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. Even though Chanel Graphite is the Fall Chanel color that caused me to swoon, it’s Chanel Peridot that is getting all the buzz. I even saw Bobbie Thomas mention it on her Today Show “Minute Buzz” segment along with LCN Magnetic Polish (yay!). Now you know I’m all about the greens but I haven’t exactly been champing at the bit to wear Peridot. Yellow greens are just not my thing. They remind me of cat’s eyes which, as much as I love my furballs, are a creepy color. I did a nail wheel swatch of Peridot when it arrived and felt pretty “meh” but I’m finally taking the plunge since so many of you have asked about it.

Formula & Application: Chanel nail polish is 4-Free (includes formaldehyde resin) plus there’s no camphor, which can be an irritant. The signature square glass bottles are topped with a black square outer cap that is removed to reveal a stubby, round, ribbed inner cap. The brush is round, medium in length and width and reminds me of the old OPI/new SOPI brushes. It easily fans out and covers the nail without much resistance.

Peridot is a metallic so expect to see some brush strokes, which is why I’m not typically a fan of that finish. The bonus is that it applies nice and thin so if you have a good technique, you can get it on with minimal brush marks in two coats. Application tip: Wait until the first coat is dry. Applying a second layer of metallic over wet polish will amplify the problem.

Chanel Peridot is a duo-chrome, meaning it flashes two colors, that looks more gold than green. You can see traces of a mossy hue at the edges and at certain angles but from straight on this is a tarnished gold.

I’ve heard that a European Sephora nail polish called Diving in Malaysia is a pretty close dupe to Peridot but no twins exist in my stash. I’m sure part of it is that I’m not a fan of these types of colors. Like I never jumped on China Glaze Cat’s Eye. In my collection, the only colors I own that even come close are Nubar Wildlife (a bronze green duo-chrome), China Glaze Peace on Earth, Quirius Cresskill Eye and OPI Simply Smashing but none of them are a match.

Peace on Earth is way too green with no duo-chrome effect and Cresskill Eye is muted, as though there is a teal film on the surface. Peridot is definitely a stand out shade.

Bottom Line: I’m torn. Peridot is definitely a unique shade and a Chanel duo-chrome is something worth getting excited about plus its relatively low brush stroke tendency is a bonus.  If this color is in your wheelhouse, I have no doubt you’ll adore it however, on my nails I’m not like ready to do a Jersey Shore fist-pump over it.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: Hmm, I honestly don’t know. I feel like I should STASH it because it’s unique and I don’t have anything like it but that seems like such a Hoarders-esque rationale. What do you all think? STASH or SHARE? And WHY?

Chanel Peridot is a limited edition shade and it’s available now at Chanel counters nationwide and online at Chanel.com and department store websites like Nordstrom.com. Chanel nail polish retails for $25/ea for a .4oz bottle.

Thoughts on Peridot? If you haven’t yet purchased it, do you plan to? Are you a fan of the gold-greens? Can you think of any US nail colors that might be similar?

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

Last winter we got a peek at one of the Chanel Fall 2011 nail polishes when Chanel Graphite hit the runway but it’s Chanel Peridot that seems to be getting all the buzz. Is it green? Is it yellow? Are we talking Chanel duo-chrome?

Inspired by the heritage and savoir faire of the artisanal craftsmanship of the House of Chanel, Peter Philips, Creative Director of Chanel Makeup, introduces new textures and makeup effects in a radiant Fall 2011 Collection, ILLUSIONS D’OMBRES DE CHANEL.

At the heart of this captivating colour story: Shimmering bronze, gold and platinum are the perfect complements to plum, khaki and copper shades on eyes and lips. Unique reflections of metallic green, silver and beige on nails provide the ideal counterpoint.

“Illusion d’Ombre is a new and exciting product, that’s easy to apply,” says Peter Philips. “I would suggest finger application. The texture is unique and has a very pleasant touch.”

Chanel Peridot – Green-Gold, Chanel Graphite – Metallic Silver, Chanel Quartz – Silver Beige

As you can see, Chanel Peridot reads very gold. It shows it’s green base on the edges and at certain angles so it’s definitely a duo-chrome but don’t go expecting an overly green look.

