*** UPDATE – The Bergorf event has been canceled at the last minute. Sorry NYCers. But you can still see CND at Malandrino and near 3.1 Phillip Lim.*** As I mentioned in my Fashion’s Night Out post, CND will be offering “Mood Ring” manicures today at Bergdorf Goodman to customers who purchase the four CND Effect shades used to create the look ($40). You will be able to choose your Shellac base color (Romantique, Hot Pop Pink, Wildfire, Rock Royalty, Asphalt, Black Pool) and the Effects will be layered on top to create the look. Unfortunately we don’t all live in NYC but that doesn’t mean you can’t create the look yourself. Using any nail polish base color you desire, you can have your own custom “Mood Ring” nails.

The “Mood Ring” nail is created by layering four CND Effects over a base color. The original look used Black Pool so I’m showing you the look with CND Blackjack nail polish.

Start with your Blackjack base and add a stripe of CND Emerald Shimmer Effect down the middle of the nail.

Add a stripe of CND Ice Blue Shimmer Effect on one side.

Then a stripe of CND Violet Shimmer Effect on the remaining third of the nail. I find that slightly overlapping the three Effects helps blur the lines between the colors.

Finally, add a coat of CND Copper Shimmer Effect over the whole nail.

When I was originally practicing this layering effect, I was wearing Sally Hansen Gray by Gray and I loved the final product even more than over black. I can only imagine how gorgeous it will look over Asphalt and Rock Royalty.

Head to Bergdorf Goodman today between 9am and 10pm to get your own “Mood Ring” manicure with a Shellac base from one of CND’s talented nail artists. Or purchase the Effects for use at home and create your own custom version. Locate a CND retailer near you at CND.com or purchase online from GoIndulge.com.

Are you liking the “mood ring” look? What base color would you use under the Effects? NYC gals, will you be hitting up Bergdorf’s to get your own set of “mood ring” nails?

Disclosure: Product samples were 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. Even though nail polish colors have essentially become seasonless, I think we will always gravitate, in some way, towards the more typical shades associated with each season. Brights for summer, darks for winter, etc. That being said, there’s something so refreshing about flipping the script mid-season by wearing a sky blue in winter, a la China Glaze Bahama Blues, or a sexy black in the sweltering heat of summer. That brings me to today’s untried, Sonia Kashuk Starry Night. When I originally acquired this shade last year I wasn’t feeling it. I was ready for fun Spring colors but now that the dog days are upon us, I’m loving the contrast.

Formula & Application: Sonia Kashuk nail polishes are 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin) and free of camphor, which can be an irritant.  The square glass bottle and smooth metallic cap are identical to the Inglot Nail Enamel packaging.  The round, fat brushes even look the same but they apply the polish differently.  Where the Inglot brush tends to impede application, causing dragging, I experienced no issues with the Sonia Kashuk brush.  The bristles weren’t as densely packed, making the brush more flexible overall.

The pigmentation of this polish is simply phenom and the formula is thin, slightly squishy and workable. I barely needed two coats to get it opaque and it dried with a smooth, glossy finish.

Sonia Kashuk Starry Night has a jet black base with silvery micro-glitter peppered throughout. I imagine this is the type of starry sky you see when it’s “country dark.” Though the way the sparkles seem to run down the nail in lines, it looks like some kind of 80s computerized backdrop that you might see behind Max Headroom. What impressed me the most is how inky the base is in spite of the silver micro-glitter. Usually the addition of shimmer or glitter will significantly lighten a black polish.

In looking for Starry Night twins I came up with two close relatives; Orly Goth and Dior Black Sequins. Starry Night doesn’t have the irregular shaped flecks that have contributed to Goth’s popularity yet is has a lot more sparkle power than Black Diamonds. I wouldn’t say the differences are enough to warrant owning all three. It’s more a matter of accessibility and budget.

Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a great sparkly black, Starry Night is a great option. It’s not super glittafied (yes I’m making up my own words) but it packs enough punch to make sure people know your nails have a little bling. If you already own Orly Goth I would say skip it but if you are lamenting missing out on Dior Black Sequins, this will satiate you.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: I would keep it if I didn’t already own Black Sequins and Goth but since I do, SHARE.

