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. Dear Glitter Polishes, Why can’t I quit you? You’re such a pain to remove that the dread sets in before the first stroke of polish hits the nail. Yet, like a magpie, every time I see a bottle I want to snatch it up and take it home to my stash. You’re clearly my crack because when the high wears off, I’m just left with thoughts of the removal process looming overhead. In spite of all that, I love you. And if loving you is wrong, I don’t want to be right. XOXO, ALU The glitter craving struck again when I spotted the display for the Orly Pin-up collection at my local CVS. The four piece collection includes two cremes that I barely noticed. My eyes darted straight to Here Comes Trouble (l) and Bubbly Bombshell (r). For today’s untrieds manicure I decided to combine them into one summery sparkle spectacular.

Formula & Application: Orly nail polish is 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin) and does not contain camphor, which can be an irritant. Orly polishes come with the fan fave rubberized cap. That signature easy-to-grip topper makes it easy to control the polish. The brush is long and thin with flexible bristles. I personally would like it if there were more bristles to get more coverage in each stroke.

Both of these polishes are semi-sheer glitters with clear or lightly pigmented base colors.  The pigment in the actual polish doesn’t bring much to the coverage party so expect to rely solely on the glitter. Like most glitter polishes, the base formula is kind of squishy which I assume helps suspend the glitter particles, keeping them well dispersed. I used three medium coats of each polish to get as close to full coverage as possible. I can still see bits of my nails through some spots but I REALLY have to look for it.

Orly Bubbly Bombshell is a clear based glitter that was described by Orly as purple but I would call it a deep fuchsia. The glitter particles are very similar in hue to the sequins in Deborah Lippmann Bad Romance and a touch lighter than Nubar Petunia Sparkle, though definitely in the same color family.

Orly Here Comes Trouble has a sheer lime green base packed with vibrant kelly green glitter. The base makes the polish look kind of muddled in the bottle but it comes to life on the nail. Surprisingly, I don’t have any polishes, let alone glitter polishes, quite this shade. Zoya Apple shares the same zip code but it’s not nearly as vivid. I have some emerald and lime glitters but they’re either too dark or too yellow. Looks like my green polishes better make some room in the Helmer.

What makes these glitters unique is that all the particles are one color yet there are two distinct shapes and sizes. There is a boat load of fine, almost powdered micro-glitter, intermixed with larger hexagonal pieces. Whatever color variances you see on screen are simply due to the light.

Bottom Line: If you’re a glitter junkie like me, you need to get on board with these. The glitz factor is off the charts and the boldness of the color makes them perfect for summer. I really love Bubbly Bombshell as an accent with Here Comes Trouble. It’s like one perfect peony in a field of grass. Now I’m not sure what the colors have to do with the concept of a pin-up girl but it’s a glitter party, who cares!

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: I’m definitely STASHing them both but I’m sending Nubar Petunia Sparkle & its twin Nicole by OPI Glitz & Glisten to the SHARE bin in their place. See, I’m not stashing everything.

Orly Bubbly Bombshell and Here Comes Trouble are available now as part of the Summer 2011 Pin-up collection. They are available at Sally Beauty, ULTA, CVS and online at OrlyBeauty.com, Head2ToeBeauty.com and shipping July 1st from TransDesign.com. Orly nail polishes retail for $6-8/ea depending on the store, for a .6oz bottle.

Are you a glitter girl? Thoughts on today’s manicure? Will you be adding either of these to your stash? Do you know of a glitter similar to Here Comes Trouble? What is your favorite type of glitter polish? Smooth glitter? Multi-sized particles? Multi-colored? Do you prefer big chunky sequins or micro-glitter?

Disclosure: I purchased these nail polishes. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

If Alice fell down the rabbit hole and met a Makeup Artist instead of the Mad Hatter, M·A·C alice + olivia is the curiously gorgeous collection she’d be rocking!

