Favorite Nail Polish of the Week: Candy Shop by Deborah Lippmann with swatches!!

This weeks favorite polish is from a Deborah Lipmann set that I recently got my hands on :) I will post a full review with swatches soon and link it HERE. This is the cutest nail polish EVER!! haha For real though. It is really cute. The name 'Candy Shop' totally suits it because it honestly reminds me of gumballs.

The formula is very nice... should be for the price ;) In all honesty though, I do think it is worth paying a little extra for something special sometimes, especially considering the slow rate that I go through nail polish. And I really love Deborah Lippmann polishes, some of them are pretty unique and the bottles are really nice. They also make perfect, affordable presents for friends birthdays - especially with names like 'Happy Birthday'.

2 coats of 'Candy Shop'

3 coats of 'Candy Shop'

What do you think of this new lippmann sparkle? What is your favorite polish this week??

Christina <3

Nicole by OPI: Polish Swap!!

A close friend and I swapped a bunch of nail polishes the other day, so we could check out each others colors. A good way to feel like you just went on a massive shopping spree, without having to spend a penny... That is my kind of shopping! :)

Here are some colors from the Nicole by OPI collection.

From left to right: 'Love Your Life', 'The Right Thing', 'Believe it, Do it', 'Miss Independent' and 'My Lifesaver'.

Of course the first one I grabbed at was the slightly darker than mint polish, called 'My Lifesaver'. I don't know why, but I always gravitate towards light creamy colors. I once again did not like the brush/finish, whatever it is that causes the tiny little vertical lines. When I reviewed the only Nicole by OPI I have '"Baby" Blue' HERE I had the same problem. I wanted to love it but it just goes on so horribly that I just can't :(

'My Lifesaver' - It is actually more green than the pictures show. The light really washes out the turquoise color and makes it appear more minty green or light blue?

'My Lifesaver'

Next I went for 'Miss Independent, which is this pretty pinkish-purplish metallic silver color. I really like this one. It seemed to go on streak/line free and the formula was nice. The color is also pretty lovely too!! This one I would buy for my own collection!

'Miss Independent'

'Miss Independent'

Followed by 'The Right Thing' - kinda a weird name?! But a pretty shimmery coral orange polish with a nice glow to it that the camera just will not capture. The brush on this polish is the original small version that was replaced by the stubby wide brush, although I wish it wasn't - I really prefer this brush.

'The Right Thing'

'The Right Thing'

Next, 'Believe it, Do it', a shimmery hot pink fuchsia color. A pretty pink shimmery color that I feel like I have seen a thousand times before.! Although, if I loved pinks like I love reds, I probably wouldn't feel that way. So to each her own! ... is that the saying? It seems awkward?!

'Believe it, Do it'

'Believe it, Do it'

And Finally, 'Love Your Life', the clear glittery nail polish with light pink hearts. I found this one to be a pain. It might be nice to have around for a heart or two per nail on Valentines or something, but I honestly found it a little too tricky and messy to work with. It does not swatch very nicely on its own so I have layered it over 'My Lifesaver' so you can see it. You have to kinda place the hearts where you want them with a toothpick, or maybe something similar, then lightly paint over the hearts with the glittery gloss afterwards.

'Love Your Life' over 'My Lifesaver' - sorry for the crappyness of this picture :S

What do you guys think of Nicole by OPI? Do any of these shades catch your eye?

Christina <3

OPI Femme De Cirque: Softshades by OPI Spring '2011 Collection

OPI released the Cirque de femme: Softshades Collection back in the beginning of April '2011.

From left to right: 'Step Right Up', 'In The Spotlight Pink', 'So Many Clowns so Little Time', and 'I Juggle Men'.

Ya, I am a little late posting this collection :/ . I bought the mini collection back when it was released and have been slowly using it since then. I really didn't love it that much when it came out, but I have grown to love a couple of the shades (specifically 'Step Right Up' and 'So Many Clowns So Little Time').

As far as light, creamy colors go, this formula was amazing! For me they went on streak-free, even with one coat, however for all of them you need much more than one coat to get them opaque. I do paint relatively thin coats, so if you tend to paint thicker coats then you might find you need less. 'I Juggle Men' is really pretty as a shimmery top coat but it almost impossible to photograph on its own. Swatches with 3 coats below :)

From left to right: 'In The Spotlight Pink', 'Step Right Up', 'So Many Clowns So Little Time', and 'I Juggle Men' (a clear base with a blue and purple shimmer).

'In The Spotlight Pink'

'Step Right Up'

'So Many Clowns So Little Time'

'In The Spotlight Pink' with 'I Juggle Men' on top.

'So Many Clowns So Little Time' with 'I Juggle Men' on top.

This collection is pretty and cute. Not totally special but still really nice! Perfect spring and wedding colors!

Christina :)

NOTD: 'Swimsuit... Nailed It!' from OPI Miss Universe with 'I Lily Love You' from OPI Nice Stems!!

When I was putting together pictures with the newest polish I have acquired from the OPI Miss Universe Collection (reviewed and swatched HERE), I ended up trying this combination and really LOVING it!!. It really looks like holographic foil or black opalish. My pictures don't do it justice :/

Check out my swatches of 'Swimsuit... Nailed It!' from OPI Miss Universe HERE.

