Like a frothy beach party flick (think Gidget, Beach Blanket Bingo), the OPI Retro Fun In The Sun collection will be surfing onto shelves this summer. Filled with kitschy, fun shades the lacquers are perfect for those long sunny days of lazing in the sand. To add to the fun, each bottle comes with a retro ponytail holder. Takes me right back to elementary school when I had a ballerina jewelry box filled with hair ties in every color imaginable.
“In summer, glamour really moves from the city out to the sand, and these shades combine a retro pin-up-girl look with a beach party attitude – think ponytails, Frankie and Annette, and romance under the stars,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “The colors are rich, playful, and sexy – a great way to accessorize one of fashion’s most colorful summers ever!”
Peach-a-Boo! - Take a peek at this apricot sparkle!
Sit Under the Apple Tree - A tempting, light apple green.
Lemonade Stand by Your Man - You’ll stay loyal to this refreshing yellow.
Give Me a Coral Sometime - I’ll answer in this inviting pink-orange.
Sea Ya Later, Sailor! - A fun, flirtatious turquoise shimmer.
Calendar Girl - A pin-up, perfect pink-red.
Like previous beach themed OPI collections (It's Summer for Shore, Surf Party) I'm expecting the Retro nail polishes to have a unique shimmer that will make the nail girlies go gaga. I can't wait to see them in person and find out! Will this line become just as collectible? We'll just have to wait and see.
The Retro Fun in The Sun collection drops (I'm so street) in June and will be available at salons including Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, Ulta, Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Dillard’s, and JCPenney. MSRP $8.50 ($9.95 CAN)
OPI Summer 2008 Preview - Retro Fun in the Sun
OPI Summer 2008 Preview - Mod About Brights
The Brights are back everyone! OPI is adding to their ever so popular Brights series with a set of 6 vivid creme polishes dubbed the Mod About Brights collection.
“The mod look is back in a fresh, new way, both in fashion and beauty,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “The six shades in Mod About Brights capture the fun and edginess of the mod ‘invasion’ of the Sixties, but with a bright twist that makes them exciting and current for 2008. And with fashion right now being all about color and vivid, graphic prints, these are the shades that are perfect for fingertips and toes.”
Yet again I'm getting giddy with delight over a fab looking green hitting the mass market. You know the frankeners on MUA will be adding black to Green-wich Village to try and duplicate RBL Recycle. And a royal blue creme... catch me as I swoon. If these cremes are as fantabulous as the ones from India, I'll be in heaven. I've been on such a creme kick lately. Between that and my recent pink love you would think I had a polish lobotomy.
So here's the line up and descriptions courtesy of OPI.
Mod-ern Girl - A pop of coral with more than 15 minutes of fame.
Brights Power - A brilliant orange that fashionistas find fab!
The “It” Color - This must-have yellow is the color to be seen in.
That’s Hot! Pink - Bright pink that sizzles with style.
Green-wich Village - A vivid green that’s downtown mod.
Dating a Royal - A royal blue that sets crowns spinning!
The Mod About Brights collection retail for $8.50 ($9.50 CAN) and will be avaiable in May at salons including the major chains; Beauty First, Beauty Brands, JCPenney, Dillard’s, Regis, Pure Beauty, Ulta, and Trade Secret.
OPI India Collection Comparisons
It's OK, you can say it. What took me so long? Sifting through 1,000 bottles of polish is your answer. I compared the shades in the new OPI India collection to every bottle of lacquer I own.
I tried to meet most of your requests but there are some colors I just don't own, like OPI Strawberry Margarita. Due to the number of comparison requests for Yoga-ta Get This Blue, they will be posted in their own entry. You all are blue crazy. I love it!
Some of the India polishes didn't have a twin or any close relatives so I won't waste time posting comparisons. Charmed By A Snake is nothing like the new China Glaze Unplugged. Lunch at the Delhi and Elephantastic Pink stand alone in the crowd. Even though I don't own a ton of cremes I was still surprised by that.
I know a lot of people were hoping to find dupes for Black Cherry Chutney and Royal Rajah Ruby but as you can see below, they are unique. Maybe not to the casual observer but definitely to a polish connoisseur. RRR's deep richness doesn't exist anywhere else in my stash, especially when compared to the black based X and Midnight and Moscow. The same goes for BCC, it differs from its competitors in that its not a plum or a burgundy.
