Go Behind the Scenes and Tour OPI Headquarters with Me! [VIDEO]

How would you like to go behind the scenes of one of your favorite nail polish brands? I had the opportunity to live the dream when I recently visited OPI headquarters with Leslie from Work/Play/Polish. I had to take some photos and videos to share with you guys, so come with me as we pull back the curtain and peek into their world of nails!

One of the first things you may notice upon arrival is a big mural on the side of the building. Among other elements, it's got a huge OPI polish, a GelColor, and a Nicole bottle!

Leslie and I entered the building, got all signed in, and waited anxiously for our tour to start. We'd only been sitting there for thirty seconds when Miss Pop walked in! We both recognized her immediately as one of OPI's star nail artists. As it turned out, she was going to be joining us on our tour!

While Miss Pop got settled in, Leslie and I had the opportunity to meet with Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Executive Vice President and Artistic Director of OPI. You may recognize her name from polishes like "Where Did Suzi's Man-go?" and "Suzi Skis in the Pyrenees." I may have geeked out a little. It's fine. Let's pretend I played it cool.

We got to peek into their offices before our tour officially began. There were inspiration boards, stylized photos, displays from past collections, and ad campaigns decorating the interior. We got to see a few special rooms, including the manicuring room, where OPI techs apply and test products, and a marketing room, where they shoot a lot of their social content.

As we geared up for the factory portion of our tour to begin, we were given super sexy safety goggles. I immediately proceeded to take a selfie, obviously. We took a second to shoot a pic of our nails together, and our tour guide Sergio got in on the mani shot too (see above)!

Words can't properly express the experience of seeing OPI products being assembled, filled, and packed! You've just got to go watch the video at the top of the post, if you haven't already. Everything was so efficient... and seeing those polishes in mass quantities made my eyes get reallllll wiiiiide.

What do you think? Was it like you envisioned it? I know I was surprised by how non-industrialized everything seemed. OPI ships to 125+ countries internationally, and yet every single polish is manufactured in this one location. I couldn't believe that!

As Miss Pop said, the tour was the nail addict equivalent of getting the golden ticket and going on the Willy Wonka factory tour! I'm so thankful to have been able to have this opportunity, and I want to give a huge thanks to Jaq and Sergio who helped make the day amazing.

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TUTORIAL: Easy Sideswipe Nail Art with Negative Space

Who's up for a super quick and easy nail art tutorial? This look is a variation on the distressed nail art tutorial that you may have seen around these parts before. I changed the direction, added a bit of negative space, and made it matte. Easy, easy, easy. Perfect for the gal on the go. Hit the jump to check out the tutorial and see this technique in action.




For this look, I used:
Color Club - Je Ne Sais Quoi
Essie - Too Taboo
Julie G - Cabana Boy
Glisten and Glow - HK Girl Topcoat
Essie - Matte About You Topcoat
Kolinsky 777 French/round brush
Pure acetone

If you don't have a round brush, give it a go with whatever clean up brush you have handy! Of course, if you'd rather, you can always go for the classic hole-punch-reinforcement-as-half-moon-stencil method, too.

Mix things up by grabbing different color combinations, skipping the matte topcoat, or using a nail vinyl as your negative space stencil. The possibilities! Share your versions with me on Instagram by tagging @chalkboardnails and hashtagging #hellochalkboardnails.

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TUTORIAL: Easy Splattered Floral Nail Art, Inspired by Nail'd It!

Tonight is the season finale of Oxygen's Nail'd It!, and I, for one, couldn't be more excited to see who takes home the $100,000 prize. THE SUSPENSE!

As a part of their final challenge, the competitors are asked to create nail art inspired by their signature look and artistic point of view. Today, I've got a tutorial for you that includes a taste of my artistic point of view! It includes lots of my favorite design elements, so let's take a look and go on a learning journey together.

P.S. In case you missed my television debut on the show three weeks ago, I'm making my triumphant return on tonight's episode to share a quick, 30 second glitter gradient tutorial!