Hip, playful, unpretentious and unabashedly fun, M·A·C is thrilled to announce the latest collaboration with the most adorably fabulous fashionista we know, designer Stacey Bendet of cult-fave line, alice + olivia.  Celebrities, socials and all-around cool girls from coast to coast are obsessed with a + o’s uptown-meets-downtown aesthetic and colourful, playful vibe, so the inspiration for the makeup collection was a cinch!

Fun, playful and hip all come to mind when I think of MAC and their consistently inventive collections so teaming up with Stacey Bendet of alice + olivia seems like a perfect fit.  When asked why she became involved in a makeup collection Bendet said, “Well, to me it’s all about colour, whether it’s a crazy pair of striped bell-bottoms or the perfect purple nail polish. It’s about a girl having a great time when she dresses up; and who dresses up without makeup?” Ah, a girl after my own heart.  The fact that she appreciates a good purple polish instantly endears her to me. Including a teal in her collection is icing on the cake.

Formula and Application: MAC polishes are free of the Big 3 and Formaldehyde Resin.  The brush is firm and short and the cap is rubberized giving a sturdy grip. I have to admit that when I was applying Morning. After I sounded like Mia Michaels talking to Alex Wong last week on SYTYCD.  I was all, “Who ARE you?”  Seriously this polish applies like a dream and is so easy to control. It’s not that MAC polishes have sucked lately or anything but I think I set myself up for disappointment with their cremes because of their past history of being streak fests.  My MAC mantra has always been that they do glitters & darks best so I was happy to be proven wrong. Now if they could get a harness on the pigmentation their polishes would be the complete package.  All three of these required three coats.

Morning. After is a deep sea blue-green that definitely has enough green in its base to categorize it in the teal family.  I know MAC describes it as a turquoise but it seems too dark for that.  The polish dries to a high gloss shine and even though I’ve been wearing this shade since Saturday it’s still super shiny with very little tip wear.

Is Morning. After the most original polish on the block?  No, but it doesn’t have any true dupes in my collection.  There are some definite close calls in China Glaze Shower Together and Barielle A Bouquet For Ava.  You could probably skip out on the MAC if you own the Barielle but Shower Together is quite a bit lighter.  In fact ST looks like a brighter version of ABfA.

Based on promo pics I was expecting So Rich So Pretty to be a true purple shimmer.  Another in the long line of purples that have come out this season (Funkey Dunkey, Grape Pop, etc.) but it’s so not that.  Instead it’s a punched up red-violet, like magenta and violet had a baby.  The shimmer in this one is tonal so you don’t get flashes of any other colors.  Just pure color.  I wish my camera could have captured the glassy finish on this one.  Even dry it looks dripping wet.

Military is the blackened sister of last winter’s Studded from the Riveting collection.  They are both glittery mattes that dry to a crepe paper-esque finish.  You know I love mattes for their quick dry time but I prefer the shimmery/glittery shades like this one as opposed to flat wall paint.  The only thing that threw me off was the application.  Normally mattes show every imperfection and even though Military applied a bit lumpy and bumpy it dried smooth and even.

I know Studded is completely different but I thought showing them side-by-side would be beneficial.  I also found a somewhat close match in Nubar Midnight Matte.  Midnight Matte has a lot more glitter in its base so it dries a bit lighter but you really only need one of these.

Bottom Line: Are any of these essential to life as a polish fanatic? Not in my opinion. Though I see teal as being the next big thing this Fall after a Turquoise-drenched Summer so if you’re at all into trends, it wouldn’t hurt to pick Morning.After up if your budget allows. MAC packaging collectors (raises hand) will appreciate the a+o themed boxes.

The MAC alice + olivia collection is available now at MACCosmetics.com and is set to hit MAC counters nationwide on July 8th.  MAC Nail Lacquers retail for $12/ea for a .34oz bottle.

What do you think of the color choices?  Do you think they’re a good fit for the alice + olivia brand?  Are you a packaging collector like me?  What products from the collection are you planning to pick up?  Do you have any dupe suggestions for Morning. After or So Rich So Pretty?

