China Glaze Crackle Glitters Collection
SPARK YOUR SUMMER STYLE!
China Glaze® Introduces Four New Crackle Glitter Polishes for May 2012
Los Angeles, CA – (March 2012): Sparkle all summer long with China Glaze®’s new Crackle Glitters collection. Once again taking crackle technology to the next level, this third-generation polish pairs the edgy innovation of crackling nail lacquer with glamorous glitters. The China Glaze® Crackle Glitters features four shimmering shades including:
China Glaze Luminous Lavender
· Luminous Lavender: Luscious light purple
China Glaze Jade-d
· Jade-d: Radiant bright green
China Glaze Glam-More
· Glam-More: Bold fuchsia
China Glaze Gleam Me Up
· Gleam Me Up: Bright sky blue
Create glamorously different looks with just one sweep of China Glaze® Crackle Glitters. 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. Brush sideways or on an angle to create different looks. As versatile and edgy as China Glaze®’s biggest celebrity fans (Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Nicole Ritchie and Kelly Osbourne, to name a few), China Glaze® Crackle Glitters add a spark(le) to one of the hottest nail art trends!
The China Glaze® Crackle Glitters collection will be available as open stock colors and four-piece counter display. Individual polishes retail for $9 MSRP and will be available at fine salons and beauty supply stores nationwide in May 2012.
Pure Ice Crackle Duo Green & Silver
Pure Ice Crackle Duo Green & Silver is simply perfect for St. Patty’s Day! Today, I went to the gun range with my co-worker friends John and Willie. It was a lot of fun and I actually did better than I thought I would! One of the things I learned that relates to this blog is that some of the ammo are coated with lacquer to prevent rust. It was this military green jelly-ish creme shade….I actually thought about a shade I swatched earlier that would’ve been more attractive (but I took it off cause I didn’t want my flashy nails to distract people at the gun range). Pure Ice Crackle Duo Green & Silver consists of the green shimmer shade, known as Not Now or 511CP, and the silver crackle shade called Lighting Strikes.
Pure Ice Not Now
See what a pretty green shimmer this shade is? Formula for this one is a bit watery, but it self-leveled at 2 coats. It’s actually a very nice green honestly. Shown is 2 coats with no top coat.
Pure Ice Not Now (in shade)
Pure Ice Not Now (direct sunlight)
Pure Ice Not Now (close-up)
Pure Ice Not Now (lighting changed)
Lightning Strikes is a beautiful silver crackle shade with a metallic finish. I applied it right when I figured that Not Now is completely dry.
Pure Ice Not Now with Lightning Strikes (in shade)
Pure Ice Not Now with Lightning Strikes (direct sunlight)
Pure Ice Not Now with Lightning Strikes (close-up)
I like this duo a lot. I’d love it if the base shade isn’t as watery as it is. Hopefully that’s the way it is in the batch of polish I ended up receiving and others will have ones with a less watery formula.
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
Mattese Elite Je T’Aime & Crackalacquers Layering
Okay, soooooooooo……I got this neat shade from Mattese Elite that actually pushed me to think about layering and stuff. I haven’t been that adventurous really when it comes to polish. Just slap a color on and make sure application is as good as I can get it. The end. That’s what usually happens. But I looked at it in the bottle and was so inspired to do something with it that I ended up with this….
Mattese Elite Je T'Aime & Crackalacquers Layering
Mattese Elite Je T'Aime & Crackalacquers Layering (rotated pic)
Um….yum?! I actually tried it with a black crackle first and the look reminded me of koi fishes and I got excited at the thought of doing it with other colors. The glitter pieces in Mattese Elite Je T’Aime kinda gave it a fish scale look at times. It did when I did the one with the black crackle, but I spread Je T’Aime more thinly over these instead and got the result shown. I used Pure Ice 582CP, a gold glitter, as the base then topped it with a layer of top coat. I had to or else the crackle would’ve attempted to be sucked in and spread around by the glitter base. The glitter shade dried a little bit rough and is what we refer to as a top coat eater. After that, I topped it with one nice layer of a Mattese Elite Crackalaquer shade. The ones shown (from left to right in photo above) are Dark Burgundy, Blue Star, Deep Purple and Metallic Orange. After the crackle shade is dry, I applied one coat of Je T’Aime. I used drying drops from Qtica to ensure that all layers are dry.
Mattese Elite Je T'Aime & Crackalacquers Layering (close-up)
Mattese Elite Je T'Aime & Crackalacquers Layering (rotated again)
Mattese Elite Je T'Aime & Crackalacquers Layering (in shade)
Mattese Elite Je T'Aime & Crackalacquers Layering (with flash)
Mattese Elite Je T'Aime & Crackalacquers Layering (clsoer shot)
While this is cute, I’m still going to do the one with black crackle version that I first fell in love with. And while my co-worker friends loved this look on me, it’s not something they’d sport on their nails. So I know not all of you will like it, but I hope some of you guys do. Here’s my first stab at doing a layering mani on the blog. Hope you’re looking forward to more!
