This holiday, OPI hits a high note with the release of Sony Pictures’ upcoming film Burlesque. With an all-star cast including Cher and Christina Aguilera, this musical written and directed by Steven Antin opens nationwide in theaters on November 24, 2010. OPI’s Holiday 2010 collection marks the third film collaboration for the brand this year.  Following up the sell out successes of Alice In Wonderland and Shrek, the Burlesque lineup is sure to follow suit.  This year OPI has flipped the script by forgoing their usual six reds in varying finishes to give us six shimmers in warm metallics, a vampy plum and some more traditional reds. “OPI is thrilled to partner with Sony Pictures’ Screen Gems on this exciting movie release,” said Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “The colors were modeled off the majestic glamour, over-the-top costumes and mesmerizing Cabaret that are typically seen in Burlesque performances. The resulting bright, dazzling shades are perfect for the holiday season.”

Formula and Application: OPI is a 3-Free brand. They made the switch to 3-Free in 2008. 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.

In terms of application, I was very impressed with the pigmentation.  With one exception all the polishes applied flawlessly in two smooth coats.  Ali’s Big Break required three due to the sheerness of its jelly base.  It was also the only color that gave me staining issues so I would double up on base coat with it.  The foil finish metallics were somewhat bothersome to remove only because tiny bits of foil glitter were on my skin but applying a swipe of cuticle oil before removing drastically reduces that.

Ali’s Big Break is a jelly based candy apple with flecks of gold micro-glitter.  In the bottle I expected it to be some sort of duo-chrome but on the nail it’s more like a piece of lucite with flecks of gold leaf trapped inside.  As soon as I saw this polish I thought of one of my fave old CND colors, Winterfire, though my bottle is MIA for comparison purposes.

Let Me Entertain You is a bright glimmering fuchsia.  The base looks like a jelly but it’s actually pretty opaque.  The finish is like a toned down version of China Glaze’s glass flecks. The hot pink micro-glitter looks trapped, similar to Ali’s Big Break, only with a LOT more sparkle.

I didn’t have a great comparison for LMEY so I am showing it next to an older Holiday shade, OPI Don’t Toy With Me from the 2008 collection Holiday in Toyland.  HiT has more red in its base and it’s quite a bit darker but they have a very similar finish.

Rising Star is a burnished copper foil metallic.  I love that so many brands are coming out with more foils as opposed to traditional metallics which aren’t as user friendly.  The color is not what I traditionally think of as copper but it’s not quite gold or bronze.  It actually reminds me of these highlights I got back when I was still coloring my hair dark red.  I had bright copper streaks added and this was back when the whole Kelly Clarkson thick highlights were in so they were pretty dramatic. I loved the color but the style makes me cringe now when I think about it.

I thought I might find a twin in Nubar Caramello but it’s deeper and more nutty, if that’s a descriptor, than Rising Star.

Take The Stage is a reddish bronze foil.  Again it’s a great non-streaky metallic, like Rising Star, though I’m surprised that OPI didn’t include a cool toned metallic in the collection.

Take The Stage has a pretty close twin in Nubar Bronzo from the Venetian Glass Collection.  The only minor difference is that TtS has a more metallic finish but to the casual observer, it’s not that noticeable.  I’m also showing it next to OPI Lighten Up, You’re Two Pence! as a reference.

Tease-y Does It! is a vampy, deep plum hue with golden and red micro-glitter.  The glitter looks like tiny burning embers floating on a pool of oil.  In the bottle you would expect it to have a duo-chrome finish thanks to the gold glitter that picks up the light but on the nail it doesn’t translate.  Of all the polishes in this collection, this one grabbed me the most. I hated taking it off, it’s that gorgeous.  It just feels so elegant and the fiery glitter is mesmerizing.

As I was wearing Tease-y Does It, god I hate the name, I kept thinking it looks familiar but couldn’t come up with a polish name.  It was driving me nuts.  I was going through my “vampy” bin and still coming up empty until I opened my Chanel Feu De Russie box.  Ding, ding, ding!  While they aren’t identical, the polishes are very similar.  The main difference is the base color.  Feu De Russie has a black base while TDI’s is more burgundy.  There’s an underlying smokiness to TDI that makes it look lighter and more plummy when dry.  However, if you missed out on the Chanel, this is an excellent substitute.

