.000-05:00

In my review of Zoya Intimate post, Roberta commented that she didn't know if she needed both Caitlin and Kelly, as they looked similar. So I figured that would be a great comparison post, and I have to say before I post the picture that they are similar, but by no means dupey...

Left is Caitlin, right is Kelly

Honestly, they looked more similar in my mind than they actually look on the nail. Like I mentioned in my post, Caitlin seems like a springy interpretation of Kelly. To me, Caitlin is more of a grey-blue and Kelly is more of blue-grey. If that makes sense. IMO, if you love blues and greys, then yes... you need both. :)

Both of these were sent to me for review

Adoree Polishes

2011-02-19T01:30:00.007-05:00

Recently, the great folks at Esther's Nail Center sent me 5 Adoree polishes to swatch and review.

Unlike usual, I applied all these polishes over a sticky basecoat (Amour). Some were thin so it made everything flow better.

Also, as Esther's lists Adoree by number first, I've included that with each review.

166 Deep Purple - Tyrian purple shimmer with red and blue shimmer particles. This is a deep, rich, and regal vampy purple shimmer. When I first saw it in the bottle, I thought I wasn't going to like it, as I saw silver ribbons. And silver ribbons usually equate to frosty mess, but I was pleasantly surprised. There is a bit of frosty sheen to the finish, but it's not brush-stroke-y and it's not unflattering. This was one of the thicker formulas that I tried. Pic is 2 coats.

216 Fruit Shake - Pale milky peach with silver microshimmer. Okay, when I say "microshimmer", I mean microshimmer. The shimmer is definitely there, but because it is so fine, it tends to sit on top of the polish, giving the finish a slight pearl effect. It's not a pearl polish, but it does have a bit of a pearly sheen. I think this is a beautiful color, although it doesn't really work with my pink skin. I think it would look fabulous in the summer with tanned skin. It reminds me of a peach milkshake. The formula was pretty thin, but it was manageable. Pic is 3 coats.

191 Harbor Brown - Medium-toned brown frost. In the bottle, I thought this was going to more of a muted chrome, but once I put it on, it was full-on frost. The shade is pretty... a slightly warm, pink-based brown, but I didn't really care for the finish. I went very slow and was careful with my strokes, but you can still see strokes, which is just the nature of the frosty beast. The formula was nice. 2 coats.

165 Ivory Tusk - Golden ivory shimmer. This is another one I think would perfect on darker or tanned skin. It's sheer so it would either need to be worn as-such or be used as a top coat. I think this would look great over red or deep purple. 3 coats.

Tahitian Pearl - Grey-green/purple duochrome. Unlike the other polishes in this post, Tahitian Pearl is LE. Also, it doesn't have an item #. It's the first polish listed in their Adoree selection. If you love anything duochrome-y, you are going to LOVE this one. The green/purple flash on this is gorgeous. The catch? Of course there had to be a catch... it's extremely thin. Like if-the-color-wasn't-so-amazing-I-wouldn't-fool-with-it thin. This picture is 5 coats. I would normally never recommend a 5-coat polish, but the coats on this were very thin and it dried quickly. After I applied the last coat, I added a coat of SV and within minutes it was dry. So, while it is many coats, it's also not out-of-the-question. It's so pretty, I say it's my favorite of the 5 despite the thinness. It does look nice layered, but that has a tendency to change it from a duochrome to a shimmer.

In the US, Adoree is exclusively available at Esther's Nail Supply (at least I think it's exclusive). I haven't seen it elsewhere online and I'm not sure if it's sold in B&M supply stores. Adoree retails for $6 each and Esther's offers free shipping over $89 (they carry CND Shellac and a bunch of other supplies as well).

These were sent to me for review

Zoya Intimate Review

2011-02-17T15:13:00.002-05:00

Hi all. Finally, I am able to review this collection. I was so looking forward to it. I got it, and then my life got crazy hectic and it's just been sitting on my desk next to my keyboard for weeks. I was finally able to swatch it a few days ago. I wasn't completely satisfied with my swatches (my cuticles look not-pleased. LOL), but I figured I'd go on and post it, rather than wait any longer.

