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
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
Seize the Summer!
Nicole by OPI Launches Four NEW Nail Lacquers for Summer
Nicole by OPI announces four new nail lacquers for the summer season. Seize the Summer includes bright, beach-ready shades of coral, citrus green, hot pink and metallic confetti glitter. These tropical shades add a burst of island-inspired flavor to fingers and toes.
“Bright nail polish colours are in this summer!” exclaims Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Nicole by OPI Co-Founder & Executive VP. “With warm weather comes beautiful, bold hues. Summer is the perfect time to experiment with fun colours!”
Seize the Summer shades include:
Lay it on the Lime
This citrusy green is the limiest… and that’s the truth.
LeaPink for Joy
This playful pink makes me jump and shout!
Shaved Nice
Glittering and frosty… this is one sweet treat.
The Coral of the Story
I’ve learned my lesson… nothing but this bright coral for me!
Nicole by OPI formulas are long-lasting, fast-drying, and salon-quality. These shades will be available June 2014 for $10.99 each at select Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart Canada, Jean Coutu, Loblaws, Rexall and London Drug.
For more information, visit http://www.NicolebyOPI.com.
For more information, visit Nicole by OPI on the web, on Facebook, on Instagram and on Twitter!
Which of these shades are you most excited for?
~xo
Earlier this year Nicole by OPI launched a new celebrity collaboration of 14 new lacquers inspired by mega-star country singer Carrie Underwood, and what a beautiful collaboration! Running the gamut from nudes to pinks to vamps… and a few sparklers and textures thrown in for good measure. There truly is something for everyone here!
Let’s look at the gorgeous lacquers! (Just a note that I did not receive Carrie’s namesake polish, Carrie’d Away, a beautiful gold, so I have only 13 of the 14 lacquers for you.) All polishes are swatched over Nicole by OPI’s new 3-in-1 base/top coat and strengthener.
One of the immediate standouts for me was the soft, pale rose-petal-pink Love My Pups. This one reminds me of some of my favourite OPI crellies (cream jellies) like Bubble Bath and Funny Bunny – sheer at first but buildable and totally office-and-also-wedding-appropriate! Here are two coats:
Look how gorgeous Love my Pups is with a hint of Party Bus, a beautiful silver holographic glitter polish with macro glitter and… flower glitters! I didn’t know if I would like this glitter by looking at the bottle, but it totally blew me away once I had it on!! It’s so fun!! And summery, and really like a Party Bus, no?
Look at the macro… sigh:
Southern Charm is a gorgeous peach-leaning tan creme. Another beauty! This colour is slightly darker/more peach than nude on me, but this is the kind of nude lipgloss I usually fawn over, so no surprise, another love here! Below, 2 coats:
I paired Southern Charm with Lips are Dripping Honey, a gold holographic glitter bomb in a clear base. This one is filled with golden hex and micro glitter, making it sparkle no matter how much or how little of it you use. It’s like a gold version of Party Bus, minus the flower shapes. Doesn’t it make a gorgeous combo with Southern Charm?
And of course, a macro for my macro-lovers:
I love the holo glitters Nicole by OPI used in this collection!
