Adventures In Acetone

Good morning, readers! Are you ready for Day 3 of Nature Week with The Digit-al Dozen? I wore this mani all weekend and loved it so much! It's been a little over a year since I first tried free handed Mermaid Scales and I even did a simple tutorial for it! For this mani, I went a different route and added more color to the fin before adding the scale pattern on top. Mermaids may not be real, but I'm fitting them in with nature week anyway!

I started out with 2 easy coats of Elevation Polish The Med 2. This is the bottle I'm holding in the photos, and it is gorgeous enough to be the sole base color to this mani. However, I wanted to add a little fun so I let that dry before moving on.
I tore up a makeup sponge and dabbed randomly with Elevation Polish Bromeliad, Elevation Polish Prusik or Loop It, Elevation Polish El Cap II, and Pahlish Sarey's Berry.
Pure Ice Silver Star and a thin nail art brush were used to paint the mermaid scales. Check out my tutorial on that linked above, it's really pretty simple to do.
I sealed it all in with KBShimmer Clearly On Top.

And here is a bonus macro, so we can enjoy the different finishes from sponging the polishes on the base. So happy with how these turned out!

What do you think? Thanks so much for reading, check out what the rest of the Digit-al Dozen ladies did for Day 3 below:

An InLinkz Link-up

Previous Press Sample

Affiliate Link

Good morning! I'm back today with my 4th mani for Digit-al Dozen Nature Week. This was another mani created by following one of the tutorials in Idiot's Guides: Nail Art by Emily from The Lacquerologist. It's an aerial view of beach waves and so easy to create without any special tools (aside from my little star fish and shell extras).

I followed the tutorial by Emily called Beach Waves on pages 158-159 in the Advanced Designs section.

I painted two coats of OPI Love.Angel.Music.Babyas my base and let dry.
Then, as directed in the book, I did messy stripes (with the bottle brush) for the water using these colors: OPI Get Ryd-of-thym Blues, OPI Blue My Mind, and Elevation Polish The Hig.
Elevation Polish Weddell Sea was the final step in the water to represent the breaking waves washing upon the shore, this layer closest to the sand.
I used a detail brush and added a star fish in OPI How Great Is Your Dane?and a shell with Elevations SBP Salto dol Soldado and Weddell Sea.
KBShimmer Clearly On Top was used to seal it all in.

What do you think? I'm happy with how these turned out, fun and really easy!

Idiot's Guides: Nail Art is available now on Amazon in paperback or Kindle edition! I highly recommend it!

*Idiot's Guides: Nail Art was a previously reviewed press sample, all opinions are my own.

*There are affiliate links in this post, which means that I get compensation if you click through and purchase.

Thanks so much for reading! Take a look at what the rest of the Digit-al Dozen ladies did for Day 4 of Nature Week below.

An InLinkz Link-up

Previous Press Sample

Affiliate Link

TGIF! It's Friday, it's Friday! It's a boat day for us, so I've scheduled this post ahead of time and will hopefully be out enjoying the sunshine and waves when you get to read this. It's the final day of Nature Week with The Digit-al Dozen and today's mani is possible thanks to another awesome tutorial in Idiot's Guides: Nail Art by Emily from The Lacquerologist. I hope you've enjoyed the other nail art book inspired manis this week. I can't recommend this book enough, and that's my 100% total honest opinion.

As we have discussed before, florals are not my strong suit. I'm working and practicing though, so I was excited to try these Hydrangeas after looking through the book again. This tutorial can be found on pages 116-117 in the Intermediate Designs section.

I started out with 2 coats of OPI Suzi Shops & Island Hops.
Then, following Emily's tutorial, I used different sized dotting tools to dot the following colors into clusters on the edges of my nails: OPI No Room For The Blues, Can't Find My Czechbook, You're Such A Budapest, Zoya Tove, and Zoya Lillian.
I used my nail art brush to make simple leaves with Zoya Tilda and OPI Jade Is The New Black.
KBShimmer Clearly On Top was used to seal it in and add shine.

What do you think? I like Emily's version much better in the book. I think I should have made them more rounded in shape, like 1/4 of a circle, instead of diagonal across my nails. Other than that, I am happy with how these turned out!

Idiot's Guides: Nail Art is available now on Amazon in paperback or Kindle edition! I highly recommend it!

*Idiot's Guides: Nail Art was a previously reviewed press sample, all opinions are my own.

*There are affiliate links in this post, which means that I get compensation if you click through and purchase.

Thanks so much for reading! Take a look at what the rest of the Digit-al Dozen ladies did for Day 5 of Nature Week below.

