OPI I'm All Ears & Nothin' Mousie 'bout It

Hello everybody! I hope you all had a great weekend! Today I have I'm All Ears from OPI's Vintage Minnie Mouse collection for you, which is being released in June. This is the standout of the collection for me. I'm All Ears is a STUNNING pink glass fleck polish that seems to have a jelly-like finish as well. I will never get sick of this type of polish... the formula was awesome; I used three coats for maximum shimmer.

Here it is with Nothin' Mousie 'bout It over top. Like I said in my previous post, I did have an issue with getting the hearts out of the bottle, but I was prepared for it and was patient so it wasn't that bad. These colors together are so cute and girly and perfect for a Minnie-themed collection. Which ones are you eyeing up?

*Product(s) in this post were provided by the company for an honest review.*

OPI The Color of Minnie & Nothin' Mousie 'bout It

Let me preface this post by telling you all (if you didn't know already) that I am a HUGE Disney freak, so I was really excited when I found out that OPI was doing a Minnie Mouse collection! The Vintage Minnie Mouse collection consists of four shades total, three colors and a heart glitter topcoat and will be available for purchase in June. When the press photos first came out, I violently hoped that the glitter was Mickey-head-shaped, but alas, it is just hearts. It fits nicely with the collection, but Mickey-shaped glitter would have really sent it over the top, in a good way of course. I'll keep dreaming! :P

I don't have the light pink of the collection to show you since I didn't think it would agree with my skin tone, so I'll be splitting up the other two shades into two separate posts. Today I'll be showing you The Color of Minnie, which is a gorgeous pearly red. The formula was great and it was opaque in two easy coats.

And here we have The Color of Minnie with two coats of Nothin' Mousie 'bout It. Nothin' Mousie 'bout It consists of heart glitter and small, almost glass-fleck-like shimmer particles. I had a hard time getting the heart glitter out of the bottle and onto my nail, but I found that turning the bottle upside down for a little while before I used it made it easier to fish the hearts out. The shimmer is really spectacular though; it adds so much sparkle and dimension to the base color! 

*Product(s) in this post were provided by the company for an honest review.*

OPI Call Me Gwen-ever

Here is the other shade from OPI's Amazing Spiderman collection that I was able to swatch and review for you all, Call Me Gwen-ever. Fair warning, this photographed WAY too vibrant and red-toned on the nail. Realistically, it looks more like the bottle color in the photos.

The formula on Call Me Gwen-ever was absolutely perfect; I've found that the OPI Pro-wide brush is actually growing on me too...weird. I did two coats for full opacity and I was so surprised at how much I loved it. Maybe it's because it has a teensy bit of coral in it? At any rate, this is an orange I can get behind 100%.

*The product in this post was provided by the company for an honesty review.*

OPI Just Spotted the Lizard

Hello and happy Monday everyone! ;) Today I have one of the colors from OPI's new "The Amazing Spiderman" collection for you called Just Spotted the Lizard. I'm not typically a fan of duochrome polishes, but this one is really stunning! Just Spotted the Lizard is a metallic duochrome shade that shifts between gold and a yellow-y green. It's not quite as shifty on the nail as you can see in the bottle, but I still think it's full of awesome.

I used three coats for these photos and they were effortless! I noticed brush strokes when I was applying each coat, but they went away for the most part as each coat dried. I'm really loving how reflective this polish is. It's not a color I would typically wear, but the finish makes it something I want to grab for when I'm feeling flashy :P

 

 *The product in this post was provided by the company for an honest review.*

1,000 Follower Giveaway Winners!

Good morning everyone! I'm posting to announce the winners of my 1,000 Follower Giveaway. Out of 2,262 entries, Dominique R. and Daneisha L. are the winners! Congratulations! I've sent them both an e-mail and if I don't hear back from them in 48 hours, I will choose a new winner(s) accordingly. Thank you all for following and entering! :)

Zoya Elodie & China Glaze White Cap

I love this combination! I had forgotten what a good layering polish China Glaze White Cap is and when I got Zoya Elodie from a swap, I knew I had to try them together. This is 3 coats of Elodie and 1 coat of White Cap on top. It reminds me of a juicy, coral-colored version of China Glaze Strawberry Fields.

Layla Retro Pink

Good morning! Here is the other polish that I received from Harlow & Co. to review, Layla Retro Pink. If you're looking for a good pink holo, go pick up Retro Pink; it has a super strong holographic effect on the nail and is a very flattering shade of pink.

The only thing that sucks about Retro Pink is the application. Like many other holos, it's tricky to apply. I have a cheap aqua base that I used underneath it and it didn't help at all. It dragged and was spotty and I ended up using around 5 coats to get it looking good. It's possible that a better quality aqua base would fix those issues though.