Sonia Kashuk Starry Night was released as part of the Fall 2010 collection but it is still available at Target and Target.com. Sonia Kashuk nail polishes retail for $4.99/ea for a .5oz bottle.

Are you into Starry Night? What are your thoughts on Sonia Kashuk nail polish? Which colors would you recommend the line? What is your all-time fave black shimmer/glitter polish?

Disclosure: A product sample was provided by reps for Sonia Kashuk. 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. Happy Friday Fanatics! I hope you all have something fun planned for the weekend. We are finally, FINALLY, seeing the sunlight at the end of the rain tunnel that has enveloped Cleveland and I plan to enjoy it. So with all this good weather, what am I doing wearing jet black on my nails? Well tune in tomorrow as you’ll see that I have a very good reason for going to the dark side with my manicure. Until then check out one of the best black polishes on the market, CND Blackjack.

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.

CND has one of the best formulas on the market. I’d even go so far as to say it is comparable to RBL’s cremes so you KNOW it’s good. Their polishes are extremely pigmented and smooth. The lacquer glides on the nail with ease in three simple strokes, requires only two coats and dries to a perfect, even finish. Unlike the old CND formula, the Colours all dry very fast with none of those denting issues of the past.

CND Blackjack is a pitch black creme. It’s high on the gloss factor and packed with pigment. Applying two coats feels like overkill, that’s how well it covers. While in theory a black is a black is a black, I think Blackjack is part of a very elite group of black cremes. It ranks up there with my all-time fave Sinful Black on Black in that you don’t see any brown or green in its base and the formula is immaculate.

Bottom Line: If you are looking for the ultimate black creme, look no further. Blackjack wears well, applies phenomenally and gives amazing coverage. Black has become a classic in nails and, like the little black dress, every nail polish wardrobe needs one.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: It’s going right back where it came from, my STASH!

CND Blackjack is part of the Colour & Effects line which is available at salons and spa nationwide including national chains 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 Blackjack? Have you tried the Colour & Effects line? What are your favorite Colours? Remember to come back tomorrow to see what I’ve created with Blackjack.

Disclosure: 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. My friend, and fellow blogger, Izzy from Musings of a Muse introduced me to the Japanese influenced UK brand, Eyeko, a couple years ago. She told me that had adorable, cheap nail polish and free (at the time) shipping so I couldn’t resist ordering them all. The problem… the “adorable” bottles were a pain to use.  They were essentially mini mason jars with thin metal screw-top caps with a brush attached.  Totally awkward to hold.  So I chalked them up as cute collector items but not functional.  Thankfully Eyeko saw fit to change the packaging and today I’m giving their Cosmic Polish a whirl.

Formula & Application: Eyeko nail polishes are 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin). They are also free of camphor which can be an irritant. The thin glass bottles are topped with a smooth plastic cap that is similar in height to an Essie bottle. Because the bottles are so tall and thin, the stem of the brush is long as well, ending with a round brush of average length and width.

The long stem does make polishing a little more difficult if you don’t have a steady hand (like me). I ended up causing dragging on my first application attempt simply because I wasn’t sure how much pressure to apply with such a long applicator. It’s definitely something that takes some getting used to.

The polish itself flows on the nail flawlessly, giving great coverage in two coats. The surface dries with some texture due to the glitter but it’s not significant. A regular layer of top coat took care of it.

Eyeko Cosmic Polish is a deep black polish packed with holographic glitter though it doesn’t create the true holographic effect you get with holo shimmer.  The base color is a bit sheer and you can see some brown tones when applying the first coat but they fade into the background when the second layer goes down.  Cosmic Polish reminds me of the old China Glaze Platinum polishes that had holo glitter like Grape Crush & Crystal Ball. ***Note – I recently picked up a bottle of Oh So Wet! top coat to use for swatching and it leaves brush marks on the surface when dry so don’t judge any unevenness as being the polish’s fault.

