Are we stuck in some kind of 2007 nail polish flashback? Did Chanel Blue Satin just launch? First we talked about grey nail polish, now we’re moving onto blue. Those of you who have been reading ALU since way back in its infancy will remember that blue and grey were big nail trends for Fall 2007 and as I approach my fifth year of blogging, it’s like it’s all coming full circle.

The past couple years there has been a greater focus on greyed slate blues and teal but this time around we’re looking at a more true blue range that varies from denim to sapphire to indigo. And as brands have continued to evolve their mixing techniques we are being treated to more unique finishes and sparkle combinations than we’ve seen in the past.

The Bold & The Beautiful of Blues (Fall 2011 Release) – all polishes (except two noted below) are shown using two coats

From left to right - NARS Night Flight (bottom), OPI Road House Blues (top), Dior Denim (laying down), CND Midnight Sapphire, Color Club Blue-topia, Rescue Beauty Lounge Piu Mosso (laying down), Sparitual Blue Moon, Nubar Elegant Indigo, China Glaze Skyscraper

China Glaze Skyscraper ($3, Head2ToeBeauty, TransDesign. $6, Sally Beauty) is a blue ball of fun. It’s a semi-sheer glitter jelly polish with a softened midnight blue base. It reminds me of a twilight sky, before it darkens to an inky navy. It’s one of the two polishes that required three coats and that’s so that the glitter can be properly suspended. What intrigues me about this color is how the finish can look similar to a glass fleck at one angle and like a foil-ish metallic from another.

I used my cell phone to take this shot so the color isn’t as accurate but I thought the slight bluriness showed the finish off well.

CND Midnight Sapphire ($9, CND.com for locations or GoIndulge.com) is part of CND’s “Look” for Fall 2011 and it’s a densely pigmented creme that I showed you as part of my Cleveland Indians themed manicure. It applies beautifully and barely needs two coats. In fact I only used one coat in this shot and I like that it looks a bit lighter than the two coats I used in my Indians mani.

Color Club Blue-topia ($8, ShopColorClub.com) is a deep navy jelly polish. As much I love the idea of jellies, they are hard to do with darker colors. They tend to be pretty streaky as was the case with Blue-topia. I used three coats with this one and it’s still pretty uneven.

Dior Blue Denim ($22, Dior.com & Nordstrom stores) is part of the emerging sub-trend of denim inspired blues. This faded sapphire creme effortlessly blends comfort and chic. I love that even though it’s really pigmented, it has a jelly-like finish.

NARS Night Flight ($17, NARSCosmetics.com & NARS counters nationwide) is part of the Night series of sparkle polishes and in spite of its inky blue base, the tiny light blue and purple glitter particles lighten it up to a glorious mid-tone navy. You really have to see this one on the nail to appreciate the depth of its glitz.

OPI Road House Blues ($8.50,OPI.com for locations) is a lush navy creme that leans towards indigo. Makes me think of blueberry juice. I have a LOT of navy cremes but none are quite like this one. OPI Sapphire in the Snow from Holiday ’09 looks downright purple next to it.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Piu Mosso ($18, RescueBeauty.com) is an unusual flower combining fiery orange shimmer with a blackened blue base. As I mentioned in my initial review, it’s a challenge to bring a complimentary shimmer to the party without it affecting the base color but RBL’s Ji Baek achieved that with ease. It’s definitely one of my favorite fall colors this season.

Sparitual Blue Moon ($10, Sparitual.com & AveYou.com) is hands down my favorite of all the blues that have come out for fall. I wasn’t sure what to expect based on the bottle color. It looked pretty murky, more purple than blue, with this odd rose gold-ish flake glitter. On the nail it’s electric. Imagine Essie Aruba Blue being jolted to life with a defibrillator then injected with flakie goodness. The picture really does it no justice. I had this one for a full week and it looked smashing the full seven days. It pained me to take it off. In short… BUY THIS!!!

The Old School Blues

You don’t have to buy new colors to be on trend, just shop your nail polish wardrobe for these classic sapphire blues.

