Coral
My Fave COVERGIRL Outlast Nail Polish Shades for Spring 2013
Back when I started college at the University of Cincinnati, I majored in Chemical Engineering because I excelled at math and chemistry but, like most teens, I had no clue what I actually wanted to do. Exploring my co-op options lead me to P&G because they kind of rule that town AND they make COVERGIRL. That’s when I learned that cosmetic chemist was a real, viable career option. Alas, I transferred out of the enginerd program before my first co-op quarter but, I still dream of mixing nail polishes in their labs.
At the time, COVERGIRL nail polish was, quite frankly, crap. It, and other drugstore brands, were just not cutting it with me so I became somewhat of a nail polish snob. Sadly, those stigmas stick with me to this day.
So, to say I was skeptical when COVERGIRL relaunched their nail line, Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss, would be an understatement. Regardless, I gave the brand a second chance and selected 5 Spring-ready shades from the 45 core collection colors to share with you.
China Glaze Avant Garden “Blooming Brights” for Spring 2013 Swatches & Review
TGIF Fanatics! I say we start this weekend off right with a punch of color from the China Glaze Avant Garden “Blooming Brights” collection.
If the subtle softness of the Avant Garden “Pastel Petals” isn’t your thing, then these bold, kicky shades will fit the bill. I just finished my weekend manicure using two of the shades (see below). Now, that’s my kind of “happy hour.”
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JINsoon Botanical Flowers Spring 2013 Nail Polish Review & Swatches
With the launch of her eponymous nail polish line, JINsoon, Jin Soon Choi has become one of the leading ladies of lacquer. Known as a sought-after Editorial Manicurist, Jin has an eye for fashion and color that is reflected in her work in both print and runway.
I met Jin through a mutual friend and I’ve come to find that she is one of the hardest-working, humblest people in the beauty biz. In the midst of the craziness that is backstage at New York Fashion Week, she always greets me warmly with smiles and hugs. Plus, she, and our friend Heather Park, introduced me to the deliciousness of Korean BBQ. It was on one of those outings that she mentioned wanting to start her own nail polish line and I couldn’t be happier that she made her dream come to fruition.
Launched last fall, the JINsoon line consists of six permanent Quintessential shades in classic colors of red, pink and nude but it’s the seasonal trend hues in the A La Mode collection that speak to my non-traditional, color-loving heart. For Spring 2013, the shades are inspired by Botanical Flowers.
“Botanical flowers is a reflection of my love for the arts and background in high fashion,” says Jin Soon Choi. “The vivid pigments that I discovered during a visit to Monet’s Garden exhibit at the New York Botanical Gardens influenced my new colors.”
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ALU’s 365 of Untrieds – Sally Hansen Coral Fever from the Tracy Reese for Sally Hansen Spring 2011 Collection
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. |
ALU’s 365 of Untrieds – Lancôme Sarong Le Vernis
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. |
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