Loco for Cocoa

I love hot chocolate so much that I think it deserves its very own season. Oh that's right -- we're in the midst of it right now. In my mind, nothing makes a bad day better, a rainy night cozier, or a cranky teenager sweeter than a cup of homemade cocoa with extra whipped cream.  Cocoa from scratch is a luxury -- and really worth the extra bit of effort.  One of my favorite recipes, from Hershey's: 2 Tbsp. sugar, 2 to 3 tsp. cocoa, dash salt, 1 cup milk, 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract.  Mix sugar, cocoa, and salt in a large mug.  Heat milk in microwave for 1 1/2 minutes or until hot. Gradually add milk to cocoa mixture in mug, stirring until well blended.  Stir in vanilla. Grown-ups might enjoy a bit of Bailey's or amaretto in their mug. Top with whipped cream (maybe sprinkled with cinnamon or chocolate shavings), or serve with a candy cane for stirring. And finally, to complete the picture, go with a "chocolate" mani -- OPI Nail Lacquer in I'm Suzi & I'm a Chocoholic. Yum. And yum again.

Cran-berry Delicious

Thanksgiving is just a couple of weeks away and one of my favorite parts of the meal (aside from the pie) is this recipe for cranberry sauce, really more of a cranberry chutney. It's so good, you'll find me eating it during the week all on its own -- and the jeweled color is gorgeous.  You'll need a bag of fresh cranberries (no canned cranberry sauce with the ridges on it!). To start, add 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water to a saucepan; bring to a boil. Add the cranberries, lower the heat to medium, and simmer, stirring gently. Sauce is ready when most of the berries have burst and sauce has thickened.  Remove from heat; let cool before serving. May be covered and refrigerated.  Make the sauce even more delicious by adding one or more of these mix-ins: crushed pineapple, drained; chopped walnuts; golden raisins; mandarin oranges; diced granny 
smith apple.  P.S. It's also amazing served warm over vanilla or pumpkin ice cream.  

Have a Candy-Coated Day

November 4 is officially National Candy Day -- meaning you don't even need an excuse to get your sugar rush on today!  Whether you're all about milk chocolate or crazy for dark; whether you crave caramels or can't pass up toffee; whether jelly beans are your currency or peanut m&m's are your downfall, today's your day.  Why not accessorize with candy-colored nails in some of our favorite Brights by OPI shades -- Mod About You, Atomic Orange, Gargantuan Green Grape, Do You Lilac It?  Sweet.

Lasting Impressions

Those of you who know me know that I feel very strongly about how much of a first impression your hands make. But keeping your fingertips perfectly polished at all times can be challenging -- until OPI's Axxium Soak-Off Gel Lacquer service, available at salons.  The darling of beauty editors and their readers, Axxium Soak-Off Gel Lacquers, available in OPI's best-selling Lacquer shades, have won acclaim worldwide. The gels are polished onto your nails and then UV-cured to dry instantly. And the best news is that chip-free, shiny, flawless results last for up to two weeks or more!  Check out the shades at right -- plus look for these new Burlesque shades (below) coming for the holidays!

 

 

 

Left to right: Bring on the Bling, Glow Up Already!, Extra-va-vaganza!, Simmer & Shimmer, Show It & Glow It!, Sparkle-icious

Stars & Spangles

parades  bbq  beach family friends star stripes    

america red  white  blue  hometowns  summer  spirit    

holiday  salute independence ice cream  

sparklers  fireworks  our troops 

land of the brave  home of the free

HAPPY JULY 4!

 

Mani Days of Summer

If you're like me, then summer almost always includes come kind of vacation getaway -- whether it's camping, sightseeing, flying overseas, or taking off time to enjoy what your city or town offers.  Easy, no-full, simple maintenance and makeup is what I go for, and that includes my nails, too.  The easiest, quickest summer mani includes buffing and shining with the new OPI Shine XL Buffer (see my post on 6/10 ), followed by Avoplex Nail & Cuticle Oil to Go, and finishing with new Avojuice Ginger Lily Lotion for softly scented, silky hands.  Fast, fragrant, fabulous.

              
 

 

Big Time Shine

Sometimes you don't have time for even the mini-est of manis -- and that's when the new super big OPI Shiner XL Buffer is perfect!   At a substantial one-half inch thick, it's easy to hold onto and shines faster and with less effort than other buffers. Use the violet side (1000 grit) to smooth and the white side (4000 grit) for brilliant, glass-like shine in seconds. Glam-azing for natural nails and enhancements! Shine it on.

 

Always Red

Throughout history, everything has started with the richness of the color red – we all have it running through our veins.  red is a symbol of vibrant energy, an attention-getting shade that cannot be dismissed.  It is a color of happiness – Indian brides wear red saris; a color of kings – Louis XIV wore red shoes; a color of love – think of Valentines and roses; a color of glamour – as in the Hollywood red carpet, and the ruby-toned lips and nails of such legends as Rita Hayworth and Veronica Lake.  red is the first shade I choose for all of my Nail Lacquer Collections – and the remarkable thing is, that in all these years, no two reds I have chosen are the same.  That's why I'm so excited about InStyle magazine choosing
OPI Big Apple Red as Best Red in its recent Best Beauty Buys Awards!  Like I said, you can't go wrong when you go red.

Some-bunny Loves Spring

Spring color is everywhere (at least here in LA where OPI is located) -- and I imagine it's coming to a place near you before too long.  Savvy girls already know that color is the word this season, from fashion to beauty to accessories.  Let the light and the bright in -- just in time for this week's Passover and Easter celebrations. The prettiest manis now are jellybean shades of red, orange, bright pink, blue, and grass green (find your faves in the Hong Kong Collection by OPI).  Go ahead and indulge -- it's time to celebrate.  

Color shown: Dim Sum Plum

What's Your Fortune, Cookie?

One of my favorite things is a fortune cookie.  The fact that one of life's pearls of wisdom can be served up in a perfectly folded sweet treat is irresistible to me.  So much so, that I felt compelled to write fortunes for each of the shades in the new Hong Kong Collection by OPI.  Almost as much fun as the colors themselves!  Lucky Lucky Lavender -- Love will follow if you lead the way.  A Good Man-darin is Hard to Find -- You will meet a handsome stranger (hopefully not too strange!).  Dim Sum Plum -- Onto every white shirt some plum sauce must fall.  Red My Fortune Cookie -- Your life will take a colorful path.  Wear heels you can walk in.   Suzi Says Feng Shui -- Energize with the shopping channel.  Hot & Spicy -- All sweetness and no spice makes a girl boring. Panda-monium Pink -- Stay calm while those around you over-caffeinate.  Bling Dynasty -- The woman who glimmers, rule dynasties of glamour.  Pearls of Wisdom -- The wise woman knows that pearls are in.  Jade is the New Black -- The secret of life is at your fingertips. Chop-sticking to My Story -- It's your life.  Create your own story line.  Meet Me on the Star Ferry -- Your ship has come in.  Try not to get seasick.

Color shown:  Jade is the New Black