New from Illamasqua – Descend into the riotous scene of erotic adventure that is THE THEATRE OF THE NAMELESS, nocturnal den of the dissident leaders of underworld subcultures. Exotic dancers rub shoulders with expressionist actors and performers; nudists and Boot Girls openly compete for the Conférencier’s eye; and all participate in the Club’s endless, pleasure-seeking rituals, immersing themselves in a heady world of sensual delight …

As part of Illamasqua’s Fall 2011 collection, Theatre of the Nameless, the cult UK brand is introducing four new Nail Varnish shades with a waxy, rubberized finish. Taking a lead from the colour-coded specialities of the Wittenberg Platz’s domineering Boot Girls, Illamasqua introduces confident new shades in Taint (Stone Brown), Kink (Bottle Green), Vice (Deep Cerise), and Faux Pas (Blue Violet).

Formula & Application: Illamasqua is a 3-Free brand based out of the UK that sells their products exclusively at Sephora in the US. The bottle has a removable outer cap that reveals a small ribbed inner cap that can be used for application though I prefer to just leave the outer cap on while polishing. The brush is thin and round and reminds me of the old OPI non-Pro Wide brush. For the Theatre of the Nameless collection, the caps are rubberized to mimic the nail polish finish.

The consistency of all four polishes is thin and a bit jelly-ish but pigmented. Though I noticed that, due to the texture, the polish can look a bit thin at the tip of the nail so make sure you wrap your tips to avoid any opacity inconsistencies. In spite of that minor application road bump, I managed to get all the shades opaque in two coats.

The rubberized finish in this collection has also been called a “wax coat” or “plastic” finish. We’ve seen this type of finish in the Orly Plastix collection polishes and from satin finish top coats like Orly Nails for Males and Barielle Matte-inee. Like matte nail polishes, in order to sustain the rubberized look you can’t apply top coat unless it’s one with a similar satin finish.

Illamasqua Kink is a rich forest green creme though the finish gives it somewhat of a garden hose appearance. Obvi I couldn’t wait to put it on. Okay, clearly I need to stop watching Awkward. now that “obvi” has slipped into my lexicon. Who am I?  Anywho, I actually swatched Kink before I left for NYC. I dropped everything in the midst of my packing nightmare to put it on.

Illamasqua Faux Pas is a sultry purple that leans more blue than red but only slightly so. In comparison with the somewhat dusty looking Orly Purple Pleather, Faux Pas is darker and richer. It looks like a satin version of China Glaze Grape Pop.

Illamasqua Taint is a muddy, yellow-based brown creme. The jaundiced undertone of this color makes it more suitable to warm skin tones than cool in my opinion. And even though the word has a totally legit definition, I can’t help but giggle like a twelve-year-old boy over a brown polish being named taint.

Vice is a lush raspberry creme. It made me think of one my makeup bag staples, Stila Pomegranate Crush Lip & Cheek Stain. I’m a sucker for a stain and that one is so fall, just like Vice. Is it just me or does this color have a bit of a velvet look thanks to the finish?

Bottom Line: Matte is so 2009 and even though the satin/rubber/wax look polishes have been around, for some reason, in this collection, they seem fresh. Maybe it’s the sexy, bondage feeling they evoke in conjunction with the exotic underworld this collection represents. Kink and Faux Pas are no-brainer favorites of mine but Vice is a solid runner-up in spite of my general aversion to all things red and pink. Taint just does nothing for me, regardless of its name.

How sexy are these nails? Corsets?? I'm dying!

Illamasqua Theatre of the Nameless Nail Varnishes are available now at Sephora stores nationwide and online at Sephora.com and Illamasqua.com. Illamasqua Nail Varnishes retail for $14/ea for a .5oz bottle.

How are we feeling about these rubberized polishes? Is this a finish you would wear? Which ones do you plan to buy? Between matte and satin, which finish do you prefer?

Disclosure: Product samples were furnished by Illamasqua. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

Zoya Holiday/Winter 2011 Gems & Jewels Collection – Jewelry for Nails! Zoya Nail Polish presents 3 new jewel toned metallic shimmer polishes and 3 glitzy, glitter glazes (featuring unique bar glitter) for an extra special holiday and winter 2011 season! I know it’s barely September and it seems too early to be talking Holiday but when I saw these beauties at Cosmoprof North America I just KNEW you would adore them as much as I do. Zoya is upping the ante in terms of glitter and glam this season by introducing three bold jewel tone polishes with three coordinating glitters that contain fun, fringe-like particles. Thanks to my friends at Zoya we have an early look at the collection and later today you will have a chance to win a full set Gems & Jewels.