I want to apologize in advance for the super-nubs. They'd been doing so well, and then I had a break a few weeks ago and forced me to cut them all back. Then, 2 days ago, I was cleaning in Amelia's room and I must have hit my nail against something... because I looked down and the entire free-edge on my left ring finger was shattered. Now, I don't mind shorties, by any means, but I like them a little longer than this. LOL.

Anyway, back to the collection... Zoya Intimate is their Spring 2011 offering and I'm telling you... if you are in the mood for spring colors, this one doesn't disappoint...

Caitlin - Light to medium, grey-blue creme. In the bottle, this one was slightly pearlescent, but unlike with Marley (below) it didn't really translate to the nail. This is, essentially, Zoya Kelly reinvented for summer. If you liked Kelly, you will love Caitlin. Excellent formula. 2 coats.

Dannii - Mid-tone, red-based purple metallic with golden shimmer. Okay, I love this one. It looks like it a perfect balance between the colors in last summer's Sparkle collection and the 3 metallics in winter's Flame collection. While purple is rather common, this shade of purple is not. Also, I'm always curious to figure out where Zoya gets their name inspiration, and while I did find the name a bit odd (2 I's... really?), I also learned that there's an Australian singer/actress named Dannii Minogue (Kylie's sister). I know... random. :) This one is one of my favorites of the collection. Formula was perfect. Pic is 2 coats.

Dove - Pale grey creme. Even though, my picture leans it slightly green (which I'm not really seeing as I look at it in the bottle), this one is pretty straight-forward. I love this color and think it would look fabulous with pink in the spring. It also had one of the better formulas in the collection. Pic is 2 coats.

Gemma - Bright, olive-y green creme base with pink, purple, and blue microshimmer. Ah, Gemma. I loved you in theory. It was just so unique of an idea that I had to love it. Right? Well, in actuality... not so much. I say it's an olive green in the description above, but it's not drab. It actually looks like creamed spinach to me, but that's such a horrible descriptor, that I figured "bright olive-y green" was better. It's one of those greens that just doesn't work with my skin, and the flash, while really cool seemed a little odd for the base color. That said... I do love the idea, as I appreciate anything that doesn't follow the status quo, and I think it would look great on someone with darker or olive skin. Plus, I adore the name. Gemma is one of my "if I were British, I would name my little girl this" names. :P The formula was a bit on the thin side, but not hard to manage. Pic is 3 coats.

Jules - Champagne gold metallic. It seems like we have seen so many gold metallics lately, especially in the fall collections, and this one is a little unique in that it's more more muted and leans more taupe than a traditional gold metallic. I think it's a pretty color, but golds and Megan just don't mix. It's still a lovely color, though, and would make a beautiful summer pedi. Formula was a bit thin, but still just 2 coats.

Marley - Pale lavender with a pearlescent finish. The lavender in this one leans grey, so it looks great with the pearly finish. Aside from the differences in color, this finish on this one reminds me of CC Pretty in Platinum. I absolutely love it and it's one of my favorites of the collection. However, because of the pearly finish, you do have the be careful with your strokes. It's not the same as a frost polish, but pearls can show brushstrokes just as easy. Formula was fine. 2 coats.

All in all, I adore this collection. It reminds me of gauzy, spring chiffon scarves and Easter dresses. The top 3, for me, are Caitlin, Dannii, and Marley, though they are all beautiful colors. Gemma and Jules didn't worth my skin, and I do think Gemma is a bit of an odd duck, but there's nothing wrong with any of them.

I know a few weeks ago, on FB or Twitter, the Zoya Social Media Fairy mentioned that Intimate was on it's third production run. I'm sure it's more than that now.

Zoya Intimate is available at Zoya.com and retails for $7, though you can get the full collection for $36 (a $6 savings).

These were sent to me for review

Hi! My name is Megan and I'm a RBL reject.

2011-02-16T19:37:00.003-05:00

Okay, I know Ji had a shit-ton of entries, and perhaps it's my neverending naivete, but I was still hopeful that my entry would be picked. Alas, she posted the list of 11 hopefuls yesterday and my awesome idea was not part of the group. Bummer.

Here she is...