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

There ain’t no party like a glitter party cuz a glitter party don’t stop! Are you ready to kick off the holiday weekend with a blingasm?  I know I am!!  I told you back in February that for the second half of 2010 Deborah Lippmann is hosting a glitter spectacular and it all starts with her Fall 2010 collection. I’ve always been a lukewarm Beatles fan.  I own a few albums but I don’t live and die for them.  Then the movie musical Across The Universe came out and I was smitten.  Who knew Jim Sturgess could belt it out? The dreamy, mermaid-esque blue glitter baring the same name is a perfect fit for the trippy, lullaby sounding tune and the whimsical film.  Meanwhile the black-based magenta glitter, Bad Romance, is both hard-edge and feminine much like Lady Gaga.

Across The Universe is utterly spectacular.  It lives up to every expectation I had for it.  The navy jelly base is similar to Lippmann Rehab only more pigmented.  The sky blue glitter and blue and green hexagonal sequins dance throughout the jelly giving each nail its own unique look.  It looks like lights bouncing off a midnight blue sea.  Because this is a jelly base you will need more than two coats.  I felt that three coats gave me the perfect amount of coverage and bling.

Application Tips

• Use the least amount of strokes possible to keep the sequins in place.
• Only wipe the brush on the side not touching the nail to ensure the sequins aren’t dropped back in the bottle.
• Wait a little longer between layers to avoid dragging.

Sunlight

I was rocking out to Bad Romance and the rest of my Lady Gaga tunes while wearing this color and I think this will be the perfect manicure choice when I go to her concert on the 14th.  Bad Romance has a black semi-sheer jelly base that is packed with magenta glitter and hexagonal sequins.  It applies very much like Across The Universe so I used three coats with this one as well.

Sunlight

Removal and wear advice: Maybe it’s the jelly base but these weren’t as difficult to remove as traditional glitters. I applied some cuticle oil around the nail, held a HandsDown pad on it for 15 seconds and the polish slid right off. No real work required.

If you really want to punch up the look try layering these over lighter, brighter colors. I did a quick test of Across the Universe over a bright yellow (its color wheel complement) and the base took on a cool seawater green cast.

Bottom Line: Across the Universe gets my “must-have” stamp of approval. I’m over the moon in love with it. Each nail looks like a little piece of marine art. Bad Romance is fun with a rocker edge but if I had to choose one, ATU would win out.

Across The Universe and Bad Romance are available for pre-order now at Nordstrom.com as part of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.  Pre-orders will arrive July 12th. They launch on DeborahLippmann.com this August.  Also, US and international shoppers can purchase Deborah Lippmann polishes through Beauty.com where the colors will be available this August. Polishes retail for $18/ea.

Who’s joining Deborah Lippmann at her glitter party? Are you dying over Across The Universe like I am?  What colors do you think would be good to layer underneath?

Disclosure: Product samples were furnished to me by PR for possible review.  For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

Last summer’s North Fork Collection from Essie was such a stellar sellout success that it’s no wonder she’s releasing the tropical themed Resort Collection that includes a new green and blue for us to drool over. I have to say, Essie’s colors are starting to win my heart again.  She’s introducing more “me” shades and I LOVE it.  Granted the Art of Spring wasn’t my style but she has a pretty large fan base to please. I mean I get that she’s known for stunning reds, sheers and neutrals but I’m just not that kind of girl.  I guess in NYC speak my nail flavor is more “downtown” than “uptown”  so when Essie creates colors like Turquoise & Caicos and Lapis of Luxury, I’m ALL IN!   Check them out after the jump!

Formula & Application: The consistency and texture of these polishes are very similar to the cremes from the North Fork Collection. They have the squishy jelly-ish quality when applying and they level out very well. Seriously, on one nail I had too much polish and I thought I created a polish ridge but it dried perfectly flat and glossy.

