As I’m sure you’ve figured out, I’m a sucker for greens, blues and purples. Even before I became the full fledged polish fanatic that I am today, those were always the shades I gavitated to. I grew up in a purple bedroom with purple shag carpet that remained until my parents moved 12 years ago. For the majority of my life the only jewelry I wore contained my birthstone, emerald. And my first car was a white convertible with slate blue leather. I’ve had two electric blue cars since.

So you can imagine my joy when I laid eyes on the Zoya True nail polish collection for Spring 2012. They couldn’t make it any more “me” if they tried. Not unless they can make an emerald green holo happen, ha!

A fresh bloom of dewy color. Inspired by the runway looks of top designers this collection features slightly muted and unexpected spring shades in six easy to wear, full-coverage creams and metallics.

I’m sure like a lot of you, I feel programmed to expect Spring to be all a flutter with sheers, pastels and brights. So much so that anytime a brand releases anything outside that color box, I get excited. The True collection certainly gives me butterflies.

Formula & Application: Zoya is a 4-Free brand (including formaldehyde resin) plus they leave out camphor, which can be an irritant. Their signature Italian glass bottles have a tapered, shiny black plastic cap that rests comfortably between the thumb and index finger while polishing. The brush is short, round and medium in girth with flexible bristles that allow for ease of control.

The Zoya formula tends to feel a bit watery and that can lead to coverage issues. For the most part I was able to get away with two thin coats but on some nails I had to throw on an extra layer to make up for dragging near my cuticle. As I shared in my Zoya Ivanka Wear Test, Zoya nail polishes wear best with the full Zoya Color Lock System or top coats that exclude Cellulose Acetate Butyrate.

Zoya Bevin is a sage green creme. There was a point in my life where I was obsessed with the color sage. I battled with the boyfriend to paint a room in our old condo sage (I lost) and ended up buying every sage colored accessory I could find instead. This version of sage is a bit more energized. Not quite as diffused as what I typically think of as sage.

Zoya Cho is the D’Artagnan to the Three Musketeers that are the Zoya Touch collection. A full coverage French vanilla with a subtle silver shimmer. If any of the neutrals in the Touch collection were too peach, pink or yellow, your inner Goldilocks will be satiated with Cho.

Zoya Farah is one of those, would you like some coffee with all that cream, kind of shades. It’s a great, work-friendly neutral that doesn’t lean so far towards yellow to make it unwearable for cooler skin tones.

Zoya Lotus is a smoked-out, deep violet sprinkled with magenta metallic flecks. It’s an edgier twsit on those smokey purples that were so popular a few years back (eg OPI Parlez Vous OPI?).

Looking at slate blue shimmer, Zoya Skylar, for the first time I couldn’t help but think, “RBL Catherine H?” They are definitely cut from the same cloth but Skylar is lighter and doesn’t have as much royal in its base. It’s more like if you mixed some butter LONDON Victoriana and a drop of white in Catherine H. The gold, blue and light pink flecks really set this one apart from its competitors.

Zoya Tru is a grape-y shimmer packed with reddish bronze micro-shimmer. Zoya is calling this an “orchid” shade but I always think of orchids as having more pink to their base color than this. It actually matches a sweater I bought recently in a color named “The Grape Cape” so there you have it.

Bottom Line: Even though I don’t pull out the neutrals that often, there isn’t a color in this collection I would label as a “pass” or one I plan to pass on to friends. If I just HAD to pick a top three, they would be Skylar, Bevin and Lotus.

Zoya True for Spring 2012 is on sale now. Zoya nail polishes are available online at Zoya.com and at salons nationwide including ULTA. Visit the Zoya Salon Locator for a retailer near you. Zoya nail polishes retail for$8/ea for a .5oz bottle. Don’t forget, you can try before you buy with the Zoya Color Spoon program.

Are these colors ringing TRUE to you? Which ones will make it into your spring nail wardrobe? What if you had to pick just ONE?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by Zoya. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

365 of Untrieds is my personal challenge to weed through the polishes in the ALU stash that I’ve been wanting to try but just haven’t gotten around to. Given my love for all things sparkly I couldn’t resist popping open Nails Inc Crystal Colour in Porchester Square. I’m sure there are some who feel an embellished cap is a waste of money but I love having bottles I’m proud to display. It’s one of the reasons I adore the shape of Lippmann’s bottle. The design is so high end and vanity table worthy that you just want to show it off. Since I’m leaving for Cosmoprof Saturday morning I’m already in Vegas mode so I blinged out Porchester Square with Nails Inc Electric Lane Holographic Top Coat. Check it out!

