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.

From olive to hunter, military inspired designs and colors dominated the Fall 2011 runway shows. Those shades came straight off the models and into nail polish bottles in a number of the fall collections.

Over the next couple weeks I’ll be walking you through the big nail polish trends for the season, showing you the newest shades to hit the market and the old school colors you may already own that will get your nail style ready for fall.

The New Class (Fall 2011 Release) – all polishes are shown using two coats

Laying down: MAC Fatigues & Deborah Lippmann Billionaire. Standing: China Glaze Westside Warrior, Color Club Artsy Crafty, Finger Paints Military Green, Butter London Wallis, OPI Uh-Oh Roll Down The Window & Cult Nails In A Trance. Top Row: Zoya Yara & Zoya Dree

Butter London Wallis ($14, butterLondon.com, Beauty.com, ULTA, Nordstrom) is a metallic olive green that leans heavily towards gold. The base is a dark olive but the green-gold flakes floating on the surface give this colors a foil-like finish.

China Glaze Westside Warrior ($3, Head2ToeBeauty, TransDesign. $6, Sally Beauty) reminds me of castelvetrano olives. I only recently discovered these buttery gems through a friend and I’m obsessed. My only complaint with Westside Warrior is that the formula wasn’t up to par. It was pigmented but a little goopy and hard to work with.

Color Club Artsy Crafty ($8, ShopColorClub.com) is a lush forest green with a greyed underbelly that gives it some grit.

Cult Nails In A Trance ($10, CultNails.com) is a browned olive green shimmer. The satiny finish and old world charm hearkens back to medieval tapestries or royal gowns.

Deborah Lippmann Billionaire ($16, DeborahLippmann.com, Barneys, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom) is the darkest of the fall green offerings. It’s as if you took a vivid hunter green and drabbed it out with a touch of brown and black. The color was used at the Lela Rose F/W 2011 show and it’s got this great jelly consistency that is packed with pigment.

Finger Paints Military Green ($4.99, SallyBeauty.com) honestly looks terrible in the bottle. It was kind of yellowish, like baby poo or something but on the nail, LOVE! It’s reminiscent of Essie Sew Psyched or Chanel Khaki Vert and applies flawlessly on the nail.

MAC Fatigues ($15, MACCosmetics.com) is part of the MAC Me Over! collection and what I love about it is that it’s not as yellow based as the other colors in this category. It’s more cool tone friendly.

OPI Uh-Oh Roll Down The Window ($8.50,OPI.com for locations) is a vivid olive hue. I know the words feel wrong together but I’ve been calling it a bright drab. The name is the only thing that bothers me. Even though, at my core, I’m a 12 year old boy with a love for potty humor, mixing that with something in the beauty world doesn’t sit right with me.

Zoya Dree ($8, Zoya.com) is the darkened version of OPI Uh-Oh. They definitely live in the same neighborhood, go to the same school and may even share some classes together.

Zoya Yara ($8, Zoya.com) – Okay so I have this sweater that I refuse to get rid of even though it’s so out of style it’s not even funny. The reason I keep it, it looks exactly like Yara! It’s this yellow-based green knit hoodie that has small golden threads woven throughout. Now that I have a polish to match it, why would I donate it?

The OG’s – The “Original (Military) Greens” in my stash

Not all of these shades are still available but if you have them in your nail wardrobe, now is the time to rock ‘em.

Laying down: NARS Mash & Rescue Beauty Lounge No More War Standing: Essie Sew Psyched, Chanel Khaki Vert, American Apparel Hunter, Zoya Gemma, Rescue Beauty Lounge Diddy Mow, Illamasqua Hectic, NARS Platoon