OPI Spring 2008 Collection - India
OPI, you don't know this but we've been broken up for some time now. The fighting began when you revamped your formula last spring. The inconsistencies in every collection since Australia has been frustrating. I understand the pressure to go Big 3 Free but sacrificing quality in order to satisfy the protesters was a bad call if you ask me. Of course our fight occurred entirely in my head but I'm sure you'll be happy to know that we've called a truce.
Why the change of heart? Well, two reasons really.
1. You finally delivered a navy blue shimmer that actually looks navy. No purple undertones. Not just another blue-black. Yoga-ta Get This Blue, it's like you knew I needed you.
2. You realized that I was not the only unhappy camper in regards to formula and you found a way to deliver pigmented, streak-free, non-goopy cremes.
The OPI India Collection for Spring 2008 made me remember what it was that caused me to fall for OPI in the first place. How compared to all the drugstore brands of polish I had used, there was a line that applied smooth and even with a beautiful range of colors. My first OPI obsession was the classic; I'm Not Really A Waitress. My latest; Yoga-ta Get This Blue.
With a color range pulled from the fashion and culture of India, this collection is filled with vibrant pinks and reds, rich berries and luxurious metallics. Do I think every shade is utterly unique and rave-worthy? No but let's get real girls. Us hardcore nail fanatics are a finicky group to please. I say formula improvements are a good step. Giving us the next Rainforest would be a fabulous and giant leap.
So this formula I am raving about, is it really that different? I wouldn't testify in a court of law but, to me, there really is a noticeable improvement. I can't find the change in the ingredient list but I'm telling you, something happened. With a couple exceptions, every shade applied like a dream. And disregarding the two sheers, these lacquers are highly pigmented requiring no more than two coats. Each image below was taken without a top coat and only two layers of lacquer.
Black Cherry Chutney - a blackened red with subtle shimmer for depth. In most lighting all you see are a few specs of shimmer and otherwise it's just another almost black berry. The brush on mine has a few bent strands so that affected application. I hope it was just the brush but I can't promise anything.
Charmed by a Snake - a lighter bronze, more appropriate for Spring. The champagne shimmer keeps this shade from being too warm and too Fall. Definitely one of my favorites.
Curry Up Don't Be Late! - I'm not gonna lie, this will be a hard shade to pull off. Brushed yellow gold is too much for my pale skin but, I would think with a faux tan or darker skin tone this shade could really pop. 
ElePhantastic Pink has been creating a buzz before it even hit shelves. It's the shade I've received the most inquiries about. A bold carnation pink creme, this isn't for the demure pink wearer.
Get Me to the Taj on Time - is a safe opalescent semi-sheer. Yes, it applies well but we've seen this before.
I'm Indi-a Mood for Love - a hot pink creme that leans towards blue, giving it a slight purple undertone.
Keys to My Karma is your basic maraschino cherry red creme. This one has a lot of pink in its base and needs two coats to achieve the bottle shade. It's a good staple color but not something you need. Still I'm feeling the urge to pull out my reds again.
Lunch at the Delhi has been dubbed a "coral" but I'm not seeing it. If anything, I think of it as a dusty, muted red. Yes, it's warm and orange based but not the pinky peach I typically think of when I hear coral. Sometimes an OPI description is so far off from what I'm seeing, I wonder if I'm colorblind. What shade do you see?
MonSooner or Later is a tomato red creme. Orange and red combine to create this glossy confection. I can totally see this on toes at the beach.
Moon Over Mumbai - get on the gray train now before it runs you over, leaving you face first in the dust. Of course the uber-chic nail boarders over at Makeup Alley have been frankening their own grays for months now but if you don't want to make your own, here's a nice soft version to ease you into the trend.
Royal Rajah Ruby is the other vampy berry shade included in India. A rich wine shimmer, this shade would have made me take notice had it been a bit lighter. It just doesn't stand out in the crowd. The shimmer adds character but no real charm.
Yoga-ta Get this Blue! - I saved the best for last. I had to keep you scrolling. From the very second I got my hands on this shade I've been talking it up to anyone who would listen. Deeper and richer than Blue My Mind from the 2005 Brights yet lighter than all the 2007 OPI blues, Yoga-ta is everything I've been wanting a navy to be. It's visibly blue in most lighting situations which is something many of the blues that came before it have failed to achieve. In the simplest of terms, it's perfect.
