Press Release

OPI is releasing another Minnie Mouse inspired collection!  The Couture de Minnie Collection consists of 5 polishes, all of which are Limited Edition.  Included within the 5 polishes is another Liquid Sand!

Lets take a look!

Innie Minnie Mighty Bow:

Innie Minnie Mighty Bow is a stunning cherry red with gold shimmer throughout.  I used 2 coats for this photo and it applied beautifully.  I also used 1 coat of glossy top coat.

Closeup:

A Definite Moust Have:

This one is my favorite of the collection!  A Definite Moust Have is a hard one to describe.  Part of me wants to say if Coral and Fuchsia had a baby… this is what it would look like.  It’s a gorgeous color and has a fine silvery shimmer throughout.   Really a stunning color!  I used 2 coats and a glossy top coat.

Closeup:

Chic From Ears to Tail:

Chic From Ears to Tail is a pretty bubblegum pink with a VERY subtle shimmer within.  I absolutely love the color and subtlety of the shimmer, but I had issues with application.  Shown is 4 coats and a glossy top coat.  If you have the time and patience, I would say go for it.. but just letting you know, this gorgeous color will take a little time.  Check out the closeup to get a glimpse of the shimmer!

Closeup:

You can see little twinkles of shimmer around where the light hits my nails!

Minnie Style:

Minnie Style is the glittery top coat of the collection that looks great with any of the colors within the collection!  It is packed with white matte hex glitters as well as pink and red hex glitter.  I used 1 coat of Minnie Style over Chic From Ears to Tail.

Closeup:

Magazine Cover Mouse:

Magazine Cover Mouse is the Liquid Sand of the collection!  Like I say in all Textured polish reviews, this is obviously a complete preference polish!  Personally, I LOVE textures!  Magazine Cover Mouse is a strawberry red base with gold and fuchsia glitters within.  I used 2 coats of Magazine Cover Mouse and no top coat for this.

Closeup:

Overall, the collection is great for all Minnie Mouse fans!  The must have’s from the collection are Magazine Cover Mouse, A Definite Moust-Have and Innie Minnie Mighty Bow!

Couture de Minnie is a limited edition collection. It will be available at the beginning of June 2013 at professional salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, jcp Salons, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, ULTA and ulta.com for $9.00 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each nail lacquer.  For more information visit www.opi.com, or follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS or Facebook.

Will you be picking up this collection?  I’d love to hear about it!

***Products in this post were provided for review.  All opinions are my own.***

The post OPI Couture de Minnie Collection Swatches and Review appeared first on Cosmetic Sanctuary.

I have gotten together with some amazing bloggers for World Autism Awareness Day!  Here is my Light It Up Blue/Autism Speaks mani!  April is Autism Awareness Month, but today is World Autism Awareness Day!

I used OPI Ogre The Top Blue with Nicole by OPI Top Of My World.  I loved how Top Of My World has iridescent glitters that light up against the darker blue of Ogre The Top Blue!

I used 2 coats of OPI Ogre The Top Blue and only 1 coat of Nicole by OPI Top of My World.

Make sure you check out the other lovely ladies who participated in the group collaboration!

The post Light It Up Blue Blogger Collaboration Manis for Autism Speaks appeared first on Cosmetic Sanctuary.

Press Sample

OPI has partnered with EON Productions to come out with another Bond Collection!  This time – Bond Girls!  OPI Bond Girls is made up of 6 gorgeous Liquid Sand polishes named after some of the most iconic Bond Girls that we’ve all come to know and love from the Bond movies over the last 5 decades.

I loved the Skyfall Collection, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the Bond Girls Collection!  I received this in the mail yesterday from OPI to review and I couldn’t wait to dive in!

Ready for the swatches for this amazing collection?  Let’s do it!

Pussy Galore:

I’m kicking off with the polish whose name will either make you wrinkle your nose in disgust or giggle like a 5 year old… love it or hate it – this wouldn’t be a Bond Girls Collection without one of the most iconic women of the Bond Films.  Pussy Galore is a  baby pink with brighter pink glitter throughout.  Unlike other OPI Liquid Sands I’ve tried in past collections, this doesn’t have the squishy jelly like base, its more of a metallic type cream.  I only needed 2 coats for this polish.  No top coat was used.

Closeup:

Solitaire:

Solitaire is a pale silvery white frost  base with silver glitter throughout.  Very classy looking and I love it!  I only needed 2 coats for Solitaire.

Closeup:

Honey Ryder:

Honey Ryder is a gorgeous gold metallic with glitter.  Honey Ryder makes your nails look like a golden nugget.  I used 2 coats and no top coat.

Closeup:

Tiffany Case:

Tiffany Case DAZZLES!  It is a vibrant aqua blue base with silver glitter.  I only needed 2 coats for this mani.  Of the 6, this has the grittiest texture – but it’s not horrible.

Closeup:

Jinx:

Jinx is my FAVORITE  of the collection!  Jinx is a vibrant coral jelly base with sparkling gold glitter throughout.  I only needed 2 coats for this mani.

Closeup:

Vesper:

Vesper was probably my least favorite of the 6.  While I love the deep  purple of it, I wanted more sparkle after the other 5 I swatched.  It’s still pretty and I will still wear it though.  I needed 2 coats for this mani as well.

Closeup:

Overall, I like the collection!  I’m on the texture polish bandwagon and I truly love this set of Liquid Sands!  I completely understand that not everyone can deal with it and needs the smooth touch of a creme or jelly though.  All 6 had good application, only 2 coats were needed for each one, and I liked the variety of colors offered.  Unlike previous liquid sands – these weren’t as chunky as far as texture goes.

