When I recently posted my Nicole by OPI Neon Gradient on Instagram (see it here in my recent post!), the amazing folks over at Nicole by OPI took notice… and asked for a tutorial!
Now you can replicate my go-to nail art seen here by heading over to Nicole by OPI’s Life in Lacquer blog now!
Don’t forget to share your photos of this look on my Facebook page or on Instagram, and let me know how you liked it!
~xo
Launched a few weeks ago in July, OPI’s partnership with Ford saw the introduction of six new limited edition nail lacquers to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Ford Mustang!
Including both creme and shimmery hues, the collection has aptly-named shades from Race Red to Angel with a Leadfoot, all with gorgeous, high shine finishes. Believe me when I say that you might need a few (or all) of these!
Race Red, the focal point of the collection, is described as a “hot pepper red,” though I find it to be more of an orange-leaning red and less of a true red. No matter, as I love red polish and found Race Red’s orange base helped it stand out. Here, 2 easy, jelly-like coats, no top coat. Love this shine!
Girls Love Ponies is described as a grown-up hot pink, and I absolutely love it! Incredible coverage even on the first coat, this gorgeous pink leans slightly fuchsia. Inspired by Chanel’s reverse French manicure and a post by the lovely Eugenia on her Instagram recently, I decided to layer Girls Love Ponies over Angel with a Leadfoot for a gorgeous (at least I think so) combination:
Note that this is also called a Ruffian Mani. : )
Where do I stop with the favourites? If you know me, you know I absolutely adore white polishes (and vamps, but more on that later)… and Angel with a Leadfoot is, well, angelic! A soft white with great coverage, this one applied really well, for a white. If you wear whites, you know they can be streaky, but by the second coat, Angel had applied evenly and was drying to a gorgeous shine. A tip is to apply a little more generously than you would another shade, especially on the second coat. Alternatively, apply three very thin coats. Two coats, no top coat:
Described as a golden pearl, 50 Years of Style is a soft gold that totally reminded me of the gold stripes on the classic Ford Mustangs. It applied really well, though being metallic, it can show application lines so apply quickly and with straight lines. đ Two easy, quick-drying coats below:
Going for another Ruffian/reverse French manicure, I added the vampy Queen of the Road to 50 Years of Style. This is a very subtle Ruffian, barely visible in the sunlit photo. Queen of the Road is one of those must-have polishes: vampy and gunmetal gray in shade, but full of a fiery sparkle in the sun. Application was a breeze and best of all, no staining! As with 50 Years of Style, Queen can show application lines, but these are only visible in direct light. Two coats over 50 Years:
Last but not least, the very difficult-to-photograph The Skyâs My Limit, a shimmering blue hue with tiny blue, green and gold flecks that looked gold or silver in different light. This chameleon of a polish veered between green, turquoise and blue depending on the light. I found my photos looked more blue in sunlight, until I finally captured this photo which I think is a perfect representation of the polish: (two coats)
From OPI’s Chief Nail Polish Queen, âIn creating these six colors, I was inspired by Mustangâs rich heritage. Race Red â the hero shade of the collection â pays tribute to one of Mustangâs signature colors, while 50 Years of Style celebrates Mustangâs golden milestone,â says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann. âQueen of the Road was inspired by Mustangâs sophisticated and dramatic black interior. The Skyâs My Limit brings to mind the open road and the adventurous feeling of rushing to meet the horizon,â continues Weiss-Fischmann. âGirls Love Ponies is a classic, feminine pink representing todayâs multifaceted consumer; who says a âgirlie-girlâ canât love cars?â Finally, Angel with a Leadfoot represents the power a woman feels when behind the wheel of a Mustang. This clean, pure hue is an essential statement-making shade.â
Ford Mustang is now available in limited quantities wherever OPI is sold. For more information, visit www.opi.com, follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!
Have you tried any of these yet? Which one is your favourite?
