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Mauve

American Apparel Nail Lacquer Swatches & Review

american apparel nail lacquer nail polish bottles Say what you will about American Apparel clothes or ad campaigns but where nail polish is involved they hit a home run.  Last winter the brand introduced their collection of Nail Lacquers and they certainly didn’t play it safe.  Any brand that kicks off with multiple blues and greens automatically scores points in my book.

As I reported, there was a recall due to a bottle issue but to AA’s credit they rectified the situation in a timely manner.  Prior to that I was sent a few polishes by the brand for review but I was only into one of the colors.

I’ve been meaning to hop over to my local American Apparel store to pick up the more “me” shades but I really hate the parking sitch in that area so I couldn’t drag myself over there just for polish until recently.  I know that makes me a bad polish fanatic and believe me, I’m totally kicking myself for waiting so long.  See why after the jump!

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Color Club Rebel Debutante Swatches & Review

Color-Clube-Rebel-Debutante-Display 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!

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OPI Hong Kong Collection Swatches, Review & Comparisons – Part 1

opi-hong-kong-collection-spring-2010-swatches One of the most anticipated collections of the season, OPI Hong Kong takes us to the far east and I don’t want to come back.  Following what I consider a pretty boring year for OPI (I just didn’t LOVE Spain & South Beach) they’re already off to a great start with Alice in Wonderland and Hong Kong.  I hope the momentum keeps going throughout the year.

Of course I’ve been geeked over the idea of a new OPI green so Jade Is The New Black has been on my mind for months and it did NOT disappoint.  I dare say it may take down Rainforest as my all-time fave OPI.  That’s a huge statement people!

I’ve got the first half of the collection for you today so check out Jade Is The New Black, Suzi Says Feng Shui, Meet Me On The Star Ferry, Bling Dynasty and Pearl of Wisdom after the jump!

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CND Monday – Muddy Rose Colour & Raspberry Sparkle Effect

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.

When I first saw the Colour & Effects line I naturally gravitated towards the primary and secondary hues. You know, “me” colors. It wasn’t until I had some time to play with the line at home that I’ve begun discover all this line has to offer. Muddy Rose is one of those discoveries.

I’ve been on a mauve kick for fall ever since I saw the Reem Acra dress that inspired Get Mauve-ing from the Barielle All Lacquered Up collection. Now I’m on a full fledged dusty pink/rose/purple spree and Muddy Rose fits the bill. See it on its own and paired with Raspberry Sparkle after the jump!

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RGB Cosmetics Pre-Fall 09 Swatches and Review

By on September 8, 2009
in Brown, Fall 2009, Gray, Mauve, RGB Cosmetics with 17 Comments

Fanatics, I’m excited to introduce you to a new nail polish brand, RGB from RGB Cosmetics. I spotted their gray, Steel, in September’s Allure and just had to find out more. The brand is based on the RGB color model and launched earlier this summer with a line of ten core colors called RGBten. These ten shades are designed as a nail wardrobe with classic, staple hues. You know, the basics.

Seasonally, RGB will introduce an edited collection of fashionable, on-trend hues. Their first release is the Pre-Fall 09 shades pictured above. Check them out after the jump!

Let’s dig right in with the colors. I’ll discuss the formula and my 5-day wear test results below.

Haze is described as a smokey violet but to me it’s very chameleon like. The hue changes drastically in the light. It reminds me of SOPI Metro Chic with its dirty, grayed undertones.
Steel is a blue based, mid-tone grey creme. If RBL Stormy and Concrete Jungle reproduced, Steel would be cooing in the nursery.
Toast is a rich, latte-esque shade. It’s very creamy and warmer in person. Think of it as a fall version of Orly Country Club Khaki.
Slate is part of the RGBten core collection and I couldn’t resist sharing it. The deep charcoal shimmer reminds me of a black sand beach. In spite of the metallic glitz it applies smooth and even without a brush stroke in sight.
Now that I’ve tempted you with color, let’s break down the bottle design, brush and formula.

Bottle – The rectangular bottle holds .4oz/12ml of polish and looks like a squat version of the Rescue Beauty bottle. The cap is short and smooth. It’s fine for application though I would appreciate more length.

Brush – The brush is short, fat and dense similar to MAC’s only with slightly shorter bristles. Despite the thickness of the brush I had excellent control.

Formula – RGB polishes are 3 Free (including resin) and camphor free. They are heavily pigmented with a typical 3Free thick viscosity yet the cremes are self-leveling and not at all streaky. Every polish I tried only required 2 coats.

I gave Haze my 5 Day Wear Test using butter London Nail Foundation and Seche Vite top coat. While the actual tip wear was relatively minimal I wasn’t pleased with the bit of chipping on my index and thumb (not shown) nails. Depending on your base/top combination, your mileage may vary.
The RGBten shades include a range of cremes, sheers and shimmers ranging from the brightest white to the inkiest black with some reds, pinks and vampies thrown in for good measure.

You can purchase RGB polishes including the Pre-Fall ’09 collection directly from their website, RGBCosmetics.com, for $14/ea. At the moment only two salons in California carry the brand for in store purchase but hopefully that will change and the brand grows.

Have any of you tried RGB before? What do you think of the colors? Are you thinking of trying them out? Let’s hear it Fanatics!

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