Best colors to pair with Military Greens – Berry, gold, pewter, camel

Thoughts on the Military Green nail color trend? Did your faves make the cut? Which new colors do you plan to pick up? Are there any readily available shades that I missed that we should know about?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for butter LONDON, China Glaze, Color Club, Cult Nails, Deborah Lippmann, Finger Paints, MAC, OPI and Zoya. 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. Step by step, ooh baby, Gonna get to you girl Step by step, ooh baby, Really want you in my world That’s right Fanatics, I went to the NKOTBSB concert and I’m not one bit ashamed because it was AH-Mazing! Those boys, well men, sing and dance their asses off for over two hours to throngs of screaming fans and I was so happy to be one of them. It totally makes up for the fact that I never got to see them perform when I was a kid. For me, the best parts of the concert were seeing my darling Joey McIntyre, who rocked some multi-colored nails the last time they were on tour, sing “Please Don’t Go Girl”, Donnie Wahlberg revealing his rock hard abs and Nick Carter sporting a LeBron James “Choke” t-shirt. Though I couldn’t help but notice that AJ McLean was wearing black crackle on his nails (see here). I went with two of my CLE blogger pals, Suzanne & Allison, and we had a blast dancing and singing the whole night. My ears are still ringing! While I enjoyed Backstreet Boys, I was really there for New Kids On The Block so I had to do a NKOTB themed manicure which I dedicate to Joey and his stunning baby blues. I chose a pale blue, Color Club Factory Girl, to match his eyes and a darker, grittier hue, Orly Sapphire Silk, to represent his “Hangin Tough” Boston background. I also failed at my attempt at nail art using Milani Nail Art polish in Blue Print.

Formula & Application: Orly nail polish is 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin) and does not contain camphor, which can be an irritant. Orly polishes come with the fan fave rubberized cap. That signature easy-to-grip topper makes it easy to control the polish. The brush is long and thin with flexible bristles. I personally would like it if there were more bristles to get more coverage in each stroke.

The consistency of Sapphire Silk is nice and thin even though it’s packed with pigment. I used two coats and each one leveled out, drying with a smooth, glossy finish.

Formula & Application: Color Club nail polishes are 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin). The weighty square bottles are topped with a smooth round cap that feels solid, like it’s made out of metal, in the hand. The thin, round brush has long bristles that have a bit of tension to them but it doesn’t interfere with application.

Unfortunately, I wish I would have tested Factory Girl before choosing it for my manicure. The formula is really thin and sheer. I had to use FOUR COATS and even then I ended up with streaking and pulling at the cuticle. Not exactly a fitting tribute to Edie Sedgwick.

Orly Sapphire Silk is a murky, denim blue creme. It has touches of teal in its undertone but not enough for me to put it in that category. It’s more blue than say Color Club Gossip Column or American Apparel Peacock. Color Club Factory Girl is a sky blue creme, not too far off from Color Club Blue Light though I would say Blue Light is a bit brighter.

I almost didn’t post this pic because my handiwork is so pathetic. Drawing straight lines is one thing but circles and curves are clearly not my strong suit. Regardless, it was fun to try. The brush on the Milani Nail Art Lacquer is just so long, it makes writing a challenge. I thought about using the tip of my dotting tool since you can hold it like a pen so I may try that in the future.

Bottom Line: I dig that Sapphire Silk is kind of muddled and mysterious and it doesn’t fall completely into the teal category. Plus the formula is spot on. Factory Girl was not a winner in my book. The color is beautiful but the streaking and sheerness turned me off.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: I’m definitely STASHing Orly Sapphire Silk but Color Club Factory Girl is off to the SHARE bin.

Orly Sapphire Silk is available at Sally Beauty and ULTA stores and online at OrlyBeauty.com. Both Sapphire Silk and Color Club Factory Girl are available at Head2ToeBeauty.com and TransDesign.com. Orly nail polishes retail for $6-7.50/ea depending on the retailer and Color Club nail polish retails for $3/ea.

Thoughts on Sapphire Silk and Factory Girl? Do you have foolproof method for writing letters on nails? Or is it just practice, practice, practice? Where are my fellow NKOTBSB fans? Did anyone else go see them on tour?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by Color Club, Milani and Orly. 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. Last night I watched the Hellcats season series finale and got a bit misty after hearing of its cancellation. DAMN YOU CW!! They usually give shows a chance if they ran all season long so, needless to say, I was a wee bit pissed over the news. I know it’s only a show but I really liked it. I hope to see the leads pop up on some new shows next season. Today in support of the Lancer Hellcats, who wear bright blue cheer-leading uniforms, I broke out an in-your-face neon blue; Color Club Otherworldly from the Starry Temptress Collection for Summer 2011. For the past few years Color Club has cranked out some major neons for summer, with little tweaks to set each collection apart. The Starry Temptress polishes all pack a glittery wallop.

