OPI - My Boyfriend Scales Walls

Has it really been over three months? The answer is yes! What have I been doing? 

Well, I've been job-hunting, double-dutching, roller skating, watching my weight and just living life.  My nails as you can see are now nubbins but I still like them.

I must tell you, though, I have missed blogging and thought I'd try one of my many untrieds from OPI's Summer 2012 selection. Now on with my Q&D review...

Color Description - The pale gray-blue (almost white) My Boyfriend Scales Walls (MBSW) from The Amazing Spiderman Collection is crisp and fresh. I think this will look great on most complexions!

Similar To - MBSW has been compared to OPI's Alpine White. Not close, in my opinion, and is pretty stand-alone.

Price Point/Availability - This collection became available May 2012 and was limited edition.  You should still be able to find it at your local salon/store.  Retails for $8.50 + tax.

Thank You! - Thanks so much for hanging out and hanging around! I am so humbled to have you all still here and will see you in the very near future...

Essie - Bazooka

Right in line with Pantone's Color of the Year for 2012, Essie Bazooka is bright and bold and, interestingly enough, very wearable when compared with other neons.  Bazooka hails from Essie's 2012 Poppy Razzi collection, as did, Action (my previous post).


Color Description: Bazooka is a bright orange translucent creme lacquer bordering on a jelly finish.  Again, it is not outlandish and can be very wearable in a fun setting.


Similar To: Bazooka reminds, in some ways of, Sinful Colors Big Daddy.  However, Big Daddy has a bit more red in it.


This Look: One coat of Starting Over After Artificials, two coats of Bazooka, and one coat of Sally Hansen's Mega Shine.


Price Point/Availability: Available now in your local drugstores and salons for a suggested retail price of $8.00.

(http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonliebigstuff/)

When trying to figure out where its name came from, I came across Bazooka bubble gum in the flavor Juicy Orange and the nail polish is the same color as the package.  Coincidence? Probably, but coincidences intrigue me.  This bubble gum was popular in the 80's and 90's. I remember Bazooka but not the Juicy Orange flavored kind.


So what do you think?  Would you wear this color?  Or, better yet, have you ever eaten Orange Juice flavored Bazooka bubble gum?

Essie - Action

Today we have Essie Action from their neon collection - Poppy Razzi, which makes me want to go to the grocery store and pick up a nice big box of Creamsicles!  Very reminiscent of  a hot summer day waiting for the ice cream truck to come my way...

Color Description: Described by Essie as a vivid and wild tangerine, Action is definitely in the citrus family.  As you can see from the picture, it's light and creamy in the bottle but a bit darker and translucent on the nail.

Similar To:  Essie says, Action isn't "your 80's neon" because it has a "new generation of fluorescent pigments" so it's unique to others that may seem similar including L.A. Colors Color Craze in Shock (see Nightly Nails swatch of Shock here) which I thought was an exact dupe - no-go!  Shock is definitely more yellow than orange.

This Look:  One coat of OPI Acrylic Nail base coat, three coats of Action (and I still have VNL - yikes!) and one coat of Nutra Nail Ultra Shine topcoat. (Side Note: I've switched up my base and topcoat. I do this occasionally when swatching and don't plan to wear a lacquer very long).

Price Point/Availability:  The Poppy Razzi collection is popping up at my local CVS and Salon locations.  You may also be able to find this at Bed, Bath and Beyond.  Retail price is $8.00.

Well, what do you thing of Essie's fluorescent offering? While it is a fun color that conjures up memories of my childhood, I think the formula could have been better (i.e. somewhat difficult application). 


It looks like they're trying out a new formula that needs a few wrinkles ironed out.  Good thing I was given this lacquer to try by a friend.  We'll see if the next one is any better - I will be reviewing Essie Bazooka next...

OPI - I Vant To Be A-Lone Star

I'm attending a wedding tomorrow and will be wearing a yellow/gray floral dress and this color was calling my name. I Vant To Be A-Lone Star is from OPI Texas Collection (Spring/Summer 2011). 


