30 Days of Blues for Autism Awareness - Nicole by OPI "Baby" Blue

Today is Day 28 in the "30 Days of Blues"...

This is Nicole by OPI "Baby" Blue, a light blue, as the base color.  I then topped Baby Blue with a coat of Nicole by OPI Rich in Spirit, a silvery-blue foil, on my tips.  I then stamped a design using BundleMonster plate B39 and Konad Black Special Polish.  

Sorry so short today, but I have a gazillion things to do.  Plus, it's one of those rare days where I'm just not feeling very wordy.  

Thank you so much for reading my "30 Days" posts.  Just 2 days left.  As always, you can email me at megan@apolishproblem with any suggestions, questions, or comments.

30 Days of Blues for Autism Awareness - Zoya Wednesday

Today is Day 15 in my "30 Days of Blues".  Part me is so happy I am half-way through with my 30 Day challenge.  That part includes my blue-stained nails.  LOL.  And yet another part of me is going to miss it when it's over.  I think even after this month is over, I am still going to have "Blue Mondays" every week.  

Anyway, today's blue is a relatively new addition to my collection.  I reviewed this polish when I reviewed Zoya's summer collection, but 1. because I got some flack for my swatches, and 2. it's just a freaking awesome color, I wanted to re-visit it...

I realize this is another color with which I may be stretching the definition of "blue", but hey... Zoya calls this one aquamarine, and aquamarines are blue stones, so that's good enough for me.  :P

This is 2 coats of Zoya Wednesday that I topped with one coat of Nicole by OPI Make a Comet-ment (a fine, holographic glitter top coat) on my tips.  I also added a stamp below Make a Comet-ment using Konad White Special polish and the floral design from BundleMonster plate BM04. 

Zoya Wednesday is available at Zoya.com and Nicole by OPI Make a Comet-ment is a Target exclusive, but as it's still on Target's website, I'm assuming that it's in the regular line-up and is still available in-store.

Nicole by OPI I Love You Cherry Much

When I posted my review of this collection yesterday, I was very unsatisfied with my pictures.  However, as soon as I finished my review, I put I Love You Cherry Much on my nails as a full mani, so I wanted to share that picture, as I feel it's MUCH better.

After I've gotten a chance to wear this color as a full mani, I must say that I really love it.  It's also completely unique.  Yes, it's a glass fleck shimmer (a la China Glaze Summer Days) and yes, it also has a metallic element (like the shimmers from OPI Burlesque), but the finish on this is what truly sets it apart.  It was hard to capture with the camera, but this one dries to an almost-satin finish.  That allows the shimmer to become "trapped" (like it is when you put a matte top coat over a shimmer or a glitter), and gives the shimmer much more depth.  Again, that's one of those things that just couldn't be captured with a digicam.  If you like bright, pink-based reds, I would totall give this one a look-see, as it is gorgeous!  Also, in my swatch yesterday, I used 3 coats, and in my full mani, I only used 2.  I do have a bit more VNLs in this one, but they aren't that noticeable. 

Like I mentioned yesterday, these are available at Target now (or at least they are at mine).  And, like most of the other Target-exclusive NOPIs, I am assuming this will also be available at Target.com (though I don't see it now).  Retail is $7.04. 

Nicole By OPI Something About Color Target Exclusive collection Review (Fall Colors)

Back in March, I showed you the Nicole by OPI Spring Target exclusives.  Well, they have come out with 4 additions to this collection for Fall 2011. 

FYI, I got a new camera, a Canon SD1400IS, and I am still trying to work out some growing pains, so I'm sorry if these pictures are sub-par.

Cherry Much In Love - bright cherry red, glass flecked shimmer.  This one is beautiful.  The base was a little jelly-ish, so the glass flecks kind of suspended in the base.  I had no issues with application and the formula, was great, though a little thin.  Three coats

Green Up Your Act - dusty, greyed olive creme.  I struggled with this one.  I swear, I swatched it twice and took a gazillion pictures and I still wasn't satisfied.  The color is definitely unique.  It's not a traditional camo green, or an olive green for that matter, it seemed to have a lot of blue/grey in the base.  It also had a dustiness to it.  I struggled with the formula, as it seemed a bit goopy to me.  Picture is 3 coats, and I had an issue with drag, so it looks lumpy in places.