For this tutorial, I incorporated a long list of my favorite things. First of all, I knew I wanted it to be matte. I am obsessed with matte nail art so it was a must for my design. Second, I wanted it to include bright colors and negative space. Third, I wanted it to be easy.

Wait, what? "Easy" is part of my artistic point of view? Well, kind of! While I love tackling intricate nail art and difficult patterns, I also love showing people that nail art isn't as scary as it can seem sometimes. It doesn't take mountains of time or an arsenal of expensive tools to pull off a really interesting, chic effect.


Supplies used:
Small nail art brush
Washi tape
LVX Cashmere
Julie G Old San Juan
Julie G Rio de Janeiro
Julie G Tahiti
Julie G Black Sheep
Glisten and Glow HK Girl
Essie Matte About You

Though I've used a nail art brush in my demo, this look could definitely be accomplished with a toothpick instead. Hop to it!

Tune in to the Nail'd It finale TONIGHT at 9/8c, only on Oxygen. Follow the show on their Facebook page, and join the conversation by following Oxygen on Instagram and using the hashtags #NailedIt and #ShowMetheMani. Don't forget, I'm briefly on tonight's episode!

Disclosure: This post has is sponsored by reps from Oxygen and Nail'd It!. Press samples provided by their respective representatives. All opinions are my own.

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Explore With Me: Downtown Phoenix Inspired Nail Art (with Tutorial)

I’ve lived in Phoenix my entire life. I used to be less than impressed by this city, but I think I just didn’t understand it in my youth. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve really come to appreciate the cultural scene and have even gained some appreciation for the dry heat.

As I walked around downtown, I was really struck by how much variation there was. A polished and imposing office building positioned not two minutes away from a vibrant and colorful street taco joint. An alleyway filled with lively graffiti right next to an auto repair place. I found myself looking around every corner, wondering what little treasures I’d find next!

One of the first things to catch my eye was an empty alleyway with shadows of palm trees painted on the side of the building. I had to do a double take to make sure they weren’t real! It was a cool juxtaposition of organic and urban, and so Phoenix appropriate. I was definitely starting to feel inspired!

As I continued exploring, I found many spots that interested me, but it wasn’t until I saw the chalkboard that I knew I had found my second point of inspiration. The portable storage unit had been painted with chalkboard paint, and then passing people had doodled on it, written stories, confessed truths, and declared their love for pizza.

By this point, I was raring to go on my nail design inspired by these two spots. I knew I wanted to combine them together, so I assigned the palm tree silhouette to my accent nail and chose to go with stream-of-consciousness style doodles on the other nails. Give them a try… I bet they are easier than you might expect!

To achieve the doodle nails:

1. Paint your nail with the Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art Neon in Pretty In Hot Pink. Let it dry completely before moving on to the next step.
2. Using the Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art Pen in Black, draw on some random doodles and shapes.
3. Grab the nail art brush from the Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art Tools Kit. Fill in the shapes with Triple Shine nail color in Dive In and Vanity Flare, and the I Heart Nail Art Striper in White. You can also use the dotting tool to fill in empty spaces between shapes.
4. Let the manicure dry completely before finishing with a coat of topcoat.

To achieve the palm tree nail:

1. Paint your nail with Sally Hansen Triple Shine Nail Color in Dive In. Let it dry completely before moving on to the next step.
2. Using the Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art Pen in Noir, draw on a palm tree trunk that starts wider at the base and tapers in.
3. Sketch on the outline of the branches, and then fill them in.
4. Let the palm tree silhouette dry completely before finishing with topcoat for seal and shine.

I loved my city before, but there’s really something to be said for taking an afternoon to explore and find some of its hidden gems. I realized that we all want to be connected, we all want to make something beautiful, we all want to feel inspired and share our stories. I know I found my inspiration, and I hope you feel inspired to explore your city’s treasures now, too.