After doing a little sleuthing, it appears that the name of this lacquer comes from a famous Greta Garbo quote from the movie The Grand Hotel. 


Wikipedia states that Garbo saying, "I want to be alone..." became so popular that "in 2005 it was voted the 30th most memorable movie quote of all time." I guess there is something to these collection names, after all.


Description: Isn't she lovely? On my skin tone this shows up as a creamy gray frost (EDIT: definitely a pearl finish not frost) with blue undertones but OPI describes it as a starry-silvery blue.  Whatever the case may be it will look good on anyone!

Similar To: China Glaze Sea Spray is almost a dupe for this out of my collection. It is also said to be very similar in hue to Essie Sag Harbor.


This Look: One coat of Starting Over After Artificials, two coats of I Vant To Be A-Lone Star, and one coat of Shine & Hold topcoat.


Price Point/Availability: You can still find this lacquer at some salons and online retailer for up to $8.50.


Have a great weekend everyone!

Sinful Colors - Big Daddy

Well my darlings, feast your eyes on, what is being promoted for Spring 2012 as Pantone's Color of The Year! Pantone is calling it Tangerine Tango but what you see on my nails is a lovely Sinful Colors lacquer named Big Daddy.

Color Description: Big Daddy is reddish-orange jelly and is not an uncommon shade to get your hands on.

Similar To:  Big Daddy has been touted as an exact dupe for OPI's A Good Mandarin Is Hard To Find by a fellow blogger at  I Like Socks (click here to see comparison post) and I would have to agree from her pics.  Other lacquers that will keep you on trend this spring would bee Essie Meet Me At Sunset and of course Pantone's collaborating collection Sephora's Tangerine Tango.

Price Point/Availability: The Sinful Colors line can be found at Walgreens and retails for $1.99.

Described by Pantone as a "provocative and enticing juicy orange", it's said to be "a vivacious and appealing refresher to enliven anyone's outlook this Spring" and I concur!

Kleancolor - Funky Yellow

Whoooo! Can you say bright? Well, today is a rather cold and dreary Tuesday here in Southern California, so I decided to brighten things up a bit with this bold lacquer from Kleancolor - Funky Yellow.  


I should also mention that I'm housebound (without wheels) today so this is the perfect color to wear inside - p.s. I don't think I'll be sporting this look for the public, but you can be sure that bold and daring celebrities rock this color all the time; everyone from Seal to Rihanna have been spotted with this look.


Color Description:  Neon (aka highlighter) yellow creme.


Similar To:  There are many colors like this on the market but this one is by far the least expensive.  Perfect for a lacquer that more than likely won't be worn much.


This Look:  One coat of Instant Artificials, three coats of Funky Yellow and one coat of Shine and Hold.  Note: Two coats were totally opaque but had balding in certain spots, thus the third coat.


Price Point/Availability:  If you can find these in a local beauty supply, that's your best bet; I've seen them for as low as $1.00. They are also available at Kleancolor's website for $3.49 (+ an $8 shipping charge - yikes!).


Would you wear this color or is it too avant garde?  Have a great evening and take care of yourselves. :)

Revlon - Cherries In The Snow

Revlon Cherries In The Snow has been a cult classic since the 50's and is still going strong!  I had a special assembly to attend on Sunday and this was my lacquer of choice.  Vivid and elegant and just perfect for the occasion.


Color Description: Photographing here as a classic red creme, Cherries In The Snow is anything but.  Yes, in certain lighting it definitely is what you see on the screen but in the bottle and at first glance, it's a blue-based dark red bordering on fuchsia. 


Similar To: This the same color as my previous post, OPI Do You Think I'm Tex-y!  The major difference is the finish with OPI being a jelly/sorbet (needing about 3 coats) and Revlon ending up a nice one-coat creme.


