Milani Rad Purple

   It's officially summer.  And trust me it's felt it around here.  But you know what that means right?  Time to break out the neons.  No time like summertime to have eye searingly bright nails.

   So to celebrate the beginning of summer I'm sharing with you a purple, what else really?, neon from Milani called Rad Purple.

   Now don't let the bottle fool you, that is not the color of the polish.  It's just a colored bottle.  The actual polish is more of a plummy red purple.  Like all neons, Rad Purple dries to a matte finish.  This can of course be changed with a top coat if you'd like.  I've left it matte for these photos.  

   Normally I don't show you guys my right hand, for a couple reasons.  One I'm right handed so application is usually not as pretty on that hand and because taking pictures with my left hand is just really awkward.  But oddly enough, my right hand turned out better than my left with this polish so I'm going to show you both.  Please ignore the peeling skin on my right hand and sad cuticles.  That hand gets a lot of abuse at work.

   The formula on Rad Purple was VERY thin and watery.  So when applying make sure you wipe the excess from the brush and stem or you will get flooded cuticles.  Because of the thinness of the formula, application can be a bit streaky if you use thin coats.  Which you will see on my left hand.  With thicker coats, which you will see on my right hand, the streaks are less noticeable.  Otherwise application was pretty smooth and the polish is fairly quick drying.

Direct Sun

Left Hand

Right Hand

Indoor

Left Hand

Right Hand

   The other big thing you will notice between my two hands is that my right hand is darker than my left.  However, I used 3 coats of Rad Purple on each with Beauty Secrets Base Coat.  But the thickness of the coats on my right hand made a difference in color as well as streaks.  If you want the lighter shade like my left hand but with fewer streaks and vnl, visible nail line, you might want to try layering Rad Purple over a white or nude cream base underneath.  This helps to brighten the polish over it and hide your actual nails at the same time.

   Despite the few issues, I really like Rad Purple.  I do think next time I will use it over a white base however.  But it is a fun color and a good way to welcome in summer.

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

Milani Limited Edition Summer Nails Press Release

Please enjoy the following release about the upcoming limited edition summer collection from Milani:

MILANI NAILS IT

Milani presents its hottest and brightest shades that complement every summer glow

July Limited Edition Summer Products

STOP! Wardrobe change? No problem, create a gallery of nail looks with Milani’s New Limited Edition High Speed Fast Dry One Coat Formula Nail Lacquer – fast and luxurious, to get you on the GO – their new flat brush for fast and flawless application that dries in 60 seconds. For an additional pop of color use Milani’s High Speed Fast Dry One Coat Formula Nail Lacquers for extreme shine and electrifying nails.  These high voltage bright pigments are available in eight high fashion shades and great for the summer season! 

Available Shades: Purple Rush, Instantaneous Blue, Racy Green, Fast Fuchsia, Jiffy Orange, Violet Dash, Yellow Whiz, & Hot Pink Frenzy.

Brighten your lids with Milani’s Limited Edition Paint Eyeshadow Palette---fashion forward neon colors in one super-soft, silk-like application. Brighten your eyes by using shades separately or swirled together to create your own unique hue of art. 

Limited Edition Items available ONLY the month of July at select CVS drug stores.

High Speed Fast Dry One Coat Formula Nail Lacquer, Retail, $3.99

Paint Eyeshadow Palette, Retail, $7.99

‘LIKE’ MILANI COSMETICS ON FACEBOOK OR FOLLOW US ON TWITTER!

For additional information, please visit: www.milanicosmetics.com or contact B|W|R Public Relations.

Zoya Touch Collection Review

   A lot of businesses and offices have very strict rules about what shades of nail polish are allowed, if any at all is.  Most places that have these rules allow nude polishes.  Finding the right nude for your skin tone however can be kinda tricky.  But, with their new Touch collection, Zoya has given us 3 new options to find one that works.  

   I'm sure you're all aware by now that I'm not normally a fan of nude polish or the "mannequin hands" trend of matching your polish to your skin tone so your fingers look like a store mannequin.  So I was pleasantly surprised when I found I kind of liked 2 of the 3 colors in this collection.  It would be a 3 out of 3 but one of them clashes with my skin tone a bit.

