Author Archives: Mary S.

OPI Suzi Shops & Island Hops Swatches & Review

OPI Suzi Shops & Island Hops Swatches & Review OPI Suzi Shops & Island Hops from the Hawaii Collection reminds me of cotton candy because it looks sweet!

If you’ve followed me for even a short period of time, you know that I’m not the biggest fan of pink (well, unless it’s neon and if it’s tackier than a bumble bee wearing yellow-and-black herringbone to the Beehive Bistro).

That wasn’t always the case.

Up until the second grade or so, pink was my favourite colour. And I didn’t just like it. I loved it like something fierce!

There was a time when I would wear pink from head to toe for a long stretch of time when I went to school. And even after that, no outfit was ever complete without at least one pink accent. 😉

Something interesting, though, is that while green is my favourite colour now as an adult, I hardly have any green clothes or fashion accessories. I strictly keep my favourite colour for my nails. Weird, right? (Or maybe it’s just that I don’t come across many green clothes that fit me. Hmm…should I head to the North Pole and rally up Santa’s elves to start their own fashion line? That’d be a start.)

P.S. I hope that you’ve been enjoying my back-to-back-to-back (hehe) in-depth reviews on the OPI Hawaii Collection nail polishes! Next week, I’ll have more for you.

P.P.S. If you can’t wait until next week, and you want to see quick swatches and bottle shots of all 12 colours in the OPI Hawaii Collection, check out the quick-look post! You may also want to see my detailed OPI Hawaii Collection Media Launch recap!

P.P.P.S. If you stick around really soon (hint hint), I’m going to announce a fun nail-polish giveaway (open worldwide). It’s not going to be for the OPI Hawaii polishes, but it’s for something else that I just had to buy because it made me think of you, my awesome readers! 😉

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OPI That’s Hula-rious! Swatches & Review

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OPI That's Hula-rious Swatches & Review OPI That’s Hula-rious! from the Hawaii Collection out in February is like a mojito for your nails! (If you missed it, be sure to check out my recap post on the OPI Hawaii Collection Media Launch I attended.)

This mint green has a cool tone, but it’s a shade that can easily go with any season. (It can remind you of the cold winters or the rejuvenating springs.)

It also makes me think of mint ice cream. (Little fact: That’s one of my mom’s favourite ice-cream flavours, and it’s my least-favourite one.)

And it’s not like I go to a lot of baby showers, but when I saw OPI That’s Hula-rious!, baby showers immediately sprung to mind like a tiger on a trampoline that had too much coffee to drink. (Hmm, who has been feeding the tiger coffee? Another question for another time!) 😉

The reason why I think this would be great for a baby shower is because it’s modern. Instead of using gender-stereotypical colours like pink for girls and blue for boys, pastel green or sunshine yellow is the way to go.

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OPI Is Mai Tai Crooked? Swatches & Review

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OPI Is Mai Tai Crooked Swatches & Review Everything’s peachy when you straighten up your act with OPI Is Mai Tai Crooked?, which is from the Hawaii Collection that’s officially set to be released on February 4th! (Check out my OPI Hawaii Collection Media Launch recap post here.)

Years ago, I avoided peach nail polishes because I thought that they wouldn’t look good. But ever since I found the right one, I’ve been trying all the peachy-toned lacquers I could get my hands on!

OPI Is Mai Tai Crooked? is a fun-loving orange-sorbet shade with enough saturation to keep it from looking anemic.

I especially love wearing these kind of peaches in the summer, although clearly I have no problem sporting this any time of year, whenever the heck I want. (Nail polish is all about having fun! Throw those rules out the window. Just make sure that they don’t accidentally land on someone’s head.)

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OPI Hello Hawaii Ya? Swatches & Review

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OPI Hello Hawaii Ya Swatches & Review Last week, I gave you a glimpse into the OPI Hawaii Collection Media Launch I attended with my recap post.

Today, I’m going to share with you an in-depth look at OPI Hello Hawaii Ya?, which is a dusty purple I love from that collection! (It’s one of my top picks.)

(If you want to see quick swatches and bottle shots of the entire OPI Hawaii Collection, be sure to check out my Quick Look post.)

