Lynnderella Jelly Egg

 *Sent for review*

Look at me posting twice in one weekend! Woohoo! I have so much nail polish sitting around waiting to be swatched, so I hope to be posting a lot this week. One polish that's been tantalizing me from my desk for a few weeks now is Lynnderella Jelly Egg. Jelly Egg actually came out in the spring with the Bunny Magic collection, but I only got it recently and the sparkle in the bottle has just been begging me to wear this beauty! Lynnderella says Jelly Egg has "pink and purple jelly glitters blended with matching translucent neons and iridescent blue glitters in a violet-shimmered clear base". The jelly glitters are so cool, they are squishy, see-through, and remind me of jelly sandals. The iridescent blue glitters add a lot to this polish that was hard to capture in the picture. I waited awhile to order this polish because I wasn't really interested based on swatches I saw. But everyone kept saying how awesome it is in person, and I caved. Well, now I see what they meant! Where you see what looks like clear glitter in the pictures, just imagine that it is iridescent and reflecting purple-blue gorgeousness all over the place.

In this picture below, you can see the iridescent glitter a little bit, just around the edges of it. And those glitters look like they stick up, but they are actually smooth. Way cooler in person. This is one coat of Jelly Egg over Essie Play Date. Jelly Egg contains some fairly large glitters (like the neon pink one on my ring nail), so I did have to push those into place a bit. Otherwise, application was easy.

*Sent for review*

Lynnderella Jelly Egg is available at lynnderella.com and the Lynnderella StorEnvy. For news on upcoming collections (hint... fall is coming soon!), check out Lynnderella's blog.

Barielle Panama Pina Colada

 *Sent for review*

Happy Saturday and happy Labor Day weekend to all of my US readers. Labor Day weekend kind of signifies the end of summer to a lot of people, but I'm trying not to think about that! The last few days have actually been some of the hotter days so far this summer in CT, so I am still rocking summer colors on my nails, like Barielle Panama Pina Colada. Panama Pina Colada is the perfect not too pastel, not too bright yellow creme. It is softer than some bright yellow cremes I own and more flattering. The color really makes me think of nice summery tropical pina coladas!

 *Sent for review*

This kind of yellow creme can be tricky to apply and streaky, but I found Barielle Panama Pina Colada to apply very well. This is three coats, but the finish was smooth and totally opaque. It was almost perfect in two coats, so if your coats are a bit thicker, it'll be a two-coater. The formula was a nice consistency, not too thick or too thin.

Barielle recently sent me some polishes to review, so I will have more where this came from! I don't own a lot of Barielle polish, so I am excited to change that. Barielle nail polish is 5-free. You can find Barielle Panama Pina Colada on the Barielle website. Check them out on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates.

Zoya Entice Fall 2014 Swatches!

 *Sent for review*

Yayyyyy, I'm back!! I'm back with nubs, but I'm back! At least my nails are an even length now, and vaguely fit for blogging. I have so much awesome stuff to show you and I'm starting off with the Zoya Entice collection. Entice is a fantastic collection of rich fall colors, like burgundy, chocolate brown and berry. This collection of 6 nail polishes includes 5 cremes and one shimmer. First up, we have Zoya Claire, a warm burgundy creme. Claire is a mix of a little bit vampy, a little bit classic. This polish is a darkened crimson, but it's clearly deep red (even in low light) and I wouldn't call it blackened at all. It has maybe just a hint of brown tone in it as well.

This is two coats of Claire. The formula was a great consistency and I found it to be well-pigmented.

Brown seems to be taking the world by storm this fall. Zoya had three great brown cremes in the Naturel Deux collection and now Zoya Nyssa, a lovely milk chocolate brown creme. Nyssa is a really rich, warm brown. If you're wondering how it compares to Chanelle from the Naturel Deux collection, it is a deeper brown and more warm-toned, although not orange-y at all. Nyssa is really more of the kind of color you would see in a fall leaf pile, whereas Chanelle is more of a neutral nude polish (on the right skin tone of course).

This is two coats of Nyssa and again, the formula and pigmentation were excellent. Keep up the good work on your cremes Zoya!

Zoya Genevieve is a really gorgeous steel blue-grey polish with subtle shimmer. Zoya says it's a creme finish, but there is definitely shimmer. In full sunshine, it's very visible, but I could still see it indoors. I love this stormy, moody blue-grey! Genevieve is deep and smoky, but light enough that you can really appreciate the gorgeous color. (Apologies for the middle nail here, there was a top coat mishap that I couldn't see in person, but my camera really captured it, yikes!).