This Look: One coat of Starting Over After Artificials, two coats (because I wanted two not because I needed two) of Cherries In The Snow and one coat of Shine & Hold topcoat.

Click to expand and read for a good giggle!

Price Point/Availability: As mentioned earlier, this lacquer's been around since the 50's and it doesn't look like it's going anywhere.  You can find this wherever Revlon is sold retailing at $4 -$5/ea.


If you choose to pick up this beauty you will not be disappointed and thanks for stopping by!

OPI - Do You Think I'm Tex-y?

Do You Think I'm Tex-y (DYTIT) is from OPI's 2011 Texas Collection and this nail look was inspired by Revlon's Cherries in The Snow lipstick.  It's a new lipstick to me but a cult classic since the 1950's for many.  Isn't it intriguing?


Color Description: I would categorize this lacquer in the raspberry/cherry family as it is a deep pink-red that contains blue undertones.  OPI described it as "a berry" sorbet (jelly) and I concur.


Similar To: Can't wait to get my hands on Revlon's lacquer Cherries In The Snow because even though one is a jelly (DYTIT) and one is a creme (CITS), I believe them to be just about the same color.  Also, I compared it to a vintage Sally Hansen that I own Tropical Rose Creme these are the same, as well.


This Look: One coat of Starting Over After Artificials, one coat of OPI Acrylic Nail Base Coat, three coats of DYTIT, and one coat of Sally Hansen Mega Shine, totaling 7 coats of lacquer! 


Price Point/Availability: Texas Collection by OPI is available at Professional Salons, JCPenney and Ulta, for $8.50 suggested retail.


What finish do you prefer? Jelly, creme, glitter, crackle, holographic? Personally, I'm actually starting to like cremes more than jellies for opacity but you can't beat the shine that a jelly lacquer offers.  A certain yummy-factor like no other. :)

China Glaze - Oxygen

Oxygen is from China Glaze's 2007 Creme Couture collection and is literally a "breath of fresh air" on the nails. Want to wear white and not look like you have liquid paper correctional fluid on your nails?  Well China Glaze's Oxygen is worth a try!


Color Description: This lacquer is an off-whtite that has a clean (almost jelly) creme finish. It looks like milk on the nails and has a slight pink undertone but no where near as pink as OPI's Bubble Bath.


Similar To: In my opinion, Oxygen is very similar (at least, in the bottle) to OPI Time-less Is More. Both are gorgeous and timeless and classic and sophisticated and A MUST HAVE!


This Look: One coat of Instant Artificials, three coats of Oxygen and one coat of Sally Hansen Mega Shine.


Price Point/Availability:  It looks like this has been included in China Glaze's core line of lacquers so you can find Oxygen at most retailers.  The price point is around $5.00.


Do you wear white on your nails?  If not, would you ever try it? If so, this is a good starting point. :)

Pink Wednesday: Cheri - Spring Mauve

,

I wore Spring Mauve for a week and just took it off!  What a lovely off-brand lacquer I've stumbled upon. 


Color Description: Spring Mauve is a lovely lavender based hot pink with a secret shimmer to die for.  The secret shimmer is what pull lavender and makes this lacquer extra shiny.


Similar To: What came to mind first was Wet N Wild's How I Met Your Magenta but they're totally different in the bottle.  So, I don't have anything to compare Spring Mauve to, really.


This Look: One coat of Instant Artificials, two coats of Spring Mauve and one coat of Sally Hansen's Mega Shine.


Price Point: I believe this color is discontinued but the Cheri brand is sold online for $2.00/ea.  What a bargain!  I truly believe that with a great base and top coat any lacquer can be a lasting beauty...


I sincerely hope you liked this look as much as I did!  It's taking me longer and longer to change my polish lately because I'm in love with the spring colors.  Hope to have a few more looks for you this month and again enjoy you Spring to the fullest.


p.s.  I'm actually looking for an opaque lipstick in this color - any ideas let me know (lol)...