We haven’t reviewed enough nail products on this blog, so here’s a little something for you nail polish addicts. So, yeah – I don’t plan on becoming a hand model anytime soon, but I love cruelty free nail polish brand OPI (who doesn’t?) and I wanted to share their upcoming collection with you (don’t make fun of my pictures).

OPI is huge. Maybe you’ve heard of them? Walk into any decent nail salon, and you’ll most likely see OPI polish. This makes me VERY happy – not only because I love their constantly expanding repertoire of colors, but also because they are not tested on animals and I love it when animal-friendly companies become mainstream!

OPI will be introducing the Swiss Collection this Fall. The collection is made up of rich shades inspired by Switzerland. Picture snow-peaked mountains, lush glacial valleys and glittering lakes and you get the idea. This season, deep shades of rich color become the new basics, from dark green (Cuckoo for this Color) to glowing red (Color So Hot It Berns).  Metallic shades of pewter (Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous) and gold (Glitzerland) offer touches of elegance to every Fall wardrobe.

The OPI Swiss Collection complements Fall and Winter fashion favorites with the following shades:

(Colors from left to right):

William Tell Me About OPI

OPI calls it a “crisp burgundy” and it is like a burgundy wine, but more deep purple in my opinion.

From A to Z-urich

A beautiful, wearable ruby-plum.

Color So Hot It Berns

A warm fuschia color – reminds of the good things about the ’80s – love it! I think I’ll wear this one next.

I’m Suzi & I’m a Chocoholic

A nice plum-chocolate shade.

Glitzerland

I didn’t think I would like this glittery gold color until I put it on. It’s so pretty! It’s low-key but in the right light, it really glitters. Definitely a fun shade that you can still wear to work. I would like to see how it looks on darker skin tones – I bet that would be really pretty.

(From left to right)

Ski Teal We Drop

A lovely grey-green-blue

Diva of Geneva

A shimmery purple-red that is noticeable but still everyday-wearable

Cuckoo for this Color

A shimmery dark green

Yodel Me on My Cell

A great aqua-teal – more on the blue side

The Color to Watch

A very light lilac shimmer

I decided to use Yodel Me on My Cell as my nail polish of the week. It reminds me of the beautiful aqua blue sea I played in when I went to France as a college freshman. Okay, so it’s not Switzerland, but it’s as close to Switzerland as I’ve been – cut me some slack.

The collection also includes:

Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous

A deep, shimmery pewter

Just a little Rösti at This

A plum-red

OPI’s Swiss Collection Nail Lacquer shades contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and each includes OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application. All OPI products are cruelty free and not tested on animals.

Swiss Collection by OPI will be available August 2010, at professional salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JC Penney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and Ulta, for $8.50 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each Nail Lacquer.

For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com.

Long before we discovered the joys of internet shopping–and before we spent our days browsing the aisles of the cosmetics über-emporium–we’d look forward to visits from our friendly neighborhood Avon lady.

If it’s been awhile since you’ve checked out a catalog, you might want to take another look. In 1989, Avon became the first major cosmetics company to permanently end all animal testing. Did you also know that the brand is the leading seller of beauty products? Founded in 1886 by David H. McConnell, the company has  certainly spread its wings.  From humble neighborhood door-to-door vendor–to  humane and eco-friendly industry leader–Avon now employs close to 3 million sales representatives around the world!

Not sure what to try? I highly recommend some of my personal favorites:

• mark Rebel Rose Fragrance Mist: this refreshing body spray begins on a sweet note but ends with a spicy zip, giving it a true rock ‘n roll edge.  Go ahead, flaunt your love of everything chic, glamorous–and a little bit dangerous!
• Glazewear Lip gloss: your lips will feel as fab as you’ll look whenever you rock one of the 16 yummy shades (available in 3 finishes: intense, shine or sparkle).
• MagiX Face Perfector : an oil-free  foundation primer and sunscreen (SPF 20) which does it all: smooths skin, banishes dreaded shine and–best of all–can even be worn in lieu of regular make up by all women, regardless of skin tone!

Everything I just mentioned is available exclusively from Avon. Ask your local representative for more details.

Lauren

Opinions expressed above are the author’s own.  Company info courtesy of Avon.com (as endorsed by Caring Consumer.com).

(Courtesy of  FDA Cosmetics.)

While the current U.S. Food and Drug Administration laws do not contain similar definitions regarding what it means to be cruelty-free (wouldn’t that be nice?!), they do regulate–and enforce–certain  cosmetics industry standards to protect us, as consumers.  Key among those regulations are product labeling and safety; obviously it’s in our best interest to know exactly what we’re getting when we fork over our hard-earned dinero. We also should be just as concerned with how well our cosmetics are going to perform–after all, aren’t they supposed to “cleanse” and “beautify” in order to “promote attractiveness” and “alter [the] appearance”?

