OPI FIFTY SHADES OF GREY COLLECTION 2015 - SWATCHES & REVIEW #THROWBACK

In early 2015, OPI launched a limited-edition collection of  silver-grey nail polish shades and a rich red hue, in collaboration with the hotly anticipated film adaptation, of the worldwide bestselling book by E L James; Fifty Shades of Grey. 

I managed to hunt down all 6 of the limited-edition polishes from the OPI Fifty Shades of Grey collection to review for you today :)



CEMENT THE DEAL

Cement the Deal is a cement grey creme nail polish shade. 
I really like this tone of grey.

The formula is thin, but easy to apply - the polish effortlessly glides onto the nail. 
It isn't streaky or patchy and it self-levels well. 

It builds up to full opacity nice and easily in two thin coats.


MY SILK TIE 

My Silk Tie is a silky silver chrome nail polish shade.
It looks just like silver satin - it's beautiful!

It's easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 
Brush strokes are evident when this is applied, so I highly recommend using the three-stroke-method of application to limit the appearance / amount of visible brush strokes.

It builds up to full opacity nice and easily in two thin coats.


DARK SIDE OF THE MOOD

Dark Side of the Mood is a dark charcoal grey nail polish shade. There is a blue tinge to it and it also looks like it has a the slightest "shimmer" scattered throughout it - the "shimmer" is so subtle it's not necessarily that visible, but the polish definitely doesn't look like a straight up charcoal grey creme. I don't know what it is about this one, but i'm really digging it!

The formula of this one is a little weird (it's almost crelly-like), but it is still easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. It isn't streaky or patchy and it self-levels well. 

It builds up to full opacity nice and easily in two thin coats.


ROMANTICALLY INVOLVED

Romantically Involved is a brick red nail polish shade.
I like this tone of red!

The formula is perfect! It is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 
It isn't streaky or patchy and it self-levels well. 

It builds up to full opacity nice and easily in one - two thin coats.


EMBRACE THE GRAY

Embrace the Gray is an elephant grey nail polish shade.
It's a slightly darker tone of grey compared to Cement the Deal. 

The formula is thin, but easy to apply - the polish effortlessly glides onto the nail. 
It isn't streaky or patchy and it self-levels well. 

It builds up to full opacity nice and easily in two thin coats.


SHINE FOR ME 

Shine for Me is a silver micro-shimmer nail polish shade, in a clear base, with small blue metallic glitters scattered throughout it. It's beautiful! Unlike anything else in my collection! 

The formula is good. It is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 

This polish can be worn on its own or worn as a glitter topper over another nail polish. 
My swatch shows three thin easy coats on it's own.

It dries slightly textured, but a coat of clear top coat will help completely smooth out the nail if the glitter texture bothers you.

*  *  *

I like this collection. 

I didn't pick the collection up initially in 2015 because, quite honestly, it looked boring to me and I didn't think grey was "my colour" (I have recently become obsessed with grey nails, so this collection fulfils all of my grey nail polish desires).

The formulas of the polishes in this collection were generally good but admittedly a little strange (I noted them as being "weird" in my notes while swatching them) - they're thin, not necessarily sheer, more like an 'opaque thin' - however their silky smooth and thin formulas make them pleasantly easy to apply and build to opacity.

I was curious of the hype around the Fifty Shades franchise, so I read all three books and watched all three films - they have kind of become a guilty pleasure of mine. Despite how poorly written the books are I did enjoy the story and have the occasional fantasy about Christian Grey *insert heart eyes*.

Whether you're a fan of the Fifty Shades franchise or not, there are some really pretty grey hues in the collection I would definitely recommend trying. I genuinely like them all, but my personal favourites are; "Cement the Deal", "Dark Side of the Mood" & "Shine for Me". 

Did you snag any of the polishes from this collection back in 2015? 
Will you be hunting them down? 

*  *  *

RRP: $19.95 each (AUD)

Available at selected Myer and David Jones stores and selected Salons nationally (Australia)*

For details on retail stockists please call 1800 812 663

For details on salon enquiries please call 1800 358 999

*This limited-edition collection was released in 2015, so I struggled to get my hands on them - I managed to collect mine from a range of eBay stores, Nail Salons and online nail polish de-stash pages. Happy Hunting!

