Gwen Stefani by OPI Collection 2014 Swatches and Review

This is a small collection of mostly standard, mundane colors (red creme, pink creme, vampy burgundy), but with one really special standout shade.  Quick overview of the collection from the press release:

"OPI joins celebrity partner Gwen Stefani in announcing seven new limited edition nail lacquers for 2014, featuring standout color in breakthrough finishes. Highlights from the collection include a bold red lacquer that pays homage to Gwen’s signature lipstick, a new semi-matte satin finish in shades of gold and black, and a mirrored chrome paired with a special base coat. 

Inspired by the 2013 Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute Gala that featured the theme “Punk: Chaos to Couture,” OPI Executive VP and Artistic Director Suzi Weiss-Fischmann decided to create a collection of lacquer celebrating the role of music as a major influence in fashion. “With her expertise as a singer, songwriter and designer, who better to collaborate with than Gwen Stefani?” asks Weiss-Fischmann. “Known for her trademark red lips, bold eye makeup and nail art, Gwen uses beauty to accessorize her style.” 

Gwen’s signature red OPI hue – Over & Over A-Gwen – is available in a boxed set, which includes Swarovski black crystals and silver, gold and pewter studs in bar, square, diamond and circle shapes for creating unique nail designs, as well as nail glue for easy application. Love.Angel.Music.Baby. and 4 in the Morning feature a new, semi-matte satin finish designed to be worn without top coat. Push and Shove, a bold chrome hue, is also worn without top coat but requires a special complimentary base coat – Lay Down that Base. One thin coat of Lay Down that Base topped with two thin coats of Push and Shove yields an intense, mirrored finish. The collection is rounded out with two glossy crème lacquers and one sparkly glitter shade: Hey Baby, I Sing in Color, and In True Stefani Fashion.

“OPI wanted to create a collection as dramatic, diverse and glamorous as its namesake,” adds Weiss-Fischmann. “With crème and glitter hues, new satin matte texture, a mirrored chrome and SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS, Gwen Stefani by OPI presents the latest in pigments and finishes, while combining elements of haute couture and street fashion.”

Gwen Stefani by OPI Collection

 OPI 4 In The Morning

Very slightly shimmery dark charcoal/faded black satin matte.  Intended to be worn without topcoat.

 OPI Hey Baby

Blue-based hot pink creme.

 OPI In True Stefani Fashion

Sparse holographic silver glitter topcoat.  Shown here with three coats and still not full coverage. Nice feature of this polish: square glitter.

 OPI I Sing In Color

Vampy brown-burgundy creme.  Leans more jelly than pure opaque creme.

 OPI Love.Angel.Music.Baby.

Light gold shimmer with a satin matte finish.  Intended to be worn without topcoat, but it looks pretty great with topcoat as well.

 OPI Over and Over A-Gwen

This is only sold as a set (pictured below) that includes some Swarovski Elements nail art pieces.  The color itself is a bright cherry red creamy jelly. 

OPI Over And Over A-Gwen Boxed Set

OPI Push and Shove

This is the special standout in the collection.  It's a mirrored chrome silver, and without resorting to Minx or other similar nail coverings, it's the most reflective, mirror-like silver out there.  It needs to be worn over a special basecoat, but that's included with the polish.

The formula on every shade was perfect.  Literally nothing to criticize in the texture or application of any of these.  Push And Shove can get streaky if you apply the coats too close together or on top of still-wet basecoat, but it's minimal.  All shades except In True Stefani Fashion only needed two coats for full coverage (and that's how they're worn here).  Push and Shove is very fragile on the nail and doesn't wear for very long.  It doesn't chip on me, it actually wears away as if it's being wiped away.  Wearing topcoat makes it more durable. 



Most of the colors in this collection seem too bland to have Gwen Stefani's name on them, don't they?  Nothing unique in here except for Push and Shove.  It's not a true mirror reflection, but it's the closest I've ever seen.  I am completely in love with it.  It's even more reflective in person.  Only downsides are that it gets damaged easily and that it shows every single flaw on your natural nail (call me Ruffles.) Gently buffing your nails before applying the basecoat should make any ridges or flaws less noticeable.