Bottom Line: This polish is a toned down version of China Glaze Cosmic which is a really chunky glitter.  I personally prefer the more subtle look of Cosmic Polish.  The fact that it reminds me of one of my all-time fave China Glaze polishes (Grape Crush) makes it a total win in my book.  The holo glitter may be a little tween-ish but I dig it. Think of how fun it will look on toes in the summer.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: No question, this one goes in the STASH.

Eyeko Cosmic Polish is available online at Eyeko.com.  Nail polishes retail for $6/ea for a .3oz bottle or you can pick up one of the themed 3-packs for $15.  Shipping to the US is FREE on orders over $55 and FREE on ALL orders to the UK & Europe.

Have you worn Eyeko polishes before?  Do you remember the jar packaging?  Thoughts on Cosmic Polish?  If you haven’t tried Eyeko before, do you plan to order?

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

RESCUE BEAUTYʼS Spring/11 POLISHES SUIT FASHION SCHIZOPHRENTICS The variety of moods and personas shown on this Spring//Summerʼs runways was a tribute to the fashion schizophrentic in all of us. This Spring, Rescue Beauty Lounge founder Ji Baek has created a collection that is a hodgepodge of her favorite trends from the Spring fashion collections.  It reflects the multiple fashion personalities seen on the runways and, for the first time, we’re seeing a RBL collection without a cohesive theme. Much like a typical woman’s wardrobe, Iconic/Ironic is a mix & match cornucopia of color reflecting different trends and lifestyle needs.  From the office friendly neutral, Decorous, to the out-all-night, punk rock black, Iconoclast, this collection has something for everyone.

Unlike previous seasons where one clear trend carried through collection after collection, this Spring, designers are all over the map. There was Betty Page starring in South Pacific at Dior, new wave meets neoclassical at Chanel, sexy Suzie Wongs at Louis Vuitton pared-down minimalism at Celine and Chloe, and a box of crayons at Prada and Jil Sander. Models appeared as 1920ʼs garden party ladies at Galliano, gauchos at Hermes and street-wise punks at the venerable houses of Balmain and Bottega Venetta.

“I love that our wardrobes can reflect our multi-faceted personalities. This season truly celebrates women—every woman—so Iʼve named my Spring polish collection Iconic/Ironic, hues to juxtaposition against every version of yourself.”

“The ʻironyʼ comes from mixing polishes in an unexpected way. Offset all those brights with a neutral cocoa or a grounding black hue. Make your punk looks more tongue-in-chic with lavender nails. Itʼs about adding that surprising detail that keeps you on your (well-pedicured) toes.”

Formula and Application: RBL is a 4-Free brand, including Formaldehyde Resin. The brush is round, of average length and on the thicker side. It’s a bit more flexible than most which makes application a breeze for me.

As is Rescue’s style, the pigment is strong with this collection.  Every polish applied perfectly in two coats and leveled out to a perfectly even, glossy finish.  All swatches were done with a top coat and photographed completely dry.

Insouciant is the toned-down gray lilac of a pressed corsage. Punked out rather than pastel, it is a counterpoint to Springʼs ladylike florals and Bardot-worthy uber-feminine dresses. Or wear it with Lanvinʼs muddied neutrals.

As the name implies Insouciant is a very carefree, greyed lavender with subtle blue shimmer that peeks out at you in the daylight.  Unlike a lot of pale purples I’ve tried (I’m looking at you China Glaze Tantalize Me) this one doesn’t give me a weird alien hands effect.  I’ve long said that lavender, lilac, etc just don’t work on me but obviously that’s not the case.  I just needed to find the right one and Insouciant is that color for me.  It’s dark enough to not trek into the world of pastels but light enough to have a “spring” feel.  I’m utterly and completely smitten with it.

Iconoclast. “Letʼs face it, black polish has been done to death. I had to reinvent it into something entirely new,” says Baek. This one is a richly pigmented ebony with layers of fine glitter, giving it depth and a metallic, mica-like finish.