I'd been waffling about my entry ever since she announced the contest and I'd ultimately decided not to enter. Then I saw this and fell in love. Can you imagine? I took this the day after Christmas while we were out letting the spawn spend their Christmas money. We'd just had our first-in-who-the-eff-knows-how-long white Christmas and we were drying out the day after. Who knew the dirty asphalt at a gas station would look so beautiful?

Having the effect of an oilslick has long been a dream of mine. I know some polishes have come close, with OPI MPJ being the one that stick out in my mind. However, more than a holo, I wanted a dark asphalt grey polish with subtle tonal shimmery that flashes blue, orange, yellow, pink, and green (or a combination thereof). A multi-chrome, if you will. :) I know no nail polish could do the swirly effect above, but I thought a beautiful, shimmer multi-chrome could capture the message I was trying to convey.

Sadly, Ji just didn't like it or felt it couldn't be done. Which I suppose is, ultimately okay, as I've fallen out of love with RBL as of late. I finally decided I couldn't deal with trying to cope with the formula (which does not work with me), and blog-sold most of my RBL stash (I still have the 3 glitters, Plie, Smitten, and PH).

I've been trying to franken it, but I have no idea where to start. I got the asphalt grey down (with a combo of Zoya Freja, black creme, CC Wild Orchid, and CC Pretty Platinum), but it's I try to add the other colors that things go to shit. :\ I plan to keep on trying, but I dont' have faith. If any of you franken goddesses want to try it, feel free. :)

If you'd like to vote for your favorite of the 11, Ji has it posted on her blog. Personally, I voted for #6. :)

Kaylala Cutie Pie Cuticle Cream

2011-02-15T16:19:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, I received a sample of Kaylala Cutie Pie Cuticle Cream. As I'm always searching for a product to help my problematic cuticles, I was so excited to try it. Up until the last week (when everything was tossed in the air), I used it religiously on my cuticles and nails. We were going through a bit of cold weather down here and that always wreaks havoc on my cuticles. So, I was slathering this stuff on like nobody's bidnez and I kinda fell in love with it. :)

Packaging

Product

Cream on my nails

And now I realize I should have taken a picture of the ingredients list, but I forgot, so here's the list...

Refined Emu Oil, Organic Aloe Vera, Unrefined Beeswax, Organic Macadamia Nut Oil, Organic Apricot Kernel Oil, Vitamin E (non GMO), Organic Lemon Tea Tree Oil, Organic Turmeric, Lemon Oil.

All in all, like I mentioned above, I love this. I think it's great stuff. :) It's extremely soothing, so it's great to slather on after you've been playing in acetone or after you come in from the cold. Also, it's lemon scented, but it by no means smells like Pledge. It smells like lemon curd to me. I loved smelling my hands while I was wearing this. Is that weird? LOL.

Also, I adore the packaging. It's cute and seems a bit homespun, but by no means cheap. I feel it goes in line perfectly with their natural/organic/do-as-much-as-we-possibly-can-from-our-own-farm philosophy.

If you'd like to try Kaylala Cutie-Pie Cuticle Cream, it's available on their website (along with many other natural/organic products*). Price is $7.95.

*Also, be sure to check out the information on their family Emu farm. While by no means nail-related... I found it completely fascinating.

This was sent to me for review

My Poor, Little, Negleted Blog

2011-02-11T12:49:00.000-05:00

:(

Lately, I can't do anything but feel like I'm chasing my tail. Between dealing with scheduling Blake's appointments, trying to de-clutter my house, and forgetting to charge my camera battery for 2 weeks, my blogging has all but fallen by the wayside. I had great intentions of swatching, photographing, blogging last night but, I sat on my butt and watched a crap-ton of stuff on my DVR while folding laundry. Tim is still out of town until Sunday, so hopefully... hopefully... I will be able to get the kiddos to sleep tonight and blog while they are snoozing. I feel like I have so much to show you all. I have Zoya Intimate and 5 Adorees, as well as a couple of treatments, waiting in the wings. Plus, a few recent finds/loves that I have to show off.

I know no one likes a slack-ass blogger. LOL. But I'm really going to try to get back to your regularly scheduled posting soon. I have to. I miss it.