Chanel Graphite has little gold flecks and to my eye it falls somewhere between OPI Your Royal Shine-ness and OPI Brand New Skates though I’ll have to see all three on the nail to know for sure.

Chanel Quartz is unique in that typically when brands use the term it’s in conjunction with pink. Based on the nail art swatch I”m not loving it and questioning whether it will clash with my skin tone but I’m going to keep an open mind until I wear it.

The Chanel Illusions d’Ombres de Chanel Fall 2011 collection is available now at Chanel counters nationwide and online at Chanel.com. Chanel nail polishes retail for $25/ea for a .4oz bottle. Both Peridot and Graphite are listed as Limited Edition colors.

What are your initial thoughts on the Fall collection colors? Will you be running out to scoop up any of these colors? Which of the three do you think will be the big hit? Are you into a green-gold duo-chrome?

Disclosure: I purchased these nail polishes. 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 week when I reviewed the CND Perfectly Bare Duo I mentioned that the Perfectly Bare Effect layered over Sally Hansen Gray by Gray reminded me of Nubar Indigo Illusion. At the time I pulled out my bottle of Indigo Illusion and realized that I have never actually worn the color. When I first heard of Nubar nail polish four years ago ALU was just a baby. I posted about the brand but had only swatched Indigo Illusion on a nail art wheel. All this time has passed and I still haven’t taken it for a test drive. That situation is now rectified.

Formula & Application: Nubar nail polish is 4-Free (includes formaldehyde resin) and is free of camphor which can be an irritant. The brand is also billed as vegan and cruelty free. The bottles are topped with a curved, matte cap that is designed to rest comfortably between the thumb and forefinger. The brush is thick and round and the width doesn’t impede application. In fact it’s one of my favorite brushes. It has a bit of resistance which allows for control but the bristles are flexible enough to fan out nicely across the nail bed.

The formula on this polish is kind of thin but nice and smooth. It’s not that squishy kind of thin that seems to be the standard with polish nowadays. The only downside of the thin formula is the opacity. I ended up using three thin coats to achieve full coverage but those three coats feel like two.

Nubar Indigo Illusion is a challenge to describe. It has a green tinged denim blue base with a pinkish shimmer. The blend of colors give off a duo-chrome effect that causes the polish to look blue/green/purple depending on the angle you view it at and lighting.

Bottom Line: Indigo Illusion is a unique flower and one of Nubar’s biggest hits. For anyone trying the brand for the first time I consider this a “must have” along with Nubar 2010 anything from the Going Green collection and of course their amazing Foundation Base Coat. You will not be disappointed.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: No doubt this one is staying in the STASH.

Nubar Indigo Illusion is available online at ByNubar.com. Nubar nail polishes retail for $7.49/ea for a .5oz bottle. Orders over $50 receive free shipping.

What do you think of Indigo Illusion? Are you a fan of Nubar polishes? What are your “must have” shades from the line?

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

Katy Perry combines her love of music and nails to introduce a new line of lacquers with OPI, launching January 2011. Inspired by Katy’s cutting edge style and latest album, Teenage Dream, the Katy Perry Collection by OPI will include four fierce, irresistible colors for nails and toes. Complementing Katy’s already daring nail trends on and off the red carpet, a revolutionary Black Shatter™ formula will accompany the collection to create a ground-breaking cracked pattern when applied over each dried bright lacquer. Katy Perry has become a celebrity nail icon thanks to her eye catching nail designs so it only seems natural that a brand like OPI would want to partner with her.  Though to be honest, I am surprised that she hasn’t collaborated with a brand know for nail art, like Minx. The Katy Perry Collection utilizes the new OPI Black Shatter polish to add some artistic flare to the colors which include a duo-chrome, sparkly red and two glitters.

Formula & Application: OPI is a 3-Free brand. They made the switch to 3-Free in 2008 and the Black Shatter formula is also 3-Free. You can identify an OPI with the 3-Free formula by the green lettering on the label. Bottles with black lettering have the old formula. Always check the labels to be sure. 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.