Iconoclast is the richest black shimmer I’ve seen yet.  Until now it seems that black shimmers tend to go one of two ways.  Either the shimmer is barely noticeable leaving you with nothing but a black creme or it’s so packed with glitz that the color looks more charcoal than ebony.  Ji has found a way to blend the two into a formula that is dense and luscious.  The pink and green shimmer really stand out in the daylight, I just wish it was a little more apparent indoors.  The depth is still there but the uniqueness dies down a bit.

Decorous is a perfectly ladylike light cocoa, an unexpected neutral to offset bright tropical hues or to add a chic finish to an all-black ensemble.

The creamy cocoa base of Decorous has left the lyric “Mocha Choca Lata yaya” from “Lady Marmalade” running through my brain for the past few days now though the color looks more like the Chai Tea I love to drink more than it does Hot Cocoa.  The light brown base color is filled with the same pink micro-shimmer as Iconoclast and Insouciant cooling off the warm overall hue.

Recherché is a purplish dark brown prune, an exotic accent that grounds oversize prints better than an expected summer pink or coral. Stunning with the homage to classic YSL designs shown by Stephen Pilati or the Proenza Schouler boysʼ loose-fitting ladylike tweeds and sheer tank dresses.

Recherché is a chameleon in that you can’t tell if it’s brown, purple, dusty plum, etc.  It changes with the lighting ranging anywhere from a slighter paler sister of OPI LPAD to a bold raisin.  It’s a very unique creme in that unlike other colors in this family, it doesn’t show a red base in the first coat.  Ji has made this baby so pigmented that all you see is the pure, plummy brown goodness.

Bottom Line: As much as it surprised me (and Ji when I told her) Insouciant is my hands down favorite of this collection.  It’s my ideal version of lavender/lilac, just utterly amazing.  Recherché is my runner up with Iconoclast a close third.  I love Recherché for its uniqueness and density of color.  Iconoclast is a win because it perfectly balances true black color with shimmer, not an easy feat.  Unfortunately, Decorous gets a pass from me.  It just doesn’t work with my skin tone nor is it the type of color I see myself reaching for.  In the bottle it had such promise but on my nails it was a fail.

The Rescue Beauty Lounge Iconic/Ironic collection will go on pre-sale before the end of January.  Make sure you’re signed up for the RBL newsletter to be notified of the sale dates.  Rescue Beauty Lounge nail polishes retail for $18/ea for a .4oz bottle and can be purchased online at RescueBeauty.com.

Thoughts on the Spring RBL colors?  Which ones are calling out to you?  If you plan to pre-order, what are you getting?

I will be doing comparisons of these so if you have a specific comparison request, leave it in the comments.

Disclosure: Product samples were furnished by Rescue Beauty Lounge.  For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

OPI, the world’s leading professional nail care company, partners with tennis superstar, Serena Williams, to launch the Glam Slam collection. Timed in conjunction with the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, the Glam Slam collection will introduce two new Nail Lacquers at the start of each tournament. Beginning with the Australian Open, the first shades to be released under the collaboration will include Simply Smashing, a glowing green Nail Lacquer, paired with a revolutionary new product, Black Shatter top coat. Once applied to the dried Nail Lacquer, the top coat begins to disappear, leaving behind a leopard print-style pattern on each nail. I was in Junior High when Andre Agassi took the tennis world by storm. That hot piece of man candy ignited my love for the game and I soon found myself taking lessons with my friends, who also crushed hard on Andre. I even joined the tennis team in High School though I was a mediocre player, at best. Regardless of my lack of tennis talent I’ve enjoyed watching the game ever since and I was really excited to see that Serena Williams, who is known for her stand-out nail styles, collaborated with OPI on a nail polish collection.

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.

Simply Smashing has a similar finish and application as the summer release Catch Me In Your Net. It’s a bit on the sheer side so I needed three coats for it to appear completely opaque.

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.

Simply Smashing is more chartreuse than I was expecting though it does remind me of the yellow-green color of a tennis ball so that’s quite fitting.  Again we’re seeing the foil metallic finish that has become so popular in the past year.  To me, Simply Smashing is the foil glitter love child of Fiercely Fiona and Who The Shrek Are You?

