Archive for March, 2009
China Glaze Kicks Collection – Part 2
 Does anyone else remember when Tretorn tennis shoes were all the rage? Better yet, do you remember Tretorns period or did I totally just date myself? Maybe it was just my school but for a second, it was all about what color Tretorns you had. I distinctly remember a green plaid pair I owned.
Anywho, the reason I bring this up is that the more I look at the China Glaze Kicks collection, the more it reminds me of Tretorns. Every single shade would make a perfect accent color on a pair of their white sneaks. BT-Dub, Zappos.com sells Tretorns and now I’m all nostalgic, wanting a white/green pair (pictured). Getting back to the polish, the 2nd half of the collection introduces four cremes and two shimmers to the Kicks party. See them all, after the jump. |
B-Girlz is a hot, Barbie (could that be the “B” in B-Girlz?) pink shimmer. It’s totally Barbie’s pink convertible bottled.
Laced Up is Hubba Bubba hued creme that applies extremely even for such a light color. Normally I get drag at the cuticles with lighter cremes but Laced Up applied beautifully.
Sneaker Head has this sunwashed look to it. It’s a deep, baked berry red. Rich and luscious.
Oh How Street It Is can best be described as a burnt red-orange creme. Like that dark hue of orange flavored jelly candy.
Style Wars is a deep mango creme. I know when I previewed these shades on nail art wheels, that Styel Wars and Oh How Street It Is looked very similar. As you can see, on the nail, Style Wars is less red based and lighter.
I hear Breakin‘ and I’m compelled to say “Electric Boogaloo” before I look to see if Turbo is breakdancing on my ceiling. Anyone? Bueller? Well this Breakin’ may not spawn a sequel but it certainly has a fan base, me! This shimmery baby is pure concentrated OJ. LOVE!
The Kicks collection hits shelves at the end of April. You can order them online at Head2ToeBeauty.com, 8ty8Beauty.com or TransDesign.com or look for them in stores at Sally Beauty or ULTA.
China Glaze Kicks Collection – Part 1
 China Glaze is killing it! Absolutely f’n killing it this summer. I could barely contain myself over the gorgeousness of Summer Days and then out of nowhere comes Kicks, a collection of twelve vivid shades inspired by the colorful footwear worn by Sneakerheads. Sneakerheads aquire colorful “kicks” the way us fanatics accumulate polish. Amassing an array of fashion foward, unique sneakers, the more rare and LE, the better. Sound familiar polish collectors?
All I can say is that Kicks is definitely a collector’s collection. One that you won’t want to swap or give away. I sound like a crushed out schoolgirl, don’t I? Just take a peek after the jump and you’ll be all swoony too! |
The first six shades in the Kicks collection all have some form of shimmer and, with one notable exception (Paper Chasing), it’s very subtle. Think TreeHugger; a creme feeling base with micro-shimmer finely dispersed throughout the pigment. It’s this style of shimmer that makes Kicks a great companion for Summer Days. While I go ga-ga for that glass fleck look, I know that kind of intense look isn’t for everyone. So for the girls that want color minus the uber-glitz factor, Kicks is your new BFF.
Application was a total breeze. Each shade flowed and spread out to give a perfect, even finish. Excluding Paper Chasing, each lacquer is monstrously pigmented and only required two coats. Paper Chasing is more of a semi-sheer, jelly-ish metallic so it required three coats.
Entourage looks like it was pigmented with under-ripened lime zest. It has that bold lime-y quality but it’s not as dark as a fully ripe lime rind. The glint of micro-shimmer is more apparent in Entourage than its sister shades below.
Paper Chasing is my kind of girl and she’s totally different than all the other Kicks polishes. This kelly green beauty has a Sinful San Francisco feel and a slightly metallic look making it a standout shade for me.
What makes Custom Kicks a total winner is the gold shimmer. You can see flecks of it in the bottle and OMG does it draw me in. I have a whole drawer filled with teal polishes but none that look quite like this. A little blackened but not dark or dingy with this frisky hint of sparkle.
Sky High-Top is a vibrant royal blue with tonal shimmer. It reminds me of those rainy spring days when the sun still shines even though it’s pouring. You know how the sky darkens ever so slightly? Bottle that and you have Sky High-Top.
