OPI Diva of Geneva

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I have another OPI Swiss for you today, Diva of Geneva.  This one's a purplish red shimmer that took three coats.  So far, I've only shown you the shimmers from OPI Swiss, but the collection's half cremes - I'll have to get moving on showing you some cremes soon!

I like Diva of Geneva.  It reminds me of a toned down SpaRitual Days of Wine & Roses.

OPI Diva of Geneva Nail Polish, Three Coats

Today I decided to forsake the annual wearing of SpaRitual Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds - it's my mom's birthday today.  I figured she's probably too busy in heaven making God bake her a cake to notice...

That's what I have for you today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

OPI The Color to Watch

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I have another OPI Swiss nail polish for you today, The Color to Watch.  It's a kind of dusty lavender shimmer with a blue flash, and was a three coater for me.  It's an odd shade, but I like it.

OPI The Color to Watch Nail Polish, Three Coats

That's just about all I have for you today, Dear Reader.  Until tomorrow, love and nail polish to you!  

OPI Yodel Me on My Cell

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

I got my OPI Swiss nail polished today, and I used Yodel Me on My Cell, a blue shimmer.  I also had to cut my nails off this week - I've got some computer stuff to set up, and some of the connections are dang near impossible to do with long nails, so I lopped them off.  They'll be back!

Even with the short nails, I needed three coats of Yodel Me on My Cell for it to be completely opaque.  Here it is finished with top coat.

OPI Yodel Me on My Cell Nail Polish, Three Coats

I'll have more OPI Swiss Collection to come.  Until then, love and nail polish to you!  

Nails Inc Sorbet Collection: Pelham Place

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I'm finally getting back to the Nails Inc Sorbet Collection ofter being distracted by new Fall colors for a while.  Today's Nails of the Day is Nails Inc Pelham Place, a very pale pink creme.  I needed three coats of Pelham Place, which is pretty typical of a really washed out pink.

Nails Inc Sorbet Collection: Pelham Place Nail Polish, Three Coats

That's all I have for you today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

China Glaze Awakening for Halloween 2010

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

As promised, I have more China Glaze swatches for you today, this time of their Awakening Collection for Halloween 2010.  These were manufacturer samples.

Here is the press release for them:

AWAKEN YOUR HALLOWEEN SPIRITS WITH GLAMOURISHLY GOULISH NAILS

China Glaze Introduces Three Limited Edition Halloween Polishes

Los Angeles, CA – (July 2010): Sink your claws into these three ghoulish glitters from China Glaze, perfect for a night of fright! Uniquely alluring and unlike any other Halloween colors before them, this collection is sure to entice. Colors in the promotion include:  

·        Zombie Zest: A mossy green shade with gold flecks of micro glitter.

·        Ick-A-Body: A dark green base chock full of orange glitter.

·        Mummy May I: Vampy, wine colored purple with flecks of hot pink glitter.

The 18 piece display will be available at Sally’s Beauty Supply Stores only and the 4 piece with free Fast Forward Top Coat will be available at all other beauty and nail supply outlets, stores and e-tailers. 

All three shades are great for Halloween.  Here's Zombie Zest, of which I used three coats for opacity.

China Glaze Zombie Zest Nail Polish, Three Coats

I used two coats of Ick-A-Bod-y since the glitter is so dense in this one.

China Glaze Ick-A-Bod-y Nail Polish, Two Coats

Mummy May I is my favorite, a two-coater that I'd wear when it's not Halloween.

China Glaze Mummy May I Nail Polish, Two Coats

I'm wearing Mummy May I now, and it's passably smooth with just one coat of top coat.  It seems like another coat would make it glassy.

That's China Glaze's Awakening for Halloween 2010 - another hit!

Until tomorrow, Dear Reader, love and nail polish to you!  

China Glaze Fight Like a Woman

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I received samples of China Glaze's Fight Like a Woman, their Breast Cancer Awareness Collection, and I have swatches for you today.  These are seriously nice BCA colors - no wussy sheers here!

So we all know what we're talking about, here's the copy of the press release:

Los Angeles, Calif. (July 2010) – Join China Glaze Nail Lacquer this October in the battle against breast cancer, one nail at a time! The professional line of nail lacquers brings on the fight with three powerful pinks. Inspired by the women who fight everyday and those that support them in their battle, these fabulous shades are sure to help you defeat the toughest opponents with style and class. China Glaze representative Rachel Schafer voiced that “in an industry dominated by women, for women, it is important that we strive to work together towards finding a cure.”