Due to the varied range of finishes in this collection I will address the application of each in the individual reviews.  Know that I used three coats for all the polishes as opacity is not their strong suit.

Black Shatter is a top coat that needs to be applied over completely dry nail polish. It applies like a typical black creme but dries in a “shatter” pattern once dry. A thin coat will shatter more resulting in smaller shards of polish on the nail while a thick coat will make it more chunky.  Thanks to a reader suggestion, I applied Black Shatter on my ring nails in a sideways motion to show how you can change the look of the crackle pattern.

Not Like The Movies looks green with a reddish flash in the bottle but on my nails it’s lavendar with green and pink flashes and random flecks of silver micro-glitter.  I applied a bit streaky due to the metallic pigment though the glitter kept it from looking like a total brush-stroke nightmare.  This color reminds me of a Scherer Chameleon polish I picked up at Rite-Aid and like previous OPI duo-chromes (Significant Other Color) it changes color depending on the angle and lighting which makes this a perfect shade to put under Black Shatter.

On its own I would probably not opt to wear Not Like The Movies but with Black Shatter on top it’s pretty stunning.  I’m still on the fence with the whole crackle finish trend but the changing of the base color makes this look really unique and fun.  Definitely my fave combination in the collection.

The One That Got Away surprised me.  I wasn’t expecting to love this color but I do.  In the bottle it looked kind of foil-esque with a hint of duo-chrome but on the nail, SHUT IT DOWN! This deep raspberry has the glass-fleck finish that China Glaze made popular and, as you know, I can never have enough glass-fleck in my life.  Any of you who own glass-fleck polishes know that a camera really can’t capture its natural beauty so you know this one is even better in person.  It applied utterly flawless even though it needed three coats and yes, I know I’m gushing over a very non-ALU color family but this one’s a winner people.

The One That Got Away definitely pops against Black Shatter but I would rather wear it solo.  The rubber textured shatter gives this girly color a bondage-esque edge but I don’t think it needs it.

Last Friday Night is a very sheer pale blue based glitter.  The tiny foil micro-glitter and chunkier blue, pink and green hexagonal glitter are evenly peppered throughout the base giving a nice even coverage.  The issue is with the opacity.  This color is just too sheer for me to wear it on its own.  It makes a great top coat but that’s about it.  I put a fourth coat on my ring finger and it’s still REALLY sheer.

For me, even Black Shatter can’t save Last Friday Night.  The blue is so washed out that it doesn’t pop against the black.  Instead it makes my nails look pretty grungy underneath.  Not a fan!

Now Teenage Dream is built the same as Last Friday Night but instead of making me look dead, it actually flatters my skin.  It’s still to sheer for my taste thought it builds up much better than its blue based counterpart.  I’m not much for pink but it’s pretty and fun though I think it makes a much better top coat.  The application of both glitters was kind of goopy and jelly-like and I found if I didn’t wait long enough between coats it would drag.

If you’re not using it as a top coat Teenage Dream does look good under Black Shatter.  The chunky glitter plays off the light and creates a pretty eye-catching combination.  This is the epitome of mixing girly and punk.

Bottom Line: Overall I’m not especially wowed.  I think OPI could have done a better job choosing the base colors to pair with Black Shatter.  Things that would have popped more against the black.  I also wish they would have given us a different Shatter color.  China Glaze is coming out with six different crackle polishes certainly OPI could come out with more than one shade.

The One That Got Away is pretty sensational and I give it a thumbs up with or without Black Shatter.  The glitters are pretty pointless to me and unless you really need another glittery top coat they get a pass.  If you’re into the crackle look definitely get Not Like The Movies to wear under it.  You won’t regret it.

The Katy Perry by OPI collection is available now.  OPI nail polishes retail for $8.50/ea for a .5oz bottle and can be purchased at salons and spas nationwide including national chains Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA.

Thoughts on the Katy Perry collection? Which color do you like best under Black Shatter? Crackle finish haters are you warming up to the idea the more you see them? Which polishes, if any, will you get from this collection?