Bond Girls by OPI nail lacquers feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application. These six new shades will be available beginning May 2013 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Chatters, JCP Salons, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $9.00 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each nail lacquer.

Will you be snagging any of the Bond Girls Liquid Sands?

***Products in this post were provided for review.  All opinions are my own***

The post OPI Bond Girls Collection Swatches and Reviews appeared first on Cosmetic Sanctuary.

OPI Joins Bond 007 to Release Six New Revolutionary Liquid Sand™ Nail Lacquers Inspired by 50 Years of James Bond

                OPI announces the launch of Bond Girls, a collection of six new Liquid Sand™ nail lacquers featuring a textured, matte finish infused with reflective sparkle fitting the allure surrounding the Bond Girls.  In hues of white, pink, blue, purple, gold and coral, Bond Girls offers a range of shimmering shades with the distinctive Liquid Sand finish.

 “OPI is extremely excited to partner again with EON Productions,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI co-founder & Artistic Director. “Following the success of the holiday promotion with the latest James Bond film, Skyfall, it’s been a thrill to create colors for the women who’ve captured Bond’s attention over the last five decades.

“The six shades are named after some of the most iconic – and my favorite – Bond girls, including: Solitaire, Pussy Galore, Tiffany Case, Vesper, Honey Ryder and Jinx,” adds Weiss-Fischmann. “Worn without top coat, these Liquid Sand lacquers give nails a pebbled, matte finish worthy of the captivating ‘Bond Girls’ name.”

Bond Girls by OPI features six Liquid Sand nail lacquers:

Solitaire

This diamond-sparkling white is totally engaging.

Pussy Galore

This light feminine pink has the purrrfect amount of shimmer.

Tiffany Case

A classic light blue worth investigating.

Vesper

A mysterious and intriguing deep purple.

Honey Ryder

Take a ryde on the wild side in this shimmery gold.

Jinx

This mesmerizing matte coral has lucky sparkle.

OPI Liquid Sand lacquers should always be worn without top coat.

Bond Girls by OPI nail lacquers feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application. These six new shades will be available beginning May 2013 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Chatters, JCP Salons, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $9.00 ($10.95 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!

The post OPI Bond Girls Set to Launch May 2013 appeared first on Cosmetic Sanctuary.

I was so thrilled when I heard OPI would be collaborating with Disney’s Oz The Great and Powerful movie!  I use to watch the original Wizard of Oz movie over and over as a kid (I would hide my eyes when those damn monkeys came out though…) so to see a new collection to go along with the movie got me all giddy.

When I saw the first bottle shots I was iffy on the collection.  A Soft Shades Collection for a collection that (in my mind) should be bright and vibrant?   When you have things like the Emerald City, Ruby Slippers and Yellow Brick Roads to go off of, you pick Soft Shades?  I did get over that fairly quickly as I saw more and more actual swatches come out.  The collection is pretty, and like last years Soft Shades Collection (NYC Ballet!), I can see it getting a lot of use!

OPI Oz The Great and Powerful consists of 3 jelly polishes in soft and sheer colors, 3 glitters and a Liquid Sand.

Take a look!

Don’t Burst My Bubble:

Don’t Burst My Bubble is a soft  pink tinged white jelly polish.  I only needed 3 coats for desired opacity.  This one will be seeing a lot of Jelly Sandwiches in the future!

Lights of Emerald City:

Here is Lights of Emerald City over Don’t Burst My Bubble.  Lights of Emerald City is my favorite glitter of the collection!  Small iridescent glitter squares mixed in with medium white matte squares in a clear base.  Application was easy with this one.  Pictured is 2 coats of Lights of Emerald City over 3 coats of Don’t Burst My Bubble.

Glints of Glinda:

Glints of Glinda is a soft peachy colored nude jelly.  Probably my favorite jelly of this collection!  I used 3 coats for this photo.

When Monkey’s Fly!:

When Monkey’s Fly is a clear base with silver holographic hexes in small and medium sizes and large gold holographic hexes.  This was my only disappointment in the collection.  Why?  Because the large gold hexes are slightly curled on the edges.  I’m not talking super taco glitters, but enough that I would pick them off for sticking out.

There’s a sideview so you can see what I mean.  The idea of this polish could have been amazing if it wasn’t for the darn curls :(

I Theodora You:

I Theodora You is a fun pale girly pink shade.  This is the least sheer of the 3 jellies in the collection.  I used 3 coats for this photo and as you can see, coverage is REALLY good as far as opacity goes!  But it is still sheer enough to pull of jelly sandwich mani’s.

Which is Witch?:

Which is Witch is a pretty silver holographic glitter topper with micro particles, micro bar glitters and small hex glitters.  I’m not a bar glitter fan, but these ones are so small they don’t snag on anything.  Most of the holographic toppers I have are chunkier glitter wise, so this is nice to have!  I used 1 coat over I Theodora You.

What Wizardry is This?

And last but not least – the Liquid Sand of the collection!  What Wizardry is This? is a blackened bronze textured polish.  It is actually slightly different in texture in comparison to the ones I received in the Mariah Carey Collection.  The “sand” is finer and for those who felt the Mariah Carey ones were “too much”… this could be the one for you.  I only used 2 coats for this mani!  I’m really REALLY loving the texture polishes!

