Did you know that Barielle makes nail polish? I certainly didn’t. Not until I met celebrity manicurist and Barielle spokesperson, Elle (kids, she’s worked on everyone, EVERYONE!). Known for their top notch nail treatments, Barielle has joined the color game with Shades by Barielle, a line of 3-Free, fashion forward lacquers. For Fall/Winter 2008, Elle created Fall Affair, a collection of six shades she pulled straight from the runways.

Can I just say that I’m beyond impressed with these polishes? They are superbly pigmented, 3 Free, yet not thick and goopy, and they last! Like even after five days of wear with my go-to top/base combo of Seche Base & Vite, the signs of wear were minimal. Not to mention, the formula just flows on the nail. It spreads out to create a perfect even finish. Oh and they dry so quick, that even without top coat, I could touch my nail beds after a few minutes.

Now I’m not gonna lie, the first time I applied Date Night (green), it went on kind of streaky and uneven but after talking with Elle, she helped me tweak my application technique. For the longest time, I’ve put quite a bit of polish on my brush, started in the middle of my nail and pushed the blob down towards my cuticle. WRONG-O! By putting a little less polish on my brush, starting at the cuticle, holding the brush almost parallel with my nail and pressing just enough to fan out the bristles, I was able to achieve the perfect 3-stroke application. Thanks Elle! MWAH!

Sneak-A-Peek is a silvery-gray shimmer that is so pigmented, I hardly needed two coats. For a color that light, that’s major. It’s a great icy shade for winter and an excellent call for those of you unable to take the plunge and try full-on gray.

Misbehaving Mistress is so unique, I don’t really know how to describe it but I know that I LOVE it. It’s kind of graphite but with taupe mixed in. To me, it’s the love child of OPI You Don’t Know Jacques and CND Black Platinum. And even though it’s dubbed a metallic by Barielle, it certainly doesn’t apply like one. There’s no brush stroke issues to be found.

Date Night – Seriously, just when I thought there wasn’t another swoon worthy green to be made… along comes Date Night. A beyond fabulous jeweled emerald green. If China Glaze Emerald Sparkle is my ultimate green glitter and Rescue Beauty Lounge Recycle is my ultimate green creme, this is my ULTIMATE GREEN SHIMMER. This kicks OPI Rainforest ass and I don’t say that lightly. It’s so pigmented and vibrant yet not overly bright like Emerald City from Sally Hansen. It’s deeper but not blackened, like Zoya Suvi, so you know it’s green yet it’s still elegant and trendy. I went through two storage boxes of green polish and can’t find one that holds a candle to the pigmentation and depth of this shade. There is no dupe! Buy it, buy it now!!

Hidden Hideaway is a sultry, blackened plum. It doesn’t have a red base but the warm golden shimmer warms it up a bit. This is an “almost black” eggplant shade but as you can see in the pictures, you can still tell it’s a purple.

Secret Encounter plays on that berry trend that is happening in makeup this fall. This deep magenta has the same warm shimmer as Hidden Hideaway which makes you think it’s a duo-chrome in the bottle but it’s not.

Two Timing has this comforting, warm, autumnal feel, like metallic fall leaves. It’s burnt yet not blackened, very Turkey Day if you ask me. I’d call it a bronzey orange or worn copper. And again, it’s considered a metallic but because of its smooth application it’s more like a metallic-shimmer crossover. A shimallic? A metmer? What do you think?
The Fall Affair collection from Shades by Barielle retails for $8/ea and is available now on Barielle.com or at one of the 1,500+ CVS stores that now carry the brand. Call for availability.

It’s no big surprise to say that I FLIPPED when I heard that Sally Hansen released not one but TWO fabulous greens as part of their Fall/Winter collections. The Salon Nail Lacquer line introduced Emerald Ring, Take A Tourmaline and Heart Sapphire while Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear put out Mellow Yellow, Emerald City, In The Navy and Gunmetal. I have yet to see the Salon colors on sale near me but I was fortunate to have Emerald Ring gifted to me by the lovely Jamie from The Beauty of Life, a fellow green polish lover.

