The New Black Gets Shamrocked By Dell, But Does Not Wow

Review By Melanie Parker

Timed with the release of the new 2010 Hong Kong Collection by OPI, the Dell Design Studio now offers six of the collection’s shades. The OPI by Dell line was originally launched in November 2009, and the Dell Design Studio is replacing the initial Holiday Collection selections with the new Hong Kong Collection options. There are also 20 classic OPI colors in the permanent collection of color choices for Mini, Inspiron and Studio laptops. The Hong Kong Collection features fun shades in deep orange, jade green, red, berry, purple, and blue.



Just hearing that Jade is the New Black was one of the OPI by Dell colors had me thinking that now was the time to buy a Studio 17 notebook. I imagined getting it for my birthday at the end of March, which coincides with when I usually get a Federal tax refund. However, Mercury being in retrograde and all, my printer broke on a Saturday and my 8-year old Dell tower refused to boot up the following Monday. The time was right to order the new laptop and printer now.

I momentarily thought about ordering the shell in I'm Not Really a Waitress because it is such a fun and classic shade of red. I love the shimmer. But, I went with Jade Is the New Black sight unseen. I'd seen some swatches of the nail lacquer online, and it really did look like a kelly green jade stone or a green onyx. That would make a lovely laptop color. I'd already named my new techno-baby "The Green Machine" and committed to painting my nails with the lucky looking OPI's Jade Is the New Black until my new computer arrived.

Unfortunately, it took a long time for my new techno-baby to get here. The gestation period amounted to about 3 weeks, which is an eternity when you are sans home computer. And then I was at the office during the first delivery attempt and it pained me to have to wait another day. I am not sure what I was more excited about, switching to one of my new Alice In Wonderland holographic OPIs once I got the laptop or the laptop itself. Three weeks is much longer than I like to go with any one nail color, despite how much I do love this shade of green and that it looks good with about 70% of my wardrobe being kelly green, navy, or black.

So, imagine my surprise when I cracked open the box for my new techno-baby and saw what essentially looked like a Shamrock shake swirl on the top. It's much lighter than the polish, and it's a very grainy image. In fact, in the upper-left corner, there is "OPI by Dell Jade is the New Black" in print, and the font looks grainy too. BIG LET DOWN.

The more I look at it, the more it reminds me of that faux green marble finish that was so popular to paint on the walls in the 1990s. I can't even say that it looks like malachite instead of jade. It looks like a vanilla shake getting mixed with some horrid green mint gel at the local malt shop. It's that white veining that makes my stomach churn.

This designer shell was a total waste of $85. I still love the machine with it backlit keyboard, web cam, and extra RAM. It's the "designer" OPI by Dell shell that I could have lived without. I don't even think a vinyl design from etsy.com could save this shell. It would just be contributing to the wrongness to add another layer. It's a good thing I don't have to look at the shell when I am actually using the notebook.

When I posted my disappointment about the color of the shell on Facebook, I got a comment from a friend who said she was disappointed with the Princesses Rule! one that she got. For those who aren't familiar with that color, it's a pink microglitter. Instead of having a glittery or metallic sheen, she said there are white blobs where the glitter is supposed to be. WTF? The flinish of these shades is what makes them unique to OPI. Merely putting a "wet paint" look of a small swatch magnified to 400% and drowning down these glorious hues dismays this nailphile.

If you are interested in ordering a designer shell for your new computer, I suggest trying to find photos or video of the actual product online first. QVC.com has some of the classic colors. The Hong Kong Collection color options are available now for $85 per device. All customizable colors for Dell Mini, Inspiron and Studio laptops are available at www.dell.com/DesignStudio. The newest additions will be retailed first in the U.S. and later in other countries. Select OPI colors will also be available at select Dell retailers nationwide.

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by the reviewer.

Credit: Melanie Parker for Blogdorf Goodman

All I want for Christmas is....A Car in the Shade of MAC's Lavender Whip

This a little snippet from the latest Lucky issue. LA interior designer Laurie March custom designed pillows to match an OPI nail polish.