Click the names to view swatches: ULTA Moody Blues, China Glaze Bermuda Breakaway, Barielle Berry Blue (laying down), Essence Just Rock It.

Entity Blue (bottom), China Glaze Up All Night (top), Nubar Sapphire (bottom), NYC Skin Tight Denim Creme (top), OPI Yoga-ta Get This Blue, Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Blue It, Zoya Indigo (laying across), Essie Aruba Blue (laying down), Sparitual Surreal

Best colors to pair with Blue – Grey, camel, pumpkin, ruby, silver, gold

Thoughts on the resurgence of the blue nail color trend? Do you prefer straight-up blues to the greyed and green tinged tones? Which new colors do you plan to pick up? What are your favorite blue nail polishes?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for China Glaze, CND, Color Club, Dior, NARS, OPI, Rescue Beauty Lounge and Spatirual. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

Of all the amazing things I saw at New York Fashion Week, what I was most excited to come home and try is a look that never even appeared on the catwalk. It’s a new nail art technique that CND Co-Founder Jan Arnold discovered in Russia and I couldn’t wait to share it with all of you. It’s a technique for making your own nail art decals using nail polish that CND’s Russian Education Ambassadors created. Essentially you are designing your own version of Minx or Sally Hansen Salon Effects at home. It’s easy and fun and I just know you DIY peeps are going to love it.

This tutorial video shows you, step-by-step, how to create the decals.

For the look below, I cut out a portion of the River Rock design. In order to help it blend I applied a coat of CND Copper Shimmer over Chanel Blue Bloy though I probably should have used a second coat of Copper Shimmer. The decal stands out a bit more than I would like so if you plan to cut out only a portion of the design it’s probably best to use a clear base.

Here I applied the Desert Rock decal that uses CND Ice Blue Shimmer as a base with CND Desert Suede and CND Copper Shimmer over Peripera P017 (I’ve been on an eBay kick) and the Ice Blue Shimmer background really altered the base color.

One last look at the River Rock decal. This time over Chanel Blue Rebel. I placed the decal over the entire nail and the Copper Shimmer background really comes to life over such a dark base color.

CND Colour & Effects nail polishes are available at salons and spas nationwide including chains like 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 and the Effects retail for $11/ea for a .33oz bottle.

What do you think of this DIY nail art technique? Is this something you would try at home? If you do, please tell us what type of designs you create and the polishes you use.

Disclosure: All Lacquered Up’s coverage of CND at NYFW is sponsored by CND. For more info, view my Disclosure Policy.

The red-orange coral confection that is CND Poppyfield was such a hit at Wes Gordon Spring 2012 that CND is offering three lucky readers the chance to win a bottle for themselves.

To Win: Leave a comment on this post telling me which CND Effect you would layer over Poppyfield. I love a great Colour & Effect combo. Make sure you include your email address on the email address line in the form, not the comment body (for privacy reasons).

Rules: Giveaway is open to US Residents only and no P.O. Boxes (sorry International Fanatics). One entry per person. Winners will be selected via random draw. Winners must respond within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen.

End Date: Entries will be accepted until Sunday September 18th at 11:59pm EST. Any entries after that time will not count.

Countless movies and television shows (both fictional and reality) have depicted the crazy whirlwind that is backstage at a fashion show. The models dashing to and fro. The dozens of hair, makeup and nail professionals wielding their tools to bring the designer’s vision to light. The model wrangler (for a lack of a better term) yelling for the girls to get in line. And, of course, the designer, in either an eerie state of calm or ball of frenetic energy, overseeing the whole process. If you’re like me, you’ve wondered what it’s really like to be a part of that amazing chaos.

This is my seventh season attending New York Fashion Week as a member of the media and even though I am able to go backstage, our time is limited due to the number of outlets that need access. I’ve never been able to see what it takes to make a show happen from start to finish… until now! As part of my Fashion Week partnership with CND, I was given the extraordinary opportunity to strap on a Team CND tool belt at the Joy Cioci Spring 2012 presentation and work right alongside the pros.