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 three metallic shimmers are all nice and thin but filled with pigment. They are such a dream to apply. I barely needed two coats of each color to get them opaque. The metallic pigment does mean the polish can show some brush marks but if you have a steady hand and use thin coats, that shouldn’t be an issue.

The three glitter glazes are all clear based glitters that need multiple (3-4 coats) to become opaque which makes them perfect for layering. The glitters do dry with a LOT of texture so be prepared to apply multiple coats of top coat or deal with some bumpiness. Application Tip: The bar glitter applies randomly and can hang over the edge of the nail. Run the pad of your finger at an angle under the nail to push back the particles and prevent rough edges. Removal Tip: All glitters are a bother no matter which method you use (foil, felt, etc) but I find that applying a coat of clear polish or top coat helps liquefy the layers.

Zoya Holly is an electric evergreen shimmer. This is a green for the girl who wants to stand out because this color will certainly get you noticed. You know how I feel about greens and anything in the emerald family captures my heart. Holly has shade siblings in Sally Hansen Emerald City and Sinful San Francisco though Holly has more richness and depth of color. Plus neither one has half the opacity.

Glitter Glazes over Zoya Holly (top to bottom): Zoya Kissy, Zoya Rina and Zoya Twila. Zoya Rina has a clear base that is packed with bright green micro-glitter that looks like dust mixed with straight, tinsel-esque glitter that flashes both blue and green.

Rina is the obvious choice to layer over Holly but Twila makes for a really unique combination. My mom actually has this Christmas tree that she decorates with blue lights and ornaments and that combo reminds me of it. Rina over Holly doesn’t really jazz me. It feels like Christmas threw up on my nail.

Zoya Izzy is a hot raspberry pink shimmer. Think of it as a darker version of OPI Kinky in Helsinki. On its own the color didn’t do much for me. I appreciate the vibrancy but don’t really gravitate towards these types of shades. However, once I added the Kissy glitter top coat, I was into it.

Glitter Glazes over Zoya Izzy (top to bottom): Zoya Twila, Zoya Kissy and Zoya Rina. Zoya Kissy has a clear base that is packed with bright pink micro-glitter that looks like dust mixed with straight, tinsel-esque pink & holographic glitter.

Kissy and Izzy were made for each other and using them together is the best combo either color could be a part of. The holo glitter really stands out in this layering combination and Izzy comes alive thanks to the pink micro-glitter. It makes it look as though Izzy is a glitter polish with holo tinsel glitter layered on top. It’s a seamless partnership.

I’m convinced that Twila looks good over everything being that I really dig it over Izzy. Rina looks better over Izzy than Kissy looked over Holly so if you’re going for a pink/green combo, I would opt for this combo.

Zoya Noel is a moody blue that made me immediately think of Zoya Crystal from the Holiday/Winter 2010 Flame collection. Outside of the finish differences and the gold flakes, Crystal’s base is a little more icy than Noel but they are definitely in the same denim blue color family.

Glitter Glazes over Zoya Noel (top to bottom): Zoya Rina, Zoya Twila and Zoya Kissy. Zoya Twila has a clear base that is packed with bright blue micro-glitter that looks like dust mixed with straight, tinsel-esque glitter that flashes both green and blue.

Twila over Noel amps up the smoky base color while Rina creates a mermaid-esque effect. Kissy looks out of place which leads me to think that Kissy is really best over its partner shade Izzy or something not part of this collection, like silver, black, etc.

I also layered all three glitters over a silver foil so you can see the composition of the glitter glazes better. Apparently my Zoya Trixie, a silver foil, has gone missing so I used Orly Shine.

Glitter Glazes over Orly Shine (top to bottom): Zoya Twila, Zoya Rina and Zoya Kissy. Twila over silver has a very wintry look that would be perfect for New Year’s Eve or Chanukkah. Rina doesn’t stand out as much with a silver background and Kissy reminds me of peppermint candy.

Bottom Line: Loving Holly is a no-brainer for me and Noel definitely get two thumbs up. I raved over Crystal last season because of the gold flakes but just as much because of its cool base color. Noel is like the non-glittery version of that. Izzy doesn’t make me jump up in down except when paried with Kissy. The top coats are all very fun and a departure from what other salon and prestige brands have been doing and I like that Zoya took the guesswork out of layering by putting together a collection of shades that work well together. The texture of the glitters can feel a little odd, especially if you love high gloss shine, but that’s the nature of the beast.