Formula & Application: Color Club nail polishes are 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin). The weighty square bottles are topped with a smooth round cap that feels solid, like it’s made out of metal, in the hand. The thin, round brush has long bristles that have a bit of tension to them but it doesn’t interfere with application.

The consistency of this polish is somewhat thick. Not unusable thick but because it is so packed with neon pigment, the formula isn’t what I would call thin. This means it doesn’t level out easily but you get great coverage in two coats. Also, because this is a neon, the polish dries with a matte/satin finish so you definitely need a good high shine top coat. And to mask the texture of the glitter, you may need two coats of top coat.

Color Club Otherworldly is, as I mentioned above, a glittery neon nail polish. It’s one big, bold blue packed with square silver micro-glitter. I would say it’s somewhere between a true color wheel blue and cyan. In fact I have Barry M Cobalt Blue and Cyan Blue and Otherworldly falls right smack dab between the two.

You may remember the neon blue, China Glaze Blue Sparrow, from the Ink collection a few years back. This reminds me of it only it’s quite a bit lighter and brighter. The glitter in this one is unique in that appears to sit on top of the polish like little sugar crystals. A few seasons back CND created nails at NYFW for Malandrino that had sugar and coffee grounds sprinkled on top and the finish of the polishes in this collection remind me of that.

Bottom Line: Normally neons are so eye searing that they turn me off a bit. Neon pink, orange and yellow aren’t usually my thing. But a bright blue like Otherworldly is just my speed. It’s a neon that doesn’t hurt my eye’s feelings and the unusual way the glitter looks on the surface makes it a standout. A pedicure with this color would be a great way for the color shy to break the ice with neons.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: Oh I’m definitely STASHing it. No doubt!

Color Club Otherworldly is available now as part of the Starry Temptress collection for Summer 2011. To find a retailer near you, visit CosmeticGroup.com. In the Cleveland area visit the Bed, Bath & Beyond stores with expanded beauty sections like the one on Harvard. Online shoppers head to Head2ToeBeauty.com and TransDesign.com. Color Club nail polishes retail for $3/ea for a .5oz bottle.

Thoughts on Otherworldly? If you aren’t a neon person, like me, does this color tempt you? What do you think of the glitter in this one? What are your favorite Color Club colors?

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

The first day of Cosmoprof is over and I’m beat! The day just flew by and there’s still so much more to see. In case you’re not familiar, Cosmoprof is a beauty trade show that takes place in Las Vegas. Brands from the salon and spa industry come together to sell their wares and it’s not just products. There are packaging companies, product manufacturers and salon equipment suppliers here as well.  Plus there are sections for emerging brands and international brands. So cool! It’s a bit overwhelming but really interesting to explore.

From now through Tuesday I’ll be at the show checking out our favorite salon brands to see what they have in store for us nail fanatics and showing you any great finds I discover. Also, I have a new contributor to the site, Christine, who will be sharing her thoughts on the show with you as well. Christine is a friend I met via Specktra ages ago and she’s as big a nail fanatic as I am. Seriously, not long after we met, she purchased a full size OPI display rack to hold her polishes and it’s more than full. Anyway, check out what caught our eye on Day One of Cosmoprof!

Our first stop of the day was at the Color Club/Art Club booth.  You’re already seen the Glam nail decals but the Fall Untamed Luxury collection was also on display.  The fourteen piece collection comes in two sets; one with cremes and subtle shimmers, the other with glitters and more funky colors.

We were also able to check out the Halloween promotion, Bewitching, a mini set consisting of a black, neon orange, purple and glitter topper with decals.  They’re also putting out a set of coordinating nail gems.

Holiday 2010 brings us another mini set, Enchanted Holiday, which is similar to the Halloween set in that there are coordinating nail decals and gems.

Next up, Nubar where I had the pleasure of meeting founder Noubar Abrahamian to discuss his unique line of colors.  Little did I know that Mr. Abrahamian creates all the collections himself.  You gotta love a guy that appreciates color and nails.  We also chatted about some upcoming launches that you’ll be hearing more about soon.  Trust me, they are fun.

Of course we drooled over the Venetian Glass polishes that have real glass flecks.  Christine got a treat when nail tech and Nubar consultant, Vicki Peters, offered to give her a manicure using Vaso.  She even added a little nail art using the Nubar Nail Art Pens.