My only issue, and it’s kind of major, is with the pigmentation. These apply pretty sheer so I would highly suggest a ridge filling base coat to avoid VNL. With Turquoise & Caicos I used 4 thin coats and at certain angles you could still see my tips.  With the rest of the polishes I was a bit heavier handed with the layers and I got away with three coats.

Turquoise & Caicos is a beautiful true turquoise creme.  It screams tropics and actually the whole collection reminds me of the St. Maarten sign that greets cruise passengers at the port.

I went on the hunt for T&C’s twin and failed.  I have a literal smorgasbord of blues, greens and everything in between and couldn’t find a true dupe.  T&C falls somewhere between Essie Greenport and Barry M Mint Green.  Surprisingly they all have the same texture and finish.

Lapis of Luxury is a rich cornflower blue creme.  It’s got that sky before a storm quality only brighter.  I have a sweater this color that is beat down and covered in pills but I keep shaving them off because I love the color so much and haven’t found anything to replace it.  Similarly, I haven’t come across a polish this color before either.

Looking at Lapis in the bottle I felt confident that I had a match in my stash.  Not so much!  China Glaze Secret Peri-Winkle is a deeper more purple version and Maybelline’s Pie In The Sky is touch lighter and definitely more sky blue than pre-storm sky blue.  Plus, the Maybelline was a nightmare to apply so even if it was a dupe I’d go with the Essie.

Playa Del Platinum isn’t a grey to my eye as much as it is a greige, like greyed sand which is something you’d find on the shores of Lake Erie.  There’s no white sands to be found here people.  It definitely fills the neutral void in the collection and while I didn’t find it flattering against my skin I can see this being a very work friendly way to work those greige tones into your wardrobe.

Playa Del Platinum has no close relatives in my collection though it found some twice removed cousins in Essie Body Language and Deborah Lippmann Waking Up In Vegas.  Playa is more tan and greyed than Body Language but not quite as browned or dark as Waking Up In Vegas.

Spalsh of Grenadine looks more fuchsia than the magenta it was described as in the preview.  It’s a vivid purple toned pink creme.  This type of color isn’t really my deal so they don’t tend to take up residence in my permanent collection and since I recently cleaned house, I have nothing to compare this with.  Think of it as a lighter, pinker version of SOPI Don’t Go There.

Bottom line: Turquoise & Caicos and Lapis of Luxury scream ALU must-haves.  They’re totally unique and very me.  Playa Del Platinum and Splash of Grenadine get a pass from me because while I’m willing to deal with the sheerness for an amazing blue or green I’m not willing to put in the time on colors I won’t regularly wear.

The Essie 2010 Resort Collection launches in May 2010 on essie.com and in salons nationwide.

Are you loving the Resort polishes?  Which one is your fave?  Are you planning to pick up any of these when they hit shelves next month?

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished by Essie.  For more information read my Disclosure Policy.

The Zoya Sparkle collection has completely wowed me.  I predicted when I saw the promo images that I would find some must-haves in the bunch but seriously they’re all winners.  Even the reds and pinks which is so unlike me. With this first of two Summer 2010 collections, Zoya has combined the twinkling beauty of the China Glaze glass flecked formula with the foil-like metallic glitter as seen in the Orly Foil FX collection.  Together they make for one killer combo of bling and glitz that will razzle dazzle you a la Chicago.  I want to break out the jazz hands and fan kicks just thinking about it. Check out the girls, Ivanka, Charla, Mimi, Alegra, Nidhi and Gilda, after the jump!

What makes the Sparkle collection stand out amongst other colors in this genre is the pigmentation. The problem with glitter polishes is that if the base gets too thick with pigment, the glitter fades to the background or leaves you with a chunky, bumpy mess.  So it’s a fine balance and Zoya has definitely toed the line.

