Nicole by OPI Got Style

   It's the start of a new week, but the end of another month.  And winter is only 1/3 rd over.  I think I need to move to a tropical island where it's in the 70s or 80s all year.  And sunny most of the time.  I like sun.  Sun is nice.

   Today's polish, Got Style from Nicole by OPI, has been giving me a hard time trying to figure out how to describe the color.  The closest I've gotten is a rusty rose.  If any of you can come up with a better description please share.

   The pigmentation of Got Style was good as was formula and application.  This one is a shimmery metallicy finish and is from the Wal-Mart exclusive collection.  I used 1 coat Seche Base, 2 coats Got Style, and 1 coat Seche Vite top coat.  

Direct Sun

Shade Sun

Indoor 

   I am not a fan of this polish.  There's nothing specifically wrong with it, it just doesn't speak to me.  Personally I would say give this one a pass unless you like to buy full collections.

Disclaimer:  The product(s) in this post were sent to me by the company for consideration

Nicole by OPI He's a Keeper

   Everywhere I go right now, I'm surrounded by hearts and teddy bears and chocolates.  Must be close to Valentine's.  *Checks calendar*  Oh look it is.  Guess today is a good day for a red polish then huh?

   Luckily I have just the one.  He's a Keeper from the new Wal-Mart exclusives released by Nicole by OPI.  He's a Keeper is a bright red creme that leans a little orange.  I was reminded of tomato paste a little bit.  But not in a bad way.  

      

   Application was smooth though again I had issues with the new brush.  I used 1 coat Seche Base, 3 coats He's a Keeper, and 1 coat Seche Vite.  I needed 3 coats to achieve even color, but most of you could probably get away with only 2.  I am getting better with the new brush, but I am still having some streaking issues.

Direct Sun

 

Shade

Indoor

   I was really pleased with how this color worked with my skin tone.  It did not give me 'lobster hands" nor did it over emphasis my paleness making my hands look sickly.

Disclaimer: The product(s) in this post were sent to me by the company for consideration.

Nicole by OPI One Less Lonely Girl Collection Part 2

   Nicole by OPI is bringing us more Bieber!  That's right, a second set of Bieber polishes is heading our way soon.  Keep reading to "hear" all about it.  


NICOLE BY OPI ONE LESS LONELY GIRL
8 New Lacquer Additions

Nicole by OPI is unveiling eight more shades in the One Less Lonely
Girl collection! With colors created by Nicole by OPI Executive VP &
Artistic Director Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, these eight new Nail Lacquers
are inspired by Justin Bieber’s songs and his devoted fans.

The One Less Lonely Girl Collection was conceived to raise awareness
for Pencils of Promise, an organization that builds sustainable schools
for underserved children in the developing world. In addition to educating
consumers about this non-profit, Nicole by OPI has committed to building
two such schools.

LACQUERS:

My Lifesaver
Go overboard in color with this soft mint green!
 
“Baby” Blue
A sweet light blue that totally loves you.
 
One Time Lime
A vibrant lime that’s worth your time.
 
I’m A Belieber
This popular purple has quite the following.
 
Red-y to Runaway Love?
Run away with this riveting red.
 
Make U Smile
Mood-boosting bunches of silvery glitter!
 
I’ve Got Bieber Fever
This gorgeous dark plum is super contagious!
 
Not A Gold Bigger
A genuinely glamorous gold that you’ll never take for granted.

RETAIL PRICE:

$7.99 each

AVAILABILITY:

January at Walmart and February at select Target, Sears, ULTA, and
other retail locations, for $7.99 each.

ABOUT PENCILS
OF PROMISE:

Pencils of Promise, a registered 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, builds sustainable
schools, partnerships and solutions to enable basic education for
underserved children in the developing world. More information about
Pencils of Promise is available at pencilsofpromise.org.

OPI Texas Collection and New Finish

   Exciting news from OPI today.  Starting with their Spring/Summer Texas collection, OPI is introducing a new sorbet-like finish to their line up.  Check out the press releases for both below.