Gwen Stefani by OPI nail lacquers contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application. This promotion will be available beginning January 2014 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. The boxed set including Over & Over A-Gwen and SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS will retail for $14.95 ($18.95 CAN).

(collection provided for review.)

OPI Mariah Carey Collection Holiday 2013 Liquid Sand Shades

 OPI Liquid Sand in Baby Please Come Home

 OPI Liquid Sand in Emotions

 OPI Liquid Sand in It's Frosty Outside

 OPI Liquid Sand in Kiss Me at Midnight

OPI Liquid Sand in Make Him Mine

OPI Liquid Sand in Silent Stars Go By

The formula on these is very good.  They're thin, which makes it easier to apply thin, even coats, which in turn enhances the Liquid Sand finish.  If the polish is applied too thickly, the gritty look of the sand and glitter gets covered up and smoothed over.  I have the best results when I apply very thin coats, waiting until each is mostly dry before applying the next one.  I used three coats of each and all the shades needed three to achieve opacity.  Since these are meant to be textured, they are worn without topcoat.  If you'd like to wear them as shiny, smooth glitter polishes, a minimum of three coats of topcoat are required.

Some of the colors in this collection feel like repeats and duplicates of existing Liquid Sand/textured polishes (namely Emotions, It's Frosty Outside, and Kiss Me At Midnight). Aside from that, all the shades are very pretty on the nail.  I really like the sparkly, sugar-coated look for winter.  It mimics the texture of snow and gumdrops and candied fruit and it just seems so cute and festive to me.  Emotions doesn't quite fit with the rest of the shades in the collection, and it's not bad looking, but a glittery gold or red Liquid Sand would have had more of a holiday/wintery feel. 

For the full OPI Mariah Carey Holiday collection review with swatches, please click here!

The OPI Mariah Carey Holiday Liquid Sand polishes are limited edition and are available 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. 

(collection provided for review)

Gwen Stefani by OPI Press Release!

OPI Partners with Music and Fashion Icon Gwen Stefani to Launch Limited Edition Nail Lacquers, Featuring Breakthrough Finishes 

OPI joins celebrity partner Gwen Stefani in announcing seven new limited edition nail lacquers for 2014, featuring standout color in breakthrough finishes. Highlights from the collection include a bold red lacquer that pays homage to Gwen’s signature lipstick, a new semi-matte satin finish in shades of gold and black, and a mirrored chrome paired with a special base coat. 

Inspired by the 2013 Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute Gala that featured the theme “Punk: Chaos to Couture,” OPI Executive VP and Artistic Director Suzi Weiss-Fischmann decided to create a collection of lacquer celebrating the role of music as a major influence in fashion.

“With her expertise as a singer, songwriter and designer, who better to collaborate with than Gwen Stefani?” asks Weiss-Fischmann. “Known for her trademark red lips, bold eye makeup and nail art, Gwen uses beauty to accessorize her style.” 

Gwen’s signature red OPI hue – Over & Over A-Gwen – is available in a boxed set, which includes Swarovski black crystals and silver, gold and pewter studs in bar, square, diamond and circle shapes for creating unique nail designs, as well as nail glue for easy application.

Love.Angel.Music.Baby. and 4 in the Morning feature a new, semi-matte satin finish designed to be worn without top coat.

Push and Shove, a bold chrome hue, is also worn without top coat but requires a special complimentary base coat – Lay Down that Base. One thin coat of Lay Down that Base topped with two thin coats of Push and Shove yields an intense, mirrored finish.

The collection is rounded out with two glossy crème lacquers and one sparkly glitter shade: Hey Baby, I Sing in Color, and In True Stefani Fashion. 

“OPI wanted to create a collection as dramatic, diverse and glamorous as its namesake,” adds Weiss-Fischmann. “With crème and glitter hues, new satin matte texture, a mirrored chrome and SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS, Gwen Stefani by OPI presents the latest in pigments and finishes, while combining elements of haute couture and street fashion.”

    Gwen Stefani by OPI includes the following seven limited edition nail lacquers: Hey Baby, I Sing in Color, Love.Angel.Music.Baby., 4 in the Morning, In True Stefani Fashion, Push and Shove* and Over & Over A-Gwen**. 