Also, I mentioned to Mr. Abrahamian your complaints about the shipping charges on the Nubar site. Unfortunately, in that respect his hands are tied. Rather than risk a major fine from the USPS, he utilizes the proper ground shipping and that costs a lot. There really isn’t much to be done about that but he’s working to get national distribution through one of the many beauty chains we all know and love. So fingers crossed that Nubar will soon be much more accessible.

Finally, we made a visit to the China Glaze booth to find out all about the holiday and spring collections. Unlike the past couple years where China Glaze released a small holiday set they went full out this year creating collection of twelve brand new colors AND an additional four piece set of new shades.  There’s a big glitter party happening here and of course tons of green.  Bonus!

In addition to the full collection, China Glaze put together a ton of gift sets with various pieces paired with giftable items like candles and a stuffed Reindeer (so cute!).  A few of our favorite sets are below.

Dreamin’ Of A Green Christmas.  This is a no brainer.  The light green on the right dries to a glass fleck-esque finish.  Truly unique.

Celebrate In Style contains the four additional colors for Holiday and comes with necklace pictured on the box.

Perfect for New Year’s Eve, the Cheers To You set comes with a China Glaze branded shot glass and hot foil metallic polishes.

Seriously, how adorable are these Peppermint Kisses with Holiday Wishes candy canes?  I’m not 100% sure but there’s a white glitter included that could satisfy your White Kwik Silvr cravings

Fanatics, get ready for the Anchors Away collection coming to stores in January 2011.  This blew us away.  I grew up spending every weekend of my summer on my parents boat so anything nautical appeals to me.  Though regardless of the theme, the colors are fantastic.  The slightly burnt orange and indigo blue are stunning cremes.  We saw them as a mani/pedi combo and they looked gorgeous paired together.  Oh and that blue-grey creme on the bottom right (Sea Spray) is my big winner of the set.  Yes there is a beautiful green creme, I’m not overlooking it but that blue grey is out of this world!

On our way out of the show we ran into my pal, Celebrity Manicurist Elle, who shared some pics of her upcoming Barielle collections.  Can’t wait to see them in person.  Post show we stopped for a drink with Elle and gel nail art extraordinaire, Gina Silvestro when Celebrity Manicurist Tom Bachik stopped by.  Tom is now the nail expert for Chanel and a completely brilliant nail artist. Remember when he put Chanel Nouvelle Vague on his client, Beyonce’s nails for her “Why Don’t You Love Me?” video?  By the by, if you want to see some sick ass nail art, check out Gina’s work with Akzentz gels on the Gel Essentialz website.  She recently worked with J.Lo and Lady Gaga.  Amazing, right?

Elle, Tom Bachik, Gina Silvestro

On a non-Cosmoprof related note, Christine and I are in Vegas with two of my best girlfriends from childhood and they went to a taping of the Wheel Of Fortune. Fun, right? I know my mom would be jealous. She’s a Wheel Watcher. Anywho, we were discussing Vanna White and trying to guess her age at dinner (she’s 53) and on our way out of the restaurant she walked right past us! Seriously, the woman looks amazing. Even prettier in person. I swear, if I didn’t know her I would guess her at 35. What is that woman using on her skin?

That’s Day One people and we’re just getting started.  Stay tuned for updates throughout the day and follow me on Twitter to keep up with our adventures.

One of Color Club’s three, yes I said three, new collections is Rebel Debutante.  The collection introduces nine new creme polishes that for the most part are very chic and subdued but it’s the stand out blue and green that caught my eye. What an unexpected twist to add such bright pops of color to the palette.  I suppose they are the rebels in the group.  Though what I like about this collection as a whole is that even though the majority of the shades are neutrals, they are what I’d call “new neutrals.”  They have an updated feel to them.  See what I mean after the jump!

Who Are You Wearing? is a grayed cream.  Its cooler base makes it more relevant than a buttercream icing type white.  Though because it’s a semi-sheer polish, I needed three coats to get it opaque.  It’s also a bit on the streaky side but by layer three those issues are resolved.  Oh and yes, there was a polish from OPI with this name but they look nothing alike.

High Society falls into that mushroom-y taupe trend that’s so popular right now but it’s a bit lighter than colors like Chanel Particuliere.  For those that find Particuliere too dark for spring/summer, this would be a great option. Like Who Are You Wearing? this shade has a greyed out coolness to it that makes it very wearable.  The formula feels kind of watery so I used three coats.