Deep in the Heart of Color
 

OPI Launches Texas Collection for Spring/
Summer 2011

OPI comes “home” to the USA with timeless style in the Texas Collection
for Spring/Summer 2011. These vivid shades are as iconic as images of an
American summer – adding a fresh, effortlessly chic look for nails and toes.
“Texas provided the inspiration for this season, with bright colors and
classic neutrals that draw from the American spirit,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann,
OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “Taking cues from the state’s naturally
beautiful backdrop, the Texas Collection features warm tones from honey and
tangerine to dazzling hues of violet and sky blue.”
This season, American classics come to life with sunny peach (Big
Hair…Big Nails) and vivid honeysuckle (Too Hot Pink to Hold ‘Em). Lush
berry (Houston We Have a Purple) and grassy green (Don’t Mess with OPI)
add a splash of the USA’s most vibrant colors to the season’s must-have neutrals
“The Texas Collection complements trends from the runway, where
white made an appearance as the new black,” explains Suzi. “Wearing these
colors on fingers and toes will accessorize the season’s must-have pieces – from
brightly colored botanical prints and filmy scarves to relaxed trousers and jackets
and fuller, longer skirts – all done in shades of white, ivory, cream and taupe.”

Texas Collection accompanies spring and summer fashion favorites with the following shades:

San Tan-tonio
A “honey” of a ten-gallon tan!

Suzi Loves Cowboys
But she loves this campfire chocolate shade s’more!

It's Totally Fort Worth It
A shimmery lavender grey that’s so worthy of you.

Don't Mess with OPI
A lean, mean, kick-grass forest green.

Austin-tatious Turquoise
Cowgirls love this bodacious blue-green.

I Vant to Be A-Lone Star
You won’t want to share this starry Texas-sky blue.

Y'all Come Back Ya Hear?
This Texas tangerine will be waitin’ for ya!

Big Hair...Big Nails
A rosy pageant peach.

Guy Meets Gal-veston
An “engaging” coastal coral.

Too Hot Pink to Hold 'Em
A red-hot pink-red that deals a winning hand.

Do You Think I'm Tex-y?
A “berry” sexy bloom of Dallas dahlia.

Houston We Have a Purple
A galactic red-violet that’s ready to “rocket roll”!

OPI’s Texas Collection Nail Lacquer shades contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and each includes OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application.

Texas Collection by OPI will be available February 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.

Turn on the Heat with Icy Finishes!

OPI Introduces New Sorbet-Style
Lacquers for Spring/Summer 2011
From the company that brought revolutionary nail textures like matte, suede,
and Black Shatter to women around the world, OPI announces a new special finish
– semi-transparent sorbet shades. Featured first in the Texas Collection by OPI
for Spring/Summer 2011, these lacquers give fingers and toes a lightly glossed
“These sorbet-style formulas for nails will be in full swing by 2012, but
women can get a jump start on this trend with colors in the Texas Collection,”
says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “Unlike
thicker creams or light sheers, these twelve shades are slightly translucent –
similar to the look of icy, water-based sorbet!”
From sea blue and berry pink to tangerine and bright peach, the Texas
Collection features classic American colors. Designed to complement trends from
the runway, these candy-coated lacquers accessorize the season’s must-have
“To achieve the desired effect, an initial coat of Nail Lacquer should be
applied to all ten fingers first – without doubling up coverage,” explains Suzi. “Be
sure to start from the pinky finger on one hand and paint through to the pinky on
the other hand; then, after the first coat has dried, apply a second coat.”

OPI Nail Lacquer shades contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and
each includes OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application.
Texas Collection by OPI will be available February 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!

Nicole by OPI Count on Me

   Welcome to a new week.  This one will, hopefully, be dedicated to the new Wal-Mart exclusive Nicole by OPI shades.  There are four new shades that have been released this month.
   First up is Count on Me.  Count on Me is a very sheer lavender shimmer.  And I really do mean sheer.  It will be a lovely layering polish, but not one I would recommend on its own.  Unless you're looking for just a light wash of shimmer on your nails.