Gwen Stefani by OPI nail lacquers contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application. This promotion will be available beginning January 2014 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.

The boxed set including Over & Over A-Gwen and SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS will retail for $14.95 ($18.95 CAN). 

For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!    

*Must be worn with Lay Down that Base, which is complimentary when purchasing Push and Shove  **Sold only in a boxed set including SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS  

OPI Mariah Carey Holiday Winter/Holiday 2013 Collection Preview

OPI Joins Mariah Carey to Launch 18 New Limited Edition Holiday Nail Lacquers

OPI announces the launch of 18 new limited edition holiday nail lacquers inspired by recording artist and international superstar Mariah Carey. This seasonal promotion includes an assortment of red, burgundy, maroon and chocolate brown hues, along with glitter-packed gold, bronze and pearl shades. 

Mariah Carey Holiday also features six new Liquid Sand™ lacquers, ranging from icy blue to frosted pink to sparkling graphite. Each of the Liquid Sand shades showcases OPI’s groundbreaking technology for a textured, matte finish infused with reflective sparkle.    

“Mariah Carey is truly synonomous with the holiday season,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “People around the world listen to her festive, iconic songs – ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ is a personal favorite – and these 18 lacquers evoke the warmth, beauty, energy and positive spirit that’s present in Mariah’s music.  

“This holiday season is all about red, glitter and texture for nails,” adds Weiss-Fischmann. “With 18 shades, there’s a perfect hue for every occasion. The 12 crème and glitter lacquers include classic reds, champagne gold, and warm burgundies, while the six Liquid Sand shades should be worn without top coat for a matte finish in icy, frosted colors.”  

Mariah Carey Holiday includes the following (*Liquid Sand shade):

My Favorite Ornament  

Make this champagne glitter your new personal favorite.     

All I Want for Christmas (is OPI)  

This marvelous maroon is present-ly my top choice.

Cute Little Vixen  

This deep red violet has foxy written all over it. 

  

 

Underneath the Mistletoe  

Is my kiss as spicy-sweet as this candy-apple red?

In My Santa Suit  

This generously pigmented red is worth staying on the “nice” list.  

   

Visions of Love  

I see this rich burgundy in my immediate future.  

  

Warm Me Up  

This spiced coffee hits all the cold spots.    

Wonderous Star  

This gold-flecked shimmer has heavenly shine. 

   

All Sparkly and Gold  

What more can we say...the name says it all.  

  

Sleigh Ride for Two  

There’s only room left for this dark hot chocolate. 

  

 

Ski Slope Sweetie  

This golden pearl is everybunny’s favorite.

    

I Snow You Love Me  

Just like I snow you love this disco light confetti. 

Silent Stars Go By*  

This blush of textured pink has parades of sparkle. 

   

Baby Please Come Home*  

Can’t wait to see you...in this textured and sparkling lilac.

    

Make Him Mine*  

But make this textured glistening rose mine first!

   

It’s Frosty Outside*  

This frosted silver is so icy it’s hot.

   

 

Emotions*  

This dramatic sparkling coal has got me feeling fine.

    

Kiss Me at Midnight*  

It’s time to fall in love with this frosted ice blue.     

Mariah Carey Holiday nail lacquer shades each feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application. Liquid Sand nail lacquers should always be worn without top coat.

Mariah Carey Holiday will be available October 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, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!

Deborah Lippmann Stronger (created with Kelly Clarkson) Fall 2013 Swatches and Review

 Deborah Lippmann Stronger (Created with Kelly Clarkson).

A strongly blue-toned purple jelly base with tons of multicolor, multi-size glitter.  There's round and hex, metallic and holo, rainbow, silver and gold.  Seriously, tons of glitter in here.  The base is nice and sheer so the glitter doesn't get buried, and the jelly texture of it provides a little bit of depth that enhances the sparkle.

