We’re only seven weeks and two days away from the hotly anticipated opening of The Hunger Games (yes I’m counting) and the only thing more buzzed about than the actual movie is the nail polish collaboration between Lionsgate and China Glaze, The Capitol Colours Collection. Even people who haven’t read the books are exploding with excitement over these polishes.

Between the drama over whether the collection would even come out, the name changes from a character driven theme to a “Capitol” driven theme, that still represents the Districts more than the Capitol, to the debate over whether a book about a dystopian society where children fight to the death for their District’s survival should even be associated with nail polish, every nail lover has been talking about this collection.

All of that aside, it’s the colors alone that drew the majority of us in. Wanting to own a piece of a favorite book series is definitely a part of it but we wouldn’t be rabid to get our hands on the lacquers unless the colors made our pulses race. And that’s exactly what mine did when the collection landed on my doorstep. Let’s dive into the world of Panem, shall we?

Formula & Application: China Glaze is a 3-Free brand with a round brush that is both medium in length and firmness with enough give to allow for ease of control. The cap is slightly tapered and made of smooth plastic that is comfortable to hold.

The diversity of the finishes in this collection makes it hard to generalize the application as being just one thing. Overall the cremes are thin and workable. The metallics and matte are a bit on the goopy side and take some finesse to apply smoothly. The shimmer, foil and jelly polishes were all a dream to work with. I will comment on any application issues below but all polishes are shown with two coats with the exception of the glitter, Electrify.

China Glaze Agro (District 11 – Agriculture) Is a metallic olive green with flecks of gold. The base isn’t overly warm which makes it very wearable though peeps with uber cool tones may have a hard time pulling it off. Due to the metallic finish, brush strokes are an issue and the formula is kind of clumpy so apply very thin layers. Application tip: Apply to the sides first (strokes 1 & 2) then finish in the middle to blend and smooth the surface.

China Glaze Dress Me Up (District 8 – Textiles) is the color that was originally named for Primrose and given its dusty rose color, that would have been a great fit. It’s creamy with a soft, delicate nature, just like Prim.

China Glaze Electrify (District 5 – Power) is a clear-based packed with yellow gold and red glitter. The gold is the more prevalent color though the photo doesn’t show that. Unfortunately shooting in macro pulls apart the colors that your eye will naturally blend together. The overall effect looks like gold foil peppered with red sparkles.  Thanks to the density of the glitter, you can get decent coverage without a ton of coats. I am showing you one, two and three coats of color.

China Glaze Fast Track (District 6 – Transportation) is a cool beige packed with gold micro-flecks. It has a similar finish as Knotty from Anchors Away except the base is cooler and more opaque and the flecks are gold instead of silver. It’s a great twist on your average neutral. I was honestly expecting this one to be pretty sheer so I was pleasantly surprised to find that it gives great coverage.

China Glaze Foie Gras (District 10 – Livestock) is a dark, moody mauve creme. I’m calling it Below Deck After Dark. It’s a member of that whole taupe-y purple family that Chanel Particuliere and SOPI Metro Chic belong to.

China Glaze Harvest Moon (District 9 – Grain) is a burnt copper foil metallic. It had the autumnal, fall feeling that represents the idea of a bountiful harvest really well. Unlike the other metallics in this collection, because it’s a foil, it applies smooth as butter and it packed with pigment.

China Glaze Hook and Line (District 4 – Fishing) is a muddied, pewter metallic. There’s a bit of taupe to its underbelly that makes me think of a fish hook that has a thin layer layer of dried dirt from years of use. It’s definitely unusual. It had the same application issues so see above for my tip to getting a smooth finish.

China Glaze Luxe & Lush (District 1 – Luxury) is the FLAKIE top coat. I know all you flakie fans have been freaking over this and since we’re in the midst of a giant flakie movement I’m sure this color will sell fast. In the bottle you can see flecks of fiery orange, blue and a lilac leaning pink in a milky base. I thought it would pair well with Dress Me Up but I wanted to show you other options so I included a black (ChG Liquid Leather) and pale blue (ChG Sea Spray). I think I expected it to explode over black but it kind of fizzled out like an expired firecracker. I love it over the other two though.

China Glaze Mahogany Magic (District 7 – Lumber) is a rich, yellow-based, brown creme. While it’s meant to have a woody feel, I look at it and see a horse mane. Can’t get that out of my mind. Undoubtedly this will rock on warmer/olive skin tones but on me, it feels wrong. Clearly I can’t wear colors this yellow.