    Application was very smooth, but I did run into a few issues personally.  With the new January releases, Nicole has introduced a new wider brush style that is curved on the end.  I will do a separate post about the new brush later, but the new style is where my issues came from.  But not everyone will have the same problems that I did, but again that's for a later post.  Be careful with removal.  I had lots of leftover microglitter on my fingers when I took the polish off.  For these photos I used 1 coat Seche Base, 4 coats Count on Me, and 1 coat Seche Vite.

Direct Sun

Shade

Indoor

   In sunlight you will mostly see just the lavender shimmer. But in low and indoor light, a blue flash will also appear.  I think this is a lovely color and plan to try it over black and dark purples and blues very soon.

Disclaimer: The product(s) in this post were sent to me by the company for consideration

China Glaze Sugar Plums

   I'm fighting a migraine as I type, so this will be a short and to the point post.

   Sugar Plums is another Tis the Season... polish from China Glaze.  SP is a reddish purple, like the skin of ripe red plum, with multi-color glitter.   

Close-up to show glitter

   Formula and application were good.  The glitter does cause a bit of a gritty feeling when the polish dries, but a thick top coat should fix that.  Also, I found the polish to dry a little matte on its own, but again top coat fixes that issue.  Removal takes a little extra scrubbing because of the glitter and make sure you wipe in one direction to minimize leftover glitter on your hands.  I used 1 coat Seche Base, 2 coats Sugar Plums, and 1 coat Seche Vite top coat.

Direct Sun

Shade

Indoor

   Shade completely kills the lovely iridescence of the polish I found.  Click on the pictures to view them full size to get a true sense of the beauty that this polish is.

China Glaze Little Drummer Boy

   I know I said I was dedicating this week to some holiday polishes, but I've been a little down the last few days and not able to post.  Sorry about that.  But I guess today is a good day to feature a blue polish to match my mood.

   Little Drummer Boy is another polish from the China Glaze Tis the Season.... Holiday collection.  It is a darker blue that is just edging into blackened territory.  LDB has nice depth and shimmer.  Application was smooth and even.  The formula is the nice not gloopy not too thin consistency that is a pleasure to apply.  I used 1 coat Seche Base, 2 coats Little Drummer Boy, and 1 coat Seche Vite.

Direct Sun

Shade

Indoor

China Glaze Mommy Kissing Santa

   I think I might have my months confused.  Why you ask?  Well because this week is going to be dedicated to some holiday collection polishes.  These are the polishes I've had swatched and waiting to write up, but just haven't had a chance to because of work or various other reasons.
   First up is Mommy Kissing Santa from the China Glaze Tis the Season collection.   Mommy Kissing Santa is described as a deep cherry red shimmer.  And that's just what it is.

   Formula and application for MKS were both very nice.  Pigmentation was nice and only required two coats for even coverage and opacity.  I used 1 coat Seche Base, 2 coats MKS, and 1 coat Seche Vite.  Removal was pretty standard, no staining, no hard scrubbing required.  This is a very lovely dark red, but not so dark to be closer to black.

Direct Sun

Shade

Indoor

   I really like Mommy Kissing Santa.  It has nice depth and shimmer, can be worn to work with no problems yet still be fun and great for going out, and it's a color you can wear year round not just at the holidays.

   Because the Tis the Season was a holiday collection, you might have a hard time finding any of them in store anymore.  But they are still available online at various etailers.

Color Club Alter Ego Collection

   I have another new spring collection for you.  Today is Color Club's Alter Ego collection which consists of 12 new shades - 6 opaques and 6 sheers.  

Alter Ego!

   Color Club lets you create high-fashion looks for every identity with Alter Ego, their latest collection of diverse, long-lasting lacquers!

