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. Let’s kick off the week with my “lesson learned” moment Fanatics! When I started this 365 project I told myself I wouldn’t do any posts in advance unless I was going to be out of town. I wanted it to be as organic as possible and show you my untrieds selections as the mood struck me. The whole point was to challenge myself to post a new polish swatch and review every day. Well when I became sick this weekend, it threw a wrench in the plan. I actually slept until 2pm today. CRAZY! So in case of emergency I’m going to put a couple posts in the hopper should this issue arise again. I learned my lesson and will add a couple days to the 365 to make up for it. Though there’s no point in dwelling on what I can’t fix so let’s just move forward, shall we? I had the good fortune to attend the Tracy Reese Spring 2011 RTW runway show which had a 70s chic, jetsetter-on-safari kind of vibe. Mixed in with the graphic prints, black & white basics and sandy neutrals were pops of lavender, blue and coral. Tracy pulled inspiration from her fabrics when it came time to collaborate with her longtime partner-in-polish Sally Hansen. Of the seven shades in the collection, Sally Hansen Coral Fever really piqued my interest.

Formula & Application: Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail polishes are 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin) and free of camphor, which can be an irritant. The hefty glass bottles are topped with a smooth chrome cap that has a rubberized grip around the base. The grip makes opening the bottle easier and keeps the brush from slipping while polishing.

The brush is the same flat, paddle style as the Insta-Dri line with curved bristles. The bristles are firm so use a light touch to avoid streaking or dragging the polish.

The Complete Salon Manicure formula feels thin when you apply it but Coral Fever is well pigmented so it becomes opaque in two coats. Since this line is meant to be worn sans base and top coat, it dries with a high gloss shine.

There were several coral pieces, from dresses to pants, that popped on the runway but it’s this casual chic look of a striped, dolman sleeve sweater and brown shorts that caught my eye.

Sally Hansen Coral Fever is what I consider a true coral creme. It’s at the opposite end of the coral spectrum from the one I wore the other day, Lancome Sarong. An ideal coral balances the warm tone, orange, with the cool tone, pink, creating a shade that is flattering to most skin tones.  That’s why corals are so wearable and perfect for summer. An added bonus… they make you look tan even if you have just the slightest faux glow.

Bottom Line: I’ve made it no secret that I’m a super fan of the Sally Hansen CSM formula. My only complaint has ever been that some of the shades can stain (I’m looking at you Grass Slipper) so while they can be worn without a base coat, I highly recommend putting one on or be prepared to de-Smurf yourself. In addition to the periwinkles and neutrals that I’ve been all about lately, you can add coral to that list. Clearly those are my color trends for the season. If you’re looking for an accessible, on-trend coral for the summer, Coral Fever won’t do you wrong.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: I have an abnormally low amount of corals and this one is perfect for my skin tone so I’m STASHing it.

Sally Hansen Coral Fever is available as part of the Tracy Reese for Sally Hansen Spring 2011 Runway collection in drugstores nationwide. Sally Hansen CSM nail polishes retail for $7.99/ea for a .5oz bottle.

Thoughts on Coral Fever? What are your favorite corals? Do you like them straight up or more pink/orange/red? What have been your go-to colors this season?

Disclosure: A product sample was provided by reps for Sally Hansen. 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. As much as I love greens, I had to break the cycle and put on something the complete opposite. For me, that’s anything in the pink or red color families. I decided to combine them by choosing the reddish pink Lancôme Sarong from the Bronze Azure Summer 2011 collection. Bronze Azure captures beach chic with its palette of shimmering tans, cool blues and bright pops of pink. I’ve said it many times that I’m NOT a pink girl. And I don’t say that as though it’s a bad thing. It’s just not my aesthetic. Now when you mix pink with orange or red, I’m a little more apt to get on board. True corals and red corals, like Sarong, are like my gateway drug to pink. Every time I wear one I think, “I can do pink.” But it takes a rare pink bird, like Chanel Morning Rose, to make me believe.

