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OPI

Desperately Seeking Persistent Polish: 7 Days With OPI Chills Are Multiplying!

September 10th, 2018 by Karen 18 Comments

opi chills are multiplying
OPI Chills Are Multiplying ($10.50) — the before and after

Desperately Seeking Persistent Polish is a series where I wear a nail polish for seven days and take before and after pics to document the condition of my paws over the course of the week!

Life lesson learned last week: the greatest threat to your manicure isn’t washing dishes, or lifting heavy weights at the gym, or pounding at the keyboard like you’ve just inhaled 12 cups of coffee. The greatest threat to your manicure — the threat that spells almost certain doom — is being distracted while waxing your upper lip at home.

From this, there is almost no going back.

A minor moment of shock

Because, friend, as I smoothed some Bliss blue wax onto the forest that is my upper lip, then stared at myself in the mirror in shock and thought, “Holy sh*t, I look exactly like my brother with a blue mustache,” I momentarily misplaced that little plastic waxing wand thingamabob you use to spread the wax on your skin and accidentally sprinkled big, hot blobs of wax onto the nails on my left hand.

WHOOPS!

Just a few chunks…

But not all was lost. After recovering from the initial shock (I’ve been waxing for years and never had this happen before. Distracted waxing is dangerous, people!), I waited for the wax to dry, massaged some of the oil that comes with the kit on my nails to loosen the wax up, and carefully peeled it off.

Unfortunately, a few chunks of my polish peeled off, too…

Frankly, I’m surprised any of the polish remained because that wax removes *everything*.

Du-ra-ble!

To make a long story even longer, all of this happened on day five of this dark blue OPI manicure. Through then, it was chugging along remarkably well. Better than average, for sure! A lot of people say that OPI lasts a really long time. Well, they aren’t joking.

Like I’ve done in my last couple of “7 Days” nail polish experiments, I used Smith & Cult’s base coat and top coat, along with two layers of polish, in this case OPI Chills Are Multiplying ($10.50).

[Continue reading…]

There are 18 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Nails, OPI, Product Reviews Keywords: chills are multiplying nail polish, chills are multiplying swatch, desperately seeking persistent polish, nails, opi, opi chills are multiplying, opi chills are multiplying review, opi chills are multiplying swatch, opi nail polish review

Hello Kitty and Hello Spring: The Hello Kitty by OPI Spring Collection

March 8th, 2016 by Anna Oh 20 Comments

opi hello kitty spring 2016
OPI Hello Kitty Spring 2016 Collection

That’s right, everyone, it’s time for spring…nails! Never mind that I am writing this in my fleece slippers while catching up on a particularly gruesome season of The Walking Dead, LOL. I’ve managed to ignore the show for several seasons, but my inner fangirl loves a good binge. My inner fangirl is also super satisfied by this super cute collection by OPI. The new Hello Kitty by OPI Spring 2016 Nail Lacquer ($10 each) collection features 12 amazingly bright and eclectic colors for those ready to kick back in flip-flops.

opi hello kitty spring 2016
(L-R) Spoken from the Heart, Kitty White, My Twin Mimmy, Super Cute in Pink, Starry-Eyed for Daniel

I have 5 shades from the collection, and in usual OPI style, all of the colors, except for maybe the yellow one, are incredibly opaque and smooth. Spoken from the Heart and Super Cute in Pink, in particular, are what I call “1-coat wonders” and were a dream to apply.

I had a little difficulty with My Twin Mimmy, the yellow cream shade, but, honestly, I’ve never come across a stellar yellow, and after 3 coats it’ll do the job.

Last, but never least, are the surprisingly complex glitters. I get a groovy Austin Powers feel from Kitty White — a super fine icy silver shimmer. This shade was a surprise favorite for me!

Starry-Eyed for Daniel — such an awesome name btw — is an amazing multi-dimensional hot pink glitter. It’s very glittery and very kawaii… I think it’ll be a popular one.

opi hello kitty spring 2016 nail swatches
Nail swatches of the Spring 2016 OPI Hello Kitty Nail Collection

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There are 20 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Guest Post, Nails, OPI Keywords: nails, opi

Pre-Fall Ulta Haul!

September 16th, 2015 by Karen 27 Comments

What the world needs now is 1) love, sweet love; 2) free pumpkin spice lattes (I finally had my first one of the season yesterday, and it was so good that I felt myself float out of my body and fly toward the sun, OMG!); and 3) more lady-dates.

MOAR LADY-DATES.

You know what a lady-date is, right? It’s when you go out with a friend — ideally, someone who likes makeup as much as you do — for coffee, snacks or what have you, and then, ya know, if you happen to wander into someplace where lipsticks and eyeshadows are available for perusal…so be it. 🙂

I went on one a couple weekends ago with my friend Marisol. We had acai bowls, then paid homage to our homeland, also known as Ulta.

Here are the things that came home with me that day.

It was mostly a nail-centric visit, because my nails have been very crabby lately (they’ve been splitting, boo), with a sprinkling of skin care and body care, and a dash of makeup for good measure.