Formula & Application: The Nails Inc formula varies in terms of ingredients. Porchester Square is 3-Free and Electric Lane is 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin) and free of camphor, which can be an irritant. The round glass bottles are topped with a thick, round, smooth cap of the same width.  The brush is round and pretty thick with bristles that give some resistance when you try to fan it out.

Porchester Square is thick with pigment but it spreads out easily on the nail and is self leveling, giving great coverage in two coats. Electric Lane contains holographic glitter so it dries with a bit of texture. I used one coat of the Kensington Caviar Top Coat and it wasn’t perfectly glassy so I added second coat. I’m sure a thicker top coat would only require one layer.

Nails Inc Porchester Square is a pale mushroom taupe creme. It’s a cool toned neutral, like a lighter version of the “greige” hue that has been so big the past couple years.

Adding a coat of Electric Lane Holographic Top Coat is like sprinkling the surface with tiny multi-colored twinkle lights and the best part is, the glitter shows up in most lighting. This combo is what I hoped the glitter in Butter London All Hail McQueen The Queen would look like. The particles are “scattered” so they don’t create a prismatic or “linear” pattern on the nail. The particles are much larger than China Glaze Wireless but smaller than OPI Paris Couture For Sure, two popular holographic top coats.

Bottom Line: I have quite a stash of these “new neutrals” but very few of them offer the coverage and ease of application of Porchester Square. Even if it wasn’t in special packaging I would want this shade. I can’t even begin to describe how full of win Electric Lane is. It’s not a super holo so it’s a great way to amp up an everyday color without going over the top. The fact that you can see the sparkles indoors in poor lighting makes it even better.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: You can’t hear it but I’m chanting “STASH STASH STASH” at home.

Nails Inc Crystal Colour Porchester Square and Electric Lane are available exclusively in the US at select Sephora stores (see full list) and online at Sephora.com. Nails Inc nail polishes retail for $9.50/ea for a .33oz bottle. The Crystal Colour polishes retail for $19.50/ea & the Electric Lane Holographic Top Coat retails for $10/ea.

Thoughts on Porchester Square? Do you like it better with or without Electric Lane? Will you pay more for an embellished bottle? What is your favorite holographic top coat?

Also, if you have any questions you want me to ask your favorite nail brands at Cosmoprof, hop on over to the ALU Facebook Page and leave a comment.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for Nails Inc. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

365 of Untrieds is my personal challenge to weed through the polishes in the ALU stash that I’ve been wanting to try but just haven’t gotten around to. Before we talk polish, I want to let you know that the issues that have been plaguing the comment section and “read more” link have been fixed. Thanks to reader meme, who alerted to me the scope of the problem, I was able to have the issues resolved today. I suggest you do a hard reset of your browser if you still see the glitches. Also, I encourage you to please email me or send a comment if you notice a site error. I won’t see a problem in the comments from my end so I rely on all of you to let me know if there is something wrong. Thank you! So with all that out of the way, I decided to go for a fresh, clean look today. In an interview I gave for USA Today about nail trends I recommended some great beige neutrals including CND Perfectly Bare, which you all know I love. The thing is, Perfectly Bare is a bit too peachy for some plus it’s a limited edition color so I looked for a permanent shade that is cool complexion friendly and came up with CND Creamy Cameo.

Formula & Application: CND nail polish is 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin). The bottle is shaped to fit comfortably between fingers, like the Shu Uemura bottle. The brush is a thin, narrow and flat with flexible triangular bristles that soak up polish like a squeegee mop. Allow the brush to hang out in the polish for a couple seconds between strokes to properly absorb the lacquer.

I have continually raved about the new CND formula and in terms of consistency, Creamy Cameo holds up to the standard. The bottle lists the color as “opaque” so I expected a simple two coat coverage. Unfortunately, the opacity just wasn’t there. I used three coats and still ended up with some VNL (visible nail line). Unlike the old CND formula, the Colours all dry very fast with none of the denting issues of the past.

CND Creamy Cameo is a light, muted beige with peachy undertones though it’s not nearly as warm as Perfectly Bare. It’s an ideal work-safe neutral creme. It’s not quite my “mannequin hands” shade but I find it very flattering on my skin tone.

