OPI – Hanninator

OPI Iceland

Even though it’s still summer it is time to start thinking about what we will wear on our nails this fall. Today I have swatches of the new Iceland collection from OPI to show you!

As you will see, some of my bottles look a bit different than what we’re used to. That is because OPI is changing the bottles, which is fine (I guess), though I don’t think it’s ok to mix old and new bottles within a collection. Don’t you just think it is disturbing and not pleasing to look at?

All swatches are painted over one coat of base coat and are without top coat. So, let’s take a look at the swatches, shall we?

Icelanded a Bottle of OPI is a taupe creme polish that covers in two coats.

That’s What Friends Are Thor is a chocolate brown creme polish that covers in two coats.

Krona-logical Order is a dark brown creme polish that covers in two coats.

Suzi & the Arctic Fox is a dark grey-purple creme polish that covers in two coats.

Turn On the northern Lights! is a blurple polish with pink shimmer that covers in two coats.

This Isn’t Greenland is a light olive green creme polish that covers in two coats.

Less is Norse is a dark grey-blue creme polish that covers in two coats.

Check Out the Old Geysirs is a light grey-blue polish with blue shimmer that covers in two coats.

I’ll Have a Gin & Tectonic is a nude peachy creme polish that covers in two coats.

One Heckla of a Color! is a dusty purple creme polish that covers in two coats.

Reykjavik Has All the Hot Spots is a mauve frosty polish with pink shimmer that covers in two coats.

Aurora Berry-alis is a raspberry pink creme polish that covers in two coats. The formula of this polish is amazing.

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I really, really like this collection! My favorite shades are the darker ones, I just love them against my pale skin tone. And I know I said the same thing last year with the Washington DC collection, but I just love the contrast of dark against pale for fall.

My absolute favorite shade from this collection is Turn On the northern Lights!, I just love everything about that polish, the shade, the simmer! And my least favorite shade is Reykjavik Has All the Hot Spots, I’m just not really a fan of frosty shades like that one.

As usual I will make a comparisons post, so make sure to check back here in a few days for that!

July favorites

Here are my favorite manis from July! I like them all so much, but I think I have to say the Aurora pigment is my absolute favorite!

Which one do you like the most?

Holo jelly gradient

Hi guys! Did you know that today is National nail polish day? Well, for me every day is nail polish day. But it’s still a fun occation, don’t you think?

Today I have some bright, sparkly and super glossy nails to share with you! I’m so happy with how they turned out so I’m actually gonna be a little sad when I have to remove them.

I started by painting my nails with Mega (X) from ILNP which is a silver holographic polish. Then I sponged on the gradient using the Color Paints from OPI (Landscape artist, Primarily yellow, Chromatic orange, Magenta muse and Purple perspective). Lastly I stamped a floral pattern over the gradient using stamping plate 9-03 from ÜberChic beauty and Midnight mischief from Painted Polish (which is THE best black stamping polish!).

Here is how the gradient looked before I added the stamping. It’s really pretty, but I like it so much more with the stamping on top. Which version do you like the most?

How are you celebrating national nail polish day? I’m going to celebrate by taking these off (😢) and paint some new nails!

OPI California dreaming

Hi everybody! Today I have swatches of OPI’s new collection California dreaming to share with you. At first glance I wasn’t that interested in this collection, I thought many of the shades looked too similar. But after trying them all I have to say that I’ve changed my mind. Though I think it would’ve been nice to see some other colors in the collection, like green, blue or purple.

Let’s take a look at the swatches! All swatches are painted over one coat of base coat and I’m not wearing any top coat.

Feeling frisco is a nude creme polish that covers in two coat.

Barking up the wrong Sequoia is a peach creme polish that covers in two coats.

Excuse me, big sur! is a pink peach creme polish that covers in two coats. You could maybe get away with just one thick coat depending on your application technique.

Time for a Napa is a pink coral creme polish that covers in two coats.

Malibu pier pressure is a pink creme polish that covers in two coats.

GPS I love you is a raspberry creme polish that covers in two coats.

Me, myselfie & I is a coral creme polish that covers in two coats.

Santa Monica beach peach is an orange creme polish that covers in two coats.

Don’t take Yosemite for granite is a grey metallic polish that covers in two coats.

Sweet Carmel Sunday is a bronze metallic polish that covers in two coats.

This is not whine country is a berry colored jelly polish, I’m wearing three coats. If you have shorter nails I think you will get away with two coats.

To the mouse house we go! is a red jelly polish, I’m wearing three coats and as you see my nail line is still visible.

If you want to see live swatches of this collection, be sure to check out my swatch video here! I haven’t really done anything like that before, so please let me know if you like it.

My favorite from this polish has got to be Time for a Napa, I just love that pink coral shade! And my least favorite is probably Sweet Carmel Sunday, I’m really not that into metallics in that color.

I’m working on comparison swatches, like I did with the Fiji and Breakfast at Tiffany’s collections from OPI, and I’m hoping to be able to publish that post later this week!