The Show Must Go On is the solo duo-chrome in the collection.  This hot pink shimmer flashes golden orange though it’s a pretty subtle effect.

I’ve heard a lot of people suggest that MAC Bad Fairy from the Venomous Villains Collection is a dupe for The Show Must Go On but you can see that’s clearly not the case.

Bottom Line: Tease-y Does It is my hands down favorite from this half of the collection.  In spite of the cheesy name, I’m smitten with the color and am already planning to take it with my on my next pedicure appointment which says a lot.  For almost a year I’ve been wearing purple on my toes almost exclusively so to switch up my game means the color is pretty special.  The metallics are winners in my book only because I’m still on a foil kick.  The rest are kind of meh for me only because that’s not my fave color family.  The shades are pretty but not must-haves for my personal collection.  Though if I didn’t own CND Winterfire, I would pick up a bottle of Ali’s Big Break.

The OPI Holiday 2010 Burlesque Collection will be available beginning November 2, 2010 at salons including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and Ulta. OPI nail polishes retail for $8.50/ea for a .5oz bottle.

Are you into these shades?  What do you think of the whole movie collaboration thing?  Should OPI keep partnering with films or do their own thing?  Which shades will take up permanent residence in your collection?  Which duo-chrome do you love more MAC Bad Fairy or The Show Must Go On?

Stay tuned for my review of the second half of the collection containing six GLITTERS!

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

Last year when NARS released its Vintage Nail Polish Collection you could probably hear my heart breaking for nail fanatics around the world.  Where was Zulu?  What about Mash and Midnight Express?  Was I the only one with a fondness for Ziggy and Platoon? Well I’m happy to see that in the NARS Vintage Nail Polish Collection 2010 they brought back three beloved shades and two I was previously unfamiliar with, King Kong and Full Metal Jacket. The question is, how do the re-releases stack up against their former incarnations?

Application & Formula: The NARS Nail Lacquer formula is 4-Free (including Formaldehyde Resin).  The brush is thin, round and very flexible.  I was able to do a three-stroke application with each polish.  The collection consists of two jelly finish polishes and three metallic shimmers.

This isn’t a collection for the casual polisher.  There’s no slap and go application here.  In all seriousness, if you aren’t willing to put in the time to work with them, you’re going to be bitching.  The application is a bit tricky with all of these colors.

The major downside is the opacity.  Every polish requires a minimum of three coats and if you apply the jellies too thin you’ll need four.  All of my swatches are with three coats. You also need to be careful with the metallics to avoid brush strokes.

Application Tips: Normally I apply thin coats but with the jellies it’s best to load up your brush a little more than usual to get it done in three coats.  With the metallics, I suggest waiting a few minutes between layers to avoid major streaking.  Also, use a light touch.  Too much pressure will cause dragging and patchiness.  Finally, when doing your three strokes, alternate which side gets the second stroke to make sure you get even coverage.

Mash is an army green punched up with gold metallic shimmer.  It can get a bit brush stroke-y if you aren’t careful but for the most part it flows well.  Of all my mossy polishes Mash is definitely a fave which is why I’ve kept it all these years.

At first glance I thought the 2010 version of Mash was a little more gold than the Original but once they were both dry you couldn’t tell the two apart.

I’ve talked about the craze Zulu caused when Sephora released it as a limited edition Holiday item which is why I was so surprised to see it left out of last year’s Vintage lineup.  Well all of you who missed out on this dark green jelly the first time around can finally have your craving satiated.

Unlike Mash, the base color of the new Zulu is a bit different than the Original.  Zulu 2010 is a bit deeper with a hint more blue in its base.  I’m showing a swatch with one coat of each so you can see the slight difference.

Despite the slight variance in the base color, the finished product is still the same.  Because Zulu is so dark it would take a major difference to be noticeable.  Case in point, Nfu Oh 569.  I’ve been told this Nfu Oh is a Zulu dupe but it’s lighter and brighter.  The distinction is more apparent in person.

Midnight Express is the NARS that got away so I’m REALLY happy to finally own it.  Back when it was on clearance on the NARS website I had it in my cart over and over again yet I never pulled the trigger.  This the blue counterpart to Zulu with its bright blue jelly base that darkens to a blackened blue as it becomes opaque.  In daylight you can tell it’s blue but at night, only you will know.