Best Dressed List is actually much warmer in person it just doesn’t translate on camera.  Think of a cozy camel cashmere sweater.  It has a cuddliness to it.  This is definitely a warm toned shade so it would be best for olive and darker skinned ladies.

Charity Ball has that burnt sienna crayon look to it.  It’s a brown based brick red hue that reminds me of dried red clay, only without the dustiness.  It’s definitely vibrant and feels very fall to me.  Again this is a bit watery and required three coats.

Uptown Girl is the color I recommended to get Deborah Ann Woll’s Oscar nail look.  It’s a smokey deep violet that looks a bit darker in person.  It’s definitely in the same vein as one of my other greyed purples, OPI Parlez Vous OPI?. I’m really in love with this color.  Even though this color has been done, every time I come across it I fall in love all over again.

She’s So Great is a vivid candy-ish pink.  It’s got a blue undertone that makes it more cool but not so much that warm skinned girls should stay away.  This one was a bit difficult to work with.  A little thick and streaky but manageable.

Ms. Socialite looks like a cross between a red grape and a plum (a grum?).  It’s got a lot of warm red tones in its base and in the bottle looks like a deep magenta.  It dries much darker of course.  I normally shy away from warmer purples but this one got to me.  Partly because the application was fantastic.  A dream really.  Two coats got it done and it flowed extremely smooth and even.  Ms. Socialite is the total package.

Gossip Column is the color that initially drew me in.  I love deep sea blues and teals and this one is a gem.  I have a lot of blue-greens that are heavy on the green but not as many that lean more towards blue so this one is a must have in my collection.  In the bottle it looks a lot like A Bouquet For Ava from Barielle’s Wildflower collection but Gossip Column dries darker with a hint more teal to it.

Rebel Debutante is definitely the loner in this crowd.  This bright neon green doesn’t quite fit in with the other kids at the ball.  Because it is a neon it dries to a satin finish but a layer of top coat will take care of that.  Of course, as with all brights/neons it doesn’t photograph well.  They must be shy or something, don’t want to upstage the others with its vivid hue.  In person it’s MUCH bolder and in your face but not day-glow offensive.

Bottom line: The understated creams are a great addition to your color wardrobe but not must haves.  Uptown Girl is a great substitute for OPI Parlez Vous OPI? and Ms. Socialite and Gossip Column are my hands down faves.

The Color Club Rebel Debutante collection is available now and can be purchased online at TransDesign.com and VictoriaNailSupply.com where prices range from $2.25-$2.50/ea.

What do you think of this collection?  Which colors caught your eye?  Are you feeling these subtle tones for spring or are you more into the bold colors like Gossip Column and Rebel Debutante?

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished to me by Color Club.  For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

If you were wondering what’s next from Color Club, I’ve got your answer. It’s the Rebel Debutante collection for Spring.  From the looks of it, Color Club is embracing not only the nude and mushroom-y hues but they’re jazzing it up with a couple brights and the color du jour, mint green.  With NINE creamy shades to choose from, there’s a little something for everyone. Jump ahead for more details on the collection and larger bottle pics.

Rebel Debutante a new spin on classic color! Rebel Debutante the latest collection from Color Club is made for the girl who likes the finer things!

Click for a larger view

Rebellious shades that go from Classic to Trendy and break all the rules! Who are you Wearing, High Society, Best Dressed List, Charity Ball, Uptown Girl, She’s So Glam, Ms. Socialite, Rebel Debutante and Gossip Column; high-quality enduring shades are perfect for every public appearance!

The Rebel Debutante collection is launching soon. You can find color club online at your fave e-tailers (see sidebar).  The 7-piece box set does not include the blue or mint green but they will be available as open stock on displays.

Are you excited for this collection? Which shades interest you most?

After I posted my swatches of the OPI Alice in Wonderland collection, I couldn’t get the thought of a Cheshire Cat inspired polish out of my head. You may have missed that in the comments section but I suggested a pink and purple glitter to represent the Cheshire Cat.  I know in the upcoming film the cat won’t be colored like the Disney animated version but it still sounded like a fun concept.  So over the weekend I dug through my stash and came up with my Cheshire Cat franken to accompany the collection.  Check it out!