China Glaze Riveting (District 3 – Technology) is a jelly-fied gem. A sister to two classic China Glaze jellies, Orange Marmalade and Orange-Pacific this color has one thing going for it the others lack, pigment. It’s magical. Two coats and it’s on! LOVE!

China Glaze Stone Cold (District 2 – Masonry) surprised me as I wasn’t expecting to see a matte in this collection but it makes total sense to have this graphite glitter dry with a matte finish. It’s so asphalt-esque I can’t stand it. Though very similar to Nubar Matte Midnight. Like most mattes, the formula is a bit thick and goopy so use thin coats and workly quickly since mattes dry fast.

With a top coat the silver sparkles come alive and it resembles graphite. I prefer this look over the flat matte.

China Glaze Smoke & Ashes (District 12 – Mining) is the color I’ve been looking forward to most and it does not disappoint. The love child of Blk-Bila-Bong and Glittering Garland, it has the inky base and blue micro-flecks that made BBB a star. Mix in the emerald fleck from GG and we have a rising star on our hands. It’s so much better in person, trust!

Bottom Line: Even though the association with the Districts is not something that is advertised in association with this collection (I read it on this blog) overall I feel the colors do a great job of representing The Hunger Games. Are there some dupeable shades, no doubt. But are there some legen (wait for it)… DARY must-haves? Abso-frickin-lutely. Smoke & Ashes, Riveting, Luxe & Lush, Agro and Fast Track and Harvest Moon are all keepers. If your budget allows, consider Electrify and Dress Me Up. I know I’m known for my aversion to pinks but there’s something about DMU that attracts me. Plus is looks fab under Luxe & Lush.

The China Glaze Capitol Colours collection releases mid-March 2012 at salons and beauty supply stores nationwide including Sally Beauty and ULTA. Online shoppers can head to Head2ToeBeauty.com, TransDesign.com and ULTA.com. China Glaze nail polishes retail for $3-6.50/ea, depending on the retailer, for a .5oz bottle.

Alright so spill… which colors will make your short list to buy? Which one will you wear to see The Hunger Games? Which colors exceeded your expectations based on previews? Which ones fell short?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for China Glaze. 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.

Say what you will about American Apparel clothes or ad campaigns but where nail polish is involved they hit a home run.  Last winter the brand introduced their collection of Nail Lacquers and they certainly didn’t play it safe.  Any brand that kicks off with multiple blues and greens automatically scores points in my book. As I reported, there was a recall due to a bottle issue but to AA’s credit they rectified the situation in a timely manner.  Prior to that I was sent a few polishes by the brand for review but I was only into one of the colors. I’ve been meaning to hop over to my local American Apparel store to pick up the more “me” shades but I really hate the parking sitch in that area so I couldn’t drag myself over there just for polish until recently.  I know that makes me a bad polish fanatic and believe me, I’m totally kicking myself for waiting so long.  See why after the jump!

I picked up all the colors in this review except Dynasty at my local American Apparel store and when the sales clerk saw my choices she said, “You picked all the best ones.” Obviously she has great taste!

Dynasty is a mid-tone mauve creme. I know a lot of people think of mauve as an old lady color, I used to be one of them but, for some odd reason they’ve grown on me.  While I don’t like how red based purples look on me, I love how mauves compliment my skin tone.  Riddle me that!  This was a three coater for me.  It went on a bit watery leaving a few patches which is why the third coat was necessary.

Hunter is the perfect name for this deep green dream that applies flawlessly in two coats.  It totally captures that aristocrats hunting in the woods vibe.  I love that it’s dark without reaching “almost black” territory.  It’s actually a very close dupe for Orly Enchanted Forest.  It would take a very savvy Fanatic to tell them apart.

Mount Royal is not at all what I think of when I hear the word royal.  This blue is darker, slightly grayed with a hint of purple undertone.  As excited as I was about Hunter, I ended up falling harder for Mount Royal.  It dries much darker than the bottle color suggests and I totally dig that. Plus while I have some lighter grayed blues, I don’t have any quite like this.  Mount Royal is another two coat wonder.

Mouse is a pretty blah taupe-ish neutral.  It seems to be toeing the line between a true taupe and beige.  It’s not warm enough to be a cafe au lait and on me it just falls flat.  There’s a reason “mousy” is associated with lackluster brown hair and blasé blah people so AA was really setting itself up for a fail in naming this color.  The fact that I needed three coats doesn’t support its case.