The Sparkle formula is still semi-sheer but with three thin coats, they are completely opaque.  Of course, if you’re more heavy handed with your polish application you could probably get away with two coats but I find that thicker layers lead to chipping so I prefer to keep them thin. Nidhi is the lone exception to that rule as she is much more pigmented though slightly less flashy.

The polish applies much like the China Glaze glass flecked formula except that when it dries it loses its jelly quality.  That’s when the metallic glitter comes into play, giving them more of a foil-esque finish than the ChG glass flecks with that “lit from within” look.

I knew Ivanka would win my heart before I even saw her in person.  It’s hard for me to not love a green.  Though the fact that I have not one green that matches its light emerald base was surprising.  I swatched a bunch of different shades trying to find a base color match and the closest I found would be if I combined Sally Hansen Emerald City and Rimmel Camouflage though neither one has Ivanka’s glamour.  How very fitting for a polish that shares a name with Ivanka Trump.

Charla has that watery “mermaid” look like the blue-green glitter Deborah Lippmann will be debuting this fall.  Of course they look nothing alike, they’re just variations on a theme.  Charla’s deep aqua base is similar to Color Club Emerald Depths but with a teal green shimmer that reminds me of China Glaze Watermelon Rind.

Mimi is pure, purple perfection; very rich and grape-tastic with what looks to be light purple/pink metallic micro-glitter.  A purple shimmer this vivid and true is hard to come by, at least in my stash.  To me, Mimi has no real match. It’s warmer and more vibrant than Milani Totally Cool and when compared to China Glaze Grape Juice, Mimi pops. Grape Juice actually looks kind of dull standing next to Mimi and I LOVE that polish.

Alegra is a radiant fuchsia gem.  Think of it as an electrified version of Tama from the Utopia collection.  The base color reminds me of China Glaze Sass in a Glass though the glitter is different. Alegra has a dark pink glitter as compared to Sass’s cool, light pink sparkle.

Gilda is kind of like Alegra’s brighter, lighter sister.  The relationship is similar to those two OPIs in the Brights collection, Flashbulb Fuchsia and Ladies & Magenta-men.  With a base color that’s somewhat like OPI Can’t Help Falling In Love, Gilda is a power mix of the three with bit more punch and heck of a lot more pizazz.

Nidhi is definitely the most subdued Sparkle in the bunch.  With its dense pigmentation, the red and gold micr0-glitter seem to be more of an accent than a statement piece.  The warm tomato red tone is reminiscent of last summer’s China Glaze Cherry Pie but with much more opacity and depth of color.  This was the only two coat-er in the collection.

Bottom line: If you even remotely like the glass-flecked look or the foil finish, run, don’t walk, to buy this whole collection. And if you’re like me and flock to the shiny and sparkly like a moth to a flame, I don’t even know what you’re still doing here unless you’re placing your order in another browser window! If I had to pick a Top 3: Ivanka, Charla, Mimi (in that order). I know, I know big surprise!

The Zoya Sparkle collection is available for pre-order now with an expected ship date of April 1st (and that’s no joke!). Order online at Zoya.com.  Polishes retail for $7/ea OR buy the whole collection for $36/set and save $6.

So Fanatics, did the Sparkle collection live up to your expectations?  Exceed them?  Disappoint?  Which shades will make it onto your polish shopping list?

And totally off topic but I’ve been growing out my nails just to see if I could shape them more round but I feel they’re getting too long.  Should I take ‘em down or maintain the length?

Disclosure: Product samples were furnished to me by Zoya. For more information view my Disclosure Policy.

For spring 2010, get rooted into style with six new nail polish hues from Shades by Barielle. The Wildflower Collection blooms with floral-themed colors and Barielle’s signature healthy “3-free” formulation. Lending a helping hand to root out ovarian cancer, 100% of proceeds from three shades from the collection will be donated to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund when purchased at www.ocrf.org. Launching this February, the Wildflower collection from Shades by Barielle includes three polishes designed by Creative Director Elle to help fight Ovarian Cancer.  With two blues and two greens including some unique glitter accents, I’m smitten with the charitable concept and the colors.  The collection doesn’t launch for a couple months but I’ve got a preview of the bottles and Junebug for you to check out.