Be sure to check out Sally Hansen's #iHeartNailArt contest and enter for a chance to win $500 and a trip to NYC to compete in the Grand Finale*; the grand prize is $2000! Enter at www.sallyhansen.com.
This month's theme is Liquid-Mani, so be on the hunt for some nail inspiration and enter before the deadline.

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Contest ends 7/31/14 Open to legal residents of the U.S. and D.C., 13 or older. Void where prohibited. See official rules at www.sallyhansen.com for full details including entry/voting periods & requirements, judging criteria, and limitations. Sponsored by Coty US LLC.

This post has been sponsored by Sally Hansen.

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TUTORIAL: Carnaval Confetti inspired by Rio de Janeiro

It's that time of year again: Sally Hansen's I Heart Nail Art contest is here! This month's theme is "Color Destinations" and let me tell you...it's got me dreaming about travel. This confetti nail art look is inspired by the vibrant culture of Rio de Janeiro and their Carnaval festival, and I'm gonna show you how to get the look on your own nails!

Keep reading for the full tutorial and details on how you could win $500 and a trip to NYC!

You'll need:
Sally Hansen Insta Dri - Lightening
Sally Hansen Insta Dri - In Prompt Blue
Sally Hansen Triple Shine - Kelp Out
Sally Hansen Triple Shine - Dive In
Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art Tool Kit


This quick and simple look will have you ready for the party in no time! Watch the tutorial and then fearlessly jump right in!

Change up the colors in these destination inspired nails and rock them on your birthday. Add streamers to an old mani to give it a midweek pick-me-up. Or just celebrate a little personal victory -- there's no occasion too small for confetti nail art!

Ready to take it one step further? Kick up the glamour with some gold jewelry like this gorgeous bondage chain ring from BaubleBar. Bring on the Brazilian bling!

Enter the Sally Hansen #IHeartNailArt contest at sallyhansen.com for a chance to win $500 and a trip to NYC to compete in the grand finale. The grand prize winner will become a Sally Hansen nail art ambassador and receive $2000! No Purchase Necessary. See Official Rules for full details.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Sally Hansen. Products provided by PR.

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TUTORIAL: Distressed Nail Art (Punk/Grungy Effect)

Sometimes you want to do awesome nail art but you just don't have the time to sit down and do something complicated. Or maybe you're just starting out in the world of nail art and feel a little intimidated by all the techniques and tools (understandably!). Perhaps you just like edgy nail art that can be swiped on in seconds. No matter what your situation, I hope this nail art tutorial speaks to you.

You don't need any special tools, and imperfections are totally encouraged. Pick a few colors, grab a black polish, throw caution to the wind, and let's get started!

I originally debuted this effect during the 31 Day Challenge and later did another version in neons. Today, I'm tackling the style in bright, girly shades, and this is my favorite version yet!

As I mentioned, you don't need any special nail art tools for this effect. You will, however, need a few colors of polish. For this particular manicure, I'm using:

OPI Alpine Snow
China Glaze Rose Among Thorns
China Glaze Too Yacht to Handle
China Glaze That's Shore Bright
American Apparel Hassid


The gist of this technique is that you wipe almost all of the polish off of the brush and then use the almost-dry brush to apply uneven swipes of polish. Be sure to watch the video tutorial to see it in action!

I really like this style. It's so fast to do, creates really eye-catching results, and looks great in all sorts of color combinations.

I've had a couple people mention that it creates a look that is similar to the effect you achieve with a shatter polish. I totally agree, but I think this technique has the upper hand! Doing this distressed effect by hand lets you control how much black polish goes on top and where it ends up. Shatter can be inconsistent and will oftentimes cover up all the beautiful color work that you put underneath it! Think of this as shatter for a more refined audience.

So what do you think? Will you be giving this beginner nail art technique a try? Come share your results on my Facebook page or by hashtagging #hellochalkboardnails on Instagram/Twitter!