I really wanted Office to be a winner.  With the popularity of mint green and so many of them being LE, I was excited to see this as a perm shade in the AA line.  The problem… application.  It’s a total streak-fest.  What you see below is three coats and even though it doesn’t show, there is major cuticle pull and patchiness.  I would have needed a fourth coat to make this one look perfect and I wasn’t giving in.

Peacock is gorgeous teal cream that applies like a dream in two medium thick coats.  The hue falls somewhere between two of my fave teals, Illamasqua Muse and Rescue Beauty Lounge Teal.  Muse looks muted and slightly grayed next to Peacock.  I really hoped they were dupes as so many people love the look of Muse but hate its price tag.  Though I think that Peacock will satiate your craving for half the price.  I know turquoise is the hot color of the season but I’m rocking Peacock this weekend when our friends come to town.  It’s the hotness!

Way back when I initially received Dynasty I did a wear test that ended up lasting six days instead of my regular five because I really like the color.  I wore Dynasty with Nubar Foundation Base Coat and Olan Labs Quick & Slick and I ended up with quite a bit of tip wear and one noticeable chip on my index finger.  The picture below was taken under artificial light so the color is not accurate.

Application and Formula: For the majority of the colors in this line, the magic number is three. Three coats that is. The formula itself is a joy to work with, thin and smooth, though a bit on the sheer side until you get into the darker shades which are perfectly pigmented. The polishes are 3-Free and do not include Formaldehyde Resin.

Due to the tall bottles the brush handles are pretty long so you have make sure you wipe them well as you pull out the brush or else you’ll end up with globs of polish falling on your nails. The brush itself is long, thin and very pliable. At first I was put off by the lack of resistance from the bristles but then I realized that it made it easy to create a smooth, sweeping line along my cuticles. The downside is that it doesn’t spread out well so a three stroke application is out of the question for me.

Bottom Line: If you know what’s good for you, you’ll snag bottles of Peacock and Mount Royal.  If you never got Orly Enchanted Forest, add Hunter to your shopping list.  Office is a total pigmentation fail and gets a “pass” from me.  If you’re into “old lady mauves” like me, you’ll dig Dynasty and unless you get a case of the blahs, leave Mouse on the display.

American Apparel Nail Lacquer is available at American Apparel stores nationwide and online at AmericanApparel.com.  Polishes retail for $6/ea or you can purchase 3-packs for $15.

Have you tried AA polish yet? What are your favorite colors? Are you happy with the formula and brush?

Disclosure: Dynasty was furnished to me by American Apparel for editorial consideration. The rest were purchased by me. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

One of Color Club’s three, yes I said three, new collections is Rebel Debutante.  The collection introduces nine new creme polishes that for the most part are very chic and subdued but it’s the stand out blue and green that caught my eye. What an unexpected twist to add such bright pops of color to the palette.  I suppose they are the rebels in the group.  Though what I like about this collection as a whole is that even though the majority of the shades are neutrals, they are what I’d call “new neutrals.”  They have an updated feel to them.  See what I mean after the jump!

Who Are You Wearing? is a grayed cream.  Its cooler base makes it more relevant than a buttercream icing type white.  Though because it’s a semi-sheer polish, I needed three coats to get it opaque.  It’s also a bit on the streaky side but by layer three those issues are resolved.  Oh and yes, there was a polish from OPI with this name but they look nothing alike.

High Society falls into that mushroom-y taupe trend that’s so popular right now but it’s a bit lighter than colors like Chanel Particuliere.  For those that find Particuliere too dark for spring/summer, this would be a great option. Like Who Are You Wearing? this shade has a greyed out coolness to it that makes it very wearable.  The formula feels kind of watery so I used three coats.

Best Dressed List is actually much warmer in person it just doesn’t translate on camera.  Think of a cozy camel cashmere sweater.  It has a cuddliness to it.  This is definitely a warm toned shade so it would be best for olive and darker skinned ladies.

Charity Ball has that burnt sienna crayon look to it.  It’s a brown based brick red hue that reminds me of dried red clay, only without the dustiness.  It’s definitely vibrant and feels very fall to me.  Again this is a bit watery and required three coats.