Full Metal Jacket had me cursing when I first swatched it.  What you see below is actually my third attempt with this polish.  It went on so uneven with so many brush strokes, I was ready to label it a POS and toss it.  Then I stopped, took a breath and WAITED between coats.  What a world of difference that made even though brush strokes are still visible.  This is the number one reason that you shouldn’t give up on a polish on the first try.  Play with it and eventually you can make most polishes work.  FMJ is blue-based grey metallic shimmer.

I’m not really sure how King Kong got its name as I’ve always thought of gorillas as being black or chocolate brown.  Regardless King Kong is a warm bronze metallic.  I may be totally off but it reminds me of MAC Naturally Rich from the N Collection with a different finish.  This one actually applied really well.  It almost didn’t need the third coat.

Bottom Line: No matter what I say about Zulu, collectors will be lined up to scoop up a bottle.  I honestly prefer Nfu Oh 568 because it’s lighter and you can tell it’s green.

As far as the rest of the collection goes, I’d say that Mash is the only must-have.  King Kong gets the runner-up prize though there’s a BIG difference between 1st and 2nd place.  The application issues are just too much.  If you’re really willing to work with these colors, go for it.  Otherwise, you’ll just end up irritated.

NARS Vintage Nail Polish Collection 2010 arrives on October 1st 2010 and will be available online at NARSCosmetics.com and at NARS counters nationwide.  NARS Nail Polish retails for $16/ea for a .5oz bottle.

Okay so how many of you are still planning to snag Zulu?  Will any of the other Vintage colors find a home in your collection?  Do you think Zulu is worth the hype?

Disclosure: I received these polishes as a gift from a friend.  For more info, view my Disclosure Policy.

In spite of the fact that women were called “dames” and “broads” there’s something about the 1940′s that intrigues me.  I wouldn’t want to live in that time but I’m completely fascinated by the style and beauty of that era.  The pin curls, the heavily powdered and made up faces, the structured clothes.  Women put so much work into their look. Though what the ladies of the 40′s seriously missed out on is nail color.  As we all know, there is more to life than blood red talons. Thankfully when China Glaze looked to the 40s for inspiration, they pulled shades from all aspects of that decade to bring us the colorful Cat’s Meow set from the Vintage Vixen collection.

Application and Formula: China Glaze is a 3-Free brand with a round brush that is both medium in length and firmness with enough give to allow for ease of control. The cap is slightly tapered and made of smooth plastic that is comfortable to hold.

The lacquers in the Cat’s Meow set have excellent pigmentation and a smooth, even consistency with one notable exception.  Goin’ My Way was my problem child.  It’s got metallic tendencies in a bad way.  It required three coats and was a bit too streaky for my liking.  The rest applied flawlessly in two coats.

Goin’ My Way is a deep bronze metallic shimmer.  It straddles the line between bronze and brown.  It’s as though a milk chocolate bar was sprayed with a fine gold dust.  Actually I would LOVE this as an eyeshadow.  Anyone know of a shadow this color?  Like I said above, Goin’ My Way has issues.  As much as I wanted to like it, the inconsistent application and brush stroke madness were not to my liking.

Riveter Rouge is a rich burgundy frost packed with silver and red micro glitter.  The only downside to this polish is that the glitter rises to the surface creating a bumpy surface.  I think if the base had been more jelly-ish it would have encapsulated the glitter making it more glass flecked looking.  I needed two good layers of top coat to make it smooth.

Like her Hotsy-Totsy sister Ingrid, Classic Camel is a creme polish packed with glass fleck looking micro-glitter.  In the buttery yellow beige creme, the gold flecks are much more apparent than in Ingrid.  In the bottle it looks like a cashmere coat liquefied but when the sun hits it, the gold brings the color to life.  It feels very cozy with an injection of glamour.  Now as much as I love this color I think it will be very polarizing in that a lot of fanatics with pink undertones will find it unflattering.

I find Emerald Fitzgerald to be the fall version of Watermelon Rind.  The semi-sheer glass-flecked base has been replaced by a dense frost with a veil of metallic shimmer giving it a more intense look.  This isn’t an emerald as much as it is a dark teal green or pine hue.  There’s definitely a strong blue undertone that keeps it from being a true emerald.  Regardless, it’s green and that’s for me!