*  *  * 

**Disclaimer: I purchased these products with my own money. All opinions expressed in this Blog post are mine based on what I have experienced through trialling these products.

Thanks for taking the time to read this review

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask :)

Doni x

Follow me on Instagram for more nail swatch pics & nail art - @donsnailobsession 

CHINA GLAZE MY LITTLE PONY COLLECTION 2017 - SWATCHES & REVIEW #THROWBACK

In mid-2017, China Glaze collaborated with My Little Pony to create a whimsical collection of nail polish shades; inspired by the charming personalities of the iconic ponies featured in the new My Little Pony film. 

The enchanting collection is made up of a fashion-forward and on-trend colour palette; ranging from fun-loving brights and pastels, to celestial glitters and holographic goodness. 
This magical collection is sure to resonate with beauty connoisseurs and pop culture enthusiasts alike. 

I have the complete 14 piece China Glaze X My Little Pony collection (including the collectors edition duo) to review for you today :)



APPLEJACK OF MY EYE

Applejack of My Eye is a strawberry pink-red nail polish shade. 
I really like this tone of red.

The formula is fantastic! The polish is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 
It isn't streaky or patchy and it self-levels well. 

It's pigmented, covers well and builds up to full opacity nice and easily in one - two thin coats depending on personal preference.


SHE'S A MANE-IAC

She's a Mane-iac is a bright neon pink nail polish shade with a blue shimmery flash to it. 
I love a good pink!

The formula is fantastic! The polish is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 
It isn't streaky or patchy and it self-levels well. 

It's pigmented, covers well and builds up to full opacity nice and easily in two thin coats. 
It dries quickly and to a lovely matte finish. My swatch shows it with a coat of shiny top coat. 


SWEET AS PINKIE PIE

Sweet as Pinkie Pie is a pastel peach-pink nail polish shade. 
It's such a beautiful and feminine shade of pink. I love it!

The formula is good. The polish applies slightly patchy, but it still applies quite easily and self-levels well.

It covers well and builds up to full opacity nice and easily in two - three thin coats. 


KILL 'EM WITH KINDNESS 

Kill 'Em With Kindness is a pastel banana yellow nail polish shade.
It's a surprisingly flattering shade of yellow. It reminds me of custard. I like it! 

This one suffers from the notorious "yellow nail polish formula" - it's thin and applies a little streaky / patchy. It still applies quite easily and self-levels well nonetheless.

It builds up to full opacity nice and easily in two - three thin coats. 


CUTIE MARK THE SPOT

Cutie Mark the Spot is a bright-pastel mint green nail polish shade. 
I have never seen a green nail polish so bright, yet pastel at the same time. I am kind of obsessed!!

The formula is good. The polish applies slightly patchy, but it still applies quite easily and self-levels well.

It covers well and builds up to full opacity nice and easily in two - three thin coats. 


ONE POLISHED PONY

One Polished Pony is a pastel sea turquoise-blue nail polish shade with a subtle silver shimmer scattered throughout it. 
It's such a pretty polish!

The formula is fantastic! The polish is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 
It isn't streaky or patchy and it self-levels well. 

It's covers well and builds up to full opacity nice and easily in two thin coats. 
It dries quickly and to a semi-matte finish. My swatch shows it with a coat of shiny top coat. 


TOO BUSY BEING AWESOME

Too Busy Being Awesome is a bright cerulean blue nail polish shade.
A lovely summer nail polish essential.

The formula is fantastic! The polish is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 
It isn't streaky or patchy and it self-levels well. 

It's extremely pigmented*, covers well and builds up to full opacity nice and easily in one - two thin coats depending on personal preference.
*I was expecting it to stain my nails blue when I wore it, so I wore two coats of base coat - It didn't stain me, but I would still wear a couple of coats of base coat, since it's so pigmented, just to be safe :)


LET YOUR TWILIGHT SPARKLE

Let Your Twilight Sparkle is an iridescent blue-purple shimmer nail polish shade. 
Love love love!