Days, and sometimes weeks, before the show, CND Co-Founder Jan Arnold and members of the CND Fashion Week team meet with the designer to discuss the vision for the nails and come up with a concept. By the time the team arrives at the show, the nail is already finalized, unless they are asked to custom mix the day of. The gorgeous Urban Haze blend created by Angi Wingle at Malandrino last February came to fruition under that very circumstance.

Team CND arrives on the scene at least three hours before show time. I showed up just as they were unpacking their kits. The hair and makeup teams were already hard at work to get the models ready in time.

I shadowed team lead, CND Education Ambassador Candice Manacchio, before being let loose into the wild. I quickly changed into a CND tee, strapped on my tool belt and got down to business. My belt was stocked with Scrub Fresh, Hands Down Pads, Cuticle Eraser, Solar Oil, Air Dry top coat, Creative Scentsations lotion, hand sanitizer, orange wood sticks and various buffers and files.

The “Lucite Lace” manicure at Joy Cioci was very much a reflection of the clothes. There were pieces with gauzy layers that gave a veiled effect and the designer included a lot of lucite accessories in styling her collection. The nails were created using a clear lucite-esque base painted with randomly placed lace designs.

Now while you might think that applying tips is a simple task, there is actually quite a bit of skill involved. After prepping the nails using CND Scrub Fresh to remove any polish, dirt or debris, Candice showed me how to select the correct size nail for each finger and how to place it over the nail bed, covering the cuticle. Finally, the tip is shaped to eliminate any imperfections.

Of course there are always issues that arise. One model had the most gorgeous long nail beds (she could so be a hand model) that were polished with Shellac. The problem, she had very slim nails so the tip that best fit her nail width wasn’t long enough. Candice ended up having to trim the nails in order to get a perfect fit. And then I was sent to work on a model who literally had polish caked all over her nails like mud from a photo shoot she worked on. Getting that stuff dislodged from her cuticles and out from under her nails was a CHALLENGE.

For the most part though, the models were friendly and sweet. Not at all difficult or bratty. My “challenge” girl was actually quite interesting. She is an artist working in multiple mediums and just lovely to chat with. Though she kept apologizing for all the polish on her nails, as if it was her fault. Fun fact: The NARS makeup artist who worked on my “challenge” model was the first Abercrombie & Fitch model from the 90s and holy hell is he hot. He clearly drinks his milk because it’s done his body GOOD.

Oh and I had to touch feet! I know, I’m slightly horrified as well. When I was told we had to remove the polish from their toes I shuddered a bit. Though surprisingly, as much as feet gross me the EFF out, when push came to shove, I just grabbed a foot and went to town. That’s so not me. I don’t even like to touch my own feet most of the time. Explain that!

What was fun for me, as a blogger, was seeing my peeps roll through for interviews. While Candice told them all about the look and how it was created, I could see surprised faces as they noticed me, crouched down on the floor, as a member of the team.

Since the look didn’t require any actual polishing, we finished relatively fast so there was definitely some downtime to hang and grab something to drink or eat. Though the hair and makeup teams weren’t as lucky since a couple models showed up late and they had to scramble to pump out the intricate hair and makeup looks in time.

As the models finish with the beauty team they are quickly whisked away to the dressing area and moved into the presentation space for final inspection and placement. Armed with a full set of tips, we check to make sure none of the nails came off while dressing and then the hair and makeup teams go through doing last minute touch-ups under the show lights. Now because this was a presentation there wasn’t any craziness over getting the models down a runway in time so that definitely made things a bit calmer.

Here’s my girl all done up. Am I the only one with a serious case of brow envy? Does she have Brooke Shields eyebrows or what??

The experience as a whole was really cool and solidified what unsung heroes the manicurists are at Fashion Week. They don’t get their own stations backstage. They have to crawl under tables and find holes between the makeup and hair teams to get their work done while kneeling on “carpet” that is marginally more comfortable than Astroturf and trying to apply a perfect manicure.

DIY Alert: To recreate the Joy Cioci “Lucite Lace” manicure at home, pick up some clear nail tips at a beauty supply store, like Sally Beauty. Find lace with a pattern you like at a craft store. Lay the lace over the nail and apply white nail polish in the areas where you want the pattern to appear. Pull up the lace while the polish is wet to create the effect. Of course if you have a nail art stamper, like Konad,  that would work as well.