   The entire Touch collection had incredible application, even for Zoya polishes.  They went on incredibly smoothly and have great pigmentation.  All 3 have a pearl-like finish to them which gives a nice depth and interest to the polish.  With all 3 I used a base coat of China Glaze Strong Adhesion Base and a top coat of Barielle Manicure Extender.  A little tip if you can't find or want to try the Barielle top coat, check your local TJ Maxx or Marshall's.  That's where I usually find it and at a much lower cost than online.  

Minka:

   Minka has a yellow-ish base to it.  This is the one that I felt clashed a bit with my skin tone.  I used 2 coats for full coverage.

Direct Sun

Indoor

Shay:

   Shay is more pink based and is the one I felt most closely matched my skin tone.  Again I used 2 coats.

Direct Sun

Indoor

    I have a few bonus shots of this one for you.  First is an angled sun shot to show you the pearl finish.

   Next is a side by side comparison of Minka and Shay in the bottle so you can see the difference in the base tones.

 Pandora:

   Pandora is a little darker and brown based, but still leans more to the pink side than yellow.  This one was probably my favorite of the 3.  Mostly because it was darker than my actual skin tone so there was more of a contrast.  With this one I did 2 coats of polish on my ring and index finger but only 1 coat on the rest of my fingers.  I did this to show you how opaque these colors really are, with a steady hand you can probably get away with just one coat on any of these.  But also to show you how if your skin tone is sort of inbetween Shay and Pandora just one coat of Pandora could be a good option for you.

Direct Sun:

Indoor

    If you're looking for an office appropriate nude or just a calming color for a breather between bolder colors hopefully you'll find one you like from these 3.

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

Miss Universe by OPI Press Release

Please enjoy the following release about the upcoming Miss Universe collection by OPI:

Unleash Your Inner Beauty Queen!

OPI Launches Limited Edition
Miss Universe Lacquers

Pageant-pretty nail lacquers in the new Miss Universe by OPI promotion give fingers and toes added glitz and glamour.  Featuring four shades packed with shimmer and sparkle, these limited edition colors capture the energy of the 2011 MISS UNIVERSE^® competition, to be held September 12, 2011, in São Paulo, Brazil.

“Miss Universe is the most popular and publicized beauty pageant in the world,” said Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director.  “We are excited to partner with the Miss Universe Organization, whose contestants provided so much inspiration for rich, high-fashion color.”

With shades ranging from berry and golden pink to electric blue and glittery silver, Miss Universe by OPI provides high-shine lacquers, including:

Congeniality is My Middle Name

And berry-wine shimmer is what I do best!

It’s MY Year

It’s about time for this champagne-rose to shine!

Swimsuit…Nailed It!

An itsy bitsy teenie weenie vibrant shiny-blue bikini.

Crown Me Already!

A sassy silver sparkle that knows what it’s worth. 

               

The Miss Universe Organization named OPI its official nail care sponsor this June.  Additionally, Weiss-Fischmann will be a judge for the 2011 Miss USA^® pageant, a precursor to the Miss Universe competition.

Miss Universe by OPI Nail Lacquers contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application.  This limited-edition promotion will be available beginning August 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 MISS UNIVERSE:
The Miss Universe Organization, a Donald J. Trump and NBC Universal joint venture, is a global community empowering role models of beauty, health and leadership for young women of today. The organization is dedicated to partnering with charities around the world, and to increasing HIV/AIDS awareness by focusing on women's health and reproductive issues. For more information, visit: www.missuniverse.com or follow Miss Universe on Facebook or Twitter @TheRealMissU.

OPI and Serena Williams Glam Slam! France Part 1

   The OPI and Serena Williams Glam Slam! France collection consists of 2 2-packs.  Each contains a "base" color and a shatter color.  The first of these sets brings you Spark de Triomphe and White Shatter.

   Spark de Triomphe is a multi size silver glitter in a clear base.  But instead of the standard bright shiny silver, SdT looks slightly tarnished.  Like a silver necklace you haven't worn in a while.  And that's a good thing.  It brings a unique twist to this color that I enjoy.

