Archive for September, 2009
CND Colour & Effects… What’s Next?
 I’m the type of person who asks too many questions. I’ve always been an inquisitive soul and rather than shut my trap and take the info that’s given to me, I ask any and every question my brain can drum up. So that’s why when I was backstage with CND at NYFW, the first thing I wanted to know about is…. What’s next??
How does a brand follow up a line that is introduced as the ultimate nail color wardrobe? What do you do to stay on-trend without overwhelming the consumer? I’ve got those answers and more after the jump! |
Each Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter season, CND will come out with “The Look,” their color concept for the season. The Look will introduce a new, limited edition Colour and Effect that reflects the current nail trends. In addition to The Look, CND will release seasonal color stories incorporating the core Colour and Effects shades.
For Spring/Summer 2010 the look is Candy Store. It’s based on 50′s and 60′s Americana with a whimsical, sugary color combo. The new Colour is still unnamed but CND’s Angi Wingle put it best when she described the hue as an “energized pastel” not neon fluorescent but not your typical soft, spring pink.
The accompanying Effect, named Sugar Sparkle, is a white sparkle with more texture than the current Effects. It gives a crystallized look to the nail. According to the CND team, layering Sugar Sparkle over Inkwell should satisfy your hunger for the hard-to-find, discontinued CND Blue Blood.
Other Spring trends from the CND team include Sand Dunes and Dark and Stormy.
Sand Dunes plays off clothing details like sculpted shoulders, soft draped silhouettes, decayed fabrics with bits of silica sparkle and texture worn on a medium-to-long sleek, almond shaped nail. As you can see, CND is embracing the lace/fabric overlay look, adding a Copper Chrome tip (2nd from right).
Get the look: Studio White, Desert Suede, Blueberry Whip, Copper Chrome
Dark and Stormy is all about texture. Weathered, oxidized, dark colors. Stray fabric strands and eroded hardware.
Get the look: Layer Gold Sparkle or Silver Chrome over Inkwell or Oilslick. Sponge Silver Chrome over Brilliant White.
CND Colour and Effects can be purchased at salons and spas nationwide or online at our fave e-tailers including GoIndulge.com.
So Fanatics, what do you think of CND’s color stories for Spring? Do you like their concept of The Look? Are you as excited to try Sugar Sparkle as I am?
SpaRitual Mind.Body.Spirit Matte Nail Polish Swatches & Review
 Just when I thought I was having all my matte needs met, along comes the Mind.Body.Spirit collection from SpaRitual. I have been longing for the purple from this set ever since I first spotted it on the SpaRitual rep at Cosmoprof in Vegas. It’s a big ball of fabulous. The collection includes:
Put your Mind at ease with matte champagne Give your Body an edgy boost with matte black Let your Spirit soar to new levels with matte purple Check them out after the jump! |
As we’ve discussed in the past, matte polishes are not long lasting. They’re like the temporary tattoo of nails. Lotion, water, base and top coat will all affect its wear and finish.
In spite of those issues, I think SpaRitual got it right with this collection. The formula is very smooth and easy to work with. Those of you that have feared the unforgiving nature of matte polishes will have better luck with these. The consistency isn’t as thick as other polishes giving you the ability to even it out.
Added Bonus: the dark colors don’t stain when worn sans base coat. Score!
Mind is honestly not my cup of tea. On my hands this shimmery pinkish nude makes my nails look dead. I thought I was looking at a corpse’s hand. The yellow base in my hand’s skin tone just didn’t play well with the hue. However, if you’ve been wanting to try matte but are disappointed by the lack of light colored options, this is definitely a work safe version.
Body surprised me because it isn’t an empty, lifeless black. It dries to a more satin finish that reminds me of BBQ briquettes. Comparing it to Orly Matte Vinyl, I can’t tell them apart except for the formula differences. I feel Body applies better.
Spirit is a total love at first sight situation. I couldn’t wait to wear it this past weekend, it’s just so gorgeous. The finish is somewhat unique in that Spirit falls somewhere between Mind and Body in that it isn’t a shimmer yet it isn’t totally flat. There’s a graininess to it that prevents it from falling flat.
The SpaRitual Mind.Body.Spirit Collection will be available starting October 2009 for $10/each at salons and spas such as Spa Halekulani, Canyon Ranch, and the Mandarin Oriental or online at SkinStore.com and AveYou.com.