For additional information regarding this controversial topic, check out the Cosmetic & Personal Care Product Safety section of CosmeticsInfo.org.  It’s well-written and concise; both bio-chem geeks (including yours truly) and those who aren’t as scientifically-inclined can benefit from this resource.

It wasn’t my intention, however,  to have this article merely discuss the safety and efficacy of cruelty-free beauty products.  While those may very well be important things to consider, isn’t it just as important to get the most out of your well-deserved purchase?  How many times have we splurged on a fabulous eyeliner or mascara–only to wind up tossing it a short time thereafter? Doesn’t it seem as though we’ve run out of our favorite shampoo and conditioner…again?  Why does that killer nail polish perish within a week or two?

I think I can safely say I speak for just about every My Beauty Bunny reader (I know I am, by no means, the only connoisseur) here: I expect my cosmetics to uphold pretty high standards.   I believe that if I’m willing to pay good money for a product, it had better perform as advertised–for longer than a day or two! While I wouldn’t be able to accurately gauge how much each of you spend on any of your beauty essentials, I do know this: regardless of the actual dollar amount, we all deserve to have our stuff last as long as possible.

Here are a few tips and tricks which have helped me preserve shelf life and increase overall efficacy and performance:

• When applying liquid or otherwise viscous cosmetics (i.e. eyeliner, mascara, lip gloss, nail polish or lotion), be sure to remove the excess matter from both the applicator and the opening of the container right away, as these sticky leftovers can make it impossible to completely reseal once opened.  When exposed to the elements,  not only will your favorite product evaporate faster–it is fluid, after all–it’s also more likely to be contaminated by infection-causing bacteria and/or other gross microbes which exist within our surrounding environment.  Can we say Hello, Nasty?!

• As many of us have noted in our reviews, a little of your favorite cleanser or exfoliating scrub goes a long way!  No need to metaphorically pour money down the drain (I definitely am guilty of  having done this–many times) by over-squeezing the tube whenever you wash your face or jump in the shower: a pea-sized amount is all you need for best results.  Some labels might also refer to “dimes” or “dollops”; since I am sooo not gifted in the Spatial-Relational Perception department, I’m still trying to figure out what those shapes would look like as amorphous solids poured from a bottle.  Needless to say, I think you get the idea: only use a little each time.

• The same logic applies to shampoo and conditioner–even for those of us long-haired gals (and guys too).  Obviously we will need to use a bit more than, say, someone like my dad–who rocks his short style very well, might I add–but not much more than the usual pea/dime/dollop.  If someone figures out a good visual reference for any or all of the above, by all means share!  I always enjoy engaging in a dialogue with our readers.

To that end, if any of you have additional suggestions, advice or any other cruelty-free beauty tips to share, feel free to leave a comment below–or send us an e-mail. We’d love to hear from you!

Opinions expressed above are the author’s own, and not intended as a substitute for medical or other professional advice.

The sun has finally begun to shine, and the cold winter weather has broken! Around this time of year, we begin to fill our closets with sundresses and chic strappy sandals, but wait a minute–not so fast! Before you strut your stuff in those sassy wedges, take a good look at your toes: if you’ve neglected your poor feet during the winter months (as many of us do), now is the time to pamper those tootsies with a home pedicure.

Not only will a home pedicure save you a ton of cash, you’ll also have total control over the products you use.  This helps lessen the chance of any inhumane products slipping into the mix. For a cruelty-free–but incredibly luxurious pedicure– look no further than SpaRitual products! They’re not only humane–they’re also vegan and free of synthetic ingredients.

Here’s what you’ll need to make the most of your foot-pampering experience:

• First, remove any dead or rough skin from your heels with Let It Go Callus Remover.  This elixir smooths your feet and helps ease callus build-up with fruit acids, tea tree oil, sugar cane and aloe.

• Try some Sole Mate Hydrating Foot Balm next to deeply moisturize and soothe those tired feet; they’ll be most appreciative!  With a rich formula consisting of baobab oil and organic Fair Trade Shea Butter, this decadent cream even exfoliates with papaya extract and tamanu oil.

• Finally, after all your hard work, comes the fun!  Apply a fabulous shade of polish to show off those smooth, sexy feet! SpaRitual nail polishes are healthy, because they’re  free of commonly used chemicals such as dibutyl phthalate (DBP), formaldehyde and toluene. Hot pink is the hot color for Spring/Summer 2010, so be sure to try Hope Springs Eternal.

Congrats–you’re all done! With just a few easy steps, you’re ready to hit the sand and flaunt twinkle toes worthy enough to be the envy of elite salons and nail enthusiasts everywhere.   Go ahead, you deserve it!

Editor’s note: Content provided courtesy of  guest blogger Amber McKinnon on behalf of Jolie Hair and Beauty Academy, a cosmetology school with locations in both MA and PA; to learn more, click here.