Zoya Gems & Jewels for Holiday/Winter 2011 launches on September 15th, 2011 but you can secure your shades during the pre-order that starts today. 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.

What do we think of the Gems & Jewels polishes? Which base color is your favorite? Are you loving the bar glitter in the glitter glazes? What is your favorite layering combo? Do you plan to get the whole set or just pieces?

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. Why is it that holiday weeks throw everyone completely out of whack? It’s not like they don’t come back every single year. We as a people should be used to it by now but wow, oh wow, am I tired and continually forgetting what day it is. Thankfully I’m in a world where time doesn’t matter. No, not Vegas though I’ll be there at the end of the month. I’m actually back at Put-In-Bay for a night. One of my childhood besties is visiting so we escaped the CLE for a little girls getaway. To make up for lost time in the land of ALU’s red and pink nail polishes, I’m hitting you with back to back untireds from those color families. Today we travel to berry-ville with SpaRitual Primitive.

Formula & Application: Sparitual nail polish is 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin), vegan and excludes camphor which can be an irritant. Their round bottles are capped with a tapered rubberized cap that includes four ribbed sides for a secure grip. I’m a big fan of rubber caps for ease of polishing and the ability to get a good grip when opening  tightly capped bottles.

The Sparitual brush is relatively short and very thin but wow do I love it. The bristles are so nice and flexible and they spread out over the nail so perfectly. It’s such a pleasure to work.

The formula of this polish is kind of thin, watery and squishy but really pigmented. All I need is two coats for full coverage and it flows on the nail flawlessly, drying with a mirror-like finish. I have to give it up to SpaRitual, the consistency and color payoff of their polishes are really high quality.

SpaRitual Primitive looks like a cranberry creme in the bottle and, for the most part, that’s exactly how it appears on the nail. The hidden surprise is the barely there light pink shimmer that gives the polish depth and peeks out under direct light.

Bottom Line: The SpaRitual formula really is top notch. I have yet to be truly disappointed in anything they put out. The color is pretty and a great basic. The secret shimmer is an added bonus though not a selling point. Primitive is the sexy darker sister of OPI Miami Beet/Zoya Moxie/Misa Push Upon It. You know, that trifecta of dupes that came out for spring a couple years ago. Speaking of which…

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: I know I said the reds & pinks were going to put me in SHARE overdrive but I’m STASHing Primitive. The formula is too fabulous to let that one go. To even things out, I’m sending Misa Push Upon It and OPI Miami Beet to the SHARE bin.

Sparitual Primitive is available at salons and spas nationwide but their distribution seems to be pretty limited. The closest salon to me is in Detroit. To locate a retailer near you visit Sparitual.com. Online shoppers can head to Amazon, Apothica, CosmeticMall and SkinStore to purchase. Sparitual nail polishes retail for $10/ea for a .5oz bottle.

Thoughts on SpaRitual Primitive? Since SpaRitual & Orly are owned by the same people, do you know of a dupe in the Orly line? If you haven’t delved into the SpaRitual world as of yet, is it brick & mortar availability that is holding you back?

Disclosure: A product sample was provided by reps for SpaRitual. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

The Knotty Nauticals set from the China Glaze Anchors Away collection for Spring 2011 is filled with rich, bold cremes and glimmering glass flecks. It’s common knowledge in the boating community that there is a long standing rivalry between power & sail boaters.  As a kid I would watch Ohio’s version of Jimmy Buffet, Pat Dailey, rile up the power & sail boaters at the Beer Barrel on Put-In-Bay. This was long before it burned to the ground and rose from the ashes to become the world’s longest bar. And yes, I was a kid in a bar.  Let the Sweet Home Alabama analogies begin. Anyway, Pat would taunt each side with stereotypes.  That sailors are wine sipping fuddy-duddy’s who look at the water as a relaxing escape.  That power boaters are beer chugging, party people who look at the water as a mode of transport, something to rip through.  Granted these are heavy generalizations but in some cases they hold true. In my eye the Sand & Sea set is a smooth afternoon cruise on a sailboat and the Knotty Nauticals are a wind-whipping, wild ride on a speed boat.  They represent both sides of the boater in me who appreciates the zen of sailing but loves the thrill of zipping across the lake.

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.