What Wizardry is This with Top Coat:

I used a coat of Seche Vite over What Wizardry is This to smooth it out.  Equally as pretty, but I do prefer the non top coated version with this!

And there you have it – OPI’s Oz The Great and Powerful Collection!  Although I had a problem with When Monkey’s Fly, the rest of the collection made up for it.  If you liked the NYC Ballet Collection last year, the jellies in this one will have your heart as well!  And really – you HAVE to snag the Liquid Sand!

As with all OPI nail lacquers, the shades inspired by Oz The Great and Powerful contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application.

This limited edition promotion will be available beginning March 2013 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, jcp Salons, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $9.00 ($10.95 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!

So what did you think?  Any must haves for you?

***Products in this post were provided for an honest review.  All opinions are my own***

The post OPI Oz The Great and Powerful Swatches and Review appeared first on Cosmetic Sanctuary.

It’s been a super busy week, but I wanted to complete this review so badly!  I swatched 2-3 polishes each night until the collection was done just so I could have it up for you by this weekend!

Here is the entire OPI Euro Centrale Collection!  I have been waiting for these to come out and was so excited to get my hands on them.  Absolutely perfect for spring, but there are still some deeper shades mixed in as well.  I do plan on playing with some nail art ideas with this collection as soon as time allows.

Let’s take a look!

You’re Such A Budapest:

You’re Such A Budapest is one of my favorites from this collection!  This is a gorgeous pale lilac with the slightest shimmer in it.  I only needed 2 coats for full coverage, but I will say I wasn’t so sure about it on the first coat.  With just 1 coat it looked like it may be a streaky polish, but the second coat evened everything out and provided great coverage.

Closeup so you can see the slight hint of shimmer:

OPI… Eurso Euro:

Color wise – OPI…Eurso Euro was a hit!  The formula wasn’t spectacular but it wasn’t awful.  It provided good coverage but seemed a tiny bit on the watery side.  OPI…Eurso Euro struck me as a crelly formula (halfway between a creme and a jelly) so I got the awesome creme opacity but the squishy jelly look.  It’s a beautiful royal blue and I only needed 2 coats for this photo.

I Saw…U Saw…We Saw…Warsaw:

I Saw…We Saw…U Saw…Warsaw is a nice deep navy blue creme.  I only needed 2 coats for this photo.  I don’t love it as much as I love OPI…Eurso Euro, but it is still a beautiful blue shade.

Vant To Bite My Neck?

Vant To Bite My Neck? is a deep eggplant purple creme.  I love purples so this was a hit for me.  Formula was good and I only needed 2 coats for this photo!

My Paprika Is Hotter Than Yours!

Bring on the bright colors!  My Paprika Is Hotter Than Yours! is a sizzling hot red-orange!  Such a nice, bright and fun color!  There is a very subtle shimmer within this one as well, unfortunately it’s hard to capture.  I only used 2 coats for this photo.

Suzi’s Hungary Again:

Suzi’s Hungary Again is another subtle shimmer polish.  This one is a nice, bright rosy pink creme.  I used 2 coats for this photo.

Can’t Find My Czechbook:

Can’t Find My Czechbook wins for favorite name of the collection.  Mainly because I always lose my checkbook :/  This one is a slightly murky aqua blue creme.  Great coverage and I only needed 2 coats.

Hands Off My Kielbasa!

I wasn’t so sure about this one when I saw it in the bottle, but once I put it on I liked it a lot more than I thought I would.  This is a nice “work” color for me.  This is a nice neutral pink shade that is packed with shimmer.  I was expecting it to have a lot of brush strokes visible as well, but it didn’t.  I only needed 2 coats for this photo.

Closeup:

A Woman’s Prague-Ative:

A Woman’s Prague-Ative is another favorite!  This is a fiery beauty.  I posted a photo on my Facebook page and I had this on, I got a few comments and PM’s asking what I was wearing!  Well ladies – this was it!  A Woman’s Prague-ative is a coppery orange shimmer with a bit of gold mixed in.  I only needed 2 coats for this photo.

Closeup:

My Vampire Is Buff:

My Vampire Is Buff is a creamy pale nude polish.  Not a color I would wear regularly.  Might make for some nice undies while swatching or doing nail art.  I only needed 2 coats for this.

Polka.Com:

I decided to layer Polka.com over My Vampire is Buff to fully show off the glitters.  Polka.com has fuchsia,  aqua and purple hex glitters as well as small purple glitter all mixed into a clear base.  This is only 1 coat of Polka.com and as you can see, I got plenty of glitters out each time!

Closeup of Polka.com:

Oy-Another Polish Joke:

Oy-Another Polish Joke is a gorgeous gold shimmer polish.  This has the look of a finely packed glitter, but with NONE of the hassle!  This is a dazzler in the sunlight as well as indoor lighting.  Removal is a BREEZE!  None of that scrubbing.  I used 2 coats for this photo.  Seriously, this IS the polish for those who hate removing glitter but want a little dazzle on their tips!

Closeup:

And that concludes the OPI Euro Centrale Collection!  Not too bad, I do wish the polishes with shimmer were a little more obvious glitter wise.  Formula wise though, they were all really nice to work with.  All of them were 2 coaters, no streaks, bubbles or super runny.  The only one I probably won’t reach for much is My Vampire Is Buff, but that is just based on personal color preference.

OPI Euro Centrale Polishes  can be found at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for  $9.00 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each nail lacquer.

***Products in this post were provided for review.  All opinions are my own***

The post OPI Spring 2013 Euro Centrale Swatches and Review appeared first on Cosmetic Sanctuary.

