Nicole by OPI Fall 2011 Target Exclusives

Happy Sunday! I thought I'd play with my nails before I began studying. Today I have the OPI Target Exclusives to share with you. They really packed a lot of fun in this 4 piece set!

Sounds Grape to Me. Wine base with duochrome golden pink flecks that really pop on the nail. Sometimes I'm disappointed with polishes that look great in the bottle only, well this one didn't disappoint. The 3rd coat sealed the deal.

Green Up Your Act is a muted green creme that's very beautiful on the nail. Two coats are all that was needed.

I Love You Cherry Much has a cherry jelly base with multi-colored red flecks. It's like a party on my nails. Three coats got the party started, lol.

It's Not Me It's Blue has a blue base with silver and a hint of bronze glitter combined to create a blue-jean effect with 3 coats. I'm really diggin' this one!

Matted it just for fun.

This is a really fun set with quite a few surprises. I really like the different textured looks that the glitters and shimmers created especially Sounds Grape to Me and It's Not Me It's Blue. Application was smooth and easy and most of the colors required 3 coats. These are great additions for the upcoming Fall.

~The polishes were sent to me for review.~

Color Club Back to Boho Collection - Fall 2011 Swatches

"The Back to Boho Collection feautures twelve 70's inspired longwearing polish shades perfect for creating an effortless "Boho Glam" look. "

Rebel Spirit

Chocolate brown creme that looks more like a jelly, opaque in 3 coats. I don't wear vamps too often but I'm in love with this one.

Earthy Angel
A pretty creme camel opaque in 2 coats.

Nomadic in Nude

Greige creme opaque in 2 coats. Color Club describes this one as off-white but it looks more grey-beige to me. It's a pretty neutral but I prefer Earthy Angel with my skin tone.


Artsy Crafty
Muted military green creme, opaque in 3 coats.

Boho Mojo

Frosty silver that needed 2 coats. I'm a true silver lover but this was my least favorite because of the streaks. If you apply a top coat you may want to wait until the polish is dry to avoid smears.

Shabby Drab

Purple greige that was thinner than I expected. I used 3 coats but I didn't mind because it's quite beautiful.

Rad Nomad
Dark purple-brown creme that reminds me of Essie Smokin' Hot. 3 coats.

Voodoo You Do

Charcoal grey with blue undertones. Two coats are all that was needed.

Nouveau Vintage

Red wine base with green/gold shimmer throughout that comes together to give off a rustic look. I really love how textured it looks on the nail.

Red-ical
Crimson red creme opaque in 3 coats.

Blue-topia
Deep blue jelly that looks almost black indoors. Quite beautiful. I used 3 coats.

The polishes went on smoothly with 2-3 coats each. Some of the colors were thinner than I imagined but they dried well with a shiny finish. Most are cremes so there may be some dupes out there. The only one I can think of is Rad Nomad and Essie Smokin' Hot. So if you missed out on the Essie, Rad Nomad just might crush that lemming.

The standouts for me are Nouveau Vintage, Rebel Spirit, Blue-topia, Shabby Drab and Artsy Crafty. Most of the colors capture the Boho-Glam feel but I would love to see a dirty orange thrown in the mix. I'll just have to settle for Nouveau Vintage which best represents the theme for me!

The Back to Boho Collection will be available Septemeber 2011.

~The polishes featured above were sent to me for review~

China Glaze Metallica Collection Swatches

Hello everyone! I can't believe it's almost Friday. I started a new rotation this week and I've barely had time to relax but I wanted to pop in and share the China Glaze Metallics Crackles with you. Enjoy :)

Oxidized Aqua

Platinum Pieces

Tarnished Gold

Cracked Medallion

Haute Metal

Latticed Lilac

All of the crackles were applied over dry polish, except Oxidized Aqua and you can see there's a difference in the way that it crackles (larger gaps). I actually prefer this look, so next time I'll apply them over wet polish. My only concern would be getting the base coat mixed in with the crackle, but that can be fixed by applying it over a clear top coat instead of directly over the base.

I like the idea of Metallic crackles and how they shimmer, especially when they're matt-i-fied. It seems like everyone is jumping on the crackle band wagon, even those that aren't too familiar with polish trends. My boss even asked me about crackle polish, lol. I think China Glaze did a great job putting a spin on a trend that's being over utilized. The Metallics provide an edgy look but can be softened by pairing them with your favorite pastel.