Sweet Daisy is a beautiful salmon pink creme. I loved Nicole by OPI’s description “southern peach blossom” which I could almost imagine. In some lights it leans a bit more peach, and had a crelly quality as well. Another beauty! Here are two shiny coats:
A little bit brighter is Color Me Country, another crelly formula polish in a hot, medium-pink. It’s totally a hot summer shade and will sizzle with a little summer sun and tan! Here are two easy coats:
A sugary pink confection, I loved how Carnival Cotton Candy looked with Goodbye Shoes, used as an accent on my ring finger. Goodbye Shoes is a dustry grey-green, very different, but gorgeous. I usually don’t love green polishes but the grey-base totally called out to me! Both below at two coats:
Some Hearts is a polish I have already used a few times in a couple of recent nail art manis (here and with Color Me Country here). A beautiful bright coral, this is another sizzling beauty for summer! It looked really bright on me and I love it! Look at that shine! Again, two coats:
I have worn the next shade so many times that I’ve lost count. You have to know how hard it is for me to wear the same polish over and over again, given how many new or unworn polishes I have at any given time… not to mention the swatching that I do… but somehow, American as Apple Pie, this stunning red creme, just keeps calling to me! If you only purchase one colour from this collection, get this – sure to become a classic red in your stash. Amazingly easy to apply, self-levelling, quick drying. Two coats, no top coat and this shine!:
Moving on to the two vamps in this collection, another namesake polish, this one a play on her married name, Fisher Queen is a deep eggplant with a beautiful hidden shimmer. In the sun, as in below, it is very vibrant and the shimmer dances (click the pic to see full size), while in the shade, it is a mysterious vamp. Another easy application, two coats below:
Backstage Pass is a burnished purple, appearing brown in the shade, but with a hidden copper shimmer in the sun. If you click the picture, you can see some of the sparkle. Application was great with a gorgeous shine to the finish. Two coats:
Finally, the only textured polish in this collection is Sing You Like a Bee, a white frost with tons of golden shimmer. You can see the textured finish best on my pinky. This was a breeze to apply if you let the coats dry in between, and you have to apply it lightly as the formula was a bit thick. I used two coats below:
The gold shimmer is actually more of a gold flake if you look at the macro shot below. The iridescence of this polish is divine. It actually looks angelic!
Which of these shades is your favourite?
Nicole by OPI formulas are long-lasting, fast-drying, and salon-quality. This limited edition collection will be in newly designed bottles featuring the NEW Nicole logo. These shades are available (in Canada) at Shoppers Drug Mart, Target Canada, Walmart Canada, Jean Coutu, London Drug, and Loblaws.
For more information, visit Nicole by OPI on the web, on Facebook, on Instagram and on Twitter!
If you liked this post, please take a moment to ‘like’ this post and/or comment! I love to read what you think.
~xo
(Products were provided for consideration and review. All opinions are my own.)
Happy weekend!
Today I tried a saran wrap mani for the first time! I have seen this mani around a lot lately, and it seemed relatively easy with not many tools needed… so here goes…
I had been craving the gorgeous American as Apple Pie from Carrie Underwood’s (stunning!) Nicole by OPI collection for the past few days, and finally decided to use it as the base for my saran wrap manicure attempt. American as Apple Pie is a beautiful true red creme with an incredible formula – truly a one coater with an intense glossy finish. I have worn this shade multiple times already, which speaks to how much I love it (given the number of polishes I have, haha)! Below are two coats of this gem:
Is that not a perfect, shiny red? Love!
Here’s what you need for a saran wrap manicure:
I started with a base coat of Nicole by OPI’s new 3-in-1 base/strengthener/top coat, and added one coat of American as Apple Pie. I let that dry naturally.
Once the colour is dry, work one nail at a time.
I applied a generous coat of At Least I Pink So from Nicole by OPI’s 2014 collection, a bright bubblegum pink creme. While still wet, I blotted the crumpled saran wrap on the wet polish to lift the pink/second polish. (Blot it a couple of times to get the desired effect.)
This seems easy however I found it lifted a bit too much at times, but thankfully the fix is easy: simply apply another coat of the second polish and dab the saran wrap on your nail again. For me, I found it best to let the polish sit for a few seconds after I applied it before blotting. Once all nails were done, I used my cleanup brush to remove some of the excess polish I got on my skin and cuticles. Because the effect can be a bit bumpy, I used two coats of top coat: first, a generous coat of the 3-in-1 to top my finished mani, and then I added a coat of Nicole by OPI’s new Quick Dry top coat.
Here is the finished result with each of the two polish bottles (click for larger images):
And a macro:
I love the marbled effect that’s achieved!
So what do you think of my first saran wrap manicure? 🙂 If you liked this post, please take a moment to ‘like’ this post or comment!
~xo
(Products were provided for consideration and review. All opinions are my own.)