And before I go, here's one last angle of the pretty holo-ness for you all to enjoy :)  

*Product(s) in this post were provided by the company/retailer for an honest review.*

Barry M Cobalt Blue

You guys know that I'm a sucker for blue, so it shouldn't shock you that I love this one! Katie from Harlow & Co. sent me Barry M Cobalt Blue to swatch and review for her, as well as a Layla holo that will be posted on Wednesday! Cobalt Blue is a gorgeous (you guessed it!) cobalt blue. It is absolutely stunning to look at and the application was great, too. I used two coats for the photos below.

Although Cobalt Blue was stunning on it's own, I quickly decided that I wanted to layer something over it to kick it up just one more notch. I ultimately decided to sponge a glitter gradient from my cuticles with OPI Absolutely Alice. SO glad I did... it was so beautiful!! I've had Absolutely Alice for a while now and haven't even worn it before this. I figured some sponging would be the perfect way to wear it but not use up a ton of the preciousssss.

*Product(s) in this post were provided by the company/retailer for an honest review*

Girly Bits Promise Me & Stormy Skies

You guys should be well aware by now of how awesome Girly Bits polishes are. Pam truly creates some awesome nail polish! If you are interested in ordering Girly Bits polishes, you can do so on her blog or on Llarowe!

Up first today is Girly Bits Promise Me. Pam's daughter is a singer and she named this polish after a song on her first album. If you buy this polish, you get a free download of the song! How cool is that? Promise Me is a pretty light pink with silver shimmer and larger silver glitter pieces. I need three coats for it to be opaque, but you could probably layer this over another pink too.

Stormy Skies is a grayed out blue with green and gold micro-glitter. I used three coats for opacity here as well. I love blue polishes and this one is beautiful! You should definitely check this out if you're into grays or blues.

*Product(s) in this post were provided by the company/retailer for an honest review*

China Glaze Smoke and Ashes

Here is the last of my Hunger Games polishes: Smoke and Ashes. This is a dark green, almost black, base with green shimmer. Smoke and Ashes is very edgy and has a great formula; I used two coats here. This actually reminds me of a darker version of China Glaze Glittering Garland from their last holiday collection, which I also loved. Sorry for not getting these swatches done earlier, but you should still be able to find the Hunger Games collection easily! :)

China Glaze Stone Cold

Here's the surprise of the Hunger Games collection: a matte! And wow, what a matte it is! Stone Cold may just be one of the best mattes I've ever used. It's a charcoal base with tons of silvery shimmer that looks awesome both matte and glossy. Here it is matte:

And here it is glossy... I really don't know if I could pick a favorite finish for this one. They are both incredibly gorgeous! Oh, and by the way, this was two super easy coats.

800 Follower Giveaway Winner!

Good morning everyone! I'm posting again today to announce the winner of my 800 Follower Giveaway. Out of 1,868 entries, Leann F. is the winner! Congratulations! I've sent Leann an e-mail and if I don't hear back from her in 48 hours, I will choose a new winner. Thank you all for following and entering and make sure you enter my 1,000 Follower Giveaway for another chance to win some awesome prizes! :D

EDIT:
I have not heard back from the first winner within 48 hours, so I have chosen and e-mailed another winner:

Lu A.! 

China Glaze Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon is the perfect name for this polish! Amber waves of grain? Yeah, the imagery is abundant with this one. Harvest Moon is a gorgeous, coppery-amber metallic. I could have left this at two coats, but I did three out of habit. This is one insanely sparkly and reflective polish!

China Glaze Fast Track

Up next in my Hunger Games collection swatch-fest is China Glaze Fast Track. Fast Track is a light tan/beige full of big, golden shimmer. I did three coats here and I'm really not sure how much it flatters my skin-tone, but I'll be wearing it anyway because it's just too gorgeous to let go!

EOS Smooth Sphere Lip Balm Review

Hey everybody! Today I have a non-nail-related (but still awesome!) review for you. I am a lip balm freak and I absolutely love cool little lip balms so I was super happy that EOS agreed to send me some to review on my blog. EOS Smooth Spheres are gluten, paraben, petrolatum, and phthalate-free, in addition to being 95% organic and 100% natural. And they're so dang cute!

I received the Honeysuckle Honeydew, Lemon Drop (SPF 15), and Sweet Mint scents to review. All of these scents were awesome! I love anything lemon, so that was an obvious win, but Honeysuckle Honeydew was my surprise favorite. While these lip balms smell awesome, they aren't overly-scented; they have a fairly strong scent when you first apply them, but it fades quickly and isn't overpowering.