Formula & Application: Lancôme nail polishes are 4-Free (including Formaldehyde Resin) and they do not contain camphor, which can be an irritant.  The flat brush is about the same length as OPI’s ProWide Brush but it’s more tapered, not as wide.  The bristles are flexible and spread easily across the nail.

Sarong applied very smooth for such a pigmented polish. And I’m talking high pigmentation. Like a second coat almost felt like too much. I feel like there is a shift in the way polish formulas are heading. It’s as if they are taking a page out of the RBL play book. Both Essie Coat Azure and Sarong have thick but pliable textures that are reminiscent of Rescue’s famous formula. Considering that both Lancôme and Essie are now under the same corporate umbrella, it isn’t too surprising.

Lancôme Sarong is a bright red coral with flecks of fuchsia and gold shimmer. The shimmer doesn’t pop as much on camera as it does in person but it’s what drew me in to this color. That and they way the gold shimmer formed a ribbon in the bottle. I know it doesn’t appear as a ribbon on the nail but I love when that happens. Something about it fascinates me. In the swatch image below you can see the two different colors of shimmer waving hello. They give the color a lot of depth and interest.

Bottom Line: The base color may not be the most unique on the planet but there’s something about the dual color shimmer and formula that stand out to me. Corals are always hot for summer and this season is no different. If you’re a Lancôme fan, you’ll definitely want to scoop up a bottle.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: What can I say? I’m smitten. STASH!

Lancôme Sarong and the rest of the Bronze Azure collection is available now at Lancôme counters nationwide. Online shoppers can head to Lancome-USA.com or the site to your favorite department store to order a bottle.  Lancôme Le Vernis retail for $19/ea for a .34oz bottle.

Thoughts on Sarong? Do you prefer pink corals, red corals or the more true orange based version? What’s your favorite coral nail polish?

Disclosure: A product sample was provided by Lancôme. 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. I’ve received a few questions lately regarding “jelly” polishes. About what makes a polish a jelly and more specifically about the OPI “sorbet-like” finish nail polishes from the Texas collection and if/how they are different from a jelly. I found a great reference picture on Tumblr that helps explain jellies better. Today a follower on Twitter asked for a spring nail polish recommendation and stated that she is a loyal OPI Bubble Bath user but is looking to branch out into brighter colors.  My suggestion was to try one of the sorbet-like polishes, like OPI Big Hair… Big Nails, since they are less in-your-face than a traditional bright. It makes for an easier transition from pale neutrals.

Formula & Application: OPI nail polishes are now 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin) and free of camphor, which can be an irritant. This is a new development as OPI’s pre-Texas were only 3-Free. I just wish OPI had changed the color of the print on the labels so buyers can identify 4-Free polishes like they did when they made the switch to 3-Free.

The OPI Pro Wide Brush is flat, wide and medium in length. It’s of average stiffness and easily spreads out on the nail when pressed. The only downside to the Pro Wide brush is that it can be too wide for slim fingers or little toes.

OPI’s “sorbet-like” finish is for all intents and purposes a jelly. It’s just their name for it, the same way they call their crackle polish “shatter.” Of course they claim this type of finish is “new” but we know better. Anyway, for those unfamiliar with the jelly concept, think of them as lip gloss for the nails.  They are semi-sheer polishes with a squishy texture that dries super glossy. They have a lucite appearance or as I like to think of it, it’s as though you coated your nails in Jello.  The color is rich and vibrant but translucent.

OPI Big Hair… Big Nails was described by OPI as a rosy peach but I think of it as a coral.  It’s red with a lot of pink undertones.  I applied two coats and as you can see, the coverage is pretty good and not at all streaky.  Because I intended to apply a third coat, iI didn’t use top coat which is why the polish isn’t as glossy as it should be.

What this photo also reveals is why I don’t wear sheer polish. Even though my nails are short, they are so detached that my free edge is SUPER thick and fake looking. What I wouldn’t give for long nail beds!

