OPI Announces Nicki Minaj Collection-Press Release

   Please enjoy the following press release from OPI for their upcoming January release:


Pink Everyday!

OPI Partners with Platinum Recording Artist Nicki Minaj to Launch Limited Edition Lacquers

                OPI announces the launch of six new limited edition shades inspired by hip hop sensation Nicki Minaj, including a purple Shatter!  Inspired by Minaj’s unique style, love of bright colors, and her debut album Pink Friday, the Nicki Minaj by OPI promotion will feature an array of bold hues, from neon lime green to pink.

 “OPI is so excited to work with Nicki in releasing these six new nail lacquers,” said Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director.  “Nicki has taken the hip hop world by storm, but her music is only part of the equation. She’s also become a fashion inspiration, noted for her daring costumes and hair color both on and off the stage.”

Nicki’s eclectic look made including a new hue in OPI’s bestselling Shatter coat a must for this collaboration. The purple Super Bass Shatter (a record-setting purple that “shatters” before your eyes) is inspired by graffiti art and works when painted over any dry OPI hue. Adding top coat takes Super Bass Shatter from matte to glossy in seconds.

The line features five nail lacquers in addition to Super Bass Shatter, ranging from fantastic pink, rainbow confetti glitter and charcoal sparkle hues to two green shades in lime and teal:

Pink Friday
Kick off the weekend with this pop! of bubblegum pink.

Metallic 4 Life
This charcoal sparkle flies with the stars in the skies.

Save Me
I drove for miles just to find this silver-rainbow glitter.

Fly
I came to win, to fight…and to wear this aqua.

Did It On ‘Em
A lusty little lacquer that loves the “lime”-light.

Nicki Minaj 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 January 2012 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!

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ABOUT OPI

As the world leader in the professional nail care industry, OPI is committed to providing high-quality products and services to both salons and their customers, along with a focus on industry safety and innovation. Known for its exceptional formula, fashionable colors and iconic names, OPI’s heavily-pigmented lacquers are super rich, long-lasting and chip-resistant – offering an affordable luxury to consumers. OPI nail lacquer is available in over 200 shades and contains no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde. Each lacquer features OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application. Currently, OPI is available in over 100 countries and retails a full line of professional items, including nail treatments, finishing products, lotions, manicure/pedicure products, files, tools, gels and acrylics.

 

Essie Bobbing for Baubles

   Essie is a fairly well known salon brand, but I haven't given them much love on here even though I own a decent amount.  They have recently expanded their market presence by creating what they call a retail line.  The retail line is mostly the same as their salon line, aside from a sticker on one side of the bottle and the color name on top of the brush, but with a few exclusive colors.  Basically this means you can go to your local drugstore/box store and find a selection of core colors and some of their seasonal collections.  This also means that if you're lucky you might be able to occasionally find some on clearance.  I always get excited about clearance polish.

   Bobbing for Baubles is from Essie's new fall collection Cocktail Bling. On their website, they describe Bobbing as a deepest darkest sapphire.  I call it a dusty navy creme.  At least in the bottle I do.  On the nail however, their description is more accurate.  Bobbing dries a couple shades darker once it's on than it looks in the bottle.

   Sometimes I love Essie's formula and sometimes I hate it.  In general I have not found a brand wide consistency of formula.  I'll try one color and the formula is amazing- smooth, covers evenly in 1 or 2 coats.  Then I'll try another color and the formula will be thin and streaky and take 3+ coats.  Luckily Bobbing for Baubles fell into the amazing formula category.  Application was smooth, the formula was just the right consistency so the polish stayed where I put it, which made for very minimal clean-up, and pigmentation was strong, I only used one coat for full, even coverage.  I used Barielle Nail Rebuilding Protein for my base and Barielle Manicure Extender for my top coat.

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   In the sun and most indoor lighting you can usually tell that Bobbing is a dark dark blue polish.  But on a quick glance inside or in the shade it can easily be mistaken for black.  I do like the dry on nail color, but I would have preferred the polish stay the bottle color.

   If you've never tried Essie, this is a good polish to start with.  Good formula and application and is easily found in drugstores like CVS and Rite Aid right now.  I've also seen the collection at Target, both full sizes and sets of a mini polish and mini top coat for some of the colors.  Plus, Target had the full 6 piece collection while I've only seen the smaller 4 piece display at the drugstores and no mini sets.

  

China Glaze Let It Snow Press Release

   Please enjoy the following press release from China Glaze about their upcoming Winter 2011 collection Let It Snow:

HO HO HOLIDAY 2011!

Spend the Holiday season with glittering, shimmering, ravishing color in the Let it Snow Collection from China Glaze

Los Angeles, CA – (October 2011): Spend the holidays in style with the new Let It Snow collection from China Glaze! Introducing 12 festive shades sure to get anyone in the holiday sprit this season. Specifically created with the wintery season in mind, Let It Snow will have even the biggest Grinch feeling jolly all winter long. Not only a must-have for a holiday manicure and pedicure, Let It Snow is available in 12 seasonal inspired gift sets perfect for stocking stuffers, Hanukah gifts, Secret Santa, co-workers and Teacher’s gifts. China Glaze Let It Snow collection will be available at fine salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide!