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
Pure Ice Crackle Duo Silver Glitter & Teal
Here’s another duo set from Pure Ice. I like this crackle shade a lot and the base glitter shade is pretty awesome on its own. Pure Ice Crackle Duo Silver Glitter & Teal consists of the silver glitter shade, known as Beware or 537CP, and the teal crackle shade called Strike A Pose.
Pure Ice Beware
Beware is a silver glitter shade. It is made up of plain silver glitter in a clear base. The silver glitter is pretty packed, giving pretty good coverage on my nails. Shown is 2 thin coats with no top coat.
Pure Ice Beware (in shade)
Pure Ice Beware (direct sunlight)
Pure Ice Beware (close-up)
Strike A Pose is a teal crackle shade with a metallic finish. It dries a little bit dull, not shiny. I applied it right when I figured that Beware is completely dry after a coat of top coat and it performed nicely.
Pure Ice Beware with Strike A Pose (in shade)
Pure Ice Beware with Strike A Pose (direct sunlight)
Pure Ice Beware with Strike A Pose (close-up)
I really like the teal crackle a lot!
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
Pure Ice Crackle Duo Gold Glitter & Black
This is another set from Pure Ice. I like this set more than the first one I tried simply cause it has a glitter shade!!! Y’all know me and glitter. 
Pure Ice Crackle Duo Gold Glitter & Black consists of the gold glitter shade, known as 582CP, and the black crackle shade called Strobe Light.
Pure Ice 582CP
582CP is a gold glitter shade. It is made up of warm and cool gold glitter in a clear base. Even thought it’s a glitter in clear base, I find that this shade has pretty good coverage. Shown is 2 thin coats with no top coat.
Pure Ice 582CP (in shade)
Pure Ice 582CP (direct sunlight)
Pure Ice 582CP (close-up)
Strobe Light is a black crackle shade with a creme finish. I applied it right when I figured that 582CP is completely dry after a coat of top coat and it performed nicely.
Pure Ice 582CP with Strobe Light (in shade)
Pure Ice 582CP with Strobe Light (direct sunlight)
Pure Ice 582CP with Strobe Light (close-up)
Have you seen these duo sets yet at local retailers?
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
Pure Ice Crackle Duo Gold & Red
Ringing in the Chinese New Year today is a duo from Pure Ice. Pure Ice Crackle Duo Gold & Red consists of the gold shade, known as Bite Me! or 313CP, and the red crackle shade called Show Stopper.
Pure Ice Bite Me!
Bite Me! is a warm gold shimmer shade. Formula was very nice and it dried pretty fast. Shown is 2 thin coats with no top coat.
Pure Ice Bite Me! (in shade)
Pure Ice Bite Me! (direct sunlight)
Pure Ice Bite Me! (close-up)
Show Stopper is a bright red crackle shade with a creme finish. I applied it right when I figured that Bite Me! is completely dry.
Pure Ice Bite Me! with Show Stopper (in shade)
Pure Ice Bite Me! with Show Stopper (direct sunlight)
Pure Ice Bite Me! with Show Stopper (close-up)
Can’t go wrong with red and gold for Chinese New Year. Well done, Pure Ice!
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
imPRESS Press-on Manicure Working Girl
Here’s one of the items I got in my Influenster Holiday VoxBox 2011. I was definitely intrigued by this product being that most of my blog entries revolve around nail polish and beauty. So how did the imPRESS Press-on Manicure in Working Girl fare?
imPRESS Press-on Manicure Working Girl
The Influenster insert boasts about this product: “Introducing imPress, the revolutionary way to apply nail polish! Featuring advances technology, you will get a salon-perfect manicure in seconds – simply peel off, press on, and you’re done (no drying time!). imPress comes in 36 colors and patterns, including trendy brights, classic darks and animal prints.”
imPRESS Press-on Manicure Working Girl (cute packaging!)
imPRESS Press-on Manicure Working Girl (pretty print!)
Verdict? It comes in such cute packaging! The box opens to reveal a bottle-shaped plastic snap container that houses 24 nail covers in 12 different sizes. It is very easy to use with complete instructions on the back of the box. It applies literally in minutes. You first figure out the correct nail pieces to use, swipe the enclosed prep pad onto your natural nails and firmly apply the pieces after removing the peel off tab. The press on nails goes on with the tab end facing the cuticle. I haven’t removed them yet, but removal is said to be pretty easy by gently peeling off from sides or apply polish remover around edges and waiting a minute or so to peel off. We’ll see if it removes that well. Your natural nail length has to be shorter than these press ons, so check first to see or else you’ll end up looking like my middle finger in the picture above where my nail is sticking out underneath it. I love, LOVE, L-O-V-E this print called Working Girl. It looks like glittery crackle or shatter over black creme polish. Looking at their offerings, the solids didn’t appeal to me much but the prints are right up my alley! There’s something for everybody with the variety they offer.
