China Glaze Capitol Colours – The Hunger Games Nail Polish Collection Swatches & Review
We’re only seven weeks and two days away from the hotly anticipated opening of The Hunger Games (yes I’m counting) and the only thing more buzzed about than the actual movie is the nail polish collaboration between Lionsgate and China Glaze, The Capitol Colours Collection. Even people who haven’t read the books are exploding with excitement over these polishes.
Between the drama over whether the collection would even come out, the name changes from a character driven theme to a “Capitol” driven theme, that still represents the Districts more than the Capitol, to the debate over whether a book about a dystopian society where children fight to the death for their District’s survival should even be associated with nail polish, every nail lover has been talking about this collection.
All of that aside, it’s the colors alone that drew the majority of us in. Wanting to own a piece of a favorite book series is definitely a part of it but we wouldn’t be rabid to get our hands on the lacquers unless the colors made our pulses race. And that’s exactly what mine did when the collection landed on my doorstep. Let’s dive into the world of Panem, shall we?
Formula & Application: China Glaze is a 3-Free brand with a round brush that is both medium in length and firmness with enough give to allow for ease of control. The cap is slightly tapered and made of smooth plastic that is comfortable to hold.
The diversity of the finishes in this collection makes it hard to generalize the application as being just one thing. Overall the cremes are thin and workable. The metallics and matte are a bit on the goopy side and take some finesse to apply smoothly. The shimmer, foil and jelly polishes were all a dream to work with. I will comment on any application issues below but all polishes are shown with two coats with the exception of the glitter, Electrify.
China Glaze Agro (District 11 – Agriculture) Is a metallic olive green with flecks of gold. The base isn’t overly warm which makes it very wearable though peeps with uber cool tones may have a hard time pulling it off. Due to the metallic finish, brush strokes are an issue and the formula is kind of clumpy so apply very thin layers. Application tip: Apply to the sides first (strokes 1 & 2) then finish in the middle to blend and smooth the surface.
China Glaze Dress Me Up (District 8 – Textiles) is the color that was originally named for Primrose and given its dusty rose color, that would have been a great fit. It’s creamy with a soft, delicate nature, just like Prim.
China Glaze Electrify (District 5 – Power) is a clear-based packed with yellow gold and red glitter. The gold is the more prevalent color though the photo doesn’t show that. Unfortunately shooting in macro pulls apart the colors that your eye will naturally blend together. The overall effect looks like gold foil peppered with red sparkles. Thanks to the density of the glitter, you can get decent coverage without a ton of coats. I am showing you one, two and three coats of color.
China Glaze Fast Track (District 6 – Transportation) is a cool beige packed with gold micro-flecks. It has a similar finish as Knotty from Anchors Away except the base is cooler and more opaque and the flecks are gold instead of silver. It’s a great twist on your average neutral. I was honestly expecting this one to be pretty sheer so I was pleasantly surprised to find that it gives great coverage.
China Glaze Foie Gras (District 10 – Livestock) is a dark, moody mauve creme. I’m calling it Below Deck After Dark. It’s a member of that whole taupe-y purple family that Chanel Particuliere and SOPI Metro Chic belong to.
China Glaze Harvest Moon (District 9 – Grain) is a burnt copper foil metallic. It had the autumnal, fall feeling that represents the idea of a bountiful harvest really well. Unlike the other metallics in this collection, because it’s a foil, it applies smooth as butter and it packed with pigment.
China Glaze Hook and Line (District 4 – Fishing) is a muddied, pewter metallic. There’s a bit of taupe to its underbelly that makes me think of a fish hook that has a thin layer layer of dried dirt from years of use. It’s definitely unusual. It had the same application issues so see above for my tip to getting a smooth finish.