Midnight Mission the perfect starry midnight sky blue.  The deep denim blue frost is jam packed with silver micro-glitter and dries to a glassy, smooth finish.  All I have to say is Starry Starry who?? I’m not dissing the man, the myth, the legend but Midnight Mission has a serious leg up on that dc’d gem in pigmentation and sparkle power alone.  It’s even more fantastic in person and will give SSN a run for its money.

First Class Ticket’s frosty indigo base is saved from being labeled as a brush stroke madness thanks to the purple shimmer.  The uber-glassy finish is mesmerizing though it actually looks a bit darker than this in person.  I don’t know if I’m on purple overload or what but this just does nothing for me.  I know, I know so out of character.  Is my forehead hot?

Bottom Line: I bet you expect me to extol the virtues of Emerald Fitgerald and don’t get me wrong, it’s a great green but I’m all about Midnight Mission.  If I liked kids, I’d have babies with it.  As Grace Adler said about Jews & their love of chicken, “It’s real and it’s deep.”  Classic Camel gets the runner-up crown just because I find it to be so unique and chic with a touch of glam.

Comparisons: As I mentioned in my Hotsy Totsy review, I’m switching things up a bit. So many times after I post a collection with comparisons you all come up with suggested dupes that I completely forgot about. So from now on, I will ask for comparison suggestions and then combine your list with mine into a separate comparison post with the colors that are most like the shades in question.

The China Glaze Vintage Vixen collection launches in July and can be found online at etailers like Head2ToeBeauty.com and in stores at Sally Beauty and ULTA.

Now that you’ve seen the whole collection what colors are stand-outs to you? Let’s play choose or lose; Hotsy Totsy or Cat’s Meow? Pick one!  Don’t forget to share your comparison suggestions for both sets.

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

Thanks to the popularity of  the Minx chrome finish appliques, nail polish brands are jumping to give us a “Minx-like” effect.  Let’s face it, Minx are super cool but expensive.  They’re best for special occasions not everyday wear.  Enter Orly’s latest collection Foil FX, a line of three high shine metallic polishes. While we know that no polish can truly achieve a mirror-like finish, the Foil FX make a valiant effort.  With a silver, gold and bronze-y rose tone, there’s a color to compliment all skin tones.  Check them out after the jump!

The Foil FX polish formula is 3-Free and applies extremely smooth if a little thin. With the exception of the gold (Luxe) they required three coats to become opaque. What made a believer out of me is the lack of brush strokes.  I’m just guessing here but I think what makes the difference is the particles. While the average metallic polish uses a metallic pigment, these seem to be packed with metallic micro-glitter.  The result maximum sparkle with a foil-like finish and no brush marks.

Luxe is definitely the most pigmented polish of the bunch.  It’s pretty much a true gold but the ribbons of silver micro-glitter running throughout the lacquer keep it from getting too yellow or warm.  While I can’t exactly apply mascara while looking into my nails, the finish is quite reflective.  You’ll definitely be noticed wearing these colors.

Rage is described as being a rose foil though to my eye it looks a bit more bronze than rose.  I suppose you could call it a rose gold even though it has the same silver foil glitter inside.  Of the three colors, this is the one I adore most though I can already hear my mom calling to claim it for herself.  She’s a sucker for these types of colors so I’ll probably end up sending it her way at some point.  Not before I get a mani/pedi with it though.  This baby is most likely going with me to NYFW!

Shine is even more electric in person.  Cameras just can’t capture the radiance of these polishes the way the eye sees them.  I’m telling you, if you like metallics these are worth a look.  I love that for a silver doesn’t lean green at all, so it never looks dirty or tarnished.  It’s just pure flashy goodness.  Even though I’m not normally a silver person, I typically wear gold, I love this polish!

The Orly Foil FX collection is slated to go on sale in March though I have a feeling we’ll see it pop up online before that. Keep your eyes on your fave e-tailers Fanatics. Orly is carried at Sally Beauty Supply and in salons like ULTA.

Metallics for spring, what do we think about that? Are you loving this foil look? Which would you choose… Minx or Foil FX?

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished to me by Orly. For further information view my Disclosure Policy.