OPI has partnered with Mariah Carey to bring us 8 fabulous polishes for Spring 2013, 4 Studio Shades and 4 Stage Shades!

I know a lot have been waiting to see what this new Liquid Sand business is, so I will kick off the post with those.  I was personally a bit skeptical when I first heard about these 2 months ago, but after trying them I am pleasantly surprised.  They are NOT as gritty as they appear, but there is some texture.   For those not into texture but loving the colors and glitter, I have added top coat photos along with the Liquid Sand swatches so you can see that as an option to wear!

Ready for some ‘Stage Shades’?

To pay homage to her iconic status, we wanted to launch her collection with something completely new and exciting. OPI Liquid Sand nail lacquer offers a never-before-seen look with a pebbled finish that lightly shimmers with fine glitter particles. Worn without top coat, Liquid Sand lacquer gives nails a unique textured matte finish worthy of a superstar

Get Your Number:

Get Your Number is probably my favorite of the “Liquid Sand” polishes.  Both with and without top coat.   Get Your Number is a vibrant blue jelly base packed with different sized glitters.  A lot of the glitter is silver holo glitters which are visible in the natural “Liquid Sand” form, but when a top coat is added, oh MAN!  It’s dazzles!  I used 3 coats of Get Your Number for this mani.  For the top coat photo, I used 2 coats of top coat to smooth the mani out.

Can’t Let Go:

Can’t Let Go is probably my second favorite!  Gorgeous purple jelly base packed with lavender hex glitter and fine purple glitters.  I really love the look of this one without the top coat.  I used 3 layers of Can’t Let Go for this photo and 2 coats of top coat for the photo on the right! And yes, the song Can’t Let Go is now stuck in my head.

There you are
Holding her hand
I am lost
Dying to understand
Didn’t I
Cherish you right
Don’t you know
You were my life…

Ok moving on!

Stay the Night:

Stay the Night is a black jelly base with small black glitters mixed in with slightly larger red glitter.  I think of Lava Rock when I see this in the photo on the left with no top coat.  I only needed 2 coats of Stay The Night for this photo and on the right, I used 2 coats of top coat to smooth it out for a glossy look.

The Impossible:

For me, The Impossible kind of lived up to its name.  While I find it to be really pretty with and without top coat the stars were an issue for me!  I only got 1 star out doing this manicure. I turned it upside down for a few minutes hoping stars would magically catch on the brush and allow me to use them, but it didn’t work so well for me.  I used 3 coats of The Impossible and got 1 star.  That lonely star is sitting on top of my middle finger.  The points of the star kept lifting without top coat. You can find of see a point sticking up a little in the non top coat photo on the left.  Of all the liquid sands, this one had the least “texture” to it and I really loved the color.    I will still wear it without the stars and maybe one day they will come out and play with me.

Now onto the “Studio Shades”!

Anti-Bleak:

Anti-Bleak is my favorite creme of the collection.  Anti-Bleak is a red toned purple creme.  Application was a dream.  I used 2 coats for full opacity and I am in love with this shade of purple.

Pink Yet Lavender:

Pink Yet Lavender is the perfect pairing for Anti-Bleak!  I actually put this combo back on when I was done swatching all of the Mariah Carey Collection!   Pink Yet Lavender consists of medium light pink hex glitters and small silver holographic glitters in a clear base.  I only needed 1 coat of Pink Yet Lavender for this photo!  Perfect amount of glitter was evenly and easily distributed!

A Butterfly Moment:

A Butterfly Moment is the “soft” shade of the collection!  A Butterfly Moment is a pretty nude pink with lots of gold shimmer throughout.  Formula was really good and easy to work with.  I only needed 2 coats for this photo and a top coat.

Sprung:

Sprung is a mix of copper shimmer densely packed into a clear base.  The shimmer is very fine.  On first coat, you may not be impressed – but stick with it!  I used 3 coats and it was well worth it!  Such a dazzling beauty!  Pictured is 3 coats with no top coat!

Overall, I enjoyed this collection.  The Stage  Shades were much better than I expected when I first saw them on a nail wheel.  Even if you aren’t a texture person, they are still worth getting even if you plan to slap on a top coat.  Who knows?  The non top coat look may grow on you ;)  Removal was no different than other glitters for me.  I wore one overnight to test this and it removed easily by just soaking a cotton ball, holding it down over the nail for a minute or two and then swiping off.  I then had to go back over it to remove any stubborn glitters that didn’t remove in the first swipe.

My top shade from The Stage Shades is Get Your Number and my top shade from The Studio Shades is Anti-Bleak – what about you?  I’d love to hear what you think!

The Mariah Carey Collection will be available beginning January 2013 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for  $9.00 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each nail lacquer.

***Products in this post were provided for review.  All opinions are my own***

The post OPI Mariah Carey Collection Swatches and Review appeared first on Cosmetic Sanctuary.

Good evening!  The weekend is coming to a close and I have been dying to get this collection swatched for all of you!

Nicole by OPI has teamed up with singing sensation Selena Gomez to bring you a 14 piece collection for 2013!  All of these colors are PERFECT for Springtime!  The 2013 Selena Gomez collection is an amazing mix of glitters and bright cremes.  Hope you enjoy the swatches!

Selena:

I wanted to start this one off with the singer’s namesake – Selena!  Selena is  pretty girly peachy pink with a VERY subtle shimmer.  You can see it a bit towards the tips of my nails where the light hits just right.  This is a very fun, very girly color.  I needed 3 coats to reach full opacity, the formula was fairly thin but built up nicely.