In my post about Crackle Nail Polish last August, I discussed how polishes like Black Shatter work.  Two incompatible solvents cause uneven drying, resulting in a shatter pattern.  As you can see, Black Shatter dries with a matte finish.  It applies somewhat uneven so each nail looks completely unique.  It would take some trial and error to get a perfectly even coat with consistent shattering but that’s not really the point of this look, is it?

Black Shatter with Prolana Quick & Slick Top Coat

A few months ago, Serena Williams appeared on Oprah and discussed going to school to become a nail tech.  She even treated Oprah to a pedicure.  I posted the video below in case you missed it.

Bottom Line: Simply Smashing is not really my kind of color on its own but it really pops against Black Shatter.  The overall look feels really retro to me but I’m still not sure if it’s in a good way or bad.  The CoverGirl Crackle fan has been rooting for a crackle comeback but I somehow feel like it looks more dated than fresh.  Consider me on the fence with this one.

The OPI Glam Slam collection with Serena Williams is launching in January 2011.  According to OPI there has been a delay in shipping the collection but it should be on shelves in a week or two.  OPI nail polishes retail for $8.50/ea for a .5oz bottle. OPI can be found at salons nationwide including national chains like Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA.

Thoughts on this first Glam Slam set? What do you hope the other three sets will look like? Do you plan to get involved with the “shatter” look?

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

My Fedex guy is a champ but he always comes so late in the day. I’ve been stalking my door waiting for this lovely package to arrive and when it finally did, there was not a flicker of daylight to be found. Regardless, I couldn’t wait to play with the new Chanel Spring 2011 polishes, especially Black Pearl.  Even though I had to resort to using artificial lighting, I figured since the collection went on sale this week you’d appreciate a quick peek before it sells out.  Not to worry a full review of the collection will be up once I have some decent light.

In the bottle I could see little flecks of green shimmer peeking out at me creating exquisite oil slick ribbons in the graphite base. On the nail Black Pearl certainly doesn’t disappoint. It feels like Vert Sacrilege’s murkier sister though it isn’t plagued with VS’s opacity issues. What you see below is two medium coats of polish and it completely covered the nail which makes me wonder what the manicurist at the Spring 2011 collection show was doing to result is such a poor looking manicure.

Overall I’m pretty jazzed with the color based on what it looks like at night. I can’t WAIT to see it in the daylight tomorrow and see if it holds its luster. I think Black Pearl may have completely wiped out my nail polish depression. Way to go Chanel!

Chanel Black Pearl and the rest of the Spring 2011 makeup collection is on sale now at Chanel.com and should be at Chanel counters soon if it isn’t out already. The Spring Chanel nail polishes retail for $23/ea for a .4oz bottle.

Early thoughts on Black Pearl? Any comparison ideas you want to throw out? Who already bought the Spring colors? Did you get them all or just Black Pearl?

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

I don’t know what’s so special about black nail polish but apparently Anna Paquin is being as secretive about her nail color at last night’s Emmy Awards as she was about her wedding to Stephen Moyer. The True Blood star requested that Celebrity Green Nail Stylist Jenna Hipp be sworn to secrecy! If you ask me, that is just plain silly.  I get wanting your personal life kept private but NAIL POLISH??  Sookie, get over yourself! 

In her defense, Jenna did say that Anna was an absolute pleasure to work with.  Even though I couldn’t get her to spill Anna’s nail color she did say that, “Anna was full of smiles and very hospitable! She and Steven even served me fresh lemonade!” My guess, this is her publicist’s call but it’s still lame sauce.

However, Jenna did clue me in that she layered two black colors to achieve extra depth and shine. If you want to copy Anna’s look, I suggest you try CND Oilslick, a green based black with China Glaze Liquid Leather, a brown based black on top.  The different bases will give you a more true black and the jelly-esque nature of Liquid Leather will add a cool, squishy looking texture.

Another option is to add just a whisper of shimmer using Sinful Black on Black, my go-to black creme, over Zoya Raven with its subtle silver pearl.  The silvery specks will just barely peek through.