An InLinkz Link-up

Press Sample

Good morning, readers! I have a fun new glitter topper collection for you releasing Monday! This is the Silly Bee's Chickadees Goodly Granizados Collection. There are four clear based glitter toppers inspired by shaved ice treats made with evaporated milk, colored flavor syrup, and condensed milk called granizados. I would love to try one, it sounds yummy! Let's take a look:

I'm sure you could build these up on their own if you wanted, but I wanted to show them over a nude base. I can't wait to wear these over some neons! The iridescent glitters will really shine over a darker base, too. I used two coats of top coat for these swatches for a smoother finish. They all applied easily and I didn't have to place any glitter. No issues to report.

Silly Bee's Chickadees Sandía Granizado

Clear base with pink, white, and iridescent hex glitter.

I'm showing one coat with top coat over OPI Do You Take Lei Away below.

Silly Bee's Chickadees Naranja Granizado

Clear base with bright orange, white, and iridescent hex glitter.

I'm showing one coat with top coat over OPI Do You Take Lei Away below.

Silly Bee's Chickadees Piña Granizado

Clear base with yellow, white, and iridescent hex glitter.

I'm showing one coat with top coat over OPI Do You Take Lei Away below.

Silly Bee's Chickadees Limón Granizado

Clear base with bright green, white, and iridescent hex glitter.

I'm showing one coat with top coat over OPI Do You Take Lei Away below.

The base is slightly tinted green in this one.

What do you think of this cute collection by Silly Bee's Chickadees? I really like the simplicity and bright colors, I will definitely be using these! They release on Monday at the Shop linked below. Until March 31st, $1 from each polish shown will go to Hogar Cristiano Orphanage in Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

Thanks so much for reading!

Silly Bee's Chickadees Links

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/sillybeeschickadees

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SillyBeesChickadees

*The polishes in this post were sent for me to review with my honest opinion.

Good morning, readers! I know I probably say this all the time, but I get nail art inspiration from a lot of everyday things. TV shows, patterns on purses/clothes, books, etc. Last week, I got a new cup and it had simple stripes on it in a cute color combination. I loved it so much, so I had to go change my mani to match the pattern on the cup that afternoon. It was simple messy stripes in a negative space mani but it was fun and I enjoyed wearing it! Let's take a look.

I'll show you the cup below (with a matching nail shot), but first let me tell you how I did it:

I started out with a coat of Duri Rejuvacote.
Then, I found 2 colors that matched my cup: Milani Violet Dash and Milani Peacock.
I used the bottle brush to do a thick stripe of Milani Violet Dash over my free edge (white tips) because I'm not a fan of negative space on myself if you can see the tips through. This represented the thicker lid of the cup nicely.
Next, I used a striper brush and did messy stripes of both Milanis over the negative space to match the cup pattern.
I topped them with KBShimmer Clearly On Top.

Here are some pictures of my new cup, plus my matching nails. Note: the different lighting changed the colors a bit.

What do you think? Do you have a special cup you drink water in all day? This has helped my headaches tremendously because I never drank enough water until now. YAY! Thanks so much for reading!

Good morning, readers! Just a quick notice for you before I get a post written up:

***5 MYSTERY GRAB BAGS AVAILABLE!!***
(US Addresses only--mules welcome)

16 total polishes included in each bag:
~ 11-12 Full Sized polishes [5-4 are Indie brands, 7 are drugstore variety]
~ 4-5 Mini Indie Polishes.

$36 Shipped with tracking. ONLY 5 AVAILABLE and these go quickly, so email me at adventuresinacetone@live.com if you are interested! xoxo

Press Sample

If you are out of the loop, Nicole by OPI just released the Coca-Cola Collection and I have them for you today! If you missed it, check out my This or That? post from earlier this week--I compared these soda inspired shades to their OPI counterparts from last year. Vote on your favorites!

As promised, here are full swatches of the new collection. I have to admit, I'm really leaning toward the Nicole by OPI Collection more than the old OPI one. Aside from one or two, the Nicole by OPI Coca-Cola Collection wins this battle for me. So let's take a look.

Nicole by OPI Always a Classic Coca-Cola

(inspired by Coca-Cola)

This classically gorgeous bright red is refreshingly stylish.

I'm showing two coats below without top coat.

I had some small bubbles upon application, but this may be due to the fact that I swatched these almost immediately after receiving them from Fedex.

Nicole by OPI DC Lover

(inspired by Diet Coke)

Scintillating silver with iconic-Coke red sparkle.

I'm showing two coats below without top coat.

There is slight visible nail line at 2 coats, so you may prefer 3.

This looks to me like a red version of the silver with blue glitter from the OPI Fifty Shades of Grey Collection: Shine for Me. Any thoughts?