Emerald Ring is a stunning blue based forest green shimmer that is dark but still noticeably green. Of the two, I’d say this one is more user friendly only because it’s not as bright which makes it a bit more chic and elegant for a green. Of course I was so excited to show this baby off that I didn’t have a chance to look for dupes but it’s on my to do list. Check the comments for an update.

Emerald Ring is not overly pigmented so three thin coats were needed but you could probably get by with two thicker ones. The formula applies smoothly and easily and dries with a nice glossy sheen.

OMG you guys! Emerald City is so much fun! It matches my ring dead on. I added a pic of it below but the flash makes it appear lighter than reality. What I love is that the polish isn’t too bright or too dark. There’s no blue undertones or gold shimmer affecting its perfection. Though it’s not for the faint of heart. I’d say that for non-green lovers this shade is best kept to holiday wear. Me… I’ve got it on for Halloween. A day that should mean glow-in-the-dark, pumpkin orange or black nails. I just felt like being “green” today.

The formula is a little odd though. It has a jelly feel that doesn’t flow or even out so your application needs to be precise. The pigmentation is more sheer than Emerald Ring so three coats are necessary period. But considering the price and final color, who cares about an extra coat.

The Sally Hansen Salon Nail Lacquer ($6.00) and Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear ($2.60)Fall/Winter polishes are in drugstores now but you know the drill, the Salon LE’s always call for a little stalking before they’re found.

OK so who else has attempted the smoky eye look and failed? Come on, it’s not that easy, I can’t be the only one. Well, here’s a beauty trend you can actually achieve. Forget the smoky eye, this season it’s all about the smoky nail. From the runway to the red carpet, the look for nails is dusty, muted and smoked out. We all know by now that I jumped on the gray nail bandwagon months ago but this look is not just about the grays. Brands have taken gray’s hazy cast and brought it to other shades like purple, khaki and blue, making the trend more wearable and versatile. Those of you afraid of looking ghostly in gray, fear not.

For day, you can keep it simple with a subtle hue. Light Grays to try: Carolyn New York Handball Courts, CND Heather Gray Creme, CND Nordic Gray Creme, Rescue Beauty Lounge Concrete Jungle

If you’re feeling a bit bold, try a mid-tone. I’ll admit, these shades aren’t for everyone. They’re a bit unusual but oh so fun. Medium Grays to try: China Glaze Recycle, Carolyn New York Hangin On The Stoop, Rescue Beauty Lounge Stormy, CND Spring ’09 Custom Blend.

And of course there’s the ever popular gunmetal shades. They’ve been featured in years past but have really come to the forefront this Fall. Just last week Petra from Glamour’s Girls In The Beauty Department blog contacted me in search of a dupe for the shade seen on Mena Suvari (right). My guess… Sparitual Mood (below right) because I know Mena is an eco-beauty fan and Sparitual is a Vegan line.

Graphite shades to try: Sparitual Mood, Yves Saint Laurent Tuxedo Gray, Dashing Diva Black Diamonds, Zoya Freja Looking for more gray polish recomendations? Then check out StyleBakeryTeen for an article written by my pal Jamie from The Beauty of Life.

To shy to jump into gray or just not feeling it? Then how about a purple or browned version of the look instead? Violet/Khaki shades to try: OPI Parlez-Vous OPI?, OPI You Don’t Know Jacques, Sephora by OPI Metro Chic, Sparitual Solitude

Finally, those jewel-toned and almost-black blues of the past have transitioned into something more steely. They’re grayed out with silver shimmer or charcoal bases that aren’t too dark. Blues to try: Finger Paints Bada Bing, Bada Blue, Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Gunmetal, Sally Hansen Salon Stormy Blue, Butter London Big Smoke

What do you think kids? Are you into the smoky nail look? Tell us your favorite shades from this genre.

images: All Lacquered Up, Elle.com and Getty Images

Since previewing the Rescue Beauty Lounge Fall/Winter collection to you a little over a month ago it has already sold out once on the RBL site. Talk about a hit! Ji Baek’s vision of “luxe grunge” has come to life with these four creme polishes.