The three colors in “Fight Like A Woman” include:

Encouragement – A baby pink shimmer that brings on the cheer

Endurance – Power through the punches with this raspberry shimmer

Empowerment – Stand up tall with this cotton-candy crème on your nails

A portion of the proceeds will benefit the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an agency of the World Health Organization dedicated to the science of cancer and promoting international collaboration in cancer research.

The “Fight Like A Woman” Collection will be available at professional beauty supply stores and select salons this September. Availability will be very limited internationally.

China Glaze colors may change from season to season, but our formula remains the same amazing longwearing lacquer with hardeners. Designed with the professional in mind, our 220-strand brush is great for ease of application. Best of all, our non-thickening formula provides great coverage. For more information, please visit www.chinaglaze.com.

Here are the colors.  I used three coats of each for opacity.

Encouragement is better than it sounds - it's a glass flecked baby pink.  Very wearable, very beautiful.

China Glaze Encouragement Nail Polish, Three Coats

Endurance is a vivid glass flecked  raspberry, really pretty and really not what I expect from a BCA shade.

China Glaze Endurance Nail Polish, Three Coats

The one creme is Empowerment, which is a perfect medium light pink.

China Glaze Empowerment Nail Polish, Three Coats

This is definitely not what I'd expect from a BCA collection - no sheers and all distinct colors.  I'm a big fan of the polishes in themselves, let alone the fact that a portion of proceeds goes to a good cause!  Thanks, China Glaze, for making really cool BCA colors!

That's what I have for you today, Dear Reader!  I hope to have more China Glaze swatches for you tomorrow.  Until then, love and nail polish to you!  

RBL The Real Housewives of the Tudor Dynasty

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

I'm back with swatches of the Fall 2010 Rescue Beauty Lounge nail polishes (samples from RBL), and they are fantastic.  All were good in two coats, and all four are gorgeous shimmers.  You can read about Ji Baek's inspiration for the collection here. RBL will announce their availability on Facebook.

Jane is a pale neutral with a hint of pink and lavender, and just the perfect subtle shimmer.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Jane Nail Polish, Two Coats

Anne is a grey green with just a hint of pink shimmer.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Anne Nail Polish, Two Coats

Catherine H. is a gorgeous Wedgewood blue shimmer.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Catherine H. Nail Polish, Two Coats

My favorite is a real stunner, Catherine, which is a deep purple shimmer.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Catherine Nail Polish, Two Coats

I am absolutely in love with all four of these!  What do you think?

That's it for the RBL Extravaganza today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

RBL Fall 2010 Press Release

Hello, Dear Reader!

I just received the press release for Rescue Beauty Lounge's Fall 2010 release.  I should have the polishes today, so swatches will come later.  Click on the image for a full page view.

Deborah Lippmann Bad Romance

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I was going to hold off on changing my manicure until later today, but my Ruby Red Slippers was chippy, so I did a quick change to Deborah Lippmann Bad Romance.

Bad Romance is kind of like a purple Ruby Red Slippers.  It's a black jelly base with purple regular and hex glitter.  I used two coats, but really could have used a third to make it totally opaque.  Here's the finished mani with Bad Romance.

Deborah Lippmann Bad Romance Nail Polish, Two Coats

I really like it - I think it ties with Lady Sings the Blues for my favorite of the Lippmann glitters of this season.

I expect to have something really good for you later today, assuming all of the stars align properly.  As soon as I have it, I'll give you a peek!  Until then, love and nail polish to you!  

Deborah Lippmann Ruby Red Slippers

Good evening, Dear Reader!

Today I have a Lippmann glitter nail polish for you that's not new, but really, really good: Ruby Red Slippers.  It's a black jelly base with red regular and hex glitter.  For easier removal, I layered one coat of Ruby Red Slippers over one coat of Chanel Black Velvet.  I really like it, and it got a lot of compliments today.

Deborah Lippmann Ruby Red Slippers Nail Polish, One Coat over Black

I've really been enjoying the glitter lately, and have another planned for tomorrow - I managed to get hold of a bottle of Bad Romance, which I'm looking forward to trying out.

That's it for today, Dear Reader.  Until tomorrow, love and nail polish to you!  

Anna Sui 318

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

Today I needed a bright, chipper nail polish, and I went with Anna Sui 318.  It's a very pretty red pink shimmer that's nicely rose scented, which I acquired in a recent Urban Outfitters purchase.  Urban Outfitters doesn't use the color number, which complicates things.  If I'd been thinking upon opening the shipment of these, I would have noted on the the color number on the invoice, but I did not.  In their infinite wisdom, UO shipped each polish I ordered in a separate box, so I would have been able to connect a color number to a description upon opening them.  Lesson learned - I'll do that in the future...

