Archive for August, 2008
Hey Kids, Don’t Forget To Enter…
The Great Makeup.com Gift Card Giveaway. Before you take off for your super fabulous Labor Day weekend, take a quick sec to enter. You could be a winner come Monday. Isn’t that the best way to end a holiday weekend? Not dreading work the next day but getting a congratuations email from me.
That’s right, you could be one of TEN (10) winners to receive a $25 Gift Card from Makeup.com. Entries will be accepted through August 31st so get on it!
China Glaze Operation Colour for Fall 2008
 POW! BANG! SPLAT!
Operation Colour from China Glaze will certainly make an impact when it hits shelves this month. Inspired by the bold splashes of color found in graphic novels and comic books, this is not your typical Fall look. You won’t find any burnt, vampy or dreary shades here. Instead, China Glaze is taking on Fall in technicolor. |
 With the Costume Institute’s Superheroes exhibit coming to a close this weekend, it seems appropriate for this collection to come along as a way to keep a little superhero fashion alive in everyday life. It’s almost as if these shades were ripped right from the exhibit and red carpet. Just look at the Emilio Pucci dress Joy Bryant donned for the exhibit’s gala in May or the Thierry Mugler graphic novel inspired bodysuit on display at The Met and you’ll see what I mean. |
Overall, I think this collection is a fun change of pace. A nice twist on what we’d normally expect for the colder months. Though I must admit that I’m more in love with the concept and palette as a whole than I am with the colors individually. But I am impressed with the pigmentation. It makes the formula a bit thicker than I would prefer but even the lighter shades only take two coats. The first will be a bit streaky but the second smooths it out. The only one I had any major issue with was Agent Lavender, it didn’t spread out on its own. It required a bit of coaxing.
Secret Peri-Winkle is by far my favorite color in the collection. A gorg mid-toned combo of violet and sky blue, this creme is perfect for cool and neutral tones. I just love it!
Code Orange, like the other shimmers in the lineup, isn’t at all sparkly. The shimmer just adds a little glint of sheen to this tangerine hue.
As I mentioned above, Agent Lavender was my problem child. There’s one in every bunch, isn’t there? But what I love is that unlike most light purples I wear, this one doesn’t make me look like an alien. I find it quite flattering.
Golden Opportunity reminds me of the yellow brick road from the Wizard of Oz. Gleaming goldenrod at it’s best.
Revolution is a tomato ketchup red creme. Not utterly unique but a nice warm red.
Pink Underground is a shade with a twinkle in its eye. The fine bright pink shimmer gives this polish a slight blue/berry cast in the sun. This isn’t your average pink.
The Operation Colour collection is on sale NOW at 8ty8Beauty.com and I’m sure Head2ToeBeauty.com will have it up soon. What I really love… is that they’re releasing the set in minis (pictured right). I first saw them with the Immaterial Gurl collection and they’re just adorable.
So what do you think girls? Comic book colors for Fall. Is it genius or not for you?
Images: All Lacquered Up, China Glaze, Style.com & Flickr.com
Misa Poisoned Passion for Fall 2008
Jewel tones and vampy nail shades are carrying over from last Fall and Misa Cosmetics is putting their twist on the trend. The recently launched Poisoned Passion collection is a lineup of six rich shades. With five shimmers and one creme, these colors pack a lot of punch. They are all very lush.
The last time I reviewed a Misa collection, Love Connections, it was right after their switch to become Big 3 Free. You may remember that I was non-plused with the formula then but, I’m seeing an improvement in this new lineup. While I still had issues with application of a couple shades (Dying Love & Fatal Affair) the rest flowed quite nicely. One thing that has remained consistent is the high level of pigmentation. Each polish only required two coats.
Toxic Seduction – Let’s start out with my favorite color of the bunch. Of course it’s the green, duh! You might call the base color a blackened teal or blue-green but the hints of gold shimmer warm it up a bit. Though I wouldn’t say its a forest green. More like a franken of Gussied Up Green & Rodeo Fanatic. Regardless of how you describe it, I have just one word – WINNER! I looked for it’s closest living relative in my stash and found Poison Ivy from Nailed by Sleek UK (shown below).
A Sin Worth Committing’s base color is royal blue, like OPI Dating A Royal. No purple undertones in the slightest. It’s most definitely a superb navy shimmer however, I found that OPI Yoga-ta Get This Blue is close enough that you wouldn’t need both. A Sin Worth Committing is just a touch bolder.
Dying Love is a tricky one. Both in application and color description. I guess it’s appropriate for the punkiest color to be the problem child. Not quite jet black yet too dark to be gunmetal gray, Dying Love falls somewhere between Lippmann Hit Me With Your Best Shot and Sally Hansen Salon Black Orchid (a LE color).