Tips: 1. CND uses “Glue Dots” that can be found at a craft store to hold the nails in place. They really hold without damaging the nails. 2. Double-sided, foam-like tape strips make for a great work surface. Press the nails into the strip while you work and they won’t slide about when you’re polishing over the lace.

I seriously can’t thank CND enough for giving me this opportunity to be a part of the Fashion Week backstage experience. The whole team is so talented and fun to work with and I had an absolute blast.

What do you think of the “Lucite Lace” look? I’m seeing a lot of clear nails being used this week. Is this something you would try DIYing or want to wear?

Disclosure: All Lacquered Up’s coverage of CND at New York Fashion Week is sponsored by CND. For more info, view my Disclosure Policy.

With the rise in popularity of “scotch tape manicures” amongst the DIY nail art fanatics, I see a lot of checkered nail styles roll by on my Tumblr. So I was quite thrilled to see this popular look pop up on the runway. CND injected bright pops of color and pattern at Nicole Miller’s Spring 2012 show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.

For Nicole Miller, Wanda Ruiz crafted glam rock checkered manicures using CND Colour in Raspberry Parfait and a custom mixed blue comprised of CND Colours in Anchor Blue, Dark Ruby, Eclectic Purple and added blue pigment. Nails were finished with one layer of Ice Blue Shimmer Effect.

CND Says: Create this look at home by doing a vertical sweep of pink down your nail, and do the same with a sweep of blue so each half of the nail is covered with a color. Then go over with each color for the opposite corners. Top all nails with Ice Blue Shimmer for a dazzling finish.

If your hand isn’t steady enough to hand paint straight lines of color, create checkers utilizing scotch tape. Check out the tutorial on Chloe’s Nails for great tips on how to create this look.

What do you think of Checkerboard nails? Do you like the blue and pink combo? Do you have any great tricks for DIYing checkered nails?

If you want to keep up with my NYFW experience be sure to follow me on Twitter for the latest updates. Also, check out Jan Arnold’s Fashion Week Blog on CND.com and my Tumblr peeps should follow the new CND Fashion Tumblr.

Disclosure: All Lacquered Up’s coverage of CND at NYFW is sponsored by CND. For more info, view my Disclosure Policy.

2011 is a big year for CND. In addition to Shellac becoming a household name, I don’t know anyone who hasn’t heard of it, the brand is celebrating their game-changing relationship with Fashion Week. No one could depict what this means to the brand better than its Co-Founder and Creative Director, Jan Arnold. I asked Jan to write a guest post for ALU and she graciously took time out of her crazy schedule to share her thoughts with us. Jan’s voice and point of view are so distinctive. She is a storyteller, a fashionista, in the best sense of the word, and a true, creative visionary. I know that sounds totally fangirl but I can’t help it, I’m a fan! I could listen to her for hours as she weaves a tale of nails and fashion at every show the brand works on. I asked Jan to share her thoughts about the journey Fashion Week nails have gone on this past 15 years, her favorite looks (with pics), and what we can expect from the Spring 2012 shows.

Jan in her skirt that she loves because she can, "ball it up and throw it in a suitcase." CND is celebrating 15 years of Fashion Week by designing manicures at 21 shows this season! From household names including Catherine Malandrino, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Nicole Miller and Monique Lhuillier to up-and-coming designers Altuzarra, Joy Cioci, Wes Gordon and The Blonds, CND has solidified the nail as the best accessory on the runway. It has been a long road from the days when designers barely thought about nails… now, “it” manicures are the expected must-have! Doing Fashion Week has validated a place for nails, alongside the best in hair and make-up. Designers now can’t see the total look without the finishing touch of an interesting nail. Nails are the punctuation to an outfit, a defining statement to your style.