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TUTORIAL: Beauty and the Beach Summer Nail Art

To date, one of my most positively received nail art posts has been my entry for last year's Beauty and the Beach contest. I can't say that I'm surprised -- who can resist the combination of nail art and the beach? I know this manicure has me dreaming of the cool ocean breeze and aqua-colored waters.

In the spirit of summer, I've made you guys a video tutorial for this look! There are a lot of different techniques involved, and I did my best to demonstrate all of them while still keeping the overall video length reasonable. Please be sure to comment if you have any follow-up questions!


Here are the products I used in this look:
Cult Nails Tempest
OPI Did You Ear About Van Gogh
American Apparel Hassid
China Glaze For Audrey
OPI My Paprika is Hotter Than Yours
It's So Easy Nails Stripe Rite in White
Nail art brush
Makeup wedge
Cleanup brush/Q-Tips
Acetone

Will you be trying out this summer nail art tutorial? I have to say, my favorite part is the little baby starfish. What do you think his name should be?

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TUTORIAL: Sugared Stars and Stripes

Today I'm squeezing in one last tutorial to inspire you guys to enter the Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art competition before it ends this month! The theme is texture and I'm really excited to share this manicure with you because anyone can do it. You'll need some polishes, a few tools, and some patience... and you'll be rocking this candy-sweet stars and stripes manicure in no time!

Before we get started, gather your supplies. You'll need:

• Three non-textured polishes (I'm using Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Violet Voltage and Mellow Yellow, and Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in I Lilac You)
• A textured shade (Sally Hansen Sugar Coat in Cotton Candies)
• Nail art brush
• Wax paper
• Painter's tape
• A star shaped hole punch (I got mine at Michael's craft store)

The amount of supplies may seem intimidating, but I promise this'll be easy once we break it down!

Watch me do this manicure LIVE through the magic of YouTube!


I've also got you photo tutorial gals covered.

1. Using your nail art brush, paint three stripes with Violet Voltage onto a base of I Lilac You. Leave space between the stripes for your second color.
2. Fill in the spaces between your dark purple stripes with Mellow Yellow. If needed, go over the stripes until they are the desired opacity.
   (2b.) Topcoat! Since we will not be topcoating the textured stars, you need to seal in your stripes now. Wait for your manicure to dry completely before moving on to step 3.
3. Stick a piece of painters tape on to wax paper for ease in hole-punching. Punch three stars, leaving a little bit of room between them.
4. Slowly peel the tape off and stick it to your nail. Push down hard around the stars' edges to prevent polish from seeping underneath.
5. Paint Cotton Candies textured polish onto a makeup wedge. Tap the sponge lightly over the tape to transfer the polish to the nail. Repeat once for extra texture.
6. Slowly and carefully remove the tape from your nail. Give your design a few extra moments to set since the Sugar Coat polishes aren't meant to be topcoated. 

Don't forget that this is the last month to enter into the I Heart Nail Art competition for a chance to win $500, a trip to NYC, and a shot at the $2,000 grand prize!

Sally Hansen products can be found at chain drug stores, food stores and mass retailers nationally. Visit their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information.

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TUTORIAL: Sally Hansen Fuzzy Monster Buddies

The latest Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art theme is TEXTURE! I got my hands on their new Fuzzy Coat line and knew that I had to do something adorable and fuzzy with them for my tutorial this month.

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Read on to learn how to make these cute fuzzy monster buddies on your nails. Between body color, fur color, horns/hair/antennae, and expression, you can customize these little guys however you want! This design is perfect for bringing a little bit of whimsy into your life. Have fun with it!

I used a bunch of Sally Hansen polishes for these looks, but the really important part is the presence of the Fuzzy Coats. These polishes are made up of tiny matte bar glitters, and come in a clear base so you can layer them over any color. They give the monsters their adorable, cuddly fur!

The Fuzzy Coats in this photo are Fuzz-Sea, Tight Knit, Peach Fuzz, Tweedy, and Fuzzy Fantasy.