Please let me know in the comments what you think about this collection, and do you have a favorite shade?

Thanks for reading and have a lovely day!

What’s up nails Fairy powder

I’ve done a few chrome powder manis by now, so for today’s mani I thought I’d combine the powder with nail vinyls. Out of the powders I’ve tried I have to say that the powders from Whats up nails are by far the best, they are super easy to apply and they look amazing!!

A couple of weeks ago I got some pr samples from Whats up nails, and the Alchemy powder was one of the things I got (along with stamping plates, vinyls and water decals). After trying it I just had to get another chrome powder, so I recently bought the Fairy powder.

As a mentioned before I decided to use the powder together with vinyls. I had no idea how it would turn out, so I decided to make one accent nail with the vinyl. To be honest it actually turned out better than I thought.

Here’s how I made this chrome mani using regular polish:

1. Apply a base coat. I used a Ridge filling from Essie to get a smooth surface.

2. Paint your nails with one coat of a black polish, I used Lady in black from OPI.

3. Apply liquid latex around your nails and cuticles to make the cleanup easier.

4. Apply a second coat of the black polish.

5. After letting the second coat dry for approximately 2-3 minutes (just so it’s dry to the touch) I started applying the powder using my finger tip.

6. Gently buff the powder on your nails. The more you buff, the better it looks, so give it some time. Have in mind that a little goes a long way, you don’t need to use much product at all.

7. When you’re happy with the result take a fan brush and gently sweep it over the nails to remove any leftover powder.

8. Time to top coat! I used the Secret top/base coat from Little Ondine which is a water based top coat, because regular top coats will ruin the chrome finish. After letting the top coat dry for about 30 minutes I applied a regular (non quick dry) top coat from OPI over it to make the mani last longer.

For the accent nail I applied two coats of black polish and then a quick dry top coat (Liquid Macro from Superchic Lacquer). After letting that dry completely (about 20 minutes) I placed the Lizard stencil on the nail and painted a coat of black polish over it. I let the polish dry just so it’s dry to the touch and then applied the Fairy powder over it. What happened was that the powder stuck to the whole nail, and I was just expecting the powder to stick to the tacky polish, not the completely dry polish. I don’t know if it was the top coat that I used that made it stick, but I’m happy that it did, I think it turned out really cool!

Hope you like this mani! I made a tutorial for this design which you can see on my Instagram by clicking here.

So, what do you think of these chrome powders, yay or nay?

April favorites

I feel like I’m saying this every time it’s time for a monthly mani favorites, but I can’t believe that it’s already May!

This past month I’ve done some really cute spring manis, I love my pink flower mani soon much, and the easter mani is so cute! I have also done quite a few chrome powder manis, but I chose to just include one in this collage, because I have a feeling that May will bring some more chrome manis.

Please let me know which mani you like the most!

Whats up nails Alchemy powder

Hi guys, how are you? I haven’t been very active here lately, but I’ve just been so busy with work.

To compensate for my absence I have something really cool to show you today, chrome nail powder! You may have seen these powders all over Instagram last year. When they hit the market we were told that you could only use them with gel polish, otherwise the chrome finish would be ruined. I have used gel polish previously, but I’m pretty sure I’m allergic to it, and I wouldn’t want to risk the health of my nails by trying it again. But recently I learned that the powders work with regular polish too, just as long as you use them with a water based top coat.

A few weeks ago I was contacted by Lena from Whats up nails, asking if I wanted to try some of their new products (of course I said yes!). One of the things I got was the Alchemy Powder, and obviously I had to try it immediately!

Isn’t the result just magical!? I could stare at my nails for days!

Here’s how I applied the powder using regular polish:

1. Apply a base coat. I used Ridge filler from Essie to get a smooth surface. I know from experience that any imperfections will show up when you use chrome polishes.

2. Paint your nails with a black polish. Black is what Whats up nails recommend, but other colors will work too, though I think the result won’t be as intense over a lighter polish. I painted my nails with two coats of Lady in black from OPI.

3. Apply a top coat. I used Gel Setter from Essie to get a smooth and glossy finish.

This step is not necessary, you can skip it. I used top coat to get smooth surface but applying one more coat of polish also increases the drying time.

4. To protect the skin around my nails I used Cuticle protectors from Born Pretty Store.

5. After letting the top coat dry for approximately 2-3 minutes (just so it’s dry to the touch) I started applying the powder, and a little goes a long way!! You don’t need much powder at all, so make sure that you don’t use too much.

6. Gently buff the powder on your nails using your finger. The more you buff, the better it looks, so give it some time.

7. When I was happy with the result I took a fan brush and gently swept it over the nails to remove any leftover powder.

8. Time for top coat! This is the step where it all can go wrong, so make sure that you use a water based top coat, otherwise the mirror finish will be ruined. I used Secret top/base coat from Little Ondine.

The wear time when you use powders with regular polish is not that long, but I don’t mind since I change my nails almost every day anyway. I will continue experimenting with powders and see what combination will work best for me!

What do you think of this duo chrome look? And have you tired any powders?