It's Not Me, It's Blue - Grey/blue metallic shimmer base with purple microshimmer.  This one is amazing.  I saw it at my local Target, and I immediately fell in love.  I promply came home and put it on my nails.  It's very similar to Sounds Grape to Me, it terms of formula and finish, and it feels almost like a foil.  It also has a beautiful purple shimmer that will pop when you turn your hand (there is also some golden shimmer, as well).  The formula was thin, so I did have to use 3 coats, but they dried quickly, so no issues.  Also, this picture was taken with my old camera, so that's why it seems a bit different.

Sounds Grape to Me - Deep purple/burgundy shimmer base with golden shimmer particles.  This one was very reminiscent of OPI Tease-y Does It or Zoya Valerie, but unlike Tease-y Does It, this one didn't seem muddy.  I think this one is my favorite of the 4.  The color is practically mesmerizing.  Formula was good and it reached opacity at 2 coats.

All in all, I like this little addition to Nicole by OPI's Target collection.  Green Up Your Act does seem to be the odd duck, but those of you that like dusty, ugly-pretty colors, will love it.  Also, and this may just be because my were press samples, but only Green Up Your Act had Nicole's new brush, and that's perfectly fine with me.  However, if you are a fan of their new brush, be sure to check your bottles at Target to see if they have them.

These are at Target now and retail for around $7 each.

these were sent to me for review

Nicole by OPI One Less Lonely Girl Collection pt. 2

Nicole by OPI has followed up their very successful first collaboration with Justin Beiber with a second set of polishes (and I hear there is a third set in the works).

"Baby" Blue - light blue creme.  This one is probably my favorite of the collection.  Usually pale/light blues have a tendency to give me red-hands.  This one does not.  It's a beautiful lighter blue, which isn't in the pale or baby blue category (despite the name).  This one had a great formula, but due to brush issues, I had to do 3 coats in places.

I'm a Beleiber - dusty purple creme.  I thought this one was going to be pretty straightforward, but once I added the third coat, the red in the base came out.  The formula was thin, but manageable.  3 coats.

I've Got Beiber Fever - deep Tyrolean purple with blue, red, and purple shimmer.  This one is beautiful, if not completely unique.  I especially love it on my short nails.  Good formula, but at 2 coats, it was spotty in places, so I had to do a third coat.

Make U Smile - bright, multi-sized silver glitter in a clear base.  I'm showing this one over I'm a Belieber.  This one is a really nice top coat.  You could do a 1000 coats and never be able to reach full-coverage, but it is very nice to add some sparkle over a base color.  This one would also look nice to create a "glittered tips" look.  This is 2 coats over the base color.

My Lifesaver - light minty green.  I've already shown you My Lifesaver in the review of the first Justin Beiber collection (it was included in the press samples for that collection), but I thought it deserved a second look.  Mint greens, with rare exceptions give me red-hands.  This is one of those exceptions.  It's reminds me of wintergreen mints.  Perfect formula.  2 coats.

Not a Gold Bigger - Bright golden foily metallic with silver and golden shimmer particles.  This one reminds me of OPI Glitzerland, though it's not a dupe.  Golds and I rarely get along, though I love them in theory, but this one actually looked nice with my skintone.  Aside from the name, which I feel is beyond stupid, I like this one.  Formula was spotty.  3 coats.

One Time Lime - Bright spring green creme.  This one is such a beautiful green.  The color saturation is fantastic.  As we are in the middle of spring, this one reminds me of all the bright green leaves.  Formula was thin.  3 coats.

Redy To Runaway Love - bright red creme.  Okay, so this one isn't at all unique, but it is a fantastic red creme.  Perfect formula.  2 coats.

All in all, I think this one was another winner for Nicole by OPI.  The colors are very nice, and there isn't one of them that I don't like.

One thing I don't like?  Nicole by OPI's new brush.  They still haven't worked out the kinks and it's moppy and hard to handle and not consistent from bottle to bottle.  Hopefully that will improve.

These are still available at drugstores and big boxes.  Nicoles are usually in the $7-8 range.