As long as you follow the instructions carefully, it works great and should last for up to a week or so. imPress Manicure retails for $5.99 for colors and $7.99 for patterns, and is available at CVS, Rite Aid, Duane Reade, KMart, Walgreens, Walmart and more. For a full list of online and in-store retailers, visit imPressManicure.com, where you can download an exclusive coupon and virtually try on all the colors and patterns!
*Products featured here are complimentary to test through Influenster’s VoxBox program.*
OPI Nicki Minaj Collection
This collaboration doesn’t really surprise me. I mean, Katy Perry’s line was a huge hit in my opinion. In fact, the shades are sold out in a lot of places. I’m still having trouble locating Teenage Dream and while I do have some close dupes of it, I still want the real deal. I’m sure a lot of nail polish fanatics understand what I mean by that. With that said, I am looking forward to this upcoming collection a lot. The colors are very vivid, not holding back at all.
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.
OPI Super Bass Shatter
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:
OPI Pink Friday
Kick off the weekend with this pop! of bubblegum pink.
OPI Metallic 4 Life
This charcoal sparkle flies with the starts in the skies.
OPI Save Me
I drove for miles just to find this silver-rainbow glitter.
OPI Fly
I came to win, to fight…and to wear this aqua.
OPI 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!
One thing that REALLY stood out for me with this is the shade Fly reminds me of Cult Nails’ Let Me Fly based on the name and shade color. They don’t look like close dupes, but similar in the shade at least being teal (and the name, of course). Coincidence?
OPI Pink Shatter: Pink Of Hearts 2011
In time for October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, OPI created a new shade called Pink Shatter, in line with their annual Pink Of Hearts edition lacquer released every year. For more details, read the press release here. Pardon the state of my cuticle area. It was really sore from swatching and I had a small cut that was healing. Can you say ouch when I have to use remover? 
OPI Pink Shatter: Pink Of Hearts 2011
I didn’t use white to show how it would look over other shades. I used it over Milani Breezy and it shows how the Pink Shatter would show up over a shade where it didn’t turn out as pink as you think it would. Pink Shatter has a slight shimmer to it, but it’s more sheer than what you might think and it shows in the swatches. Formula is typical for a shatter shade and it dries really fast. Shown is one coat with no top coat.
OPI Pink Shatter: Pink Of Hearts 2011 (in shade)
OPI Pink Shatter: Pink Of Hearts 2011 (direct sunlight)
OPI Pink Shatter: Pink Of Hearts 2011 (close-up)
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.
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
OPI Halloween 2011 Collection
Have you spotted these yet?
Look Frighteningly Fashionable with OPI!
No Tricks, Just Treats with New OPI
Halloween Nail Lacquers
Celebrate the scariest day of the year with OPI’s Halloween-inspired nail lacquers, available in two promotional gifts sets. For a limited time only, OPI will offer the new Spook-ettes mini pack, which includes four mini lacquers: He’s My Boo (a scary orange), Mummy Knows Best (a spook-tacular white), I Only Date Werewolves (a bewitching black) and Zom-Body to Love (a glow-in-the-dark green).
OPI Spook-ettes 2011
The Spook-ettes mini pack also includes free nail decals, along with instructions on how to create different nail art designs using the lacquers and stickers. For example, create a two-toned look with “Jack-in-the-Moon,” featuring a grinning face in a white full moon on a black nail, or go bold with “Welcome to Spider’s Corner,” showcasing a creepy-crawler layered over a bright orange hue.
Additionally, the Pair’em Scare’em duo pack will bring Zom-Body to Love and OPI’s bestselling Black Shatter together in a hair-raising pair. Inspired by graffiti art, Shatter leaves behind a crackled, two-texture finish when painted over completely dry OPI nail lacquer. Paint Shatter over two coats of Zom-Body to Love and add a top coat for a one-of-a-kind, glow-in-the-dark manicure.
OPI Pair'em Scare'em 2011
“Halloween motivates us to express wild, imaginative concepts through hair, makeup, nails and costumes,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “The Spook-ettes and Pair’em Scare’em lacquers allow consumers to get fun and creative with our Halloween colors by pairing them with themed nail decals or adding the captivating shatter effect.”
OPI products contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application.
Spook-ettes ($12.50 US, $16.95 CAN) and the Pair’em Scare’em duo pack ($14.95 U.S, $20.95 CAN) will be retailed at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA.
For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!
Milani Krackle Top Coat
Today’s post will be short and sweet. I am showing you guys the Milani Krackle Top Coat, a black creme crackle/shatter top coat from their limited edition collection MEWOW Look At My Nails!.
Here it is over Blue Lightening.
Milani Krackle Top Coat (in shade)
Milani Krackle Top Coat (direct sunlight)
And now over Brisk Orange, a combo I love and that’s perfect for Halloween!
