Archive for May, 2007
Creative Summer 2007 – Flash Point
So I just got my blue-tipped claws on the summer collection from Creative Nail Design. It’s called Flash Point and consists of a nice selection of brights and a metallic sheer.
I have to be honest with you all, I’m not wowed by this lineup. But I know that having so many polishes makes me extremely jaded. After seeing hundreds of red and pink polishes over the years, it takes a lot to get me jumping up and down over a color.
That’s not to say that these aren’t pretty colors or that Creative doesn’t make a great product. They absolutely do. The pigmentation in their lacquer is fantastic. It’s just that for the hard core collectors, there isn’t a truly unique shade here. I’m sure it must be hard for all the brands to come up with 4+ collections a year and try to make them special and trendsetting.
Let’s talk about the colors. I was so excited to read that Glow is a “nude gold shimmer” only to have my heart sink when I saw how sheer it is. But fear not, there is a silver lining on this one folks. For any of you still on the hunt for the discontinued FingerPaints Snow Angel, you can stop searching and pick up a bottle of Glow. The shimmer/glitter is a bit less dense but otherwise they’re dead on dupes. That’s a reason to rejoice!
Flare is a medium carnation pink creme. It’s a great pedi color that will compliment most skin tones. Even without my full on self-tan happening, holding Flare against my skin instantly warms me up.
I held Scorch up to my Bright Pink Lemming Wheel (or nail art wheel) and it falls somewhere between OPI La Pazitively Hot and Zoya Fergie (closer to Fergie). The pink shimmer is very fine and gives Scorch a lot of depth in bright light.
Describing Burn as a “bright hibiscus red creme” does absolutely nothing for a plant killer like me. I have murdered many an expensive flora over the years. In dissecting a color what works best for me is comparison. So in Burn’s case, I look to my collection.
Although it’s described as a creme, I see some minute shimmer up close. And even though Burn is slightly on the orange side, it’s nothing like OPI Cajun Shrimp. I think the fuchsia shimmer that prevents that from happening. China Glaze Hot Lava Love comes close but Burn is brighter and much more pigmented.
A close up look at Burn and Scorch
Opinions? Got suggestions for duplicate shades? Let’s here it!
Weekly Beauty Read
The best in beauty this week from the Beauty Blog Network
A Touch of Blusher – Dior Summer 2007 Collection
Ageless in Los Angeles – Prom: No Longer Just Gowns And Corsages, Now Botox And Restylane
Beauty and Fashion Tech – Top Five Types of Skin Care Products For Any Skin Type
Beauty and Personality Grooming – A quick remedy for dandruff
Canadian Beauty – Canadian Beauty talks about great Mother’s Day Presents!
eBeautyDaily – eBeautyDaily addresses a common home hair coloring problem and its solutions
Elke Von Freudenberg [ Blog ] – Elke ponders a new way to make it in the makeup business. Briefly.
Lipstick, Powder n Paint – Ellen shares some of Jo Malone’s beautiful Mother’s Day gifts
Pretty by Nature – Teri tells us all about PhytoOrganics – a hair care line from Nexxus
Product Girl – Product Girl spent the week exploring Chanel’s new summer collection
The Life of a Ladybug – Lips by Rimmel and Sally
The Big 3 (toxic chemicals that is)
Ok so there has been a lot of talk about toxic chemicals in nail polish. Established brands have changed their formulas to be free of these chemicals which raises a lot of questions. What are they? What do they do? Why are they so bad? Are polishes just as good without them? Who makes polishes free of the Big 3? I’m going to try and answer those questions here.
What are the Big 3 toxic chemicals?
The chemicals we’re talking about are Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Formaldehyde and Toluene.
What do they do?
Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) is a plasticiser to prevent chips and cracks. DBP is an oily liquid that is soluble in fat and slightly soluble in water. It is not very volatile so it does not evaporate readily into the atmosphere.
Over 75% of DBP is used as a plasticiser in polymers such as PVC, 14% is used in adhesives, 7% in printing inks and 3% in other miscellaneous uses, including sealants and grouting agents used in construction as well as consumer products such as cosmetics.
http://www.greenfacts.org/glossary/def/DBP-dibutyl-phthalate.htm
Formaldehyde does not exist in nail polish. It is used in some nail hardeners but not in the actual polish. A resin,tosylamide/formaldehyde resin, makes the polish tough and resilient. While the resin is manufactured from formaldehyde, once the product becomes a resin, the formaldehyde is chemically changed and essentially no longer present. So while formaldehyde is grouped in with toluene and DBP in marketing statements and considered one of the Big 3, it isn’t actually an issue unless you have a reaction to the formaldehyde resin.