I was beyond excited to have the opportunity to test these beauties out and they all wowed me in different ways. I’ve been having this total nostalgia for the early 90s and my days of living in flannel, Birks and grunge gear after reconnecting with some of my college pals on Facebook (that site is totally addicting), and these colors fit right into that. They have this gritty, dusty, funky vibe that I’m so feeling. The creme finish makes them chic, not at all garish.

Plie is a re-promoted muted beige pink. It’s a great daytime neutral that is so out of my wheelhouse yet I’m oddly drawn to it. It was actually the first color I put on from this set and that’s so not me. I think because it doesn’t feel all super girly and frou-frou. Just elegant and classic. And for being such a light color, I was impressed with its opacity.

Bruised is a red based browned plum though I don’t really get the name. I bruise so easily and heal terribly that I could only wish my bruises had such a pretty color. I mean, when you have marks that last six months (and I’m not exaggerating) you’d much rather them be somewhat attractive. Anywho, Bruised applied like a dream and hardly needed two coats.

Teal is the hands down winner here though I’m sure you all knew I’d say that. It’s a blend of my two favorite colors, blue & green. How could this not be a knockout? It’s the color of the lake just before a storm. All murky and creepy yet stunningly gorgeous. I wore this last weekend and loved every second of it. Need I say more?

No More War – OK I know what you’re all thinking. Split pea soup. I’m not denying that. It’s totally fugly and crazy looking but you gotta give the girl props for going way outside the box on this one. I mean, who has this color in their nail arsenal? And that’s exactly the point. This is the polish version of Tyra’s “ugly pretty” on ANTM.

The Rescue Beauty Lounge Fall/Winter collection retails for $18/ea and is available now on RescueBeauty.com. Though as an added bonus, from now through 10/31/08, get FREE SHIPPING when you order the Treatment System. Considering how much we all bitch about shipping costs, that’s a sweet deal. I’ve heard good things about the Treatment System so now would be the time to jump on it.

They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Not for this gal. Oh no, it’s all about gemstones for me. Emeralds, Sapphires, Rubies, Amethysts, Tanzanites; I heart them all!

Being a May baby, emerald is obviously my favorite stone and do you think that has anything to do with my love of green? Nah! But it is a point of contention for me with the Orly Gems collection. No emerald green!! Orly is one of the few brands that has yet to put out jewel toned green these past few years. So what’s the holdup people? Lets make that happen.

So back to the Gems collection. I have to say that without the gumball machine plastic rings on each bottle, I wouldn’t have pegged this as a gemstone themed lineup. It’s pretty and rich and filled with vivid colors but doesn’t scream jewelry to me. On the plus side, the colors are well pigmented, Golden Jubilee being the only three coater.

Star of Bombay is a deep blue-black with shimmer that really pops in the sunlight and adds depth indoors.
Golden Jubilee looks much more orange than golden (i.e. gold) to me. It’s as if Heat Wave from the High Voltage collection lost its tan.

Golden Maharaja is a luscious red based chocolate shimmer. I’m always looking for a great brown to wear in support of my Cleveland Browns and this one fits the bill.

Mandalay Ruby is the lone creme in the bunch. This crimson hue has a slightly dusty tone that keeps it from going the fire engine holiday red route.

Midnight Star is a metallic deep violet and while I love the color, the application is no bueno. The look of metallic polishes, when applied well, is amazing. I just don’t have the skill or patience.

Sea of the Light is a deep rosy pink shimmer. In the gem world, it reminds me of a pink tourmaline. A pretty pink but it’s not really a fall shade.
The Orly Gems collection is on sale now and can be purchased online at 8ty8Beauty.com and Head2ToeBeauty.com and in stores at ULTA and Sally Beauty.

Ladies, get ready for gilded tips and toes! Glitzy, glammed out nails are all the rage for Fall 2008, are you on board? From the runway to the red carpet, metallics are “in” this season.

Of course our favorite nail fashionista, Rihanna, adopted the trend early when she rocked a tarnished gold at the Much Music Awards in June. Even Gwyneth Paltrow, who usually dons a more subdued nail look, hopped on the metallic bandwagon with a chrome shade for the launch of the PBS series Spain…On the Road Again. And well, you all saw Rachel Bilson rock Chanel Kaleidoscope on the cover of Page Six Magazine.