This made me think of what beauty product I would find design inspiration in. My first impulse was a coat or snuggie in the shade of Lancome's Erika F. I love that eye shadow so much.

But I would love to own a VW bug in the shade of MAC's Lavender Whip.

With fancy rims that glittered like dazzleglasses.

What eyeshadow, lippie or nail polish shade would you like to see recreated into pillows, paint or outerwear? Let us know in the comments!

I'll Take Mine with a Twist
by Melanie Parker

Not too long ago, April would roll around and I would be wishing for a crisp Spring green polish for a pedicure. There weren't too many choices. Now, there are so many that I am no longer self-conscious about wearing green on my tips to a family function or the office. There aren't enough days in the week to get them all in right now! So, I thought I'd review three of my favorites. Each happen to be a different brand, and have a unique twist that is fresh for Spring.

First up is the greenest of the group. This creme polish needs three coats to be totally opaque, but once it gets to that level, Orly Mint Mojito is keeper. It reminds me of several good things, but primarily Martha Stewart's Fire-King collection of Jadeite. But more importantly, it is the exact shade that a lady wore on her toes in an episode of Pushing Daisies in its first season. When that episode aired, beauty boards were all buzzing about what color was used. I had resigned myself to Nubar Green Tea being a candidate, but having worn this, I feel those kooky costumers for TV shows get first dibs on new color stories from all of the professional beauty producers. My quest for "Daisies" green is over and I am content.

The second polish is more of a blue than a green on me, but it's named Essie Greenport and its got a muted, vintage twist on the traditional robin's egg blue. In fact, I wore it with a Tiffany & Co. blue enamel ring, and it nearly matched. So, if you missed out on China Glaze's For Audrey, this Essie might make your day. It' will make a lovely pedi color for a June bride, too.

Lastly, is Sephora by OPI's fantastic new duochrome polish Mermaid to Order. A duochrome finish means that it flashes two different colors depending on the light. I think the overall appearance is a turquoise blue, but I had a lot of trouble deciding if it was blue with green shimmer or vice versa. I feel confident in reporting now that I've worn it in various lighting conditions that it is green with a heavily saturated blue shimmer that glows from within. This polish reminds me a little of NYX Jungle and Sinful Morph Orleans. It's not the most unique duochrome in the world, but it is heavy on the chrome (metallic), and if you like the OPI formula, it is a must-have.

OPI's Tour de Force for Fall
By Melanie Parker

What do Sephora and France have in common in the beauty world right now? It's the mad love bestowed upon them by OPI through exciting nail color collections this season. There are so many new colors to choose from since they've picked France for their Fall collection inspiration and they are offering a new line at Sephora stores.

Sephora by OPI

Sephora has partnered with OPI to offer 54 exclusive polishes online and in their stores. The colors range from girly pink glitters (Shopping Frenzy) to deep autumnal hues (Meet for Drinks). And for any makeup and polish collector, some of the sassy names are enough to drop $9 on a bottle of polish. As with all OPI lines since the Australia collection in 2007, these polishes are Big 3 Free (no DBP, Toluene, and Formaldehyde). Overall, I really do not think these OPI by Sephora polishes are worth more that the regular salon line. I think they would have done better to offer them at a $5 price point. But that may be because the bottle shape reminds me of the Jane polishes I used to buy at the drug store for $1.99. In fact, the ladies of Makeup Alley have nicknamed this collection $OPI instead of typing out Sephora by OPI based on the higher price (which is still half of what a Chanel polish costs). These polishes also have a smaller brush and come shrink wrapped. While I'm glad this prevents the shoppers of Sephora from sampling my goods off of the shelf, the wrapper makes it harder to tell what the true color is. None of this deterred me from trying three of them.