These little spheres also have a great consistency. They are so smooth on your lips and they last a long time! Plus, Lemon Drop has an SPF of 15 to protect your lips from the sun.  I also love that they don't come in the typical tube packaging. I've noticed that the spheres really grab people's attention and interest whenever I use them in public. They can, however, be a bit difficult or uncomfortable to fit in your pocket. This isn't an issue for me though because I always carry a purse, so I just toss them in there!

You can buy these Smooth Spheres and other EOS products on their online store, or in stores such as CVS, Walmart, Target, Walgreen's and Rite Aid. They retail for 3.29 and are SO worth it! Do you own any of these already? What are your favorite scents?

*The product(s) in this post were provided by the company for a completely honest review.*

China Glaze Riveting

I had a request to review China Glaze Riveting from the Hunger Games collection, so here it is! I also finally got around to swatching the rest of the Hunger Games polishes that I bought, so I'll be posting those soon! 

I knew when I did my Girl On Fire mani that Riveting was an awesome polish, but I seriously cannot believe I waited so long to wear it on it's own! Riveting is a gorgeous sunset orange shade that is absolutely packed with gold shimmer. I did three quick and easy coats here just to make sure that my nail line wasn't visible. You're going to want to do your eyeballs a favor and click to enlarge these photos! ;)

I also wanted to mention this: if you are interested in the earrings I am giving away for my 1,000 follower giveaway, I can make you a custom pair with any of the polishes in my stash list (located under the Polish List tab above). Just shoot me an e-mail at thenailnetwork@hotmail.com and let me know what color(s) you'd like and I will set up a reserved Etsy listing for you!!

1,000 Follower Giveaway!!!

WOW, you guys are awesome! Seriously, I cannot believe 1,000 followers came so fast! In honor of The Nail Network reaching 1,000 followers today, I have put together a little giveaway to show my appreciation of all my readers, old and new! There will be two different prizes and therefore two different winners for this giveaway. Please make sure to check out the terms and conditions at the bottom of the Rafflecopter widget! Thank you again and may the odds be ever in your favor!

Prize #1 is a brand new bottle of the hard-to-find OPI Catch Me In Your Net and a pair of handmade (by me!) stud earrings using OPI DS Original and a dark purple.

Prize #2 is a brand new bottle of the limited edition Cult Nails Toxic Seaweed and a pair of handmade (by me!) stud earrings using OPI DS Shimmer and Zoya Ali (neon pink holo FTW!).

Zoya Beach Water Marble

So have you figured out yet that I'm obsessed with water marbling? I don't even mind cleaning up the mess anymore! For this mani, I used four of the new colors from the Zoya Beach collection, Lara, Arizona, Tracie, and Wednesday. I am so in love with these colors that it's not even funny. They look so tropical together and are absolutely perfect for summer!

Here's a photo of my right hand for you... Oddly enough, it's very hard to me to pose my dominant hand nicely. Weird, huh? Anyway, I think I'm getting much better at getting a similar design on every finger. I was very, very happy with how these turned out and even more happy that Zoyas are so great for water marbling!

 Edited to add a video tutorial, please enjoy!!

OPI The Amazing Spiderman Press Release

OPI Celebrates Sony Pictures’ “The Amazing Spider-Man” with Limited Edition Nail Lacquers

            OPI announces the launch of six limited edition nail lacquers and a new Shatter, inspired by Sony Pictures’ The Amazing Spider-Man.  With an all-star cast including Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, this highly-anticipated series reboot opens in theaters nationwide in 3D on July 3, 2012. 

 “OPI is so excited to work with Sony Pictures in welcoming Spider-Man back on the big screen,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director.  “This film explores a new chapter in the Spider-Man legacy that’s going to be both dark and sexy. The colors created for this promotion capture the movie’s exciting atmosphere, with standout shades like the deep shimmering blue Into the Night and the metallic golden green Just Spotted the Lizard.”

The film villain’s reptilian look can be replicated with a high-fashion twist by using the new deep green shimmer Shatter coat.  Shatter the Scales is inspired by graffiti art and works when painted over any dry OPI hue. Adding top coat takes Shatter the Scales from matte to glossy in seconds.

The line features six nail lacquers in addition to Shatter the Scales, ranging from white, coral and pink to mood-setting hues of blue, nickel and yellow-green:

Your Web or Mine?
The perfect pink for sticky situations.

Into the Night
This perfect midnight blue was made for prowling.  

Call Me Gwen-ever
Girlfriend, be sure to pick up when this urgent coral calls.

Just Spotted the Lizard
Be seen in this reptilian yellow-green.

My Boyfriend Scales Walls
Climb new heights with this cityscape white.

Number One Nemesis
Show your metal in this sparkling nickel.

As with all OPI nail lacquers, these shades inspired by The Amazing Spider-Man contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application.