   Because of the clear base Spark de Triomphe would take quite a few coats to be completely opaque on the nail.  I used 3 coats over a base of Beauty Secrets base coat and a top coat of Seche Vite.  Application was easy, not too much clean up needed.  Personally, I find heavy glitters in general easier to apply.  Maybe the thicker consistency of the formula makes it easier for me to keep the polish where I want it.  Removal on the other hand does take longer.  

Direct Sun

Indoor

   At three coats you can still see your nail through the polish, but I actually really liked the look that way.  It's almost like my nails are encrusted with jewels.  This would also be a great layering polish.

   SdT is packaged with White Shatter.  

   I'm going to be upfront with you.  The only reason I used these together is because they were packaged that way.  This is not a combination I would have picked normally.  There's not enough contrast for my personal taste.  

   White Shatter applies very nicely.  A few tips on application.  First, work quickly.  Shatters dry very fast.  Second, make sure you are applying it to a dry base polish.  A good quick dry top coat cuts down on the wait time if you are applying Shatter over a fresh mani and not sprucing up an older one.  Third, because of the formula and speed of drying, Shatters will thicken in the bottle MUCH sooner than a normal polish.  So if you are noticing your Shatter has gotten a little gloopy, add a few drops of polish thinner and give it a good shake.  This should get things back to normal.  ALWAYS use actual thinner.  NEVER use acetone or polish remover in your polish.  This will cause the polish to start breaking down, ruining your polish. 

   I did not put a top coat over White Shatter in these pictures.  If you leave Shatter as is, it has a matte finish.  If you prefer a shinier finish add a layer of your favorite top coat once the shattering process has finished.

Direct Sun

   Look closely at my thumb in this picture.  You'll notice that I applied the White Shatter at an angle instead of in the same direction as my nail.  This gives a much different look to the polish that I really liked.  Even David said he liked that look better.  So don't be afraid to experiment a little with application to get different types of looks.

Indoor

   Glitter polishes really pop underneath Shatters.  Especially if you leave the Shatter's matte finish as is.  Maybe that's my love of contrasting textures coming through.  While I was not a big fan of the White Shatter in this combination, I do like it a lot over darker colors.  Spark de Triomphe I absolutely LOVED.  If you like the shatter look I recommend the White Shatter.  I am going to call Spark de Triomphe a must get.  Yes it's a silver glitter, but the multiple sizes of glitter combined with the slightly tarnished look really make it something unique for me.

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

China Glaze Crackle Metals

   Please enjoy the following press release about the upcoming China Glaze metallic crackle collection:

THE HOTTEST METALS GET CRACKLED

China Glaze Introduces Six New Crackle Glaze Polishes in Sparkling Metallics for Summer 2011

Los Angeles, CA – (June 2011):  Set your summer style to “sizzle” with China Glaze’s new Crackle Glaze Metals collection.  The pioneer in crackle technology, China Glaze takes the beauty phenomenon to the next level with this second-generation polish that pairs the edgy innovation of crackle with the elegant beauty of metals.  The China Glaze Crackle Glaze Metals collection features six sparkling metallic colors including:

·        Tarnished Gold: Warm, honeyed hue
·        Platinum Pieces: Shimmering silver
·        Haute Metal: Pale pink
·        Cracked Medallion: Bold bronze
·        Latticed Lilac: Soft lavender
·        Oxidized Aqua: Deep aquamarine blue

Create dramatically different looks with just one sweep of China Glaze Crackle Glaze Metals.  Layer over different base colors to create bold styles.  Use a lighter coat to create a fine crackle, a thicker coat for a deep shatter effect.  As versatile and edgy as China Glaze’s biggest celebrity fans (Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Nicole Ritchie and Kelly Osbourne, to name a few), Glaze Crackle Glaze Metals is sure to be this summer’s hottest beauty trend!

The China Glaze Crackle Glaze Metals collection will be available as open stock colors and 12 piece counter display with a unique Crackle Glaze screen and including an instructional hang tag.

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.