Back to Anna Sui 318... It was a two coater, and just screams flowers - the color, the fragrance, this is one flowery nail polish!  Here's the finished manicure.

Anna Sui 318 Nail Polish, Two Coats

That's what I have for you today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Estee Lauder Surreal Violet

Good evening, Dear Reader!

I'd planned on leaving Lippmann Across the Universe on all day today, but this afternoon I got no less than five chips, one of them giant, in it.  That was kind of a bummer - I use SpaRitual Lacquer Lock base coat, which even works with the old chippy Chanels.  Ah, well... It gave me a chance to use Estee Lauder's Surreal Violet, so it's not all bad!

Surreal Violet is another neutral with purple shade, and a really nice one.  It's darker, has a more purple base, and a different shimmer than Essie Demure Vixen, the closest thing I can think of to it.  I used two coats of Surreal Violet, and this is it with a top coat.

Estee Lauder Surreal Violet Nail Polish, Two Coats

I really like this one a lot, even though I wouldn't call it violet by a long shot.

That's what I have for you today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Misa What I Like About You Collection

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

I was just checking my email, and found a press release I got from Misa last night.  It's for their What I Like About You Collection for Fall 2010.

Here are the bottle pictures.

Misa's What I Like About You Collection for Fall 2010

Here's the promo picture.

Misa's What I Like About You Promo Picture

And there's the text of the press release, with the bold being mine so it's s little easier to read:

Fall in Love This Fall With Misa Cosmetics’ What I Like About You Collection

July 19, 2010 – Philadelphia, PA. Sometimes it’s easy to know just what you want, but

you’ll immediately know what you need when you lay your eyes on the Misa Cosmetics

What I Like About You Collection, six new shades for fall that plumb the depths of

color intensity. You’ve explored the dark side of romance with the Poisoned Passion

Collection; now fall in love with the ecstasy that love can provide through these dare-

you-to-look-away glimmering hues. Just like a budding affair, these colors will spark

inexplicable emotions and near-obsessive thoughts. Go ahead—indulge your deepest

desires!

Fall 2010: What I Like About You Collection

Quirky Smile: Something about his lilted smile lets you know he’s interested…and

this shimmering Prussian blue is no less attention-grabbing. However, this rich shade

invites you into deeper territory—what’s lurking beneath? In this case, you’ll discover a

polish that evokes stormy skies and churning seas, a perfect metaphor for love’s mixed

emotions.

Like It Like That: You can’t avoid feeling upbeat when a relationship is going just right,

or when gazing at nails that are the perfect shade. Just try to block this candy apple

green out of your mind; when you like it like that, why deny yourself the pleasure?

Spinning Out of Control: Sometimes you just can’t control yourself—and you

wouldn’t have it any other way. Embrace that euphoric feeling with a brooding

cobalt blue-violet that says, “Don’t stop this merry-go-round; I’m enjoying the ride!”

It’s You!: Searching for the perfect mate is like searching for the perfect nail polish

shade: When you find it, you know right away. Like a perfect-match partner, this

multilayered iridescent hue offers the best of both worlds: a smoldering forest green shot

through with copper ribbons that glimmer and twinkle perfectly in candlelight.

Perfect Kiss: Don’t blush! When you recognize a good moment, grab what’s yours: the

perfect kiss. A well-planted smooch can provide material for days of daydreaming, and

this vibrant fuchsia is equally fantasy-inspiring. An eye-catching color like this one will

have any man’s lips quivering uncontrollably.

When U Say My Name: Chances are, your man has plenty to say, but nothing is sweeter

than when he whispers your name while in a sweet embrace. Blissfully sink into the

moment while donning this sultry rust, and don’t be afraid to demand, “Say it again!”

No release date is specified.  I received the press release after 5 on Friday, so I don't know if July 19 is just the official date of the press release or if it's the collection release date.

That's what I know today.  Until tomorrow, love and nail polish to you!  

Deborah Lippmann Across the Universe

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Today I have Deborah Lippmann's Across the Universe for you.  It's a blue jelly base with lighter blue regular and hex glitter as well as light green hex glitter, and it's really cool.  I needed three coats to make it totally opaque.  I was afraid that would be overkill on the glitter, but it turned out nicely, I think - the glitter looks almost 3D with how it peeks out to varying degrees, and it's really mermaidy.  Here it is finished with top coat.

