OPI Germany Collection

I was so excited when I heard OPI was coming out with a Germany collection - I visited in 2005 (Munich) and my Dad's family is originally from Germany, so I was totally excited for it.  Now it's here!  Please enjoy the following press release from OPI (all images courtesy of OPI).

Edgy Elegance

OPI Launches the Germany Collection for Fall/Winter 2012

  

OPI embraces runway trends with the Germany Collection for Fall/Winter 2012. Drawing inspiration from Berlin, an exciting new fashion hub that blends classic looks with the avant-garde, the collection’s twelve shades offer a mixture of vibrant color, urban-chic neutrals, and reds in variations from light to dark.

“Designers showcased rich colors and striking textures for fall,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director.  “The Germany Collection beautifully complements these looks, with standout shades in various hues of red and burgundy – the season’s ‘new black.’ Sapphire, black olive and lime yellow are married with creamy neutrals in honey, taupe and nude rose.”

“The overall feel of the Germany Collection is elegance with an edge,” adds Suzi. “The varied palette of colors adds another accent to the list of special touches – think beadwork, paneling, fur and embroidery – that walked the runways during New York Fashion Week. Wearing these shades on fingers and toes is a great way to accessorize a range of looks for the season.”

Germany by OPI includes the following shades:

 Don’t Pretzel My Buttons

A haute honey-beige that can always make you smile.

 
My Very First Knockwurst
…and what a magical rosy-nude rendezvous it was!

 Berlin There Done That

A traveling taupe that’s seen it all. (Yep, that too).

Don’t Talk Bach to Me
There’s nothing mellow about this sassy lime-yellow!

Nein! Nein! Nein! OK Fine!

A bodacious black-olive? We say “Ja! Ja! Ja!”

 
Unfor-greta-bly Blue

Everyone’s favorite Fräulein loves this über shiny blue.

 
Every Month is Oktoberfest
Prost! Here’s to the prettiest plum in the Biergarten.

 
Suzi & the 7 Düsseldorfs
The most beautiful bright purple of all.

 
Deutsch You Want Me Baby?
A self-assured shade of shimmering red-orange.

Danke-Shiny Red

You “Bitte” try on this ravishing ruby before it’s too late!

 
German-icure by OPI
The best burgundy shimmer in the business.


Schnapps Out of It!
Shake off the blues with a shot of fall’s must-have mauve!

Germany Collection nail lacquer shades contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and each includes OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application.

Germany by OPI will be available August 8, 2012, at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $8.50 ($9.95 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!

Spoiled Ants In My Pants

I have a lot of nail polish right now, so I try to stay away from the stores but when I saw what looked a bit like deborah lippmann Ruby Red Slippers, I had to grab a bottle.  Spoiled by Wet n Wild is a CVS-exclusive line of nail polish - 72 colors in all & all Big-3 free.  They sell for about $2 for a 0.50 fl oz bottle.  The first thing that caught me was the brush.

It's wide and flat which helps me sometimes in painting but I know it's not for everyone.

This is Ants In My Pants, and I decided to test it out several ways.  On my index and middle fingers I have on China Glaze Adventure Red-y, then 2 cots of Ants in My Pants.  My ring finger is just 3 coats of Ants by itself.  My pinkie is 2 coats of Ants over 1 coat of Sephora black.  As you can see, Ants In My Pants is a large and small red glitter in a slightly black base.  I did not use a top coat.

I'm not sure if I like it over red or black better but I definitely do not care for this color by itself (ring finger).  It's just too sheer and I can't justify more than 3 coats, even if it is a $2 bottle of polish.

Here in the shade, I really think I love this color over red the best.  It really gives it a blood-red feel - great for Halloween!

Here's a shot in indirect sun.  Still loving it over red the best.  I used to only wear glitters over black but you just lose so much.

Finally indoors with the flash.

Additionally, here's a close up of the different layering options.

For $2, this really isn't a bad deal.  It's not a dead on dupe for the Ruby Red Slippers - there is a lot less glitter on the nail - it's a good alternative in a pitch.  Only real hassle is because this only sold at CVS, you have to live near one.

Spoiled by Wet n Wild is a CVS-exclusive line of nail polish sold for $2 for a 0.50 fl oz bottle.

