essence stuck on you

essence, mainly an overseas brand, does have a small presence in the USA but starting this fall, they are making a bigger statement.  I first saw this brand at my local HEB (grocery store), but had been receiving the international press releases with all kinds of awesome polishes that never arrived at my local store.

What did arrive, the other day, was the new bottle size from the colour & go nail polish.  The old bottles were smaller and were sold for 99 cents - the new bottles are larger (8ml), have a different brush (longer and slightly fatter), a redesigned lid that "clicks" when you have it on tight, and are retailing for $2.  essence is a Big-3 free brand.

Today I have stuck on you, a purple swirly grey with silver microglitter.  I used a base of Poshe, 1 coat of polish and a top of Seche Vite.  Honestly, I should have probably used 2 coats but I was excited.

Nice and vampy - yep!  I'm trying not to swatch my polishes so late in the day - I feel like the lighting is a bit off.

Here in the shade, you can see a bit of streakiness in my ring finger - this is where 2 coats would have been better.

A nice shot in indirect sun, trying to capture all the pretty that is in this bottle.

Finally indoors with the flash and you can see that I really needed 2 coats for my pinkie and ring fingers.

essence [Website | Facebook | Twitter] colour & go nail polish is available in a total of 18 colors and is $2 a bottle.  It can be found at Ulta, HEB and Fred Meyer stores.

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 Germany Collection

I was so excited when I heard OPI was coming out with a Germany collection - I visited in 2005 (Munich) and my Dad's family is originally from Germany, so I was totally excited for it.  Now it's here!  Please enjoy the following press release from OPI (all images courtesy of OPI).

Edgy Elegance

OPI Launches the Germany Collection for Fall/Winter 2012

  

OPI embraces runway trends with the Germany Collection for Fall/Winter 2012. Drawing inspiration from Berlin, an exciting new fashion hub that blends classic looks with the avant-garde, the collection’s twelve shades offer a mixture of vibrant color, urban-chic neutrals, and reds in variations from light to dark.

“Designers showcased rich colors and striking textures for fall,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director.  “The Germany Collection beautifully complements these looks, with standout shades in various hues of red and burgundy – the season’s ‘new black.’ Sapphire, black olive and lime yellow are married with creamy neutrals in honey, taupe and nude rose.”

“The overall feel of the Germany Collection is elegance with an edge,” adds Suzi. “The varied palette of colors adds another accent to the list of special touches – think beadwork, paneling, fur and embroidery – that walked the runways during New York Fashion Week. Wearing these shades on fingers and toes is a great way to accessorize a range of looks for the season.”

Germany by OPI includes the following shades:

 Don’t Pretzel My Buttons

A haute honey-beige that can always make you smile.

 
My Very First Knockwurst
…and what a magical rosy-nude rendezvous it was!

 Berlin There Done That

A traveling taupe that’s seen it all. (Yep, that too).

Don’t Talk Bach to Me
There’s nothing mellow about this sassy lime-yellow!

Nein! Nein! Nein! OK Fine!

A bodacious black-olive? We say “Ja! Ja! Ja!”

 
Unfor-greta-bly Blue

Everyone’s favorite Fräulein loves this über shiny blue.

 
Every Month is Oktoberfest
Prost! Here’s to the prettiest plum in the Biergarten.

 
Suzi & the 7 Düsseldorfs
The most beautiful bright purple of all.

 
Deutsch You Want Me Baby?
A self-assured shade of shimmering red-orange.

Danke-Shiny Red

You “Bitte” try on this ravishing ruby before it’s too late!

 
German-icure by OPI
The best burgundy shimmer in the business.


Schnapps Out of It!
Shake off the blues with a shot of fall’s must-have mauve!

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

Germany by OPI will be available August 8, 2012, at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $8.50 ($9.95 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!

Spoiled Ants In My Pants

I have a lot of nail polish right now, so I try to stay away from the stores but when I saw what looked a bit like deborah lippmann Ruby Red Slippers, I had to grab a bottle.  Spoiled by Wet n Wild is a CVS-exclusive line of nail polish - 72 colors in all & all Big-3 free.  They sell for about $2 for a 0.50 fl oz bottle.  The first thing that caught me was the brush.

It's wide and flat which helps me sometimes in painting but I know it's not for everyone.

This is Ants In My Pants, and I decided to test it out several ways.  On my index and middle fingers I have on China Glaze Adventure Red-y, then 2 cots of Ants in My Pants.  My ring finger is just 3 coats of Ants by itself.  My pinkie is 2 coats of Ants over 1 coat of Sephora black.  As you can see, Ants In My Pants is a large and small red glitter in a slightly black base.  I did not use a top coat.