In this half of the collection, the majority of the polishes are cremes and they all flowed on the nail perfectly in two even coats.  They are more squishy/jelly-ish than creamy but I think that lends to their ability to even out on the nail which is great for novice at-home polishers who don’t have their application down pat.

The two glass fleck polishes both applied with a similar squishy consistency but with differing opacities. It is the nature of glass fleck polishes to apply semi-sheer but they are usually buildable to opaque but this wasn’t the case with the yellow (Lighthouse). Even after three coats, my smile line still shows through.

Starboard is much more vivid in person and I’m honestly REALLY unhappy with how it photographed.  This murky Cleveland weather is not my camera’s friend.  Starboard is a leaf green that isn’t quite as bright as Essie Pretty Edgy yet not as dark as OPI Don’t Mess With OPI though it’s more pigmented than both of them.  A comparison will be included in my OPI Texas review.  Maybe it’s just me but I find it odd to include Starboard (right side) in the collection and leave out Port (left side).

Ahoy! is a raspberry glass fleck a la Raspberry Festival from the Summer Days collection only this one isn’t as packed with clear glass particles.  The glass fleck effect is more subtle and mixed with gold micro-glitter.  The result is a rich, pigmented polish that looks more opaque than the Summer Days lacquers.

Hey Sailor is a “come hither” cherry red creme.  Seriously, what is it with men & red nails?  The boyfriend always takes notice when I use red polish. For some reason Hey Sailor looks tomato red in the bottle but reads more blue based on my nails.  Now my brief affair with red polish may be over but what would a nautical themed collection be without a classic red and this one fits the bill.

Lighthouse is the other glass fleck polish and it is more of a traditional glass fleck than Ahoy!  This yellow gold  applies pretty sheer so it can be used in one layer as a top coat or built up to semi-opaque.  Another option would be to wear it over a yellow creme so the true color of the base can pop.

I already know that First Mate will be my new BFF once sandal season rolls around.  A rich blue creme, it falls somewhere between royal and navy.  It’s one of those idyllic blues that effortlessly walks the line between bright and almost-black.  It’s so easy for a navy to cross over into that “too dark” territory and this one will never go there.  Better yet, it’s not so bright that your nails will be screaming “BLUE!”  I’d say it’s the perfect marriage of Bermuda Breakaway and Calypso from the Bahama Blues collection.

Life Preserver is a muted orange creme but thanks to its melon-y undertones it definitely feels more spring than fall.  There’s no way anyone would accuse you to hanging on to Halloween wearing this shade.  While it’s not necessarily a shade I would gravitate towards naturally, I saw it paired with First Mate in a mani/pedi combo last summer and I’ve been thinking about it ever since.  The pairing looked classic and so boat-y.  There’s no doubt in my mind that it will be the first combo I wear once the weather warms up.

In fact, I was inspired by that mani/pedi combo and the signal flag for the letter “T” to create my own nautical themed manicure.

I polished all my nails in First Mate and turned my ring nails into little “T” flags with China Glaze Snow and Life Preserver.  I wish the white line was a bit thinner but I didn’t have easy access to my nail art brushes.  Either way, I’m happy with it.  What do you think?

Bottom Line: Individually the polishes in this half of the collection aren’t exactly ground-breaking but they make sense as a unit.  I love everything about First Mate and the opacity of Ahoy! makes it a winner in my book.  Since I’m a girl who can never have enough greens, Starboard gets the thumbs up from me but if you already have OPI Don’t Mess With OPI you might find it a bit redundant.

China Glaze Anchors Away is available now and can be found at stores like ULTA and online at TransDesign.com, 8ty8Beauty.com and Head2ToeBeauty.com. China Glaze polishes retail from $3-6 depending on the retailer. Sally Beauty will not be carrying Anchors Away instead they have exclusive collections Treasures (in stores now) and Tronica (coming in March).

Which set from Anchors Away is your favorite?  Knotty Nauticals or Sand & Sea?  Do you agree that First Mate & Life Preserver make a killer color combo?  Which polishes made your shopping list?

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

Katy Perry combines her love of music and nails to introduce a new line of lacquers with OPI, launching January 2011. Inspired by Katy’s cutting edge style and latest album, Teenage Dream, the Katy Perry Collection by OPI will include four fierce, irresistible colors for nails and toes. Complementing Katy’s already daring nail trends on and off the red carpet, a revolutionary Black Shatter™ formula will accompany the collection to create a ground-breaking cracked pattern when applied over each dried bright lacquer. Katy Perry has become a celebrity nail icon thanks to her eye catching nail designs so it only seems natural that a brand like OPI would want to partner with her.  Though to be honest, I am surprised that she hasn’t collaborated with a brand know for nail art, like Minx. The Katy Perry Collection utilizes the new OPI Black Shatter polish to add some artistic flare to the colors which include a duo-chrome, sparkly red and two glitters.