With so many nail polishes on the market, how do you choose? The trend is broken down into three shade families; Champagne & Bronze, Pewter and Silver (recommendations below). I know what the next question is… what happened to gold? While gold and fall seem to go together like pork chops and apple sauce (yes I’m a Brady Bunch fan), it’s played out. We’ve seen it. It’s time to switch up the game.

What is the best metallic for your skin type? Warm and darker skin tones are better suited to Champagne & Bronze shades while Cool girls should check out the Silvers. The beauty of Pewter being a mix of copper and tin means that anyone can wear them. Oh and you neutral gals, you get your pick. Lucky!

Champagne & Bronze shades to try: Wet N Wild Amazing In Amber, OPI Glamour Game (Holiday In Toyland collection), NYC Molten Metal, Sparitual Muse, Wet N Wild Beautiful In Bronze, Cover Girl Bronze Beauty, Nina Ulta Pro Champagne

Pewter shades to try: Essie Steeling The Scene, Sephora by OPI Queen of Everything, Chanel Kaleidoscope
Silver shades to try: CHI Sexy Stilettos, Finger Paints Easel Come, Easel Go!, CND Silver Anniversary, Sally Hansen Shooting Star, Sephora by OPI Social Climber
So who’s digging this whole metallic feel for fall? Any lacquers you have your eye on?

One of the things I loved about being at New York Fashion Week last spring, was learning how designers infuse nail and makeup colors into their overall look. And with each season, it seems that more and more fashion houses are recognizing the importance of incorporating nail polish into their inspiration.

What I love even more, is seeing how Ji Baek of Rescue Beauty Lounge will take her incredible sense of style and passion for fashion to create new and unique nail lacquer collections. We all watch for the trends and see certain colors, textures and themes emerge but when it comes to Rescue Beauty, it’s all about Ji and what she wants.

After popping out a Pre-Fall Collection of creme pastels inspired by Spongebob Squarepants this collection takes a completely different turn. A look that Ji is calling “Luxe Grunge.” To quote Ji, “This fall Iʼm experiencing a “Fashion ADD” moment, ruffles, beads, sequins, lace, gold, embroidery, ribbons and bows oh my!”

“More than ever, this season is all about personal expression—Lanvin paraded miles of gorgeous ribbon creations, Balmainʼs crystal-embroidered punk, Givenchyʼs gothic romance, Burberry Prorsumʼs perfect proportion of “trumpet” flare pants with chic beanies and Proenza Schoulerʼs sequined wide-legged trousers casually paired with a melton coat. They all have one thing in common, a slouchy silhouette touched with luxurious details. Itʼs not about crazy downtown layers but sumptuous fabric draped and worn with new ease.”

Among all this opulence there was one trend that stood out, opaque colored tights. “Perfect to match with short rounded nails in any of these new colors-I have already scored/pre-ordered all of Fogal tights-matching color tights and hands…how chic and utterly sexy!!!!”

Teal is a perfect deep green/navy that adds the right touch of mystery when worn with all black. Or wear it with bold winter florals or plaids to tone down the pattern. Ok fashion confession-Iʼm still haunted. Remember that perfect greenish blue Lanvin bag three seasons ago? I didnʼt get it and Iʼm getting this out of my system.

Plie, a classic opaque neutral beige with a hint of blush welcomes back the return of winter whites.

Now you know my obsession with all things green means this collection is making me a VERY happy camper. Hello No More War and Teal, you will be mine. Oh yes, you will be mine! And with as much as I love plums like NYC Cognac Sparkle, I’m sure Bruised will be a winner.

I know the $18 price tag is intimidating compared to your average salon brand but I can honestly say that the application and wear are outstanding. If you plunk down your pennies for a bottle, you won’t be disappointed. So if one or two of these colors really intrigue you, I say splurge a little. I don’t regret one single cent that I spent on Recycle. Instead, it makes me want to place an order for my biggest RBL lemmings Stormy, Concrete Jungle, Dead Calm, Square Pants and Yellow Fever.