Uptown Girl is the color I recommended to get Deborah Ann Woll’s Oscar nail look.  It’s a smokey deep violet that looks a bit darker in person.  It’s definitely in the same vein as one of my other greyed purples, OPI Parlez Vous OPI?. I’m really in love with this color.  Even though this color has been done, every time I come across it I fall in love all over again.

She’s So Great is a vivid candy-ish pink.  It’s got a blue undertone that makes it more cool but not so much that warm skinned girls should stay away.  This one was a bit difficult to work with.  A little thick and streaky but manageable.

Ms. Socialite looks like a cross between a red grape and a plum (a grum?).  It’s got a lot of warm red tones in its base and in the bottle looks like a deep magenta.  It dries much darker of course.  I normally shy away from warmer purples but this one got to me.  Partly because the application was fantastic.  A dream really.  Two coats got it done and it flowed extremely smooth and even.  Ms. Socialite is the total package.

Gossip Column is the color that initially drew me in.  I love deep sea blues and teals and this one is a gem.  I have a lot of blue-greens that are heavy on the green but not as many that lean more towards blue so this one is a must have in my collection.  In the bottle it looks a lot like A Bouquet For Ava from Barielle’s Wildflower collection but Gossip Column dries darker with a hint more teal to it.

Rebel Debutante is definitely the loner in this crowd.  This bright neon green doesn’t quite fit in with the other kids at the ball.  Because it is a neon it dries to a satin finish but a layer of top coat will take care of that.  Of course, as with all brights/neons it doesn’t photograph well.  They must be shy or something, don’t want to upstage the others with its vivid hue.  In person it’s MUCH bolder and in your face but not day-glow offensive.

Bottom line: The understated creams are a great addition to your color wardrobe but not must haves.  Uptown Girl is a great substitute for OPI Parlez Vous OPI? and Ms. Socialite and Gossip Column are my hands down faves.

The Color Club Rebel Debutante collection is available now and can be purchased online at TransDesign.com and VictoriaNailSupply.com where prices range from $2.25-$2.50/ea.

What do you think of this collection?  Which colors caught your eye?  Are you feeling these subtle tones for spring or are you more into the bold colors like Gossip Column and Rebel Debutante?

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished to me by Color Club.  For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

One of the most anticipated collections of the season, OPI Hong Kong takes us to the far east and I don’t want to come back.  Following what I consider a pretty boring year for OPI (I just didn’t LOVE Spain & South Beach) they’re already off to a great start with Alice in Wonderland and Hong Kong.  I hope the momentum keeps going throughout the year. Of course I’ve been geeked over the idea of a new OPI green so Jade Is The New Black has been on my mind for months and it did NOT disappoint.  I dare say it may take down Rainforest as my all-time fave OPI.  That’s a huge statement people! I’ve got the first half of the collection for you today so check out Jade Is The New Black, Suzi Says Feng Shui, Meet Me On The Star Ferry, Bling Dynasty and Pearl of Wisdom after the jump!

OPI’s formula continues to please me.  The cremes just apply so perfectly smooth and my wide nail beds love the brush.  Though it’s like I forget how good the polish is because when I put these on I was like, “DAMN, why can’t all brand be this good?”  You all know how much I love me some China Glaze but their formula just hasn’t been as great as of late whereas OPI just seems to be getting better.  All the polishes shown below applied flawlessly in two coats.

Jade Is The New Black is an understatement.  Jade is the new JADE and I’m talking about Chanel Jade.  I still love the mint polishes but this is the hotness!  Like a lot of gemstones, Jade comes in a range of hues and Jade Is The New Black is on the opposite side of the spectrum from Chanel Jade.  Slightly muted yet vibrant with a blue undertone, it’s one stellar color and a total MUST HAVE!

I know the color comparison requests will come piling in but I truly do NOT have a polish that dupes JITB so I thought I’d show it next to a bunch of other mid-tone greens so you can see how it stands out.

Suzi Says Feng Shui is bright cobalt creme.  Barry M’s Cobalt looks similar in the bottle but on the nail they couldn’t be more different.  This color is lighter and brighter.  FYI, Cleveland’s weather has caused me to rely on my indoor lighting equipment so the rest of these shots (with one exception) are in artificial light.

Again, I thought a bottle lineup would be useful as I have no exact dupe in my stash.  I pitted SSFS up against, OPI No Room For The Blues, Orly Calypso Breeze, Color Club Gossip Color, Barielle A Bouquet for Ava and Illamasqua Muse.  As you can see, it doesn’t have the teal undertones of the shades on the right and it falls somewhere between the two on the left.