A perfect addition to your special occassion Orly’s newest set of matte colors, Metal Chic, includes three metallic shades that will add a fun twist to your party look.  Iron Butterfly, Glam Rock and Solid Gold are in the same vein as the OPI Suede and Zoya MatteVelvet polishes in that they contain metallic shimmer to add a bit of bling to what could be a very flat, wall paint-ish polish. Even though I’ve been a proponent of using a matte top coat versus a matte nail polish, there is one HUGE advantage in the matte polish corner… dry time!!  Even though I love painting my nails, I don’t always have time to execute the perfect manicure.  Case in point, last night.  I was heading downtown for a charity event but was running late, per usual.  It was bad enough that my tips were naked during my charity beauty sale but two nights in a row was unacceptable.  So I threw on a quick coat of Iron Butterfly and not only did it give great coverage, it was dry before I got out the door.  Talk about convenient.  Check out these last minute manicure wonders along with some comparisons, after the jump!

I’ve given some tips regarding matte polish application but it definitely bears repeating.  Here is my method for applying this tricky formula:

• Remove any oils from the nail bed using a prep product, household vinegar or anti-bacterial soap.
• Work quickly. The polish dries fast so time is of the essence
• Apply thin even coats.  The finish is unforgiving so brush strokes will show
• If you choose to apply base coat (I recommend it), wait at least 5 minutes for it to completely dry.  Applying matte polish on top of wet base coat will cause it to gum up and apply unevenly.
• Wear a matte top coat for longer lasting results but be aware that it can lighten the color (especially Essie, China Glaze & RBL).
• Avoid hand lotions or cuticle oils to maintain the matte finish.

Solid Gold is an old gold hued matte with silver shimmer.  I think without the shimmer it would feel dull and too rustic.

Adding top coat brings out some reddish undertones making the shade warmer.

Glam Rock is bronze that leans more red than orange in person.

And with a glossy top coat it gets a copper penny glow, only a bit darker.

Iron Butterfly is for all the cool toned Fanatics out there.  Even though it looks black going on, the silver shimmer causes it to dry to a lighter charcoal hue.

I thought for sure it would be a dupe for one of the other black/gray mattes I have but nope, it’s in a league all its own.  With more shimmer than Zoya Dovima and more pigmentation than OPI Suzi Skis in the Pyrenees Suede, it has no twins.

With top coat, Iron Butterfly looks like OPI Baby It’s Coal Outside, right?

The Orly Metal Chic metallic matte collection is slated to launch in February but I’m hoping it will hit the online e-tailers earlier than that. Orly can also be found at Sally Beauty Supply but be on the hunt because the seasonal collections go fast.

Anyone else loving the quick dry time of the matte polishes? Are you over matte? What would you think of spring hued mattes or should they die out with winter?

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished to me by Orly’s PR rep. For further information view my Disclosure Policy.

Happy Friday Fanatics! I hope you’re gearing up for a fun weekend and 4th of July celebration (for US readers). Today I have the butter London Spring/Summer Fashionista’s Favourites to show you. It’s a lineup of five new colors, four cremes and one metallic, created by high fashion manicurist and Creative Director Nonie Creme. Take a peek after the jump!

As I’ve come to expect from bL’s 3 Free formula, the consistency is on the medium-to-thick side yet the polishes apply very smooth and even, with one noted exception (Muggins). The lacquer dries fast and glossy and even though pulling off the outer square cap can be a struggle, it does make application much easier using just the round inner cap.

You saw Artful Dodger on me when I discussed Miley Cyrus’ nails. It’s my favorite shade in the collection and it’s been sitting on my desk for a few weeks now so I can stare at it while I work. It’s just such a happy color, a shade I’d LOVE to see in the sky if these darn rainclouds would ever vacate the CLE. So I’ll continue to stare at Artful Dodger and wait for some much needed sun.

The Old Bill is a warm old gold metallic. You know how I feel about the issues metallics bring to the party but guess what?? The Old Bill isn’t plagued by them. There’s no streaking, no monster brush strokes, no weird pooling or anything. It applies like a freakin’ dream in two thin coats. LOVE IT!!

Muggins is my problem child of the bunch. I’m already leery of pale purples but this one applied terribly. After three streaky coats I gave up. I tried with this one but for a color I know won’t work with my skin tone, it wasn’t worth it. I even added top coat to try and even it out and it STILL looked lumpy. PASS!

Cheeky Chops is perfect for the whole yellow trend that’s happening. It’s a vibrant banana pudding type shade. Bright but not neon, buttery but not pastel. Pretty dead on perfect if you ask me.