Bottom Line: I’m having such a conflict over this color. The opacity issues and the fact that neutrals aren’t really my thing have my head saying this color isn’t for me but for some reason I can’t stop staring at my nails. I thought I was over my neutrals love affair but apparently my slave-to-trends heart is turning this into a full-blown summer romance. Who would have guessed?

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: I’m STASHing it for now but I may revisit this when Fall comes around.

CND Creamy Cameo is available as part of the permanent CND Colour & Effects line at salons and spas nationwide including chains like Beauty Brands, Beauty First and Trade Secret. For more info visit CND.com. Online shoppers head to GoInduge.com or TransDesign.com. CND Colour nail polish retails for $9/ea for a .33oz bottle.

Thoughts on Creamy Cameo? How many of my fellow bright color queens have turned to the neutral side this summer? Would you STASH or SHARE Creamy Cameo? What is your favorite CND Colour?

Disclosure: A product sample was provided by CND. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

365 of Untrieds is my personal challenge to weed through the polishes in the ALU stash that I’ve been wanting to try but just haven’t gotten around to. I’ve been on this odd beige neutrals kick lately. It all started with CND Perfectly Bare and Deborah Lippmann’s Naked and now Zoya comes out with the Touch collection, a specialty set of three undertone-matching beige polishes with a subtle shimmer. Zoya Nail Polish presents 3 new, full coverage nude creams – softly kissed with a bit of metallic to make them ultra wearable. It’s so not my color personality but there’s just something about wearing a full coverage neutral that feels so fresh and clean in this sticky summer heat. I honestly don’t know what’s become of me but I don’t see this trend of mine dying off anytime soon.

Formula & Application: Zoya is a 4-Free brand (including formaldehyde resin) plus they leave out camphor, which can be an irritant.  Their signature Italian glass bottles have a tapered, shiny black plastic cap that rests comfortably between the thumb and index finger while polishing.  The brush is short, round and medium in girth with flexible bristles that allow for ease of control.

While the Zoya formula can be somewhat watery, the Touch collection polishes are all very creamy and thick with pigment. They are still spreadable and self leveling so the thickness isn’t an issue. I was able to get all three colors opaque in two coats which is impressive for such light colors.

Zoya Minka is a yellow based beige with silvery micro-shimmer. Think of it as a light sand. The same shimmer appears in all three polishes and it isn’t overly visible. It gives the polish a sheen and adds depth to the color. Minka is intended for warmer complexions and olive skin tones.

Zoya Pandora is a blush toned beige with silver micro-shimmer. This color reads more pink than beige and will work well with cool skin tones.

Zoya Shay is a peachy beige with silver micro-shimmer. I consider peach a neutral in that it blends both cool pink and warm orange. Yes, some peach colors can lean too far either way to make them unwearable for certain skin tones but Shay fall nicely in the middle. It’s a color that will flatter a majority of people.

Bottom Line: Zoya Minka did absolutely nothing for my coloring but the other two are quite lovely. I appreciate that Zoya took undertones into consideration and created polishes that coordinate with our coloring rather than trying to match every conceivable skin tone. Also, I love the great coverage these polishes give and the way the micro-shimmer adds a sheen but doesn’t cross over into frosty/pearly territory. If you’re looking for the perfect beige neutral, you should definitely check these out.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: Minka made me look too sallow so SHARE. And while Pandora is pretty, I know my beige phase will pass so I’m only STASHing one of the three and that’s Shay.

The Zoya Touch collection is available now on Zoya.com. Zoya nail polish is carried at salons and spas nationwide and at chains like ULTA. Seasonal collection availability will vary by location. Nail polishes retail for $8/ea for a .5oz bottle. Don’t forget, you can try before you buy with the Zoya Color Spoon program.

Am I the only one that has recently fallen victim of the neutrals trend? Thoughts on the Touch collection colors? Which one do you think would work best with your skin tone? Do you prefer to compliment your skin tone or match it perfectly (ie Mannequin Hands)?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by Zoya. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

Last winter we got a peek at one of the Chanel Fall 2011 nail polishes when Chanel Graphite hit the runway but it’s Chanel Peridot that seems to be getting all the buzz. Is it green? Is it yellow? Are we talking Chanel duo-chrome?