The formula is great. It is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 

This polish would be best worn as a topper over another nail polish (I personally love it over Essie "Aruba Blue"). It literally transforms any polish to lustrous / celestial goodness. It's seriously amazing! It can also be built up and worn on its own, but it's quite sheer. 
My swatch shows three thin easy coats on it's own.


I JUST CANTERLOT

I Just Canterlot is a violet purple jelly nail polish shade with silver holographic glitter scattered throughout it. 
It's amazing!!!

The formula is jelly-like, meaning it applies quite sheer onto the nail so the white nail tip is visible - it is totally manageable though and still easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail nonetheless. 

It covers well and builds up to full opacity nice and easily in two - three thin coats. 
It dries slightly textured, but a coat of clear top coat will help completely smooth out the nail if the glitter texture bothers you. My swatch shows it with a coat of shiny top coat. I love how squishy it looks!


WHERE'S THE PARTY CANON AT?

Where's the Party Canon at? is a fuchsia pink nail polish shade with silver holographic glitter scattered throughout it. It's the pink version of "I Just Canterlot". 
Obsessed!!!

The formula is jelly-like, meaning it applies quite sheer onto the nail so the white nail tip is visible - it is totally manageable though and still easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail nonetheless. 

It covers well and builds up to full opacity nice and easily in two - three thin coats. 
It dries slightly textured, but a coat of clear top coat will help completely smooth out the nail if the glitter texture bothers you. My swatch shows it with a coat of shiny top coat. I love how squishy it looks! 


HAY GIRL HAY!

Hay Girl Hay! is an iridescent gold-pink shimmer nail polish shade with little white micro-glitters scattered throughout it. 
Possibly my favourite from the collection! I AM OBSESSED!!

The formula is great. It is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 

This polish would be best worn as a topper over another nail polish (I personally love it over Color Club "Diggin' the Dancing Queen"). It literally transforms any polish to lustrous / celestial goodness. It's seriously amazing! It can also be built up and worn on its own, but it's quite sheer. 

My swatch shows three thin easy coats on it's own.


I SEA PONIES

I Sea Ponies is a soft silver holographic chrome nail polish shade. 
Pure holographic goodness in every light - it comes alive in direct sunlight. Not the most holographic nail polish, but still stunning nonetheless. 

The formula is fantastic! The polish is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 
It isn't streaky or patchy and it self-levels well. 

It's covers well and builds up to full opacity nice and easily in two thin coats. 


 SONGBIRD SERENADE KIT 

The Songbird Serenade collector's edition Kit includes two limited edition My Little Pony polishes and a bonus set of best friend rings. "Best Ponies Forever" and "Songbird Serenade" are exclusively available as a duo in the kit. 

BEST PONIES FOREVER

Best Ponies Forever is an antique gold chrome nail polish shade. 
So on-trend. Not sure how I personally feel about this tone of gold though. 

The formula is perfect! The polish is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 
It isn't streaky or patchy and it self-levels well. 

It's covers amazingly well and builds up to full opacity nice and easily in one thin coat!  


SONGBIRD SERENADE 

Songbird Serenade is a black nail polish shade with gold-blue-red shimmer scattered throughout it. 
Unlike similar polishes that have come out in the past, the shimmer is actually visible on the nail. It's so pretty!

The formula is fantastic! The polish is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 
It isn't streaky or patchy and it self-levels well. 

It's covers well and builds up to full opacity nice and easily in one - two thin coats depending on personal preference.  

*  *  *

I am literally OBSESSED with the whole China Glaze X My Little Pony collection! I appreciate how adventurous China Glaze have been with creating the collection. They experimented with new finishes and were able to perfectly capture the magic and fun that comes with My Little Pony; while remaining fashion-forward and on-trend. I am sure there is a shade in this collection for everyone! 

It's hard to choose a favourite from the collection, but my personal favourites (right now) are; "Sweet as Pinkie Pie", "Cutie Mark the Spot", "Let Your Twilight Sparkle", "I Just Canterlot", "Where's the Party Canon at?" & "Hay Girl Hay!". I'm sure if you were to ask me tomorrow, my favourites would be different...I just love them all! The collection fulfils all of my unicorn dreams!