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

China Glaze Adventure Red-y

Chillin like a villian.  Or something like that.  I decided to be on a red kick for a bit - and what better way then with a China Glaze red?  It's been no secret that China Glaze has and always be, my first love, and as much as I thought I'd be an anti-red nail polish kind of girl, ChG does it RIGHT.  This is Adventure Red-y from the On Safari Fall 2012 collection.  It's a great almost neon red creme, that reminds me a lot of the Kicks Collection from even the Up And Away Collection.  (Did I just walk into a comparison post needs to come up?!)  I used a base of Poshe, 2 coats of polish and a top of Seche Vite.  I did find this polish to be a little thick, so have your nail polish thinner on hand.

By the way, do not thin your nail polish with nail polish remover or acetone.  Granted, I do not have a cosmetology license so everything I say is based on my own opinion but what does acetone do?  It breaks down and removes polish.  So if you're putting it in your complete bottle of nail polish... well.  Yeah so just don't do it.  Please.

Anyway.

Look how lovely this color is!  So smooth, so red.  Nom.

So good that I had to take another sunny picture.  Look at her, she glows.

This is really a true red - no blue or orange pulls to it.  Just red red red-y.

This is indirect sun here.

For fun, I stood next to the red siding on my house which I feel like I can no longer call red.  That's maroon now.

And we end it with a pretty shot of the flash - you can see how opaque this color is and just how well it covers.

China Glaze [Website] [Facebook] [Twitter] can be found online through several etailers, including my favorite Head2Toe Beauty, Sally's Beauty Supply as well as TransDesign.

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

Color Club In True Fashion

While I was at Cosmoprof last month, I got to take lots of pictures of upcoming Color Club collections, including the Fall 2012 "In True Fashion"!  I plan to spend part of this weekend getting that post up, along with my last few Cosmoprof goodies that I have to share!  Then it's back to LOTS and LOTS of swatching! Meanwhile, please enjoy the following press release from Color Club (all images courtest of Forsythe).

INTRODUCING IN TRUE FASHION FALL 2012 NAIL POLISH COLLECTION FROM COLOR CLUB

Straight off the Runway Comes this Season's Hottest Collection of All-eyes-on-hue Lacquers

May 2012 - New York, New York - Color Club, the New York based nail color company announced today the debut of In True Fashion, the new fall 2012 nail polish collection from Color Club. Straight off the runway comes what is sure to be this season's hottest collection of all-eyes-on-hue nail lacquers. The Collection features 12 seasonally inspired nail polishes – from Look Book and Personal Stylist to First Looks and Model Behavior – this new vegan, formaldehyde, toluene and DBP-free collection will ensure you are runway ready.

Introducing the In True Fashion Collection from Color Club:

Look Book: Bright Red

Style Icon: Burgundy

By Design: Plum

In the Limelight: Periwinkle

Muse-ical: Gray

Fashion Moment: Eggplant

Editorial: Peridot Duochrome

Port-folio: Purple Duochrome

Personal Stylist: Blue Duochrome

First Looks: Blue Green Metallic

Model Behavior: Bronze Metallic

Show Time: Charcoal Metallic

Color Club’s In True Fashion Collection will be available in August of 2012. All Color Club products are made in the USA and are not tested on animals. Products are available at shopcolorclub.com.

About Color Club

A favorite of celebrity manicurists and nail color fans worldwide, Color Club is renowned for its high performance rich shades and exceptionally safe products. From the brightest neons, to glitter and French, all nail colors are vegan, formaldehyde, toluene, and DBP -free – and made in New York, NY with the best raw materials. Products are available at shopcolorclub.com

Sephora by OPI It's Real 18K Gold Top Coat

When I started PolishGalore back in December 2009, I really had two goals.  One was to get back into writing which I feel I've done well with... the second was to justify my nail polish purchases.  Today, that's coming into effect I feel.

This is It's Real 18K Gold Top Coat by Sephora by OPI.  I found it in my local Sephora last month, was intrigued, bought it (as the fiancé is saying "another bottle of nail polish?!"), and then realized "Holy crap, how much was it?"  This little 0.5 Fl Oz of yes, real 18K gold flakes is $30.00 USD.  That's more than my monthly Internet bill each month.  But I decided that I bought it, mostly for novelty... now - what to do with it?