Nicole by OPI Zero is My Hero

(inspired by Coke Zero)

Just in time, this darkly rich burgundy has come to my rescue!

I'm showing two coats below without top coat.

Isn't that shimmer just gorgeous?

Nicole by OPI The Look is Orange

(inspired by Fanta Orange)

Put the squeeze on this bright and stylish orange!

I'm showing two coats below without top coat.

Squishy, almost crelly-like formula.

Nicole by OPI In Grape Demand

(inspired by Fanta Grape)

People are lining up to get their hands on this yummy plum.

I'm showing two coats without top coat.

I see some light patches in different lighting, so you may prefer a third coat.

Nicole by OPI Seriously Citrus

(inspired by Sprite)

No kidding... this clean, sparkling green with refreshing, cool white is gorgeous!

I'm showing one coat below over In Grape Demand without top coat.

This covered well in one coat, but it seems the medium green hexes are curled a bit. It would take 1-2 coats of top coat to help but I left that out for my photos so you could see.

What do you think of this collection? As I said above, I really like it and prefer it to the OPI Coca-Cola Collection. I wonder if they had too many ideas for the sodas and decided that they would do a Nicole by OPI Collection with some of their other favorites. Either way, I'm glad they did! Thanks so much for reading! Let me know you favorites in the comments below.

WHERE TO FIND IT: Discover the collection in the U.S. at select CVS, ULTA Beauty, Kmart, ShopKo, Harmon, and Giant Eagle locations in March 2015 for $6.99. Available in Canada at select Walmart and Jean Coutu locations for $10.99.

About Nicole by OPI:

Nicole by OPI offers a salon-quality range of bold, fashion-forward nail lacquers. The brand’s heritage is based on OPI’s well-established foundation of excellence in both color and technology, providing premium products to a broad range of consumers looking for trendsetting nail lacquers. Known for its celebrity collaborations and partnerships, the brand invites consumers to be creative and confident by expressing themselves through color. Currently, Nicole by OPI range boasts over 80 shades, and serves as the color authority for the younger demographic.

About The Coca-Cola Company: The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, our Company's portfolio features 16 billion-dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of 1.9 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.

*The polishes in this post were sent for me to review with my honest opinion.

Good afternoon, readers! I recently bought the new neon collection by China Glaze called Electric Nights. They are bright, gorgeous, and I can't wait to show you a full swatch post soon. In the meantime, let's check out what I'm currently wearing on my nails right now: a watermarble using 5 of the new colors!

I started out with a white base and let dry.
Then, I dropped the following China Glaze Electric Nights polishes onto the center of my water cup surface: China Glaze Violet-Vibes, China Glaze Glow With the Flow, China Glaze Red-y to Rave, and China Glaze Home Sweet House Music.
I used a toothpick to drag the edges to the center and make a flower design and dipped my finger.
I repeated the process on the other 9 nails and then used a cleanup brush and acetone to clean the excess polish off of my skin.
Once cleaned up, I used a dotting tool to apply individual glitters onto the design from China Glaze Let the Beat Drop glitter topper.
2 coats of KBShimmer Clearly On Top were used to seal in the design.

What do you think? These are much brighter in person than my camera wanted to show--I really love how this mani turned out.

The China Glaze Electric Nights Collection is already at some Sally Beauty stores but should officially release next month. Thanks so much for reading!

Good afternoon, readers! I have a new press release from OPI to share with you today! In May, the new Color Paints Collection will release. Let's take a look at the info provided from OPI below. Make sure to leave your thoughts in the comments!

NAIL COLOR INNOVATION
MAKE A PLAYDATE WITH COLOR WITH NEW COLOR PAINTS BLENDABLE NAIL LACQUER BY OPI

IDEA: Translucent colors to layer and blend for endless nail art looks

WHAT THEY ARE: A new line of blendable nail lacquers that let you create your own color masterpieces. This spring, the leading color experts at OPI have created a new way to get creative with nail art. The world’s number one salon brand introduces Color Paints Blendable Nail Lacquer, a line of ultra-luminous nail lacquers that let you layer and mix colors to create one-of-a-kind looks. Featuring semi-translucent, buildable lacquers, the collection invites you to let your imagination run wild. The unique silver base illuminates each subsequent layer with striking vivid color. Stripe, swoosh, or swirl on layers of eye-catching color to create your own signature style. With nine new shades, OPI Color Paints Blendable Nail Lacquer makes each nail a paintable mini canvas of creativity.

Color Paints Blendable Nail Lacquer offers nine new shades, including:

Silver Canvas

A clean-slate silver to illuminate your masterpiece.

Primarily Yellow

Paint some sunshine with this glowing yellow.