And have a fabulous day!! :D

'Swimsuit... Nailed It!' from OPI Miss Universe with 'I  Lily Love You' from OPI Nice Stems

'Swimsuit... Nailed It!' from OPI Miss Universe with 'I  Lily Love You' from OPI Nice Stems

'Swimsuit... Nailed It!' from OPI Miss Universe with 'I  Lily Love You' from OPI Nice Stems

Reminds me of black opal...

What do you guys think? What is your NOTD??

Christina :)

OPI MIss Universe '2011 Collection: 'Swimsuit... Nailed it!' Swatches!

OPI releases the Miss Universe Collection in August '2011. It is already circulating around in my area, so you might find it where you live too? I was only able to grab 'Swimsuit... Nailed it!' - the others were sold out by the time I saw them:( I honestly was not entirely sure if I even wanted it or not because it reminded me of 'Blue Iguana' by China Glaze at first.

I am so glad I decided to get it. The formula and pigmentation is what makes this polish so great. It is a gorgeous shimmery navy that is opaque with two coats... it was almost perfect with one coat :) I also would really love to get 'Crown Me Already!', a gorgeous silver chunky glitter!!

From left to right: 'Swimsuit... Nailed it!', 'Crown Me Already', 'Congeniality is My Middle Name', and 'It's MY Year'

The pictures below all show two coats:

'Swimsuit... Nailed It!' from OPI Miss Universe

'Swimsuit... Nailed It!' from OPI Miss Universe

Louie approves :)

To show the differences between the two polishes I put two coats of 'Blue Iguana' on the ring finger  to compare. I really noticed the purple shimmer in the 'Blue Iguana' for the first time on my nails this time. I still can't get the purple shimmer to photograph at all. The two polishes are both completely different and both very pretty.

'Swimsuit... Nailed It!' from OPI Miss Universe with 'Blue Iguana' by China Glaze on the ring finger.

And just for fun... My NOTD:

'Swimsuit... Nailed It!' from OPI Miss Universe with 'I Lily Love You' from OPI Nice Stems

What do you guys think of this collection? Which ones do you love? 

Christina :)

CRACKLE MADNESS!!

I loved my first bottle of 'Black Shatter' by OPI. It was hard to get a hold of and somehow more special? Now I feel the crackle thing is out of control. There is every color you can imagine in every brand you can think of (well, maybe not entirely, but you get the point :/ )! It is kinda overwhelming?!?

I have been hanging onto my crackle collection for awhile now, thinking I should post something but never actually doing it. I have somehow managed to collect five different shatter or crackle polishes over time... and have been seriously tempted to buy more :S  I generally paint my nails with shatter when they start to chip and I don't feel like  completely repainting them; it covers chips and makes them look freshly painted again!! I have taken some pics of different color combinations that I will share below.

My shatter and crackle collection, so far...

From left to right: 'Crushed Candy' by China Glaze, 'Fault Line' by China Glaze, 'Navy Shatter' by OPI, 'Black Shatter' by OPI, and 'Blue Shatter' by OPI.

And so many different combinations...

'Do you Think I'm Tex-y?' from OPI Texas with 'Blue Shatter' by OPI

'like me' or 'geranium' by Essie with 'Black Shatter' by OPI

'Passion in the Pacific' by China Glaze with 'Black Shatter' by OPI

'Grey Matter' by Rimmel with 'Fault Line' by China Glaze

'Climax' by Rimmel with 'Black Shatter' by OPI

'Celtic Sun' by China Glaze with 'Blue Shatter' by OPI

'Skull & Glossbones' from OPI Pirates of the Caribbean with 'Black Shatter' by OPI

'Too Hot Pink to Hold 'Em' from OPI Texas with 'Fault Line' by China Glaze

'Planks a Lot' from OPI Pirates of the Caribbean with 'Crushed Candy' by China Glaze

'Grey Matter' by Rimmel with 'Navy Shatter' by OPI and 'Stranger Tides' from OPI Pirates of the Caribbean with 'Black Shatter' by OPI on the ring finger

'Sparrow Me the Drama' from OPI Pirates of the Caribbean with 'Crushed Candy' by China Glaze

'Sparrow Me the Drama' from OPI Pirates of the Caribbean with 'Black Shatter' by OPI

'Sparrow Me the Drama' from OPI Pirates of the Caribbean with 'Crushed Candy' by China Glaze and 'Black Shatter' by OPI

On "The Claw" :D : 'Houston We Have a Purple' from OPI Texas with 'Black Shatter' by OPI and 'Blue Shatter' by OPI.

'I Vant to be A-Lone Star' from OPI Texas with 'Blue Shatter' by OPI

'Take The Stage' from OPI Burlesque with 'Black Shatter' by OPI

'The Show Must Go On' from OPI Burlesque with 'Black Shatter' by OPI

'Rising Star' from OPI Burlesque with 'Black Shatter' by OPI

On the top three fingers: 'Austin-tatious Turquoise' from OPI Texas with 'Crushed Candy' by China Glaze, 'Blue Shatter' by OPI and 'Black Shatter' by OPI.

On the bottom finger: 'Pure Silver' by Rimmel with 'Fault Line' by China Glaze.

What are your favorite color combinations? 

Christina :)