Nicole by OPI Red Texture

I decided to take yesterday's manicure up a notch by adding a coat of shatter/texture/crackle.  Nicole by OPI's Red Texture is similar to OPI's Red Shatter except without the jelly finish.  This is one coat of Red Texture with a top coat of OPI Top Coat.

I attempted a diagonal pattern on my index finger, but it didn't work too well.  I'm still getting the hang of it.  You can also see that my cuticles need some help, especially my middle finger which tends to go flat instead of curved (like my ring finger).  Oh nail issues!

In the shade, you can't see much of a difference - I kind of like the nude look of the base color (it's really grey).

Finally indoors with the flash - I really like the vibrancy of this color but if you already have OPI Red Shatter, not sure you need both.  I do like that this didn't gunk up in the bottle like some crackles/shatters do.

Nicole by OPI is available beginning at ULTA, Meijer, Harmon, HEB, Sears, Wal-Mart and more for around $8 a bottle.  For more information, visit their website, follow Nicole by OPI on Twitter or become a Facebook fan.

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

OPI Skull and Glossbones

Note to self: Don't try to take pictures late in the day.  Sigh.  So this color doesn't look as great in the sun as it should.  It's a light grey, no yellow to it.  Skull & Glossbones from the OPI Brights "Pirates" collection is one that I thought wasn't going to really wear well on me (or just be too dull) but I was pleasantly surprised.  I used a base coat of OPI Natural Nail, 2 coats of polish and a top of OPI Top Coat (which I added two mini bottles of Rapi-Dry too before realizing they were different top coats.  Oops.).

Do you like the huge chunk I somehow took out of my bottle?  I'm not sure exactly when this broke, but the OPI bottles are made of thick glass so it didn't affect the polish at all.  You can see how red my fingers look (again, the sun) but that this is a nice putty grey.

Here in the shade, the color is much truer to life.  It's a putty grey with no yellow, delightfully creamy - not watery like my Steady As She Rose.  

Indoors with the flash looks a lot like the shade - although you can seem some streaky un-evenness on my index finger.  My index finger is giving me all kinds of issues right now - I have a cut cuticle on the side, and my cuticles need to be cleaned up - polish is pooling around them.  I'll get it done, promise!


Overall - a good office nude, and the name is pretty darn cute.  I want to see if I have some dupes since it is a creme but I'm still having to hold back on comparisons.


OPI is available 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. Please visit their website for details [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.

NYC Black Magic

Please enjoy the following info release from NYC!

NYC NEW YORK COLOR

BLACK MAGIC LIMITED EDITION HALLOWEEN COLLECTION

In a NY Color Minute Nail Color ($1.99): Blackula and Pumpkin

You can use the Store Locator on NYC's website to find where to purchase their products.  You can also like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

POP Nail Contest!

Nail art is huge - from rhinestones to glitter, 3D fimo nail canes to snakeskin, nail foil stickers to water marbling, you name it, it's been thought of (or done!).  Today, I've been given the awesome opportunity to host a Nail Art contest with pop beauty (also found on Twitter and Facebook).  

The rules* are simple:

[1] You must be a US resident, 18 years or older.

[2] Email one (1) picture to krystal@polishgalore.com featuring at least three (3) fingers that have nail art on them.  You may choose any kind of nail polish (or acrylic paint!) brand, finish, color or technique.  You will receive an email within 48 hours of your submission as confirmation.

[3] You must submit your own pictures.

[4] All submissions must be received by 21 September 2011 midnight GMT.  (That is 20 September, 7 p.m. CST.  Please adjust for your individual time zone.)  Late submissions will not be accepted.

The winner, chosen by the ladies and gentlemen behind PolishGalore, will receive: 5 new pop nail glam shades – value of $60 USD to be fulfilled by Y! Public Relations

After the winner is announced, all images will be posted for everyone to enjoy.  (Permission & credit will be requested before images go live.)

Now, you know I'm not a great nail artist, but art is art!  Here is what will work, and what won't.

Submission Example #1

This will not work because it's only one (1) nail and not three (3).

Submission Example #2

This will not work because there isn't any nail art on the nails.

Submission Example #3

This works because there is nail art on at least three (3) nails.

*PolishGalore has the right to disqualify a submission if it does not follow the above rules.

As an added bonus, pop beauty is providing all PolishGalore readers with a discount code, good until 31 October 2011 for 30% off any purchase from their website!  Just use the code THIRTYOFF during checkout.  Woot!


So start sending in those pictures - I can't wait to see them!  Comments have been disabled for this post, but please feel free to email me with any questions!

Zoya Gems & Jewels

I got to see these at Cosmoprof last month but wasn't allowed to talk about them until now!  Please enjoy the following press release from Zoya!

Gems and Jewels 

jewelry for nails!

Holiday 2011 by Zoya Nail Polish

Zoya Nail Polish presents 3 new jewel toned metallic shimmer polishes
and 3 glitzy, glitter glazes (featuring unique bar glitter) for an extra special holiday and winter 2011 season!

Zoya Gems and Jewels Collection

Rina (ZP576): Gorgeous green glitzy, glitter glaze (with unique bar glitter).
Holly (ZP577): Full coverage, rich green metallic shimmer.
Kissy (ZP578): Vivid pink glitzy, glitter glaze (with unique bar glitter).
Izzy (ZP579): Full coverage, party pink metallic shimmer.
Twila (ZP580): Bold blue glitzy, glitter glaze! (with unique bar glitter).
Noel (ZP581): Full coverage, icy blue metallic shimmer.

Mix it up... The Zoya Gems and Jewels color assortment allows
for multiple layered nail polish looks! Have fun…

• Wear the full coverage, jewel toned shades alone for a classic metallic shimmer look!
• Wear the glitzy, glitter glazes alone for a hint of glitz.
• Wear several layers of the glitzy, glitter glazes for a unique textured glitz nail look.
• Layer the glazes over the shimmers to a totally glam nail jewelry look.
• Layer the glitzy, glitter glazes over other colors to create a totally unique look that is
all your own (hint - hint: silver, gold, white and black totally rock under the glazes!).

Ultra long-wearing, glossy nail lacquers by Zoya are free of harmful industrial chemicals like toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, resin, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) that are known to cause cancer and birth defects.

Find Zoya Gems and Jewels as well as over 400 other high-fashion Zoya shades at www.zoya.com.

As always, each and every Zoya color is made for women so we name them after women.

Zoya is the new color of fashion...

Shipping September 15, 2011
Sug. Retail $8.00 ea.