I mentioned it the other day, but holy shizballs OPI has a lot of cool stuff coming out for Christmas. I’m quite fortunate that I get the full OPI and Nicole by OPI catalogue because of The Nail File Shop and when it landed on my desk I immediately started making lists (and checking them twice, a la Santa Claus).
Here’s a quick run down of the must haves…
More after the cut…
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All the news that’s fit to print…(or be summarised into bite size pieces for a Friday)
MAC Cosmetics has just officially announced the Daphne Guinness for MAC Collection, hitting shelves on January 2, 2012. There are three polishes in the collection and, when asked about her favourite pieces in the collection, Guinness says “I’m quite proud of the Hyperion Nail Lacquer. It resembles this almost grey, steely light that is pure Whistler from the 1890s when he still had fog in the paintings. The shade is so beautiful and it also reminds me of a celadon-coloured antique Chinese porcelain vase.” How could not want that on your nails?! There are three colours – Hyperion Light, a grey blue green (crème), Endless Night Pale, grey pink with iridescent pearl (frost), and Blueblood Deep, eggplant (crème). All polishes will be $22.
Chicago artist Dzine has produced Nailed, a 232-page hardcover book, that recounts the history of nail adornment and documents contemporary nail art around the world. A selection of commissioned photographers captured nail artists, clientele, and salon owners in their respective cities, culminating with images by Kai Regan of Dzine’s wearable sculptural nails. In Nailed, the artist delves into the more intimate realm of body decoration, celebrating the once underground, now burgeoning nail art movement. Nailed will be available exclusively through The Standard shops and shopthestandard.com from December 1, 2011 to February 1, 2012 and distributed internationally by D.A.P. thereafter (where I will promptly track one down and buy it for my coffee table). Will be $45US, no international price yet. To get a sneak peek of the book, click here.
The countdown is on over at Nicole by OPI for the Kardashian Kolours Kollection to hit shelves on December 1st. It looks like I will have at least half of the collection over on The Nail File Shop, although possibly not all 14. If you have any special requests, please let me know. They will make amazing Christmas gifts.
Speaking of Christmas, OPI have gone over-the-top with some amazing gift sets this Christmas. I’ll have a full round up on Monday for you, but you can pretty much stuff every stocking under the sun with polish this year.
One last piece of polish purchase news – the new Nicole by OPI Texture polishes have been added to The Nail File Shop this week – my favourite is the gold!
It’s time to play the music, it’s time to light the lights…
This post has been a long time coming for two reasons. One, swatching glitter nail polish is a bitch. Some of these polishes are so hard to get off that you’re better off just cutting off your fingers and hoping new ones grow back. Two, I had been so excited about this collection, and built it up for so long, that I reluctantly admit I was mildly disappointed. I swatched 6 of the 12 polishes, and I’ll tell you what I think as we go (which is usually how blog posts work, no? Well done, me)
Designer De Better is a metallic champagne with flecks of bronze through it. Probably the most suitable for everyday wear, this paints on really well, two coats gives perfect coverage, and it’s nice and smooth. Dynamite.
Taken in sunlight
When I say coming soon, I mean early next year. Like…February. But it’s always good to know what’s coming so you can start saving your pennies (my birthday is February, so this is my wishlist taken care of!)
The Dutch Collection is OPI’s Spring 2012 offering. It’s a biggun’, with 12 colours. By the looks of it, they are all cremes or cremes with metallic finishes, although there could be a couple of sorbets in there.
More than anything, I LOVE the names. Did You Hear About Van Gogh? Gouda Gouda Two Shoes. Kiss Me On My Tulips. Genius!! Putting it out there – my dream job is naming OPI nail polishes.
As soon as I have more details I’ll let you know, but they will be the usual $19.95 from David Jones.
Considering the amount of new nail polishes that slide across my desk every week, it takes a lot to surprise me. I’ll tell you what though, consider my tiara blown off by the Miss Universe collection from OPI. Three of these colours are in my top ten polishes of the year, for sure.
I showed you Crown Me Already! last week, which is an insane silver glitter with chunks in three different sizes. Total bitch to get off, but bitchin’ on. The other three colours are just as good, with equally amusing names…
I have the whole OPI Miss Universe collection and I’m going to post all the swatches, but I’m so enamoured with Crown Me Already that I think it deserves its own post.