Chromatic Orange

This freshly squeezed orange is awash with color.

Pen & Pink

I'm irresistibly drawn to this rosy pink.

Magenta Muse

This sultry red-violet is truly inspiring.

Purple Perspective

The depth of this purple is mesmerizing.

Indigo Motif

I have designs on this deep, midnight blue.

Turquoise Aesthetic

Beauty is in the eye of this deep aqua.

Landscape Artist

The lush, verdant green of wide-open vistas.

WHAT THEY COST: $4.75 salon, $9.50 retail ($5.95 CAN salon, $11.50 CAN retail)

WHERE TO FIND THEM: Explore these shades from May 2015 at ULTA, ULTA.com, and select professional salons.

ABOUT OPI

As the number one salon brand worldwide, 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 formulas, 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 more than 200 shades. Each lacquer features OPI’s exclusive ProWideTM Brush for the ultimate application. Currently, OPI is available in over 100 countries and retails a full line of professional items including OPI GelColor, which is available in more than 150 shades that match the iconic OPI colors that are known and loved, nail treatments, finishing products, lotions, manicure/pedicure products, files, tools, gels and acrylics. OPI is guaranteed only when purchased through authorized professional beauty outlets and prestige stores, not from a drugstore, supermarket, or mass outlet, or other unauthorized source. To learn more about OPI visit www.OPI.com.

Purchased

Good morning, readers! I have the China Glaze Electric Nights Collection to share with you for Swatch Saturday this week! I don't typically purchase entire collections, but I couldn't resist these brights and they make for fun spring and summer nail art! This collection consists of 12 polishes: 3 matte glitter toppers and 9 squishy bright/neon crellies. I say that because some are definitely neon and glowing under my blue aquarium lights (not black lights, which may make them all glow as the press release on the collection says) and others are just bright colors without the glow. Let's take a look.

The formula on this collection is different than I expected. They aren't the chalky, matte-finish neons we've seen in the past. They are squishy and can be layered over a white base if you want a brighter pop. I've used a white base on a few so look at my individual descriptions for that information. Because they are squishy, I recommend a slightly bigger bead of polish on the brush for application than you would typically use. They do not dry matte, I've used top coat only over the glitters in the swatches below.

China Glaze Glow with the Flow

Ultra bright baby pink creme.

I'm showing three coats below without top coat.

There was slight patchiness at 2 coats, so I added a third. Over a white base, you can probably get away with 2 coats. This doesn't glow under our tank lights, but it is bright and fun.

China Glaze Red-y to Rave

Unstoppable neon red creme.

I'm showing two coats below without top coat.

This does glow under our tank lights and I love it!

China Glaze Home Sweet House Music

Neon orange creme.

I'm showing three coats below without top coat.

Slight patchiness at 2 coats, but over white 2 would suffice.

Another intense glow under our tank lights and shockingly one of my favorites from the collection. I'm not typically drawn to orange but this color rocks.

China Glaze Daisy Know My Name?

Hi-light yellow creme.

I'm showing 1 generous coat over a white base below without top coat.

I tried this with three coats alone at first but it still was patchy, so I switched gears and did white.

Super bright glow, as you can tell in my lightbox photos.

China Glaze Treble Maker

Glowing green creme.

I'm showing two coats over a white base below.

This probably didn't need a white base, but I wanted to see it over white anyway.

One coat over white had patches but two was perfect. I love this tone in a neon green instead of the typical lime/yellow tone. This did glow under our tank lights.

China Glaze UV Meant to Be

Tranquil baby blue creme.

I'm showing two coats below without top coat.

This had great coverage for the squishy formula. It does not glow but it's a gorgeous color anyway.

China Glaze DJ Blue My Mind

Vivid blue creme.

I'm showing two coats below without top coat.

This is another awesome blue in the collection, even though it doesn't glow under my tank lights.

China Glaze Plur-Ple

Vibrant blue-purple creme.

I'm showing three squishy coats below without top coat.

This is showing a bit bluer in my photos than it was in person.

It did not glow under our tank lights bit I love the color.

China Glaze Violet-Vibes

Ultra-violet purple creme.

I'm showing three coats below without top cat.

This was very squishy and more sheer than the other purple. You can still see slight patchiness at three coats so I would recommend over a white base and will try that next time. It is slightly less blue in person than my camera wants to show you. This is one of my favorites--it's very much an orchid color and we know that's my favorite color family.

China Glaze Let the Beat Drop

Hot orange, pink, and purple matte multi-sized glitter.

I'm showing one coat below over Treble Maker with top coat.

The clear base to glitter ratio is a bit too high so I let some drip off of the brush before applying. It covered well with normal brush application, I only dabbed a few glitters on bare spots. I love this color combo with the base!