It comes in a flashy box.

And contains Gold, Silver and Copper Powder (watch out, those with allergies).  Seriously, the box says "This product contains silver, avoid contact with broken or abraded skin."

I decided to use my existing Cult Nail Annalicious manicure because hey, it's a beautiful manicure, and added just one thin layer on top.  I did not use a top coat.

Good news - just one thin layer covers quite well, and as you can see, I still have plenty of gold flakes left in the bottle.  They were not hard to spread on the nail at all.

Here's another sunny picture - gold flakes, check.

Obviously in the shade, the flakes stand out even more.

Again in the shade.

COME MY PRETTIES.

So here's my issue.  Obviously I'd want to wear this over a manicure that I plan on keeping awhile - not just a one day thing.  But then it becomes an issue of do you tell people you're wearing real 18K gold on your nails?  Is this like one of those "I'm wiping my tears with $100 bills" metaphors?  Heh, I don't think it's that bad, but I did question when I'm realistically going to wear this top coat.  Maybe on a gel polish before the last top coat?  (Is that possible?)

The Plastic Diaries had an OPI exclusive that OPI will have a gold leaf top coat this winter in their 007 Collection, and I heard on Zoya's Facebook page that they have a similar prototype in the works.  Cult Nails offers real gold flakes in their store for only $5 for a 1" vile (currently sold out).  

Are you into this gold phase?  Are you hoping for a silver top coat next?

It's Real 18K Gold Top Coat may be purchased at Sephora stores or at Sephora.com for $30 a bottle.

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

CND: Shellac Fall 2012

During my meeting at Cosmoprof North America Las Vegas with CND, I got to see some of the new items coming out for Fall 2012.  While they haven't abandoned their colours and effects line, they aren't expanding it right now.  However, they are coming out with 6 new Shellac shades in the fall, bringing the total of Shellac shades to the perfect number... 42.  Yeah buddy.

The one thing that I hate to part with, but will be giving my local salon, is the Shellac nail card.  This has the current 36 Shellac colors plus a few layered looks.

Oh I love Shellac.

So, more on these upcoming fall colors.  I wasn't able to see them swatched or in the bottle but I was assured they are lovely.  :]

And now, please enjoy the press release that goes with it.

Winter Wonderful: 6 New CND Shellac™ Power Polish™ Shades

Color Palette Extends to 42 Shades of Gorgeous

June 20, 2012 – CND launches six new shades of CND Shellac™, the original Power Polish, available November 2012. The new, luxe line-up features a range of rich tones accented with shimmering metallics designed to perfectly accessorize graphic florals, chromatic finishes and tea stained fabrics inspired by the top looks from the Fall 2012 Fashion Week runway.

CND Shellac helps you accessorize any outfit with the only resilient color that promises non-stop mirror shine, zero dry-time and 14 days of flawless wear. Worn by fashionistas, Hollywood’s elite, everyday women and nail professionals alike, CND Shellac has paved the way for a new category of nail color.


CND Shellac comes off gently with convenient, hygienic CND Shellac Remover Wraps that help to limit skin exposure to acetone by keeping the remover on the nail. Building off CND Shellac’s convenient and gentle ten minute removal process, CND Shellac Nourishing Remover, out in September 2012, will reduce removal time to eight minutes. CND Shellac Nourishing Remover is infused with macadamia and Vitamin E oils to condition nails and softly remove color.

CND Shellac is a professional salon service product. Manicure prices typically range from $25-$45 and pedicures from $40-$60 depending on location. Visit cnd.com to find a salon near you.

About CND
Founded in 1979 and based in Vista, CA, CND (Creative Nail Design, Inc.) is the global leader in professional nail, hand and foot beauty. Deeply committed to advancing the nail care industry, CND devotes significant time and resources to product research and development, education, and customer support. CND is an industry-leading advocate for the role of nail care in personal beauty and fashion.