If you’re unfamiliar with the custom blending (aka frankenpolish) concept, check out my post Customization: Frankenpolish & The Art of Layering or head on over to Dr. Frankenpolish for her detailed instructions. For this mix I wanted two glitter polishes with clear bases.  I didn’t want any sort of pigment mucking up the mix.  I also wanted to use a lighter purple, similar to the Cheshire Cat.  In my collection, the colors that fit my concept best are Color Club Tru Passion and butter London Rosie Lee.  The violet hue of Tru Passion and warm rose tone of Rosie Lee made my ideal color blend. To create my Cheshire Cat Franken mix: 1/3 bottle Color Club Tru Passion 30 drops of butter London Rosie Lee

Note: My bottle of Tru Passion has thickened considerably.  I must have left the cap partially open at some point.  Even adding a LOT of thinner it was still pretty goopy so my application was a little off.  Don’t judge any finish issues or bald spots on the polish.

The look I wantes was a mid-tone violet peppered with hints of pink and I think this mix captured that.  In person the pink flecks pop more, I just had a hard time showing that.  Because these are pretty chunky glitters I added two layers of top coat to make my tips glossy and smooth but I’m really happy with the final result.

This picture was shot under artificial light and I think it shows the pink glitter a bit better.

If you want to re-create this polish at home, you can purchase butter London Rosie Lee from butterLondon.com or Beauty.com for $14 and Color Club Tru Passion is available at Head2ToeBeauty.com and 8ty8Beauty.com for $2.50 and I’ve also seen it on eBay.

What do you think of my franken?  Did I do the Cheshire Cat justice?  What would you mix to represent this mischievous feline?

Disclosure: The products used to make this franken were furnished to me by representatives for butter London and Color Club.  For further information view my Disclosure Policy.

Day 1 of CosmoProf is over and I’m exhilarated, tired, giddy and dying to share the deets on everything I saw. I’ll be going in depth on some of the amazing things I came across when I get home but I wanted to update you all with a quick recap of the goodies I spotted on the show floor. If you’re not familiar with CosmoProf it’s an annual salon trade show with exhibitors showing off their products in hopes of getting distribution. Because they are unveiling some of their latest and greatest products, press (including bloggers) are invited to cover the event. Now some of the brands are revealing collections that will release next Spring/Summer so to avoid being copied I’m only able to photograph fall/winter/holiday launches. But I can tell you, there are some EXCITING colors on the horizon. Check out my Day 1 redux, after the jump!

My first stop was the Discover Beauty section of CosmoProf. It’s an area with new, emerging brands looking for US distributorship. When I saw Nails Inc. listed on the show map, I made an immediate beeline to their booth. Fanatics, let’s hope, hope, hope that they get picked up by someone like Sephora or ULTA or some other online/chain store. We NEED Nails Inc. in our lifestyle like ASAP. The color line is amazing, the packaging is so so chic AND they have a 45 Second Top Coat that has me in utter disbelief. They were giving a sneak peek at their holiday blinged out polishes and I MUST have one in my collection come December. The perfect stocking stuffer, no?
Within the Discover Beauty section, Total Beauty manned the Beauty Blogger Central booth. As a guest of Total Beauty I was invited to vote for the best of the Discover Beauty section. I voted for Nails Inc., natch. Granted there are a lot of unique new brands represented but Nails Inc. stole my polish loving heart.

On display in the Blogger Central booth is Total Beauty’s Top 10 rated products of the brands exhibiting at the show. I’m DYING to try the magical Morroccan Oil I’ve heard so much about.

One booth that made me stop in my tracks was KleanColor. Their display of colorful Nail Lacquers drew me right in. And I was beyond flattered that the rep for the brand actually reads ALU. Now I just need to track down where I can order the polishes from. If anyone has a KleanColor hookup, give me a shout!
One look at these bottles and you’ll understand why I was drawn in to Np2′s booth. Talk about a unique shape! And the color range is uber-chic. There are some vampy greens, blues and purples that I can’t wait to get my hands on. According to the rep for the brand, the formula is will knock Essie & OPI out of the water. They’re hoping to launch in Sephora soon so keep your eyes peeled.
As I wandered aimlessly trying to figure out the long winding ailes of booths, I came upon Essie, THE ESSIE! It’s like spotting a rock star. I also ran across Suzi of OPI, Jessica Vartoughian of Jessica and celebrity hairstylist Ken Paves, creator of HairDo. He’s so adorable and pocket sized!
I had to stop by the Color Club/Art Club booth to check out Wild At Heart. That purple and teal green will be MINE!