Sephora by OPI Metro Chic was the first color in the line introduced on the Sephora blog, which created a lot of buzz. This smoky plum creme is sophisticated and unusual. It can sometimes appear khaki and other times gray--it's perfect for a rainy day in the city. With the pink tone in my skin, it throws a lot of purple on me. It covered well in 2 coats and dried several shades darker than it appears in the bottle. Since the line launched earlier this month, this color has sold out online twice

Sephora by OPI Run with It! is a fantastic shimmery dove gray. Unlike OPI's Moon Over Mumbai, which is a jelly-finished dove gray introduced in the India collection last Spring, Run with It! is opaque and scintillating. I usually do three thin coats of polish to try to get it true to the bottle color, but Run with It! was thick and covered well in 2 coats. It's hard to describe the sparkles in this. It almost looks like there are both silver and gold flecks. It dries perfectly smooth, but the darker shimmer gives it the look of cement. It's the perfect neutral for those working in the concrete jungle and like to have a non-traditional flair. Readers of the Twilight series might even feel it is inspired by Edward Cullen himself sparkling in the sun like a statue.

Sephora by OPI Brunette on the Internet was not what I had hoped it would be. I've always felt I missed out on the Bobbi Brown Chocolate Cherry polish, so I wanted this to be browner. It's actually a lovely deep red like Lippmann Collection's Just Walk Away Renee. I would have named this one Cherry Chapstick. Of course, OPI probably doesn't want to get sued or pay royalties to Chapstick, but I just don't think it conjures the image of a brunette. Honorable mention goes to the black sparkly Never Enough Shoes, Because I Said So, Mr. Right Now, I'm with Brad, and Queen of Everything. You can peruse these new OPI product offerings at the Sephora Web site: http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P217311&categoryId=RVP. While you are there, check out the Givenchy limited edition blue Dandy Moiré lacquer. It looks edgy and chic, but I'm not quite $15 curious about it yet.

OPI France? Oui Oui!
OPI's line is inspired by France this season. The punny names might make you groan, but over all the subdued color story is a welcome departure from their last few releases. Plums and grays dominate the line. I'll be reviewing four of the new colors.

OPI Parlez-vous OPI? is a smoky violet creme polish. It's brighter than the $OPI Metro Chic, and works especially well on a variety of skin tones. If you like purple, this is the one color from the collection that you have to have.


The sleeper hit of the collection for me personally was OPI Tickle My France-y. In the bottle it may look like coffee with creme, but this shade also has a plum hue to it. It's opaque and elegant, and works well at the office or around the house. It's nearly a doppelganger for my beloved Paul & Joe Nougat polish, which has become hard to find. I actually might like Tickle a wee bit better.


OPI We'll Always Have Paris is a deep dried blood red. It's red enough that you never think it is black, but it just doesn't thrill me. I like Mrs. O'Leary's BBQ and Marooned on the Magnificent Mile from the Chicago collection better.


Lastly, I tried OPI Eiffel for this Color, which is a deep eggplant shimmer. In some light this does look black, but in the sun light the purple hue is unmistakable. I tried to capture that with my photo, but in most lighting conditions it looks darker. It was goopy and streaky, so it requires great patience to apply. I fell in love with OPI Black Cherry Chutney from the India collection earlier this year, and while Eiffel looks very similar to it in the bottle, I prefer Black Cherry Chutney's red tone to this. I do not have a swatch of it, but the most unique color in the collection is OPI You Don't Know Jacques. Not only does it get an honorable mention for the funny name, but it also was brave new territory for OPI. It looks like wet cement mixed with mud. That doesn't sound like something you'd want to wear on your finger tips, but the high gloss creme finish is so elegant that the color comes off as urban and cool. I decided to skip it because I already have butter LONDON Fash Pack, which is another unusual mushroom creme polish. Overall, I'm thrilled to have so many new OPI polish choices this season. Merci, OPI! Tu as bonne mine.

Disclosure: All products mentioned in this review were purchased by the reviewer.