I used three coats of Genevieve for these pictures. The formula was good and it was nearly opaque in two coats. I thought the third coat made it pop more, but if you do thicker coats, you will probably find that two is just fine.

Zoya Margo is a red purple creme, a really pretty color to add to a fall collection. Margo is a bit hard to capture on camera, it was more purple in person. These pictures make it look more fuchsia. The picture on Zoya's website isn't right either, that looks like such a standard purple creme. Imagine a mix between my pictures and the ones on Zoya.com. It's definitely a rich red plum color, not pink, but heavy on the red undertones. If you like red purples, you will love this one! I do!

This is two coats of Zoya Margo. The formula was excellent and two coats was the perfect level of opacity.

Ahhh!!!! I just freak out a little every time I see this one! Zoya Ryan is my favorite of the Entice collection! Zoya calls Ryan a "classic indigo" creme, but it's really the loveliest indigo creme I've ever seen. It's so smooth and rich, it looks like indigo velvet. I am still wearing summer polish (it's 87 degrees here today!), but Ryan is "enticing" me to wear some fall colors! I love that this is dark, but you can definitely see the blue in every lighting situation. Gorgeous!!

This is three coats of Ryan. Again, it was almost perfect in two coats, but I sometimes think the third coat just makes everything look even better. I tend to do thin coats though. The formula was good, maybe a hair on the thin side, but not problematic at all.

Zoya Veronica is a luxe feeling berry creme. I remember a few years ago in the fall, "berry" was a really hot color and I couldn't seem to find my perfect berry. Well, Veronica is definitely my perfect berry polish. It's a classic purple-toned medium red that will be flattering on a wide variety of skin tones. Zoya calls it a "brilliant red wine". I tend to think of wine as a bit darker, but this is maybe like a bright wine. Or a red wine stain on a white tablecloth. This will be a perfect fall polish for years to come, one of those that will never go out of style.

This is two coats of Veronica, great formula and pigmentation!

 *Sent for review*

I've been so excited about the Zoya Ignite collection (swatches soon!) that I kind of was ignoring the Entice collection. I'm never too excited about cremes, but after swatching these, I really can't wait to wear them! There isn't a bad one in the bunch and the colors really scream autumn to me. I typically wait until the first official day of fall to do a fall mani, but I'm not sure I can wait that long. My top picks in this collection are Ryan, Genevieve and Margot, but honestly, I wouldn't want to leave the others behind either!

The Zoya Entice collection is available now at Zoya.com. 

A Short Blogging Vacation

Hi all! Just wanted to let you know why it's been a bit quiet with swatches around here the last few days. Last week, my middle nail on my swatching hand had an unfortunate meeting with a razor. I am anxiously waiting for it to grow out a bit so that I can make my nails an even length. I have the Zoya Ignite and Entice collections sitting on my dresser and I'm DYING to swatch them, but I want to do them justice. So, hang in there and I will be back as soon as possible!!

Upcoming OPI Collections Preview! Peanuts, Pink of Hearts and Designer Series!

OPI Launches Peanuts Limited Edition 

Nail Lacquers for Halloween 2014

Peanuts by OPI brings to life Charles M. Schulz’s comic strip characters for Halloween 2014. Inspired by “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” the four new limited edition nail lacquer shades include seasonal yellow and black crèmes, as well as two black-based glitter hues. 

“‘It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’ is a classic, beloved film,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Co-Founder & Brand Ambassador.  “Peanuts by OPI celebrates the fun, youthful nature of Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and Snoopy with four limited edition nail lacquer shades designed to capture the spirit of Halloween. With two crème and two glitter options, you can switch between a cheery yellow or chic black look, or try adding a layer of glitter for a unique finish.”   

Peanuts by OPI includes the following shades:

Good Grief!

The sunny yellow of Charlie Brown’s favorite t-shirt.

Where’s My Blanket???

Linus awaits the Great Pumpkin in this orange and black glitter.

WHO ARE YOU CALLING BOSSY?!?

This stormy black is no match for Lucy’s raven hair.

To Be or Not To Beagle

Snoopy’s happy-dance of colors in a joyful glitter.

Each of the four shades is also available in the Little Peanuts mini pack, which is sold with ten nail decals ranging from popular Peanuts phrases like “Good Grief!” and “Pow!” to sketches of Snoopy and the signature squiggle of Charlie Brown’s shirt.