China Glaze Can I Get An Untz Untz

Cool neon blue, green, and purple matte multi-sized glitter.

I'm showing one coat over Home Sweet House Music with top coat below.

Same formula as the other glitters, it spread well and I only dabbed a few bare spots.

China Glaze Point Me to the Party

Neon green, orange, pink, blue, and purple matte multi-sized glitter.

I'm showing one coat over Red-y to Rave below with top coat.

Same formula, minimal glitter placement.

What do you think of this new China Glaze Electric Nights Collection? I really am very happy with it and can't wait to use them for more nail art. The glitters are really fun and would look great over anything! Neutral bases or nail art would also benefit from the glitters toppers as well. Which are your favorites?

These should be in Ulta, Sally Beauty, and other fine beauty supply shops in April (although some have already been spotted at Sallys!) for $7.50 each.

Thanks so much for reading!

Good morning readers! If you follow me on Facebook, you saw that I recently had a bad bend on my index nail so I've just had to cut my nails down to super shorties. I was trying to figure out a good manicure to do and decided on a crazy layered cheetah print to distract from the length. I used all of the China Glaze Electric Nights Collection crellies for this manicure, plus black and white cremes. These were loosely inspired by a pair of sunglasses my 2 year old is currently obsessed with wearing EVERYWHERE. Let's take a look:

Here's how I did it:

I started out with a base of OPI Alpine Snow.
Then, I took my smallest dotting tool and drew the cheetah print using the China Glaze Electric Nights Collection crellies: Glow With the Flow, Red-y to Rave, Home Sweet House Music, Daisy Know My Name?, Treble Maker, UV Meant to Be, DJ Blue My Mind, Plur-Ple, and Violet Vibes.
Once those were dry, I used the same dotting tool and OPI Who Are You Calling Bossy?!? to do overlapping black cheetah spots.
I topped the mani with KBShimmer Clearly On Top.

What do you think? This took forever for a full mani because I had to keep switching colors but I really love how it turned out, despite the couple of streaks due to rushing while applying the top coat. I'm having too much fun playing with this new China Glaze Electric Nights Collection. Have you seen them in your stores yet? Thanks so much for reading!

Good morning, readers! I promised a wear test on the OPI Infinite Shine system back in my swatch post and I finally got a chance to try it out. I was really excited for up to 10 days with the same manicure so I set aside some free time in my blog schedule and bought 2 colors from Ulta that I knew I wouldn't mind wearing for that long without changing. Keep reading below to find out my results!

For a refresher, here is my info on the Infinite Shine system:

Infinite Shine is applied via a three-step system; first, apply Infinite Shine Primer (Step 1) to prevent staining and increase lacquer durability. Next, select one of 30 shades (Step 2) and paint two thin, even coats for richly-pigmented, vivid color. Finally, finish with Infinite Shine Gloss (Step 3), which features a state-of-the-art gel polymer formula that cures in natural light. Product can be removed easily with Expert Touch Nail Lacquer Remover; no soaking is required.

On my thumb, index, and pinky nails, I am wearing two coats of OPI Grapely Admired using the 3 step system. My middle and ring fingers have two coats of OPI Withstands the Test of Thyme using the system as well. After application, I hung out in the sun for a while to help with the curing in natural light.

The top photo and the one below were taken right after they were applied:

Fast forward to about 24 hours after application:

Sadly, I had wear on my index and 2 chips on my pink nail. In that 24 hours I'm sure I did my normal routine of bathing kids, washing my hands, rinsing dishes, showering, etc. Nothing too crazy, but I am a stay at home mom so there are a good amount of things I do on a daily basis that involve water.

Fast forward again to about 48 hours after application:

The pinky chips have gotten a little worse and the index now has a big chip. Not shown are my other chips on the opposite hand and thumbs, but they are there.

The mani had to come off by that point. Oddly enough, all of the chips were on the nails with OPI Grapely Admired. I'm not sure if that's a coincidence on the nails chosen for Withstands the Test of Thyme but I do plan on trying again with just that one to see if its the purple's fault. I will definitely report back at least on instagram with that when I get around to it.

So what are your thoughts? Did you try the Infinite Shines and have better or worse luck? I don't usually get more than a couple of days out of a mani ever. I guess maybe I'm prone to chips, so I hope these work better for some of you.

Thanks so much for reading!

Infinite Shine products feature a proprietary formula and each bottle includes OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application. OPI Infinite Shine Gel Effects Lacquer System will be available March, 2015, at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, beautybrands.com, Chatters, Dillard’s, Regis, ULTA and ulta.com for $12.50 ($14.95 CAN) suggested retail for each nail lacquer.