China Glaze Metallic Crackles can be found at Sally's Beauty Supply or your favorite E-tailer.

~Some of these products were provided for review~

Snake Skin Mani

Snake skin is the new nail trend and while I will probably never put the real thing on my nails, I'm always down for a little stamping. Since brown doesn't allow enough contrast for my taste I thought I'd try it over pink. Not very realistic but still fashion foward and eye catching.

Products: Orly Cotton Candy, Color Club Kiss & Break Up, Konad White, BM-215.

And I leave you with a little breakfast video... and a little lunch. Todrick Hall is a former American Idol contestant. I just found out he was making a series of youtube videos. They are quite entertaining. Enjoy :)

OPI Announces Pink Shatter - Press Release

Let’s Shatter Breast Cancer!

OPI Announces New Pink Shatter: Pink of Hearts Nail Lacquer to Support

Susan G. Komen for the Cure^®

OPI launches the limited edition Pink Shatter: Pink of Hearts Nail Lacquer to support Susan G. Komen for the Cure^® in its promise to save lives and end breast cancer forever. The 2011 Pink of Hearts edition will follow in the footsteps of its namesake 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Nail Lacquers in raising awareness of breast cancer for the fifth year in a row, during the months of September and October (National Breast Cancer Awareness Month). Unlike previous shade incarnations, this year’s Pink of Hearts Nail Lacquer marks the debut of fan-favorite Shatter coat in OPI’s first pink shade.

“We are continuing to support Susan G. Komen for the Cure in the hopes of increasing breast cancer awareness, while inspiring and empowering women. The organization’s dedication to this cause is unwavering,” remarks Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “OPI is proud to join with Susan G. Komen for the fifth consecutive year to offer Pink Shatter: Pink of Hearts. By launching our first-ever Pink Shatter coat, we hope this exciting new textured hue will generate lots of awareness for this cause.”

Each bottle of Pink Shatter: Pink of Hearts has a special pink-ribbon tag and pink cap wrap to call attention to breast cancer awareness. OPI will also be making its annual donation of $25,000 to Komen for the Cure. Pink Shatter coat contains no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and it also features OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application.

The limited edition Pink Shatter: Pink of Hearts will be available throughout the months of September and October 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!

About Susan G. Komen for the Cure®

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which is now the world’s largest breast cancer organization and the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer with more than $1.9 billion invested to date. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure, breast health or breast cancer, visit www.komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN.

No Room for The Blues

Happy Monday! I had a long, not-so-great day today. I planned on studying tonight but I'll have to put that off until tomorrow. For now, I just want to sit at home in my jammies, watch trash TV and forget about responsibility for a few hours while I paint my nails :)

My NOTD is No Room for the Blues by OPI. It's very fitting for a not-so-fun day and it did manage to brighten things up a bit. NRFTB is a gorgeous medium blue creme with a splash of green. For fun I added foil accents. I know many of you guys don't like foils but these are some of the easiest to work with.

Fun, simple and elegant.

A close-up to show details of the foil. My boss was so amazed by this technique, lol.
Well, I have to catch-up on my shows now. Hope you had a better day than I did! Thanks for stopping by :D

Color Club Fractured Collection 2011 Swatches, Part 2

Today I have swatches of the second half of the Fractured Collection. You can see the first half of the collection here.

Spitting Image a medium blue over Maybelline Go-Getter Green. I love this combination! Very summer-ry.

Kiss & Break Up a pretty fuchsia crackle. It's somewhat sheer which allows the base color to show through. I layered it over Orly Cotton Candy.

Tattered in Gold is a sheer foil crackle that should be applied in a medium coat. It looks great over pastels. I used Finger Paints Blissfully Blue.

Close-up to show texture. It dries matte but a topcoat brings out the bling.

The colors are fun for the summer, easy to apply and crackles in a few seconds. They look best with a medium coat of fractured polish, too thick and you get too few crackles. My favorites are Tattered in Gold and Splitting Image. Tattered in Gold is a great alternative for those who haven't been able to find the Sally Hansen Gold Crackle, or are overall dissatisfied with the results.