Inspired by the heritage and savoir faire of the artisanal craftsmanship of the House of Chanel, Peter Philips, Creative Director of Chanel Makeup, introduces new textures and makeup effects in a radiant Fall 2011 Collection, ILLUSIONS D’OMBRES DE CHANEL.

At the heart of this captivating colour story: Shimmering bronze, gold and platinum are the perfect complements to plum, khaki and copper shades on eyes and lips. Unique reflections of metallic green, silver and beige on nails provide the ideal counterpoint.

“Illusion d’Ombre is a new and exciting product, that’s easy to apply,” says Peter Philips. “I would suggest finger application. The texture is unique and has a very pleasant touch.”

Chanel Peridot – Green-Gold, Chanel Graphite – Metallic Silver, Chanel Quartz – Silver Beige

As you can see, Chanel Peridot reads very gold. It shows it’s green base on the edges and at certain angles so it’s definitely a duo-chrome but don’t go expecting an overly green look.

Chanel Graphite has little gold flecks and to my eye it falls somewhere between OPI Your Royal Shine-ness and OPI Brand New Skates though I’ll have to see all three on the nail to know for sure.

Chanel Quartz is unique in that typically when brands use the term it’s in conjunction with pink. Based on the nail art swatch I”m not loving it and questioning whether it will clash with my skin tone but I’m going to keep an open mind until I wear it.

The Chanel Illusions d’Ombres de Chanel Fall 2011 collection is available now at Chanel counters nationwide and online at Chanel.com. Chanel nail polishes retail for $25/ea for a .4oz bottle. Both Peridot and Graphite are listed as Limited Edition colors.

What are your initial thoughts on the Fall collection colors? Will you be running out to scoop up any of these colors? Which of the three do you think will be the big hit? Are you into a green-gold duo-chrome?

Disclosure: I purchased these nail polishes. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

365 of Untrieds is my personal challenge to weed through the polishes in the ALU stash that I’ve been wanting to try but just haven’t gotten around to. Deborah Lippmann’s Spring 2011 Collection nail polishes both made their first public appearance during New York Fashion Week. Naked, a classic backstage beige, was seen on the ADAM runway where the look was a modern take on 70s fashion. Glitter in the Air, which Deb created after seeing Pink’s ethereal performance at the 2010 Grammys, was the finishing touch to a layered manicure with Fashion at Badgley Mischka. When I first saw Glitter in the Air last September, I couldn’t help but drool over the cotton candy confection. My mind starting racing with layering ideas, including Waking Up In Vegas but it was Deb who suggested wearing it over Naked so I decided to combine the two for today’s post.

Formula & Application: Deborah Lippmann nail polish is 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin) and doesn’t contain camphor, which can be an irritant. Her signature glass bottle is so distinct you would know the brand even without the name on it. It’s one of the best bottle shapes in the industry. The curved cap was designed with professional manicurists in mind as it is shaped to rest comfortably between your fingers.

The Lippmann brush is short, round and average in width with flexible bristles that easily fan out over the nail plate.  Both Naked and Glitter in the Air had a squishy, watery feel in application. It’s as though the formula is a blend of jelly and creme. For reference, Call Me Irresponsible has the same texture and reminds me of the current Essie formula. The level of opacity in these two polishes is very different so I’m going to address that in the individual reviews below.

Naked is a creamy beige. It reminds me of Barbie doll skin, in the best possible way. It’s probably one of the most neutral beiges I’ve come across in a while as it doesn’t lean pink or peach. In terms of pigment, it’s not the most opaque polish but that was not Deb’s intention. She wanted coverage but not full coverage and with three coats, that’s exactly what you get.  There is a hint of VNL but it’s tolerable. Due to its jelly-like texture, Naked dries extremely glossy.

Glitter in the Air is a milky baby blue jelly filled with pink quartz and sky blue hexagonal glitter in varying sizes. The past couple years we’ve seen Deb contain her “glitter party” to the latter half of the year but this time around she has extended the fiesta until spring. As much as I would love to tell you that all that dreamy blue haze translates to the nail, it doesn’t. The base color barely makes a difference when applied over Naked and the glitter can be persnickety.

To show you what additional layers of GitA can do, I used one coat on my pinky, two coats on my ring and three coats on my middle. While the blue base color makes Naked look a bit more cool and pink toned, it’s not as noticeable a change as I expected.