These were sent to me for review

Comparison: Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow vs Nicole by OPI Brilliant Idea

In yesterday's review post, I mentioned that Nicole by OPI Brilliant Idea reminded me of Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow, so I figured I'd do a quick comparison for you (and for me. LOL).

I also mentioned a few days ago that I wore Nubar Honeysuckle with Boom Boom Pow on the tips and got tons of compliments, so I wanted to show you that look as well.  Well, I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone.  :P

This is Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow on my middle finger and pinkie and NOPI Brilliant Idea on my ring finger.

Tonally, though the NOPI is very green in the bottle, once you get it on the nail, especially layered, it really does look like a golden polish, so it's very similar to Boom Boom Pow.  The differences are that the NOPI has a thicker base which is tinted (the Lippmann base is clear, but full of gold dust) and the hexagonal glitter in the Lippmann is larger.  It's easier to layer with the Lippmann as there is no way you are gonna get that puppy opaque.  That's not the case with the NOPI, so while you can do 3 coats with the Lippmann, you can only do 1, possibly 2, with the NOPI.  Also, Brillant Idea doesn't contain the gold dust that Boom Boom Pow does, so it's lacking a bit of the brilliance, but again... it's still very close.

Honestly, if you are lemming Boom Boom Pow and just can't fork over $20 for a glitter topcoat, definitely consider picking up Brilliant Idea.  It's not identical by any means, but it's very similar and will probably kill the lemming, and I'm saying this as someone that LOVES Boom Boom Pow.  Plus, it's 13 bucks cheaper.  Cheaper is better.  :D

As for the look of Boom Boom Pow over Honeysuckle, I am love with this, and it's my new favorite thing to do with Deborah Lippmann's hexagonal glitters.  I'm actually planning more as I type this.

Nicole by OPI Brilliant Idea and Nubar Honeysuckle were sent to me for review.  Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow was purchased by me.

Nicole by OPI Something About Spring Collection - Pt. 2 (Glitters)

Yesterday, I showed you the first 9 polishes of this collection.  Tonight, I bring you the remaining 3 polishes in the collection, all of which are glitters.  

Brilliant Idea - golden-green mulit-sized glitter in a tonal clear base.  In the bottle, this one is definitely green. However, on the nail, it turned much more golden.  It actually reminded me of Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow once it was on the nail.  This one is jammed packed with glitter.  I was able to reach opacity in 3 coats, something I didn't think would be possible one I saw it in the bottle.  

Make a Comet-ment - holo micro-glitter in a clear base.  This one seems pretty straightforward... a holo glitter top coat.  However, it's actually pretty unique in that it there is tons of micro-glitter in the base, and after 3 coats, your nail is so covered in glitter that you could get away with wearing this alone.  You can, of course, layer this, but you don't have to, which is great.  The application on this one was fantastic.  Also, unlike the other 2 glitters in this collection, the finish on this one is very smooth without topcoat.  3 coats.

Nicole's Nickel - hematite grey, multi-sized glitter in a tonal clear base.  Remember in yesterday's post where I said that one of these glitters was amazing?  Well, this was the one I was talking about.  It's so beautiful and incredibly unique.  It almost looks like you have marcasite on your nails.  This one, like Brilliant Idea is packed with glitter.  It was almost opaque in 2 coats, but completely so in 3.  This is one of my favorites of the collection.  Gorgeous!

Honestly, I wanted to mentioned that I did these separately because they are glitters and glitters in general are a PITA to swatch, but these were remarkably stress free.  They removed extremely well.

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I love these.  Love.  Nicole's Nickel is FANTASTIC.  Seriously.  If you get two from this collection, get I'm a Pool for Your Love and Nicole's Nickel.  Hands down.  Again, these are available at Target and Target.com.

These were sent to me for review

Nicole by OPI Something About Spring Collection - Pt.1 (Shimmers and Cremes)

Recently, I received Nicole by OPI's Something About Spring collection for review.  I had received the press release a couple weeks ago, and I was immediately intrigued by several of the colors, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on them.  :)  This collection is exclusively sold at Target and Target.com.  This collection is pretty much divided into 3 groups... shimmers, cremes, and glitters.  Today, I have for you the largest group, the shimmers, and the 2 cremes in the collection.  Tomorrow, I should have the remainder of the collection.