Milani Krackle Top Coat (in shade again)
Milani Krackle Top Coat (with flash)
Sorry the pictures aren’t that crisp. It wouldn’t let me take them nicely without the flash on. It applied very nicely and cracks great. As with all crackle/shatter top coats, underlying shade has to be dry. You can apply it on thicker or thinner, depending on the look you’re going for.
Shades from the MEWOW Look At My Nails! Collection should be available in select Walgreens stores this month nationwide for about $4.99 each. You can also grab these on their website while they still have ‘em.
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
Milani MEWOW Look At My Nails! Collection
This limited edition collection is only available at Walgreens this month and retails for about $4.99 each.
EDIT: Purple Rush swatch here, Brisk Orange swatch here, Blue Lightening swatch here, Racy Green swatch here, and Krackle Top Coat swatch here.
Milani MEWOW Look At My Nails Collection
The High Speed Fast Dry Nail Lacquers are available in Purple Rush, Brisk Orange, Speed Up Pink, Blue Lightening, Flashy Silver and Racy Green. Purple Rush and Racy Green are part of their Summer 2011 Limited Edition Collection released in July. I know we’re all just about done with the crackle and shatter trend, but good thing they only released it in black. Agree? I’m more excited about the other shades like the ones that look like glitters or metallic shimmers. I should have swatches of some in the next few days. Have you spotted these yet?
Mattese Elite Crackalacquer Swatches
Most companies have churned out some form of crackle or shatter shades. Mattese Elite has done it as well with their Crackalacquer Collection. I’ve had these for a while now and decided to use them over other Mattese Elite shades. The most recent collection I got was Cosa Nostra, so I used these over those. Note that I do not have White Crackeled in the collection of 6. These are shown in the same order as the press release.
First up is Gold Crackeled.
Mattese Elite Gold Crackeled
I used this over the frosty gunmetal shade Boss. I thought both shades will have enough contrast for a nice cracked look. The gold metallic shade really shines through under direct sunlight.
Mattese Elite Gold Crackeled (in shade)
Mattese Elite Gold Crackeled (direct sunlight)
Mattese Elite Gold Crackeled (close-up)
Next is Silver Crackeled.
Mattese Elite Silver Crackeled
I used this over the bright pink Goomah Comare. I’ve always liked silver against shades like pink. Even though Silver Crackeled is metallic, it has a matte-ish finish.
Mattese Elite Silver Crackeled (in shade)
Mattese Elite Silver Crackeled (direct sunlight)
Mattese Elite Silver Crackeled (close-up)
Next is the classic black, Black Crackeled.
Mattese Elite Black Crackeled
I used this over the lightest shade in the collection, Consigliere. I thought that black creme would look best against the lightest shade I could use.
Mattese Elite Black Crackeled (in shade)
Mattese Elite Black Crackeled (direct sunlight)
Mattese Elite Black Crackeled (close-up)
Up next is Pink Crackeled.
Mattese Elite Pink Crackeled
I used this over the dark blue Vig. I wasn’t sure if the color contrast between these 2 would work, but I’m glad it did after all. The pink looks pretty over it with a subtle shimmer.
Mattese Elite Pink Crackeled (in shade)
Mattese Elite Pink Crackeled (direct sunlight)
Mattese Elite Pink Crackeled (close-up)
Last one I have is Blue Crackeled.
Mattese Elite Blue Crackeled
I used this over the plum purple called Whack. Since Pink Crackeled works over the blue Vig, this is just like the reverse. Blue Crackeled is a stunning shimmery blue. I LOVE this shade.
Mattese Elite Blue Crackeled (in shade)
Mattese Elite Blue Crackeled (direct sunlight)
Mattese Elite Blue Crackeled (close-up)
Overall? Well, we can only do so much with this type of finish. It’s been done already by many other brands, but the formula is consistent with all shades and application is super easy. They all cracked nicely and dried in no time with one coat. You can experiment doing thicker and thinner coats to get different effects. I think this is shown the most with Black Crackeled over Consigliere.
You can score any of these beauties directly on their webpage or if you live in the wonderful state of New York, you can stop by at any Ricky’s NYC store locations (see here) and see this and other shades for yourself before you buy. Mattese Elite shades retails for $5.99 each before tax.
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
Nicole by OPI Texture Coat Swatches
I believe these are of the same formula as the OPI shatters, so no need to get these if you already have the ones from OPI. I have no complaints overall with this collection other than maybe having different colors instead (there’s already OPI shatters out for all these shades). Application technique is the same for crackles and shatter shades, work fast and one coat. Overdoing the coat will ruin it. I used these over one coat of 6 different holographic frankens of mine.
Let’s start with Gold Texture.
Nicole by OPI Gold Texture
I used Gold Texture over my Fear franken. I thought a dark base color would make the gold pop out well. Formula was thick and applied on smoothly. Shown is one coat with no top coat.
Nicole by OPI Gold Texture (in shade)
Nicole by OPI Gold Texture (direct sunlight)
Nicole by OPI Gold Texture (close-up)
Next up is Silver Texture.
