In this special edition of CND Monday, ALU contributor Christine shares her CND Shellac experience with us. Last Monday Christine talked about the Shellac application process and now after a full four weeks of wear she’s back to give us her verdict on how it held up on her nails and what the removal process was like. I saw Christine about three weeks into her wear test and outside of the growth issue, her polish still looked flawless.  No nicks, dents or chips.  What makes that even more impressive is this is a girl who plays roller derby with Cleveland’s own Burning River Roller Girls.  She takes a beating on the regular and still her Shellac held up.  ps remember when I wrote about seeing Whip It?  Christine was the friend I mentioned. Let’s see the final results, shall we?

The Final Verdict by Christine
Well, after four weeks of having Shellac’d nails and enjoying countless compliments on them, I finally broke down and began the removal process. My nails had grown way out, so there was a significant gap between the polish line and my cuticle, but other than that, they held up well.

CND Shellac Strawberry Smoothie over Fedora – Day 22

I had no issues with chipping at all, however, I noticed a few days right before I removed them, it seemed like a few of the nails had started to separate from the polish around the tips and sides. The reason I hadn’t removed them sooner was mostly due to the fact that I was worried it would take a long time, and I wanted a span of several hours to make sure I could do it all in one sitting.

I used CND Shellac Remover Wraps and followed the directions on the package. Basically, they are little pads which you soak with acetone; then you wrap them around each finger letting the acetone break down the Shellac.

I wore the wraps for about 10 minutes on each hand.  I recommend doing only one hand at a time so you can still function with the other. Surprisingly, the polish came off fairly easily. It lifted from the sides of the nail, and I took the orange wood stick that was included with the wraps, and helped slide off the Shellac. If a few bits and pieces of Shellac remained, I would scrape them off with the stick, or go back and soak the stubborn pieces with acetone.

Since it is suggested that you visit a salon for Shellac removal, I do advocate letting the remover sit for longer than the recommended 10 minutes to make sure the polish lifts properly. A few times, I was in too much of a hurry and lifted the Shellac, and I think it also took off the top layer of my nail.  This whole process, by the way, was infinitely easier than removing your standard glitter polish.

For anyone who gets regular manicures, and likes them to last for a while, or for a special event, or even a long vacation, this is the product for you! You will have no chips, dents, nicks, etc. for a few weeks. What you will have is a worry-free mani that will remain glossy and perfect until you decide to remove it.

Editors note: While CND suggests having Shellac removed by a professional, some salons are charging an exorbitant amount for the removal service.  If you are going to remove at home and don’t have access to the Shellac Remover Wraps, I suggest soaking a cotton ball in acetone, placing it on the nail and wrapping it tightly with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, etc.  The point is to snugly wrap the cotton so the acetone is in constant contact with the Shellac.

When I originally reviewed Shellac I mentioned that more colors were on the horizon.  Unfortunately due to the overwhelming demand for Shellac that horizon is a little further off than CND originally expected.  We’re now looking at early 2011 before new colors launch.  Sad, I know.  It’s the one thing that the other extended wear manicure brands have over CND; color range.  Though I got a sneak peek at the new shades during Cosmoprof and I have one word for you… PURPLE!  Think Rock Royalty, ’nuff said!

In the meantime CND has come up with some suggested layering combinations to extend the current twelve color lineup to suit the varied tastes and needs of the ever growing Shellac Nation.  The combinations were split up into three color families; Natural Nudes, Playful Brights and Rock & Roll Darks.  Can you guess which one is my fave?  Big surprise, it’s the Rock & Roll Darks that use Shellac Fedora as a base.

I’m dying over the Fedora/Tutti Frutti combo though I’m curious how bright it is in person.  And I’m thinking the Fedora/Romantique look will fit in perfectly with this whole Chanel Paradoxal “griolet” craze.  Of course I’m sure manicurists using Shellac have come up with even more ideas so make sure you ask your nail tech about layering to come up with your own unique look.

Have any of you tried these combinations?  How many of you have become Shellac converts since the product launched in May?  If you are standing your anti-extended manicure ground, tell us why.  Is it the cost?  The lack of color choices? Your desire to change your color every few days?  The pleasure you get from doing your own manicures?