Have you tried any shades from the China Glaze X My Little Pony Collection? 
If you haven't you NEED to! 

*  *  *

RRP: $8.95 - $15.95 each (AUD)

Available at selected Nail Salons, eBay stores and online e-tailers. 
(Mine were purchased off an eBay store in the US).

*  *  * 

*Disclaimer: This collection was purchased for me as a Birthday gift. All opinions expressed in this Blog post are mine based on what I have experienced through trialling these products.

Thanks for taking the time to read this review

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask :)
Wishing you a fabulous 2018! Happy New Year!

Doni x

Follow me on Instagram for more nail swatch pics & nail art - @donsnailobsession 

LOVE OPI XOXO INFINITE SHINE HOLIDAY COLLECTION 2017 - SWATCHES & REVIEW

This holiday season fall in love again and again with Love OPI XOXO; a collection of 12 limited edition nail polish shades perfect for the festive season. 

The Love OPI XOXO collection is offered in both regular nail lacquer and Infinite Shine formulas. Infinite Shine is OPI's answer to gel nails with no UV / LED light, promising up to 11 days of lasting colour and mirror shine in 3 easy steps.  
Here's how it works - 

STEP 1: PRIME

Apply one thin coat of the OPI Infinite Shine Primer base coat to prepared nails (nails completely free of polish, oils, etc).

STEP 2: LACQUER

Apply two thin coats of your desired Infinite Shine colour shade - apply just like regular nail polish. 

STEP 3: GLOSS

Apply one thin coat of the OPI Infinite Shine Glossy top coat over the colour.

*APPLICATION TIPS: Apply thin coats of polish and ensure each coat is fully dry before applying the next coat. 


I have all 12 Love OPI XOXO Infinite Shine shades to review for you today :)




MY WISH LIST IS YOU

My Wish List is You is a super bright and vibrant orange-red creme nail polish shade.

The formula is kind of jelly-like, meaning it applies a little bit sheer onto the nail, so the white nail tip is visible - it is totally manageable though and is still easy to apply, effortlessly glides onto the nail and builds up to full opacity nicely nonetheless. 

I found that the more coats of polish you apply, the more vibrant and intense the colour gets. 

In my swatch I used two coats and think it looks fine.

*The whiter your nail tip, the more coats of polish you will need to apply to cover your visible nail line. 


SNOW GLAD I MET YOU

Snow Glad I Met You is a pearlescent off-white nail polish shade with delicate silver-pink-copper shimmer scattered throughout it. 
It's beautiful! There's something just so feminine and clean about it. 
I really enjoy these kind of polishes. 

The formula is good. It's sheer, but builds up to full opacity nice and easily in two - three thin coats depending on personal preference.

Brush strokes are evident when this is applied, so I highly recommend using the three-stroke-method of application to limit the appearance / amount of brush streaks.


THE COLOR THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

The Color That Keeps On Giving is a pearlescent baby pink nail polish shade with delicate silver-pink shimmer scattered throughout it. 
Similar in concept to OPI "Pussy Galore", minus the texture. 
It's beautiful! 

The formula is good. It's sheer, but builds up to full opacity nice and easily in two - three thin coats depending on personal preference.

Brush strokes are quite evident when this is applied, so I highly recommend using the three-stroke-method of application to limit the appearance / amount of brush streaks.

ORNAMENT TO BE TOGETHER

Ornament to Be Together is a shimmery silver metallic nail polish shade with holographic glitter scattered throughout it. 
It is amazing! Possibly my favourite from the collection! 

The formula is good. The polish is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 
It isn't streaky or patchy and it self-levels well. 

It's sheer, but builds up to full opacity nice and easily in three thin and easy coats.


SENDING YOU HOLIDAY HUGS

Sending You Holiday Hugs is a shimmery magenta-red nail polish shade with a gorgeous gold shimmery flash to it.
This is the perfect Christmas polish to me.
It is truely festive perfection! I love it!

The formula is fantastic! The polish is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 
It isn't streaky or patchy and it self-levels well. 