I made this video tutorial showing you how to make the monster on my middle finger. Like I said earlier, these guys are highly customizable, so you can take this basic style and change it up with each nail.

Here's a photo tutorial for the monster buddy on my pointer!

1. Using the polish brush, paint a vaguely circular shape at the tip of your nail. I used Water Color over Breezy Blue. 
2. Add 1-2 coats of a Fuzzy Coat polish for the monster fur. This little guy is wearing Fuzzy Fantasy.
3. Using a small nail art brush or toothpick, add on horns/hair/antennae. I gave this guy some rock and roll spikes in Lickety-Split Lime.
4. Add two large black dots with Black Out where you want the eyes to go. 
5. Grab White On and add two smaller dots within the black dots. Try to position them in the same spot so they match!
6. Add a monster mouth with your nail art brush or toothpick. You can make it crazy, sweet, frowny, whatever you like! 
7. Finish with topcoat to protect your art.

Once again, I encourage you guy to enter your textured nail looks into the I Heart Nail Art competition.  Texture is all the rage and we want to see how creative you can get!

Sally Hansen products can be found at chain drug stores, food stores and mass retailers nationally. Visit their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information.

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Sally Hansen Camouflage Nail Art (+ Tutorial)

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It's time for another Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art tutorial! This month's theme is street style and I've decided to show you how to do this easy camouflage nail art. Camouflage, while traditionally used in the military or by hunters, has been used by fashion and by the style savvy, too. I particularly like camouflage when it's shown in unusual color combinations.

Instead of blending in, you stand out!

You'll need these five things to recreate my camouflage manicure: Sally Hansen Lightening, Sally Hansen Lickety Split Lime, Sally Hansen Black Out, Sally Hansen White On, and a small nail art brush. You may also be able to recreate this look using a dotting tool or rubber tip of a bobby pin in place of the nail art brush.

Check out the video to see how it's done!


There are very few steps for this manicure, and the less precise your shapes are, the more authentic it will look!

1. Paint your nails with two coats of White On. While you should let polish set before you move on to step two, it doesn't need to be completely dry.
2. Using Lightening and your nail art brush, paint three or four freeform shapes starting from either side of your nail. 
3. Add some more shapes in the white space using Lickety Split Lime.
4. Grab Black Out and do the final round of shapes. These ones can overlap the other two colors a little bit, and you can make some of them extend fully across the nail if you'd like. Just be sure to leave a little bit of white showing through in the background!
5. Clean up any stray bits of polish around the nail using a makeup brush dipped in polish remover, and seal with topcoat.

I hope you've been inspired to enter your street style manicures into the I Heart Nail Art competition! Don't be shy, I know you guys have all sorts of creativity to contribute to the theme, and you could win amazing prizes!

Sally Hansen products can be found at chain drug stores, food stores and mass retailers nationally. Visit their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information.

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Sally Hansen Spring Color Block Tape Manicure (+ Tutorial)

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Today on Chalkboard Nails, I'm pleased to share another Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art tutorial with you! I hope my look inspires to you to enter one of your manicures into the competition. This month's theme is "Color Blocking" and it is inspired by color and contrast. I was feeling particularly springy when I was gearing up to do this tape manicure, so I reached for three Insta-Dri shades in bright colors.

I knew that I just had to include Sally Hansen Lightening in the mix -- I love yellow polish so much and I think it is quintessentially springy. Then, I paired Sally Hansen Blue-Away and Sally Hansen Fuchsia Flare with it, as well.

If you're going to be recreating this manicure, you will also need a quick dry topcoat (Sally Hansen Clearly Quick) and some clear tape.

Grab your popcorn, cause I've got a video tutorial for this look!