With a third coat we are getting close to opaque. The color is also much more intense. The camera picks up on my smile line more than the naked eye so even though it looks somewhat transparent here, the VNL (visible nail line) is minimal.

For those of you who love the texture and finish of jelly/sorbet polishes but hate the dreaded VNL, lay down a coat or two of white nail polish as a base. I used CND Brilliant White and two coats of Big Hair… Big Nails. Now while the color looked pretty even with just two coats, my photo clearly shows some patchiness. I threw on a third coat later and it’s utter perfection. It can be tricky to layer over white so I suggest polishing just inside the lines with your base color to avoid any white peeking out from underneath.

Bottom Line: If you love jelly polishes, you’ll dig the “sorbet-like” colors from the Texas line. Jellies can be fun for layering or for a sheer wash of color if you’re a bit too timid for full-on bright cremes. Personally I would have loved to see a wider range of colors in the Texas sorbets. A bright green jelly along the lines of Lippmann’s Rehab would have been fabulous. I would trade Don’t Mess With OPI for a “sorbet-like” version.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: Since I really like how it looks over white and I can be a sucker for corals in the spring/summer, I’m going to hold on to this one. STASH!

OPI Big Hair… Big Nails is available now as part of the OPI Texas Collection which can be found at salons and spas nationwide including chains like Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA. Online shoppers can purchase OPI at TransDesign.com. OPI nail polishes retail for $8.50/ea for a .5oz bottle.

Are  you a jelly polish fan? What do you think of OPI’s version of jelly? Thoughts on Big Hair… Big Nails? Do you prefer to wear jellies on their own or layered?  If alone, do you layer them til they are opaque or let  your nail show through?

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

What’s that?  It’s still summer. You’d never know that based on the number of fall collections that we’re being inundated with.  Is it just me or do the fall colors seem to be coming out earlier?  Maybe it’s because I’m really enjoying my summer and while I’m all about some of the Fall collections, I’m not ready for it to start just yet.  The longer I can keep the Cleveland winter at bay, the better. It seems like forever and a day since I previewed the Essie Summer 2010 collection.  Oh that’s right, it has been forever and a day. Based on the pastels and florals spotted on the Spring/Summer runways, Essie has mixed soft hues with punchy brights.

Formula & Application: Essie is a 3-Free brand.  The brushes are thin, round and shorter than most.  The bristles are very flexible, allowing you to easily fan out the brush to cover your nail width.

The polishes in this collection all have that squishy, jelly-like feel to them.  Normally the word jelly causes my eyes to light up but in this case it’s a negative.  The polishes seem pigmented enough but the texture keeps them from leveling properly and promotes streaking.  I needed three coats with each polish and with some that still left patchiness.  Also for some unknown reason Haute As Hello and Knockout Pout both dried with a satin finish so I photographed them with top coat.

Pretty Edgy is a vivid AstroTurf green. It’s so bright and in your face, it doesn’t look real.  I love everything about this color even in spite of the fact that I needed three coats.  The way the jelly texture gives it a slightly rubberized finish makes it a hit plus it’s a step outside the box for Essie so I say, “BRAVO!!”

I couldn’t help but do a comparison of this one.  I had a feeling it might be close to CND Green Scene and I was right.  The CND dries a bit deeper and has a creamier texture to it but they are close enough that you wouldn’t need both unless you’re a green girl like me.  I knew OPI Jade Is The New Black wouldn’t be close but since so many of you own it, I thought you’d appreciate seeing them side by side.

Haute As Hello is a bright melon, coral.  Like I mentioned above, it dries with a satin finish which makes me think there is some neon pigment in the base.  If you look at the bottle you can see how it looks marbled.  That’s because all the bright pigment separated leaving the polish looking dusty and pastel.  I had to roll the heck out of it to get it mixed.  The same thing happened with Knockout Pout.