“These stickers offer a playful, kitschy way to add instant art to nails,” adds Weiss-Fischmann. “My favorite decal pays tribute to Snoopy’s many kisses – ‘Smak!’”

Peanuts nail lacquer shades each feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application. Peanuts by OPI and Little Peanuts mini pack will be available beginning September 2014 at Professional Salons, including Chatters, Planet Beauty and ULTA. Peanuts nail lacquers will retail for $9.50 ($11.50 CAN) each; Little Peanuts mini pack will retail for $13.95 ($17.50 CAN). 

For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter and Instagram @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan! For more information on Peanuts, follow @snoopy on Twitter, @snoopygrams on Instagram, and like the characters at www.facebook.com/snoopy.

OPI Launches Two Designer Series 

Nail Lacquers with 

NEW Polished Quartz Formula

This fall, OPI introduces a new Polished Quartz formula with two new semi-precious stone-inspired hues – DS Tourmaline and DS Titanium – to the Designer Series by OPI collection. Each Designer Series Polished Quartz nail lacquer features a semi-matte finish with intense three-dimensional sparkle. 

Designer Series by OPI offers a high-shine Top Coat and an assortment of 11 glistening shades, including the two new stunning additions: shimmery rose DS Tourmaline and glittery dark silver DS Titanium.  DS Tourmaline and DS Titanium can be worn alone for a semi-matte look, or with DS Top Coat to give nails a high-shine finish.

“Jewelry has the power to transform a simple dress or tee shirt into a major fashion statement,” remarks Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Co-Founder & Brand Ambassador. “These two new Designer Series shades create the eye-catching look of semi-precious jewels on your nails. Inspired by polished quartz, DS Tourmaline and DS Titanium instantly add glamour, thanks to the highly-pigmented formula and intense diamond-dust sparkle.”

Designer Series by OPI nail lacquer shades each feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application.  DS Polished Quartz lacquers should be worn without Top Coat for a semi-matte finish.  DS Tourmaline and DS Titanium will be available beginning September 3, 2014 at professional salons, including Beauty Brands, Chatters, Dillard’s, Regis, ULTA and ulta.com for $12.50 ($14.95 CAN) suggested retail for each nail lacquer.  

OPI Supports Breast Cancer Awareness with Eighth Annual Pink of Hearts Promotion

OPI announces the launch of its eighth annual limited edition Pink of Hearts promotion, a duo pack featuring a new pink confetti glitter hue The Power of Pink alongside the classic light pink crème shade Mod About You. Pink of Hearts 2014 will also include a pink glitter nail file with pink-ribbon charm. 

This duo pack is designed to raise awareness for the fight against breast cancer. In 2014, OPI will donate $25,000 to Susan G. Komen^® in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October). OPI will also donate $5,000 to Rethink Breast Cancer in Canada.

“OPI is proud to support Susan G. Komen and Rethink Breast Cancer with the eighth annual Pink of Hearts promotion,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Co-Founder & Executive VP. “OPI’s breast cancer awareness campaign embodies our mission to empower women through color. The Power of Pink is a unique new shade that really celebrates the individual. This pink glitter gives nails a fun, playful look that represents the joyful feeling that comes when embracing life.”

Pink of Hearts 2014 includes two shades sold in one pack – the soft pink Mod About You and the glittery The Power of Pink. This sparkly lacquer features a sheer pink base packed with both micro and macro confetti in light and dark pink hues. The Power of Pink can be worn either alone or layered on top of Mod About You as an accent. Each bottle features a special pink ribbon cap wrap in support of breast cancer awareness. Pink of Hearts 2014 also offers a pink glitter nail file with pink-ribbon charm to keep nails perfectly shaped. 

Mod About You and The Power of Pink feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application. Pink of Hearts 2014 will be available September and October 2014 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, beautybrands.com, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, ULTA and ulta.com for $16.95 ($21.50 CAN) suggested retail.

For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter and Instagram @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!

Lynnderella Cowboy Kitty

 *Sent for review*

I am crazy in love with today's polish!! Lynnderella Cowboy Kitty is a spectacular mix of red, black and pale grey glitter in a gold and clear shimmered base with teeny red microglitter sparkles. One of a series of kitty themed LE lacquers, Cowboy Kitty just happens to feature one of my favorite color combinations- I LOVE red and black together. Using grey glitter in this is a stroke of genius and there really aren't many polishes with grey glitter. The shimmer in this polish is absolutely stunning in person. Pictures never really capture the full gorgeousness of Lynnderellas.