Given recent events, I did not think I would be up for participating in a Nail Art Challenge…
However, as I was playing around with the beautiful Carrie Underwood for Nicole by OPI polishes (will soon be on the blog), inspiration struck! I really wanted to do a simple gradient, so I sponged on three beautiful colours for a Valentine’s Day-appropriate mani that was perfectly my style. I hope you like it enough to vote for it on Nail Polish Canada’s contest page.
I used Nicole by OPI’s new 3-in-1 Base and topped that with 2 coats of the beautiful Color Me Country, a beautiful coral pink in an amazing creme formula that leans slightly jelly:
Look at that! Exactly what a girl needs to brighten her day. I cannot wait to wear this shade as it warms up – it’s exactly the kind of shade I really adore.
I then sponged on a three-colour gradient: the stunning cherry red American as Apple Pie towards the tips (you may have seen it on my Instagram feed – it’s incredible) and the deep pink Some Hearts in the middle, with a touch of the base colour Color Me Country towards the cuticles.
I used Glitter Gal’s fantastic top coat Gloss Boss to finish it all up, et voila:
And a sunny pic:
What do you think of the end result?
If you like my nail art, would you vote for me on the Nail Polish Canada challenge page?
~xo
Nicole by OPI announces four new Top Coats & Treatments for 2014 – essentials for a perfect at-home manicure. Developed and inspired by OPI’s in-salon favorites, the line includes Oil to Go; 3-in-1 Base, Top Coat & Strengthener; Quick Dry Top Coat; and Matte Top Coat.
Packaged in a leak-proof tube, Oil to Go keeps cuticles soft and smooth on the go. 3-in-1 Base, Top Coat & Strengthener encompasses nail care must-haves in one convenient bottle. Matte Top Coat can be layered over any Nicole by OPI hue to instantly transform shiny finishes to matte. Quick Dry Top Coat reduces drying time and adds shine and protection.
“I recommend using Oil to Go daily for healthy nails,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Nicole by OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “Top Coats are important for maintaining perfectly painted fingers and toes. Nicole fans can achieve high quality results without breaking the bank!”
Nicole by OPI formulas are long-lasting, fast-drying, and salon-quality. These treatments will be available January 2014 for $10.99 Cdn each at select Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart Canada, Jean Coutu, Loblaws and London Drug.
For more information, visit Nicole by OPI on the web, on Facebook, on Instagram and on Twitter!
Hi everyone! It’s time for another Nicole by OPI nail art challenge, and this time Prom Canada has partnered with Nicole by OPI and asked several bloggers to offer their take on “The Perfect Prom Mani.“
Prom Canada is a new magazine that will be launching in November 2013 to help Canadian girls plan for one of the most important days of their young lives. The pages will be filled with tons of tips on the latest fashion, beauty and hair trends. Nicole by OPI is the ultimate trend-setters’ nail lacquer. From edgy and experimental, to bold and beautiful, a Nicole girl is independent, carefree, and fashion forward.
Are you ready to see my nail art entry?
I used three Nicole by OPI shades to create this look: Something about Spring, Fabulous is my Middle Name and Candy is Dandy. Something about Spring is a beautiful hot pink creme while Fabulous is my Middle Name is a a clear polish filled with tiny bar glitter and gold shimmer – it’s crazy sparkly! And finally, Candy is Dandy is coral-leaning, warm pink Gumdrops polish with silver shimmer and larger hex glitter pieces which makes it really interesting and fun! It even shimmers with a silvery hue in certain light.
Using Something about Spring as a base colour, I then taped off a quilted pattern on each nail and applied a gradient of Fabulous is my Middle Name and Candy is Dandy – a texture and glitter gradient!
And finally, a macro of the mani:
What do you think?
If you like the manicure, please head to the photo album on Prom Canada’s new Facebook page and “LIKE” my photo in order to vote for my entry!
Don’t forget to check out Prom Canada’s Facebook page as well as Nicole by OPI’s page while you’re there!
~xo
I previously posted the first two polishes of this Nicole by OPI mini-collection, New for 2013, and raved about how much I loved them. Four gorgeous colours, including a stunning matte hot pink!