Who’s loving the SpaRitual matte polishes? Who prefers to just use a matte top coat? Will a certain color of matte polish cause you to give in? Have you been looking for a light version like Mind? Share with the group!
CND Monday – Asphalt Colour & Sapphire Sparkle Effect
Welcome to CND Monday, a new feature here on ALU. Each week I’ll be sharing a new layering combination from CND Colour & Effects to show you the versatility and creativity of the line.
With a launch this large, an entire brand revamp, it would be a very time consuming project to show you all 50 Colours and 15 Effects. So instead, you’ll be getting your CND fix in bite-size portions. First I’ll show you the Colour and then the layered look with an Effect. I’ll also be highlighting Colour layering ideas and styles from behind the scenes at NYFW.
First up, a combination I meant to wear during my NYFW NOTD Challenge. I packed these two polishes, intending to wear them near the end of my trip. As you learned in my Wrap-Up, things didn’t go exactly as planned. Check out CND Asphalt and Sapphire Sparkle after the jump!
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Milani 3D Holographic, Neon and Nail Art Lacquer for Spring 2010
One of the things I love most about NYFW is getting to see what the different brands have cooking for the upcoming season. MAC in particular is always testing new products that will hopefully hit their counters. I was pleased to see a Milani presence backstage at the Charlotte Ronson show so I could find out what’s coming next from one of my fave drugstore brands.
Coming for Spring 2010, Milani is launching THREE new lines – 3D Holographic, Neon and Nail Art Lacquers with a precision brush. They had the the Nail Art Lacquers on hand and the range of colors is fab but because it was in sample packaging, I don’t have pics to show you. Here are the deets on the new lines.
3D Holographic – specialty nail lacquer is a truly astounding formula containing mica and pearl particles to create a unique 3D Holographic effect that no other nail lacquer has ever achieved. Depending on where you hold your digits, the lacquer appears to color shift thereby providing a different look in different light and at different angles. The color phenomenon is based on Holographic Image Technology that makes a very thin, bright embossed metallic flake look like a rainbow. Available in 6 shades.
Neon – specialty nail lacquer was developed to capture the explosion of color that has made an impact on the latest fashion trends. Available in 8 shades.
Nail Art Lacquer – puts Picasso at your fingertips. Custom nail designs are a snap since the high quality precision striping brush allows for detail work. Nails are the canvas and you are the artist. Available in 10 shades.
I’m definitely curious about the 3D Holographics. We’ve seen holographic polishes from other brands in the past so I wonder what makes these different and 3D? Which line are you most looking forward to?
This Week in ALU Pol-history – 9-27-09
Welcome to This Week in ALU Pol-history a new series where I transport you a la Mr. Peabody’s WABAC (wayback) Machine to check out my favorite past polish posts. Newbies and old school Fanatics, take a look and see what you’ve missed!
September 2008
We took a look at one of the big trends for Fall 2008, Metallic Nails including the sell-out hit Chanel Kaleidoscope.
China Glaze launched the holiday Sleigh Ride collection with the best green glitter EVER Emerald Sparkle.
OPI’s Holiday In Toyland polishes including Brand New Skates and Baby It’s Coal Outside caused me to reminisce about one of my fave cheesy holiday flicks, Santa Claus The Movie.
September 2007
MAC released the Smoke Signals and Blue Storm collections which included cult faves Wildfire and Whirlwind.
I talked about Fall Nail Trends which included jewel tones and gunmetal grays. A lot of shades that are still making the nail scene.
I showed you how to customize your nail look through layering and introduced the MUA Nail Board term for custom blending, Frankenpolish.
How was your weekend Fanatics? The Boyfriend and I went to this fun event inside one of the bridges downtown. That’s right, I said INSIDE the bridge. The city opened a tunnel under the Detroit-Superior bridge that was used for trolley cars back in the day to hold a music and art festival. Of course the PBR on tap wasn’t exactly my speed so we walked over to the Great Lakes Brewery for a pint or two and ended up embracing their Oktoberfest menu, indulging in knockwurst and pork schnitzel. Yum!
I’ve been sporting SpaRitual Spirit from their new matte collection on my tips (I’ll be showing it to you this week). What’s on your nails?
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