Formula & Application: OPI is a 3-Free brand. They made the switch to 3-Free in 2008 and the Black Shatter formula is also 3-Free. You can identify an OPI with the 3-Free formula by the green lettering on the label. Bottles with black lettering have the old formula. Always check the labels to be sure. The OPI Pro Wide brush is flat, wide and medium in length. It’s of average stiffness and easily spreads out on the nail when pressed. The only downside to the Pro Wide brush is that it can be too wide for slim fingers or little toes.

Due to the varied range of finishes in this collection I will address the application of each in the individual reviews.  Know that I used three coats for all the polishes as opacity is not their strong suit.

Black Shatter is a top coat that needs to be applied over completely dry nail polish. It applies like a typical black creme but dries in a “shatter” pattern once dry. A thin coat will shatter more resulting in smaller shards of polish on the nail while a thick coat will make it more chunky.  Thanks to a reader suggestion, I applied Black Shatter on my ring nails in a sideways motion to show how you can change the look of the crackle pattern.

Not Like The Movies looks green with a reddish flash in the bottle but on my nails it’s lavendar with green and pink flashes and random flecks of silver micro-glitter.  I applied a bit streaky due to the metallic pigment though the glitter kept it from looking like a total brush-stroke nightmare.  This color reminds me of a Scherer Chameleon polish I picked up at Rite-Aid and like previous OPI duo-chromes (Significant Other Color) it changes color depending on the angle and lighting which makes this a perfect shade to put under Black Shatter.

On its own I would probably not opt to wear Not Like The Movies but with Black Shatter on top it’s pretty stunning.  I’m still on the fence with the whole crackle finish trend but the changing of the base color makes this look really unique and fun.  Definitely my fave combination in the collection.

The One That Got Away surprised me.  I wasn’t expecting to love this color but I do.  In the bottle it looked kind of foil-esque with a hint of duo-chrome but on the nail, SHUT IT DOWN! This deep raspberry has the glass-fleck finish that China Glaze made popular and, as you know, I can never have enough glass-fleck in my life.  Any of you who own glass-fleck polishes know that a camera really can’t capture its natural beauty so you know this one is even better in person.  It applied utterly flawless even though it needed three coats and yes, I know I’m gushing over a very non-ALU color family but this one’s a winner people.

The One That Got Away definitely pops against Black Shatter but I would rather wear it solo.  The rubber textured shatter gives this girly color a bondage-esque edge but I don’t think it needs it.

Last Friday Night is a very sheer pale blue based glitter.  The tiny foil micro-glitter and chunkier blue, pink and green hexagonal glitter are evenly peppered throughout the base giving a nice even coverage.  The issue is with the opacity.  This color is just too sheer for me to wear it on its own.  It makes a great top coat but that’s about it.  I put a fourth coat on my ring finger and it’s still REALLY sheer.

For me, even Black Shatter can’t save Last Friday Night.  The blue is so washed out that it doesn’t pop against the black.  Instead it makes my nails look pretty grungy underneath.  Not a fan!

Now Teenage Dream is built the same as Last Friday Night but instead of making me look dead, it actually flatters my skin.  It’s still to sheer for my taste thought it builds up much better than its blue based counterpart.  I’m not much for pink but it’s pretty and fun though I think it makes a much better top coat.  The application of both glitters was kind of goopy and jelly-like and I found if I didn’t wait long enough between coats it would drag.

If you’re not using it as a top coat Teenage Dream does look good under Black Shatter.  The chunky glitter plays off the light and creates a pretty eye-catching combination.  This is the epitome of mixing girly and punk.

Bottom Line: Overall I’m not especially wowed.  I think OPI could have done a better job choosing the base colors to pair with Black Shatter.  Things that would have popped more against the black.  I also wish they would have given us a different Shatter color.  China Glaze is coming out with six different crackle polishes certainly OPI could come out with more than one shade.

The One That Got Away is pretty sensational and I give it a thumbs up with or without Black Shatter.  The glitters are pretty pointless to me and unless you really need another glittery top coat they get a pass.  If you’re into the crackle look definitely get Not Like The Movies to wear under it.  You won’t regret it.