The OPI India collection is available in stores and online now and retails for $8.50 ($9.95 CAN). No that's not a misprint, there was a price increase.
Now let's hear from you? What are you loving/hating, buying/passing on?
Comparisons are in the works but before I finish, are there any requests? I already have down Ms. DQ2's desire for a China Glaze X comp but what else do you want to see? I can't fulfill all your demands but I'll do my best to please the majority.
OPI Spring 2008 Preview - India
OPI Presents a Paradise of Color: The India Collection for Spring/Summer 2008
Color has the energy to excite, to charm, and to soothe – and the shades of the new India Collection by OPI for Spring/Summer 2008 offer a sunny, high-energy palette for nails and lips.
“There has never been a better, brighter moment for color than now,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “Spring’s fashion palette is filled with rosy pink, magenta, turquoise, yellow (the new ‘it’ shade), tangerine, and geranium red, used as splashes against natural tones and in bold graphic prints. Shades of hot pink, orange, vivid red, and coral on nails are the perfect complement.”
According to Weiss-Fischmann, lighter shades for nails are so right with the season’s alluring, feminine fabrics. She suggests pale opal nails with delicate dresses of flowing chiffon, organza, tulle, and liquid jersey (very romantic on toes during a midnight walk on the beach); and dove grey nails to accessorize spring’s must-have dress, the body-skimming sheath, shown in soft, watercolor tones. Carnation-pink nails enhance fashion details like sheer overlays, tiered skirts, ruffles, and pleats.
“Neutrals, darks, and metallics add sophisticated color to nails and lips,” says Weiss-Fischmann. “Try these shades with fashion’s long, fluid tunics and loosely cut trousers in mineral tones, as well with high-waisted pants and slouchy jackets – including an updated spin on the safari jacket.”
Wide-brimmed hats, brightly colored bangles and clutches, open-toed wedge heels, and India-inspired beading and metallic embroidery are important touches.
The 12 shades for nails from the India Collection by OPI allow you to immerse yourself in the season’s color nirvana:
Get Me to the Taj on Time - I don’t want to miss this pale opal shade!
ElePhantastic Pink - This carnation pink may start a stampede!
I'm Indi-a Mood for Love - And this hot pink is what I lust for!
Lunch at the Delhi - Now serving a luscious shade of coral.
MonSooner or Later - Drench your nails in this deluge of orange-red.
Keys to My Karma - Start your good fortune with this rich red.
Moon Over Mumbai - A romantic shade of soft, moonlit grey.
Yoga-ta Get this Blue! - Make this deep, dark blue your fashion mantra.
Royal Rajah Ruby - Jeweled burgundy befitting a prince’s princess.
Curry Up Don't Be Late! - This spicy golden metallic simmers with style!
Black Cherry Chutney - Deliciously dark black-red.
Charmed by a Snake - A charming, disarming shade of bronze.
The India Collection Nail Lacquers contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and each features the exclusive OPI ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application.
Three of the India Collection shades – Lunch at the Delhi, Royal Rajah Ruby, and Charmed by a Snake – are designated as Suzi’s Picks and are also available in coordinating Lip Colour and Lip Liner. OPI Lip Colour has a richer, silkier new formula, developed to wear and last beautifully.
The India Collection by OPI will be available beginning February 6, 2008, at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and Ulta, for $8.50 ($9.95 CAN) suggested retail for each Nail Lacquer and $10.00 ($12.50 CAN) suggested retail for each Lip Colour and Lip Liner.
OPI Blue Comparisons
Since navy is such a big color this fall and with OPI putting out three great blues this year, I thought you all might appreciate a little side by side comparison. While I love these dark colors, capturing their true beauty on screen is REALLY difficult but I did my best.
To me, the major differences are:
Russian Navy - has a blue green base, like Glacier Bay Blues, subtle shimmer on the nail and is the closest to an actual navy shade
Who Are You Wearing? - has more purple in it's base, multi-colored blue and red shimmer, looks blue/purple depending on the light and has an overall darker hue
OPI Ink - is the most burple (bluish purple), has the most sparkle and glitz due to the silvery micro-glitter, is the least "blackish-blue"
Which one do you prefer? Or did you just give in and buy all three?
OPI Holiday in Hollywood: Dazzling Darks & Neutrals
When I think of glitz and glam, my mind immediately drifts to Hollywood, award shows and the red carpet. For Holiday 2007 OPI takes us there with the Holiday in Hollywood Collection. It includes two distinct sets of six polishes: Dazzling Darks & Neutrals and Glamour Reds.