Deborah Lippmann Across the Universe Nail Polish, Three Coats

I really like it a lot, but I think my favorite of the new Lippmann glitters is Lady Sings the Blues.  I can't judge on Bad Romance - Nordstrom's cancelled my preorder of that one... That's my first negative experience with Nordies, so I was sad, I really want to try Bad Romance.

That's the update for now, Dear Reader.  Until tomorrow, love and nail polish to you!  

Estee Lauder Blue Dahlia

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

I held off on posting today because I had some Nordstrom exclusives being delivered, and I have Estee Lauder Blue Dahlia for you today.  I've had Revlon Lunar and Galaxy on for two days, and it's worn well - just a bit of tip wear.  It was kind of a hassle to remove, but took under 5 minutes with felt and acetone followed up with non-acetone remover to tidy up.

The down side to Blue Dahlia is that it looks nothing like the promo image (which Nordies no longer has available in a reasonable size), but the upside is that it's really pretty.  It's a very dark blue creme, and makes me think of Dior Poison Blue without any shimmer.  I used two coats, and this is the finished manicure.

Estee Lauder Blue Dahlia Nail Polish, Two Coats

I like it.  It's near black, but still clearly blue.

That's what I have for you today, Dear Reader.  More from Nordstrom to come in coming days, and until then, love and nail polish to you!  

Eyeko Summer 2010

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

I mentioned the other day that Eyeko had sent me samples of a few of their Summer 2010 release, and I have swatches for you today.  I was again impressed with the quality of the polish - it's very smooth and easy to control, and all shades were good in two coats.  The shimmery glitters were thinner, and I was sure they'd need a third coat when I applied the first of each, but I was wrong - two was still perfect.  The dry time on the one I wore was quite good as well.

Here's the press release for the whole Summer 2010 Collection so you can see the colors I don't have swatches of.  You'll see they are five new shades and five rereleases.

Eyeko Summer 2010 Nail Polish Collection

I like that there's great variety here, and there is amongst the five I was sent.

Tea Rose Polish (for country nails) is a subdued rose creme.

Eyeko Tea Rose Nail Polish, Two Coats

Posh Polish (for ladylike nails) is a greige creme.

Eyeko Posh Nail Polish, Two Coats

Indigo Polish (for sultry nails) is a deep blue with medium blue microglitter.

Eyeko Indigo Nail Polish, Two Coats

Cosmic Polish (for space age nails) is a black base with holo microglitter.

Eyeko Cosmic Nail Polish, Two Coats

The last is Vampira (for gothic nails), which is a black base with red microglitter.  This is what I've wanted other blacks with red glitter to look like.

Eyeko Vampira Nail Polish, Two Coats

I'm really please with each of these, and I don't think any is a miss.  I'll likely get some more of this collection - Lilac and Vintage are calling my name loudly.  So, so far so good with Eyeko - not a single complaint from me.

That's all for today, Dear Reader.  Until tomorrow, love and nail polish to you!  

Revlon Glitter Top Coats & Companions

Good evening, Dear Reader!

I'm back with something cool to show you that I found while grocery shopping this morning.  I found a Revlon display I haven't seen before or heard of, and the colors looked really cool, so I got one of each to show you.  As usual, I don't know the name of the display - I think I forgot to even check what it was.  I saw glitter and that was the end of it!

This display had eight shades, four cremes and four corresponding glitter top coats.  Two of the cremes, I could do without having swatched them.

The first creme, Silver, is a light grey creme.  Mine had a comically wonky brush and was a three coater.  One of the lighter Nubar greys or Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Wet Cement would be better.  Here's Silver alone.

Revlon Silver Nail Polish, Three Coats

The top coat for this one is called Belle (Silver Belle...).  I added two coats.

Revlon Belle Nail Polish, Two Coats over Three Coats Silver

The next creme is a dark red called Ruby, a two coater.

Revlon Ruby Nail Polish, Two Coats

The top coat for this one is Slipper.

Revlon Slipper Nail Polish, Two Coats over Two Coats Ruby

Next up is a purple creme called Rock, also a two-coater.

Revlon Rock Nail Polish, Two Coats

Its top coat is called Star.  Here's two coats of Star.

Revlon Star Nail Polish, Two Coats over Two Coats Rock

The last creme is a black called Lunar, a two-coater with a wonky brush.

Revlon Lunar Nail Polish, Two Coats

The glitter top coat for this is the most impressive to me.  It's called Galaxy.

Revlon Galaxy Nail Polish, Two Coats over Two Coats Lunar

Those, Dear Reader, are the Revlon glitter top coats and their creme companions which I stumbled upon this morning.  I think they're great, and at $4, I don't expect to do better.

That's all I have for you.  Until tomorrow, love and nail polish to you!