OPI's La Collection De France

Eiffel for this Color: A Wine Shimmer
Baguette Me not: Swirl of Cinnamon
Crepes Suzi-ette: Caramel
Yes..I CanCan!:Jeweled shade of Eggplant
We'll Always Have Paris: Rich Coffee Shade
A Oui Bit of Red: Brilliant Red
I'm Fondue of You: Delicious shade of Chocolate
Bastille My Heart: Glimmer of Rich Burgundy
Tickle my France-y: Naughty shade of Nude
You don't know Jacques!: TAUPE!!!
Parlez-vous OPI: Smoky Violet
Louvre Me Louvre Me Not: Royal Purple

Credits: Blogdorf Goodman and a page ripped out of my nail tech's magazine.

Candy-Coated Nails
By Melanie Parker

I know a guy who's tough, but sweet.
He's so fine, he can't be beat.
He's got everything that I desire
Sets the summer sun on fire

I want candy, I want candy!

This summer there seems to be an abundance of bright, candy-colored goodness available for your nails. My favorite polish of the bunch is Lippmann Collection's I Want Candy, which was actually release last Fall, but is still readily available wherever Lippmann Collection polishes are sold. It's got a beautiful watermelon pink jelly finish. The jelly finish has the translucency of a sheer, but a buildable hue that you can increase the saturation level of by layering. I prefer my jelly polishes to reach full saturation like a cube of Jell-O or in this case, a Fruit Jammers gummi bear, so I used 3 thicker coats of color before a layer of Poshe rapid drying top coat.


The OPI Mod About brights collection features six creme finished shades that capture the fun and edginess of the mod 'invasion' of the 60s. There is a red, pink, orange, yellow, but the two that caught my eye and had to come home with me are the blue and the green.

Dating a Royal is a bight primary blue creme. The first time I wore it, I had no trouble finding prints in my wardrobe that matched it perfectly. It is surprisingly wearable on tips , as well as toes, based on this summer's color palette. Unfortunately, when I was wearing it, a friend pointed out that it reminded him of Cookie Monster, and then I kept thinking how much better my hands would look if I had two chocolate chip cookies to hold in them. Not good for the waist line!

All of this food talk brings me to a fun use for the new OPI Green-which Village, which is a verdant pea green creme polish. I added it to the top of my I Want Candy manicure for the rind, then used the dark brown shimmery Sally Hansen Salon Haute Chocolate for the seeds of this "funky French" manicure. This nail art would probably look better as a pedicure worn to a picnic with a pair of flip flops.

credits: head2toebeauty.com and Melanie Parker. "I Want Candy" lyrics as performed by Bow Wow Wow.

Disclosure: All products mentioned in this review were purchased by the reviewer.

Just Picked for Spring 2008!
By Melanie Parker

Often times I like to focus on nail polish colors that are new, but in this review I will focus on what's right now. Sally Hansen's Salon formula Spring collaboration with designer Tracy Reese is a triumph. Despite the "Salon" name, this brand is available at drug stores for about $6 and features some exceptional colors. Look for free standing displays that are set apart from the other Sally Hansen polishes. My favorite is this rich, jewel-toned jelly finished polish called Sultry Fuchsia. I liked it so much I actually had a matching manicure and pedicure going for a few days--and that rarely happens with so many colors available. The translucent quality of this jelly finish is subtle in this sheen because of the deep pinkish red hue. It's yummy!

Other standouts in this Sally Hansen Salon Spring collection are Tunisian Sand (which is a shimmery neutral shade that looks subdued and sophisticated) and Arabian Night (which is one of the most unique colors I have ever seen in a Sally Hansen polish). Arabian Night's dusty grape-colored base is sprinkled with antique gold-colored speckles. It doesn't work with all skin tones, but if you love shades of violet, it is a must-have. Since the displays for this line only offer two of each color, these three shades are selling fast! There is also a Limited Edition silver foil-finished polish called Sterling out now.