You know, Sookie and Bill are my least favorite characters on True Blood and something as silly as not releasing a nail color doesn’t help their cause.  What are your thoughts on this? Regardless of the top secret nail drama, Jenna gave Anna an amazing manicure and her hair and makeup were flawless.  The dress left something to be desired for me.

If Alice fell down the rabbit hole and met a Makeup Artist instead of the Mad Hatter, M·A·C alice + olivia is the curiously gorgeous collection she’d be rocking!

Hip, playful, unpretentious and unabashedly fun, M·A·C is thrilled to announce the latest collaboration with the most adorably fabulous fashionista we know, designer Stacey Bendet of cult-fave line, alice + olivia.  Celebrities, socials and all-around cool girls from coast to coast are obsessed with a + o’s uptown-meets-downtown aesthetic and colourful, playful vibe, so the inspiration for the makeup collection was a cinch!

Fun, playful and hip all come to mind when I think of MAC and their consistently inventive collections so teaming up with Stacey Bendet of alice + olivia seems like a perfect fit.  When asked why she became involved in a makeup collection Bendet said, “Well, to me it’s all about colour, whether it’s a crazy pair of striped bell-bottoms or the perfect purple nail polish. It’s about a girl having a great time when she dresses up; and who dresses up without makeup?” Ah, a girl after my own heart.  The fact that she appreciates a good purple polish instantly endears her to me. Including a teal in her collection is icing on the cake.

Formula and Application: MAC polishes are free of the Big 3 and Formaldehyde Resin.  The brush is firm and short and the cap is rubberized giving a sturdy grip. I have to admit that when I was applying Morning. After I sounded like Mia Michaels talking to Alex Wong last week on SYTYCD.  I was all, “Who ARE you?”  Seriously this polish applies like a dream and is so easy to control. It’s not that MAC polishes have sucked lately or anything but I think I set myself up for disappointment with their cremes because of their past history of being streak fests.  My MAC mantra has always been that they do glitters & darks best so I was happy to be proven wrong. Now if they could get a harness on the pigmentation their polishes would be the complete package.  All three of these required three coats.

Morning. After is a deep sea blue-green that definitely has enough green in its base to categorize it in the teal family.  I know MAC describes it as a turquoise but it seems too dark for that.  The polish dries to a high gloss shine and even though I’ve been wearing this shade since Saturday it’s still super shiny with very little tip wear.

Is Morning. After the most original polish on the block?  No, but it doesn’t have any true dupes in my collection.  There are some definite close calls in China Glaze Shower Together and Barielle A Bouquet For Ava.  You could probably skip out on the MAC if you own the Barielle but Shower Together is quite a bit lighter.  In fact ST looks like a brighter version of ABfA.

Based on promo pics I was expecting So Rich So Pretty to be a true purple shimmer.  Another in the long line of purples that have come out this season (Funkey Dunkey, Grape Pop, etc.) but it’s so not that.  Instead it’s a punched up red-violet, like magenta and violet had a baby.  The shimmer in this one is tonal so you don’t get flashes of any other colors.  Just pure color.  I wish my camera could have captured the glassy finish on this one.  Even dry it looks dripping wet.

Military is the blackened sister of last winter’s Studded from the Riveting collection.  They are both glittery mattes that dry to a crepe paper-esque finish.  You know I love mattes for their quick dry time but I prefer the shimmery/glittery shades like this one as opposed to flat wall paint.  The only thing that threw me off was the application.  Normally mattes show every imperfection and even though Military applied a bit lumpy and bumpy it dried smooth and even.

I know Studded is completely different but I thought showing them side-by-side would be beneficial.  I also found a somewhat close match in Nubar Midnight Matte.  Midnight Matte has a lot more glitter in its base so it dries a bit lighter but you really only need one of these.

Bottom Line: Are any of these essential to life as a polish fanatic? Not in my opinion. Though I see teal as being the next big thing this Fall after a Turquoise-drenched Summer so if you’re at all into trends, it wouldn’t hurt to pick Morning.After up if your budget allows. MAC packaging collectors (raises hand) will appreciate the a+o themed boxes.