First up... the cremes.

Daffy Dill - Bright lime green creme.  This is a very pretty lime green in that it doesn't lean too yellow.  It reminds me of the Fiercely Fiona and Who the Shrek Are You? from last summer's Shrek Forever After collection, but it didn't seem quite as bold as those two.  Don't get me wrong... it's definitely in your face, but it's not day-glow.  IRL, this is one of my favorite colors.  I remember having a t-shirt this color that I wore into the ground.  LOL.  So it makes me smile, it's just a little too bold for me to wear everyday.  Application was fine, though I had to do 3 coats to reach full opacity.

Pink. Seriously. - Bright, blue-based, medium-toned pink creme.  This one isn't crazy unique, by any means, but it's so pretty.  Really pretty.  Seriously, pun intended, I think it's become one of my favorite pink cremes.  Most of my favorite pinks leans to the warm side of the color (which is an anomaly for my pink skintone), but this one is definitely blue-based, and I really like it with my skin.  I can see me wearing this one quite a bit.  Application on this one was perfect.  Pic is 2 coats.

Next is the shimmers, which themselves can be broken down into 2 categories... metallics and jelly(ish) based shimmers.

Sea How Far You Can Go - Champagne metallic shimmer.  This one was a bit of an odd duck to try and describe.  It's a bit champagne, a bit grey, and a bit taupe.  It almost reminded me of Color Club Snakeskin without the frostiness.  This is one of the 2 metallic shimmers.  Formula was fine, but it was thin (which you want to achieve a nice depth to the shimmer).  It took 4 coats to reach opacity.

Shell Me the Truth - Pale shell pink metallic base with golden shimmer.  This is the second metallic based polish in the collection and truth be told, it was a total surprise.  At first, I thought it was going to be your standard shimmery shell pink.  Then I put it on and was blown away by the amount of gold shimmer in this one.  It's overtakes the pink base, but not in a bad way.  This one reminded me somewhat of China Glaze Pink Rox-E, but unlike that one, this one I actually like.  Thing is, pinks with golden shimmer, rarely work on my skin.  This one does.  I love it, and think it's definitely one of my favorites of the collection.  Again, thin formula, but not unworkable.  4 coats.

Dandy Lion - Goldenrod jelly base with tonal shimmer.  This one has so much shimmer that it almost looks like a metallic.  It's not.  It's a jelly base that suspends the shimmer.  I really like the concept on this one, but I'm not a huge fan of the goldenrod color.  It's beautiful, but just doesn't work with my skin.  Thin formula to allow for buildable shimmer.  4 coats.

Pink-Nic in the Park - Pink jelly-ish base with pink tonal shimmer.  This one is so pretty.  It does have a slight purple color shift, but it's not a true duochrome.  I kept thinking, while I swatched it, that you pink-girls are gonna love this one.  It's so pretty for spring and would look great with navy.  Pic is 4 coats, but it was thin and buildable.

These next three shimmers are quite similar while being different colors.  They all have jelly bases and are packed with pink, blue, and purple shimmer.  FYI... I wanted to mention that while I call these and the 2 above "jellies", they are not what I consider *true* jellies because they are able to reach opacity.  However, they had the same "squishiness" of a jelly.  The were kinda similar to OPI's new sorbet finish, just they had shimmer. HTH.

Iceberg Lotus - Green-teal with pink, blue, and purple micro-shimmer.  Okay, first up... I have to mention that my picture on both this one and You're S-teal the One are not color accurate.  I tried, but my little camera just couldn't handle 'em.  :P  Honestly, if you want to see a good idea of this color... look below.  That picture is very similar to the true color of this one.  It's a really pretty green/blue shimmer (that leans more green that blue).  Like the other colors, this one was thin and buildable.  3 coats.

You're S-teal the One - Cerulean blue shimmer with pink, blue, and purple micro-shimmer.  Again... not color accurate.  It's definitely more blue than my picture shows.  It's a beautiful blue that leans a bit teal.  Pic is 3 coats.  The bottle pic on the Target website is actually very close to this one, though perhaps a bit too blue.