Disclosure: Services were provided by CND free of charge for editorial consideration. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

In this special edition of CND Monday, ALU’s new contributor Christine shares her CND Shellac experience with us. As I mentioned in my Cosmoprof Recap, Christine is a fellow polish fanatic who I met through the Specktra message boards.  Like me, she’s all about nails, makeup and hair but what’s funny is that as a chemical engineer she spends a lot of her day out in the field, surrounded by guys, wearing a hard hat and getting dirty!  Not very girlie.  But one thing Christine is known for at work is her crazy colored manicures.  She always has some fun color or nail art going on. While I still refuse to take the plunge into Konad-land she has fully embraced it. Since I tried Shellac way back in February I thought it would be fun to get another perspective on the product now that it’s fully launched.  Thankfully CND was able to accommodate us during Cosmoprof so Christine could get the full Shellac experience.  Here’s her take: Getting the opportunity to attend Cosmoprof with Michelle was in itself exciting. I had my own Press Pass! How cool is that? When Michelle told me she scheduled me an appointment to get Shellac’d at CND, I could not have been more thrilled! After all, I am your typical DIY nail polish fanatic. I change my polish so often, it doesn’t pay to get regular manicures, but I was really looking forward to having a little pampering.

I sat down in the chair around noon, and was introduced to Torie Savickis, a CND Education Ambassador, who proceeded to discuss with me the color options for Shellac. Now, the core line of Shellac polishes are your basic nudes, pinks, and reds, normally colors I don’t wear. However, these polishes can be layered, which exponentially increases your color options. Torie suggested a pewter shade, which would be created by layering Fedora with Strawberry Smoothie over top. Then she asked if I wanted to mix it up a little by adding some glitter on the tips. Um, YES!!! This was getting better and better!

Torie proceeded to give me the most meticulous manicure of my life. Seriously, she went over my cuticles with the dexterity of a surgeon. My normally dry and flaky cuticles are embarrassing, but she somehow managed to get them looking like a magazine worthy photo.

After all the nail prep work was finished, we started the polishing process. A base coat, followed by two coats of Fedora, plus one coat of Strawberry Smoothie were applied with painstaking, and I mean painstaking, care. If Torie wasn’t happy with a coat of polish, she immediately swiped it off with remover and re-did it.

When I do my nails, I leave a fairly significant gap in between my cuticle and polish to avoid pooling and general sloppiness. Torie somehow managed to leave a nanoscopic gap between my cuticle and polish, virtually indiscernible. I was impressed to say the least.

In between each coat of polish, you have to insert your hand into a UV light to let the polish cure. By the second coat of Fedora, my right thumb had issues and was not curing properly, so Torie had to completely re-do it from the beginning. The trick is to make sure your hand lies completely flat within the UV machine so the polish cures evenly on all sides. This isn’t very ergonomic, as your thumb is not naturally on the same plane as your fingers. So to help, Torie advised me to hold my thumb up inside the UV machine. This seemed to work and we were able to move on.

Now the fun part…the glitter. Torie wanted to add a little sparkle to my mani, and she added some cosmetic glitter, in a French-tip like manner. This isn’t normal Shellac protocol, but we were having fun and experimenting. One topcoat would normally go over the polish, but since we had textured glitter, Torie applied about 3 topcoats, to ensure a smooth finish over the glitter.

The finished product? After about 3 hours (we did a lot of chatting, plus the thumb mishap) I had sparkly pewter nails with holo-glitter tips. My nails are a bit thick, due to the fact that she added several topcoats to cover the glitter. I tried to peel the label off an apple the other day, and my nails were too thick to do it! I’m sure without the glitter and multiple topcoats, it wouldn’t be an issue.

I have gotten so many compliments so far on my nails. In the sunlight, the color and effect are dazzling. I am so happy this is a long wearing product, because these nails are so fun, I would be devastated to have them chip early on. No worries though, it has been 8 days so far, and they are as glossy and flawless as the day Torie applied them.

For more info on CND Shellac and to find a salon offering the service visit CND.com.  Shellac service prices vary by location but the suggested price is 50% more than a traditional manicure service.

Fanatics in Chicagoland or Western Indiana can get Shellac’d by Torie at the Polished Pinky salon in Crown Point, IN.  Call 219.226.1550 for an appointment.