The Dazzling Darks & Neutrals are up first. The Glamour Reds are soon to follow.
Stars in My Eyes is a semi-sheer sparkly silver. What you see below is two thin coats. I'm sure a third coat would make it completely opaque. As I was applying Stars in My Eyes and the majority of the sparklers in this collection I noticed a great multi-colored shimmer in the lacquer but it doesn't appear on the nail. Instead this shade has a slightly pinkish cast and amazing depth. It dries semi-matte so if you really want to put on the glitz, add a super shiny top coat.
Hollywood Blonde is my surprise of the collection. I totally didn't expect to like, let alone love, this shade. From the few pics I'd seen of it online, it looked like a blah nude. Wow was I wrong. A glistening nudish pink semi-sheer, this is my kind pale. The gold shimmer gives it depth and a fairy dust quality. I would totally rock this on my tips or toes for a holiday party. I love when a polish blows my expectations out of the water.
I'd Like To Thank... is described by OPI as a "copper shimmer." I don't know what Suzi has been smoking but I see no copper here. I'd Like To Thank is a duo-chrome; a shade that changes from one shade to another depending on the lighting. This one changes from a mid-tone peachy pink a deep golden rose thanks to the magical gold metallic shimmer. This is a shade I'd say is more suited to warm skin tones. The only real downside of this color is that the metallic quality made my brush strokes more apparent.
My Big Break has the same consistency and duo chrome effect as I'd Like To Thank. And the same visible brush stroke issue but it's not nearly as visible. There is a small amount of green shimmer in the formula that shows up on the nail at certain angles. Overall it's a lovely berry rose shade that leans towards a deep lilac depending on the light.
Have You Seen My Limo? gets the prize for most unique. Yet another duo-chrome, the deep grape base has silver and green shimmer that allows the shade to transform from reddish purple to a dark silvery plum. I really hope OPI adds this to their permanent Classic Collection.
Who Are You Wearing? is a tough color to accurately capture. I must have shot 40+ images of it and I still had to add swatch shots from other images to give you an idea of how truly cool this polish is. When I first saw online swatches of it I thought it was just another blue, like OPI Ink or Russian Navy but, oh no it's so much more! The final duo-chrome in this collection, Who Are You Wearing? has a red shimmer that only appears in warm indoor lighting. Otherwise it's a battle between the blue shimmer and the purple base as to which color you'll see. The purple being the hardest to capture digitally. This is a shade you MUST see for yourself.
The Holiday In Hollywood collection is available now at professional salons, including Ulta, Trade Secret, Regis, Pure Beauty, JCPenney, Dillard’s, Beauty First, and Beauty Brands.Now it's time for you to weigh in. Which shades have you drooling? Which ones have you bought? What's on your wish list? What didn't work for you? Any lemmings killed?
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
It's never too late to make a difference. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month but that doesn't mean that it's all over tomorrow. We need to promote prevention and research, all year long. You can still help find a cure by supporting these manufacturers' efforts.
Dashing Diva supports Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For every bottle of pink Dashing Diva nail polish you buy, we will donate 50% of the profits to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
Pictured are seven of Dashing Diva's most popular pink polishes. (l-r)Petal Pushing Petunia, Dizzy Pinky Lizzie, Daisy Pink, Falmingo Fay, Pink Martini Marni, Pink Lollipop Lola, Prima Donna Pink
nubar announces the Collection for the Cure for 2008. A collection of four nubar nail products which are great for everyday wear. Two beautiful pink shades, Pink Cami and Je’Taime, a foundation base coat and Diamond Seal & Shine. 10% of the retail price of the Collection for the Cure will go towards St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Cancer Treatment Research Foundation and the City of Hope. nubar offers products that are free of harmful ingredients such as; Toluene, Formaldehyde or DBP (Phthalate). Your purchase is a commitment to help support education, outreach, research and all of our critical programs throughout the country.
Show your support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month with Pink of Hearts, a new OPI Nail Lacquer created exclusively to support Susan G. Komen for the Cure in its promise to end breast cancer forever. In 2007, OPI will make a donation of $25,000 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.*
Join Essie in their Pink Is Powerful campaign. The shade, Pink Is Powerful, is a pale, shimmery sheer pink intended to inspire hope. 10% of the profits from Pink Is Powerful will be donated to the Entertainment Industry Foundation's Women's Cancer Research Fund throughout the month of October.