Next up, the SpaRitual/Orly booth. There are some incredible colors coming down the pike from both brands including two luscious greens for Spring (can’t wait!). First let’s talk SpaRitual. They too are releasing a matte collection called Mind Body Spirit only they formulated a base coat to apply underneath and extend wear. The rep I spoke with was wearing the purple, Spirit and it’s totally gorg. There is also a Fall colllection that I’m bringing home with me to show you.

Out now for fall, the Orly Once Upon A Time collection comes with adorable fairy tale themed charms on the bottles. Enchanted Forest, Pixie Dust and Mirror Mirror are immediate faves.
For holiday they will introduce Femme Fatale and collection of festive reds.

For Spring/Summer 2010 there is a candy colored collection with matching mini lipglosses, a colorful vivid floral inspired collection called Bloom that includes the green I mentioned.

Finally, the true highlight of my day was attending the CND Colour & Effects launch party. CND’s own Jan Arnold greeted us warmly, wearing yet another killer ensemble. That woman has such amazing style I can’t even stand it. She remembered meeting me backstage at the Barbie show during fashion week and it totally made my day.

I have so much more to show you and say about this amazing revamp of the CND line but I’ll just give you a quick rundown. Basically, CND has completely changed their game. Being that they are all about customization at fashion week, creating custom blends for designers all over the world, they have now brought that concept to all of us.
The Colour consists of 50 perfect cremes in a range of shades that will satisfy any addict. There are true primary and secondary shades, sheers, neutrals, pinks, reds, vampies, etc.

The Effects are 15 opalescent pearls, shimmers and glitters that you can layer over the Colour shades to customize your color. They may look similar in the bottle but once you start to play, you really see the difference.
Jan invited us to play at the colour bar and can you guess where I plopped myself down? In front of the “me” colors of course. I went to town swatching different Colours and testing them under the Effects. I was in heaven!

Being the kind, generous woman she is, Jan invited everyone to take home their favorite Colour & Effects combos but when she saw my bag with just a few bottles (I didn’t want to be greedy) she sent me back for more saying, “You’re All Lacquered Up, that’s not nearly enough!”
Oh and I didn’t even get to the bottles. They redesigned the shape of the bottles to be more ergonomic with a soft rubberized cap. And the BRUSH, wow on the brush. It’s now flat but THIN flat, very pinky nail friendly, and the bristles are triangular and clear, a first in the industry. I actually did a little playing back in my room and they apply phenomenally! I can’t wait to show you.

Well that’s pretty much Day 1. We finished the night with a cocktail party at The Mix in The Hotel and dinner at Strip Steak in the Mandalay Bay. The food was so spectacular I regret not taking pics for the fellow foodies out there. Next time, I promise!

Also, I’m attending the show with Phyllis from Makeup For Life so be sure to visit her blog to see the products that she discovered.

Glitter me timbers! Color Club is going glam rock blingtastic for Fall. One of the two new collections from Color Club, Glitter Vixen’s glitz factor is no joke. Consisting of seven clear nail polishes packed to the hilt with glitter, these lacquers are not for the faint of heart.

Now you kids know I loves me some outrageous and sparkly nail colors but these are a bit much. Don’t get me wrong, they’re totally fun and for a special occasion I’ll be rocking the green (that’s a no brainer), blue and holo but the formula is what’s putting me off.

We all know that glitter polishes are a pain. They dry bumpy and are a b*tch to remove but these ones take the cake for me. Usually in a glitter polish, the base is pigmented so it doesn’t have to be as glitter packed but these are allllllll glittah! It took two coats of Seche Vite to get the surface smooth and removing the green was such a PITA (even using felt instead of cotton rounds) that I used a nail wheel for the rest of the swatches. The scratching was just too hard on my nails, sorry girls. So I’m showing the collection in both sunlight and artificial light on fake tips. All swatches use three coats of polish (two on my nails) and no top coat. Enjoy!

The Color Club Glitter Vixen collection retails for $1.99 each and is on sale now at 8ty8Beauty.com and coming soon to Head2ToeBeauty.com.

So what do you think gals? Too blingy or is there no such thing? What has you drooling?