Inner Sparkle:

Inner Sparkle is a gorgeous mix of small gold glitter particles and medium sized lilac and pink hex glitter.  There are a lot more pink hexes than lilac, but this is my favorite glitter of the collection (and I love the name of the glitter).  I used 1 coat over Selena!

Naturally:

Naturally is a girly bubblegum pink creme!  This one also has the same subtle shimmer as Selena.  I used 3 coats for this mani and a top coat.

Confetti Fun:

Confetti Fun is a colorful mix of silver, red, green, gold, aqua and fuchsia hex glitters suspended in a clear base with very small multicolored glitters.  No issues at all with application and this is 1 coat over Naturally.

Hit The Lights:

Hit the lights is a vibrant, rich yellow creme!  I used 2 coats for full opacity and seriously, this one SCREAMS Springtime!

Stars At Night:

Stars at Night is a holographic bar glitter top coat.  The bar glitters are very thin and small, so I didn’t have any issues with them sticky up or out all over the place.  Personally, I am not a bar glitter fan.  The size of this glitter makes this one wearable, but still not entirely for me.  I used 1 coat of Stars at Night over Hit The Lights.

Pretty In Plum:

Pretty in Plum is my absolute favorite of this collection!  I really thought Selena would be, but when I put this one on, I was SOLD!  Pretty in Plum is a beautiful shimmery purple with red tones to it.  Everything about this polish was perfection!  The color, the application (only needed 2 coats!) and the shimmer.

Kissed At Midnight:

Kissed at Midnight is a clear base with gold hex glitter mixed in.  Very simple, but still very pretty.  I used 1 coat of Kissed at Midnight over Pretty in Plum.

Spring Break:

Spring Break is a vibrant hot pink creme!  Another amazing Spring color with the perfect name!  I only needed 2 coats for this photo and a top coat.  Stunning color!

Heavenly Angel:

Heavenly Angel is a beautiful iridescent shredded glitter in the bottle.  I was excited to use this one, but was a bit disappointed with it.  Although it looks pretty, I had issues getting shreds out of the bottle and had to resort to the “dabbing method” to get shreds onto my nail.   Photographed is 2 rounds of using the dabbing method over Spring Break.

Love Song:

Love Song is a lovely lavender creme with subtle shimmer in it.  I used 2 coats for this photo and I love this color as well (I’m addicted to all things purple).

Sweet Dreams:

Sweet Dreams is another glitter mix!  This one has small purple glitter with medium blue and silver hex glitter all in a clear base.  I love the overall look of this mixture!  I used 1 coat of Sweet Dreams over Love Song for this photo!

Scarlett:

Scarlett was my “surprise polish” of the collection.  I wasn’t a huge fan of it in the bottle, but when I put it on, I loved it!  It compliments my skin tone well and is a fun polish!  Scarlett is a vibrant fuchsia shimmer packed polish.    I only needed 2 coats for full opacity and a top coat to seal in the shine.  Definitely a color I will wear again and again!

Mi Fantasía:

Mi Fantasía is an interesting glitter mix.  I can honestly say I don’t have anything close to duping it.  Mi Fantasía contains small lilac purple glitters and small holo bar glitters all mixed in a clear base.  The overall effect is quite pretty in my opinion.  The bar glitters are not the dominate glitter so I’m really liking it.  Much like Stars At Night, the bar glitters are very small slivers that behave themselves when applied.  I used 1 coat of Mi Fantasía over Zoya Kristen.

Overall I enjoyed this collection!  A nice mix of fun colors and some beautiful glitter mixtures.  I only had application issues with 1 of them, and out of a collection of 14, that’s pretty good!  The subtle shimmer in many of them was a very nice touch!

Nicole by OPI Nail Lacquers and Nail Treatments contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde. Nicole by OPIformulas are long-lasting, fast-drying, and salon-quality. Selena Gomez lacquers will be available January 2013 for $7.99 each at retailers including select Target, Walmart, CVS, K-mart, Rite Aid, ULTA, Sears, Meijer, Fred Meyer, Kroger and H-E-B locations. In Canada, this line will be available for $10.99 each at Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart Canada, Jean Coutu, Loblaw, and London Drug.

For more information, visit nicolebyopi.com. Follow Nicole by OPI on Twitter @NicoleByOPI and become a Facebook fan!

 Hope you enjoyed the swatches!  Are you planning on picking up any of these colors from the Selena Gomez collection?  I’d love to hear it!

***Products in this post were provided for review.  All opinions are my own***

The post Nicole by OPI Selena Gomez Collection Swatches and Review appeared first on Cosmetic Sanctuary.

Nicole by OPI Announces Partnership with

Singing Sensation Selena Gomez for 2013

Nicole by OPI announces the launch of 14 new nail lacquers inspired by actress and singer Selena Gomez.  The line features shades designed to capture Selena’s sweet yet spunky personality, from soft pink and peach hues to bright glitter and confetti lacquers.

“Selena is an ideal partner for Nicole by OPI. Millions of fans love her for the same reasons we do; she’s smart, talented, funny – and has an incredible sense of style,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Nicole by OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director.  “She has that classic ‘girl-next-door’ appeal, but she’s also edgy and fun – just like the Nicole consumer.

“Selena is not only a chart-topping singer and actress, she’s also a clothing designer and an active philanthropist,” adds Weiss-Fischmann. “Like women around the globe, Selena has many interests and passions; this collection, with its diverse range of hues, offers a perfect match for every occasion!”