Vermillionaire is a cross between tomato red and tangerine.  It definitely looks orange but has a lot of red in it.

My bottle of butter London Chuffed was staring at me when I had this one so I slapped a couple coats on top for funsies.  It doesn’t really change the color much, it just adds sparkle, like a CND Effect.

Knockout Pout is a deceptive hot pink.  Like Haute As Hello, the pigment separated so I was expecting this pale pastel and was shocked to see it dry so bold.  It actually reminds me a lot of CND Sweet.

Miss Matched is supposed to be worn sheer but since I don’t roll that way, I tried to see if it would become opaque with three coats.  Um, no.  It was a giant steak-fest so even worn sheer, it wouldn’t look good.  My nails are in no shape to be rocking sheers so I didn’t even try to show it to you that way.  This nude pink crossover is just a giant fail for me.

I had high hopes for Demure Vixen but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.  The shimmer in this beige mauve mix adds a pale lavender flash but it’s not enough to keep me interested.  It’s fine but not great.

Bottom Line: Pretty Edgy gets a definite thumbs up from me but the rest of the collection gets a pass.  I just can’t get excited by these based on the formula issues.  Vermillionaire certainly surprised me and gets the runner up prize but, the rest just don’t thrill me.  Considering how impressed I was with the Resort collection, I guess I just expected more from Summer.

The Essie Summer 2010 collection is on sale now.  Essie polishes retail for $8/ea for a .5oz bottle.  Shop online at EssieShop.com or buy in person at salons and spas nationwide including chains like Beauty Express, Regis, Trade Secret and ULTA.

What colors in this collection are calling your name?  If you already picked some of these up, which ones?  Am I alone in feeling underwhelmed?

I won’t be doing comparisons for this collection but if you have specific comparison questions, I’m happy to answer them.

Disclosure: Product samples were furnished by Essie.  For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

I have a love/hate relationship with brights and neons. I LOVE wearing them in the summer but I HATE photographing them. They are just so hard to capture. Neons just never translate on screen so it’s really hard for me to show you what you’re getting. Regardless, I took the new China Glaze Poolside collection for a spin. Poolside consists of six bold, in-your-face neons that are bound to attract attention.  From the shimmery blue Towel Boy Toy to the hi-lighter yellow of Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, if you want to make a bold color nail statement, this collection has it.  Check out my swatches after the jump!

My main issue with the Poolside collection is opacity. I’ve always thought of China Glaze as having a great color range with an excellent formula but this collection is lacking. Each color applies a bit differently and the pigmentation just isn’t there. Application tip: Apply a coat of white creme polish underneath to make the neons really pop and to avoid VNL (visible nail line).

Note: As I mentioned, neons do not photograph true to life so imagine each shade much brighter than it appears. Also, because these polishes dry with a satin/matte finish, I used a top coat.

Bonus: If you’ve been hunting for a bright matte polish, just put on a neon.

Pool Party is a hot reddish pink. It’s got a very 80s feel to it.  I realize neons in general evoke thoughts of the 80s but this one really embraces that style.  Like I imagine this color on a vintage windbreaker.  This color applied a little on the thick side but it leveled out well.  What you see below is three coats.

Pool Party with no top coat

Flip Flop Fantasy was the hardest polish for me to capture.  It’s a very bright coral pink and with corals being so prevalent in makeup this season (think Bobbi Brown’s Cabana Corals) this color fits right in with that trend.  It applied very similarly to Pool Party, a little thick but spreadable.

Sun Worshiper is my problem child of the bunch. It’s a pretty thick, streaky, radioactive orange that has issues leveling out.  AND to top it all off, I could still see my nail line after three coats.  I added a fourth to my middle finger just to see if I could get it opaque and we’re not quite there.

Towel Boy Toy is my fave color in the collection. I love the slight shimmer, the cool Caribbean blue color and how incredible it looks both matte and glossy.  It applies very smooth and even though on the thin side.  Again we’re talking opacity issues so four thin coats is your best bet if you don’t apply it over an opaque white creme.