China Glaze Luxe & Lush (District 1 – Luxury) is the FLAKIE top coat. I know all you flakie fans have been freaking over this and since we’re in the midst of a giant flakie movement I’m sure this color will sell fast. In the bottle you can see flecks of fiery orange, blue and a lilac leaning pink in a milky base. I thought it would pair well with Dress Me Up but I wanted to show you other options so I included a black (ChG Liquid Leather) and pale blue (ChG Sea Spray). I think I expected it to explode over black but it kind of fizzled out like an expired firecracker. I love it over the other two though.
China Glaze Mahogany Magic (District 7 – Lumber) is a rich, yellow-based, brown creme. While it’s meant to have a woody feel, I look at it and see a horse mane. Can’t get that out of my mind. Undoubtedly this will rock on warmer/olive skin tones but on me, it feels wrong. Clearly I can’t wear colors this yellow.
China Glaze Riveting (District 3 – Technology) is a jelly-fied gem. A sister to two classic China Glaze jellies, Orange Marmalade and Orange-Pacific this color has one thing going for it the others lack, pigment. It’s magical. Two coats and it’s on! LOVE!
China Glaze Stone Cold (District 2 – Masonry) surprised me as I wasn’t expecting to see a matte in this collection but it makes total sense to have this graphite glitter dry with a matte finish. It’s so asphalt-esque I can’t stand it. Though very similar to Nubar Matte Midnight. Like most mattes, the formula is a bit thick and goopy so use thin coats and workly quickly since mattes dry fast.
With a top coat the silver sparkles come alive and it resembles graphite. I prefer this look over the flat matte.
China Glaze Smoke & Ashes (District 12 – Mining) is the color I’ve been looking forward to most and it does not disappoint. The love child of Blk-Bila-Bong and Glittering Garland, it has the inky base and blue micro-flecks that made BBB a star. Mix in the emerald fleck from GG and we have a rising star on our hands. It’s so much better in person, trust!
Bottom Line: Even though the association with the Districts is not something that is advertised in association with this collection (I read it on this blog) overall I feel the colors do a great job of representing The Hunger Games. Are there some dupeable shades, no doubt. But are there some legen (wait for it)… DARY must-haves? Abso-frickin-lutely. Smoke & Ashes, Riveting, Luxe & Lush, Agro and Fast Track and Harvest Moon are all keepers. If your budget allows, consider Electrify and Dress Me Up. I know I’m known for my aversion to pinks but there’s something about DMU that attracts me. Plus is looks fab under Luxe & Lush.
The China Glaze Capitol Colours collection releases mid-March 2012 at salons and beauty supply stores nationwide including Sally Beauty and ULTA. Online shoppers can head to Head2ToeBeauty.com, TransDesign.com and ULTA.com. China Glaze nail polishes retail for $3-6.50/ea, depending on the retailer, for a .5oz bottle.
Alright so spill… which colors will make your short list to buy? Which one will you wear to see The Hunger Games? Which colors exceeded your expectations based on previews? Which ones fell short?
Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for China Glaze. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.
ALL OF THEM! I think I’m in love. China Glaze is by far my favorite polish brand. And I would just like to say that I love the “How I Met Your Mother” reference to Barney that you made in the last little bit there…
Omg!!!!!! i really want Dress Me up, Fast Track, Harvest Moon, Hook and Line, and Smoke and Ashes but Smoke and Ashes would be too dark on my nails but soooo pretty
Just bought 7 of the colours
but I was a little dissappionted in the dress me up as it dried darker than the in the swatch 
But they are such beautiful colours none the less 
I just finished getting all 12 from Sally’s Beauty Supply. They have a promo going on right now that if you buy 11 you get the last free with a free display! Unfortunately, they are flying off the shelves FAST and I had to go to two separate stores. Well worth it, happy to have the whole collection! (Fast track was my original favorite but I have fallen in love with Riveting…for now!)
i wish there was one called im in love with peeta
i’d buy it
I bought Smoke and Ashes, Electrify, Luxe and Lush, and Riveting!!! I absolutely LOVE them!
[...] polishes. I’ve found another blog site which has gorgeous photos to show the colours click here to go to it. You’re [...]