In addition, Essie is offering this limited edition Pink Is Powerful Minis set. The set includes 1/8 oz. bottles of Sensitivity Base Coat, Pink is Powerful Limited Edition Colour, Pink Glove Service Colour and Good to Go! Topcoat. Essie will donate $1 for each set sold to the Women's Cancer Research Fund.
OPI Pinkalicious
First of all, I have to send out a big thank you to my pal and fellow nail boarder Nikki for letting me borrow her coveted set of polishes for this post. Nikki, we need a day of retail therapy soon so I can get these beauties back to you!Since there isn't a lot of information available about this collection, I will go ahead and call them the Pinkalicious Collection. If you know different, tell us in the comments. All I do know is that they've only been found in Canada and even there they're not easy to find. Due to Nikki's love of all things pink and extreme diligence on the phone she was able to find these in a salon and have them shipped across the border for a hefty price.
It's been a while since I've used an OPI polish due to the enormous amounts of swatching I've been doing lately. I almost forgot how incredible the Pro Wide brush is. Even though there have been issues with individual polishes since the OPI formula change, these three all applied like a dream. Smooth, highly pigmented and streak-free. All with a metallic silver shimmer and high gloss factor. If you can find these and love pink, snatch 'em up.
Spring Fling
Berry Rosy
New OPI Designer Series
Just released, the new Designer Series polishes from OPI. Being a holographic glitter junkie isn't easy. As much fun as it is having a prismatic rainbow on your nails, it's not always appropriate or safe. There's been times that I've found myself distracted by the sun catching my holo mani while driving. Shh, don't tell the police.
So now to add to my already large collection of "shiny object" distractions comes Fantasy and Diamond. I don't have these little beauties in my hands yet but I will give proper reviews as soon as I do.
From what I can tell, Fantasy looks like a navy blue holo. I'd imagine it's what we originally anticipated DS Glamour being. Don't get me wrong I LOVE Glamour, it's one of my holy grail pedicure shades but I know that in addition to the clamoring for a black holo (OPI My Private Jet) a navy holo was on many a wish list. Let's cross our fingers and toes that this is it.
Now I don't want to pass judgement without seeing Diamond in person but I'm guessing it won't be a very "me" shade. It looks pewter and I don't don't do silvers very well. If I do a metallic, it's usually gold. I'm keeping and open mind though.
These new Designer Series polishes are now available on Head2Toe Beauty's website. Don't crash their server!
photos: Head2Toe Beauty
Zoya Suvi Comparison
A pal on the Makeup Alley Nail Board asked me if Zoya Suvi is a dupe for OPI Jasper Jade. In fact she hopes, for her wallet's sake, that it is. Well Deni, I'm both happy (for me) and sad (for you) to say they are different.
As the pictures below will show, Jasper Jade is more blackened than Suvi. While Suvi is the shade of a flawless deep green emerald, Jasper Jade is the color of an emerald with some carbon deposits.
Oddly enough Suvi and Jasper Jade both have sheerness as an obstacle but it's easily defeated with 3 coats of color. So while I will continue to covet and lovingly hoard my bottle of Jasper Jade as I do with any and all green polishes I find, I do love Zoya Suvi more for it's vibrancy.
OPI Russian Collection Swatches
Now that you've had time to drool over the bottle pics of this collection, I give you swatches and lemming wheel pics. I ask that you please don't republish these pictures without my permission.
I haven't really had time to play with all the colors as in depth as I'd like so I can't give you full reviews now but I'd be happy to answer any questions you have.
What I can say is that Catherine the Grape, Russian Navy and Moscow At Midnight are the standout shades for me. They are each unique and stunning on the nail.
To be honest, I really didn't expect to love Catherine the Grape from just looking at the bottle but, as they say, looks are deceiving. Applied, it is a gorgeous plummy purple with bronzey shimmer.
Moscow at Midnight is a near black with reddish shimmer that stands out in the sun but just adds interest in indoor lighting.
Russian Navy could be OPI Ink's deep dark cousin. It's navy on the nail but it has blue, purple and pink shimmer to add depth.
St. Petersburgundy, An Affair In Red Square, Vodka & Caviar, Ruble For Your Thoughts
Midnight In Moscow, Siberian Nights, Russian Navy, Suzi Says Da!