Blowing Raspberries doesn’t really blow my hair back, no pun intended. It’s a rich berry red creme not overly unusual. Though what did impress me was the application and pigmentation. It’s almost a one coater and so damn smooth. I’d call it a goof-proof red.
The butter London Fashionista’s Favourites are currently on sale through butterLondon.com or Beauty.com. Individual polishes retail for $14 or you can buy the entire set for $45 (bl) or $50 (Beauty.com).

So what do we think fanatics? Who’s got big plans for the 4th? Or just fun plans in general?

AND DON’T FORGET TO ENTER MY CHANEL GIVEAWAY THAT ENDS TONIGHT!

This year marks the 10th Anniversary of Deborah Lippmann‘s eponymous brand and to celebrate, she’s releasing a limited edition set of nail polishes to be sold during Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale. The set, appropriately named Celebrate, includes two brand new colors, Ruby Red Slippers and Funky Chunky, and brings back the sparkly hit from last year’s Holiday Collection, Superstar. I had the pleasure of meeting Deb backstage at New York Fashion Week last February where we discussed her uniquely gorgeous bottle design and excitement over her upcoming shades. Check out what she had to say and get a look at the colors, after the jump!

One of the standout features of a Lippmann polish, besides the actual lacquer, is the elegant bottle design. It’s a distinctive showpiece. Given the chance to pick Deb’s brain, I of course had to ask her about the bottle’s background.

“We aren’t going to do nail care if it’s not sitting out. It’s something I learned working in fashion. I realized that even in the fashion world where every detail is so important, it was the last thing anybody thought of. It was the first detail to go.”

“I thought women aren’t taking care of their nails because we throw our bottles in a drawer, in a closet. I really wanted, particularly for the treatment bottles that are used more often, I wanted something you would be proud to put next to your fragrance bottles.”

She wanted it to look like a jewel. Something you want to touch and stare at with a very stable base and an easy to hold handle. It was a concept she had in her head that she searched and searched and searched for. With mentors and friends like Martha Stewart and Cher, their product and branding knowledge were invaluable in helping her choose the final bottle design.

For the Celebrate set, Deb wanted to go for all out glam as seen on the spring runways, creating two new sparkling shades to pair with the over-the-top glitz of Superstar. Each shade consists of a dark sheer base packed with glitter, sequins or a combo of both.

Due to the sheerness of the base, three coats were necessary to get them truly opaque and because we’re talking about particles suspended in polish, the dried surface does have texture until you apply a top coat.

Ruby Red Slippers has become popular amongst Deb’s celeb clientele. She applied it to Lady Gaga for a photo shoot last month and Oscar winner Marion Cottilard went crazy for it as well. Metallic red glitter and hexagonal sequins are floating in a sheer black creme giving the look of crushed jewels on the nail.

Funky Chunky is a black, jelly-like creme filled with black sequins. Three coats build up to an opaque, glossy finish and as the polish dries, the layers of sequins start to rise to the surface.

Making a return from last holiday, Superstar is a semi-sheer brown creme loaded with bronze glitter.
As with any glitter polish, removal is a chore. You end up finding random sequins on your hands. And due to the size of the sequins, they don’t apply evenly to the nail so don’t expect a uniform look.

The Lippmann Celebrate 10th Anniversary Set is available for pre-order now on Nordstrom.com for $35 and will launch online at LippmannCollection.com in August.

Yesterday I launched Finger Paints Week to share with you the 16 permanent polishes being added to the FP lineup. Today we’re looking at shades geared for the warm toned fanatics. Overall FP did a great job of including a little something for everyone in this release. These three feel very fall and would make an excellent Browns themed manicure when football season launches. I was pleasantly surprised to find that while both the bronze and brown lacquers are metallic in nature, they aren’t bogged down with brush stroke madness. Take a peek after the jump!

While Tangerine Tint‘s red-orange hue is probably best suited for autumn, it’s bright enough to make it an excellent summer pedicure shade as well. Its richly pigmented creamy formula glides on in two even coats leaving a mirror like finish.

I look at Figure of Art at think it’s a total “mom” shade. Not moms in general but my mom. Last fall she kept asking me to bring her bronze-y polishes and since she loves a metallic (what she calls “frosty”) finish, I’m sure she’ll be asking to borrow this beauty come October. As you can see, there is a bit of a brush stroke showing on my ring finger but it’s because I had a bit too much polish on my brush and not enough time for a do-over.