Jan with my friend & fellow blogger Kristen Giordani from BeautyEditorOnCall.com My personal fashion sense can be described as avante garde. I like high-tech structure, sharp lines, masculine elements, and pointy details (like nails and shoes). I look for a sense of humor in my clothes, with unexpected details that entertain. I’m infatuated with all the Japanese designers, in particular I love Yohji Yomomoto, Comme de Garcon, Junya Wantenabe. Their designs are inventive, extraordinary, unique and timeless. My love of fashion originated from the time I was 5…when I’d illustrate sleek, lean models with the highest heels, the longest nails and the coolest hair. I’d invent ideas through my love of drawing, which was nurtured and encouraged by my arts-loving parents.

Some of my favorite moments from the past 15 years include the decadent Faberge egg nails we made for Abaete’s Spring 2005 show (they actually opened and closed!), the fiery and fierce dragon manicure we created using clear PVC tubing for The Blonds’ Fall 2011 show, and Military-inspired Badge Manicures we designed for Baby Phat in Fall 2007. These nails were out of the box, and showed designers that anything is possible when they work with CND’s talented team!


A quick teaser for Spring 2012: manicures this season are no holds barred – be prepared to take your nails to the edge with rockstar psychedelic neon, illuminated sci-fi finish, and precious metal texture.

Get a behind the scenes look at CND’s backstage beauty looks and more by reading my Fashion Week blog on cnd.com!

Thank you so much Jan! And don’t forget to follow CND on Tumblr and Twitter for more Fashion Week updates.

Disclosure: All Lacquered Up’s coverage of CND at NYFW is sponsored by CND. To learn more, view my Disclosure Policy.

CND kicked off New York Fashion Week with Wes Gordon’s Spring 2012 collection. Team CND led by Kristina Estabrooks along with Charlotte Willer for Maybelline and Travis Speck for Bumble and bumble created what I dubbed a modern “power bitch” look. The updated version of Dynasty’s Joan Collins. Think of her, with the power suits and red talons and bring it to 2012.

CND’s Kristina Estabrooks described Wes’s woman as a, “Young sophisticated lady. She’s rich, lives in Soho and is a really powerful woman.” Showing that power comes through the nails so Team CND chose CND Poppyfield for the tips and CND Desert Suede for the toes. “[Poppyfield] is energy, it’s excitement. It’s the new modern upbeat red.”  Applying the nearly neon to a medium length almond shaped nail creates a look that is soft and feminine but powerful. It says, “I’m a woman but I’m powerful woman.” Kristina notes that Poppyfield is great for any skin tone and it brightens up the skin, giving it a luminosity. Pairing it with Desert Suede toes, which is clean and classic, leaves all the power in your hands.

In speaking with Travis Speck for Bumble and bumble he shared that the designer referenced Carine Roitfeld from French Vogue. He wanted that effortless, chic look when it came to the hair. Natural and soft but with a lot of texture. He said the trick is to get some grip in the hair with product (Bumble + bumble Prep, Thickening Hairspray and Surf Spray before blowdrying, White Hair Powder after) and a light backcomb at the front, lightly pulling it back as though you did it yourself, keeping the pony really low. He noted that the designer, “didn’t want it to be too cutesy. That’s one word he used. Sophisticated but still kind of casual. He didn’t want it to look too done since the clothes are very tailored.”

Charlotte Willer for Maybelline described the look as, “young, fresh, elegant.” Adding that, “It’s a glossy look. Dewy skin. Pink blush. Lip balm on the eyelids. Stain on the lips. No mascara. Strong eyebrows.”  Charlotte always gets straight to the point and I love that. Makeup can be intimidating but she makes is sound so easy and attainable. To create the look Charlotte used Maybelline Fit Me! Foundation, Maybelline Define-A-Brow Eyebrow Pencil, Maybelline Fit Me! Blush in Medium Coral, Maybelline Color Sensational Lipcolor in Very Cherry as a stain on the lips and Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm in Quenched on the eye lids.

My take: I love that this is an accessible look. We can all do this at home. You don’t need to be a master at blending shadow or a nail art savant. Even if you don’t rock a longer nail you can still have power nails with a shade like Poppyfield. Just throw your bed head hair in a low pony and call it a day!

What’s your take? Is this a look you would try at home? Does your nail length change with the seasons?