Nicole by OPI Silver Texture
I used Silver Texture over my Loyalty franken. The silver works well with the blue holographic shade as the base. Formula was nice and smooth. Shown is one coat with no top coat.
Nicole by OPI Silver Texture (in shade)
Nicole by OPI Silver Texture (direct sunlight)
Nicole by OPI Silver Texture (close-up)
Next is Red Texture.
Nicole by OPI Red Texture
I used Red Texture over my Deception franken. I thought for sure this combo would fail and that I should’ve used a lighter shade for the base color, but it surprisingly turned out okay. Formula was a bit on the thin side and slightly gooey, but applied okay. Shown is one coat with no top coat.
Nicole by OPI Red Texture (in shade)
Nicole by OPI Red Texture (direct sunlight)
Nicole by OPI Red Texture (close-up)
Next, we have White Texture.
Nicole by OPI White Texture
I used White Texture over my Darkness franken. I paired White Texture with my darkest holographic franken for that contrast. Formula was good and dries really fast. Shown is one coat with no top coat.
Nicole by OPI White Texture (in shade)
Nicole by OPI White Texture (direct sunlight)
Nicole by OPI White Texture (close-up)
My favorite, Turquoise Texture, is next.
Nicole by OPI Turquoise Texture
I used Turquoise Texture over my Courage franken. I originally tried this over Envy and you just couldn’t see the Turquoise Texture at all against the dark green holographic shade. Formula, for me, was the best among all 6 textures. Shown is one coat with no top coat.
Nicole by OPI Turquoise Texture (in shade)
Nicole by OPI Turquoise Texture (direct sunlight)
Nicole by OPI Turquoise Texture (close-up)
And lastly, Black Texture.
Nicole by OPI Black Texture
I used Black Texture over my Truth franken. I was concerned that the black would blend in with this darker blue holographic shade, but there is enough contrast for it to stand out against it. Formula was good and applied on smoothly. Shown is one coat with no top coat.
Nicole by OPI Black Texture (in shade)
Nicole by OPI Black Texture (direct sunlight)
Nicole by OPI Black Texture (close-up)
Overall? Nothing new really. OPI has released shatters already and these are of the same formula as those, just that more shades are offered.
These should be available already in Target stores nationwide.
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
OPI Pink Shatter: Pink Of Hearts
Here’s the press release about a pink shatter shade from OPI, releasing in time for Breast Cancer Awareness month October!
EDIT: Swatch here.
Let’s Shatter Breast Cancer!
OPI Announces New Pink Shatter: Pink of Hearts Nail Lacquer to Support
Susan G. Komen for the Cure®
OPI Pink Shatter: Pink Of Hearts
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!
Sancion Angel Etna
It wasn’t a huge shock to me that Sancion Angel released a crackle polish line not too long ago. It seems like every brand did. There are 6 fun shades to choose from in their Cracker’s (Crackle) line. The one I have is named Etna.
Sancion Angel Etna
Etna is a stunning red metallic crackle shade. I used this over one thin coat of Fright Night Claw Sinister, a black creme. I adore this metallic foil red shade! I don’t have any metallic foil red crackle or shatter polish, so this is definitely a must-have for me. I love how the silver dances with the red in this crackle shade. I waited until the underlying coat is completely dry and quickly applied one generous coat of this over it, careful not to apply on the same spot twice. Shown is with no top coat.
Sancion Angel Etna (in shade)
Sancion Angel Etna (direct sunlight)
Sancion Angel Etna (close-up)
Pretty, eh?
They have a lot of other shades from several different lines. As far as I know, they are only accessible through their website along with a few others unless you live close to a local store in Brazil that carries their line.
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
Mattese Elite Crackalacquer Collection
Here’s another press release that just proves that the crackle and shatter trend has not waned.
EDIT: Swatches here.
Mattese Elite Crackalaquer Collection
The gold and silver looks glittery from the picture, but I’m thinking it’s metallic in person.
OPI Blue Shatters Swatches
Here are swatches from the blue shatters released by OPI. There are 3 of them, 2 shimmers and one creme. They came with a little instructional tag with 3 easy steps outlined. The steps are basically the same as any crackle or shatter polish out there right now. I’m not sure if this trend is dying just yet. I see more brands coming out with it as each day goes by.
First up is Blue Shatter.
OPI Blue Shatter
Blue Shatter is a bright royal blue shatter that I layered over Deborah Lippmann’s My Old Flame, which is a red creme shade. I didn’t expect a lot from this shade from the press release other than it gives me more variety in terms of color. I thought it was nice and that’s about it. It blew me away when it went on my nails. It’s a very nice royal blue shimmer. Formula was of the right consistency and the layer of shatter polish spread evenly onto my nails. Shown is one coat with no top coat.
OPI Blue Shatter (in shade)
OPI Blue Shatter (direct sunlight)
OPI Blue Shatter (close-up)
OPI Blue Shatter (lighting changed)
Next is Navy Shatter.