And here is another reason why I fell in love with this mini-collection:
Please Red-Cycle is described as an “apple red,” however, I actually saw the slightest hint of fuchsia in this vibrant beauty. This one blew me away… the pictures are all just two easy coats over base – no top coat! Look at that shine! And the formula was a dream, very fluid but providing amazing coverage. It could have almost been a one-coater! It’s a cream polish but reminded me of a crelly (a cream jelly) with its glossiness and juicy finish.
Here it is in the sun:
Isn’t that a beauty?? I can’t decide if it’s vibrant and hot for summer, or a classic cool red… I would venture to guess this is a year-round polish for me, and going into my “most loved” stash!
Finally, for some fun, I decided to layer a white confetti glitter overtop, using OPI’s recent Lights of Emerald City from the Oz The Great and Powerful collection:
Lights of Emerald City is made up of white, rainbow-translucent, and gold confetti pieces, a fun mix that surprisingly adds flair to most colours!
And last but not least, the second vamp of the New for 2013 collection: Plum to your Senses, a deep, shimmery, multi-tonal purple hue!
Filled with tiny shimmers, this polish looks best in direct sunlight. In most other light, this looks almost black. The formula wasn’t as good as Please Red-cycle; it was a touch thinner and required a steady hand.
So which is your favourite of the four?
Nicole by OPI Nail Lacquers and Nail Treatments contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde. Nicole by OPI formulas are long-lasting, fast-drying, and salon-quality. These lacquers retail for $7.99 each at retailers including select Walmart, Target, CVS, Rite Aid, Kmart, Kroger, ULTA, H-E-B, Meijer and Duane Reade locations. In Canada, these shades will be available for $10.99 each at Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart Canada, Jean Coutu, Loblaw, and London Drug.
~xo
(Products were provided for consideration and review. All opinions are my own.)
Happy weekend! It is a gorgeous weekend here and I thought I would bring you a few more polish swatches from my favourite indie brand, Aphrodite Lacquers.
AL’s last collection, the stunning Romes & Jules collection, consisted of 10 gorgeous shades, with something for everyone. You can see some of the beauties in this post, and today I will show you three of the lighter polishes from the Romes & Jules collection!
The first colour, and my very favourite from the entire collection, is Inauspicious Stars, a milky white jelly base with white and pastel pink, purple and blue glitters, with tiny holo microglitters scattered throughout. Inauspicious Stars is like the “light” version of Violent Delights; a multi-colour glitter, only this time, in a pastel version. This was one of the polishes unveiled with the release of the second part of Romes & Jules, and it was as though Rebecca had read my mind: while wearing Violent Delights, I was thinking that a pale version of this would look amazing… it would be highly wearable, and allow us to wear glitter even when a crazy, bright glitter polish may not be appropriate. And the next thing you know… Inauspicious Stars was released!
Here are two coats over 1 coat of OPI Funny Bunny, my go-to white jelly:
Is that not lovely, and so demure?
The next white-based beauty is Capulets, another milky-white base with lots of bright colorful glitters, both matte and shiny. This polish is so colourful and fun, and contains the much-sought-after circle glitters along with square and hex glitters. I decided to layer 2 coats of Capulets over 1 coat of Funny Bunny:
The last polish I have for you today is Fortune’s Fool, another gorgeous milky base, this time in a light blue colour with lots of different blue and holo glitters and a hidden pale blue shimmer. I simply adore Aphrodite Lacquers’ hidden shimmer bases – they dance for you in certain light and are spectacular! You can see it in my picture, especially on my ring finger. Fortune’s Fool was a little sheerer than the other polishes, so I used three coats here, over base and without top coat. Look at that shine!
Once again, these polishes reinforce my love of Aphrodite Lacquers and her indie polishes. Rebecca, its creator, can do no wrong!
To get your very own Aphrodite Lacquers, including these stunners from the Romes & Jules collection, head over to Aphrodite’s Etsy shop! For more pictures and the latest news, don’t forget to follow Aphrodite Lacquers on Facebook and on Twitter!
Which Romes & Jules polish is your favourite so far?
~xo