Kiwi Cool-Ada‘s neon kelly green hue makes Four Leaf Clover look dull. Think AstroTurf at a rave.  The formula on this one was pretty thin and smooth though that results in multiple coats.  What you see below is three layers and while it looks opaque on camera, in person, I could still see my white tips.

Yellow Polka Dot Bikini is straight up yellow-green hi-lighter. It’s a very thin polish that applies pretty streaky and never really gets opaque.  I did four coats on my middle finger before snapping this and it was still looking pretty see through.  Even more so under incandescent lights.

Bottom line: Neons are notoriously difficult to work with (hello essie neons!) but if you want to go there, I recommend Towel Boy Toy, Kiwi Cool-Ada and Flip Flop Fantasy.  Take a pass at Yellow Polka Dot Bikini and Sun Worshiper based on their formula issues.

The China Glaze Poolside collection launches in April but it may start popping up online at e-tailers like Head2ToeBeauty.com before then.  China Glaze can also be found at Sally Beauty Supply but seasonal collection availability varies.  Your best bet is to call first if your nearest Sally’s is a trek.

So what do you think of Poolside?  Is it what you expected? Are any colors jumping out at you?  Which polishes are you adding to your summer shopping list?

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished by China Glaze.  For more information view my Disclosure Policy.

Here we go Fanatics.  It’s time to round out the China Glaze Up & Away collection.  This new lineup of pastels and brights for Spring 2010 includes a set of four pink/coral shades in a range of hues to satisfy the cool and warm toned Fanatics out there. I think we all know by now that this range of colors isn’t necessarily my cup of tea.  Give me something that will make people stop and stare and I’m all over it (hello Re-Fresh Mint!).  However, I did end up shocking myself by becoming smitten with a couple of these beauties.  Find out which ones curled my toes, after the jump!

Something Sweet surprised me.  This pale pink with its lilac undertone awakened a love of pinks I thought I had lost.  Regular readers know this isn’t my type of shade but I was drawn to its fresh, girly feel.  And it’s the lone pastel in the bunch that didn’t cause me problems.  It’s still on the thick, slightly uneven side but I got away with two coats.

One of the first China Glaze polishes I ever bought was Go-Go Pink from the Patent Leather collection.  I loved the high gloss shine and mod pink tone.  Something Sweet is the cool toned version of that and I have nothing quite like it.  All my pale pinks are either too sheer, too milky or too warm.  CND Tutu comes close but no cigar.

Sugar High is just as the name sounds, a pink candy confection of color.  It’s bright bubblegum-y goodness with that same jelly-ish texture of the other brights in this collection.  It’s making me want to break out my hidden stash of Hubba Bubba (yes I stockpiled my all-time fave gum).

Even though I’m not all up on the pink train, I have a surprising number in my collection.  Way more than I thought and none of them are quite a vibrant or middle of the road as Sugar High.  The two China Glazes that came close are either too warm, Mom’s Chiffon, or too cool, Laced Up.

High Hopes is a very vivid coral that veers towards red but stops just before getting there.  It’s much brighter in person, much more so than the bottle color suggested.  Ah the deceiving power of glass!

Based on the bottle color, I thought High Hopes was somewhat muted and similar to OPI Paint My Moji-Toes Red but they couldn’t be more different.  HH is bolder, lighter and less brick red looking.

Heli-Yum is a raspberry pink creme.  It dries a bit deeper than how it looks on screen.  The formula is hands down THE BEST in the collection.  Like it was a true pleasure to apply.  It glided on the nail like butter.  It’s not even a shade I’m all that into but I want to wear it just to put it on.  Heli-Yum will not disappoint.

Though Heli-Yum is the one color with a true kissing cousin.  Zoya Dita is so close in color that even discerning Fanatics would have trouble telling them apart.  So if you own Dita, feel free to skip Heli-Yum, otherwise pick it up!