OPI Navy Shatter
Navy Shatter is the creme shade among the 3 shatters. It’s a really dark shade. So dark that when I layered it over the same red shade I used with the other 2, it looked black (photo of this at the end of this entry). I thought at first my bottle was labeled wrong and it was Black Shatter, but I see that it’s a dark jelly shade in the bottle. That’s when I decided to layer it over a much lighter shade instead, white. Formula was just about the same as the 2 other shades and it went onto my nails with no problem. Shown is one coat with no top coat.
OPI Navy Shatter (in shade)
OPI Navy Shatter (direct sunlight)
OPI Navy Shatter (close-up)
Last shade up is my personal favorite among all shatters released by OPI so far, Turquoise Shatter.
OPI Turquoise Shatter
Turquoise Shatter is simply stunning. It’s so vibrant that I instantly fell in love. It went onto my nails smoothly over the same red shade I used with Blue Shatter, Deborah Lippmann’s My Old Flame. Shown is one coat with no top coat.
OPI Turquoise Shatter (in shade)
OPI Turquoise Shatter (direct sunlight)
OPI Turquoise Shatter (in shade)
And here’s the comparison picture that I took before swatching them all individually. Left is Turquoise Shatter, middle is Blue Shatter and right is Navy Shatter. All are over 2 coats of Deborah Lippmann’s My Old Flame with no top coat.
OPI Blue Shatters Comparison (in shade)
OPI Blue Shatters Comparison (direct sunlight)
These should be available in various retail stores such as ULTA and Trade Secret.
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
China Glaze Crackle Metals Collection
With this nail polish trend going on strong, here’s a press release from China Glaze.
China Glaze Crackle Metals Collection
THE HOTTEST METALS GET CRACKLED
China Glaze Introduces Six New Crackle Glaze Polishes inSparkling Metallics for Summer 2011
Los Angeles, CA– (June 2011): Set your summer style to“sizzle” with China Glaze’s new Crackle Glaze Metalscollection. The pioneer in crackle technology, China Glaze takes thebeauty phenomenon to the next level with this second-generation polish thatpairs the edgy innovation of crackle with the elegant beauty of metals. The China Glaze Crackle Glaze Metals collection features six sparkling metalliccolors including:
· Tarnished Gold: Warm, honeyedhue
· Platinum Pieces: Shimmeringsilver
· Haute Metal: Pale pink
· Cracked Medallion: Bold bronze
· Latticed Lilac: Soft lavender
· Oxidized Aqua: Deep aquamarineblue
Create dramatically different looks withjust one sweep of China Glaze Crackle Glaze Metals. Layer over differentbase colors to create bold styles. Use a lighter coat to create a finecrackle, a thicker coat for a deep shatter effect. As versatile and edgyas China Glaze’s biggest celebrity fans (Lady Gaga, Rihanna, NicoleRitchie and Kelly Osbourne, to name a few), Glaze Crackle Glaze Metals is sureto be this summer’s hottest beauty trend!
The China Glaze CrackleGlaze Metals collection will be available as open stock colors and 12 piececounter display with a unique Crackle Glaze screen and including aninstructional hang tag.
China Glaze is free of DBP,toluene, and added formaldehyde.
China Glaze nail lacquersare available through salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide.For more information, visit: http://www.chinaglaze.com or follow China Glaze onTwitter: http://twitter.com/ChinaGlaze
China Glaze is a divisionof American International Industries.
About American International Industries
For nearly 40 years, AIIhas been the leading manufacturer and worldwide distributor of innovative,quality beauty and skin care products for men and women. Our productlines 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: http://www.aiibeauty.com.
OPI Serena Williams Glam Slam! France Swatches
The 4 latest shades from the OPI Serena Williams Glam Slam! France Collection have been popping up at various retail stores lately. It is only fitting that I post swatches of those that I have as well! There are 2 sets available and are shown below.
OPI Serena Williams Glam Slam! France Spark de Triomphe & White Shatter Set
OPI Serena Williams Glam Slam! France Rally Pretty Pink & Red Shatter Set
First up is the first shade from the first set, Spark de Triomphe.
OPI Spark de Triomphe
O-M-G…..so pretty! This is a stunning silver glitter shade that I absolutely loved wearing just by itself. Formula is great and went onto my nails smoothly. Drying time is fast, as expected with a glitter shade. Shown is 2 thin coats with no top coat.
OPI Spark de Triomphe (in shade)
OPI Spark de Triomphe (direct sunlight)
OPI Spark de Triomphe (close-up)
Then we have the White Shatter that comes in the set over Spark de Triomphe.
OPI Spark de Triomphe with White Shatter
OPI Spark de Triomphe with White Shatter (close-up)
OPI Spark de Triomphe with White Shatter (with top coat)
The shade in the next shade is called Rally Pretty Pink.