Fatal Affair is similar to Misa Blueberry Glaze in that BG is a purple tinged blue and Fatal Affair is a blue tinged purple. Though the blue shimmer affected my ability to show the true color. It’s more purple in real life. Compared to one of my favorite purples, Misa Dreamy Purple, it is deeper with a red-violet base.
Forbidden Lust is a deep red based purple shimmer. Like a dark amethyst. In looking for a dupe, I found that it’s a deeper version of NYX Wild (#2 on the linked image).
The only creme in the group, Love Bite, is a vampy browned red. It’s bright berry base makes 2-3 coats necessary to achieve bottle color. I have to say that this is the one color I wasn’t all that jazzed over. As you can see below, it’s very similar to Misa Stiletto so not really a must have for me.
The Poisoned Passion collection is available for sale online at MisaCosmetics.com and Head2ToeBeauty.com.
So fanatics, what do you think? What did you/are you buying from the collection?
China Glaze Rodeo Diva – Flannel Fixation
Looking at the Flannel Fixation shades from China Glaze‘s Rodeo Diva collection takes me back to my college days in the mid 90s when grunge was all the rage and I owned a seemingly endless supply of flannel. Which makes this palette of six cool toned shades so perfectly named.
Ahh how I miss the days of uber-comfy baggy clothing. Not that wrapping a flannel around your waist hid a big butt or looked flattering in the least but we all did it. Except maybe my pal Amber from Beauty Blogging Junkie who abhors the 90s fashion trends with every fiber of her being. BTW, if you share Ambular’s hate of the 90s but love yourself some 80s you MUST check out her 80s Ladies Week. In Amber speak, it’s TO DIE!
But I digress, let’s get back to the polish. The colors may be western flannel inspired but the look is way more chic. Gorg jewel tones with tonal shimmer, they are so hot for Fall. I’m telling you, China Glaze so got it right. And they sent us yet another green! Can life get any better?
All swatches are shown with two coats of lacquer and no top coat but they’re so pigmented I hardly needed the second. With the exception of Red Stallion they all flowed smoothly on the nail. For some reason my bottle was thick and goopy and took some play to get it right. I hope it’s just mine but buyer beware. It’s still workable just a PITA, ya know?
Cowgirl Up is berry based red-violet. It looks more burgundy or wine in the bottle but on the nail its purple side comes out.
Red Stallion was my problem child during application but this warm orangey red has a great Fall feel. In the sunlight the undercurrent of gold shimmer peeks out.
Branding Iron is rich and vampy yet not so dark you can’t tell it’s a burgundy. The shimmer gives this luscious shade its depth and character. Without it, it would be a very boring creme.
The buzz on the MUA nail board has been over Rodeo Fanatic and the possibility of it being a twin to the highly coveted MAC Whirlwind (see comparison below). Well kids, Rodeo Fanatic is not an exact dupe but its certainly the closest living relative. Whirlwind is more of a sea-green (heavier on the green) while I’d call Rodeo Fanatic a deep peacock blue. Either way, it’s a total winner and necessity if you love blues.
How much gushing over Gussied Up Green can you all take? Leaving my love of all things emerald aside, the intensity of this shade is unparalleled. Its luster does not dull. It is the epitome of forest green. I thought Zoya Suvi and OPI Jasper Jade were IT but in comparison (see below), Gussied Up Green has a richness the others don’t. LOVE, pure love.
Midnight Ride’s pure eggplant goodness really only stands out in bright light. Indoors the “almost black” thing takes over and it becomes difficult for anyone but the wearer to know its true identity. Though I’m a sucker for a purple vamp so stick a fork in me, I’m done. They got me!
The China Glaze Rodeo Diva collections, Flannel Fixation and Hay Ride are both available online at 8ty8Beauty.com and Head2ToeBeauty.com. China Glaze nail polishes can also be found at ULTA and Sally Beauty Supply but seasonal collection availability may vary.
Fanatic Feedback – Buying Polish for the Name?
I know I’m not the only one. That girl who’s bought a beauty product simply for the name. Yes, NARS Orgasm blush is touted as being universally flattering but, part of you bought it for the risque name. Admit it!
What about nail polish? Are there lacquers you’ve bought just for the name or collection theme, regardless of the color? Between all the crazy, tongue in cheek names from OPI, the female names in the Zoya lineup and the discontinued but much desired Wizard of Ooh Ahz polishes from China Glaze there plenty of options floating around.
I still remember DQ2 posting on the MUA nail board how she wished her name was Manon instead of Melanie because she had bought both colors from Zoya and loved Manon much more than her namesake.
So which polishes have you bought for the name alone? Why? Did you end up loving the color in the end?
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