The Up & Away collection is set to launch in January 2010 but if it’s ready earlier I’m sure it will start shipping out in December. Keep a watch on your local Sally Beauty and your fave e-tailers to scoop up these colors.

So now that you’ve seen the entire collection, which ones are your faves?  I know some of you have commented that you’ll be getting the whole set.  After seeing this set is that still the case?

***If you missed any of my Up & Away collection reviews, check out Part 1 and Part 2.***

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

Last week I showed you the first half of the new Sally Hansen HD Hi-Definition collection and now I’m wrapping up the back end and including a couple comparisons for you. I should note that I was not aware that there are actually eight shades in the collection. A reader pointed out that I am missing a pink named Digital. I incorrectly assumed that Opulent Cloud was the eighth polish in this lineup but it will actually launch closer to fall. Check out the rest of the colors, after the jump!

Lite has got to be one of my favorite yellows of late. It’s the yellow brick road in a bottle. I love how it glows on the nail and its pigmentation is way more impressive than its HD sisters.
Looking through my collection of yellows, OPI Lemonade Stand By Your Man is a very close twin to Lite. The only major difference is opacity. After three coats, the OPI still has a VNL (visible nail line). And just for funsies I threw in China Glaze Yell-O-Neil which is way more French’s mustard than the rest.
Three D is a warm coral that flashes hot pink. It’s not quite as vibrant as the other HDs and therefore not really wow-tastic. Of all the colors in this collection, this is the one I’d pass on.
Hi Res is much more rosy in person and extremely vivid, not an easy one to capture. It’s packed with pigment so three coats were barely necessary, though I did it anyway for consistency.
After seeing Blu in part one, reader moonchaii asked to see it next to Illamasqua Fern and China Glaze Frostbite. I’d say it falls somewhere in between the two.

The Sally Hansen Hi-Definition Nail Color collection ($5.95) officially launches in July at drugstores and mass retailers like WalMart, KMart and Target though readers have already begun spotting them on shelves around the country.

So now that you’ve seen all the shades, which ones are your favorites? Which ones are a pass?

I know it’s been a couple weeks since I’ve done swatch requests. Not to worry, I have logged all your requests and will try to get to as many as I can. Since there was in influx of emails and comments looking for comparisons in the orange/coral family I knocked out your most requested in one fell swoop. Of course the OPI Bright Pair collection and Sally Hansen HDs brought out some dupe requests as well so you’ll find all that and more after the jump!

Let’s start out with my fave color, green. Sally Hansen HD Hi-Def may look like last summer’s Lacquer Shine Glow but looks can be deceiving. Glow has gorgeous gold shimmer and it’s much more pigmented. I prefer Glow so if you can still find it, GET IT! I saw some dual packs at my local Rite-Aid so I believe it hasn’t reached hard-to-find status yet.
Before I got my hands on Bright Pair a reader requested a comparison of No Room For The Blues, OPI Just Groovy and Misa Right Here Now, No More Later. Now that I have it I can say that RHNNML and Just Groovy are pretty much dead on dupes. NRFTB is a hair deeper in hue but brighter. If you have to choose, get No Room For The Blues. It applies better and is more pigmented.
OPI SUNBelievable‘s I’m His Coral-friend may look like a twin to last summer’s Mod Bright Mod-ern Girl but it’s not. Coral-friend leans towards pink and is more pigmented while Mod-ern Girl leans orange.
A reader wanted to see China Glaze Breakin next to Misa Speed of Life. And while they aren’t dupes due to Breakin’s shimmer the base shades are similar. Breakin is just a touch darker. Though what I did discover is a cousin of Speed of Life(below).
OPI In My Back Pocket from the Bright Pair collection isn’t a twin but it’s definitely in the same family as Speed of Life. For me, they’re close enough to not need both.
A while back I received a request to see China Glaze Kicks shades Style Wars and Oh How Street It Is next to Mod Bright Brights Power. Both the ChG polishes are darker, more pigmented and more red orange than Brights Power.
Finally, after Finger Paints Week a few of you wanted to see how Artist’s Inspiration stacks up against China Glaze Unplugged from the e-collection. I haven’t worn Unplugged in a WHILE so doing this comparison reignited my love for the shade. As you can see, it’s richer than AI and has a different finish. AI has a metallic looking shimmer while Unplugged’s is more of a micro-glitter.
That’s it for today kids. If you have a request, leave a comment or email me at [editor] at [alllacqueredup] dot [com]. The more specific the request, the better. Enjoy what’s left of your holiday weekend.