I'm a Pool for Your Love - deep purple jelly with blue, pink, and purple micro-shimmer.  Okay, if you are a fan of purple... run... don't walk to Target and pick this up NOW.  I knew I would love this one as soon as I saw the press release and I was not mistaken.  It's absolutely amazing.  The base is a beautiful, vampy, deep purple jelly, but what sets it apart is the gorgeous shimmer.  It practically floats in the base.  If you love purple... you need it.  Enough said.  3 coats.

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All in all, I like what I've seen so far.  I do think some of the names are a bit silly, but that's neither here nor there.  I still have to swatch the glitters, and there is one that I think is amazing, but for my money... I'm a Pool for Your Love is where it's at.  It is so fantastic.  Like Top 20 fantastic!  I've always thought of Nicole by OPI as OPI's little sister with the not-as-good colors and the funky bottles, but they are really stepping it up.  I know they've recently changed brush designs, and as I had a few straw hairs, I think they are still ironing out those kinks, but aside from that... I think these colors are all a step in the right direction, which is giving Nicole by OPI even-footing with her big sister.    

Again, these are Target exclusives and only available in Target stores and on their website.  They are in the $7 range.

These were sent to me for review

Nicole by OPI Liquid Metals

Hi all, I'm so sorry to have such a delay in picture posts, but sometimes my crazy life gets in the way.  LOL.  Anyway, I still OPI Katy Perry to show you as well as Zoya Intimate (both of which should be up by early next week), but for right now, I have the Nicole by OPI Liquid Metals collection.

Liquid Metals is another small collection by Nicole by OPI.  When I first read the press release info regarding this collection, I have to admit that I wasn't terribly excited by it.  Honestly, the descriptions reminded me of China Glaze's Spring 2009 Romantiques collection.  Which if you don't know, Romantiques was a collection of 12 frosty metallic polishes.  They are pretty and perfect for konadding, but given the recent influx of frosts, I was a little wary about another frost-based collection.

Turns out... I needn't be worried.  :)  FYI... As the finish on all these is identical (the only difference is the color), I'm going to post pics and color descriptions first and then I'm going to run my mouth (fingers?) later.

It Starts With Me - pink-champagne metallic shimmer.

Miss Independent - Pale pink-lavender metallic shimmer.

Rich In Spirit - Icy pale blue-green metallic shimmer.

The Next CEO - Pale gold metallic shimmer.

As you can see... they aren't frosts.  Rather, they are shimmer metallics, much like the Orly Foil FX collection from last year.  The difference being between Liquid Metals and Foil FX is that this collection doesn't have as bright of a foily finish to the polishes.  Because of the this, the colors are much less bright and more toned-down.  I must say, I prefer this.  While It Starts With Me and The Next CEO aren't too terribly original in color, they do take a different spin on rose-gold and gold metallic polishes, respectively.  On the other hand, Miss Independent and Rich In Spirit, seem pretty unique to me (which means off the top of my head, I can't think of anything dupey).  I'm absolutely in love with both of these polishes.  Purpley-pink metallic and silvery blue-green metallic?  Come on... you had me at hello.  LOL.  They are both my must-haves in this collection.

From what I can recall (I took these over a week ago), I pretty sure these are all 3 coats each.  IIRC, they went on a little thin.

Nicole by OPI is available at big boxes, drug stores, and Ulta, and from what I gather this isn't an exclusive collection, so they should be pretty easy to find.  Nicoles are usually $7-8.

These were sent to me for review

Nicole by OPI Walmart Exclusives

It seems that there have been a flurry of Nicole/OPI new releases lately.  I still have OPI Katy Perry to review and one more new Nicole collection (the name escapes me right now).  Plus, there is OPI Texas coming out next month.  OPI has been busy little bees.  :)

Today I have for you a small, Walmart-exclusive Nicole by OPI collection.  As far as I know, it doesn't have a specific collection name.

Count on Me - Opalescent shimmer topcoat.  This one is predominately purple, though there are flashes of pink and blue.  Though I have none to compare, it reminds me of the CND Effects.  This one is very pretty, and probably my favorite of this small collection.  This is 2 coats on naked nails, though this is great for layering (see below), or even as a top coat over a french mani.  