OPI is guaranteed only when purchased through authorized professional beauty outlets and prestige stores, not from a drugstore, supermarket, mass outlet or other unauthorized source.

For more information, please call Tractenberg & Co. 212.929.7979. Follow OPI on Twitter and Instagram @OPI_PRODUCTS and go to Facebook to become a fan!

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. 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.

Good morning, readers! After my Nicole by OPI Coca-Cola Collection swatch post, I received a request to compare Zero is My Hero to OPI Every Month is Oktoberfest. Let's take a look!

In the bottle, it seems the OPI has a lot more shimmer. However, it doesn't seem the case on the nail. All swatches below are two coats each without top coat.

The biggest difference in these two are the base colors. Where the Nicole by OPI has a brown/deep burgundy base, the OPI has a blurple base. They both are vampy with gorgeous shimmer but they are definitely not close to one another.

Both applied beautifully without any formula issues to report!

Which is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below! I think if you enjoy wearing darker colors, you can definitely have both in your collection! Thanks so much for reading!

Press Sample

Good morning and Happy Easter! I'm currently enjoying family-filled celebrations but I have a fun glitter collection from Barielle to show you as well. This is called the Glitter Mania Collection and it "features an exciting fashionista assortment of glitter colors. They add a "wow factor" to any manicure and inspire all sorts of nail creativity. Perfect when used alone or as a top coat."Let's take a look!

I chose to layer these over a nude base color so you really get to see the glitter without any other distractions. They had different formulas so look to the individual descriptions for that information.

Barielle Confetti

A multi-colored sprinkled glitter.

I'm showing one coat over the nude base with top coat.

There was a LOT of glitter compared to the clear base so I had to slide the glitter around to empty spaces. They were stacking on top of one another and it was frustrating. I do like the color combo and the matte glitters, I just wish there was more base.

Barielle Princess Pink

A sparkly pink glitter.

I'm showing one coat over the nude base with top coat below.

This was better formula-wise than the previous glitter, but I still had to move and place some of the glitter.

Barielle Gemstones

A multi-colored glitter topper.

I'm showing one coat over a nude base with top coat below.

This had the best formula and glitter spread out of the group. No placement needed, this is how the glitter went on with normal brushing application. This is my favorite color combo as well!

Barielle Orange Flame

An orange glitter.

I'm showing one coat with top coat over the nude base below.

I had to blob this one on and place the glitters much like Confetti.

Barielle Mermaid's Fin

An aqua iridescent glitter.

I'm showing one coat below over the nude base with top coat.

This is another favorite of the group. The blue glitters were sparse but the holo tiny glitters were easily spread onto the nail. I really love the color combo over a nude, reminds me of the beach!

What do you think of the Barielle Glitter Mania Collection? There were some winners for me: Gemstones and Mermaid's Fin. These are available now at Barielle.com for $8 each.

Key Features: Contains no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl-phthalate, camphor, or formaldehyde-resin.

Thanks so much for reading! I hope you are having a fabulous holiday!

*The polishes in this post were sent for me to review with my honest opinion.

Press Samples

Good afternoon! I have a comparison for you today. When I was trying out the new OPI Hawaii Collection,I knew right away that Is Mai Tai Crooked? would be one of my favorites. When I put it on the rack next to my other OPI oranges, I realized it seemed very similar to last year's OPI Brazil color called Where Did Suzi's Man-go? Let's see how they compare below.

All of the photos below are 2 coats without top coat on a nail wheel. They are similar but definitely not dupes.

Where Did Suzi's Man-go? is brighter and more bold than Is Mai Tai Crooked?

Neither had formula issues so it all comes down to preference for a dustier orange or a brighter one.

Do you prefer one or the other? Did this help you decide for or against the new OPI Hawaii shade? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks so much for reading!

Press Release

Good afternoon! I just received a press release from OPI for their new SoftShades Collection. You can find all of the information below.

NAIL THE NUDE LOOK
WITH THE NEW SOFTSHADES COLLECTION BY OPI

THINK: Soft sheer shades and coveted nude mattes

WHAT THEY ARE: Lacquers, gels, and limited edition nail art kits in must-have neutrals. The number one salon brand, OPI, is celebrating the lighter side of nail color. With signature high-fashion colors and iconic shade names, OPI has been a go-to for salon professionals for 30 years. Now, to bring the richly pigmented formulas you love to the season’s hottest nude matte nail trend, OPI introduces the new SoftShades Collection. This of-the-moment collection of blushes, nudes, and matte shades delivers rich, true-to-bottle color with just a few coats, even in the lightesthues.