Springtime Color Block Tutorial:

1. Start by painting your nails with Blue-Away and let it dry completely. If you'd like, apply a coat of Clearly Quick to speed up the wait time. Once the polish is 100% dry, grab a piece of tape and place it vertically on your nail, dividing it in half. 
2. Paint over the exposed half of the nail with Lightening, being sure you overlap the tape line just a touch.
3. Slowly peel off the tape, leaving a crisp line of polish down the middle of your nail. Before moving on to the next step, let the polish dry completely (again). Like in step one, if you want to speed up the waiting time, apply a coat of Clearly Quick.
4. Place a new piece of tape on your nail, this time dividing it horizontally. (Optional: Place another piece of tape vertically to form the other side of your final square.)
5. Paint half of your nail with Fuchsia Flare. If you did not add the optional piece of tape from step four, paint as carefully as you can to maintain the line dividing your nail in half vertically.
6. Slowly peel off the tape. Let the polish set, then finish with topcoat.

TIP: Feel free to change up the colors nail-by-nail! I rotated the three colors in my finished look and I think it really adds a lot to the manicure.

Stop by the Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art campaign page & enter your color block look for your chance to win! I'll be watching the entries... I better see your submissions in there!

Sally Hansen products can be found at chain drug stores, food stores and mass retailers nationally. Visit their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information.

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Sally Hansen x Rodarte Tie Dye and Floral Mix (+ Tutorial)

Did any of you keep up with any of the amazing fashion during New York Fashion Week?

Sally Hansen recently contacted me and asked if I would act as an ambassador for their new I Heart Nail Art campaign. I excitedly accepted! This month's theme is "runway," and I'll admit, I was a little worried that I would be overwhelmed by all of the choices.

I began my hunt for inspiration by browsing the Rodarte show. Luckily for me, shortly after I started looking, one of the dresses just jumped out at me and screamed "Paint me, paint me!" It had an interesting mix of a sweet and delicate floral print on top and a bold and eye catching tie-dye design on the bottom. I was (and still am!) really intrigued by the contrast and got started trying to figure out how to paint the designs on my nails.

The good news? I think I figured the designs out! The even BETTER news? I made some tutorials so you can give them a try, too. Read on!

I used seven different Sally Hansen products from four different lines for this look.

Xtreme Wear: White On and Pacific Blue
Insta Dri: Peachy Breeze, Night Flight, and Rapid Red
Nailgrowth Miracle: Polished Pearl
Complete Salon Manicure: Pat On the Black

Watch the video to learn more about the techniques!


For those of you that prefer step by step photo tutorials, I've got those too!

TIE DYE:

1. Begin with a base of White On.
2. Using Rapid Red and a small nail art brush, paint feathery strokes spiraling outward from the middle of the nail.
3. Add some depth to the red spiral by painting on accent strokes in Pat On the Black.
4. Starting further out from the center this time, add a blue spiral using Pacific Blue. Don't cover up all of the white space, we want some of it to show in the finished look!
5. Using Night Flight, fill in the space between the inside edge of the red spiral and the outside edge of the blue spiral.
6. Clean up the edges of your nail using a makeup brush dipped in acetone and finish with topcoat.

VINTAGE FLORAL:

1. Begin with a base of Polished Pearl.
2. Add some flower shapes using a nail art brush. Make them different sizes, and try to scatter them on the nail.
3. Give your flowers some petal definition by adding some lines in Rapid Red. If you have trouble with this step, try using a toothpick to draw the lines instead of a nail art brush.
4. Add some leaf shapes with Night Flight. Leave a bit of negative space open for the next step!
5. Paint on some smaller blue flowers with Pacific Blue. Don't be afraid to paint over some of your leaves if you have to.
6. If any polish has ended up on your finger, clean it up with acetone and a makeup brush. Finish with topcoat.

What do you think about this mix of patterns? I love the hardness of the tie dye with the softness of the flowers.

Stop by the Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art campaign page to learn more about this exciting opportunity and the prizes that are up for grabs. I know some of you have amazing nail art skills that are just begging to be shown off, so don't be shy!

Sally Hansen products can be found at chain drug stores, food stores and mass retailers nationally. Visit their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Sally Hansen. Products provided by PR. 

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