Got Style? - Frosty, shimmery, brown-mauve metallic.  I am not a hard person to please.  Really.  I'm not.  But this polish just didn't work for me.  It's just too frosty.  It reminds me of OPI Kimono'ver here (which I lemmed forever only to discover I hated it).  All that said... I know my mom will love this.  So, if you like frosts and you are looking for a brown-pink, this might be right up your alley.  2 coats.

He's a Keeper - Red creme.  This one is a shade or two darker than what I consider a classic red (in my mind, that's a true, pin-up red), but it's still very pretty.  But, it's a red creme, still.  Nice, but nothing to write home about.  2 coats.  

He's a Keeper layered under Count on Me - As a light purple gloss over a bright red lipstick is one of my favorite combinations ever, I wondered what a light purple sparkle topcoat would look like over this red creme.  Turns out... it really works.  

Never Give Up - Bright fuchsia frost with holo micro glitter.  This one was so pretty in the bottle, but it just didn't work on the nail.  The frosty base is too dense for the glitter (kinda like CC Ms. Hautie).  2 coats

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Count on Me was the star of the show, as far as I'm concerned.  He's a Keeper was nice, but safe.  The two other polishes in this collection, Got Style? and Never Give Up were just too frosty for me.  

This collection is available at Walmart.  

These were sent to me for review.

Nicole by OPI One Less Lonely Girl Collection

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard about this collection, which was a collaboration with Justin Beiber (or at least with his handlers).  

Now, I know very little about Justin Beiber.  I know he's the latest teen phenom.  I know his fans have a tendency to be a little rabid.  I know his hair drives me batshit, and I know I'm older than his mom :\ (yeah, that was a kick in the pants).  However, I do know that this collection, which could have become very gimmicky, actually turned out pretty cool. 

Supposedly, all these polishes have names inspired by his songs.  I think I know of one Justin Beiber song, the one with Usher that has me singing "baby, baby, baby, oh" all day long, so the names seem a little foreign to me, but other than that (which is the gimmicky part), the collection is rather solid.

Give Me the 1st Dance - Silver foil metallic.  Pretty standard, but this one is a little different in that the silver is a little muted.  It's not a matte by any means, but it's not as flashy, as say, Orly Shine.  Formula was very nice.  2 coats.  

Me + Blue - Marine blue shimmer base with holo micro-glitter.  When I first saw this one in the bottle, it probably was the one I was the least excited about.  For one, it reminded me of a Fingerpaints glitter, which looked beautiful in the bottle, but was a total fail on the nail.  Secondly, the base is a little frosty, so I was a little afraid of this being like Color Club Ms. Hautie, with the glitter getting lost in the base.  Surprisingly, this polish far surpassed my low expectations.  The base is very dense, so it was opaque in 2 coats.  Also, while it is a bit frosty, it's also not a problem.  Formula was great as well.  

My Lifesaver - Blue-based mint green creme.  This one wasn't in the original PR info from Nicole, so it was a complete surprise, and probably my favorite of the collection.  It's a minty green (actually, probably more of a seafoam green) that actually works with my skin.  Formula was a bit on the thin side.  Pic is 3 coats.  

OMB! - True-red foil metallic.  This one really reminded me of the foil metallics in OPI's Holiday 2010 Burlesque collection, and probably it's closest match would by OPI Ali's Big Break.  However, whereas Ali's Big Break was a candy apple red, OMB! is more of a true red, or even a tomato red (I know my picture leans it a bit pink, but there is no pink in it).  This one is absolutely gorgeous.  3 coats.

One Less Lonely Glitter - Multi-sized, silvery-lavender, round glitter in a clear base.  As soon as I put this on my nails, I fell in love.  I absolutely love the color and different sizes in this glitter.  3 coats.

Prized Possession Purple - Tyrian purple shimmer with red and blue micro-shimmer.  This one is practically radiant in the bottle.  However, on the nail, it's a bit of a disappointment.  The color is still beautiful, but the formula lacks something to be desired.  I had quite a bit of trouble with drag (as show on my ring finger).  Pic is 2+ coats, meaning I tried for a third, but I had so much trouble with drag, I just gave up.  