~xo
If you liked this post, please take a moment to âlikeâ this post and/or comment! I love to read what you think.
(Products were provided for consideration and review. All opinions are my own.)
For this summer, Nicole by OPI launched a mini-collection of four new nail lacquers called Seize the Summer. Including bright, beach-ready shades of coral, citrus green, hot pink and metallic confetti glitter, these tropical shades are beautiful and will have you dreaming of the islands!
One of the first shades I wore from this collection, against my usual preference of pinks and corals, was Lay it on the Lime, the bright lime green shade.
Having seen just how bright this gorgeous neon can be, I wanted to experiment with a fun way to soften it. If you follow my blog, you have surely noticed my love of gradients, and why not gradient over Lay it on the Lime!
To make this beautiful neon softer and more wearable for those that are neon-shy, I thought a nude, taupe-y shade would do the trick. Enter That’s Putting it Mild, a creamy nude shade!
The look I wanted was similar to a soft, unstructured French manicure, with neon tips. What do you think of the end result?
I also experimented with this gradient using OPI’s amazing nude Don’t Bossa Nova Me Around… another gorgeous combo you may have seen on my Instagram.
For more information, visit Nicole by OPI on the web, on Facebook, on Instagram and on Twitter!
Would you like to see a tutorial for this look?
~xo
Inspired by the great northern lights in Finland, deep blue fjords in Norway, and colorful houses in Copenhagen, Nordic Collection by OPI brings the diverse colors of its namesake region to nails and toes for fall/winter 2014. This new collection of 12 lacquers features a palette ranging from spicy browns in shades of bronze, cinnamon and caramel to rich purples in wine, black cherry and blue-violet hues, with accents of creamy coral, pink and sea green.
âWhen creating colors for a new seasonal collection, I always draw inspiration from the food, music, art, landscape and street style of a particular destination,â remarks Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Co-Founder & Executive VP. âWhile conceptualizing the shades of the Nordic Collection, I ate cinnamon buns and drank glogg, snapped photographs of brightly painted houses, and gazed in wonder at the regionâs topography â from the northern lights and midnight sun to lava flats and deep fjords. All of these diverse elements came together to inspire an equally varied array of colors that capture the aesthetic of the Nordic region.
âContrasts were also seen on fall runways, where sheer fabrics were paired with fleece and woolen plaids were embellished with colorful beadwork and intricate lace,â adds Weiss-Fischmann. âNordic Collection by OPI complements the oxblood, coral and earthy tones seen this season and offers a variety of hues. With so many color choices, the Nordic Collection makes it easy to experiment with new nail looks and cultivate personal style. I believe strongly in experimenting with beauty and fashion until finding a unique look. We are sure of only one taste â our own.â
Nordic Collection by OPI includes the following shades in both nail lacquer and GelColor formulas:
Going My Way or Norway?
No two ways about it⊠this caramel is delicious!
Ice-Bergers & Fries
âWoodâ you like a chocolate shake with that?
OPI with a Nice Finn-ish
This light, mellowed bronze completes me. The end.
My Voice is a Little Norse
This prismatic super-shimmer is worth shouting about.
Canât aFjörd Not To
Whatever it takes, get your hands on this extravagantly creamy coral!
How Great is Your Dane?
Pass up this cinnamon coffee? Youâre barking up the wrong tree!
My Dogsled is a Hybrid
Enliven your environment by wearing this creamy sea green.
Suzi Has a Swede Tooth
Thatâs why I always have this strawberry candy pink on hand!
Do You Have this Color in Stock-holm?
Stock up! This icy blue-violet is in hot demand!
Thank Glogg Itâs Friday!
The start of the weekend is nothing to âwineâ about!
Viking in a Vinter Vonderland
You can conquer anything in this powerful, deep purple.
Skating on Thin Ice-Land
Watch out! This black cherry is dangerously close to gorgeous!