I’ve noticed that on warmer colors Luxe & Lush shows more orange. Even on Smoke & Ashes is shows more; maybe you just had the wrong black to mix with L&L to make the color pop.
I need Electrify!!!!! That is so cool!!!!
I also love Riveting, especially because if I could be in a District, District 3 would be it.
Luxe and Lush, Smoke and Ashes, and Harvest Moon are also some of my favorites.
I totally agree with Lauren. They need a color for District 13 AND the Capitol.
Oh goodie! 12 colors- 12 months of the year! I’ll wear one for each month- In order! That means I’ll be using Agro for my birthday.
I wonder if it’s possible to find these in the UK too… I love them!
These swatches look just like the real thing. I picked up 8 of them at Sally’s while they had them in special for February. I also got a magnetic polish and the horseshoe magnet w 3 designs. I’ve worn Agro and Smoke and Ashes so far. I was so excited to find the HG polishes in stock, I walked out without buying what I went in for (wax strips) and had to go back in. =]~
I got ‘Riveting’ today! Such a gorgeous orange, can’t wait to paint my nails. The sales lady at Sally Beauty Supply said this collection was selling like crazy.
Hi! You said that the collection releases mid-March but I’m pretty sure it actually released on March 1st. I went to the Sally Beauty near me and found it on March 2nd. Anywho, I got Smoke and Ashes, Riveting and Luxe and Lush. Which I thought was funny since you listed those as your first three must-haves and I read this post after buying them. I’m still really attracted to Harvest Moon and Fast Track so I’m probably going to pick those up for sure since I have a 15% off coupon. I may have to get Stone Cold as well–it just screams Hunger Games to me. I’m not really into green-green nail polishes so I’m not sure about Agro.. I like it but then I feel like I shouldn’t buy it. I’ve seen colors too similar to Dress Me Up and Foie Gras before–nothing special. I just plain don’t like Mahogany Magic.. it reminds me of you-know-what, and no, not a horse mane. I would buy Hook and Line if it applied well but I’ve heard so many complaints about it’s application that I’ve been turned off from it. I like the color and look of it but because of it’s problems it’s a no-go. I don’t like Electrify because it’s a chunky glitter and I just don’t like chunky glitters–plus, it reminds me of Christmas. And Christmas doesn’t remind me of the Hunger Games.
Those look great! Especially liking Fast Track, Dress Me Up, and Foie Gras. Great reviews, BTW! Very in-depth and helpful.
[...] looking for swatches from people who were lucky enough to get a preview. I did find swatches on All Lacquered Up and proceeded to fall in love with a few of the colours: Fast Track, Harvest Moon, Smoke and [...]
Just got them in the mail today! Super excited. I bought all except the brown one. I am currently wearing Stone Cold on my toes (LOVE) and Fast Track on my hands (also LOVE). Super excited to wear the rest!!!
i want these so bad were can i buy them!?
I need 2 get these!!! Where can i get them???
sally beauty has them now.
I have Stone Cold ,Agro , Electrify ,Fast Track , and Harvest Moon and they are all amazing. I love putting Stone Cold under Electrify, it looks so awesome.
[...] China Glaze Hunger Games nail polish – Lionsgate’s collaboration with China Glaze resulted in an awesome nail polish collection — “Capitol Colours” — inspired by the nation of Panem. Check out the dazzling swatches here. [...]
Already ordered Luxe and Lush, Dress Me Up and Riveting.
But this review has also made me consider Smoke and Ashes, Harvest Moon and Fast Track. c:
would you say that Hook and Line is similar to CG Avalanche? Because I have avalanche and I don’t want to buy it unless they are really different.
gosh, i wish i could help but i gave away avalanche a long time ago. the finish and streaking were always a bother for me. though if i remember correctly, avalanche had a touch of lavender to it making it a cooler gray whereas this has a dirtier, muddier undertone.