CND Additives

So the #1 complaint I've heard about CND Shellac is that "there aren't enough colors."  Well, this summer, CND came out with 12 pure cosmetic-grade pigments that can be layered over CND Shellac or mixed into gels or acrylics.  Now you're only limited by imagination.  I tried to go play with these while at Cosmoprof, but as luck would have it, the Additives got locked behind a closed door meeting when I showed up.  Instead, I have the pretty press release!  CND Additives are only sold to professionals, so ask your salon when they are getting them for your next CND Shellac manicure!

Ask for ADDITIVES! CND Introduces ‘‘Additives’’ for No-Limits Artistry at the Nail Salon


July 2012 --- CND introduces an exciting new way to achieve the ultimate nail artistry at your local salon -- Additives. This vibrant collection of 12 pure cosmetic-grade pigments enhances any manicure or pedicure and can be layered over CND Shellac™ or mixed into gels or acrylics, making your nails truly unforgettable. Sophisticated, runway-inspired and chic, Additives are fashion’s hottest way to redefine "nail art." 

"Women like to make statements with their nails. CND Additives let you explore the inventive and personalized world of nail art. Prepare for your nails to get noticed in a whole new way!’’ says CND Co-Founder, Jan Arnold


Now, nail addicts can experience an even more valuable, creative and customized service with CND Additives signature colors, textures and finishes. Ombre, opalescent glass, sparkling finish, nearly neon --- there are infinite possibilities!

CND Additives are a professional-only product launching in salons globally in July 2012.

Cult Nails Annalicious

So let me say a little something about Cult Nails.  I love this brand.  Not only does the creator, Maria, work hard to have fantastic formula, new colors not available by every single other company out there, and a story behind each color but she also makes things a family affair.  Her newest collection is called Coco's Untamed Collection, and it was created by her daughter Coco and launched on Coco's 13th birthday (July 11th).  Seriously, how cool is that?  And seriously, I mean this teenager actually hand mixed the colors herself and had her own marketing team (which was her BFF Anna) create the names & descriptions behind each one.

Today I have Annalicious from said collection.  It is being discontinued so get it from their shop ASAP.  The description is a "shimmery red with an orange influence packed full of red and gold glitter."  I used a base of Poshe, 2 coats of polish and a top of Seche Vite. My experience with Cult Nails is that the first coat goes on thin but the second coat evens everything out and makes for a beautiful manicure!  Cult Nails is big 4 free to include Camphor.

I was having a conversation with a certain Queen of Nails who mentioned that she doesn't understand why people don't polish their nails all the way to the cuticle.  My answer? I'm lazy and bad at it.  But I'm trying now.  You can see I still need help in clean-up, and yes I do have a bad spot on my middle finger in the middle of the cuticle but it's healing.  Meanwhile, LOOK AT THIS COLOR!  The perfect red with some orange and yes it has shimmer.

You can really see the shimmer in the bottle here in the shade and while it looks like it's lost on the nail, it's just hiding from the camera.

I even had to go for an indirect sun picture because I love this color so much.

And one happy picture with the flash.  Lovely.

I seriously need to post more of my Cult Nails polishes.  Maria just had a birthday sale where I ended up buying 3 more polishes and her "Get It On" base coat.  I already have her top coat "Wicked Fast" but I like to match my brands from time to time.

Cult Nails [Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Instagram: CultNails] is available in their shop for $12 a bottle.

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

Epsom Salt - Inexpensive Beauty Tips

Photo Courtesy of EMA

Randomly I get press releases from time to time that may, or may not, be relevant to PolishGalore.  I've gotten pitches about the "faulty nature of the TSA" and "how to tip" and while I didn't go Bloggess on them and Wil Wheaten their pitch, it did make me laugh a bit.  However, when I got this email about Epsom salt, I giggled at first, but then I actually read it.  My family has used Epsom salt in the bathtub for years but only for sore muscles (my dad was a college football star back in the day).  I've also used some of it in my son's bath that was scented with lavender to help him sleep.  Granted, it kind of backfired on me when he decided to DRINK his bathwater... Epsom salt can help constipation - I'll leave it at that.

Anyway - here are a few quick down and not-so-dirty (hah) tips on how you can use Epsom salt in your beauty routine.  I really want to test out the first one - my face has been crazy this past month.  Please enjoy.