OPI Fall 2007 Preview
Ok seriously, I'm so not ready for Fall. I haven't even hit the point of bitching about my electric bill from running the A/C day and night. Yet, here we are checking out the new shades for fall. Don't get me wrong, I love fall. I love the cool crisp air, the leaves changing, etc. The only problem with that is that in Cleveland, Fall lasts for approximately one week. So forgive me if I don't jump up and down at the thought of fall colors just yet.
Alright everyone, grab your faux fur hats and muffs as OPI takes us to Russia. With 12 shades in this collection ranging from beige-gold shimmer to blackened brown with a blue thrown in for good measure, there is a color in here for everyone. And in typical OPI fashion the names are just as fun as the polishes themselves.
I will give more in depth reviews as I swatch and test each shade so for now, I'll leave you with bottle pics as an appetizer for whats to come. (c)=creme, (s)=shimmer
Taken with extreme flash to show the base colors.
St. Petersburgundy(c), An Affair In Red Square(s), Vodka & Caviar(c), Ruble For Your Thoughts(s)
With flash to show the finish
Boris & Natasha(c), Catherine The Grape(s), Kreme De La Kremlin(c), Cosmo-Not Tonight Honey(s)
With flash to show the finish
Name the Next OPI Shade
Trade Secret/Beauty Express have teamed up with OPI on another store exclusive shade. Only this time, it's up to us to name it. From now until June 15th you can submit your entries on the Trade Secret Style Club site.
Quite a few years ago I saw a segment on Stripped, the Style Network's behind-the-scenes beauty products show, about OPI. They showed the process of how the polishes are named. That the names come first then the shades. At the time they were working on the Las Vegas collection and there was dice, playing cards and roulette tables on the conference table for inspiration. I so wanted to be in that room and have their job. Well, now's our chance to have a minuscule taste of the fun they must have.
from the Trade Secret website:
Come up with a catchy name for Trade Secret’s exclusive holiday OPI nail lacquer shade shown below and you could win 50 OPI nail lacquers from the 2008 seasonal collections, plus a stylish train case.
Need inspiration? Think holiday, think glitz and stop by the OPI collection at Trade Secret ● Beauty Express to do a little research!
OPI Night Brights Review
I finally got my hands on the Night Brights collection from OPI. In all honesty, I'm not sure how I feel about this collection as a whole. It seems to me that OPI played it safe even though they delivered a couple standout colors.Black was huge last fall/winter and there has been a lot of talk about metallics for summer so there is something for every trend lover in this mix of dark and molten hues. Transitioning from winter's black to steely gray, midnight blue and blurple (bluish-purple) for spring, the dark side of Night Brights is my favorite.
(l-r) My Private Jet, Light My Sapphire, OPI Ink
My Private Jet is one of the standout colors in this new line. OPI finally listened to the cries of the many holographic polish lovers out there and delivered a true dark holo. It's a nice smoky black with that fantastic smooth holo glitter that OPI has perfected so well. Just like the Designer Series, MPJ applies extremely smooth thanks to the Pro Wide brush.Light My Sapphire was a disappointment in formula, not necessarily color. The color is a bluish-black with a subtle silvery shimmer. It's darker than the true deep navy of China Glaze Up All Night but you can definitely tell it's not a black or charcoal gray polish. The problem with this one is the application. It was uneven, gloppy and just plain frustrating. I applaud OPI for taking the steps to rid their polishes of toxic chemicals but if this polish is an indicator, they may want to head back to the lab.
OPI Ink is by far my favorite polish of the six. It's glorious, shimmery goodness. It's a mesmerizing mix of blue and purple with fab pink shimmer. A must have for any blue or purple lover. If you were only going to buy one polish from the Night Brights, this would be my recommendation. I can't wait to wear it on my toes this summer.
(l-r) I Only Drink Champagne, Give Me The Moon
Give Me The Moon is a pale silvery blue. It reminds me a bit of the blue in Creative's Spring 2006 collection, Rejoice, only opaque. I love the baby blue shimmer and the slight iridescence. It's not a must have color but it's a nice alternative to silver for summer. In my opinion, silver nails are hard to pull off. I think of them being frosty and old fashioned or super sparkly and over the top. People that can't pull off gold but still want something with a metallic feel should check this color out.