The Katy Perry by OPI collection is available now.  OPI nail polishes retail for $8.50/ea for a .5oz bottle and can be purchased at salons and spas nationwide including national chains Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA.

Thoughts on the Katy Perry collection? Which color do you like best under Black Shatter? Crackle finish haters are you warming up to the idea the more you see them? Which polishes, if any, will you get from this collection?

Disclosure: Product samples were furnished by OPI.  For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

Keep On With The [Mattes] Don’t Stop
Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough
lyrics by Michael Jackson (altered by moi)

As long as you keep loving the Mattes, its seems Zoya will keep pumping them out. And if they’re as hot as the Winter MatteVelvets, sign me up.

You all know that I’m a fan of the matte top coat vs. matte polish but some colors are worth the short wear time. For me, that color is GREEN! Big surprise, I know. Throw in my other love, purple, and we’ve got ourselves one helluva matte party. Check out the Winter MatteVelvets after the jump!

You know from my NYFW NOTD Challenge that I’ve had the Winter MatteVelvets for a while. I waited until now to post them because I was informed that the finish of my Veruschka sample (the green) was too shiny and being reformulated before the official launch. You want to see the actual polish you’re buying, right?

Now I don’t know if the finish is the only change with these mattes but for the most part, they applied FLAWLESSLY. Savita was my only problem child (see below). I was seriously impressed. They flowed so much better than the fall collection, especially Verushcka, providing a larger margin for application errors and a more even result. Well done Zoya!

Veruschka is obviously my fave in this collection. Like an evergreen tree she is a shimmering goddess of the forest. There’s something about the shimmer in the Zoya mattes that give them a “lit from within” look that doesn’t translate on camera. Very magical.
Savita is without question a stunner. A true grape hue, it’s right up my alley. What disappointed me was the consistency. This was the only polish in the set that I had difficulty with. It had a somewhat chalky quality that made for an uneven, chunky application. It’s not totally unworkable, it just wasn’t the dream Veruschka was.
Harlow‘s berry/magenta hue has glow that looks like I’m wearing fabric on my nails. With a glossy top coat it reminds me of one of my fave OPI Designer Series polish, Extravagance, minus the holographic glitter.
The Zoya MatteVelvet Collection is on sale now. Polishes retail for $7/ea and can be purchased online at Zoya.com. To find a salon carrying Zoya near you, try their salon locator.

Who’s planning to get the Winter MatteVelvets? Who already bought them? What do you think of them? Have you discovered any tricks to making them last longer?

Doesn’t “primera parte” sound much more interesting than “part one”? Ah the beauty of the Spanish language. OPI is transporting us to Spain for their fall color story and after reading your numerous pleas and comments, I have swatches of the collection for you.

I’ll be honest, I haven’t been chomping at the bit to review OPI Spain. It’s not that the colors aren’t pretty or well made, it’s just that, with a few notable exceptions, they don’t give me a thrill. Normally I pass on a collection if I’m not “in like” with a majority of the shades but I couldn’t ignore the overwhelming number of you wanting to see these colors. Check them out!

With six polishes in the berry family I chose to start with the more diverse and unique shades from the collection. Now while I’ve applauded OPI’s formula over the past year I noticed that the pigmentation with most of these are off. Even a polish as dark as Here Today… Aragon Tomorrow required three coats.

Here Today… Aragon Tomorrow is a blackened forest green. This is the season of dark green and I’m sure this color will be an instant hit. Consider this the green LPAD. I’m sure it will have that same kind of fan base. What I found odd was the grainy texture of the formula. It’s visible in the first and second coats but disappeared by coat three. If I had to compare it, Zoya Envy would be its closest relative though Envy has a brighter, less blackened base.

Suzi Skis In The Pyrenees really surprised me. I was expecting it to look black when dried but it’s actually a stunning bluish charcoal creme. I tried to find something similar in my collection but came up short. If you’re looking for “the new black” try this!

Give Me Moor! is a rich aubergine creme. It looks like there is shimmer in the bottle but it dries creamy on the nail. It’s pretty and vampy but feels recycled. Like Black Cherry Chutney redux.

Can You Tapas This? is best described by OPI as “raisin” and I won’t try to top that. This is another one that surprised me. It looks very understated in the bottle but pretty scrumptious on the nail. This color is so outside of my wheelhouse but I’m diggin it.

Bullish On OPI has a slightly browned appearance in person but it just didn’t translate in pictures. It’s definitely better than your typical cherry red creme. It feels a bit vintage a la Dita Von Teese. If you’re into reds I suggest checking this one out in person.