If you want to keep up with my NYFW experience be sure to follow me on Twitter for the latest updates. Also, check out Jan Arnold’s Fashion Week Blog on CND.com and my Tumblr peeps should follow the new CND Fashion Tumblr.

Disclosure: All Lacquered Up’s coverage of CND at Fashion’s Night Out and New York Fashion Week is sponsored by CND. All opinions are my own. For more info, view my Disclosure Policy.

Last night I was out and about in NYC for the 3rd annual Vogue Fashion’s Night Out and the city was a giant ball of crazy. Available cabs were like spotting a unicorn. The subways were packed with tired but happy shoppers. And the heat and extreme humidity beat everyone down physically. Let’s not even talk about how my feet are feeling. The thing is, all of that doesn’t matter because the energy of the city, the excitement of being out in the crowds, the visual overload makes it all worthwhile. Fashion’s Night Out is just plain fun. I spent my night down in Soho and Meatpacking checking out CND’s two Shellac outings and reminding myself why I avoid the celebrity fueled events. One word: Kardashians.

My first stop was the CND Shellac Mobile Mani truck that was parked outside the 3.1 Phillip Lim boutique in Soho. The mobile Shellac salon is so cool. They brought in big comfy chairs and the full Shellac color range to Shellac Attack the women of NYC.

Doesn’t it look like a real pro salon? Oh and check out the QR codes on the back of CND’s Education Ambassadors. Scanning the code will bring you to a list of CND Certified Shellac Salons in NYC. Visit CND.com/ShellacAndTheCity for details. If you would like to visit the CND Mobile Mani truck, follow @CNDWorld on Twitter to find out where they will be the rest of the week.

On my way to Meatpacking, I happened to wander by the DASH store, owned by the Kardashian sisters. The throngs of people hoping to catch a glimpse of the girls was overwhelming. They actually did drive-by while I was walking to the subway and the screams were deafening.

Down the street, Chanel Soho had line winding around the block just to get in the store. Which isn’t surprising. It was just as bad last year when I went. I know you all are dying to see the Les Jeans de Chanel colors but unfortunately I wasn’t able to get my hands on them prior to FNO due to Hurricane Irene delaying the shipment. I will have swatches up soon but in the meantime, check out Beauty Look Book.

A quick subway ride landed me in the Malandrino boutique on Hudson where CND set up Shellac stations for shoppers.

CND’s Jan Arnold is rocking some incredible lace tipped nails that I have to get a shot of for you.

Just when I thought I couldn’t walk anymore, I headed down the street to Teen Vogue’s Block Party to see my friend, Celebrity Manicurist Elle, who collaborated with Teen Vogue Beauty Director Eva Chen to create some fun nail art options for Essie. Of course, being a perfectionist, Elle wasn’t happy with her work and didn’t want me to photograph my manicure. Despite the fact that her table kept moving, thanks to shaky flooring, I’m proud to rock this look featuring Essie Mint Candy Apple, Mink Muffs and Pretty Edgy.

How did you spend Fashion’s Night Out? Did you go to any local events in your town? Did you buy any LE FNO products or clothing?

Disclosure: All Lacquered Up’s coverage of CND at Fashion’s Night Out and New York Fashion Week is sponsored by CND. All opinions are my own. For more info, view my Disclosure Policy.

*** 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. Untried Day #118: This past Tuesday I was invited to the Cleveland Indians game for a special women’s event. I had the opportunity to sit in the Social Suite on Wahoo Women night which benefits the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign. Even though I’ve always been more of a football fan, there’s nothing quite like spending a beautiful summer night at a baseball game, sipping on a beer and snacking on peanuts (Cleveland’s own Peterson’s naturally). It’s the picture of Americana. And I have to give it up to the Tribe’s marketing team. They have really created something special with their Social Suite. Anyone who is active in social media can apply to sit in the suite, like the fancy people, for a night. The view and the accommodations in the suite are pretty spectacular. So what’s a nail girl to do on a night that is dedicated to both women and the Indians? A red, Tribe-themed manicure of course!  I wanted the perfect Indians red so I looked to my untrieds and found Zoya Sooki and I paired it with CND Midnight Sapphire from the upcoming Fall 2011 “The Look” launch. It is a pretty good match to the team’s blue color. Keep reading to see how it turned out.