OPI Hello Hawaii Ya? is what I’d call an editorial version of purple because it’s slightly smoked out and isn’t like a typical one with an Easter vibe.

I also like this shade because of the name. It’s not the wittiest from OPI, but it reminds me of one of my friends. He always greets me with a big smile and says, “Hi! How are ya?” So when I saw this polish, I thought of him. And no, hehe, he’s not Hawaiian.

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OPI Hawaii Collection Media Launch Recap

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OPI Hawaii Collection Media Launch Paying homage to the only U.S. state comprised entirely of islands, the OPI Hawaii Collection for Spring/Summer 2015 is set to hit stores on February 4.

I’ve never been to Hawaii, but after attending the OPI Hawaii Collection Media Launch on October 31, 2014, I got a taste of it, and let me tell you, it’s every bit the dreamy oasis that you can imagine!

Aside from Egypt and anywhere in Spain, Hawaii is one of the places that I hope to visit because of the tropical climate and scenic views. It seems like such a romantic destination that is full of soul.

During the OPI Hawaii Collection media launch, I was honoured to preview all 12 shades in the collection and be, once again, in the presence of the First Lady of Nails, Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, who is the Co-Founder, Artistic Director, Executive VP, and Brand Ambassador of OPI.

(If you’ve dropped by Swatch And Learn before, you know that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Suzi Weiss-Fischmann on several occasions. If you’re new to my blog, I wish you a warm welcome. Feel free to check out my previous recap posts on those events: the first time, second time, and third time.)

Also, if you are mainly interested in seeing OPI Hawaii Collection swatches, bottle shots, and the official press release, click that link to see the post I published shortly after the media launch.

Although this post focuses on the OPI Hawaii Collection, I will also show you lots of photos I took throughout the event of the gorgeous displays, the long stretch-limo-esque seating area, Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, as well as share my commentary on everything from the venue to the food.

It was a novel experience for me. I’m not usually invited to attend such grand events on a regular basis, so when I get to go, I soak everything up like a sea sponge nudged closer to a pool of water.

In essence, I want this post to make you feel like you were there with me and see everything that I did.

One of the things I enjoy the most about blogging is sharing experiences. I love hearing from thoughtful readers like you, too, so that we can get excited together and unite based on our passion. I consider my readers like my friends because I’m very fortunate to have such support from you, and it’s very encouraging for a blogger to have that degree of interaction. (Thank you!)

I want to extend a huge thank you to Langton Communications, the PR firm that formerly represented OPI in Canada and currently represents many other beauty, health, and lifestyle brands that are household names! Their tight-knit, dedicated team is hard-working, and they were among the first major PR firms that I began collaborating with about a year after I started my blog. Collaborating with all the smart women at the PR firm has not only been a pleasure, but also really exciting!

Additionally, I would like to put the spotlight on the incredible staff at Mildred’s Temple Kitchen, where the event was held. Mildred’s Temple Kitchen is located in Toronto at 85 Hanna Avenue.

The entire restaurant was closed to the public, so that the staff could cater to the needs of the private OPI Hawaii Collection media launch! (Very VIP!) 🙂 The service was impeccable!

Plus a shout-out to Chef Michael Leary, the Chef de Cuisine there. I gobbled up every one of his dishes. (Photos of those later in this post!)

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Happy New Year to My Amazing Readers!

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Dear Readers,

For 2015, I wish you the maturity and motivation to see the positive in every situation, even the negative experiences.

May you have the strength and the courage to pursue projects that help you develop and improve yourselves while making a difference.

Happy New Year 2015

No matter what challenges and curve balls life throws your way, I hope that you face them and conquer fears, as you rise above. (Remember, you’re never really alone. The wandering eyes in the haunted portrait down the hall ARE actually watching you. Haha, just kidding!) 😉

Here’s to another year that will be filled with memories and experiences that we’ll hold dear to our hearts.

Love,
Mary

P.S. I snapped the above photo when I was at the Atrium on Bay in Toronto during the Christmas holidays. There was a large, beautiful tree with deer decorations. (You may recognize it from the Instagram photo I posted just days ago.)