(This post is definitely a couple months too late but one of my many mottos is "Better late than never!") I hope you enjoyed this post! Don't forget to say hello and let me know which shade(s) is your favorite by leaving a comment down below. XOXO

It always seems like we only have two seasons here in the South- HOT and not so hot. Sweater weather sounds like a dream come true after dealing with the long, hot, drought of a summer that we've had. The OPI Venice Collection for Fall 2015 kind of reminds me of southern weather because half of the collection seems to be made up of colors I would wear when it's warm outside and the other half has colors I would wear when its chilly. I know OPI always includes transitional shades for their seasonal collections but this one doesn't seem to have a cohesive theme and just feels like 2 collections combined into 1. It kind of reminds me of when I got an iced Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks the other day because I wanted something fall-ish but it was way too hot outside to have a warm drink. Nevertheless, I like a lot of the shades in this collection overall and it's always exciting to see some unique shades (like I Cannoli Wear OPI, A Great Opera-tunity, and It's a Piazza Cake).


I cut my hand when I dropped a glass bowl in the sink RIGHT BEFORE getting this collection, so I hope you don't mind the swatch sticks! I'll try to insert actual nail swatches after publishing, especially for the red shades. The first six swatches are of the lighter, transitional shades and the last six shades are the darker, more fall appropriate shades. Most of these shades have a good formula that applies well in two coats. The only exception is My Gondola or Yours, which can get streaky and sometimes needs 3 coats. Descriptions in italics come straight from OPI.

• I Cannoli Wear OPI: My heart belongs to this pale, creamy gray. 
• This color is so unique and I can't think of any other nail polish shades that are similar to it. I didn't like this on my skin tone at first because I'm not used to the muted chalky color but it's definitely grown on me. I was surprised at how good the formula is- no streakiness at all!
• Be There in a Prosecco: I'm living in the moment, and in this opaque creme. 
• This is a brighter nude (on medium tan or darker skin tones), perfect for when you want to wear a neutral that still has some pop to it. 
• Tiramisu for Two: I totally "dessert" this sweet coffee cream 
• This is more of an actual nude for the gals that like an understated shade that doesn't wash you out.

• A Great Opera-tunity: "Aria" ready to wear this gorgeous melon?
• This muted melon is perfect if you want slight wash of color- not too plain, bright, or dark.
• Purple Palazzo Pants: I've searched far and wide for this lovely lilac.
• A muted, pastel lilac that looks similar to OPI's Lucky Lucky Lavender at first glance but has a notable difference once side by side (LLL is much pinker).  
  
• Gelato on My Mind: Deliciously sweet and icy-cool pastel blue. 
• I knew this would be the first color I'd use from this collection as soon as I saw the promo pictures. It looks very similar to Essie's Mint Candy Apple and Blossom Dandy but I think Gelato has a much better formula.

• It's a Piazza Cake: Choosing this persimmon creme is as easy as pie.
• This shade screams AUTUMN! It reminds me of the brownish orange color that you find in stereotypical fall decorations. Personally, this is my least favorite color in this collection and I don't see a lot of my clients and other people gravitating towards it but there aren't many colors like this out there so it's still a good one to have in the collection.
• Gimme a Lido Kiss: Pucker up for this saucy, red shimmer.
• It's hard to tell from my photos, but this color is brighter than Amore at the Grand Canal and has a micro shimmer in it that makes it look extra shiny after topcoat. It's also a good shade of red, not too bright and not too dark.
• Amore at the Grand Canal: Let the romance flow in this ravishing red.
• I feel like I have to get super specific with red shades because there are so many in the market so here I go... This is a blue-toned, medium/dark red creme. I really like this one and I want a lipstick in this EXACT shade.

• Worth a Pretty Penne: Flaunt your fashion "cents" in this shimmery copper.
• This is a pretty copper with silver micro glitter in it. The copper makes this neutral enough to wear glitter everyday, even in a professional setting. It reminds me of OPI's Gelcolor A Real Show Copper, which is great because it was a limited edition release and had no matching regular polish.
• O Suzi Mio: This delicious shade of eggplant is all mine!
•  I love all deep, dark colors and this one is no exception. I definitely see myself wearing this a few times during fall and winter.
• My Gondola or Yours?: Let's cruise the canals in this luscious black. 
• At first sight you'd think this was just a plain ol' black but it is much more than that (I couldn't capture it well in photos). It's a super dark charcoal that is basically black but what justifies adding this to your collection is the barely there hint of shimmer that is only noticeable in the sun.   

What are your favorite and least favorite shades in this collection? Let me know your thoughts by leaving me a comment down below. Thanks for reading and Happy Almost Fall! -XOXO

• amika un.Done Texture Spray (full size $24): Styling spray that gives hair effortless, tousled volume, loads of shine and a dreamy scent.  
• This gives me good volume without making my hair feel hard or greasy and I LOVE the scent of it. I would definitely consider buying the full-sized version of it, which is a pretty big deal for me since I have NEVER bought anything from the actual Birchbox website. (Shocking, I know!)

