China Glaze Orange Marmalade

Before you start singing Lady Marmalade (because I do EVERY time I see this color), let's look at this beauty from the 2009 Summer "Summer Days" collection from China Glaze - the orange glass flecked Orange Marmalade.  I actually wore this as my Halloween manicure - contained in the glass flecks is some gold particles that really made my nails shine.


I used a base coat of Seche Natural, 3 coats of Orange Marmalade and a top of Seche Vite.  The formula was good but I had a tiny bit of VNL afterwards.

Sun!  Check out all the gold in the bottle!  It's not a neon orange, despite looking quite hot on my nails ^_^  Instead, it reminds me a lot of an orange prescription bottle - less brown though.  Go figure.

More glass fleck goodness.  This is different from a glitter because it's not gritty or bumpy, but it's not really a shimmer either because it looks like crushed glass has been added to the mix.  


For laughs, here are some pictures from summer 2009 before I was blogging.  I used a "natural light" makeup mirror as my light source.

China Glaze [official website] can be found online through several etailers, including my favorite Head2Toe Beauty [official website], Sally's Beauty Supply [official website] as well asTransDesign [official website].

OPI Presents "Deep In The Heart of Color"

I am a Texas girl.  I was born here, lived out most of my life here, and frankly I love my state.  Texans are warm, friendly people with a heart of gold if you ask me.  Now, I'm also a gimmicky person, you better believe I will be buying every single one of these for the sheer novelty factor.  To clear up a few misconceptions, I do NOT have an accent, I do say "y'all", I do not own a cowboy hat or boots, I don't own a horse, I don't have "big hair" or wear hairspray, I don't play poker and I do not go camping.  Just saying.  I am a little surprised there wasn't a yellow (The Yellow Rose of Texas) or something about Friendship (our state motto) or even just a bluebonnet (our actual state flower).  Please enjoy the following press release from OPI.

Deep in the Heart of Color

OPI Launches Texas Collection for Spring/Summer 2011

OPI comes “home” to the USA with timeless style in the Texas Collection for Spring/Summer 2011. These vivid shades are as iconic as images of an American summer – adding a fresh, effortlessly chic look for nails and toes.

“Texas provided the inspiration for this season, with bright colors and classic neutrals that draw from the American spirit,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director.  “Taking cues from the state’s naturally beautiful backdrop, the Texas Collection features warm tones from honey and tangerine to dazzling hues of violet and sky blue.” 

This season, American classics come to life with sunny peach (Big Hair…Big Nails) and vivid honeysuckle (Too Hot Pink to Hold ‘Em).  Lush berry (Houston We Have a Purple) and grassy green (Don’t Mess with OPI) add a splash of the USA’s most vibrant colors to the season’s must-have neutrals (San Tan-tonio).

“The Texas Collection complements trends from the runway, where white made an appearance as the new black,” explains Suzi.  “Wearing these colors on fingers and toes will accessorize the season’s must-have pieces – from brightly colored botanical prints and filmy scarves to relaxed trousers and jackets and fuller, longer skirts – all done in shades of white, ivory, cream and taupe.”

            Texas Collection accompanies spring and summer fashion favorites with the following shades:

San Tan-tonio

A “honey” of a ten-gallon tan!

Suzi Loves Cowboys

But she loves this campfire chocolate shade s’more!

It's Totally Fort Worth It

A shimmery lavender grey that’s so worthy of you.

Don't Mess with OPI

A lean, mean, kick-grass forest green.

Austin-tatious Turquoise

Cowgirls love this bodacious blue-green.

I Vant to Be A-Lone Star

You won’t want to share this starry Texas-sky blue.

Y'all Come Back Ya Hear?

This Texas tangerine will be waitin’ for ya!

Big Hair...Big Nails

A rosy pageant peach.

Guy Meets Gal-veston

An “engaging” coastal coral.

Too Hot Pink to Hold 'Em

A red-hot pink-red that deals a winning hand.

Do You Think I'm Tex-y?

A “berry” sexy bloom of Dallas dahlia.

Houston We Have a Purple

A galactic red-violet that’s ready to “rocket roll”!