OPI Rally Pretty Pink
Beautiful, beautiful shade. Rally Pretty Pink is not a true pink. It leans towards purple with gold shimmer. The gold shimmer reminds me that of some shades from Zoya. It’s almost a metallic foil, but not quite in my opinion. Formula is great and applied smoothly onto my nails. It also dried pretty fast. Shown is 2 thin coats with no top coat.
OPI Rally Pretty Pink (in shade)
OPI Rally Pretty Pink (lighting changed)
OPI Rally Pretty Pink (direct sunlight)
OPI Rally Pretty Pink (close-up)
And now, with Red Shatter from the set.
OPI Rally Pretty Pink with Red Shatter
OPI Rally Pretty Pink with Red Shatter (close-up)
OPI Rally Pretty Pink with Red Shatter (with top coat)
I love the shatters in the sets, but I prefer them to be paired with other shades in all honesty. I think both Spark de Triomphe and Rally Pretty Pink look so much better alone than with the shatters. I have used the shatters with other shades on my nails and love them much better than over the 2 shades mentioned. Nonetheless, the set is a good buy because all the shades will definitely be used! Both shatters look extra pretty when top coat is applied over it. I find that shiny, wet look very pleasant!
These should be available in various retail stores such as ULTA and Trade Secret. So, which shade will you be getting? I personally think all 4 are must-haves!
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
OPI Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Swatches
Okay, most of y’all have seen swatches of these floating around on other blogs. It’s only a matter of time I’ll have it up on mine, so here it is…..swatches for OPI Pirates Of The Carribbean: On Stranger Tides Collection.
Let’s start with my favorite, Sparrow Me The Drama.
OPI Sparrow Me The Drama
This pink creme shade is right up my alley! It’s a dusty pink that can be worn all year round. I wouldn’t mind sporting this during any season of the year really. Shown is 3 thin coats with no top coat.
OPI Sparrow Me The Drama (in shade)
OPI Sparrow Me The Drama (direct sunlight)
OPI Sparrow Me The Drama (another shot)
OPI Sparrow Me The Drama (close-up)
OPI Sparrow Me The Drama (with Silver Shatter)
OPI Sparrow Me The Drama (with Silver Shatter close-up)
OPI Sparrow Me The Drama (with Silver Shatter close-up and top coat)
Next up is my next favorite, Planks A Lot.
OPI Planks A Lot
This dusty purple caught me by surprise. I’m usually not a fan of dusty cremes, but the ones in this collection definitely surprised me. I adore this purple creme shade. In fact, this is one of my top 3 purple creme shades of all time. Sorry for the silver glitter bits you see around my finger. It’s from the removal of the previous shade with Silver Shatter. Shown is 3 thin coats with no top coat.
OPI Planks A Lot (in shade)
OPI Planks A Lot (direct sunlight)
OPI Planks A Lot (close-up)
OPI Planks A Lot (another shot)
OPI Planks A Lot (with Silver Shatter)
OPI Planks A Lot (with Silver Shatter close-up)
OPI Planks A Lot (last shot)
Next we have probably the most popular shade in this collection, Mermaid’s Tears.
OPI Mermaid's Tears
Another dusty creme shade in this collection! Can you see the trend here? This one’s the green creme in the collection. This type of shade seems to be popular this year. I have seen similar shades in other brands’ collections for both Spring and Summer. Shown is 3 thin coats with no top coat.
OPI Mermaid's Tears (in shade)
OPI Mermaid's Tears (direct sunlight)
OPI Mermaid's Tears (close-up)
OPI Mermaid's Tears (with Silver Shatter)
OPI Mermaid's Tears (with Silver Shatter close-up)
Here’s another one I like a lot, Steady As She Rose.
OPI Steady As She Rose
This one’s a very light rose shade. A little bit dusty as well. Shown is 3 thin coats with no top coat.
OPI Steady As She Rose (in shade)
OPI Steady As She Rose (direct sunlight)
OPI Steady As She Rose (close-up)
OPI Steady As She Rose (with Silver Shatter)
OPI Steady As She Rose (with Silver Shatter close-up)
Here we have another crowd favorite, Skull & Glossbones.
OPI Skull & Glossbones
I love this shade, another surprise in the bunch for me. It looks like a slightly dusty nude with a hint of gray. Shown is 3 thin coats with no top coat.
OPI Skull & Glossbones (in shade)
OPI Skull & Glossbones (direct sunlight)
OPI Skull & Glossbones (close-up)
OPI Skull & Glossbones (with Silver Shatter)
OPI Skull & Glossbones (with Silver Shatter close-up)
Last shade of the bunch is named after the movie, Stranger Tides.
OPI Stranger Tides
I can see the appeal of this shade, but it’s just not a favorite of mine. It looks like a dusty grey-ish green creme shade to me. Shown is 3 thin coats with no top coat.