Three of the six polishes benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.  A Bouquet for Ava, Junebug and Myrza’s Meadow (named for Jennifer Lopez’s beloved aunt).  100% of the proceeds from the purchase of these polishes go to the OCRF when you buy directly from their website www.ocrf.org.  And honestly, they are the three coolest colors in the bunch.  The vivid teal of Ava, the multi-colored glitter in Myrza and my top pick, Junebug.  I couldn’t wait to show you Junebug so I did a quick swatch before applying my holiday manicure.

Junebug is named for Elle’s dear friend June.  She is a grayed teal shimmer with flecks of fuchsia glitter peppered throughout.  The base color has a sand-washed feel, in the same way that Slate of Affairs does but it’s the glitter that really makes it unique.  I have definitely not seen a color like this before.  It applies a lot like Slate of Affairs as well.  It has that squishy jelly texture and some thickness but it evens out well and is pigmented enough to only require two coats.

I took this photo in artificial light so you can see the subtle shimmer in the base color.

A Bouquet For Ava, Junebug, Myrza's Meadow, Snap Dragon, Blossom, Darling Dahlia

A Bouquet for Ava—a cool Caribbean blue
June Bug—a teal with fuchsia glitter
Myrza’s Meadow—a light lime green with silver glitter
Snap Dragon—a metallic sea foam green
Blossom—an opaque peach
Darling Dahlia—a deep fuchsia with a hint of silver metallic

The Wildflower collection launches in February on Barielle.com and the three polishes benefiting the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund will be available at www.ocrf.org.

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished to me by Barielle.  An affiliate link to Barielle.com appears in this post. For further information view my Disclosure Policy.

When I got my hands on the new OPI Matte nail polishes, I immediately started swatching them on my fingers. This was my first time using a true matte polish and all I could say was, “Wow, that’s MATTE alright!” I’ve never seen anything like these before. Think about dipping your fingers in flat wall paint and that’s the look we’re talking about here fanatics. Not at all like the satin-esque finish I got from using Orly Nails For Males top coat for my matte & glossy nail art experiment. It’s like the black hole of nail polish, no light lives here. I’ve got swatches, a full review and comparison shots for you after the jump!

Every bottle of OPI Matte comes with a little tag that explains the nature of the formula, rules regarding application and suggestions on how to wear it (i.e. matte nail w/glossy tip). It states that you should NOT use a base coat, top coat, drying drops or hand lotion. According to OPI, “because of the different formulation of the OPI Matte Nail Lacquers, it is best to wear it without a base coat and to stay away from lotions to get the best, most fabulous matte look possible.” My theory… hand lotion will affect the finish, making it more satin looking and a base coat affects the application (streaking, unevenness, etc). Application – This formula dries FAST. Like lightening fast so you must work quickly and meticulously. Any hesitation in your brush stroke will show as will any imperfections in your nail bed, like ridges. The polish is thick and highly pigmented but because of the difficulty in getting it smooth, I needed to do three coats of each shade.

Wear – I experimented with the no base coat rule when I did my five day wear test. I buffed then prepped my nails using Seche Prep to make sure they were free of any oils. I applied CND Stickey base coat to three nails (thumb, middle, pinkie) and left the other two bare. I noticed that the formula didn’t flow as nicely over the nails coated with Stickey. By the following day I already had two chips on my index and ring fingers, by day five, well you can see the disaster they were. Going out to dinner with nails like this was, um “fun.” The boyfriend just shakes his head at this point. Meanwhile, the nails with base coat showed normal tip wear, nothing drastic. While OPI doesn’t suggest using base coat, I highly recommend it for two reasons: 1. So you don’t feel like you wasted your money on a polish that only lasts two days. 2. To avoid staining. The dark colors do stain! It may mean trickier application but it’s worth it for longer wear. Now let’s move on to the colors