Nordic Collection nail lacquer shades each feature OPIâs exclusive ProWideâą Brush for the ultimate in application. Nordic Collection by OPI will be available in both nail lacquer and GelColor formulas beginning August 6, 2014. Nail lacquers will retail for $11.50 CAN each at Professional Salons and Spas. GelColor is an in-salon, professional service only. Prices depend on the salon and range from $28 – $38 for a manicure and $35 – $45 for a pedicure.
For more information, visit www.opi.com, follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!
Which colour is calling your name? I am loving all of the neutrals – how warm and perfect are they for fall?? – but I also love the variety of brights and purples. Suzi has a Swede Tooth is a perfect summer-transition-to-fall shade. : )
~xo
On the bridge of an ocean liner blows the wind of liberty. Cruise elegance reigns. Dior renews ties with the world of the great transatlantic crossings, inspired by the travel spirits of its first Resort and Spring line in 1948. Created by Tyen, the 2014 Summer Look unveils a cruise make-up collection: a palette of navy blue, primary red and sandy beige. The skin wears the radiance of the sun and an outdoors glow. Eyes take to the seas in ultramarine blue, while lips light up in red, and nails wear the sailor’s strips.
This season, chic is taking a breath of maritime air.
The Transat collection takes its cruise style codes right to the fingertips: painted vibrant red, sailor blue or rope beige, nails parade in maritime stripes with a transparent sticker kit featuring the CD logo. Also included in the kit is a mini nail file and instruction card.
Incredibly easy to apply for a chic and playful manicure.
Available in three limited edition shades, Vernis Transat Manicure will impress even the harshest beauty critics.
Let’s start with Sailor (700)! Blue is my absolute favourite colour, and Sailor was immediately a stand-out. As I’ve said before, I don’t always wear blue nail polish (as much as I adore the colour), simply because I feel that some shades can look… well, immature. No such worries here! Sailor is a beautiful royal blue, just deep enough to be sexy and classic, and just bright enough to draw compliments from strangers. Seriously, I received more compliments about my manicure than I can remember while shopping and lunching one day, with Sailor on!
Sailor is a crelly (cream-jelly) formula that leans slightly more jelly. Possessing the tiniest hint of silver shimmer (like the other two shades), Sailor dries quickly to a mirror-like shine, making top coat virtually unnecessary. Its jelly formula can dry with a hint of shrinkage, so I do recommend wrapping the tips of your nails as you paint to ensure coverage dries right to the tips. And there was absolutely no staining upon removal. Below, two coats of Sailor over Dior Base Coat Abricot:
You can see the gorgeous delicate silver shimmer in the sun, below (click pic for full size):
A beautiful bright red, Captain (750) leans slightly warm without being overtly orange. It is truly a vivid, spectacular red possessing the same hidden silver shimmer as Sailor. Also a crelly formula, it applies flawlessly and covers perfectly even on its first coat. Drying to a stunning high shine like Sailor, it too, can skip top coat. Here are two coats over Dior’s Base Coat:
Rounding out a trio of sublime polishes, the neutral in this collection is the sandy greige Yacht (210). A very neutral beige, I wish I had at least two backups of this beauty, because it is that deserving. I have worn this polish multiple times already and am starting to worry about the wear in my bottle! Another Dior Vernis, another spectacular formula, this time in a gorgeous creme. Yacht has the same hidden silver shimmer as Captain and Sailor, though it is almost invisible in this nude. Below, two coats over Dior’s Base Coat:
Dior Vernis Transat Manicure sets in Yacht, Sailor and Captain ($31 Cdn each) are available now in limited release (since May 1, 2014) at Dior counters everywhere. I heard that Sailor quantities were running low at some Dior counters, so call ahead!
For more information (no shipping available to Canada), head to Dior.com and you can shop online at thebay.com!
What is your favourite of the three shades (if you can pick one)?
~xo
If you liked this post, please take a moment to âlikeâ this post and/or comment! I love to read what you think.
(Products were provided for consideration and review. All opinions are my own.)