SUNBelievable = Summer sun + unbelievable style! Sunbelievable by OPI captures all the sizzling color and casual attitude of summer style in four playfully pretty shades for nails. I’m loving all the fun yellows coming out this season. Whereas neon orange seemed to be the hit of Summer ’08, yellow is making its presence known this year. And even though blue has become relatively mainstream, I’m a sucker for anything offbeat so this collection is totally dialed into my taste.

I suspect OPI may have tinkered with its formula for this collection. It applied a bit different than I expected. The polishes are all thin and semi-sheer almost jelly-ish in consistency. With one noted exception, they all required three coats.

Sea? I Told You is what I had hoped the sheer Can’t You Sea? from the 2006 Brights collection would be. It’s a micro-glittery aquamarine gem that dries with a foil-like finish.

I’m His Coral-friend is the most pigmented of the bunch, the lone two-coater. I haven’t been into corals in a while but this one strikes a chord with me. I don’t know if it’s the finish that looks like I dipped my fingers in a bowl of thick jam or that it’s just a change of pace but I’m diggin’ it.

Banana Bandanna screams summer. This buttery creme looks like it’s supposed to have a shimmery sheen in the bottle but dries glossy and creamy on the nail. I wouldn’t call it a full on lemon yellow like Finger Paints Yellow Bikini. It’s more like the softer version of Chanel L.A. Sunrise.

If The Fuchsia Fits is a pretty typical hot pink shimmer along the lines of Ladies and Magenta-Men and Flashbulb Fuchsia. It applies well but is the most sheer of the bunch. It has a fun light pink flash but it’s not overly unique.
The Sunbelievable collection officially launches in June 2009 but I’ve heard that some stores already have them on shelves. OPI nail polish retails for $8.50 and is carried at professional salons including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and Ulta.

Whatcha think kids? Is it SUNBelievable?

I meant to wrap up Finger Paints Week on Friday but you know how it is when life gets in the way. Stupid life! Anywho, I have the final set of three Finger Paints polishes in the new 16 color perm shade release to show you. We’re ending on a red note with three fiery lacquers packed with pigment. Of all the new FP nail polishes, this set impressed me the most in terms of opacity, each one getting the job done in only two coats.

Chroma Coral is not the shade I imagine when I think coral. In the bottle it shows its pink undertone and densely packed shimmer but on the nail it’s more of a red orange with a satiny sheen.

Framed In Red is a rich ruby shimmer along the lines of OPI I’m Not Really A Waitress and An Affair In Red Square. It’s a staple, great for rounding our a collection. It’s not too brick, too blue based, too berry. It’s just right.

Magenta Mood is my fave of the three due to its sparkle factor. It has that China Glaze glass flecked look. Reminds me of the summer FPs from a few years back that included cult fave Surf’s Up. The mix of metallic shimmer and micro-glitter in this jelly-like, berry hued base is a total k.o.
You’ll find these and the rest of the Finger Paints line exclusively at Sally Beauty Supply stores and online at SallyBeauty.com. Don’t forget to visit the website to snag your B2G1 Free coupon from the Exclusive Coupons page.

That’s it for Finger Paints Week. What do we think? Which shades are your faves? What are you heading out to buy?

If you missed any of Finger Paints Week be sure to review Day One, Day Two, Day Three and Day Four before you head out shopping.