Barefoot in Barcelona is deeper than your typical nude. It’s darker and more pink than last fall’s Tickle My France-y? Think of it as the cool toned version of CND Cocoa which is very yellow based. Deep nudes and mushroom hues have been popping up on celebrity toes and this shade would fit right in with the trend.
The OPI Coleccion de España is on shelves now and retails for $8.50/ea. Look for OPI at fine salons nationwide including chains like ULTA, Beauty First, Beauty Brands, Trade Secret and JCPenney.

What are we feeling about OPI Spain so far? Have you picked any of them up yet? Which ones are going on your shopping list? Sound off Fanatics!

As a child I was very much enamored with the world of fairy tales. I used to collect Madame Alexander dolls in my favorite characters like Cinderella and Snow White. And even though our beyond ancient Encyclopedia Britannica set didn’t know man had landed on the moon yet it did come with an amazing set of children’s books that included the works of the Brothers Grimm. Now I don’t know if any of you remember the Fractured Fairy Tales from The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show but I was SUCH a fan! Knowing all this you can only imagine my delight in hearing that Orly was taking the fairy tale theme and running with it for Fall. Their chic, grown up version not only includes a gorgeous GREEN but a fantabulous grey. Take a look at Once Upon A Time after the jump!

For some reason the polishes in this collection all apply a little differently so I’m going to address them individually rather than as a group.

Enchanted Forest – Hello LUVAH! Words don’t even begin to describe this gem. This rich forest green creme is deep, dreamy and utterly perfect. I applied it in two flawless coats and fell head over hells in love. Need I say more?

Now I wish could proclaim that Prince Charming swept me off my feet but alas he left me feeling a little flat. This muddy brown is too yellow for my skin tone and just isn’t working for me. The pigmentation and application were decent, nothing newsworthy. It’s a bit jellyish in texture but with two coats you’re done!
Can you have a fairy tale themed collection without a luscious red? I think not. Poison Apple not only represents that evil fruit but it makes me think of the cherry red lips our fair maidens are described as having. I will say I was impressed with the pigmentation on this. It looks true to bottle in two even coats.
Pixie Dust is my other stand out, must have, don’t think about not buying shade. This blue tinged dove grey sparkler is the work of magic. Once it’s on your fingers you won’t be able to stop staring. It’s an uber pigmented two coater though a little tricky to apply. I actually used top coat here to even it out.
You know how I love a grey and Mirror Mirror’s light cement hue is right up my alley. Unfortunately the formula didn’t wow. It was streaky and lumpy and even after three coats it looked imperfect. I want to love you Mirror Mirror but your competitors did it better.
Finally Happily Ever After is quite a unique berry. It looks all simple and creamy but there’s this hidden undercurrent of sparkle peeking out. It’s not easy to detect but in sunlight it pops out to surprise you.

A little Fractured Fairy Tale for your enjoyment!

The Orly Once Upon A Time colleciton launches in September and will retail for $7.50/ea. You can buy Orly at OrlyBeauty.com in stores at Sally Beauty Supply and ULTA and online at our fave e-tailers (see sidebar).

What do you think Fanatics? Who’s feeling the mystical, magical love?

Zoya Dare has landed and after much anticipation, I’ve got your first look at them on the nail. As you may remember, the Dare collection of Zoya’s Truth or Dare Fall lineup is a group of chic, dramatic shades with five cremes and one shimmer. Let’s get right to it and check out the colors, shall we?

With the exception of Ibiza all the Dare collection polishes are cremes. They all glide on smooth and even in spite of the formula’s thickness. The shades are well pigmented requiring only two coats and dry with a high gloss shine.

Demi is a midtone reddish purple, you might call it a mauve. In the bottle it looked a bit Barney-ish but it’s a very pretty on the nail.

Ciara has a sundrenched raspberry look about it. Don’t get me wrong it’s vivid and rich, not at all dusty, those are just the first two words that came to mind when looking at it.
Vanessa is a berry based cool red. It applies very close to bottle color on the first coat which is always a plus with reds.