So be inspired to reinvent the French Manicure with new pink and white limited edition shades, create sophisticated nail art with exclusive Swarovski crystal kits, or create the ultimate bridal look in romantic springtime sheers. And for those who love a SoftShades manicure and want it to last, OPI also features these new understated shades in their gel formula.

The SoftShades collection includes:

SoftShades Nail Lacquers ($9.50 retail, $4.75 salon): These six pastel hues are the perfect way to lighten up your spring style. Available in:

Chiffon My Mind

Sheer white

Petal Soft

Pink and white flecked with white daisy decal

Put it in Neutral

Pink-toned beige

Act Your Beige!

Light beige

This Silver’s Mine!

Pearlescent silver

Make Light of the Situation

Iridescent glitter

WHERE TO FIND THEM: ULTA, ULTA.com and select professional salons.

SoftShades GelColors ($14.95 salon): Get gel durability and opaque color with eight long-lasting pale shades. Available in the same in-demand SoftShade lacquer colors Chiffon My Mind, Petal Soft, Put it in Neutral, Act Your Beige!, This Silver’s Mine!, and Make Light of the Situation, I Couldn’t Bare Less! and Love is in the Bare.

WHERE TO FIND THEM: ULTA, Salons and select professional salons

SoftShades Mini 4-Pack ($13.95 retail, $7.50 salon): This essential, limited edition kit offers mini-sized nail lacquers in four sheer romantic hues. Includes shades: Act Your Beige!, Put it in Neutral, This Silver’s Mine!, and Make Light of the Situation.

WHERE TO FIND THEM: ULTA, ULTA.com, Macy’s,Macys.com and select professional salons

The Look of Crystal Kit ($24.95 retail, $12.50 salon): OPI is putting glittering nail art at your fingertips with crystals from Swarovski. With real Swarovski crystals, nail glue, and a trio of luxe shades you’ll be able to create shimmering graphic looks. Included shades: Chiffon My Mind, Black Onyx, and This Silver’s Mine! *Also available in matching gel colors.

WHERE TO FIND THEM: ULTA, ULTA.com and select professional salons

The Nude Pink & White Kit ($16.95 retail, $9.00 salon): With two full-sized, limited-edition matte shades, this kit offers the ultimate in understated color. Included shades: I Couldn’t Bare Less! and Love is in the Bare. *Also available in matching gel colors.

WHERE TO FIND THEM: ULTA, ULTA.com and select professional salons

ABOUT OPI

As the number one salon brand worldwide, 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 formulas, 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 more than 200 shades. Each lacquer features OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate application. Currently, OPI is available in over 100 countries and retails a full line of professional items including OPI GelColor, which is available in more than 150 shades that match the iconic OPI colors that are known and loved, nail treatments, finishing products, lotions, manicure/pedicure products, files, tools, gels and acrylics. OPI is guaranteed only when purchased through authorized professional beauty outlets and prestige stores, not from a drugstore, supermarket, or mass outlet, or other unauthorized source. To learn more about OPI visit www.OPI.com.

Good afternoon, readers! My nails have grown out a bit more since the big break so I finally did some fun nail art! I was inspired by a cute keychain that my daughter, Hailey, got at the zoo recently. Three of the China Glaze Electric Nights Collection shades were a fun match.

Below is a picture I took of the cute Ty brand leopard keychain. As soon as I saw her bring it home from the gift shop, I knew I would want matching nails! SO fun.

I started out with 2 coats of China Glaze UV Meant To Be and let dry.
Then, I used a small dotting tool and China Glaze Treble Maker to make various blobs on the nails.
Finally, I used the same dotting tool and China Glaze DJ Blue My Mind to do the spot outlines and random swipes/dots in between the leopard spots.
I used KBShimmer Clearly On Top to seal everything in.

Bonus shot holding the adorable keychain!

What do you think? Sometimes the most simple designs are fun to wear with crazy color combos. I am still enjoying the new China Glaze Electric Nights Collection so expect a lot more nail art in the near future using them. Thanks so much for reading!

Good morning, readers! I have a fun mani for you today that I created for the Zoya Spring Nail Art Challenge! I love half-moon manis, especially if the half moon is some form of nail art. For this look, my half-moons are simple florals that complement the pink base (Zoya Eden from the spring 2015 Delight Collection). Although this would work well on all nail lengths, I think it really shines on shorter nails by bringing the attention to the cuticle instead of the nail tip. Continue reading below for a complete tutorial on how you can recreate this easy spring look.

Here is what the full mani looks like:

Zoya Eden is such a fun pink and I really enjoyed using it as the base instead of the flower color for a change.

Let's get started!

Polishes used: Zoyas- Marley, Wednesday, Eden, Hudson, Satin Seal Top Coat (optional).