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

2010 is turning out to be the year of texture.  Satin, glitter, sequins, crystals, etc. have all been making a splash in the nail world.  Orly has certainly stepped up their game with the Cosmic FX collection. Combining natural rock minerals, crystals, and glass they have taken duo-chrome polishes to a new level. We’re talking the multi-dimensional love child of foil and duo-chrome. Each polish flashes multiple colors depending on the angle and how the light hits it. These are certainly not shades for the color shy.

Application and Formula: The Orly Cosmix FX formula is 4-Free (which includes Formaldehyde Resin) and comes in the regular Orly bottle with the fan fave rubberized cap. The brush is long and thin with flexible bristles. I personally would like if there were more bristles to get more coverage in each stroke.

There is a drawback to this formula, opacity. To suspend the multi-sized particles, the base is pretty sheer. Due to that, each polish requires at least three coats.  Also, there’s something about this formulation that makes the polish take longer to dry.  Twice while swatching these I had to start over because I would bump something at least 30 minutes after applying and get a huge dent.  That’s with a top coat applied.  Granted I was using CND Super Shiney which is not a quick dry top coat but still it shouldn’t be denting that easily after that much time.

Removal: The particles do make removal a bit more cumbersome than a regular creme or shimmer polish but not as bad as a traditional glitter.  Watch for staining with Halley’s Comet.  You should consider an extra layer of base coat with that one.

FYI: You guys have no idea how hard these polishes are to photograph.  Seriously, I’ve had them for over a month and I didn’t swatch them earlier, in part due to the original September launch date but, because they are a bitch to capture.  The duo-chrome effect only shows up at an angle so I’m showing all of these with a close-up from the side.  I thought about doing photos in sunlight but it just blew out the color and looked really inaccurate.  That’s the main reason I rarely take photos in the sun.  I don’t think it tells the real color story.

Lunar Eclipse is a vibrant electric blue packed with purple and pink particles.  This probably the most opaque of the polishes.  This one and the purple, Out of This World.  The finish on all these is like the foils we love but on steroids.

Rocket Science makes me think of Swamp Thing, that early 80s flick with Adrienne Barbeau.  It’s this mossy, browned green base with gold and ivy green sparkle.  It’s more flattering in person than it looks here but it’s still one of those ugly pretty shades that will probably only appeal to small group.

Halley’s Comet is the only real let down in this group for one very big reason. It’s a dead-on dupe for OPI Catch Me In Your Net and its doppelganger Zoya Charla. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a gorgeous color.  A stunning turquoise base with gold, green and blue pieces.  I’ve spotted the OPI & Zoya versions on people all summer long but I can’t help but wonder what the difference is between the formulas because on the nail they look identical.

Out of this World has an inky blackened plum base filled with purple and pink glimmer.  The official description from Orly says there is silver FX in this polish but it flashes golden to me.  This color looks like a glitterized grape popsicle on the nails.  The golden flash is pretty minimal.  This is probably the least duo-chrome of the bunch.  What I find interesting is that in the bottle OotW looks a lot like Zoya Julieanne from the Wicked collection.  Are we seeing a pattern here?

Galaxy Girl looks like a bruise to me with its mix of berry, blue and green.  The base color is reminiscent of dried blood which sounds gross but it’s not.  On the nail, the blue FX is the prominent color and the green takes a backseat.  I’m not a huge fan of how this looks on me.  I feel it brings out the ruddiness I try to mask in my skin tone.

Space Cadet is my absolute favorite polish in this collection and I know that will surprise you but believe me, it’s killer.  Photos do it a serious disservice.  It’s the most multi-faceted polish in this collection and changes color like a chameleon as you move your hand.  One second it’s rosy, then you move and see a coppery flash.  At certain angles it looks mauve and others it’s pink.  What’s funny is the base is teal so you see this glow of blue-green coming through.  In the bottle I was not loving this color AT ALL.  On the nail, I couldn’t stop staring at it.