My other pick for right now is OPI's Yoga-ta Get This Blue! I didn't listen to the name and waited a few months after the India collection came out to cave in on this color. Last Fall when the "blue is the new black" nail polish trend hit hard with Chanel's Blue Satin, I got burned out. All of the blues I tried rendered themselves black in most light and made me feel a little self-conscious. However, this OPI is a true cobalt blue shimmer that is distinguishable in any lighting condition. It's a great color for toes this Spring and Summer.

Disclosure: The products featured in this review were purchased by the reviewer.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 12, OPI Nail Polishes by Patti aka Cavewoman

I'm Not Really A Waitress was the very first OPI nail polish that I ever purchased. I was looking for a darkish, reddish shade with some shimmer in it, and I was as charmed by the cute name as I was the color in the bottle. Little did I know at the time, but that first purchase was just the beginning of a long and happy love affair with nail polishes in general, and OPI in particular.
INRAW is supposed to be the best selling, most popular of all OPI colors. It might just be the only nail polish ever to achieve cult status. Launching several theme-based collections a year, plus little mini special collections, and an entire group of pales for brides, OPI has every color you could want or imagine.

But there's a catch. OPI lovers know the catch. They're savvy. Hit the store on the day of the launch, grab what you love, because for many of the colors in these collections, once they're gone, they're gone forever. And then there will be weeping and swapping and high-price-paying and ebay-scouring, trying to find that elusive bottle that escaped your hands (and nails.)

And so I present to the readers of Blogdorf, a little collection of colors from OPI that have been raved and craved.

Starting at the lower left and going around to the lower right, ending with the one in the center:

I'm Not Really A Waitress, the beautiful dark red shimmer that belongs in every nail polish collection. I think this one was from a Hollywood Collection, and now it's part of the regular stock from OPI.

Man Of La Mancha, part of a Broadway Collection of shimmery sheers that came and went in the blink of an eye. It's a pinky-orange color with glitter that appears fuschia.

My Auntie Drinks Chianti, from the Italian Collection, a violet cream.

Mamma Mia, another from the Broadway Collection, appearing pink in the bottle but going on as a sheer peachy-pink with silver shimmer-glitter.

Lovinder, a silver with the most tiny hint of coolness, and silver shimmer. I found it at a nail salon at the mall.

Harlem Hip Hop, a fabulous fuschia cream that covers in one coat and just makes me happy every time I wear it.

Friar Friar Pants On Fire, from the British Collection, a hot, warm-based red with red shimmer. I do not wear this when I am going to spend the day with my priest buddy.

Rent, another from the Broadway Collection, so beautiful in the bottle with its silver shimmer and glitter in a sheer violet base. You can never ever achieve on the nails what you see in the bottle.

Mystic Moonstone, unknown in origin. This silver nail color has both shimmer and big sparkly silver glitter particles. One coat covers the nail completely, and makes it look like car paint. You can feel the grit on the nail after it dries.

I admit I'm as fickle with nail color as I am with perfumes and cosmetics. Most of the time, I use a bottle a few times and then pass it on to my eager granddaughters. Their collection is now bigger than mine is. But these few, well, Grandma is hanging on to these.

Disclosure: All the nail polishes featured in this review were purchased by Cavewoman.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 10 , OPI's I Am Not Really A Waitress by Melanie Parker

In 1999, OPI introduced a shimmering cherry red nail polish called I'm Not Really a Waitress as part of its first Hollywood collection. The company has left its swatch on the beauty products industry with the ever droll and very punny names for its colors, which are always grouped with some sort of theme. However, no other polish has sold as well for the company in more than 25 years.

In fact, when OPI released a coffee table book to celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2006, they named the slick and glossy pictorial I'm Not Really a Waitress and hundreds of other names people can't stop talking about! This books shows how the original ad had a model in a diner waitress uniform with long red nails reading a movie script. But not every one who wears this color wants to be a starlet. It's a cheerful, neutral red that works with most skin tones. It would be a rose by any other name, but this playful ad spoke to beauty consumers by the masses and lead this hue to cult classic status among nail"philes" who affectionately refer to it as INRAW.