Tools used: Striper brush (Pure Color No.10), detail brush (Pure Color Glamor No. 1), small dotting tool. You can certainly get away with one nail art brush for this design, I just prefer using different ones for different tasks.

Step 1) Paint the entire nail with 2-3 coats of Zoya Eden and let dry.

Step 2) Using your striper brush and Zoya Marley, paint a half moon shape at your cuticle line and fill in. (note: you can use french tip guides/half moon guide stickers for this if you aren't comfortable painting this free handed.)

Step 3) Use the same striper brush and Zoya Wednesday to do an outline of the half moon.

Step 4) Use the detail brush and Zoya Wednesday to make 3 flower petal half circles and fill them in. It's okay if they are a little uneven, the top coat will smooth it out in the end.

Step 5) Take the small dotting tool and dip it into a puddle of Zoya Hudson on your work surface. Add random dots to the center of the flower.

Step 6) Add top coat. I haven't tested the new Zoya Satin Seal top coat for smearing yet, so I'm showing one coat of a thick quick dry top coat (KBShimmer Clearly On Top) plus one coat of Zoya Satin Seal Top Coat to take away some of the shine. Generally speaking, any matte effect top coats that I've tried have smeared nail art so I didn't bother trying with this one. I recommend a thick coat without the brush bristles touching the design, but more like hovering over the surface gently spreading the bead of top coat over the nail.

What are your thoughts on this design? It is simple and fun, and I think perfect for spring! If you aren't comfortable with free hand petals, you can definitely just do a line of dots with a larger dotting tool around the half moon shape for a similar effect.

Thanks so much for reading and I really hope you try my design! If you do, I would love for you to tag me on Instagram and Twitter or share on my Facebook Page! Have a great weekend!

Good morning, readers! It's time for this month's Digit-al Dozen nail art week! The theme is Childhood and I can't wait to see the versatile manis from the group this week. This is such a fun theme and it can go so many different ways--from things reminding us of our own childhoods, things that remind us of our own children, things that are just child-like in general, etc.

My first mani is inspired by a tv show that has been around for YEARS, with many different series themes. It's the Power Rangers! It debuted in 1993 and you can find 20+ seasons on Netflix today. My kids, Hailey (6.5) and Owen (2.5) are obsessed with them. They pick Power Rangers more often than any other show during their tv time--and their favorite series is Power Rangers Samurai.

I've recreated the 5 main Samurai Power Ranger helmets on my nails for today's look.

In case you aren't familiar with the show, or this specific series of Power Ranger, here is a stock photo of their favorite Power Rangers:

(source: http://powerrangersfanon.wikia.com/wiki/File:Power_Rangers_Time_Samurai.jpg)

Here are the polishes used for this design:

Thumb: Zoya Eden.
Index: OPI Jade is the New Black
Middle: OPI Coca-Cola Red
Ring: Elevation Polish Lake of the Isles
Pinky: OPI I Just Can't Cope-acabana

I used Rica Whiteout and Blackout for the details and my Pure Color Glamor #1 nail art brush (which is my current favorite!!). KBShimmer Clearly On Top was the top coat used.

What do you think of these? Are you a fan of any Power Rangers series? Which is your favorite? Thanks so much for reading! Come back tomorrow for the next Childhood Week mani with The Digit-al Dozen.

Take a peek at what the other ladies did for Day 1 below!

An InLinkz Link-up

The Digit-al Dozen DOES Nature, Day 3: Mermaid Tail Nail Art

The Digit-al Dozen DOES Nature, Day 4: Beach Waves Nail Art

The Digit-al Dozen DOES Nature, Day 5: Hydrangea Nail Art!

Swatch Saturday: Silly Bee's Chickadees Goodly Granizados Collection!

This or That? OPI vs. Nicole by OPI Coca-Cola!

Milani Negative Space Striped Nail Art

MYSTERY GRAB BAGS AVAILABLE!

Swatch Saturday: Nicole by OPI Coca-Cola Collection!

China Glaze Electric Nights Watermarble!

Press Release: OPI Color Paints

Swatch Saturday: China Glaze Electric Nights Collection!

Layered Cheetah Print with China Glaze Electric Nights!

OPI Infinite Shine Wear Test

This or That? Nicole by OPI Zero is My Hero and OPI Every Month is Oktoberfest Comparison!

Swatch Sunday: Barielle Glitter Mania Collection

Comparison: OPI Is Mai Tai Crooked vs. OPI Where Did Suzi's Man-go?

Press Release: OPI SoftShades

Bright Blue Leopard Nail Art

Floral Half-Moons with Zoya Eden!

The Digit-al Dozen DOES Childhood, Day 1: Power Rangers!