Bottom Line: I don’t know that these polishes necessarily justify the higher price tag.  I can only assume that there are some costly ingredients that aren’t normally in Orly polishes.  I think I was more excited when I saw them in the bottle because they looked so magical.  On the nail, some of them fall flat.  The only one I’m dubbing a must-have is Space Cadet.  Lunar Eclipse is beautiful and definitely gets the runner-up prize.  I love Out of this World but the jury is out until I compare it to Zoya Julieanne.

The Orly Cosmic FX collection was supposed to launch in September 2010 but I’ve already seen it online so I would start checking your local Sally Beauty Supply, ULTA, etc. if you want to scoop these up. The Cosmic FX polishes will retail for $10/ea for a .6oz bottle.

Are you feeling the effects of the Cosmic FX?  Do you think the finish justifies the price tag?  Will you be running out to get these?  Which colors are speaking to you most?

Disclosure:  Product samples were furnished to me by Orly.  For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

If there’s one thing I’m certain of this Spring, there is no true theme for nail color.  We’re seeing brights, nudes, holos, greens and with the launch of Zoya Reverie, metallics. I have to admit, when I first saw the promo images I was intrigued by the duo-chrome look of Adina, but feeling unsure of the rest.  After having some time to play with the collection, I’m pleased to say there is more than one gem in this bunch.  Check them out after the jump!

So you know what comes to mind when the dreaded word “metallic” gets bandied about… stroke marks!  Oh the horror!  Seriously, I love the look of metallics but the uneven finish drives a perfectionist like me bonkers.  I’m happy to report that while these aren’t completely stroke-free they are about as smooth as metallics can get.  I think it’s because they aren’t what I think of as a traditional metallic.  It looks as though each shade has a shimmery (not metallic) base infused with metallic micro-glitter.

In regards to application, each and every color in this collection flows like buttah and wow are they pigmented.  I used two coats for each swatch though with some shades I could have gotten away with one.  I am showing each polish at two angles so you can see the color with all its shimmer power and the base color as well.

Adina is the color that has been receiving the most buzz.  Like the blogger it’s named after, Adina from Krasey Beauty, it is a unique flower.  With its cool purple base and green shimmer Adina is a true duo-chrome, meaning it flashes different colors depending on the lighting and angle in which you view it.  As much as I like the color, it doesn’t seem to flatter me but I’ll wear it anyway.

Based on early images, I wrote Adina off as a Ki dupe (like Zoya would ever be that lame, ha!) and was I ever wrong.  Ki is an oilspill on the nails with its inky base and flashes of purple and green while Adina is much lighter and, I’ve got to say it, Scrangie-esque.

Reece is my surprise in this collection.  I love it when a color sneaks up on me and this one certainly did that.  I love the deep rose shade and the way the gold micro-glitter pops against it.  It actually reminds me a lot of China Glaze Strawberry Fields only this is the non-glass flecked version.

Laney is a metallic silver that reflects different colors in the bottle, like a mirror, only on my hands it just looks tinged with green and not in a good way.  In bright light, it’s a great smooth silver, which isn’t easy to find but, in low lighting it makes my hands look dead.  Then again, that’s why I wear gold jewelry, silver makes me look washed out.

Happi is a deserving name for this popping pink.  It’s very Hubba Bubba only with a gold flecked twist.  Though of all the colors in this set, Happi’s gold micro-glitter shows up the least.

Gwin just might replace Lianne as my fave orange Zoya.  It’s got that same gold-smattered Sunkist hue only this is much more pigmented.  I love Lianne and always include it in my list of orange polish recs but the sheerness has always been its only downfall.  Gwin definitely doesn’t have that issue.

Lana is a burnt orange-red with the gold glitter giving it a suntanned, baked feel.  If I was ranking the polishes in terms of how much the glitter stands out, Lana would fall right behind Happi.  It’s not all BAM sparkle with Lana, she’s a subtler lady.

The Zoya Reverie collection launches this month on Zoya.com and is available for pre-order NOW.  Zoya polishes retail for $7/ea and can be found in salons nationwide.  Find a salon near you with the Zoya Salon Locator.

How are you feeling about Reverie?  Did the collection live up to your expectations?  Surpass them? Disappoint?  Which polishes will make their way to your collection?

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