OPI Stranger Tides (in shade)
OPI Stranger Tides (direct sunlight)
OPI Stranger Tides (close-up)
OPI Stranger Tides (with Silver Shatter)
OPI Stranger Tides (with Silver Shatter close-up
The Silver Shatter dries a bit matte, but it packs a lot of shine still without top coat. I only applied top coat over Silver Shatter on one shade, Sparrow Me The Drama. You can see that it’s shinier, but not much of a difference really. One thing you really have to do is to let the underlying shade dry before applying the Silver Shatter. You can see in my Mermaid’s Tears with Silver Shatter swatch that the Silver Shatter layer pulled onto Mermaid’s Tears a bit, as I didn’t let it fully dry before application. I applied a thin coat of Silver Shatter on all the shades, as shown in the pictures. Formula for all 6 creme shades were lovely, a dream to work with. They went on smoothly and were almost as creamy and buttery as the cremes from OPI’s Hong Kong Collection I’ve used before.
These should be available in various retail stores such as ULTA and Trade Secret. So, which shade will you be getting?
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
OPI Blue Shatters
More “shatter”-ing news from OPI! Read on.
EDIT: Swatches here.
Shatter Line Extended with Bold Blues!
OPI Launches Bestselling Shatter Coat in Three Blue-Hued Shades
OPI expands its Shatter line with the addition of three new trendsetting shades: Blue, Navy and Turquoise. With nautical hues of cobalt, indigo and sapphire, these blues provide the perfect look for summer nails in one simple step. Inspired by graffiti art, Shatter leaves behind a crackled, two-texture finish when painted over any dry OPI hue. Adding top coat takes Shatter from matte to glossy in seconds.
OPI Blue Shatter
OPI Navy Shatter
OPI Turquoise Shatter
“Black Shatter was received with great fanfare, showing that women are looking for new ways to express themselves and are excited to try different textures on their nails,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “By adding a variety of colors to the line, there are more options for every woman, whether she is looking for a funky aquamarine or elegant deep blue. Unlike traditional nail art which can be complicated and difficult to replicate, Shatter is easy to use and allows everyone to experiment with this new trend.”
In addition to the original Black Shatter, the line also features the Shatter coat in White, Red and Silver. All Shatter retail displays now feature Quick Response (QR) code, a two-dimensional barcode readable by smart phones and mobile phones with cameras and Internet capability. A quick scan of the display’s QR code will directly link to a demonstrational video – making application foolproof.
All Shatter products contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application.
Blue Shatter, Navy Shatter, and Turquoise Shatter will be available beginning May 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 Shatter coat.
For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit http://www.opi.com/. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan
OPI Serena Williams Glam Slam! France Collection
Announced a little while back, looks like Serena Williams is back again with another collection for OPI. See below for the press release.
EDIT: Swatches here.
White and Red Shatter Debut for French Open!
Serena Williams Serves Up Four New Shades for OPI Glam Slam! Collection
OPI captures Serena Williams’ winning spirit with four additions to the Glam Slam! collection, including two new shades of the fashionable, must-have Shatter – Red and White. Launching in conjunction with the French Open, Glam Slam! France celebrates with two duo-packs for four unbeatable looks.
The first Lacquer set includes Spark de Triomphe (a monumentally marvelous silver glitter), paired with White Shatter. Once applied over completely dried Nail Lacquer, Shatter begins to crackle, leaving behind a two-texture pattern on each nail. The second Lacquer set features Rally Pretty Pink (rise to the occasion with this shimmering sunset-pink), paired with Red Shatter.
OPI Spark de Triomphe
OPI White Shatter
OPI Rally Pretty Pink
OPI Red Shatter
“We are very excited to continue working with tennis superstar Serena Williams to launch the next Glam Slam! shades,” said Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “France is a country with a rich history in fashion and setting trends. These four new color options are ideal for showcasing your own personal style, à la Serena, whether worn alone or overlaid with Shatter for instant nail art.”
“Whether I’m on or off the court, style is important,” explains Serena Williams. “In addition to watching the runways for the latest trends, I think it’s important to add my own unique elements. With the new White and Red Shatter, I can customize my nails for a high-fashion take on the classically elegant silver and sunset shades in the Glam Slam! France collection.”
Serena Williams has received the World Number One in singles ranking by the Women’s Tennis Association on five separate occasions, along with being listed as sixth on the all-time greatest champions list. Additionally, she has won two Olympic gold medals in women’s doubles and has earned 27 Grand Slam titles to date. Serena is the most recent player to have held all four Grand Slam singles titles simultaneously and only the fifth woman in history to do so.
New shades in the Glam Slam! collection will be introduced to coincide with each of the four major tournaments, beginning with the Australian Open in January 2011, followed by launches in May 2011 for the French Open, June 2011 for Wimbledon and August 2011 for the US Open. As with all OPI Nail Lacquers, the Glam Slam! collection contains no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and each includes OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application.
Glam Slam! France will be available beginning May 2011 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $14.95 ($20.95 CAN) suggested retail for each duo-pack.
For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit http://www.opi.com/. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!