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

Texas Collection by OPI will be available February 2011, at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and Ulta, for $8.50 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each Nail Lacquer. 

            For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com.

China Glaze Snow vs China Glaze Snow

Oh yes, you heard right.  Snow vs Snow.  In summer 2009, China Glaze came out with 50 polishes called the Specialty Collection - also called the Glitters and Cremes collection.  I ended up buying every single one of them - in phases from Head2Toe Beauty.  Imagine my surprise when in the winter 2010 collection, there was another Snow.

Snow 1 is from the Winter 2010 Collection, Snow 2 is from the Summer 2009 Collection.  The obvious difference is that Snow 1 has a silver cap and Snow 2 has a black cap.  I also secretly feel like Snow 2 is a little bit brighter than Snow 1.

Bottoms of both bottles.  As you can see the number 818 is the same, but the 5 digit code has changed.  The original (Snow 2) was 80411, but the new Snow (Snow 1) is listed as 25176.


I used a base of Seche Natural for both colors, 2 coats, and a top of Seche Vite.  Both formulas were slightly runny - not unmanageable but just thinner than I would have preferred.

Can you tell a difference?  At all?  Me either.  They look pretty much the same - and I don't think anyone would notice a difference.

The shade tells the same story.  So are the bottles exactly alike - I'm saying yes, just different 5-digit codes.  A white creme is a white creme.  ^_^

China Glaze [official website] can be found online through several etailers, including my favorite Head2Toe Beauty [official website], Sally's Beauty Supply [official website] as well asTransDesign [official website].

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

China Glaze Snow

Skipping around a little bit - here is China Glaze Snow from the 2010 Winter Collection.  Now if you've been reading my blog for awhile, you'll know I've already swatched China Glaze Snow from the Specialty (also called Glitters and Cremes) collection but more on that later.  This is Snow from the 'Tis The Season to be naughty and nice collection.  It's listed just simply as a white creme, and frankly that's what it is.


I used a base of Seche Natural, 2 coats of Snow and a top of Seche Vite.  My Snow was a little on the runny side - not unmanageable but sometime I wish polished had a thickening product - much like they have a thinner.

In the sun, Snow is just kind of a squishy white cloud - almost like a marshmellow.  I think this would be a great base for a lot of nail art or for use in nail art.

In the shade, Snow looks a little dirtier, almost reflecting whatever color you're wearing that day - and for me, I was wearing blue.  I'm making a mental note to wear white when I swatch...


Simple, clean, white.  Win.

China Glaze [official website] can be found online through several etailers, including my favorite Head2Toe Beauty [official website], Sally's Beauty Supply [official website] as well asTransDesign [official website].

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

CND Shellac 2.0

No no, it's not a new process - just new colors!  I still haven't been Shellac'ed, but it's slowly creeping down South.  I think the nearest salon is still 3 hours away, but I promise, I'm going to get it done!  Please enjoy this press release!

Introducing Shellac 2.0

CND Debuts 12 New Shellac Shades

November 2010 - CND will unveil 12 new Shellac shades in March 2011, with colors ranging from beige to black.  This exciting addition expands the Shellac line to 24 chic shades plus countless layering options.  Shellac addicts will now have more choices for the convenience of a 14-day manicure.  "This new range features perennial classics and fashionable favorites to give salon-goers a wide variety," says Jan Arnold, CND Co-founder and Style Director.

Shellac's May 2010 launch spurred a major shift in the global nail industry.  Unprecedented waitlists at salons around the world for this innovation have been the beauty equivalent of the much-buzzed-about iPad. If it doesn't say "CND" on the bottle, it's not Shellac.  Shellac is hypo-allergenic and 3-Free (no formaldehyde, toluene or DBP), leaving a brilliantly shiny finish with maintenance-free wear and safely removes in 10-minutes.  Shellac's status has instantly grown from 'cult following' to 'modern must-have.'  Within one month of its introduction, Shellac sold out four times over. 

Check out the newest colors:

Shellac is a professional salon service. Manicure prices generally range from $25-45 and pedicures from $40-60 depending on location.  For local salons around the world offering Shellac, visit the Shellac Salon Locator at cnd.com.