Shades include:

·        Poinsettia – Ruby red crème inspired by the traditional holiday plant.

·        Ring In The Red – No Holiday season would be exact without this glittering red polish for holiday gatherings.

·        Winter Berry – Creamy, cranberry-red perfect for sipping hot cocoa by the fire.

·        Velvet Bow – Rich red crème color inspired by your favorite red wine.

·        Glittering Garland – A dazzling glittery green to match the holiday greens of pine trees, garland, and mistletoe.

·        Holly-Day – Looking for a bold color without the glitz? Holly-Day is a rich hunter green without the sparkle. 

·        Champagne Bubbles – Sophisticated gold metallic with a golden shimmer.

·        Twinkle Lights – A mix of glittery shades to emblemize twinkling tree lights.

·        Snow Globe – Frosty white polish with flecks of snowy color.

·        Icicle – Smooth silver shimmer with a hint of flash and ice.

·        Tinsel Town – Bold silver, metallic glitter and the perfect match for sparkling night on the town.

·        Blue Year’s Eve – Ring in the New Year with this lustrous, shimmering blue.

The Let It Snow Collection is available in a 12 piece counter display, 24 Piece Lil’ Stuffers Display and a 36 Piece Polish Rack. Gift sets include:

  ·        Belle Of The Ball: Champagne Bubbles and Tinsel Town with a Festive Ornament.

·        Seasonal Sparkles: Poinsettia, Twinkle Lights and Holly-Day.

·        Meet Me Under the Mistletoe: Ring In The Red, Velvet Bow and Glittering Garland with Lip Lacquer.

·        Santa’s Little Helpers: Ring In The Red, Holly-Day, Twinkle Lights and Velvet Bow.

·        Let It Snow: Blue Year’s Eve and Snow Globe with a Mini Snow Globe.

·        Holiday Spirits: Icicle, Champagne Bubbles and Glittering Garland with a Pewter Bottle Stopper.

·        Berry Sweet: Velvet Bow and Ring In The Red with a Holiday Berry Moisturizing Lotion.

·        Baby It’s Cold Outside: Icicle, Blue Year’s Eve and Poinsettia with Fingerless Gloves.

·        Deck The Halls: Glittering Garland and Champagne Bubbles with Limited Edition Holiday Berry Cuticle Oil.

·        Winter Ice: Blue Year’s Eve, Tinsel Town, Icicle and Snow Globe with a Snowflake Charm Necklace. 

·        Holly Bear-y: Holly-Day and Winter Berry with “Holly Bear” Plush.

·        Carry Me Away For The Holidays: Tinsel Town, Poinsettia, Velvet Bow and Icicle with a Manicure Carrying Case with Nail File. 

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 Facebook and 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.

OPI French Quarter For Your Thoughts

   French Quarter For Your Thoughts, which I'm going to refer to as just French Quarter since that is a very long name to type out, is from OPI's Fall 2011 Touring America collection.  French Quarter is a medium grey creme that looks a lot like cement after a rain shower. 

   It's been raining all week here, so the pictures I have for you, which do not include a separate bottle shot sorry, aren't the best ever.  I used Barielle Nail Rebuilding Protein as my base and Manicure Extender as my top coat.  For French Quarter I needed 2 coats for even coverage and full opacity.  Formula and application were pretty standard, no problems with either.  The flowers are decals I got at Sally's the other day.

Outside, Overcast Sky

Sort of Shade

   I say sort of shade because there's not much difference with overcast skies, but this one was taken under the balcony outside my door.  

Indoor with Flash

   I don't normally use flash in my pictures, but this is probably the most color accurate shot I have.  

   I liked this polish.  I've been wearing it for 3 days now with no major chips and only a slight desire to change it.  I will definitely be wearing this one again.

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

Nicole by OPI Holiday Collection Press Release

   Please enjoy the following press release for the upcoming 4 piece Nicole by OPI Holliday Collection:

Nicole by OPI Launches Holiday Glitters,
Introducing New Sparkly Lacquers for the Season

Nicole by OPI announces new, limited edition Holiday Glitters! Featuring four shades packed with intense shimmer for the festive season, these lacquers transform fingers and toes into virtual jewelry. From traditional holly red and a warm fuchsia hue to metallic gold and inky blue, these shades make the perfect gift or stocking stuffer for any woman (or to keep for yourself!).

“The holiday season’s celebratory feeling lends itself to added glitz and glamour in fashion, jewelry, accessories, and most importantly – for nails!” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Nicole by OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “The four alluring Holiday Glitters shades offer a great way to add lots of color. Red and gold glitter tones offer a more classic holiday look, while magenta and sapphire blue incorporate rich, weighty jewel tones – which is another important trend for the season.”

The new Holiday Glitters nail lacquers from Nicole by OPI include:

Glitter In My Stocking
Give the gift of gold-glittery goodness!

My Sleigh’s in the Shop
In the meantime I rely on this mesmerizing magenta.