Alpine Snow Matte is the polish version of painting Wite-Out to your nails. It’s chalky and blindingly bright.
Even though original Alpine Snow is used as a french tip shade, next to the matte version it looks almost off white. Now because Orly Matte has a tinge of color to it, it altered the color of Alpine Snow making it more creamy.
Gargantuan Green Grape Matte is also very chalky and as much as I love a green, I’m not in love with this. It reminds me of a faded dried out pressed leaf. Unfortunately I don’t own the original version (I know, I know sacrilege) so I can’t compare them for you.
As much as I’m not a pink girl La Paz-itively Hot Matte is my favorite polish in the collection. It’s the shimmer in it that gets me, making the finish a bit more satin than the rest.
As you can see La Paz Matte is NOTHING like the original. La Paz is a hot pink but the matte version is more rosey and deeper in hue. Both colors are actually more vibrant in person but my camera just can’t capture that.
I showed you You Don’t Know Jacques Matte in my second matte/glossy nail art experiment but here it is on its own. Is it just me or does it look like I rubbed dirt on my nails? I don’t hate the color but the finish just isn’t doing it for me. It doesn’t have the same uniqueness as the original (below).
Lincoln Park After Dark Matte is the same almost black plum that the world has come to know and love. In most light it looks pretty black, in natural/sunlight you can see the purple undertones. It’s warmer than a flat black just like it’s shiny finish sister.
Now after seeing La Paz Matte I had high hopes for Russian Navy Matte, expecting that same slightly satin, shimmer-filled finish. But that’s not what we got. Instead it’s a lifeless blue-black hue.
In this case, I much prefer the satin version using Orly Matte.

The OPI Matte collection officially goes on sale in July and can be found online at our fave e-tailers and in professional salons like Regis, ULTA, Trade Secret, JCPenney.

I know you’ve weighed in on the matte look but what do you think about OPI’s version? Will you be running out to buy them?

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?

You know that we are living in a material world
And I am a material girl
A material, a material, a material, a material world
Material Girl lyrics by Peter Brown & Robert Rans

Even though Madonna’s song was about materialism and not fabric, it’s hard for me not to look at the imMaterial Gurl collection from China Glaze without hearing those lyrics in my head. I can’t sing to save my life but in the comfort of my polish room, I was belting it out like a champ while testing these shades.

A collection of six textile themed cremes, the imMaterial Gurl nail polishes are a girly change of pace compared to their bolder Spring/Summer offerings, Ink and Ecollection. With a diverse range of hues to flatter most skin tones, rich pigmentation and a high gloss shine, these are not what I’d call “must have” colors but they’re definitely good staple shades to round out your collection.

For the most part the formula was spot on. Two coats for perfect, even coverage. The only notable exceptions are Second-hand Silk and Heirloom Organza. The consistency was a bit thicker and not as flowy so, I had to use three coats. All shades are shown without a top coat, just their natural glossiness.

The imMaterial Colleciton is available now and can be purchased online from 8ty8Beauty.com and Head2ToeBeauty.com. China Glaze is also carried in ULTA and Sally Beauty Supply stores but call for seasonal collection availability.

Orly has introduced another Color I.D. collection; colors that are supposed to “beautify and enhance natural skin tones.”

The colors are (l-r): Truly Tangerine, Fabulous Flamingo, Lovely Lilac, Precisely Poppy, Beautiful Blush and Wonderful Wisteria

I’ve always considered myself light medium/medium but that lilac color does not appeal to me at all. I’ve tried lilacs before and they make me look deathly. Maybe they should have split the collection into two parts, one for warm skin tones and one for cool skin tones. I love to wear corals like Precisely Poppy but, that’s because I’m warm. I don’t know that the same color would work on a cool skin tone.

What do you think of the shade meant for your skin tone?