Formula & Application: Zoya is a 4-Free brand (including formaldehyde resin) plus they leave out camphor, which can be an irritant.  Their signature Italian glass bottles have a tapered, shiny black plastic cap that rests comfortably between the thumb and index finger while polishing.  The brush is short, round and medium in girth with flexible bristles that allow for ease of control.

Sooki has a smooth, creamy formula that glides on the nail. I had no trouble creating clean lines at the cuticle as the lacquer was so easy to control. The pigmentation is pretty good though I do notice a bit of VNL (visible nail line) with two coats but my free edge seems to stand out more than most.

Zoya Sooki is a cherry red creme though what I find interesting is that in natural light it’s pretty rich and cool toned but under a warm light, like the OttLite, or direct sunlight it leans more towards tomato. Obviously this shade was named after Sooki from True Blood, which is one of my favorite guilty pleasures, so it’s just an added bonus that it also went with my theme for the night. Though how much does this season suck? No pun intended. I want the old Eric back and I’m over these witches, literally!!

To create my Tribe themed manicure I alternated Sooki with CND Midnight Sapphire, which I will review in full at a later date, skipping the middle fingers on each hand. On my middle nail I applied China Glaze White Out as a base for some fun polka dots. Using my dotting tool, I placed dots in a somewhat organized pattern.

Application Tip: Drop the polish on a piece of card stock or aluminum foil and let it to rest for a few seconds to thicken. It will make it easier to place the dots. Just don’t wait too long or it will get stringy. It’s akin to the “magic hour” for photographers. You have a brief moment of time when the polish is just the right consistency for dotting.

I reversed the pattern on my other hand and, of course, I forgot to take a pic of it before I left for the game so this cell phone shot will have to do.

The view from the Social Suite. Which was phenom until…..

The rains came! When I arrived, one of the other Wahoo Women said she received a tornado warning call from her city, west of Cleveland, so we knew we were in for a storm. We  just had no idea how insane it would be. At one point there was hail coming down and you couldn’t see across the stadium. But, we had lovely distractions during the downtime.

Ketchup paid us a visit in the suite. He wears a pair of bad-ass glasses a la Wild Thing in Major League and runs a nightly race in the stadium against his competitors Mustard and Onion. Even though I only like onions when they’re caramelized or battered and deep fat fried, I root for Onion since she’s the only lady in the race. And surprisingly, she won on Wahoo Women night. Who would have guessed?

Thanks to the generosity of Time Warner Cable of Northeast Ohio we had yummy snacks to feast on and a visit from the DESSERT CART! I had no idea such a thing existed so you can imagine how my eyes lit up. Actually, if you check out Alexa’s post on Cleveland’s a Plum, you’ll see a group shot with many a shock and awe reaction face. As hard as it was to choose, I couldn’t resist a chocolate and mint brownie-like concoction that I was very thankful to have extra Weight Watchers points to splurge on.

The game ended up going until past 2am, which none of us could stay for, but in the end the Tribe pulled out a win against Detroit. Clearly the rain didn’t dampen the players’ spirits. GO TRIBE!

Bottom Line: Sooki is a well formulated red and a great nail polish wardrobe staple. It doesn’t set my heart on fire but it certainly served my purpose. I’m sure the red lovers out there will hate me for saying it but a lot of times I feel like a red is a red is a red. I know that’s not at all true but it takes a lot for a red to wow me so I’m unintentionally hard on them.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: Considering how little I actually opt for reds, I’m sure this will get more love with a friend. SHARE.

Zoya Sooki is available now as part of the Summertime collection at salons and spas nationwide including ULTA and online at Zoya.com. Zoya nail polishes retail for$8/ea for a .5oz bottle. Don’t forget, you can try before you buy with the Zoya Color Spoon program.

Thoughts on Zoya Sooki? Do you approve of my Indians themed manicure? Are you excited to hear more about Midnight Sapphire? Do you have any dotting tips to share with the group?

Disclosure: A product sample was provided by Zoya, CND and China Glaze. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.