Tune in next Monday to read about how Shellac fared on Christine’s nails after a few weeks of wear and what the removal process was like.

Have any of you had a Shellac manicure with layered colors? Share your manicurists creations with us. If you haven’t tried Shellac yet because of the conservative color range, will a layering combo like this pewter color get you to change your mind?

Disclosure: Services were provided by CND free of charge for editorial consideration. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

Welcome to CND Monday, a regular series here on ALU. On each CND Monday I’ll be sharing a new layering combination from CND Colour & Effects to show you the versatility and creativity of the line. Recently a reader emailed me asking about some of the lighter shades in the CND Colour range.  After seeing my comparison of China Glaze Something Sweet & CND Tutu she was interested in finding additional opaque, cool-toned pinks in the CND lineup. Even though pinks aren’t necessarily my bag I’m happy to oblige reader requests when I can.  Though unfortunately for this particular reader there aren’t any colors lighter than Tutu that are cool and opaque.  Instead I went one step darker and pulled out Girlie Pink and some coordinating Effects to play with.

Did you know that labels on the new CND bottles include info on the opacity and undertone?  If not, here’s your FYI.  I wish all brands did this with their bottles so you don’t accidentally come home with a sheer.  Drugstore makeup brands have been doing it forever and a day.  It’s time for all the nail brands to jump on board.

Girlie Pink looks just like its frilly name implies; a glossy, cool toned pink.  It’s not a super bright Barbie pink, it’s definitely more subtle than that.  It actually gives off an 80s vibe to me.  Like Natalie Cole’s convertible in the “Pink Cadillac” video.  And really what could be more girlie than a pink car?

In terms of application, Girlie Pink applied nice and smooth, leveling out to a perfect high gloss finish.  The only negative was the pigmentation.  I’ve come to expect two coat coverage from CND’s cremes but this one needed three.  It’s almost like that is the standard with light opaque colors anymore.

I decided to try a few different Effects with Girlie Pink.  I initially went with Lavender Pearl but after applying it on one finger I realized that it didn’t have quite the impact I was anticipating.  I ended up using Scarlet Shimmer and Violet Shimmer as well and discovered that with a light color like this, the Effects don’t necessarily transform, they add a sheen or flash.  I used two coats of each Effect and they only lightened the base color bit.

Lavender Pearl added an iridescence that looks very tonal.  Scarlet Shimmer gave it a a warm pink glow and Violet Shimmer brings a blue flash to the party.

Sunlight

You can find CND Colour & Effects at salons nationwide and online at our fave e-tailers (see sidebar). Colours retail for $9/ea and Effects retail for $11/ea.

What do you think of Girlie Pink?  Have you found the new CND labels helpful when polish shopping?  What’s your favorite opaque cool pink?

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished by CND for review. For more info please view my Disclosure Policy.

Welcome to CND Monday, a regular series here on ALU. Each week I’ll be sharing a new layering combination from CND Colour & Effects to show you the versatility and creativity of the line. One of the reasons I love going to NYC for Fashion Week is to observe the nail wizards that work on the CND team.  Their creativity astounds me and I always pick up some new nail trick or color to bring home with me.  This season was no different as I discovered a layering combination that surprised me. One of the last shows I covered before heading home was threeASFOUR and even though it was the day of the massive snowstorm in NYC, I HAD to trek on down to Milk Studios to see what was happening on the nails.  Remembering the unique triangle shaped moon manicure created by Roxanne Valinoti last February, I knew I’d see something special. Check out the new layering combination I discovered and three other nail looks created for the show after the jump!

Andrea Helgadottir for MAC Cosmetics, Ashley Javier of Ashley Javier Parlor and CND’s Roxanne Valinoti came together to create a strong avant-garde look to pair with statement making pieces. CND’s Jan Arnold told me that the “clothes are very sculptural, body fitting, artistic.” That the designers incoporated hand sewn cords in shades of sapphire, emerald and copper and they wanted CND to pick up the Turkish eye for the nail look. Taking the designers’ inspiration and input, the CND team came up with the concept of using different sparkling backdrops against a black “pupil” at the tip of the nail that was mattified to mirror the rubber texture in the boots and dresses.