Taken in artificial light
If I have said it once, I have said it 100 times – OPI mini sets are the bees knees for trying out a bunch of colours without the commitment of a full bottle. Plus, they’re really cute.
I have to admit I wasn’t totally enamoured with the OPI Touring America collection – I love a grey as much as the next person, but it was all a bit drab for me. That said, the mini collection is a great sampler for this collection, with the four best colours highlighted and available for miniature consumption (although I Eat Mainely Lobster is a pretty fantastic colour that missed the boat – buy a full size of that one).
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We’re just two weeks away from September, which means we’re about to be inundated with pink ribbon products for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a cause near and dear to my heart. I will always happily support any brand who genuinely donates their profits or a percentage to this cause, and this includes OPI.
Get amongst it!
For the 7th year, OPI are silver sponsors of the National Breast Cancer Foundation, and 100% of profits from the sale of this years limited edition Pink Shatter are going to be donated to this great cause.
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Nothing ruins the thrill of a fresh manicure faster than a chipped nail. To make sure you get the most out of your DIY mani, I hassled some of Australia’s best experts for answers. Thank me later.
Jane Wales is a Sydney-based freelance manicurist, currently based out of MODBOD in Woollahra, who has been operating her mobile service for nine years. She has built a reputation as one of the best in Sydney, with A-list clientele and A-list service to match. Karon McKendrick-Taylor is a celebrity amongst nail fans and beauty editors alike. As OPI’s education manager, she has seen every technique, tried every colour and painted probably upwards of a million fingers (I’m guessing here, but it sounds about right).
The first question I had to ask is what causes nail polish to chip. Jane pinpoints polish being applied on an oily nail base, applying the polish too thick, and not using a base and top coat on every application. Karon says the usual cause of this happening is when your natural nail bends and the lacquer does not. This means there is separation between the nail and colour, and it breaks away. So…that’s a lot of ways to fall over at the first hurdle. Preparation, people!!
Ewww!
If you want to prevent chips, Karon recommends that you get your nails in good condition. This involves things like pushing back cuticles and cleaning the surface of the nail. Use a soft buff, not a high shine buff, as high shine leaves the nail too smooth. Cuticle oil that penetrates the skin and nourishes the nail from the inside out will also help in terms of having healthy nails (stayed tuned next week for a round up of my favourite cuticle oils). Wiping over the nail with either antiseptic or polish remover (non-oily) to remove dirt and dust before applying base coat means it will hold a lot better. Also, just using a base coat full stop. Karon likes to use a nail strengthener such as OPI Nail Envy, with Hydrolyzed Protein, Calcium and Vitamin E.
As for the colour, Karon recommends applying 2 coats of your favourite lacquer shade, not too thin, not to thick, and finishing off with a top coat - this is a must as it aids in the sealing of the layers and adds to the overall flexability. Jane advises clients that reapplying top coat every two days helps extend the life of your mani and keeps it not only shiny but strong.
If your nails need a bit of a boost, Karon suggests looking at your diet – there might be a need for a supplement such as silica.
Something I always get is asked is whether expensive polish is really better quality when it comes to lasting longer, so I put it to the experts. It all comes down to the formula, with Jane suggesting that the more expensive brands don’t necessarily mean they are better, but if you use a good quality brand the chances are the ingredients will be better for your nails. The colours are better and the removal is easier, as there are less chemicals are used – it’s definitely worth making yourself familiar with some of the major ingredients of polish if you’re investing (although chemical names can be intimidating). The brands Jane favours are CHANEL, YSL, OPI, ESSIE and ZOYA. Karon seconds this sentiment, saying it’s all about the formula. It’s a balancing act of the different resins used for shine, bond, durability and flex-ability, and she goes professional where she can. She also points to the fact that professional brands like OPI invest heavily in research and ongoing quality control, to produce the best product possible.
There you have it. If you learn nothing else, make sure you’ve got a base coat and top coat handy next time you sit down to paint your nails and watch TV. If you have other questions you want expert answers for, hit me up on Twitter, Facebook, or leave a comment below.
Screw winter, seriously. I have been afflicted with that dreaded winter disease, pineapple-hands. This occurs quite often in winter, when the skin gets so dry it feels like you have two whole pineapples (skin on) at the end of your arms. Rough.
I have hand cream stashed all over the house/in the car/in my handbag to help fight the dreaded pineapple-hands, and these are a few of my current favourites.