Orna-ment for Each Other
I can’t stay away from this tomato-red twinkle!

Snow-man of My Dreams
The “spark” was instant with this rainbow-packed blue.

Nicole by OPI Nail Lacquers and Nail Treatments contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde. Nicole by OPI formulas are long-lasting, fast-drying, and salon-quality. These limited edition Holiday Glitters will be available November 2011 for $7.99 each in the U.S. at HEB, Sears, Stage Stores, select Target locations, Target.com, and ULTA. In Canada, lacquers will be retailed for $10.99 each in Shoppers Drug Mart, Loblaw and Zellers.

For more information, visit nicolebyopi.com. Follow Nicole by OPI on Twitter @NicoleByOPI and become a Facebook fan!

OPI Pirates Part 2

   The second half of the OPI Pirates of the Caribbean collection consists of 2 pink shades and 1 purple.  Again all three are a bit greyed to give them at least a hint of murkiness.  

   I used OPI Natural Nail Base coat and Diamond Dry Top Coat for all 3 polishes.  Planks A Lot and Sparrow Me the Drama both needed 2 coats, but Steady As She Rose required 3 for full opacity.  Application and Formula were nice and smooth for this half as well.

Steady As She Rose

   Steady As She Rose is a very greyed pink.  It's so greyed in fact that I almost wouldn't really call it a rose shade anymore.  To me, it's almost closer to lavender than rose.

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Sparrow Me the Drama

   When I pulled Sparrow Me the Drama out to swatch I was expecting it to just be another pink.  Great for other people, but not really my thing.  Then I put it on.  And I was shocked.  I REALLY liked this pink.  This is the pink I would grab when I want something simple and classic but modern.  

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Planks A Lot

   Planks A Lot is a medium-light purple.  It's purple so of course I like it.  But it is a nice slightly more subdued purple.

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   Final thoughts:  This was a nice collection, but none of the colors really stood out as a show stopper.  I was impressed to find a pink that I would actually want to wear on occasion.  And I think Stranger Tides is a nice mossy green neutral that can be worn well all year.  But overall the collection just feels a bit familiar.

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

OPI Designer Series and Pink of Hearts Press Releases

   Please enjoy the following press releases from OPI:

 “Fall” into Glitter!

OPI Offers Two New Diamond Dust-Infused
Designer Series Nail Lacquers for Fall 2011 

Two new shades will be joining the Designer Series by OPI collection this
upcoming fall – DS Temptation and DS Bold. Designer Series shades include vivid
hues and sparkling, glitter-packed textures featuring OPI’s diamond-dust formula.
“This Fall, bold and rich colors like purple and red will be used as accent shades,
adding a pop of pigmented color to any look. Designer Series lacquers enhance these
colors with intense shimmer and unique texture,” says Suzi-Weiss Fischmann, OPI
Executive VP & Artistic Director. “Adding dazzling diamond-dust and saturated color
to these trendy hues makes a bold, high-fashion statement.”
The two new shades added to the Designer Series line join nine other existing
shades and Designer Series Top Coat, including:
 

NEW! DS Temptation
A provocative sparkle of deep purple

NEW! DS Bold
A brilliant sparkle of rich, shimmering red

DS Radiance
Luxuriously rich, brilliant silver.

DS Magic
An intriguing deep blue.

DS Classic
An elegant shimmer of golden beige.

DS Glow
Rose gold lit with brilliance.

DS Reserve
A shimmer of vintage pink.

DS Opulence
Magnificent mauve drenched in diamonds.

DS Reflection
Rich, glowing ruby.

DS Extravagance
Glittering, glamorous magenta.

DS Mystery
An alluring dark violet diamond shimmer.

DS Top Coat
Infused with diamond dust for exceptional shine, performance and wear.

All Designer Series by OPI products contain no DBP, Toluene, or
Formaldehyde, and feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in DS Temptation and DS Bold will be available beginning September 2011 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $12.50 ($15.95 CAN) For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!

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!

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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.

OPI Pirates Part 1

   OPI released a 6 piece creme collection in conjunction with the 4th Pirates of the Caribbean movie back in the Spring.  I'm splitting the collection in to two parts- the greens and greys and the pinks and purples.  All of the colors in this collection are a bit greyed and muted, sort of like you'd expect colors to look in a swamp.

   The greens in this collection are Mermaid's Tears and Stranger Tides and the grey is Skull and Glossbones.  I used OPI Natural Nail base coat and Diamond Dry top coat.  All swatches are with 2 coats, though S&G possibly could have used 3.  Application was good and the formulas smooth.

Mermaid's Tears

   Mermaid's Tears is a pastel-y almost mint green.  

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Stranger Tides

   Stranger Tides reminds me of spanish moss.  It is a very grey green.  The sun was playing peek-a-boo with me when I swatched this one, so keep that in mind while you look at the pictures.

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Skull & Glossbones

   Skull & Glossbones is well named to me.  It reminds me of buried bones that have been uncovered.  A bit morbid maybe, but it is that time of year.  This would be a good Halloween color, either as a base or as detail in some nail art.  

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