I used Zoya Dove as my base for this mani. This is one dabbed coat of Cowboy Kitty over three coats of Dove. When it was all finished, I liked the combination, but I realized that the awesome grey glitter is basically the same color as Dove. So I had to try another base color too!

This is one dabbed coat of Cowboy Kitty over OPI My Vampire is Buff.  This makes the grey glitter a bit more visible, but I'd still like to come up with a base color that really lets all of the glitter colors pop a bit more. I'm working on it! I do really love it over the grey base though, red, black and grey is such a good color combo.

Cowboy Kitty was easy to apply and has plenty of shimmer and glitter. I do recommend the dabbing method, as I find it to be the best way to apply Lynns. Lynnderella herself uses and recommends the dabbing method. I typically get a good amount of polish on the brush and dab it on the nail, smooshing it around until it covers evenly. It sounds hard, but with a little practice, it's quite easy.

*Sent for review*

Lynnderella Cowboy Kitty is my new favorite LE Lynn. It's one of my favorite color combinations of all time AND it's a kitty polish!! This and other fantastic kitty, unicorn, mermaid, etc. themed polishes are available at lynnderella.com and the Lynnderella Storenvy. For news about upcoming collections, visit Lynnderella's blog.

OPI Ford Mustang Swatches!

*Sent for review*

OPI teamed up with Ford Mustang to bring us this collection, celebrating the Mustang's 50th anniversary. The Ford Mustang is such an American icon, so it's cool to see a tie-in with nail polish! OPI Race Red is a bright red-orange creme. I am always a fan of a good red-orange, they look much better on me personally than blue-based reds. Race Red is bright and eye-catching, but still very classic looking.

Race Red was easy to work with and applied flawlessly. This is two coats.

OPI 50 Years of Style is a light yellow gold metallic. It's a very pale, delicate looking gold, not too harsh or brassy looking. 

This is two coats of 50 Years of Style. I was impressed with it's pigmentation, as a lot of light gold metallics require three coats and still have VNL. You can see some visible brushstrokes in the pictures, but they weren't as apparent in person.

OPI Queen of the Road is a shimmering obsidian black metallic. This one is really cool, it definitely reminds me of black gems, all smoldering and smoky looking.

Queen of the Road felt a little thinner, formula-wise. I used three coats for these pictures. There are some visible brushstrokes with this polish, due to it's metallic nature, although they are less noticeable in person. They really don't bother me, but I know they drive some people bananas, so I do want to mention it.

OPI The Sky's My Limit is my favorite of this collection! The Sky's My Limit is a gorgeous blue metallic, almost foil finish, with tons of gold shimmer. The gold shimmer is a lot more apparent in person than it is in my pictures and it is awesome! I tried a lot of different lighting sources to capture the gold, but it wasn't happening. If you can see this polish in person, the gold is very visible in the bottle. It reminds me a little bit of Absolutely Alice in a completely smooth, non-glitter form.

The Sky's My Limit is not only stunning, but it applied like a dream. A beautiful golden blue dream. This is two coats.

  

I was pretty surprised by OPI Girls Love Ponies. It's the most perfect fuchsia creme I've ever tried. I'm not entirely sure what makes it stand out from the crowd, but as soon as I put it on, I thought "wow, this looks fantastic!". My mom saw it and said "Wow, that's really pretty!". It is a little bit on the blue-based side of pink and very saturated with pigment. It's bright, but not crazy electric. Girls Love Ponies really is just a top-notch fuchsia. I can't believe how much I like it, and you all know I'm not crazy over pinks.

To top off it's perfection, Girls Love Ponies applied like butter and only needed two coats. Love!

OPI Angel With a Leadfoot is a really nice fluffy cloud white creme. It's not a super stark white, like Alpine Snow, but it's not a soft eggshell either. It's pretty much a nice in-between of those two and I think it fills a gap in white cremes in the OPI line.

Angel With a Leadfoot was pretty easy to work with for a white creme. This is three coats, but I really didn't find the second coat to be that streaky. I think if I had been more careful, I could have done two coats. With a matte top coat in between coats, I'm sure it would be a two-coater. It has plenty of pigmentation. Overall, I like it a lot better than my old go-to white, OPI Alpine Snow.

*Sent for review*

When I first saw the preview pictures for this collection, I wasn't all that jazzed up about it, but I quickly started to change my mind upon swatching. My favorites from the collection are The Sky's My Limit and Girls Love Ponies, but you can't go wrong with the others if you're looking to add those colors to your collection.

The OPI Mustang Collection is available now at fine salons, Ulta and Ulta.com.