Listen to Lena

Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion

OPI

OPI Skyfall Collection #Giveaway

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Note: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.

“Some men are coming to kill us. We’re going to kill them first.” James Bond, Skyfall

Are you feeling… dangerous? Dangerous like 007? No need for spine-chilling car chases or fiery explosives – thanks to OPI, you can wear your spy status on your nails.

This holiday season, OPI celebrates the 50th Anniversary of a fellow world icon – James Bond – appearing in Skyfall. Starring Daniel Craig and Javier Bardem, this highly-anticipated twenty-third installment opens in theaters nationwide on November 9, 2012.  Inspired by the film’s blend of glamour and danger, OPI launches Skyfall Collection, featuring twelve limited-edition nail lacquers for Holiday 2012.

The Skyfall Collection features six shades that play off the movie’s seductive theme, and another six that offer a more dangerous look, including:

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OPI Germany Collection #Giveaway

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Note: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.

It’s another stop on the OPI world tour!

Earlier this year, I took y’all through the streets of Holland, where shades like “Thanks a Windmillion” and “A Roll in The Hague” instantly developed a cult-like following. This time, OPI embraces runway trends with the Germany Collection for Fall/Winter 2012. Drawing inspiration from Berlin, an exciting new fashion hub that blends classic looks with the avant-garde, the collection’s twelve shades offer a mixture of vibrant color, urban-chic neutrals, and reds in variations from light to dark. The collection won’t be available until August 8th, so consider this your sneak peek!

According to Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director, “The overall feel of the Germany Collection is elegance with an edge.” Not hard to dispute, with rich colours, standout shades and creamy neutrals in honey, taupe and nude rose. But the standout shade for me has to be “Don’t Talk Bach to Me” – a sassy lime-yellow that has the perfect Euro-vibe.

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OPI Holland Collection #Giveaway

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Note: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.

Goedenavond! (That’s “Good Evening” in Dutch! …. I think.)

So why do I have Holland on my mind? It’s all thanks to OPI’s NEW Holland Collection for Spring/Summer 2012. And since it won’t be in stores until February 8th, consider this your sneak peek!

Now I don’t know about you, but winter has barely begun and I’m already OVER it. Instead of dull blues and bleak grays, I’d much rather dream about electric brights, pretty pinks and glistening purples. And it just so happens that all these luscious hues appear in OPI’s Holland Collection.

Also très cool: the colours were inspired by the country’s range of stunning shades – vivid tulips, windmill-dotted hillsides and bustling canals. (There’s even a shade named after their famous clogs!) The collection’s twelve (12) shades offer a mixture of sophisticated neutrals and highly-pigmented brights. In two words: zeer ontzagwekkend (super awesome).

“Holland has a very unique, vibrant beauty to match its open-minded nature,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “Spring is the season of color, and the Holland Collection provides an array of pink, coral and orange hues that capture this energy. The bright lacquers are married with neutrals in new variations like red clay and sea green.”…

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Summer Beauty: OPI Part II

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Note: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.

Woot! Flash feature!

Are you addicted to the new OPI Shatter? You’re not alone. Considered the hottest trend of 2011, and one of the most innovative advancements in nail polish, Shatter gives nails a stylish two-texture effect. Watch this:

[youtube_sc url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx_rzHzMXUE”]
The design looks best on longer nails, and as mentioned in the tutorial, try to use highly contrasting colours. Shatter comes in six (6) shades: Turquoise, Navy, Silver, Blue, Red, white and Black. My nails will have to grow a bit before I can indulge – perhaps that’s ample motivation?


Two (2) lucky Listen to Lena! readers will each win an OPI Shatter in Black and Red! (Value $30) To enter, simply leave a comment on this post telling us why you love the look.

You can also qualify for extra entries! Remember, you must leave a separate comment for each. You can:

(1) Follow my blog, Listen to Lena! (2 extra entries!)
(2) “Like” Listen to Lena! on Facebook
(3) NEW Follow Listen to Lena! on Twitter
(4) “Like” OPI on Facebook
(5) Follow OPI on Twitter
(6) Tweet daily: Please use this OPI Shatter Giveaway Tweet.

I’ll draw for two winners on August 28th. Good luck everybody!

Summer Beauty: OPI

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NOTE: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.

This brand needs no introduction… it’s OPI, baby!