The MAC alice + olivia collection is available now at MACCosmetics.com and is set to hit MAC counters nationwide on July 8th.  MAC Nail Lacquers retail for $12/ea for a .34oz bottle.

What do you think of the color choices?  Do you think they’re a good fit for the alice + olivia brand?  Are you a packaging collector like me?  What products from the collection are you planning to pick up?  Do you have any dupe suggestions for Morning. After or So Rich So Pretty?

Disclosure: Product samples were furnished to me by MAC. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

Pulled straight from the runway, Chanel’s Noir Et Or Paris-Shanghai Collection is a black and gold extravaganza that would make Cleopatra proud.  Peter Philips, Global Creative Director of Chanel Makeup, was inspired by the “glamorous fantasy of Shanghai in the 30’s and 40’s” when he created this limited collection consisting of three new nail colors and an eye shadow/liner palette. Like most of you, my brow wrinkled when I heard that Chanel was jumping on the matte bandwagon so late in the game but I was intrigued by the idea of a gold glitter.  After missing out on the gorgeous Tokyo Happening glitters, I hoped this would fill that lemming and it more than surpassed my expectations.  Check out my swatches and full review after the jump!

Gold Lamé is a brushed warm gold metallic.  Being a pretty typical metallic lacquer, it applies with visible brush strokes.  Even though I let each coat dry for a few minutes in between, I couldn’t keep those darn stokes at bay.  In terms of pigmentation, it’s OK but not perfect.  I ended up applying three thin coats over a ridge filler to get it completely opaque.  Though I will give Gold Lamé props for its buttery smooth texture.  It was very easy to control.

I hate having to tell you all that I have no exact dupes for Gold Lamé. I know how it disappoints budget conscious Fanatics.  So I’m showing you Gold Lamé next to its gold Chanel cousins, Gold Fiction and Golden Sand.  Gold Lamé falls somewhere between the coppery hue of GS and the true yellow gold of GF.

Illusion D’or is such a star and that just doesn’t come across on camera.  The second I pulled it out of the box, I was compelled to Tweet about its glorious iridescent flaky glitter that reflects a bluish-purple hue.  All you “flakies” fans are going to die over this one.  Amongst the evenly distributed golden micro-glitter are these gold and purple flakes that are something I’ve never seen in a Chanel polish before.  It’s heavenly.  I applied two thin coats that dried to a smooth glossy finish.

Illusion D’or over Gold Lamé

Black Velvet is a satiny black creme.  It dries with a cool, rubberized texture that has a risqué bondage feel to it.  The application was so flawless I kept thinking, “this isn’t a matte.”  Seriously, the polish is uber-pigmented and it flows so extremely smooth you can’t believe it will dry anything but glossy.  I even applied it over a base coat, to prevent staining, and it oozed onto the nail perfectly.  No matter what you think of the matte/satin finish look, this is a high quality polish.  What you see below is two thin coats that I let dry for 10 minutes before photographing so you can see the true finish.

Illusion D’or over Black Velvet

Obviously my ability to paint tips is sub-par but I thought I’d give the Shanghai Runway Nail a go.  I did my own version including Illusion D’or over Gold Lamé with Black Velvet tips and while I don’t hate it, I’m sure it would look much better applied by a pro on a slightly longer nail.

Bottom Line: Illusion D’or is the standout with its flaky iridescent glitter and would be the one color I’d call a “must-have.”  Black Velvet’s satin finish helps it stand apart from other matte polishes but a coat of Barielle Matte-inée over a black creme gives a similar effect.  Gold Lamé’s streaky finish garners it a “pass” from me.

The Chanel Noir Et Or Paris-Shanghai Collection is on sale now at Chanel.com and can be found at Chanel Boutiques and Makeup Studios. These LE polishes retail for $25/ea. Oh and in case you didn’t know, the Summer Collection nail polishes are up on Chanel.com as well and they retail for $25/ea.

What do you think of the Noir Et Or colors? Do you like the rubberized look of Black Velvet? Will you be running out to get any of these? Oh and are you interested in seeing a wear test with Black Velvet?

Disclosure: Product samples were furnished to me by Chanel. For more information view my Disclosure Policy.