I Only Drink Champagne is a true creamy champagne color. In the bottle it looks like it's made of vintage yellowed pearls. While it's not unique, it is soft and pretty and impressively opaque. A lot of light colors can end up being too sheer and you're fooled by the bottle color. This one delivers; what you see is what you get. My only issue is with the finish. It leaves brush strokes so you have to be careful as you apply it.
I decided not to buy Golden Rules! after seeing Fivezero's pic and reading her review of it. While I'm sure it will work for darker skin tones, like she suggests, I just know it would look horrid on me. I'll leave you with her words and pic to decide for yourselves. Thanks FiveZero for sharing your thoughts and pic with us!
Golden Rules!, from OPI's 2007 Night Brights collection, is actually really beautiful in the bottle—a rich, light caramel gold with loads of shimmer, to the point of being slightly frosty. The trouble with it is that it is, in my opinion, a really difficult colour to pull off. I am warm-toned (NC30-35) and it is not flattering on me in the least. I have a feeling that some darker skintones will be able to pull it off well, but it's quite hard to say.
Finally, for the geeks like me that have so many polishes you need comparisons to avoid buying dupes, this is for you.
Left column: Creative Blue Blood, China Glaze Blk-Billa-Bong, Creative NFS.
Right Column: OPI Ink, Light My Sapphire, My Private Jet.
If you click the pic for a closeup, you'll see that the only similar colors are Blue Blood & Blk-Billa-Bong and I still say they're different "enough" to own both.
photos: All Lacquered Up, 8pril on MUA and Fivezero on MUA.
OPI Night Brights Pics
And, YES, that is holographic shimmer you see on My Private Jet. OPI listened and delivered us a vampy holo. Can I hear an amen??
Creative Nail Design Blue Blood (l), OPI Light My Sapphire (r)
I Only Drink Champagne (l), Golden Rules (r)
These pics are a perfect example of why I try to wait and pass judgement on polishes until I see swatch pics or buy them myself. Who would have EVER guessed that My Private Jet was a holographic polish based on the craptastic pics I posted last week?
So now that you've had a better look, what's on your shopping list? My Private Jet is a no-brainer for me. OPI Ink is a must have after the blue kick I was on. I'm still debating Light My Sapphire and Give Me The Moon.
New Collections from OPI
Night Brights and Psychedelic Summer are the next two collections from OPI. Could they be any more opposite? Very Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in my opinion.
I can't really say much more without seeing them in person. As usual, the OPI pictures are very flat so until I see the finish and pigmentation for myself, it's hard to say if any of these colors are worth it. Though I do love a good navy so either Light My Sapphire or OPI Ink will probably be added to my collection, if not both.
OPI Garden Party Collection
For all your spring sheer needs, OPI expands their SoftShades line with the Garden Party collection. With delicate pink, white and beige tones Garden Party seems to have something for everyone.
As a reformed sheer hater I can appreciate the need for these type of colors. They're just not my cup of tea. My favorite OPI Sheer is Passion. It's a perfect, clean, pink sheer for my nails.
The colors (l-to-r): Hearts & Tarts, No Bees Please, Funny Bunny, Just Tea-sing!, I'll Take the Cake!, Mod Hatter
So, what do you all think of these colors? What are your favorite OPI SoftShades colors?
I Must Be Mad
I have to be at least a little bit crazy. I don't doubt that the employee at my local Trade Secret thinks so. I decided to stop by tonight because I heard that some stores, not necessarily Trade Secrets, already have the OPI Australian collection for sale.I walked in and much to my dismay, no Australian collection. They did have the new Essies out and some of the OPI Brights are on clearance but no Aussies. I decided to ask about the collection, in case they had received it but not put it out. Sure enough, it was sitting back in the salon area all ready for the February 7th launch. I asked if I could take pictures of them and even though she looked completely confused by the request, she pulled out the display and let me snap some shots. I told her I was writing an online article but all she wanted to know is if she'd get in trouble.
A few customers came in while I was taking pictures so I apologize for the poor quality. I didn't want to monopolize the counter and block the register so I did the best I could in fluorescent lighting. I can only imagine what those ladies thought when they walked in the store and saw some loon taking pictures of polish.
Here are some close ups of each row with labels.
OPI Designer Series Comparison Pics
Here are some comparion pics of the new Designer Series polishes. Just trying to save you all a few dollars in case you already own some of these.