The Selena Gomez Collection includes:

Stars at Night:

Star light, star bright…confetti-silver nails tonight!

Mi Fantasia

This purple-aqua glitter is the stuff dreams are made of.

Kissed at Midnight

This romantic gold glitter is perfect any time.

Confetti Fun

Nothing says “party!” like a shower of color.

Heavenly Angel

This iridescent confetti gives me wings.

Sweet Dreams

This violet-teal is a dream-come-true.

Inner Sparkle

Let this light pink glitter shine through!

Selena

This fresh, young peach will make your heart sing.

Hit the Lights

This not-so-mellow yellow has got stage presence.

Love Song

Fall head-over-heels for this true purple.

Naturally

Who wouldn’t want this pure pink dream?

Spring Break

The perfect hot pink for the perfect hot vacation!

Pretty in Plum

This picture-perfect purple is a genuine beauty.

Scarlett

This shimmery red-violet is leading lady lovely.

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. Selena Gomez lacquers will be available January 2013 for $7.99 each at retailers including select Target, Walmart, CVS, K-mart, Rite Aid, ULTA, Sears, Meijer, Fred Meyer, Kroger and H-E-B locations. In Canada, this line will be available for $10.99 each at Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart Canada, Jean Coutu, Loblaw, and London Drug.

For more information, visit nicolebyopi.com. Follow Nicole by OPI on Twitter @NicoleByOPI and become a Facebook fan!

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I know Wednesday is almost over here (and it is in some areas) but I actually had today off and spent a lot of time with my son and my boyfriend, so the blog post is up later than usual.

It’s Wednesday so that means it’s Go Pink Wednesday!  I have really enjoyed doing these posts in support of Breast Cancer Awareness and there is only 1 more post to do after this one for it.

I have a trio of Pink polishes by Dr.’s Remedy that I will be showing all three tomorrow night, but I used one of them for this post.  It’s a rather simple mani, but I still love it.  Sometimes less is more for me and given my limited artistic ability – I didn’t want to repeat something I’ve already done.

So here we have Dr.’s Remedy Hopeful Hot Pink and I used 1 layer of Sephora by OPI It’s Real 18k Gold Top Coat.

For the remaining Dr.’s Remedy trio, you should see it up on the blog tomorrow!  Keep an eye out!

Make sure you check out the rest of the mani’s done for Go Pink Wednesday!

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This is a cute GIRLY girl collection, but would you expect anything less from Minnie Mouse?

Rules are SIMPLE!

Must be 18 Years or Older, or have parental/guardian consent!

Open to US and International Residents!

Winner must email me within 48 hours or else a new winner will be chosen!

This giveaway is sponsored and run by ME. It is in no way affiliated with OPI or Facebook.com!

Enough with the chit chat – lets get on with it!

Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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“She’s Flirty.  She’s Stylish.  She’s totally fa”mouse.” And now her irresistible charm is yours to enjoy!”

I finally got my OPI Vintage Minnie Mouse Collection order today!  So excited!  I have been waiting for this since I first heard mention of it back in March and I don’t really mind that its all pinks and reds… it’s MINNIE MOUSE!  This whole collection is so fun and flirty!

The Color Of Minnie

The Color Of Minnie is a beautiful shimmery, slightly metallic looking red.  This is a lovely, classy color and went on flawlessly.  I used 2 coats for this picture.  I didn’t apply a top coat to show that it was pretty shiny on it’s own!

I’m All Ears

I’m All Ears is my favorite!  I love a good jelly polish and not only is it a jelly, it’s a shimmery one!  I’m All Ears is a gorgeous raspberry jelly with pink shimmer throughout.  I used 2 coats for this mani and there is still a visible nail line (but I love jellies and VNL don’t really bother me when it comes to them).

If You Moust You Moust

This is the girly bubblegum pink of the collection, it’s also the creme of the collection.  This is a basic bubblegum pink, no shimmer, no sparkle, but still pretty!  I used 3 coats for this one because the first 2 coats had a little bit of a streakfest going on.  The third coat seemed to even it all out though and I was happy with it!

Nothin’ Mousie ‘Bout It

Nothin’ Mousie ‘Bout It is a light sheer pink base with pink iridescent glitter particles and pale pink confetti hearts throughout.  I put one coat over If You Moust You Moust and I love these two together.  The amount of hearts I got was what each brush dip gave me.  On one nail I did have to fish around to get one heart and I got lucky enough to get 2 on my middle finger.  I do love confetti glitters, so it is worth the “fishing” if needed to me!

You can find the OPI Vintage Minnie Mouse Collection in select Salons, Ulta & Trade Secret for $8.50 per bottle

The post OPI Vintage Minnie Mouse Collection Swatches and Review appeared first on Cosmetic Sanctuary.

The Hussy Collection.  1 ravishing shade… 7 beautiful ways.  Age Defying Lipcolor, Lip Glaze, Creamy Lipcolor, Lip Polish, Lip Pencil Plus, Age Defying Lipliner, and OPI Nail Lacquer made exclusively for Merle Norman!  Plus Hussy Eau de Parfum – an allyring new scent named after the world-renowned automobile.

