What a week!

First Blair Waldorf—I mean Leighton Meester—was announced as the <a href="http://beautyeditor.ca/2010/04/13/leighton-meester-is-the-new-face-hair-of-herbal-essences/">new global ambassador for Herbal Essences</a>.

Now <a href="http://www.nicolebyopi.com/" target="_blank">Nicole by OPI</a>—<a href="http://www.opi.com/" target="_blank">OPI</a>'s mass market line of nail lacquers and treatments—is introducing a limited edition collection inspired by <a href="http://www.cwtv.com/shows/gossip-girl" target="_blank"><em>Gossip Girl</em></a>.

Toronto's beauty press got a preview of the four shades earlier this week when OPI founder Suzi Weiss-Fischmann came to town (<a href="http://beautyeditor.ca/2010/01/08/sneak-peek-the-hong-kong-collection-by-opi/">as I've mentioned before</a>, her visits are always must-attend events on the beauty editor circuit). Here she is having a chat with <a href="http://www.citytv.com/cityline" target="_blank">Cityline</a>:
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://beautyeditor.ca/wp-content/uploads/nicole-by-opi-launch-suzi-weiss-fischmann.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7897 aligncenter" title="nicole-by-opi-launch-suzi-weiss-fischmann" src="http://beautyeditor.ca/wp-content/uploads/nicole-by-opi-launch-suzi-weiss-fischmann.jpg" alt="OPI founder Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Nicole by OPI Gossip Girl Collection, Cityline" width="600" height="450" /></a></p>
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After that we had a delicious lunch—that's me on the far right at the back, with kind of a dumb expression on my face:
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://beautyeditor.ca/wp-content/uploads/nicole-by-opi-editors-lunch1.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7898 aligncenter" title="nicole-by-opi-editors-lunch" src="http://beautyeditor.ca/wp-content/uploads/nicole-by-opi-editors-lunch1.jpg" alt="Nicole by OPI Gossip Girl Collection, beauty editors launch" width="600" height="450" /></a></p>
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And then we all got manicures. (I know, we're spoiled rotten.)
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://beautyeditor.ca/wp-content/uploads/nicole-by-opi-launch-manicures.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-7900" title="nicole-by-opi-launch-manicures" src="http://beautyeditor.ca/wp-content/uploads/nicole-by-opi-launch-manicures.jpg" alt="Nicole by OPI Gossip Girl Collection, beauty editors launch" width="600" height="450" /></a></p>
Here's a closer look at the four shades in the collection. From left to right: <strong>Too Rich for You</strong> (a rich blue with a tiny bit of green), <strong>Scandals, Secrets  and Sparkle</strong> (sparkly silver), <strong>Party in the Penthouse</strong> (deep blue) and  <strong>Nicole....Spotted!</strong> (shimmery green).
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://beautyeditor.ca/wp-content/uploads/nicole-by-opi-gossip-girl-collection.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-7894" title="nicole-by-opi-gossip-girl-collection" src="http://beautyeditor.ca/wp-content/uploads/nicole-by-opi-gossip-girl-collection.png" alt="Nicole by OPI Gossip Girl Collection nail polish colours" width="600" height="355" /></a></p>
Too Rich for You was DEFINITELY the most popular choice amongst the editors, although Suzi was wearing Party in the Penthouse and it looked great too. Both are really deep colours with just a hint of sparkle—I never thought I'd like blue (OR sparkle, for that matter) on my nails, but I'll definitely be wearing these! Plus you can't help but love a nail polish that's called Too Rich for You—right?

Another bonus: like OPI, Nicole by OPI products contain no DBP, toluene or formaldehyde. They're really the same quality as OPI's regular collection, just available at mass (instead of at spas and salons) and with more emphasis on fun, bright colours. (There are 48 regular shades.)

But sad face—<strong>you'll have to wait until mid-August to get your hands on these limited-edition ones.</strong>

Each lacquer in the line will be $10.49 and they'll be out for a limited time at select Wal-Mart, Shoppers Drug Mart, Loblaws, Jean Coutu, Uniprix, Katz Group and London Drugs locations across Canada. Also: if you buy Gossip Girl: The Complete Third Season on DVD, you'll get a coupon for $1 off.

<strong>Have you ever tried Nicole by OPI? What do you think about these shades? Do you think Blair and Serena would like them?</strong>