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Bottom Line: Clearly I’m a sucker for trends as I find myself enjoying the company of neutrals lately. There’s something about how fresh and clean they look that is drawing me in. For a girl that loves color as much as I do, I seriously don’t understand how this happened. Regardless, I’m INTO Naked. Like ready to introduce it to my parents smitten. Glitter In The Air, on the other hand, wouldn’t even get a rose in round one of a nail polish version of The Bachelor. I was hoping this would be my new Today Was A Fairytale but it missed the mark. Considering the price point of Lippmann glitters, it’s just not worth it to me.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: Naked is going nowhere – STASH. While my inner hoarder says to stash Glitter In The Air, I’m putting it up for adoption – SHARE.

Deborah Lippmann Naked and Glitter in the Air are available now at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Barneys NY stores. Online shoppers can head to DeborahLippmann.com, Nordstrom.com, Barneys.com, Beauty.com, NeimanMarcus.com. Deborah Lippmann nail polishes retail for $16-20/ea depending on the shade for a .5oz bottle.

Am I alone in my odd neutrals phase? It is only a phase, right? Thoughts on Naked and Glitter in the Air? Did you pick either of them up when they launched? Would you stash/share Glitter in the Air?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by representatives for Deborah Lippmann. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

Last summer’s North Fork Collection from Essie was such a stellar sellout success that it’s no wonder she’s releasing the tropical themed Resort Collection that includes a new green and blue for us to drool over. I have to say, Essie’s colors are starting to win my heart again.  She’s introducing more “me” shades and I LOVE it.  Granted the Art of Spring wasn’t my style but she has a pretty large fan base to please. I mean I get that she’s known for stunning reds, sheers and neutrals but I’m just not that kind of girl.  I guess in NYC speak my nail flavor is more “downtown” than “uptown”  so when Essie creates colors like Turquoise & Caicos and Lapis of Luxury, I’m ALL IN!   Check them out after the jump!

Formula & Application: The consistency and texture of these polishes are very similar to the cremes from the North Fork Collection. They have the squishy jelly-ish quality when applying and they level out very well. Seriously, on one nail I had too much polish and I thought I created a polish ridge but it dried perfectly flat and glossy.

My only issue, and it’s kind of major, is with the pigmentation. These apply pretty sheer so I would highly suggest a ridge filling base coat to avoid VNL. With Turquoise & Caicos I used 4 thin coats and at certain angles you could still see my tips.  With the rest of the polishes I was a bit heavier handed with the layers and I got away with three coats.

Turquoise & Caicos is a beautiful true turquoise creme.  It screams tropics and actually the whole collection reminds me of the St. Maarten sign that greets cruise passengers at the port.

I went on the hunt for T&C’s twin and failed.  I have a literal smorgasbord of blues, greens and everything in between and couldn’t find a true dupe.  T&C falls somewhere between Essie Greenport and Barry M Mint Green.  Surprisingly they all have the same texture and finish.

Lapis of Luxury is a rich cornflower blue creme.  It’s got that sky before a storm quality only brighter.  I have a sweater this color that is beat down and covered in pills but I keep shaving them off because I love the color so much and haven’t found anything to replace it.  Similarly, I haven’t come across a polish this color before either.

Looking at Lapis in the bottle I felt confident that I had a match in my stash.  Not so much!  China Glaze Secret Peri-Winkle is a deeper more purple version and Maybelline’s Pie In The Sky is touch lighter and definitely more sky blue than pre-storm sky blue.  Plus, the Maybelline was a nightmare to apply so even if it was a dupe I’d go with the Essie.

Playa Del Platinum isn’t a grey to my eye as much as it is a greige, like greyed sand which is something you’d find on the shores of Lake Erie.  There’s no white sands to be found here people.  It definitely fills the neutral void in the collection and while I didn’t find it flattering against my skin I can see this being a very work friendly way to work those greige tones into your wardrobe.

Playa Del Platinum has no close relatives in my collection though it found some twice removed cousins in Essie Body Language and Deborah Lippmann Waking Up In Vegas.  Playa is more tan and greyed than Body Language but not quite as browned or dark as Waking Up In Vegas.

Spalsh of Grenadine looks more fuchsia than the magenta it was described as in the preview.  It’s a vivid purple toned pink creme.  This type of color isn’t really my deal so they don’t tend to take up residence in my permanent collection and since I recently cleaned house, I have nothing to compare this with.  Think of it as a lighter, pinker version of SOPI Don’t Go There.

