2012's Coolest Brand Collabs So Far

Always browsing to see what your favorite brands are up to? Luckily, 2012 has some amazing new beauty partnerships we’re excited to share with you! From groovy nail color to sky-high red lips, we’re taking you through the first half of the year’s most interesting and unexpected brand collaborations.

BareMinerals Lip Color Reaches a New Elevation

Virgin Atlantic is bringing back Pan Am-style inflight glamour with an exclusive lip color from San Francisco beauty brand BareMinerals! Created to celebrate the airline’s redesigned Upper Class cabin, Pretty Amazing Lipcolor in Upper Class Red is the sexiest glossy retro red. All female flight attendants aboard the cabin's inaugural A330 flight from London to New York will wear the color, and passengers onboard will receive a sample of their own. Can't make the flight? The sky-high hue is only available at the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Spa at Heathrow, Gatwick, and New York (JFK) and through their inflight shopping guide, Retail Therapy.

“Dark Shadows” Makes Psychedelic Goth Nails Cool

While it seems cinema-inspired nail collections are now the norm (Hunger Games, anyone?), Orly jumped on the bandwagon with a four-piece varnish set inspired by Tim Burton's Dark Shadows. Reflecting on the dark humor of the film (vampires and Volkswagons—how could it not be funny?), the color palette juxtaposes bruised purples, browns, and reds with an innocent pale pink cream (called Decades of Dysfunction). The collection is available May 2012 at all Orly retailers.

London's Olympic Games Get SPF Approval

The Brits take sun protection seriously. Recently, the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games announced that L'Oréal's Garnier Ambre Solaire will repackage two of their best-selling sunscreens Olympian style, as an official licensee of London's 2012 Olympic games. Ultra-moisturizing SPF 30 and Clear Protect +SPF30 spray, two of the brand's best-selling products, have been honored with the gold-medal makeover.

Murad Hits a Skin Care Home Run

Popular skin care brand Murad is the official partner of the LA Dodgers' 2012 baseball season, a relationship they've held for the past two years. Understanding the importance of sun protection in sports, Murad will provide skin advice and sun tips, and will outfit players with robust and customized skin regimens. But the team doesn’t get to have all the fun—Dodger fans have the opportunity to try the line with promotions and giveaways all season. Play ball!

Amazing Nail Art—Swinging to a Neighborhood Near You

OPI has spun a whole new web of ideas with the creatives from Sony's "The Amazing Spider-Man," premiering a limited-edition set of lacquers inspired by the comic book arachnid. Colors range from creamy white, pink, and coral to insect-like finishes of olive, graphite, and ink blue. An iridescent deep teal crackle top coat—called Shatter the Scales—completes the Marvel-approved set. The collection is available in May at all OPI retailers.