Now many of y’all know OPI as the world leader in professional nail cosmetics, but did you know that it’s a family-owned company? OPI was founded in 1981 by President & CEO George Schaeffer, who immigrated to the U.S. as a child from post-World War II Eastern Europe. Mr. Schaeffer, beautiful nails everywhere thank you!

I stressed over this review. A long-time nail biter, I pep-talked myself into kicking the habit so I could show off the pretty shades in the new Nice Stems! collection.

Alas, two little boys, tons of dirty dishes and frankly, a lack of focus landed me in hot water; my nails are awful! There is just no way I can possibly show my stubby little nails on camera – you’ll die laughing.

Thankfully, on a recent shopping expedition, I came across a Nice Stem’s promo piece and was able to snap a photo of the polish in action (click image to enlarge):

From top to bottom, on right: Play the Peonies, Come to Poppy, Be a Dahlia Won’t You? and I Lily Love You. Pictured left, first three shades overlayed with I Lily Love You for sparkle.

As you can see, the colours are varying shades of the prettiest pinks you can imagine. I love that Play the Peonies is such a sweet pearlized pink; a wonderfully understated and romantic hue that I envision on a summer bride. Come to Poppy is a daring, sensual come-hither poppy red with just enough pink to keep it innocent. Be a Dahlia Won’t You? is what I like to call a “Lena” shade – my toes are perpetually painted in vibrant fuchsias and this one makes the cut. With blue undertones its decidedly vixen and has a fine sparkle that adds to its star quality. Finally, I Lily Love You is a precious little sparkle that should be in every tween’s roster of faves.

If you weren’t already a devoted fan of OPI (and who isn’t?) here’s another reason to love them: To date, OPI and the Schaeffer Family Foundation have donated millions of dollars to charities worldwide, most notably the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, City of Hope, Gilda’s Club Worldwide and the Leukemia Research Foundation, among others. LOVE.

For some fun girly time, visit their website to find your perfect shade via “Try On This Colour.” I can’t tell you how long it’s taken me to blog this feature in between playing around with the virtual hues! Such fun!


OPI Nail Polish, including their new Nice Stems! collection, can be found at professional salons and retail partners all over the world.

TWO (2) lucky Listen to Lena! readers will each receive the Nice Stems! collection, which includes all four nail polishes shown above! (Value $40)

To enter, simply leave a comment here recommending your favourite OPI nail polish to others – and tell us why it rocks! If you’ve never used OPI nail polish, jump online and choose your perfect shade, then let us know why it’s calling your name.

You can also qualify for extra entries! Remember, you must leave a separate comment for each. You can:

(1) Follow my blog, Listen to Lena! (2 extra entries!)
(2) “Like” Listen to Lena! on Facebook
(3) NEW Follow Listen to Lena! on Twitter
(4) “Like” OPI on Facebook
(5) Follow OPI on Twitter
(6) Tweet daily: Please use this OPI Giveaway Tweet.

I’ll draw for two winners on August 28th. Good luck everybody!

Sephora by OPI: Safari Luxe Collection

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Somebody queue Toto’s “Africa” – cause we’re about to take a little trip.

Go wild this spring with Sephora by OPI’s Safari Luxe Collection. Inspired by animal-print fabrics, snakeskin pumps, and stacks of gold bracelets, the collection takes after one of the hottest trends to hit the runways: safari chic. “We came up with a nail lacquer collection as stylish and fun as the trend itself,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI VP and Artistic Director. “And just like a leopard-print scarf spices up an outfit, each summery shade adds instant edginess to your wardrobe.”

Shades include (from left to right): Caught With My Khakis Down, Wild About Shimmer, I Don’t Bite, A Color That Can’t Be Tamed, Once a Cheetah, Always a Cheetah and Don’t Feed the Hand Models.

I absolutely, positively MUST have Caught With My Khakis Down and will be stopping by Sephora this week!

If you’d like to make a quick change with animalistic results, try their fun Chic Prints in Giraffe, Leopard or Zebra. These easy-to-apply, precut strips of varying widths last two days on either fingers or toes and provide a fast and fun way to update any look instantly.

Read this: “One set of Chic Print for Nails contains 16 nail patches of varying widths, for a one-time application to fingers or toes. The nail patch is a solid-film material with an adhesive back that is activated by friction. The warmth from friction creates conformability, allowing the patch to fit over the compound curves of your nails and seal onto the nail bed. Removes easily by rubbing and peeling off.”

Ingenius! Find these products at your local Sephora starting in May, and of course, at Sephora.com.