Some people may remember Epsom salt only as something their grandparents kept in the medicine cabinet, but many experts use Epsom salt to look and feel better (http://www.goop.com/newsletter/33/en), it leaves your skin radiant and glowing and you can find some in your local pharmacy or supermarket for just a few dollars.

You can learn more at www.facebook.com/epsomsalt or www.epsomsaltcouncil.org.

Tips include:

• Glowing skin exfoliating treatment: Mix 2 cups of Epsom Salt with 1/4 cup of petroleum jelly and a few drops of lavender essential oil. Use the mixture to gently scrub away dry skin patches.
• Microdermabrasion Facial: Mix 1/2 TSP of Epsom Salt into cleansing cream for a deep-pore cleansing. Massage on skin. Rinse with cool water. Pat dry.
• Bathtime Bliss: Add two cups of Epsom Salt to the water in a standard-sized bathtub; soak for at least 12 minutes, three times weekly. For an extra treat, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil for a refreshing scent.
• Pedicure Perfection: Dissolve a half cup of Epsom Salt into two quarts of warm water. Pour the water into a container and soak your bare feet for fifteen to twenty minutes. For an extra treat, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil for a refreshing scent. Massage the entire foot with Epsom Salt concentrating on the heels and ankles to remove any dry, rough spots. Then, rinse your feet off with clean tap water and dry them thoroughly.
•  Stress relieving soak: Add two cups of Epsom Salt to the water in a standard-sized bathtub; soak for at least 12 minutes, three times weekly. For an extra treat, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil for a refreshing scent.

Revlon Orbit

So I had heard through the grapevine that Revlon came out with some "dual ended flakies" but had yet to see them in my local stores.  The other day, I was feeling down, so the fiancé took me down to my local Walgreens, and there they were - very picked over, but they were there.  I grabbed one of each and went to the register and paid before really even paying attention to what happened.

Obviously.  Note the black in the center?  That's from someone putting this brush into the purple side (which is a very dark purple, despite what the picture shows) and THEN putting it back into the flakies side.  Also, notice how EMPTY my bottle is?  I'm really kicking myself that I didn't walk back in and say "Take this back."  Revlon did not have any kind of tamper resistant seal (what nail polish company does?), but let's just say my sails were deflating fast on the "Moon Candy" train.

So the concept is simple.  Paint your nails with the side marked "1", which is the solid creme color.  Let it dry and them paint your nail with the side marked "2" - the flakie.  This is Orbit which is a dark purple creme on one side and a shredded blue and purple flakie in a light purple base.  To be honest, it looks like the flakie shreds bled off into the base, but I don't know that for sure.

I used a base of Poshe, 1 coat of polish from each side, and topped with Seche Vite.  After doing my pinkie and ring finger with the purple, I decided to switch to Sephora black for my middle and pointer fingers.

Can you tell the difference in the black and the purple?  Yes, I can but barely.  I was NOT impressed with the purple creme at all, and that's saying something considering how much I LOVE purple.  It was way too dark for me, but did cover well.

In the shade, you can see the shredded flakie a bit better.  I wasn't too thrilled that the flakie was so hard to apply.  The base that it sits in was very thick, like a suspension base, and globbed a bit on my nail.  Now, I'm not sure if this is typical of the product or if someone messed mine up when they were obviously painting their nails in the store and used up 25% of the bottle.

Indirect sun shows that again, the flakie isn't that strong but does have a green/blue/purple shift and you might be able to tell that it's definitely not smooth either.  Considering what I've seen from companies like Nfu-Oh, Nails Inc and even China Glaze, this product does NOT fit the bill.

I paid $8 for this "Nail Art" which is about $4 a side.  There is no way I can justify paying $8 for this.  I'm so mad that I want to take the others back and say "Never mind."  However, I can't find my receipt so I guess this is one that I get to eat the cost of.

PS: None of this review is related to what's been going on with the Revlon/Sinful Colors picture debacle.  I just feel this is a crappy product.  I can't even find it listed on Revlon's website.

Revlon [Website | Facebook | Twitter] can be found in several grocery and drug stores - price may vary from $3-5 but the Moon Candy polishes were $8.