Fly is a purpley raspberry peppered with pink flecks of micro-shimmer. It’s a shame that doesn’t truly show up in pictures because it really does add depth and personality to the polish.
It’s Poppin actually reminds me of a pink poppy flower. It’s a rosey take on fuchsia and makes me long for berry season for some odd reason. Riddle me that.
The Kicks collection will launch at the end of April and can be purchased online at Head2ToeBeauty.com, 8ty8Beauty.com or TransDesign.com or in stores at Sally Beauty Supply and ULTA.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of the collection! What do we think so far?
“What’s On Your Nails?” with Amy from China Glaze
 What’s On Your Nails? is a series focusing on my fellow beauty bloggers and industry insiders, their favorite nail polish and other hot nail topics.One of the greatest gifts writing ALU has brought me is the amazing relationships I’ve formed, like my friendship with Amy MacGregor, Assistant Brand Manager for China Glaze. Amy doesn’t just work for a beauty brand, she has a core love for color and nails that totally reflects in her work. As one of the creative forces behind some of my all time favorite polish collections (Summer Days, Bahama Blues, Ecollection), Amy understands what true fanatics want and delivers over and over again.
After months and months of emails I finally had the chance to meet Amy over breakfast last summer in L.A. and she’s just an absolute doll. The fact that she surprised me with the BEST green glitter EV-AH (Emerald Sparkle) was just a bonus. So read on to get to know Amy better, find out what product made her acrylic to natural nail transition possible and see a perfect example of a natural french manicure. |
My Cruise Mani/Pedi Choice
 It’s not the brightest, sunniest Florida day I’ve ever seen but I’m on vacation so I really could care less. I’ve had some sort of rum punch concoction, a couple of Labatts and I’m feeling good.
We just had our lifeboat drill which means we’ll be pulling away from port soon and my internet access will go buh-bye but I want to thank you all for voting to help me choose my mani/pedi shades for the next week on board. See what I colors I went with after the jump. Warning… feet ahead! |
So I’m not one to show my feet on the web and if you’re offended, I apologize in advance. For one, there’s too many fetishists that have emailed me wanting to see them (eww) and second I don’t want to look at anyone’s feet, even my own, so why subject the world to them, you know? But in the interest of sharing, here’s my first and only tips/toes pose. I decided to take your advice and go with oranges. They look better with a tan and pair well with a lot of the clothes I brought. Originally I had planned to wear CND Kumquat Dahlia on my tips but opted for a shimmer since cremes tend to dull quicker. My combo: China Glaze Orange Marmalade (toes) with China Glaze Breakin’ (tips). “What’s Breakin’?” you say. It’s one of the new Kicks shades and it just works so well with Orange Marmalade. Don’t you agree? Well, I’m off to grab a drink and watch the ship take off. Ciao bellas!
First, here’s the boyfriend and I in our room when we first got on board. I don’t think I’ve ever shown him before so here’s Mr. ALU. We’re celebrating our tenth year of being happily unmarried and I hope the next ten are just as amazing.
I also brought my bottle of Lippmann Nefertiti along for the two formal nights since there’s NO WAY I could go 8 days without changing my polish. I know my mom, a major gold freak, will be happy to hear that. She told me the morning we left that she voted for this combo along with the majority of you so for once we agree.
Vacation… All I Ever Wanted
I’m on my way kids. The boyfriend and I are chillin’ in the Atlanta airport on a gloomy, rainy day waiting for our connection to sunny Florida. As per our usual travel ritual, I spent all last night packing and worrying about what I might forget (this time aloe). So I haven’t slept and am feeling a 3rd wind spurt of crazy energy coming on. The boyfriend is glued to his PSP and wishing he could fall asleep on flights (I pass out dead cold in minutes). Good times!
I just wanted to drop you all a quick note to let you know that while I’m going to be MIA in the Caribbean, ALU isn’t taking a break. Be sure to check back for the exclusive premiere of the China Glaze Kicks collection and an amazingly cool polish related discovery. There will be new What’s On Your Nails? and ALU Archives for your reading pleasure as well. And when I get to a sunnier locale, I’ll share my Vacay Mani/Pedi choice.
FYI I more than likely won’t have internet access on the ship starting Sunday night so I’ll catch up with your emails and comments when I return.
Have a fabulous week everyone. I’ll miss you all!
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