Artist’s Inspiration is a totally drinkable chocolate brown. No, I’m not suggesting you drink polish. The last thing I need is a lawsuit. It’s just so luscious that I’m totally jonesing for a cup of cocoa on a warm spring day. I was pleased with how even the finish is in spite of the metallic shimmer and that even with a reddish base it’s a relatively true brown hue. Since so many great chocolates of the past have been LE, I’m happy to find one that’s perm.
You’ll find these and the rest of the Finger Paints line exclusively at Sally Beauty Supply stores and online at SallyBeauty.com. Don’t forget to visit the website to snag your B2G1 Free coupon.

Stay tuned for more Finger Paints goodness as FP Week continues. And check out Day One if you haven’t already.

The look for Chanel’s summer collection, Cote D’Azur, is an upscale take on beachy and bronzed. As I mentioned in the preview, the collection was inspired by Coco Chanel’s favorite resort locales. So while you’ll find traditional summery hues; coral, bronze, beige, peach, they’re done in an elegant, understated (i.e. anti-glitter bomb) way. Of course we get two new lacquer shades for summer… Orange Fizz and Golden Sand. Check out my review and swatches after the jump!

Orange Fizz is a creamy coral that leans towards pink. It’s not uber-vivid yet not muted. It falls somewhere in between. Now, when I heard the name Orange Fizz, I imagined a sparkly tangerine heading our way as I’m sure most of you would. While this shade is unlike any corals I own, you kids know I would have died for some orange-y glitz.
In my stash’s color range Orange Fizz falls between the very pink coral, Essie Carousel Coral and last summer’s Robertson Boulevard exclusive, L.A. Sunset.

Golden Sand‘s coppery metallic hue is an ideal accent color to faux-glowed skin. It’s got that burnished, sun-soaked look. I just wish metallics were easier to work with. Granted this one isn’t the worst I’ve dealt with but avoiding brush strokes isn’t happening, making it more suitable for pedicures since imperfections aren’t as visible from far away.
In the bottle, I thought Golden Sand would be a MAC Metalist dupe but it’s clearly more pigmented and deeper. Next to China Glaze Poetic, you can see that Poetic has a lot more brown in its base.
The Chanel Summer Cote D’Azur collection Le Vernis lacquers ($23) are on counters now and available online at Chanel.com

How are we feeling about these? Who already purchased? Thoughts?

They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Not for this gal. Oh no, it’s all about gemstones for me. Emeralds, Sapphires, Rubies, Amethysts, Tanzanites; I heart them all!

Being a May baby, emerald is obviously my favorite stone and do you think that has anything to do with my love of green? Nah! But it is a point of contention for me with the Orly Gems collection. No emerald green!! Orly is one of the few brands that has yet to put out jewel toned green these past few years. So what’s the holdup people? Lets make that happen.

So back to the Gems collection. I have to say that without the gumball machine plastic rings on each bottle, I wouldn’t have pegged this as a gemstone themed lineup. It’s pretty and rich and filled with vivid colors but doesn’t scream jewelry to me. On the plus side, the colors are well pigmented, Golden Jubilee being the only three coater.

Star of Bombay is a deep blue-black with shimmer that really pops in the sunlight and adds depth indoors.
Golden Jubilee looks much more orange than golden (i.e. gold) to me. It’s as if Heat Wave from the High Voltage collection lost its tan.

Golden Maharaja is a luscious red based chocolate shimmer. I’m always looking for a great brown to wear in support of my Cleveland Browns and this one fits the bill.

Mandalay Ruby is the lone creme in the bunch. This crimson hue has a slightly dusty tone that keeps it from going the fire engine holiday red route.

Midnight Star is a metallic deep violet and while I love the color, the application is no bueno. The look of metallic polishes, when applied well, is amazing. I just don’t have the skill or patience.

Sea of the Light is a deep rosy pink shimmer. In the gem world, it reminds me of a pink tourmaline. A pretty pink but it’s not really a fall shade.
The Orly Gems collection is on sale now and can be purchased online at 8ty8Beauty.com and Head2ToeBeauty.com and in stores at ULTA and Sally Beauty.