The Fall/Winter collection will be available on RescueBeauty.com in October. I’m sure they’ll go fast so keep your eyes peeled. If you want to stay up to date on collection releases and VIP pre-orders, sign up for the RBL newsletter.

POW! BANG! SPLAT! Operation Colour from China Glaze will certainly make an impact when it hits shelves this month. Inspired by the bold splashes of color found in graphic novels and comic books, this is not your typical Fall look. You won’t find any burnt, vampy or dreary shades here. Instead, China Glaze is taking on Fall in technicolor.

With the Costume Institute’s Superheroes exhibit coming to a close this weekend, it seems appropriate for this collection to come along as a way to keep a little superhero fashion alive in everyday life. It’s almost as if these shades were ripped right from the exhibit and red carpet. Just look at the Emilio Pucci dress Joy Bryant donned for the exhibit’s gala in May or the Thierry Mugler graphic novel inspired bodysuit on display at The Met and you’ll see what I mean.

Overall, I think this collection is a fun change of pace. A nice twist on what we’d normally expect for the colder months. Though I must admit that I’m more in love with the concept and palette as a whole than I am with the colors individually. But I am impressed with the pigmentation. It makes the formula a bit thicker than I would prefer but even the lighter shades only take two coats. The first will be a bit streaky but the second smooths it out. The only one I had any major issue with was Agent Lavender, it didn’t spread out on its own. It required a bit of coaxing.

Secret Peri-Winkle is by far my favorite color in the collection. A gorg mid-toned combo of violet and sky blue, this creme is perfect for cool and neutral tones. I just love it!

Code Orange, like the other shimmers in the lineup, isn’t at all sparkly. The shimmer just adds a little glint of sheen to this tangerine hue.

As I mentioned above, Agent Lavender was my problem child. There’s one in every bunch, isn’t there? But what I love is that unlike most light purples I wear, this one doesn’t make me look like an alien. I find it quite flattering.

Golden Opportunity reminds me of the yellow brick road from the Wizard of Oz. Gleaming goldenrod at it’s best.

Revolution is a tomato ketchup red creme. Not utterly unique but a nice warm red.

Pink Underground is a shade with a twinkle in its eye. The fine bright pink shimmer gives this polish a slight blue/berry cast in the sun. This isn’t your average pink.

The Operation Colour collection is on sale NOW at 8ty8Beauty.com and I’m sure Head2ToeBeauty.com will have it up soon. What I really love… is that they’re releasing the set in minis (pictured right). I first saw them with the Immaterial Gurl collection and they’re just adorable.

So what do you think girls? Comic book colors for Fall. Is it genius or not for you?

Images: All Lacquered Up, China Glaze, Style.com & Flickr.com

Jewel tones and vampy nail shades are carrying over from last Fall and Misa Cosmetics is putting their twist on the trend. The recently launched Poisoned Passion collection is a lineup of six rich shades. With five shimmers and one creme, these colors pack a lot of punch. They are all very lush.

The last time I reviewed a Misa collection, Love Connections, it was right after their switch to become Big 3 Free. You may remember that I was non-plused with the formula then but, I’m seeing an improvement in this new lineup. While I still had issues with application of a couple shades (Dying Love & Fatal Affair) the rest flowed quite nicely. One thing that has remained consistent is the high level of pigmentation. Each polish only required two coats.

Toxic Seduction – Let’s start out with my favorite color of the bunch. Of course it’s the green, duh! You might call the base color a blackened teal or blue-green but the hints of gold shimmer warm it up a bit. Though I wouldn’t say its a forest green. More like a franken of Gussied Up Green & Rodeo Fanatic. Regardless of how you describe it, I have just one word – WINNER! I looked for it’s closest living relative in my stash and found Poison Ivy from Nailed by Sleek UK (shown below).

A Sin Worth Committing’s base color is royal blue, like OPI Dating A Royal. No purple undertones in the slightest. It’s most definitely a superb navy shimmer however, I found that OPI Yoga-ta Get This Blue is close enough that you wouldn’t need both. A Sin Worth Committing is just a touch bolder.