I'm not sure if I like it over red or black better but I definitely do not care for this color by itself (ring finger).  It's just too sheer and I can't justify more than 3 coats, even if it is a $2 bottle of polish.

Here in the shade, I really think I love this color over red the best.  It really gives it a blood-red feel - great for Halloween!

Here's a shot in indirect sun.  Still loving it over red the best.  I used to only wear glitters over black but you just lose so much.

Finally indoors with the flash.

Additionally, here's a close up of the different layering options.

For $2, this really isn't a bad deal.  It's not a dead on dupe for the Ruby Red Slippers - there is a lot less glitter on the nail - it's a good alternative in a pitch.  Only real hassle is because this only sold at CVS, you have to live near one.

Spoiled by Wet n Wild is a CVS-exclusive line of nail polish sold for $2 for a 0.50 fl oz bottle.

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 Adventure Red-y

Chillin like a villian.  Or something like that.  I decided to be on a red kick for a bit - and what better way then with a China Glaze red?  It's been no secret that China Glaze has and always be, my first love, and as much as I thought I'd be an anti-red nail polish kind of girl, ChG does it RIGHT.  This is Adventure Red-y from the On Safari Fall 2012 collection.  It's a great almost neon red creme, that reminds me a lot of the Kicks Collection from even the Up And Away Collection.  (Did I just walk into a comparison post needs to come up?!)  I used a base of Poshe, 2 coats of polish and a top of Seche Vite.  I did find this polish to be a little thick, so have your nail polish thinner on hand.

By the way, do not thin your nail polish with nail polish remover or acetone.  Granted, I do not have a cosmetology license so everything I say is based on my own opinion but what does acetone do?  It breaks down and removes polish.  So if you're putting it in your complete bottle of nail polish... well.  Yeah so just don't do it.  Please.

Anyway.

Look how lovely this color is!  So smooth, so red.  Nom.

So good that I had to take another sunny picture.  Look at her, she glows.

This is really a true red - no blue or orange pulls to it.  Just red red red-y.

This is indirect sun here.

For fun, I stood next to the red siding on my house which I feel like I can no longer call red.  That's maroon now.

And we end it with a pretty shot of the flash - you can see how opaque this color is and just how well it covers.

China Glaze [Website] [Facebook] [Twitter] can be found online through several etailers, including my favorite Head2Toe Beauty, Sally's Beauty Supply as well as TransDesign.

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

Color Club In True Fashion

While I was at Cosmoprof last month, I got to take lots of pictures of upcoming Color Club collections, including the Fall 2012 "In True Fashion"!  I plan to spend part of this weekend getting that post up, along with my last few Cosmoprof goodies that I have to share!  Then it's back to LOTS and LOTS of swatching! Meanwhile, please enjoy the following press release from Color Club (all images courtest of Forsythe).

INTRODUCING IN TRUE FASHION FALL 2012 NAIL POLISH COLLECTION FROM COLOR CLUB

Straight off the Runway Comes this Season's Hottest Collection of All-eyes-on-hue Lacquers

May 2012 - New York, New York - Color Club, the New York based nail color company announced today the debut of In True Fashion, the new fall 2012 nail polish collection from Color Club. Straight off the runway comes what is sure to be this season's hottest collection of all-eyes-on-hue nail lacquers. The Collection features 12 seasonally inspired nail polishes – from Look Book and Personal Stylist to First Looks and Model Behavior – this new vegan, formaldehyde, toluene and DBP-free collection will ensure you are runway ready.

Introducing the In True Fashion Collection from Color Club:

Look Book: Bright Red

Style Icon: Burgundy

By Design: Plum

In the Limelight: Periwinkle

Muse-ical: Gray

Fashion Moment: Eggplant

Editorial: Peridot Duochrome

Port-folio: Purple Duochrome

Personal Stylist: Blue Duochrome

First Looks: Blue Green Metallic

Model Behavior: Bronze Metallic

Show Time: Charcoal Metallic

Color Club’s In True Fashion Collection will be available in August of 2012. All Color Club products are made in the USA and are not tested on animals. Products are available at shopcolorclub.com.

About Color Club

A favorite of celebrity manicurists and nail color fans worldwide, Color Club is renowned for its high performance rich shades and exceptionally safe products. From the brightest neons, to glitter and French, all nail colors are vegan, formaldehyde, toluene, and DBP -free – and made in New York, NY with the best raw materials. Products are available at shopcolorclub.com