Bottom line: Turquoise & Caicos and Lapis of Luxury scream ALU must-haves.  They’re totally unique and very me.  Playa Del Platinum and Splash of Grenadine get a pass from me because while I’m willing to deal with the sheerness for an amazing blue or green I’m not willing to put in the time on colors I won’t regularly wear.

The Essie 2010 Resort Collection launches in May 2010 on essie.com and in salons nationwide.

Are you loving the Resort polishes?  Which one is your fave?  Are you planning to pick up any of these when they hit shelves next month?

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished by Essie.  For more information read my Disclosure Policy.

One of Color Club’s three, yes I said three, new collections is Rebel Debutante.  The collection introduces nine new creme polishes that for the most part are very chic and subdued but it’s the stand out blue and green that caught my eye. What an unexpected twist to add such bright pops of color to the palette.  I suppose they are the rebels in the group.  Though what I like about this collection as a whole is that even though the majority of the shades are neutrals, they are what I’d call “new neutrals.”  They have an updated feel to them.  See what I mean after the jump!

Who Are You Wearing? is a grayed cream.  Its cooler base makes it more relevant than a buttercream icing type white.  Though because it’s a semi-sheer polish, I needed three coats to get it opaque.  It’s also a bit on the streaky side but by layer three those issues are resolved.  Oh and yes, there was a polish from OPI with this name but they look nothing alike.

High Society falls into that mushroom-y taupe trend that’s so popular right now but it’s a bit lighter than colors like Chanel Particuliere.  For those that find Particuliere too dark for spring/summer, this would be a great option. Like Who Are You Wearing? this shade has a greyed out coolness to it that makes it very wearable.  The formula feels kind of watery so I used three coats.

Best Dressed List is actually much warmer in person it just doesn’t translate on camera.  Think of a cozy camel cashmere sweater.  It has a cuddliness to it.  This is definitely a warm toned shade so it would be best for olive and darker skinned ladies.

Charity Ball has that burnt sienna crayon look to it.  It’s a brown based brick red hue that reminds me of dried red clay, only without the dustiness.  It’s definitely vibrant and feels very fall to me.  Again this is a bit watery and required three coats.

Uptown Girl is the color I recommended to get Deborah Ann Woll’s Oscar nail look.  It’s a smokey deep violet that looks a bit darker in person.  It’s definitely in the same vein as one of my other greyed purples, OPI Parlez Vous OPI?. I’m really in love with this color.  Even though this color has been done, every time I come across it I fall in love all over again.

She’s So Great is a vivid candy-ish pink.  It’s got a blue undertone that makes it more cool but not so much that warm skinned girls should stay away.  This one was a bit difficult to work with.  A little thick and streaky but manageable.

Ms. Socialite looks like a cross between a red grape and a plum (a grum?).  It’s got a lot of warm red tones in its base and in the bottle looks like a deep magenta.  It dries much darker of course.  I normally shy away from warmer purples but this one got to me.  Partly because the application was fantastic.  A dream really.  Two coats got it done and it flowed extremely smooth and even.  Ms. Socialite is the total package.

Gossip Column is the color that initially drew me in.  I love deep sea blues and teals and this one is a gem.  I have a lot of blue-greens that are heavy on the green but not as many that lean more towards blue so this one is a must have in my collection.  In the bottle it looks a lot like A Bouquet For Ava from Barielle’s Wildflower collection but Gossip Column dries darker with a hint more teal to it.

Rebel Debutante is definitely the loner in this crowd.  This bright neon green doesn’t quite fit in with the other kids at the ball.  Because it is a neon it dries to a satin finish but a layer of top coat will take care of that.  Of course, as with all brights/neons it doesn’t photograph well.  They must be shy or something, don’t want to upstage the others with its vivid hue.  In person it’s MUCH bolder and in your face but not day-glow offensive.

Bottom line: The understated creams are a great addition to your color wardrobe but not must haves.  Uptown Girl is a great substitute for OPI Parlez Vous OPI? and Ms. Socialite and Gossip Column are my hands down faves.

The Color Club Rebel Debutante collection is available now and can be purchased online at TransDesign.com and VictoriaNailSupply.com where prices range from $2.25-$2.50/ea.

What do you think of this collection?  Which colors caught your eye?  Are you feeling these subtle tones for spring or are you more into the bold colors like Gossip Column and Rebel Debutante?