Dying Love is a tricky one. Both in application and color description. I guess it’s appropriate for the punkiest color to be the problem child. Not quite jet black yet too dark to be gunmetal gray, Dying Love falls somewhere between Lippmann Hit Me With Your Best Shot and Sally Hansen Salon Black Orchid (a LE color).

Fatal Affair is similar to Misa Blueberry Glaze in that BG is a purple tinged blue and Fatal Affair is a blue tinged purple. Though the blue shimmer affected my ability to show the true color. It’s more purple in real life. Compared to one of my favorite purples, Misa Dreamy Purple, it is deeper with a red-violet base.

Forbidden Lust is a deep red based purple shimmer. Like a dark amethyst. In looking for a dupe, I found that it’s a deeper version of NYX Wild (#2 on the linked image).

The only creme in the group, Love Bite, is a vampy browned red. It’s bright berry base makes 2-3 coats necessary to achieve bottle color. I have to say that this is the one color I wasn’t all that jazzed over. As you can see below, it’s very similar to Misa Stiletto so not really a must have for me.

The Poisoned Passion collection is available for sale online at MisaCosmetics.com and Head2ToeBeauty.com.

So fanatics, what do you think? What did you/are you buying from the collection?

Looking at the Flannel Fixation shades from China Glaze‘s Rodeo Diva collection takes me back to my college days in the mid 90s when grunge was all the rage and I owned a seemingly endless supply of flannel. Which makes this palette of six cool toned shades so perfectly named.

Ahh how I miss the days of uber-comfy baggy clothing. Not that wrapping a flannel around your waist hid a big butt or looked flattering in the least but we all did it. Except maybe my pal Amber from Beauty Blogging Junkie who abhors the 90s fashion trends with every fiber of her being. BTW, if you share Ambular’s hate of the 90s but love yourself some 80s you MUST check out her 80s Ladies Week. In Amber speak, it’s TO DIE!

But I digress, let’s get back to the polish. The colors may be western flannel inspired but the look is way more chic. Gorg jewel tones with tonal shimmer, they are so hot for Fall. I’m telling you, China Glaze so got it right. And they sent us yet another green! Can life get any better?

All swatches are shown with two coats of lacquer and no top coat but they’re so pigmented I hardly needed the second. With the exception of Red Stallion they all flowed smoothly on the nail. For some reason my bottle was thick and goopy and took some play to get it right. I hope it’s just mine but buyer beware. It’s still workable just a PITA, ya know?

Cowgirl Up is berry based red-violet. It looks more burgundy or wine in the bottle but on the nail its purple side comes out.

Red Stallion was my problem child during application but this warm orangey red has a great Fall feel. In the sunlight the undercurrent of gold shimmer peeks out.

Branding Iron is rich and vampy yet not so dark you can’t tell it’s a burgundy. The shimmer gives this luscious shade its depth and character. Without it, it would be a very boring creme.

The buzz on the MUA nail board has been over Rodeo Fanatic and the possibility of it being a twin to the highly coveted MAC Whirlwind (see comparison below). Well kids, Rodeo Fanatic is not an exact dupe but its certainly the closest living relative. Whirlwind is more of a sea-green (heavier on the green) while I’d call Rodeo Fanatic a deep peacock blue. Either way, it’s a total winner and necessity if you love blues.

How much gushing over Gussied Up Green can you all take? Leaving my love of all things emerald aside, the intensity of this shade is unparalleled. Its luster does not dull. It is the epitome of forest green. I thought Zoya Suvi and OPI Jasper Jade were IT but in comparison (see below), Gussied Up Green has a richness the others don’t. LOVE, pure love.

Midnight Ride’s pure eggplant goodness really only stands out in bright light. Indoors the “almost black” thing takes over and it becomes difficult for anyone but the wearer to know its true identity. Though I’m a sucker for a purple vamp so stick a fork in me, I’m done. They got me!

The China Glaze Rodeo Diva collections, Flannel Fixation and Hay Ride are both available online at 8ty8Beauty.com and Head2ToeBeauty.com. China Glaze nail polishes can also be found at ULTA and Sally Beauty Supply but seasonal collection availability may vary.