Disclosure: All products featured in this review were purchased by Melanie Parker

e-Romance Me!
By Melanie Parker

OPI's new valentine to your nails takes a high-tech twist with the new e-Romance collection. If the adoreable cardboard laptop display at your local salon or beauty supply doesn't draw you in, the cutesy names will. Log in to Love has a classic red shimmer finish. Text Me - Text You is a versatile sheer, holographic top coat that is getting the most buzz for its ability to transform other dark colors with a sparse prismatic twinkle. However, the one I found the most irresistible is Met on the Internet, which is a shimmery bright pink.

Credits: Melanie Parker and OPI

Disclosure: This product was purchased by the reviewer, Melanie Parker

Getting Nailed Poll:Code Blue

I have decided to give OPI's Russian Navy a try!

At first glance this polish appears to be a blue violet purple color.

The first coat is a royal blue with red shimmer.

The 2nd application is a deep and dense sapphire shade.

What nail polish did you choose this week?

Credit: Blogdorf Goodman

Disclosure: I tested this polish at my local nail salon.

Sugared Plums Are Yummy
By Melanie Parker

Fall is the perfect time of year to wear the saturated jewel tones, autumnal oranges, and plum colors of nail lacquer. This Fall I find myself wearing a lot of gray and teal in my wardrobe, and I think a deep plum nail looks great with these tones. I like a little length on my nails, and so the trendy black polish looks a little too much like olives on my fingers and a rich plum is more flattering with my skin tone. OPI has two great shimmering plum polishes: Have You Seen My Limo? and Lincoln Park At Midnight.

The new OPI Have You Seen My Limo? from the Holiday 2007 Hollywood collection is a great sparkling, sugared plum color. It has a slight duochrome effect in that it flashes silver and green. The shimmer almost gives the polish a frosty effect, but the finish does not leave brush strokes like a typical frost. I am very pleased with the complexity and finish of this shade. I really prefer it to any other dark purple polishes I have owned, including CHANEL Cobra. It's a terrific shade and I like OPI's Prowide™ brush, too. It is ranked in my top 10 polishes of all time.

OPI Lincoln Park at Midnight is another delightful deep shimmering plum polish. It does not have a duochrome effect and it is a little deeper hue, but I think it is an elegant alternative to the blacks and deep grays that have been so popular in nail color for the past year. Lincoln Park at Midnight was a follow-up on OPI's Chicago collection, in which a vampy plum creme called Lincoln Park After Dark was a best seller. Lincoln Park at Midnight is "After Dark's" lighter and easier to wear cousin. It looks sexy and sophisticated without being overtly Goth.

Credits: Melanie Parker

Disclosure: All products mentioned in this review were purchased by Melanie Parker

Lights, Cameras, Action! from OPI for the Holidays
by Melanie Parker

Duochromes, which are lacquers that reveal two distinctly different hues depending on how the light strikes them, headline OPI's latest collection. There are two warm and two cool toned colors that I had to try from the OPI Holiday In Hollywood Dazzling Darks & Neutrals collection.

Like most duochromes, Wine Me & Dine Me is hard to photograph. It's initial reviews sparked comparison to one of OPI's best duochrome polishes of all time –– La Boheme. However, this one doesn't have the berry red in the base or the strong green flashing that makes La Boheme so unique. This one is just throwing an amber flash, which translates to a russet color on me. And the last thing I want is rusty looking nails in the season of so many complimentary blues and purples that work much better with pinkish hue in my skin tone.

I'd Like To Thank... is the most neutral hue of the duochromes and is sure to win a lot of fans. It's peach with a pink flashing and has a microglittery finish. Again, it's a little too warm for me, so the peach and pink read like mecurachrome on my hands. Orly has a polish called Take a Chance, which is a little deeper. It's like a peach iced tea with green flashing. I like Orly Take a Chance better than I'd Like to Thank... for a neutral duochrome.