   Alter Ego’s consists of 12 shades! Go incognito with our opaque shades or rendezvous in full view with our sheers of Alter Ego ‘LIGHTS’ and ‘DARKS’!

   Alter Ego’s ‘Reveal Your Mystery Collection’ 7 piece salon pack includes Get a Clue, Revealed, Incognito, Secret Rendezvous, Sheer Disguise, and Give Me a Hint shades plus Milky White Base Coat. Their ‘Keep It Undercover Collection’ 7 piece salon pack includes Alter Ego, Secret Agent, Total Mystery, Alias, Ulterior Motive and Masquerading plus Vivid Top Coat.

   For more information call Color Club at 800-221-8080, email support@cosmeticgroup.com or visit us online at www.cosmeticgroup.com

Zoya Intimate collection

   Is it spring yet?  There's something about being snowed in in Georgia by a mere 5 inches of snow that's making me antsy for warm weather.  No I'm not scared of the snow, but the people who have never driven on snow and ice that are out on the roads terrify me.  And of course everything is closed anyway so there's really no reason to be out anyway.

   So with the cold grey skies and white ground outside a peek at the new Zoya Spring collection is a welcome distraction.  I am really looking forward to this collection.  It's full of soft, delicate cremes and metallics that remind me of spring flowers.  

intimate
a color romance

Temptations, whispers, dreams, secrets, illusions, liaisons, trysts... lingerie... kisses.

Zoya Nail Polish presents six new, elegant, full coverage yet revealing, metallics
and creams for Spring 2011 to rendezvous with.

Zoya Intimate Collection

Marley (ZP542) - lavender pink with a whisper of metallic

Dove (ZP541) - delicate, pale gray cream

Caitlin (ZP540) - misty, moody gray violet cream

Dannii (ZP537) - sparkling, enchanted orchid metallic

Jules (ZP538) - soft, glimmering gold kiss metallic

Gemma (ZP544) - mysterious green/purple duotone metallic

Zoya is the new color of fashion... The Zoya Intimate collection was
designed to recreate the custom looks developed for and inspired
by the runways of New York Fashion Week - Spring 2011.

Ultra long-wearing, glossy nail lacquers  by Zoya are free of harmful
industrial chemicals like toluene, camphor, formaldehyde,
formaldehyde resin, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) that are known
to cause cancer and birth defects.

Find Zoya Intimate as well as over 300 other ultra high-fashion
Zoya shades at www.zoya.com. As always, each and every
Zoya color is made for women so we name them after women.

Intimate by Zoya - available January 15, 2011

Sug. Retail $7.00 per 0.5 fl. oz. bottle (US)

http://www.zoya.com

Revlon Perplex

   Every once in a while a color comes along that you know you just have to have.  No matter how long it takes you to track it down.  For me, Revlon Perplex was one of those colors.  Perplex is a grayed purple with a lighter purple hidden shimmer.  
   There has been much talk, that I've seen, about Perplex being a dupe of Chanel's  Paradoxal.  I do not own Paradoxal, but the swatches and comparisons of the two I've seen make me say yes it is a dupe.  Or at least close enough that for the $20 price difference I do not feel the need to own both.

   Look closely at the middle of the bottle.  See the light purple shimmer that's just barely visible?  That shimmer gives the polish a depth and life on the nail which keep it from being just another grayed purple creme.  The formula was very thin I found.  I had to make sure to wipe not only the brush against the side of the bottle, but the wand as well to keep polish from pooling in my cuticles.  However, it is so pigmented that only one coat of polish is needed.  The one coat factor counter acts the thinness for me.  I used 1 coat Seche Base, 1 coat Perplex, 1 coat Seche Vite.

Direct Sun

Shade

Indoor

   As you can see, Perplex does dry a few shades darker on the nail that it looks in the bottle.  I found this to be a very almost neutral color on me.  It works well with my skin tone, doesn't call too much attention to itself, and yet isn't boring.  I even had one customer at work stop and ask what color it was before she left.  