Pinta is the definition of burple (bluish purple). It definitely leans way blue but you can see its purple roots in bright light. My issue is that it’s so dark that unless you’re in sunlight, you’re the only person who will know how truly stunning this shade is.
For that reason I decided to take a sunlight shot of it. You see I shy away from direct sunlight swatching because I find it to be SOOOO inaccurate and I don’t want you kids buying a color and being disappointed when it looks NOTHING like what I showed you. So for the purposes of displaying the base color only, I did this sunlight shot for you.
Envy is a mossy deep forest green that has an earthy, camouflage feel to it. What’s funny is that as I applied it, the first coat had a graininess that looks like watercolor which I originally mistook for shimmer. With the second coat it’s pure glossy creme. Though if you want the bottle color and not an “almost black” make sure you apply two thin coats. Three is way too much.

Ibiza is a shimmery deep sapphire blue. The color is so dark and the shimmer is so subtle that you barely notice it outside of direct sunlight. Honestly, I love Indigo, with its multi-colored micro-glitter, so much that Ibiza is just OK for me.
The Zoya Dare Collection polishes retail for $6/each and are available for PRE-ORDER now on Zoya.com with a ship date of July 15th.

So all my DARE girls out there, what do you think?

It’s like the every-other-decade theory, you know? The ’50s were boring, the ’60s rocked, and the ’70s– Oh, my god, they obviously suck. Come on. Maybe the ’80s will be radical. You know? I figure we’ll be in our 20s and, hey, it can’t get any worse. – Cynthia in Dazed & Confused. Now I love me some Dazed & Confused but I can NOT get behind Cynthia’s claim that the 70s suck. Granted I can barely remember the decade and yes, the clothing wasn’t the best but, it wasn’t all bad. Apparently China Glaze agrees since their fall collection, Retro Diva, is a 70s themed throwback. Check out the first half of the collection, after the jump!

As I lined up all the bottles, my first impression of the colors was that they’re pretty but not jump and down outrageous. Perhaps I’ve been spoiled by collections like Bahama Blues and Summer Days but I always hope for WOW when it’s China Glaze. Though I am in summer mode and this palette is definitely fall so it’s hard to tell how I’ll feel once the leaves start to change. I will say that as I started testing them, there was a bit of WOW factor to some of shades which goes to show how deceptive bottles can be.

All the polishes in the Retro Diva collection are shimmers and I’d categorize them as metallic shimmers. They have a bit of a brush stroke thing going on. They’re all well pigmented requiring only two coats but a few got a little draggy on me and needed a third to cover bare patches.

Cords was not at all what I expected. I wasn’t sure what “rustic gray shimmer” meant but now I know that translates to taupe with shimmer that gives it a metallic look. It’s definitely unique and I’m always on board for something unexpected.
Because the finish reminded me of the spring Romantique shades I pitted it against Awaken to see how much they differ. Awaken is clearly charcoal gray compared to Cords.
The second I put on Stroll I was stunned. Gold glitter floating in a a berry red jelly… SIGN ME UP! This is the one polish that got me excited even in the bottle. I could just feel it’s deliciousness coming and I was right. A must have!
Though as soon as I put Stroll on my brain started turning, thinking that I’d seen something similar before. Something that was LE and beloved. That’s when it hit me… Finger Paints Festive Claret! This LE holiday shade was a nail board fave when it released and while Stroll is a bit more berry, this would make any girl that curses never finding F.C. very, very happy.
Stella is a deep magenta, shimmer. You could call it berry it just has a blackened magenta feel to me because of the hint of pink the light picks up.

Skate Night is a deep crimson. It’s got a sultry feel to it due to the depth the shimmer adds. Though the name doesn’t quite fit for me. Skate Night brings back memories of school parties at this horribly small and dingy rink that had no element of sexy to it.

Short & Sassy is a slightly browned, deep garnet hue. Though in the bottle it looked so much lighter. In fact, next to Skate Night I didn’t see the difference. So just to prove to myself that they’re not one in the same, I swatched them side by side for us.
Um yeah, obviously different. But it never hurts to compare. In fact Skate Night even looks a little berryish next to Short & Sassy even though on its own it’s obviously not.

When I saw Let’s Groove I was all set to see another “almost black” like Midnight Ride from Rodeo Diva but I really should stop putting expectations on polish before applying it because HELLO GORGEOUS! It’s rich, warm and luscious but not so warm that it ventures into red grape territory. It’s just perfect. In fact it may be an Essie Viva La Vespa dupe but if not it has no twins in my collection. Love it!
The Retro Diva collection will hit shelves in July and can be found at Sally Beauty Supply and online at 8ty8beauty.com, Head2ToeBeauty.com and TransDesign.com.

I’ll have the rest of the collection to show you soon so stay tuned! What do we think so far?