[...] For sweet reviews of each of the polish colors/descriptions, check out All lacquered Up’s blog post here: http://www.alllacqueredup.com/2012/02/china-glaze-capitol-colours-hunger-games-nail-polish-collectio... [...]
I really liked Luxe and Lush over Fast Track. It’s toned down over a nude but the flakes are still really highlighted and you get a lot of bright orange, yellow, and green.
Thank you so much for showing these. I’ve been worrying my lip over which ones to buy. I’ve decided on Fast Track, Stone Cold, Foie Gras, Hook & Line, Luxe and Lush, and Dress Me Up. I absolutely love them. The others are great too, but I’m uber pale and don’t think I can pull them off, especially those with the yellow undertones.
First thing I’m doing: Fast Track with a Stone Cold tip. and maybe some Dress Me Up toes!
Thanks!
Heyy
I love this series so much. Can’t wait to get my hands on them. Mentioned this post on my blog!!
http://tsukiko-chan.blogspot.com/2012/02/hunger-games.html
OMG! I bought all of them a few nights ago on sallybeauty.com!! I have to wait until like Wednesday to get them all but I am soooooo EXCITED! I love ALL of the colors! But the last two swatches look the same to me… Hopefully they look different in person!But at Sally’s, they had this deal where if you bought this card thing — lol i am new to sally’s — you would get all of the polishes for 3.50! so i bought the card got all the polishes… and thought to myself, i wonder if they have any promo codes out? so i searched it up, and found this one where it was $5 off any purchase of over $25. So I got the $5 off (so I got that card thing freee), and realized I didn’t qualify for free shipping… So I went back got THREE MORE BOTTLES of ChG, and now I have all of the colors from this collection, and a few more!! TOTES DOPE!!!!
That’s a great deal. Glad to hear it. When you say the last two swatches look the same do you mean the last two pictures? Because I posted two pics of Stone Cold, one with top coat and one without since it’s a matte finish. Smoke & Ashes looks nothing like Stone Cold in person.
Ya it was Stone Cold and Smoke & Ashes that look similar on my computer. I saw the topcoat thing but the two colors just look the same. Thanks though
I love your website!
I just got my box in the mail today!! (fast shipping) Stone Cold and Smoke & Ashes look TOTALLY different! I didn’t realize even think about the blue glitter! They are AMAZING colors! Thanks for your help
Thanks for the swatches! I’m definitely going to pick up a few.
(And HIMYM reference! <3)
I WANT ALL OF THEM!!!!
For any of you looking to get a variety of the polishes without paying a fortune, Ulta (the one near me, at least) has a cute packaged deal that contains Agro, Fast Track, Smoke and Ashes, and Luxe and Lush for a little over $13. They’re 9.6mL/.325 Fl Oz bottles instead of the standard 14mL/.5 Fl Oz bottles, but still a pretty good deal and a nice combination of colors!
Plus, they come in a really cute package!
Thanks so muc for the review and swatches !!! It helped me alot to pick up my favourites and find where to buy them =) I linked your blog on my blog post about the collection =)
xxx Vee
I have fast track and luxe and lush. Love them, but need to find smoke and ashes! Love the hunt as much as the polish…
Picked up Foie Gras, Dress Me Up, and Fast Track thanks to this post. They aren’t usually color’s I’d go for, but I love them!
My Foie Gras looks nothing like your swatch. It’s darker and more browny…
I’ve in love with Harvest Moon, it’s really good quality and I adore the colour. I’ve also got Stone Cold but find that it chips VERY easily, even with a top coat. However, I love the matte effect as its the only matte lacquer that I own.
Can’t wait to buy the rest of the Collection!
[...] many nail polish collections gaining inspiration either from movies – like China Glaze’s The Hunger Games-themed “The Capitol Colors Collection”- or from celebrities creating colors for their own line. [...]
i really need agro for my panda design. ive been looking for a shimmeryish nice green for a while now!! harvest moon also looks awesome