Merle Norman has given me the amazing opportunity to review two items from their Hussy line!  A gorgeous Lip Polish as well as their exclusive OPI shade in the color Hussy!  Inspired by the world-renowned multi-award winning automobile owned by The Nethercutt Collection called Hussy. The Hussy Collection includes six lip color formulas and a custom-formulated, exclusive OPI nail lacquer in the same unique red

Now I know how that sounds and I did get funny looks when I was asked what shade I was wearing on my nails and lips and my response was “Hussy” but once I said “The automobile!” they smiled and said “Oh ok!” (but I will say they still looked at me like I was a little crazy).

I wore both products today at work and I am so incredibly thrilled with both!  I would LOVE to grab more items from this collection because the red shade is absolutely gorgeous!  This was my first experience with Merle Norman Cosmetics and I look forward to buying more of their products.

OPI Hussy is a gorgeous vibrant red with shimmer throughout.  I used two coats of Hussy and the formula was lovely and went on flawlessly.  In the sunlight this is a dazzling polish, the shimmer is spectacular!

Now it’s time to GUSH about Merle Norman Hussy Lip Polish.  Hussy is a gorgeous shimmery red.  I usually shy away from red lip products because they usually clash with my skintone, but this one was PERFECT!  I wore it to work and was extremely comfortable wearing it.  I applied Hussy around 7:15 am, went to work, ate breakfast and drank 2 cups of coffee… and my lips were still RED!  Lip Polish usually doesn’t last on me.  After I had lunch I checked my lips again… STILL RED!  Even though the Lip Polish “feel” wore off around noon, the color clung to my lips until I got home at 6pm.  I never reapplied!  It’s a miracle!  Hussy Lip Polish will be one of my top 5 “go to” lip colors from here on out and it has completely won me over!  Also, I apologize for my lip appearance, I just recovered from a cold and my lips are still slightly dry from it.

Both of these amazing products can be found at your local Merle Norman Salon or online at www.merlenorman.com.  OPI Hussy is a Merle Norman exclusive, so it cannot be found at normal OPI locations, only where  Merle Norman is found!  Also be sure to check out Merle Norman on facebook !

***The products in this post were provided to me for review.  I was not paid for this review and all opinions are my own***

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First possible dupe group is OPI A Roll in the Hague vs Essie Orange, It’s Obvious! OPI A Roll in the Hague is just a hair redder than Essie, but they are fairly close!

Second possible dupe group is OPI Dutch ‘Ya Just Love OPI? vs Zoya Tru.  The color is almost a dupe.  In the bottle they look almost dead on, but when both dry down Zoya Tru has more obvious shimmer (by just a bit) and dries a couple shades brighter than OPI.

Next up is OPI Did You ‘Ear About Van Gogh? vs Zoya Farah.  The battle of the putty colors.  They are very close… OPI seems to have a little more grey to it, but it’s so close I would label these dupes.

Last of my dupes are OPI Red Lights Ahead… Where?  vs Essie Ole Caliente.  This one is a CLOSE dupe.  Both have the same vibrant orangey red.

There you have it.  All of these colors were released between January 2012 and mid February 2012.

Hope this helps!

The post OPI Holland Collection Possible Dupes appeared first on Cosmetic Sanctuary.

Ok I know I’m a little late for this one as it released over a week ago, but the amazing Nick came home with 9 of the 12 colors from the OPI Holland collection for me yesterday as a “Get Well” gift (I have a cold… but so does he!).  I would have normally had this post up hours after getting them, but I took a lot of naps in the last 2 days – so it took a lot longer than normal!  The beauty store he goes into for OPI colors didn’t get the collection in yet so she called around looking for as many as possible just for Nick and was able to gather all but Kiss Me On My Tulips, Thanks a Windmillion and I Have a Herring Problem (I should have those soon though).

Before I show photos, I want to say that I had some unexpected favorites of the 9 I got.  I’m not a huge brown fan, but Wooden Shoe Like to Know won me over.  I wouldn’t have guessed that.  I’ve seen photos from other bloggers, and while it looked nice – I didn’t realize HOW nice until I had it on.

Onto the show!  Since I just talked about Wooden Shoe Like to Know, I’ll start with that one.  Wooden Shoe Like to Know is a gorgeous chocolate brown with a beautiful reddish-pinkish-gold shimmer throughout.  Capturing shimmer like this in a photo is difficult, but just that hint of shimmer jumped Wooden Shoe Like to Know way up to the top for me.  It will be one of my go-to fall shades I’m sure.

Gouda Gouda Two Shoes was another unexpected favorite for me, and it very well might be the hint of shimmer again.  Gouda Gouda Two Shoes is a dirty rose color with hints of the reddish-gold shimmer through out.  It is a very warm and inviting color to me and not one I would usually pick up, but I am very happy to add it to my collection.

Pedal Faster Suzi! is the delicate Spring Pink I was hoping for.  I think this color would have been fabulous for me with or without the silver shimmer in it, but I think the shimmer does liven the color up a bit.  Pedal Faster Suzi! will get a lot of use from me throughout the year.

Did You ‘Ear About Van Gogh? is a color I probably won’t touch much again.  It was extremely similar to Zoya’s Farah and just not a color that agrees with my skintone at all.  Did You ‘Ear About Van Gogh is a putty shade with no shimmer.  For ladies that love foundation like neutrals, this is perfect for you!

I Don’t Give a Rotterdam! is a beautiful dusty blue with silver shimmer in it and I loved the color.  I expected it to be more like Zoya Skylar and was pleasantly surprised when it was different enough to justify owning both.