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished to me by Color Club.  For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

I discovered RGB Cosmetics when I saw their Pre-Fall Collection polish, Steel, featured in Allure. Of course, “Pre-Fall” meant there would be more polishes coming our way for the season. The Fall collection recently launched and includes Cognac, Crimson and Doll. Quite a few Fanatics have inquired about the Fall shades and they have a more traditional feel than what we saw in Pre-Fall. With the popularity of dark green and metallics this season, I was hoping to see a bit more edge though I did find myself drawn to Cognac (far left). Check it out along with the rest of the collection after the jump!

You can view my complete review of the RGB formula and packaging including my 5-Day Wear Test HERE. With the exception of Crimson, these polishes all apply well in two coats. Crimson was a bit thin so it required three coats. I was actually surprised at how smooth and pigmented Doll is. Usually with light colors the two are mutually exclusive.

Cognac is rich and creamy. It dries significantly darker than the bottle color and reminds me of roasted chestnuts. It would actually make a fab autumnal mani/pedi with OPI Ginger Bells since that polish channels Crayola Burnt Sienna and Cognac has a Burnt Umber feel.
Crimson is a deep blue blood red but without that super berry base we’re used to seeing in the first coat. It stays pretty true to the bottle shade, darkening with each layer. For that reason I wouldn’t necessarily describe this shade as cool/warm. I think it could work on a lot of skin tones.
Doll is described as “calamine pink” but I see it as a neutral light beige. It appears a bit more pink in my image than it actually is. On me it gives that “mannequin hands” effect. Very work friendly.
RGB’s Fall collection is on sale now at RGBCosmetics.com. The polishes are 3-Free (including Formaldehyde Resin) and retail for $14/ea.

What do we think Fanatics? Has anyone tried RGB since I wrote about them? I’d love to hear your experience.

Recalling Mademoiselle Chanel’s fascination with the constellations, LUMIÈRES CÉLESTES — eight exquisite new shades of LÈVRES SCINTILLANTES Glossimer — brings a brilliant reflection of light to the lips. Ranging from a shimmering ruby glow to the sparkle of pink diamonds, the effects are as mesmerizing as a star-filled sky. Ever since I caught wind of Chanel’s Celestial Lights collection, I’ve been waiting with bated breath to cover my tips in Cosmic Violine. As far as I’m concerned, there aren’t enough fun brown family shades on the market so hearing that they were coming out with a “brown copper” lacquer to accompany their eight new Glossimer shades, all I could think was “SIGN ME UP!” Of course, it did not disappoint. Check out my swatches along with the rest of the Celestial Lights Le Vernis lacquers after the jump!

In addition to Cosmic Violine, Chanel is introducing a new pink for summer, Mica Rose, repromoting permanent shade Allegoria and bringing back Dazzling (originally intro’d with Holiday 2007). With one minor exception (noted below) all the shades applied like a dream, smooth and even. They are all shown without top coat, over a ridgefilling base.

Cosmic Violine is a micro-glitter packed, red-based brown. It’s very rich, even more so in person, and the glitter reminds me of the Moscow collection. Cosmic Violine could be the lighter, browner sister of Feu De Russie. What I love is that even though this type of shade seems more suited to fall or winter, I totally want to rock it on my toes for summer. It truly is the standout shade of this collection. LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Mica Rose is the cool toned alternative to last summer’s Flamingo, one of my all time fave pinks. Flamingo is a warm sparkly pink while Mica Rose is more of a true pink with a slight leaning towards lilac. It’s on the semi-sheer side so I needed three coats to make it opaque. Though with the majority of my pink collection consisting of warmer hues, I’ll happily add Mica Rose to my perm stash.

Allegoria is milky beige creme that is part of the permanent Chanel Le Vernis lineup. It’s a staple type shade but not really “me” and since my bottle was pretty streaky, requiring three coats (four on my pinky), for me, it’s not a keeper.

Dazzling is a true red creme and with all the celebrity red tip sightings these past few months, it only makes sense to bring this baby back for summer. You have no idea how many red creme pedicures I saw on the cruise so if you want to jump on that bandwagon, Dazzling is a good place to start.
The Celestial Lights collection officially launches in May though I believe people have already started finding the polishes at their local Chanel counters. Le Vernis lacquers retail for $23/ea and can be purchased online from Chanel.com in addition to department and specialty store Chanel counters.

So who’s planning to run out and grab a bottle of Cosmic Violine? Are the other shades striking your fancy?