Fabric swatches from the collection that served as inspiration for the layering combinations

To create the look: One coat of Dark Ruby. One-two coats of the chosen Effect. One coat of Blackjack applied at the tip to create the pupil of the eye.  One coat of Super Matte layered over Blackjack only.

The nails below were created using Jade Sparkle and Copper Shimmer (middle). As you can see in the close-up, Jade Sparkle looks different depending on the angle.

The combination I fell head over heels for: Ice Blue Shimmer. Also shown pre-fab silver foil nails.

Roxanne did a quick demo so I could see how the look was created and as she told me, “Blackjack is placed randomly, not perfect.” So it’s not an eye in the literal sense and not as intimidating to replicate at home.  Shown with Jade Sparkle, a combination I showed in a previous CND Monday.

The Jade Sparkle nails pick up on the metallic green in the model’s embellished tights

If you missed my detailed review of the new CND Formula, Bottle and Brush check out CND Colour, Effects and Henna? for a recap.

I’ve showed you Dark Ruby before but here’s a quick refresher. Dark Ruby is a black cherry shade and one of the stars of Fall FW.  You’ll definitely want to have a bottle on hand come September.

I was honestly amazed when I saw how dramatically Ice Blue Shimmer changed Dark Ruby.  I literally did a double take when I spotted it on the nail board.  It brings out the purple base in Dark Ruby and from certain angles takes on more of a burple look than blue.  Very cool!

At Jan’s suggestion, I decided to try it with a satin finish using Super Matte to give it more of a suede look and it really solidifies the overall royal tone Ice Blue Shimmer brings to the party.  I like it but I think it feels more summer this way, no?  I think I’ll stick with the high shine version for now.

You can find CND Colour & Effects at salons nationwide and online at our fave e-tailers (see sidebar). Colours retail for $9/ea and Effects retail for $11/ea.

Did you discover any new ideas for layering? Isn’t the Copper Shimmer combination hot? What do you think of the mattified eye?

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished by CND for review. For more info please view my Disclosure Policy.

Welcome to CND Monday, a regular series here on ALU. Each week I’ll be sharing a new layering combination from CND Colour & Effects to show you the versatility and creativity of the line. With the exception of my unworn bottle of MAC Studded, the new matte polish from the Riveting collection, I actually completed my NYFW NOTD Challenge this season.  I ended up getting something top secret and very special applied to my nails on Day 6 so that nixed my planned MAC mani.  I’ll tell you about soon but in the meantime let’s talk about Day 5. As I mentioned at the beginning of the challenge I planned out my color according to the brand I’d be seeing that day.  Since CND worked on 20+ shows throughout the week, every day could have been CND day but I chose Tuesday since they were working with The Blonds that night.  The Blonds are known for their outlandish designs and over-the-top nail looks so if there was a day that green polish was in order, it was Tuesday. I could have just thrown on a couple of coats of Green Scene and called it a day but I wanted something a bit different.  I chose to create my own version of a Jade gemstone using Cream Washed.  Check out my look after the jump!

If you missed my detailed review of the new CND Formula, Bottle and Brush check out CND Colour, Effects and Henna? for a recap.

To refresh your memory, Green Scene is a vivid straight up AstroTurf green.  It really packs a punch in terms of vibrancy and pigmentation.  If you’re looking for that ideal mid-tone green creme, look no further.

For my interpretation of Jade I wanted something a bit softer so I layered the sheer neutral, Cream Washed, over Green Scene.  Unfortunately my application skills were failing me at the crack of dawn and it came out a bit streaky.  The overall color was what I wanted by the general unevenness was a downer.  Hey, they can’t all be winners.

When I tested it at home on a nail art wheel the color was ideal so when I ran into CND’s Angi Wingle backstage I asked her for tips on how to get a more even application.  Her suggestion… dilute Cream Washed with a bit of CND Air Dry.  Making it a bit more watery or jelly-ish will help eliminate streaks without compromising the integrity of the color.

CND Colour & Effects are available at salons nationwide including chains like ULTA. Colours retail for $9/ea and Effects retail for $11/ea. To purchase online visit your favorite e-tailers including GoIndulge.com.

What do you think of my Jade? Have you had luck layering sheer cremes over darker colors? What are your tips for making the finish smooth and even?