   I apologize for the visible tip wear.  These shots were taken after a full day of wearing the polish and a shift at work.  The weather here has been very unpredictable and uncooperative for pictures.  Just today the sunlight and blue skies gave way to cloud cover and gray ickiness as I was in the middle of changing polishes to show you.

   The name Perplex is rather accurate for a couple reasons.  Not only is it reminiscent of Paradoxal, but right now you might be very perplexed trying to find the polish.  A search of the Revlon website for Perplex nets no results.  None of the stores in my town have started carrying it yet.  I found a display about a month ago at a nearby Ulta.  They had a separate display of nothing but Perplex, though it is no longer there.  Some people have reported finding it just mixed into the regular displays, but unmarked.  The bottle top says new shade not limited addition so eventually Perplex should be readily available most places. So if you can't find it right now, don't freak out you should be able to find it eventually.  But if you do find it, I say grab it.  I really like this color and even more so on than in the bottle.  I have a feeling that it will continue to be a bit hard to find for a while longer.

Zoya Facebook Code Reminder & Story

   Just a quick reminder that today, Jan 7th, is the last day to take advantage of the 3 free polishes code for Facebook fans.  So if you haven't already "liked" Zoya on FB, head over now and get the code.  If you have already liked them, or have already ordered, what colors are you getting?  I ordered Shawn, Jo, and Adina.

   I received this cute story about Zoya Reyzis, founder of Zoya nail polish, herself the other day and thought I'd share with all of you.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Funny how life works out sometimes...

Growing up in the Soviet Union, a little girl named Zoya dreamed of being a ballerina and dancing to Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Now, many years later, after a life immersed in music as a classical pianist and becoming a star in world of cosmetics, dreams have come true.

Enter the recent theatrical release of Black Swan. Early on in the film as the lead dancer, Nina (portrayed by Natalie Portman), prepares in her dressing room for a gala where she will be revealed to the masses as the new Swan Queen, a solitary elegant bottle of  nail polish briefly takes over the screen. This is where the line between a little girls fantasy and reality blissfully blurs. The bottle shown is Zoya Nail Polish in a delicate shade of pink named Bela.

Zoya Reyzis (founder of Zoya Nail Polish) and the Swan Queen of Swan Lake together at last.

China Glaze Anchors Away

   Spring is in the air.  At least in the retail world.  Everywhere I look stores are bringing out their spring lines in clothes, home fragrance, and even beauty.  Today for you I have the press release for the new China Glaze Spring 2011 Anchors Away collection.  Enjoy!

ALL HANDS ON DECK

China Glaze Introduces 12 New Glitters And Crèmes For Spring 2011

Los Angeles, CA – (October 2010): Sail away this spring in 12 nautically-inspired colors from China Glaze. These bold and confident brights are reminiscent of a carefree natural getaway, with soft ethereal hues that inspire leisurely thoughts of sand and sea. Colors in this collection include:

·        Life Preserver: Highly pigmented and luxurious poppy crème.  

·        Hey Sailor: Vibrant crème red.  

·        Ahoy!: Delightfully intense pink that flashes with reflective glass speck.

·        First Mate: Sophisticated and rich navy crème.

·        Starboard: Hip and playful green crème.  

·        Lighthouse: Multi-dimensional, bright yellow glass speck.

·        White Cap: Whimsical and sparkling multi-dimensional white.

·        Pelican Gray: High shine, cool toned grey crème.  

·        Sea Spray: Calming pale blue crème.  

·        Below Deck: A flirty mix of taupe and violet.

·        Sunset Sail: Delightful peachy pink high shine crème.  

·        Knotty: Micro-particle beige shimmer.

This spring, take a relaxing trip to the shore and sail away with China Glaze. Stop and smell the sea breeze!

The China Glaze Anchors Away collection will be available in two 6 piece acetates, a 12 piece display, a 36 piece rack, and as open stock colors.

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.