Step 2 the Beat of My Heart - Holo micro-glitter and large hologram hearts (silver/pink/purple) in a thick clear base.  Oh how Nicole loves her big-piece glitters.  Me?  I find them to be mesmerizing in the bottle, but a total PITA to apply.  You have to place the big hearts and that has a tendency to make the clear base lumpy, and then if you try to smooth it out, you will move the hearts.  That said, I think this is a really pretty look.  I think this would look beautiful over the silver foil in this collection, Give Me the 1st Dance, or even over the top of a french mani (funky or otherwise).  Of course, as it's hearts, it's perfect for Valentine's Day.

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All in all, like I mentioned above, I think this is a great collection.  Yeah, the fact that it's Justin Beiber may turn some people off (or OTOH, it may make some people buy it just because), but aside from Prized Possession Purple all the colors were winners, IMO, and even that one was a pretty color, just annoying formula.  

These bottles come with little hang-tags that stated "in support of Pencils of Promise.  Join Justin and PoP to build 100 schools around the world".  However, there's no additional info.  I searched Pencils of Promise's website and Justin Beiber's website, but I didn't find any information to how this collection directly helps with this cause.  Though I did find information stating that Justin Beiber is a regular contributor to PoP.  

Also, as stated on the bottle, Nicole by OPI has a new brush.  It's almost a cross between the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri brush and OPI's own ProWide Brush.  I like it in concept, but as it's still new, it seems that they have a few kinks to work out.  Some of them were perfect and then some of them were cut so wonky, it made application really tricky.  Let's hope this is something that will work itself out with future releases.

From what I understand, this collection started off last month as a Walmart exclusive and should be headed to ULTA and Target next month.  Nicole by OPI retails in the $7-$8 range.  

These were sent to me for review

Nicole by OPI Holiday Magic

Hi all, I hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving (in the US) and a safe and happy Thursday (everywhere else).  :)

Today, I have for you the new Nicole by OPI Holiday collection, Holiday Magic, Like big sister, OPI, this holiday collection is half glitters.  No, they aren't the full on glitter-bombs (well one kinda is) of Burlesque, but I still approve.  :)  There are also 2 shimmers which are perfect for the holiday season.

Bring on the Tinsel - Blue, red, green, and silver glitter in a clear base.  Of the 2 glitters in this collection, Bring on the Tinsel, is the most Burlesque-glitter-bomb-y.  However, the glitter in this one seems much finer than the glitter used in the Burlesque glitters.  I love this one.  The colors are beautiful and they play so well together.  Plus, I was able to reach full coverage in 3 coats.  

Kiss Me at Midnight - Deep chocolate-cherry shimmer.  No, this one is not terribly unique.  In fact, there've been several similar colors released this year.  However, what sets this one apart, IMO, is the fact that this one looks blackened around the edges, very similar to Zoya Isla or ChG Thunderbird (though of course, those are much lighter reds).  The shine on this one is beautiful, and there is almost a velvety finish to it.  Formula was flawless.  Pic is 2 coats. 

Spark My Mistletoe - Small red and holo glitter and large hexagonal glitter in a clear base.  Unfortunately, the glitter in this one seems so fine that I don't think you could ever reach full opacity (like with Bring on the Tinsel).  Pic is 4 coats, and I think I could have done 4 more and it would never completely covered my nail.  However, As soon as I pulled this one out of the box, I knew it would make an amazing layering polish.  And I was right! It looks especially fantastic over OPI Ali's Big Break.  

Stuck in the Chimney - Faded, purple-based,  dusty red with golden shimmer.  In the bottle, the purple in this one is much more evident than on the nail (though it is still there).  Without doing a direct comparison, this one looked very similar to OPI Diva of Geneva, but in studying swatches, they are nowhere near dupes.  Diva of Geneva is lighter, more purple, and has more golden shimmer.  Also this one had the same blackened-around-the-edges affect, like Kiss Me at Midnight, that truly sets it a part.  This one had a perfect formula, though it was prone to faint brushstrokes.  Pic is 2 coats.

All in all, I think this is a great collection.  All 4 colors, even the shimmers, have something about them that makes them totally unique.  Nicole by OPI is available at big box and drugstores nationwide.

These were sent to me for review