Archive for the 'Bronze' Category
 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.
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!
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).