There’s really no need to keep putting acetone and other scary stuff on your skin each time you remove your nail polish. Karma Organic has an all natural nail polish remover made with soybean oil. You can even get lavender or tea tree (my fave) scents.The unscented version also has Vitamin E.

Karma Organic nail polish remover is:

• Non-toxic
• Non-carcinogenic (meaning it doesn’t cause cancer)
• 100% soy and corn based
• 100% biodegradable
• Cruelty-free
• Vegan

Using this remover is a little different from using acetone-based removers. It’s an oil that you put on a cotton pad and swipe over your nails. Leave it for about 30 seconds to a minute and then rub it off. It comes off clean and there’s none of that horrible nail polish remover smell.

$12 for a 4 oz bottle might be quite a bit more than you would normally pay for nail polish remover, but why would you want to keep using that toxic stuff? Also, a little goes a long way, so I think this bottle will last a really long time.

Karma Organic also has a line of non-toxic, chemical-free (no Toluene, Formaldehyde, or DBP), and cruelty-free nail polish.

Nail Garden in Burbank, CA

Last Thursday I went to Nail Garden, a nail salon in Burbank, CA. The owner asked me to come in for a complimentary mani/pedi service. I was very impressed with the quality of the service and the friendliness and professionalism of the staff.

The location is in a strip mall, so it’s not much to look at from the outside, but once you walk in, you can see that a lot of love went into this place. There are these giant, faux trees winding around the place – kinda reminded me of Bigfoot Lodge but with spa facilities! The spa massage chairs are super comfortable and high quality.

I like the little touches they add – like free wine and cheese at “happy hour” Mon – Wed. I was there on a Thursday but I was still offered wine (and I could be wrong, but I don’t think the girls knew I was a blogger so they weren’t just buttering me up). The bowl of water that you soak your fingernails in had slices of orange and lemon. I don’t know if that is meant to whiten your nails or if it’s just for looks, but I thought it was a nice touch.

The girls that worked on me, Ava and Nina, were very sweet and very professional. They were very concerned about my comfort the whole time. I had all the extras (paraffin treatment, a leg mask, salt scrub with massage, etc.) and the entire relaxing process lasted over an hour. I never felt rushed in the slightest and the girls actually worked on me for about 15 minutes after they were supposed to be closed!

They use cruelty-free, OPI polish. They also have OPI’s Axxium gel (which is a gel that hardens like a polish and is supposed to last for 2 weeks!) and Minx nails.

They also do waxing, so I plan to go back to get my eyebrows done soon ($15 for an eyebrow wax – not bad). And, I noticed the girl at the front desk (didn’t catch her name, but she was very sweet) had amazing, perfectly-arched eyebrows. I commented on them and she said she had them done in the salon. Also, they do eyelash extensions, which I may try someday but it’s a little out of my price range (although they charge $250+ which is cheaper than some places I’ve seen).

Nail Garden has 3 locations and they are opening up a 4th in Brentwood, CA.

Nail Garden Studio City – 818-506-4868

Nail Garden Burbank - 818-566-4319

Nail Garden Sherman Oaks – 818-783-2745

Join Nail Garden on Facebook!

Mention “My Beauty Bunny” at any Nail Garden location this week and receive 10% OFF your next visit! (Through 3/6/10.) Plus, get a FREE manicure and free Essie nail polish On March 13th and 14th only – at the Studio City location only. More info here.

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I will do a separate review and giveaway (yay!) for the Sibu Beauty Sea Buckthorn products. But, for now, let me just say that the supplements have made my nails look great! They are so much stronger, are growing much faster, and they just look healthier. I received my first batch of Sibu products for free (to try out and consider for a review), but I have since purchased more, because they really work!

Note from Jen: I have chosen Sibu Beauty as an affiliate (meaning there are ads on My Beauty Bunny) because I believe in the products. All reviews are 100% honest and 100% my opinion! I wouldn’t tell My Beauty Bunny readers about something if I didn’t think it was good. I stand behind my words. Just ask my friends and family – I won’t shut up about it!

Sea Buckthorn products with natural Omega 3, 6, 7, and 9.

The Rejuvacote (by Duri Cosmetics) I have been using has also helped a lot. It’s a base and top coat that you are supposed to put on daily for a week and then take off and start over. I haven’t done that, but the two times I have used it as a clear gloss (no nail polish underneath), I have noticed that my nails are much stronger.

I put it on and leave it for a week until it starts to chip. Then, I’ll use nail polish remover, and start over. I feel like my nails are much less flimsy and not as prone to breaking.

Before, when they got to a certain length, I could pretty much guarantee my right, pointer finger nail would break off. With Rejuvacote, it hasn’t happened yet!

I also heard the girls on the TV show 24 use this product to keep their nails from breaking while filming.