The bottom line, you should be aware of formaldehyde in your treatment products, not polish.
Toluene (methylbenzene, toluol, phenylmethane) is a solvent that makes the polish easy to apply. It is an aromatic hydrocarbon commonly used as an industrial solvent for the manufacturing of paints, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and rubber.
Toluene is found in gasoline, acrylic paints, varnishes, lacquers, paint thinners, adhesives, glues, rubber cement, airplane glue, and shoe polish. At room temperature, toluene is a colorless, sweet smelling, volatile liquid.
http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic594.htm
Why are they bad?
I’m not convinced that they are bad. I really think this is something each person should decide for themselves. There are risks and effects caused by exposure to each of these chemicals. But, whether or not limited exposure to polish will actually result in those effects is yet to be determined. I don’t feel it is my place to make that call so I choose to present you with the info I’ve found so you can make up your own mind.
US FDA Office of Cosmetics and Color’s report on Using Nail Products
Professional Beauty Association’s Facts About Salon Nail Polish Products for Consumers
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
Environmental Working Group’s report The Dangers Of Phthalates Industry Spin vs. Fact
California Proposition 65
Are Polishes Just As Good Without Them?
The not so fun answer is, it depends. While some brands have been Big 3 free for years and have top notch formulas, some of the brands jumping on the band wagon don’t have it quite right yet. The best thing I can tell you is to experiment. I’ve noticed that with OPI’s newest collection, Night Brights, it’s hit or miss.
Who makes polishes free of the Big 3?
Avon, Butter London, Dashing Diva “Extra Virgin”, HoneyBee Gardens, Lippmann Collection (newer collections), NailTini, NARS (new formula), Nocti, Nubar, OPI (Australia collection & newer), Revlon, Sally Hansen, Vinyl Deborah Lippmann, Zoya
DBP free but still contain toluene: Creative Nail Design, Misa, Orly
UPDATE: Please check out this post for a more current list of Big 3 Free polish brands – Celebrate Earth Day – Check Your Ingredients
Are there brands I left out? Please email me or post a comment, I want to keep this listing as accurate as possible. Thank you!
NOTD – Nocti Flying Naked
Well, I’ve learned my lesson about trying to do a last minute mani. It’s a Don’t! I was trying to be quick like a bunny yesterday morning and I should have known better.
Cremes, brights and darks are not the kind of polishes you can just slap on and run out the door. Thank goodness this pic doesn’t show it but, I ended up with air bubbles from not waiting between coats, blue polish on my skin from rushing and overall blech-ness.
On the upside, I love the color. Nocti Flying Naked is bold and well pigmented. The shade flourishes even more under a shiny top coat and it flowed on my nail extremely well.
Now I know that the issue I had applying them to my nail art wheels was just because of the surface not the polish. Though I must point out that this is a two coat polish. The initial coat did go on a bit streaky and uneven. But the 2nd made it perfect. I’m always afraid of cremes because they magnify imperfections as compared to a shimmer/glitter polish but the nails that I didn’t eff up actually look really good and smooth.
So those of you that took the plunge and ordered Nocti sight unseen, I can honestly say you’ll be pleased.
CEW Beauty Awards
The 2007 Beauty Awards:
The Beauty Industry’s Highest Honor
The CEW Beauty Awards recognize the most innovative beauty products of the year. Press coverage of winners reaches upwards of 300 million consumers through national print and broadcast.
The winners were announced on May 2, 2007. Here are the entries in the Nail Care & Color: Under $12 category (there isn’t a Over $12 category).
Personally, I’ve heard very mixed reviews of this product; more negative than positive. That they’re difficult to apply well and they don’t last the promised 14 days. I’ll pass.
I’d love to hear your thoughts or experiences with these products. Who do you think should have won? Was there a new product in 2006 that was overlooked?
In my opinion, OPI’s Pro Wide brush and Diamond Dust Formula in the Designer Series polishes should have won in a landslide.
info and photos: CEW
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