Dutch ‘Ya Just Love OPI? is almost dead on to Zoya Tru… but I love my purples and would still have purchased both anyway.  Dutch ‘Ya Just Love OPI? is a gorgeous red toned violet with reddish-gold shimmer in it.  Like the other shimmers, it was a little hard to photograph, but it’s there and it’s gorgeous!

Red Lights Ahead … Where? (why oh why are all these names so flipping long??? LOL)  Ok so this is the vibrant orange toned red of the bunch.  It’s beautiful and very summery.  I found it to look very close to Essie’s Ole Caliente and are so close they could be dupes for each other.  Still a gorgeous color to own!

A Roll In The Hague is another summer color – this time a vibrant orange!  Alas, it is also very close to another color I own – Essie Orange, It’s Obvious!  If you have one, you probably don’t need the other (unless you’re like me and just like to have complete collections).  I like A Roll In The Hague but I can’t see myself wearing it outside of spring/summer.

My last swatch is of Vampsterdam, the gorgeous vampy deep cherry chocolate color of the collection.  Instead of being a shimmer or a creme, this one is a frosty one.  A nice little one to throw into the collection.  I will get a lot of use out of this one in the fall!

That completes my 9 out of 12 OPI Holland collection review.  When I snag the other 3 I will be posting them up.  Overall, I do like this collection BUT sadly their are a few near dupes in this collection and all of them seemed to have come out in the last few months.  I’m not saying it would stop me from buying any of them, but for the people who don’t like having dupes, it could help to know.

***The items in this post were purchased by Nick.  I was not paid for this review and all opinions are my own***

The post OPI Holland Collection Review and Swatches appeared first on Cosmetic Sanctuary.

Look at that green on the bottom left… I need it.

Another Shatter of course!

My number 1 must have for this collection is Just Spotted the Lizard!  What are you looking forward to from this collection?

OPI Spiderman Collection is set to release this May!  So expect to see swatches start popping up around April!  I know I’ll be keeping an eye out for them!

The post OPI The Amazing Spiderman Collection appeared first on Cosmetic Sanctuary.

I brought them all out and decided on Zoya’s Kristen.  Love this color.  Zoya Kristen came out in Zoya’s Feel Collection in the fall of 2011.  It is a lighter powder blue cream that leans grey.  Zoya Kristen isn’t bright or vibrant, but its still lovely. I applied 2 coats and they smoothed over beautifully.  Love it when polishes do that.

When I was done though, I looked at Sally Hansen HD in Spectrum which I just bought… and felt that I should have used that since it was brand spankin new. Sally Hansen HD Spectrum is a gorgeous turqouise color with a glittery aspect to it.  Not large glitter sparkle, but a subtle shimmer. Suddenly I thought – GRADIENT!  So I took a latex wedge sponge and sponged it on the tips.  Looked good but needed a bit more umph.  I wanted sparkles, not sure why but I have been on a HUGE sparkle kick lately.

I grabbed OPI Gone Gonzo! and sponged that baby on too and holy moly the results are FAB!  I love all the shades of blue and the glitter!  OPI Gone Gonzo! is a flashy aqua blue glitter with larger silver hex glitter mixed in.  Layering Gone Gonzo! over Spectrum really brought out the aqua blue in Gone Gonzo!

My mission in the next week or so is to collect some more blues!  Still looking for a bright springy blue!  Suggestions welcome!

Zoya Kristen is available on Zoya.com for $8.00

Sally Hansen HD Spectrum is available in most drugstores as well as Target for $6.99

OPI Gone Gonzo! is available in select Beauty Supply stores for about $10.00

The post Glittery Gradient using Zoya Kristen, Sally Hansen HD Spectrum & Opi Gone Gonzo! appeared first on Cosmetic Sanctuary.

Tonight I decided to use Meep Meep Meep.  I’ve been eyeing it on my shelf since Nick brought it home for me.  Its been sitting there twinkling at me all week.

Meep Meep Meep is a gorgeous deep raspberry pink that is packed with flake shimmer.  I used 3 coats for it to be completely opaque.  Meep Meep Meep was easy to apply, smoothed out nice and even with each stroke.  My only slight issue is that when it dries, its not very shiny at all.  I put 2 coats of top coat over the top to bring it back to a nice shine and to even out the finish (the flakes make it a little bumpy).

So far I really like this collection.  I just need 4 more colors to complete it!

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DS Bold is a little different than the other DS I used.  While the DS Extravagance was polish with small glitter particles in it, this DS is more chunky glitter in a jelly base.  Still pretty – but different.  DS Bold is silver glitter suspended in deep reddish pink jelly.  I used 3 coats to be completely opaque.  Because I wanted some holo to it, I added a 4th coat, which was Opi’s Servin’ Up Sparkle.  Both went on smoothly with absolutely no issues.  I put 2 coats of top coat over it to smooth the glitter feel out a bit.  It still wasn’t as chunky feeling as other glitter polishes though

In the sunlight it was sparkle city – absolutely gorgeous.  Even without sunlight it looked amazing.  I’m in love with these polishes!

Opi can be purchased in various Beauty Salons and Beauty Specialty Stores (Check Opi.com to find an Opi retailer near you).  This particular bottle was $12.50.

The post NOTD: Opi DS Bold and Opi Servin up Sparkle appeared first on Cosmetic Sanctuary.

DS Extravagance is a gorgeous magenta with a mixture of pink glitter and holo glitter inside.  This color is just absolutely beautiful!  It went on smooth with absolutely no issues. I used 2 coats for full opacity.

This is just with plain ole kitchen lighting.  I cannot wait to see it dazzle in the sunlight tomorrow!

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