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished to me by CND. For more information read my Disclosure Policy.

Welcome to CND Monday, a regular series here on ALU. Each week I’ll be sharing a new layering combination from CND Colour & Effects to show you the versatility and creativity of the line. As New York Fashion Week draws near I wanted to share with you the nail looks from my favorite show from the Spring 2010 season, Diego Binetti.  As CND’s Jan Arnold told me, Diego gets nails and really understands the importance of incorporating them into the overall look. Now in season’s past, the CND team has used a lot of custom blends but with the launch of Colour & Effects they challenged themselves to use layering as much as possible to create the exact shade each designer wanted.  For Diego Binetti, they took on the task of translating his Thailand inspiration onto the models’ nails using various combinations of CND Copper Chrome, Electric Orange, Brilliant White, Buff, Inkwell, Ice Blue Shimmer and Gold Pearl with some very intricate nail art.

I spoke with CND Education Ambassador Roxanne Valinoti backstage about the two sides of Binetti’s collection and how the nails worked into that theme. There were two very distinct stories happening on the Binetti runway; Thai Day and Thai Night.  Inspired by the land, the people, the fabrics, etc. the CND team played with the idea of sunrise and sunset for Thai Day while incorporating jewels, beading and an electrified sapphire into the look for Thai Night. For Thai Day each model wore nails that corresponded with different points in the sun’s rise and fall using Brilliant White, Electric Orange, Buff and Copper Chrome Colours and Gold Pearl Effect.  The models were even “inked” on their wrists with the time of day they represented. Thai Night was all about luxury and opulence.  Beads, crystals and foils were intertwined with a layering combination of Inkwell and Ice Blue Shimmer to bring a sense of mystery and fantasy.

Thai Day

The sun in the Thai Day nails was created using Electric Orange as a base.  Part of the CND secondary shades, Electric Orange is a very pure reflection of the color wheel.  It’s vivid without being neon and as I would expect from CND, it’s well pigmented and smooth.

To tone down the boldness of Electric Orange, a layer of the creamy, sheer Buff results in a soft melon hue.

Since I have no business picking up a nail art brush, especially compared to the genius work above, I opted for the easy way out; a simple modified french to represent the sunrise.  CND used a base of Brilliant White under their suns as did I, though I have to say this is the first polish from the collection that doesn’t score a 10 in application.  I needed three coats to avoid streaks.  After applying a line of Electric Orange to my tip, I used a wash of Buff to mellow out the look.

To represent the sunset, the CND team started with a base of Copper Chrome.  Copper Chrome is an extremely pigmented metallic that applies very smooth though a bit brush stroke-y.  Nowhere near as bad as some metallics I’ve used but you can still see the lines.

They then added a layer of CND’s Super Matte to take off the shine.  To me, Super Matte is not the most accurate name for this top coat since it leaves a more satin finish than other matte top coats I’ve tried but if you don’t want an uber-flat finish this is a great option.

The sunset nails that include hand painted suns have an added layer of Gold Pearl to give an iced cappuccino effect.  It reminds me of the old CND duo-chrome Make A Wish.

Thai Night

I was honestly amazed when I saw this beam of vibrant blue staring up at me.  I couldn’t believe it wasn’t some sort of mix though I hadn’t yet tried the Shimmers from the Effects line.  Sure I was wowed by Sapphire Sparkle after my trip to Cosmoprof but I didn’t know the transformative powers of the Shimmers.  I couldn’t wait to get home and try this new-to-me combo of Inkwell and Ice Blue Shimmer.  As you can see below, it’s simply stunning.

You can find CND Colour & Effects at salons nationwide and online at our fave e-tailers (see sidebar). Colours retail for $9/ea and Effects retail for $11/ea.

What do you think of these looks Fanatics?  Which one is your fave?  Have you tried layering CND Colours without Effects?  What is your favorite combo?

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

Welcome to CND Monday, a regular series here on ALU. Each week I’ll be sharing a new layering combination from CND Colour & Effects to show you the versatility and creativity of the line. Fanatics, today I have a special edition of CND Monday for you featuring Sweet and Sugar Sparkle; “The Look” for Spring 2010.   A few months ago I talked about CND’s new concept for releasing seasonal colors (check out CND Colour & Effects… What’s Next? for a refresher) and how each Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter they’ll release a new LE Colour and Effect to reflect the trends.  This season CND is taking us to the “Candy Shop” with two sugary confections.  Check them out!