PRODUCTS MENTIONED

  • Sally Hansen Nail Nutrition Green Tea + Bamboo Strength, $8.99
  • OPI Top Coat, $9.50
  • OPI Drip Dry Lacquer Drying Drops, $13.50
  • Revlon Super Lustrous Lipcolor in Toast of New York, $7.99
  • Revlon Super Lustrous Lipcolor in Rum Raisin, $7.99
  • Juice Beauty Green Apple Firming Body Moisturizer, $18
  • Garnier Clean+ Nourishing Cleansing Oil, $7.99

As always, thank you again for watching.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 27 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup, OPI, Revlon, Sally Hansen, Skin Care, Video

The OPI Brazil Beach Sandies Mini Kit Says Bye-Bye to Boring With Four Vivid Textured Polishes

February 13th, 2014 by Karen 16 Comments

The new four-piece OPI Brazil Beach Sandies Mini Kit
The new four-piece OPI Brazil Beach Sandies Mini Kit, $12.95

Very clever, OPI. Very clever. 🙂

The part of me that lives to over-think the symbolic significance of everything loves the juxtaposition of gritty sand, neutrals and bright pigments in the OPI Brazil collection.

On one end, there are the sandy-colored neutral polishes in the overarching 12-piece OPI Brazil collection, which all have a smooth, creamy finish.

On the other, there are the four vivacious mini polishes here in the accompanying Brazil Beach Sandies Kit ($12.95), all of which have OPI’s pebbled, textured Liquid Sand finish in bright, eye-catching shades, also known as psychedelic party sand for your paws.

Even if you aren’t a big fan of textured polishes, I think these vivid shades are still worth a try if you like playful, cheerful colors. They’re seriously smile-inducing, and the names — You’re So Flippy Floppy, What’s a Little Rain Forest, Samba-dy Loves Purple and I’m Brazil Nuts Over You — are catchy, too.

In each of the swatches below, I’m wearing two coats…

OPI You're So Flippy Floppy
You’re So Flippy Floppy

OPI What's A Little Rain Forest
What’s A Little Rain Forest

OPI Samba-dy Loves Purple
Samba-dy Loves Purple

OPI I'm Brazil Nuts Over You
I’m Brazil Nuts Over You
OPI Brazil Beach Sandies Mini Kit
The front of the box

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There are 16 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Collections, Nails, OPI

It’s a Carnival of Color as Vivid Brights Samba on Tips and Toes in OPI’s New Brazil Collection

February 13th, 2014 by Karen 21 Comments

The OPI Brazil collection

Next time I enjoy a plate of feijoada while beautiful women in colorful bejeweled thongs and feathered headdresses dance around my table, you better believe I’ll be wearing one or two (or 12!) of the shades in OPI’s new Brazil collection on my nails!

The OPI Brazil collection, available now
The OPI Brazil collection, available now

Where am I going with this?

One word: Brazil (by way of San Francisco).

One of my favorite places to eat in the city is a Brazilian restaurant called Canto do Brazil, and dining there is a total experience. First, the food — beyond yummy, and not overpriced (the plantains, beans and rice, OMG!).

But that’s not all. There’s also the show. 🙂 While you eat, gorgeous Brazilian showgirls in Carnival regalia dance around the tables and try to coax diners to dance with them.

Last time I was there, I was too focused on the mountain of carb-tacular goodness in front of me to shake my groove thang, but next time, it’s ON! Because I’ll have an extra reason — the beautiful brights in OPI’s new 12-piece collection ($9 each), which I love, love, LOVE.

OK, sure, I think the neutrals in the collection are pretty, too. I mean, I appreciate elegant neutral nails as much as the next girl, especially when worn with a bright lipstick, and I think the muted pewter, taupe, mocha, nude and chocolate shades here play off bolder colors nicely.

But the brights! Oh, the brights… Inspired by rainforest flowers, the creamy yellow, coral, orange, pink, red and deep jungle green, are just so blasted rich and vivid that you may feel the urge to hop on a flight to Rio right meow. 🙂

OPI I Just Can't Cope-Acabana, a creamy sunshine yellow
Just Can’t Cope-Acabana, a creamy sunshine yellow
OPI AmazON...AmazOFF, a creamy deep jungle green
AmazON…AmazOFF, a creamy deep jungle green
OPI Where Did Suzi's Man-Go?, a creamy mango orange
Where Did Suzi’s Man-Go?, a creamy mango orange
OPI Kiss Me I'm Brazilian, a creamy warm pink
Kiss Me I’m Brazilian, a creamy warm pink
OPI Toucan Do It If You Try, a creamy confidant orange
Toucan Do It If You Try, a creamy confidant orange
OPI Live.Love.Carnaval, a vibrant coral
Live.Love.Carnaval, a vibrant coral
OPI Red Hot Rio, a ruby red
Red Hot Rio, a ruby red
OPI Scores a Goal, a creamy rich chocolate
OPI Scores a Goal, a creamy rich chocolate

[Continue reading…]

There are 21 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Collections, Nails, OPI

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Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog
Hi there! I’m Karen, your friendly neighborhood beauty addict, and I’m a Bay Area girl who hoards brown eyeshadow and covets coral lipstick. Every morning, I wake up and say, “I’m going to do something other than a smoky eye today.” Then…I end up doing a smoky eye anyway (most days). When I’m not putting on makeup, taking pictures of makeup or writing about makeup, which I’ve been doing daily since 2007 (!), you’ll find me hanging out with my hubby (“El Hub”), my four-year-old daughter (Connor Claire) and my torbie girl cat (Pretty Girl Rosie, a.k.a. PGR).

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