This limited edition promotion will be available beginning May 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!

ABOUT OPI

As the world leader in the professional nail care industry, OPI is committed to providing high-quality products and services to both salons and their customers, along with a focus on industry safety and innovation. Known for its exceptional formula, fashionable colors and iconic names, OPI’s heavily-pigmented lacquers are super rich, long-lasting and chip-resistant – offering an affordable luxury to consumers. OPI nail lacquer is available in over 200 shades and contains no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde. Each lacquer features OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application. Currently, OPI is available in over 100 countries and retails a full line of professional items, including nail treatments, finishing products, lotions, manicure/pedicure products, files, tools, gels and acrylics.

OPI Vintage Minnie Mouse Press Release

OPI Announces New Limited Edition Minnie Mouse-Inspired, Nail Lacquers

            OPI launches Vintage Minnie Mouse, including four limited edition nail lacquers, for summer. Created in honor of Disney’s beloved character, the colors encapsulate Minnie Mouse’s irresistible charm in playful, pretty shades of pink and red. 

 “OPI is so excited to collaborate with Disney and draw inspiration from one of the world’s most popular characters,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director.  “This collection brings together the expertise of OPI and the iconic style of Minnie Mouse to inspire the distinct palette of vibrant, feminine shades for summer Nails will pop against summer skin in these classic, saturated hues – holding their own alongside the bold prints of the season.”

The line features a pink crème lacquer, one frosted red shade, a shimmery fuchsia, and a heart glitter confetti:

Nothin’ Mousie ‘bout It
Don’t squeak it – SHOUT IT! This confetti light pink is tops!

I’m All Ears
Tell me how much you love this magenta shimmer.

If You Moust You Moust
You gotta pink what you gotta pink.

The Color of Minnie
You had this little mouse at “red.”

As with all OPI nail lacquers, Vintage Minnie Mouse by OPI contains no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and features OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application.

This limited edition promotion will be available beginning June 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!

ABOUT OPI

As the world leader in the professional nail care industry, OPI is committed to providing high-quality products and services to both salons and their customers, along with a focus on industry safety and innovation. Known for its exceptional formula, fashionable colors and iconic names, OPI’s heavily-pigmented lacquers are super rich, long-lasting and chip-resistant – offering an affordable luxury to consumers. OPI nail lacquer is available in over 200 shades and contains no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde. Each lacquer features OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application. Currently, OPI is available in over 100 countries and retails a full line of professional items, including nail treatments, finishing products, lotions, manicure/pedicure products, files, tools, gels and acrylics.

Zoya Surf Collection Review

I just want to give you all a fair warning: get out your wallets and open up a tab with Zoya's website because this collection is amazing and you are going to want it! The formula on all of these was absolutely perfect; they all required two easy coats for complete opacity and I was really surprised at how fast they dried.

Myrta was one of the colors that I was most excited for. A coral/orange foil? How could I not love that? I'm happy to say that it did not disappoint! It's more of a red-toned orange/coral and would look incredible as a summer pedi. 

Meg has a really strong foil effect, as opposed to just looking like it's packed with shimmer. It's a bit of a lighter tone than it photographed, think more along the lines of Zoya Apple, but with small instead of large shimmer particles. I like Meg much better than I liked Tracie in the Beach collection. 

Up next is Rory, a light pink foil metallic. Rory has a lot of silver shimmer in it; you can see in the bottle that it really competes with the pink. Not one of my favorites of the collection, but still very pretty and appropriate for summer.

Kimber is one of my sleeper favorites! I had no idea that it was going to be so gorgeous! Kimber has a strawberry/raspberry colored base with golden shimmer in it. I wouldn't consider this one a foil metallic, just a shimmer, but man, it's just so beautiful! Reminds me of China Glaze Strawberry Fields, but the formula was a million times better. 

Carly is another one that totally blew me away when I started applying it. For once, you can even see in the photo just how sparkly and glowing it is! Purple is my weakness and I have no doubt in my mind that I will be wearing Carly often. I thought from the preview pics that Carly would end up being way too dark for a summer collection, but seeing it in person, I totally accept it as a summer color.

Lastly, we have Zuza. I swatched Zuza last because I planned on wearing it as a full mani and I was so happy with it. This was the other color from Surf that I was most excited to see in person and just like Myrta, it did not disappoint. I even made a set of earrings and a ring out of it before I even wore it! Zuza is a gorgeous faded turquoise foil metallic shade with what appears to be silver and slightly green shimmer. If I had to pick one color to epitomize Surf, it would be Zuza.

So, which shades from Surf will you be picking up? My top picks are Zuza, Kimber, Carly, and Myrta.

*The product(s) in this post were provided by the company for my honest review.*