It covers well and builds up to full opacity nice and easily in two thin coats.


FEEL THE CHEMIS-TREE

Feel the Chemis-tree is a shimmery purple nail polish shade with an amazing pink-gold shimmery flash to it.
It is STUNNING! OBSESSED!

The formula is fantastic! The polish is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 
It isn't streaky or patchy and it self-levels well. 

It covers well and builds up to full opacity nice and easily in two thin coats.


WANNA WRAP?

Wanna Wrap? is a deep plum purple nail polish shade.
It's vampy. It's sexy. I love it! 

The formula is fantastic! The polish is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 
It isn't streaky or patchy and it self-levels well. 

It's pigmented, covers well and builds up to full opacity nice and easily in two thin coats.


COALMATES

Coalmates is a shimmery charcoal grey nail polish shade with blue, silver, gold and holographic shimmer scattered throughout it. 
It is amazing! Love love LOVE this one! 

The formula is lovely! The polish is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 
It isn't streaky or patchy and it self-levels well. 

It covers well and builds up to full opacity nice and easily in two thin coats.


GIFT OF GOLD NEVER GETS OLD

Gift of Gold Never Gets Old is a pale white-gold chrome metallic nail polish shade. 
It's an unusual tone of gold. Not sure how I feel about it...

The formula is great. The polish is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. Slight brush strokes are evident when this is applied, so I highly recommend using the three-stroke-method of application to limit the appearance / amount of brush streaks.

It covers well and builds up to full opacity nice and easily in three thin coats. 


TOP THE PACKAGE WITH A BEAU

Top the Package with a Beau is a charcoal grey-black nail polish shade with gold shard glitters scattered throughout it. 
It's so unique. I love it!

The formula is great! The polish is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 
It isn't streaky or patchy and it self-levels well. 

It covers well and builds up to full opacity nice and easily in two-three thin coats depending on personal preference. 


HOLIDAZED OVER YOU

Holidazed Over You is a super deep ink blue-black nail polish shade. 
It's definitely blue, but so dark it looks black on the nails.
I have no other blue shade that is this dark in my collection.
I am kind of obsessed with this one! 

The formula is fantastic! The polish is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 
It isn't streaky or patchy and it self-levels well. 

It's pigmented, covers well and builds up to full opacity nice and easily in one-two thin coats depending on personal preference.


ADAM SAID "IT'S NEW YEAR'S, EVE"

Adam said "It's New Year's, Eve" is a classic red nail polish shade.
It's the perfect shade of red for the festive season!

The formula is perfect! The polish is easy to apply and effortlessly glides onto the nail. 
It isn't streaky or patchy and it self-levels well. 

It's pigmented, covers well and builds up to full opacity nice and easily in one-two thin coats. 

*  *  *

I appreciate how adventurous OPI were with creating the Love OPI XOXO collection. They experimented with new finishes and were able to perfectly capture the essence of the holiday season, while remaining fashion-forward and on-trend. I am sure there is a shade in this collection for everyone! I definitely recommend trying the collection!

I am literally OBSESSED with the whole Love OPI XOXO collection, so it's hard to choose a favourite! My personal favourites (right now) are; "Feel the Chemis-tree", "Sending You Holiday Hugs", "Top the Package with a Beau", "Coalmates", "Ornament to Be Together" & "Holidazed Over You". I'm sure if you were to ask me tomorrow, my favourites would be different...I just love them all! 

I also quite like the Infinite Shine three-step system and did experience a longer-lasting manicure when using it. 

Try the new Love OPI XOXO collection for yourself!

*  *  *

RRP: $22.95 each (AUD)

Available at selected Myer and David Jones stores and selected Salons nationally (Australia). 

For details on retail stockists please call 1800 812 663

For details on salon enquiries please call 1800 358 999

*  *  * 

*Disclaimer: MAXMEDIALAB Australia kindly sent me these products for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this Blog post are mine based on what I have experienced through trialling these products.

Thanks for taking the time to read this review

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask :)

Have a very Merry Christmas and a fabulous day,

Doni x

Follow me on Instagram for more nail swatch pics & nail art - @donsnailobsession