The formula on this was chunk-city.  It's very thick, very goopy and there's a huge amount of glitter to complicate things even more.  This color requires the dabbing method of application to get an even layer of glitter.  One trick I use to apply these types of colors is to press down the glitter after each coat.  I wait about two minutes for the polish to set and become tacky, and then I gently pat down the glitter with my fingertip until it's all laying flat.  This polish only needed two coats for opacity, but due to the thickness of it, dry time was long.  Two plus coats of topcoat are required for a smooth, non-textured finish.

The formula is a pain, but the end result is gorgeous.  It is extremely sparkly, so much so that it actually looks like sequins on your nails.  It's thin enough to be used as a layering glitter topcoat (or glitter sandwich), but can also become opaque if you don't mind dabbing the glitter on to create coverage.

It's thick, it's lumpy, it takes a long time to dry, but damn.  It's crazy pretty.

By the way, if you haven't heard the news, Lippmann is back at Sephora (that's where I got mine).  That means you can get all the perks of ordering at Sephora (Beauty Insider points, free shipping, samples, promos) when ordering it now.  Woohoo!

Limited Edition Mariah Carey by OPI Liquid Sand Nail Polish Collection Spring 2013

The Mariah Carey by OPI collection for Spring 2013 is a two-parter: Four 'studio' shades, and four 'stage' shades.  The Stage shades are my favorite part of the collection for one predictable reason: glitter.  Except these aren't just any glitter polishes, they're OPI's brand new Liquid Sand finish, which are glitter polishes meant to be worn without a topcoat to give "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."

I'm a fan of wearing certain glitter polishes without topcoat because of the sparkly sugary look they have, so I was excited to try out these OPI ones.  Here's how they turned out:

OPI Liquid Sand Polish in Can't Let Go.  This is a heavily blue-toned purple base with purple and blue microglitter, medium sized silver hexagon glitter and bumpy, sandy grit.  The base on this one seems just a touch too opaque to let all the glitter shine through, but I think that's the effect they were going for.

 OPI Liquid Sand Polish in Get Your Number.  A sheer cool blue jelly base with opalescent microglitter and small, round hologram glitter.  This one works pretty well both matte and glossy, but it is the sheerest of all the shades.

 OPI Liquid Sand Polish in Stay The Night.  A black creme base with small hot pink glitter and added sandy grit.  I think this one would have more impact if it dried to a less-glossy finish.  It looks good with topcoat, but without it, it just looks like your average lumpy glitter polish.

OPI Liquid Sand Polish in The Impossible.  A bright pink-orange coral jelly base with silver, pink-red, and purple iridescent microglitter, medium silver hexagon glitter and large holographic star glitter. This one is my favorite.  It has lots of depth from the combination of bright jelly base and multiple sizes and colors of glitter, plus it has the added kick of holographic stars to make it even prettier.  I think the 'liquid sand' finish comes across the best on this one as well.  It's matte enough to look sandy when it dries.

Here's how they look with topcoat:

OPI Liquid Sand Polish in Can't Let Go with one coat of topcoat



OPI Liquid Sand Polish in Get Your Number with one coat of topcoat

OPI Liquid Sand Polish in Stay The Night with one coat of topcoat

OPI Liquid Sand Polish in The Impossible with one coat of topcoat

The formula on all of these was great.  They applied smoothly and provided even, streak-free coats with no added effort on my part.  The only part of the formula I didn't like is that they're all somewhat sheer; I needed three coats for each polish to look its best.  Dry time is fast.

What I find strange about these polishes is that each one has some extra grit in it.  It's not all glitter.  There seems to be something in it that looks and feels like actual sand.  Glitter polishes tend to look really gritty on their own without topcoat, but these take it one step farther.  It's most evident in Stay The Night because it looks grittier/bumpier than it should be for the amount of visible glitter and the lumps are smaller than the glitter particles.

Truthfully, I'm not really sold on the Liquid Sand finish just yet.  I think they're too glossy to provide that sparkling matte sandy look that I love.  Get Your Number dries the most matte out of all of them with The Impossible coming in at a close second.  I could add my own matte topcoat to these to enhance the sandy look, but I actually prefer all four shades when worn with topcoat.  I know, defeats the purpose... But, what can I say?  I love shiny, sparkly glitters.

The OPI Mariah Carey Liquid Sand polishes are limited edition.

(This was sent for review.)