If you missed my detailed review of the new CND Formula, Bottle and Brush check out CND Colour, Effects and Henna? for a recap.

Sweet is a hot pink creme that dries a shade darker than my picture shows.  It’s not eye-searing enough to be neon yet it makes a statement, like a bright Barbie car.  Compared to the existing CND pinks, Sweet is lighter and less berry than Raspberry Plunge and warmer than the purple-toned Taffy Pink.

The pigmentation is outstanding as usual though for the first time the application wasn’t entirely spot on.  I had a bit of streaking on my middle finger requiring a third coat.  Though my bottle is a sample and the formula was a bit stringy so I’m hoping mine is the exception to the rule.

Sugar Sparkle looks like crushed rock candy on the nail.  With multi-shaped, multi-sized white glitter suspended in a clear base, it adds a bit of frosting (to steal a term from How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days) to your nails.  Yes, I get sucked into cheesy rom-coms, especially when Kate Hudson is involved.

As you can see, Sugar Sparkle doesn’t necessarily change the base color underneath, it just adds interest, texture and glitz.

Sweet and Sugar Sparkle will launch this spring.  I don’t have an exact date yet but I will update you when I do.  You can find CND Colour & Effects at salons nationwide and online at our fave e-tailers (see sidebar). Colours retail for $9/ea and Effects retail for $11/ea.

What do you think of Sweet and Sugar Sparkle?  I know I’m looking forward to trying Sugar Sparkle over some other Colours and I’ll be posting those soon.  Are you feeling the candy coated vibe of CND’s spring palette?

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

Welcome to CND Monday, a regular series here on ALU. Each week I’ll be sharing a new layering combination from CND Colour & Effects to show you the versatility and creativity of the line. One of my favorite CND polishes from the old line is NFS, a deep teal-based green with subtle tonal shimmer.  You know me and my greens.  It’s a shame NFS has reached hard-to-find status but I was pleased to hear that the new Colour & Effects line included a blackened green, Oilslick, in the lineup. Up until now I’ve only shown layering combinations using the Effects but I discovered a great combo with the Colours during New York Fashion Week.  The CND Team raved about the look they created for Monique Lhuillier’s collection using Oilslick, Raisin in the Sun and Super Matte top coat.  Check out my re-creation after the jump!

If you missed my detailed review of the new CND Formula, Bottle and Brush check out CND Colour, Effects and Henna? for a recap.

Oilslick is a very dark and highly pigmented blackened teal green creme.  What you see below is ONE COAT.  That’s right, this baby is so pigmented and smooth to apply you only need one coat.  With two coats it becomes difficult to see the green, it just looks black.  Unlike Sephora by OPI Dark Room with its grayed forest base, this polish has a blue-green base much like its CND predecessor NFS.

In comparison to NFS, you can see that Oilslick is much denser and deeper.  Think of it as NFS’s vampier, older cousin.  You know, the cool one that lets you borrow her ID so you can sneak into clubs underage.

For Monique Lhuillier’s S/S ’10 RTW presentation, the creative minds at CND came up with a unique look layering Raisin In The Sun over Oilslick to create a mossy brown.  The green in Oilslick brought down the reddish undertones in Raisin In The Sun to create a more neutral brown.  They topped it with CND’s new Super Matte top coat which lightened the overall hue and took down the shine.

I included one nail coated in Raisin In The Sun so you can see how red it appears in comparison with the final look.

Now I tried CND’s Super Matte and for me, it just didn’t look right.  The formula is very milky so the finish was uneven.  As you can see, I used too much product on my ring finger and it looks a lot lighter than the other two nails.  I like the satin finish but I need to work on my application to get it right.

I decided to start over and try the matte look with China Glaze Magic Matte.  I came across a clearance bin of them at my local Sally Beauty over the weekend and stocked up. Score!  Even though I missed a couple spots (I’m far from perfect), I like the more mattified version of this color.  You can really see the difference between Raisin in the Sun on its own and over Oilslick.  I personally prefer browns that are more blackened/yellow based as opposed to reddish browns so, for me, this look is a winner.