• COOLA SPF 30 Organic Makeup Setting Spray (full size $36): Weightless matte-finish mist that sets your look, hydrates skin, and blocks UV rays. 
• This is such a perfect product for summer days in the sun! I assumed it was yet another hair product at first sight but I quickly got excited about it after reading my info card. It sprays out as a fine mist and dries quickly. I'm not sure if it actually makes my makeup last longer but that is an added bonus after the benefits of SPF 30 and hydration.   

• Macadamia Professional Weightless Moisture Leave-In Conditioning Mist (full size $22): Made with nourishing plant oils, this leave-in spritz detangles strands and prevents breakage.
• I have been spraying this product all over my hair as soon as I get out of the shower and I really like it so far. It sprays out as a super fine mist and smells soooo good! It doesn't leave my hair feeling greasy at all but I wouldn't recommend using it on second-day short to medium hair. It also claims to work for all hair textures (including baby fine hair) and it's color-safe and free of sulfates, parabens, and gluten.

• stila look at me liquid lipstick in venizia (set of 3 $20): This creamy formula glides on like a gloss yet lasts (and lasts and lasts) like a stain.
• I was the most excited about this product when I opened my box but became quickly disappointed once I tried it out. It does not do well on me and is very drying and settles into every single line on my lips. It also applies patchy. I really wish it was a creamier formula because the bright reddish orange color is perfect for summer. But it is definitely long lasting because I had to really scrub my lips to get it off! A lot of people seem to like this product so *fingers crossed* that I'll find a way to make it work.

• theBalm cosmetics Balm Desert (full size $21): A blush and bronzer in one, this velvety powder gives a long-wearing, fresh-from-the-beach glow. 
• This product is long-wearing and has good pigmentation. It is a great shade on my medium skin tone and has a slight shimmer finish that is perfect for a sun-kissed look.

Let me know if you've tried any of these products and tell me your thoughts on them (I am open to advice on using the stila lip stain)! I love seeing what others get in their Birchbox so leave me a comment below so I can check yours out! XOXO

• Hotter than You Pink (repromoted from Neons 2014): Just when you think pink can't get any hotter, there's this! This hot pink reminds me of Barbie pink. It has a slight blue pearl finish when you look closely but it's not noticeable on the nails. 

 

• Can't hear Myself Pink!: No, I can't turn down this shimmery, metallic pink. This medium bright pink contains tiny metallic silver shimmer and has a thin formula which applies very sheer with one coat and needs three coats to erase visible nail lines. 

• Down to the Core-al (repromoted from Neons 2014): The beauty of this brilliant coral goes beyond skin deep. I would consider this shade a true coral with a frosty finish.

• Life Gave Me Lemons (repromoted from Neons 2014): This citrusy lemon-lime hits the spot every time! This shade is a creamy yellow that sometimes looks more green indoors. Be careful with application because this one can be very streaky. I can usually get away with applying coats without letting them dry in between but I have to be patient with this one.

• I Sea You Wear OPI: Look who's loving waves of shimmering metallic blue. This electric blue contains metallic aqua shimmer and has a similar finish as Can't Hear Myself Pink. It's crazy how different this looks going from 1 to 2 coats. When clients pick this one out they say "Oh, I don't think I like this. It's too sheer!" but the second coat usually changes their minds. I think it looks even better with 3 coats. The sheerness of the first coat makes this a good polish to layer on top of others.

One coat on top of My Car Has Navy-gation

One coat on top of Life Gave Me Lemons

 

• The Berry Thought of You: I think, therefore I wear... this delicious berry. This is one of my favorites in the collection! It is a bright berry fuchsia with a nice creme finish. It seems like more of a fall color but is on trend with a lot of red carpet looks this summer.

 

• My Car has Navy-gation: I would re-route my whole day for this gorgeous navy blue! This shade is a rich, bright navy creme. It applies a little darker than it appears in the bottle. (I had to really adjust the exposure to show how it looks in real life.)

• I STOP for Red: This red is so hot, it's got to be illegal! This shade is a very orangey red. It has a jelly formula and needs three coats to hide nail lines.

• On Pinks & Needles: Can't wait to wear this splashy hot-pink glitter! This glitter has a clear base with multi-sized hexagonal glitter flakes in it. The biggest flakes don't like to lay flat so try to keep it off the curves of the nail. (Shown on Life Gave Me Lemons and The Berry Thought of You.)

Happy New Year's Eve! Today is a day when it is perfectly normal to be decked out in glitter from head to toe. I have selected my top 10 favorite glitter nail polish shades from Butter London that I think are perfect to help ring in the new year.

• Diamond Geezer
• The Full Monty
• The 444
• Bit Faker
• Rosie Lee
• Chancer
• Lovely Jubbly
• Indigo Punk
• Gobsmacked
• The Black Knight

Continue reading for descriptions and close-ups of each shade.

Peanuts by OPI is a limited edition collaboration inspired by It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and it's the perfect way to get ready for Halloween! This collection contains 4 shades; a yellow and black with a creme finish and 2 black-based glitters.

Good Grief!- "The sunny yellow of Charlie Brown's favorite t-shirt." This color is a really bright warm, yellow but it's a little on the streaky side. I definitely had to use 3 coats to get an even coverage on my nails but I still loved the end result.