This summer, EstĂ©e Lauder captivates the senses with a sultry limited edition colour look and alluring fragrance experience in the NEW Bronze Goddess Summer 2014 Collection. This modern yet sensual makeup look is inspired by a symphony of colour born from the enchantment of long stretched beaches of white sand that turn golden as night falls. When paired with the warm caress of EstĂ©e Lauderâs signature Bronze Goddess fragrance, stress is swept away, ushering in the carefree days and warm, golden embrace of summer.
A truly divine experience, the Bronze Goddess Summer 2014 Collection first tempts with the Bronze Goddess Color Collection featuring a spectrum of subtly nude hues accented by exquisitely rich colours from soft corals to deep blackberries and lavishly gilded metallics. Eyes glisten with nudes and metallic sparkle. Lips are glossed and brightened with luscious colour. Cheeks glow as if kissed by the sun.
And today I have for you one of the Limited Edition Pure Color Nail Lacquers from this beautiful collection, which is meant to complement the NEW Nudes Eyeshadow Palette (which I absolutely must pick up one of these days!).
Estee Lauder Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Bare is a very pale nude shade, leaning slightly peach with beautiful warm undertones. This may be your mannequin shade if you are very fair, but on me, it was a divine, creamy vanilla shade, perfect for that soft-yet-manicured look. Don’t let this shade’s lightness fool you – I would say this will be a very flattering shade on many skintones due to its delicious warm hue. The formula is gorgeous as well: highly pigmented (read: not runny) and creamy, Bare was a tad ‘unfinished’ on coat one, but evened out perfectly on coat two.
Below, 2 coats over base, no top coat, in the shade (look at that shine!):
In the shade you really see its peach, bisque undertones, and the amazing creamy coverage.
The sun brings out its vanilla, lighter side:
This collection is perfectly named, even with the many nude shades, ranging from ultra-fair, like Bare to a Burnished Nude and to Lust. I am so looking forward to pairing Bare with sunkissed skin – I absolutely adore the opposing spectrums of polish: vamps and whites/nudes!
The Bronze Goddess Summer 2014 Fragrance Collection is now available at select EstĂ©e Lauder counters at Hudsonâs Bay, Sears, Holt Renfrew and online at www.esteelauder.ca (since March 2014). NEW Bronze Goddess Summer 2014 Makeup Collection is now available at EstĂ©e Lauder counters at Hudsonâs Bay, Sears, Holt Renfrew and online at www.esteelauder.ca with much of the collection in limited release.
What do you think of Bare? What’s your favourite nude lacquer hue?
~xo
If you liked this post, please take a moment to âlikeâ this post and/or comment! I love to read what you think.
(Products were provided for consideration and review. All opinions are my own.)
Just in time for summer, OPI will be launching a collection of six full-size (yes, full-size!) neon lacquers, along with Put a Coat On!, a special white base coat that is meant to boost neon colour.
If you recall my posts on last summerâs Neon Minis (see them here and here!), you will remember just how hot the little Neon Lacquers were. OPI fans wanted more, and unfortunately, last summer’s offering only came in a mini size. Fast forward to now, and OPI is offering both the full size collection of neons, as well as a mini set of all six lacquers (does not include the special white base coat).
Today I bring you a quick sneak peek at the six shades, as well as… well, let’s just inspiration struck.
I started with a base of Put a Coat On!, an opaque white polish meant to be worn under these neon lacquers to help make them pop. I used only one generous coat which actually applied quite evenly, with minimal streaking (which is what white polishes are notorious for, unfortunately), and let that dry. Once it dried, I created some 80’s pop-art nails, slightly reminiscent of my abstract nail art seen here:
And of course, a macro, because I can’t help but love macros!
What do you think of today’s neon nail art? Are you like me, totally obsessed with neon shades for summer?
~xo
If you liked this post, please take a moment to âlikeâ this post and/or comment! I love to read what you think.
(Products were provided for consideration and review. All opinions are my own.)