You can find CND Colour & Effects at salons nationwide and online at our fave e-tailers (see sidebar). Colours retail for $9/ea and Effects retail for $11/ea.

How do you like this look?  Since this was a look for Spring, what do you think of such a dark shade for the season?  Have you found any Colour on Colour layering combos that you love?

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

Welcome to CND Monday, a new feature here on ALU. Each week I’ll be sharing a new layering combination from CND Colour & Effects to show you the versatility and creativity of the line. OK so I’m not confused, I know it’s Tuesday but due to server issues I wasn’t able to post my CND Monday combo and I just couldn’t wait a week to do so.  This server downtime is driving me batty but it should be resolved. *fingers crossed* This combo was inspired by a reader comment.  ReaderRita mentioned that she recently ordered Violet Shimmer hoping it would look good layered over any color.  I decided to pull mine out of the drawer to see how it if fares with Plumville.  Check out the results after the jump!

If you missed my detailed review of the new CND Formula, Bottle and Brush check out CND Colour, Effects and Henna? for a recap.

Plumville is a rich blue based berry creme.  It’s not quite raspberry, not quite plum.  It’s what I imagine a snozberry would look like.  “Who ever heard of a snozberry?” The color is so rich and the pigment is so strong that I barely needed a seconnd coat and it applied so damn flawlessly.  To my creme loving Fanatics, you NEED to try this formula if you haven’t already.  I find myself saying “Wow, this is amazing!” every single week.

Adding a layer of Violet Shimmer not only lightened the hue, it gave it this cool blue-violet flash.  The shimmer particles are so fine that you really have to be looking for them so instead of shimmer, it adds a veil of glow.  This combo reminds me of an OPI but the name is escaping my mind.  Anyone know which one I’m talking about?

Sunlight

You can find CND Colour & Effects at salons nationwide and online at our fave e-tailers (see sidebar). Colours retail for $9/ea and Effects retail for $11/ea.

So are we feeling this? Can you think of similar shade to this one? I couldn’t find a creme dupe but if anyone can think of that OPI, I’d appreciate it. It will continue to bother me until then. Jewel of India?? Darn, I’m not sure. Anywho, ReaderRita I hope you’re happy with your Violet Shimmer purchase. If you have a CND Monday request, leave it in the comments.

Welcome to CND Monday, a new feature here on ALU. Each week I’ll be sharing a new layering combination from CND Colour & Effects to show you the versatility and creativity of the line. It’s another reader request on CND Monday. A fellow Fanatic requested to see a look featuring Crimson Sparkle and I’m here to oblige. Up until now I had played with all the sparkles except Crimson so I was happy to have a reason to pull it out. Rather than layer it over a complementary color, like green, I decided to keep it in the same family selecting Bloodline as my base. Check out how well they play together after the jump!

If you missed my detailed review of the new CND Formula, Bottle and Brush check out CND Colour, Effects and Henna? for a recap.

There’s something about the dark cherry look of Bloodline that I love. It’s definitely in the same range with some of my fave red cremes OPI Got The Blues For Red and China Glaze Masai Red and I’m not the only one who’s smitten with it. I’ve mentioned the boyfriend’s propensity for red polish in the past. Well Bloodline was an instant hit with him.

As with all the other cremes I’ve tried in the Colour line, this polish packs a lot of pigment in a relatively thin consistency. The formula is self leveling, drying to a smooth even finish. Though for some reason this one dried a bit flat so I added a layer of top coat.

Add a swipe of Crimson Sparkle and we’ve got something close to the famous China Glaze glass flecked finish. It’s not jelly-ish but it has a Ruby Pumps quality. LOVE IT!!

Application tip: Adding a layer of top coat before applying Effects will prevent your brush from picking up bits of pigment from the base color. Over time that can alter the Effects’ clear base.

You can find CND Colour & Effects at salons nationwide and online at our fave e-tailers (see sidebar). Colours retail for $9/ea and Effects retail for $11/ea.

What do you think of Bloodline? Are you loving Crimson Sparkle as much as I am? Do you have a fave combo with Crimson Sparkle to share?