My Big Break is my favorite of the bunch. It's a lovely lilac hue that flashes silver and reminds me of a microglittery version of one of my favorite OPIs of all time –– Octoberberry Fest.

Lastly, I tested Have You Seen My Limo?, which is a deep grape that ever so slightly flashes pink and silver. I think this is what OPI needs to add more of to their line up. The vampy colors are what they are known for, so it is time to step out with more duochromes and holographic finishes in these tones.

There are also a gold (Hollywood Blonde), a silver (Stars in My Eyes), as well as another deep plum (Who Are You Wearing?) in this collection that just didn't catch me as being that unique from others that I have. 8ty8beauty.com has been sending these little OPI promotional Hollywood diva stuffed pigs in as packing material, but they aren't guaranteed.

OPI simultaneously released a series of 6 crimson hues for an OPI Holiday In Hollywood Glamour Reds Collection. My pick of that litter is Pretty at the Premiere. It looks like a shimmering deep red Christmas ribbon.

Disclosure: The products reviewed in this post have bene purchased by Melanie Parker.

Sheer Madness

By Melanie Parker

With the temperatures on the rise, I have been drawn to skimpier clothes and sheer polishes. I don't do well in the heat and humidity, so this time of year brings out a minimalist streak in me. I thought with so much focus on the jewel tones coming in nails for Fall, I would change it up a bit and focus on some sheers that I think are in right now.

As previously mentioned in the Jelly Roll article, translucent nail colors are a big trend. So, I was thrilled to come across Nars Ulta Violet. In the bottle it looks like deep ruby red stained glass. On the nails, not so much... Even with three coats of color, it just looked like a sheer lavender gray. If I had to name this polish without having seen the fabulousness of it in the bottle, I would call it The Corpse Has Familiar Nails. I'm not really sure what coloring this polish would lend itself to since I usually like lavender and gray toned polishes like OPI Wyatt Earple Purple and Lovinder with my skintone.


But let's focus on the good. I have 2 favorite sheer pinks. For an opaque crème pink wash on the nails, I love the hue of Color Club's How Sweet It Is. This is a pretty, girly pink that I like to wear on my tips and on my toes with sexy shoes. I usually like a strong, bold pedicure, but there is nothing like a delicate sheer toe polish with a sexy patent leather peep toe or strappy shoe, in my opinion. I think Color Club polishes go on exceptionally smooth and last just as long as any of the other salon formula polishes. This picture was also an experiment I did by having my nail tech square off my nails. Hated it!

My other favorite sheer pink is OPI's Who Needs a Prince. I originally coveted this polish for the name, but in truth, this is the perfect light sheer pink shimmer. It flashes a brighter pink shimmer in the sunlight, but it looks very subtle. OPI I'm Yours is a color twin for Who Needs a Prince?, so if you are looking for a sheer pink with just a little bit o' shimmer, either color will do nicely.

In order to wear sheers, I find that using a ridgefiller as a base coat is imperative to avoid streakiness or the yellow of polish stains from showing through. The Orly Ridgefiller is a smoothing primer basecoat that looks white in the bottle, but dries fairly sheer. Whether your nails have ridges or not, this is an important step. One coat of this base, 2 to 3 coats of sheer color, and a quick drying top coat like Poshe or Sally Hansen Insta-Dri and you have a chic and subtle summer manicure or pedicure in less than 10 minutes.

Disclosure: These products were purchased by the reviewer, Melanie Parker.

OPI's Russian Collection ad in Nail Pro Magazine

For more incredible shots and a fabulous review visit All Lacquered Up.
http://www.alllacqueredup.com/2007/06/opi-russian-collection-swatches.html

My lemming list so far is:
Boris and Natasha
Catherine The Grape
An Affair in Red Square
Midnight in Moscow
Russian Navy: A gorgeous shimmery navy shade Siberian Nights

Credits: Nail Pro