When I saw Meet Me On The Star Ferry, I thought, “what is this color doing here?”  It seemed out of place and not that exciting.  On the nail it wowed!   Packed with golden micro-glitter this rosey mauve is extremely eye-catching.  I really have nothing to compare it to.  I thought perhaps Zoya Flowie (too gold) or Rhea ( too purple/cool) and I pulled my bottle of  OPI My Big Break that doesn’t have this type of sparkle.  It’s a winner!  Oh and I had a few seconds of light so I could show it to you in natural and artificial light.

Bling Dynasty is a burnished old gold with metallic shimmer and micro-glitter.  It’s definitely got an aged feel to it like if you dug up some ancient queen that wore real gold nails, this is how they’d look now.  Morbid but that’s where my mind went.

Bling Dynasty is deeper than the other golds in my collection.  As you can see compared to Duri Golden Nugget, Sally Hansen Salon Tassel, OPI Curry Up Don’t Be Late and Orly Gold Rush, BD is darker and richer.

Pearl of Wisdom is a sheer iridescent white with pink-ish pearlized micro-glitter.  This is not a buildable sheer so I’ve shown it with two coats.  I’m not a sheer girl, for obvious reasons (hello short nail beds!) so this one is a pass for me.

The OPI Hong Kong Collection officially launches in February though I’ve seen it for sale online already. OPI is available in salons nationwide including chains like JCPenney, ULTA, Trade Secret, Beauty Express and Regis.

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

Welcome to CND Monday, a new feature here on ALU. Each week I’ll be sharing a new layering combination from CND Colour & Effects to show you the versatility and creativity of the line. When I first saw the Colour & Effects line I naturally gravitated towards the primary and secondary hues. You know, “me” colors. It wasn’t until I had some time to play with the line at home that I’ve begun discover all this line has to offer. Muddy Rose is one of those discoveries. I’ve been on a mauve kick for fall ever since I saw the Reem Acra dress that inspired Get Mauve-ing from the Barielle All Lacquered Up collection. Now I’m on a full fledged dusty pink/rose/purple spree and Muddy Rose fits the bill. See it on its own and paired with Raspberry Sparkle after the jump!

If you missed my detailed review of the new CND Formula, Bottle and Brush check out CND Colour, Effects and Henna? for a recap.

I got my first glimpse of Muddy Rose in action when it was being used backstage at the Carolina Herrera show during Fashion Week. I was instantly drawn to its muted rosy hue. I couldn’t wait to get home and try it myself. The polish is so heavily pigmented that it barely needs two coats though it’s not at all thick or tricky to maneuver.
Adding a layer of complimentary Effect, Raspberry Sparkle, lightened the shade adding a smattering of bling. I love that the sparkle family of Effects dries smooth and glossy with no texture. The glitter lies flat but gives a multidimensional look. I remember this particular Effect being an editor fave during the CND launch at Cosmoprof and I can definitely see why.

As I mentioned above, Muddy Rose made its runway debut on the models at Carolina Herrera. It was used in a layering combination over CND’s black, Blackjack, to create a muted-out mauve. Carolina chose the combo to complete the overall look of her collection that was inspired by woven Japanese baskets and included a lot of texture, maroon and luxe gowns.Diane Kendal for MAC gave the girls a “fresh, pretty, timeless” look consisting of a soft smokey brown eye and natural lip using one of my fave lip colors MAC Twig as a stain. Orlando Pita for Moroccan Oil created a romantic, lavish updo incorporating gold and silver metallic beads woven through the hair. It was definitely one of my fave hair looks of the week. Simply stunning and innovative, something I’ve come to expect from Orlando.

CND’s Angi Wingle was leading the team in polishing the fingers and toes on all the models. Application Tip: When layering, apply the base color leaving a small space between the color and cuticle to avoid the polish peeking out behind the top layer.

You can find CND Colour & Effects at salons nationwide and online at our fave e-tailers (see sidebar). If you’re looking to stock up on some of your old CND faves GoIndulge.com is clearancing out a lot of their stock for only $2/ea!!

So is anyone else having a mauve moment? What do you think of Muddy Rose?

Fanatics, I’m excited to introduce you to a new nail polish brand, RGB from RGB Cosmetics. I spotted their gray, Steel, in September’s Allure and just had to find out more. The brand is based on the RGB color model and launched earlier this summer with a line of ten core colors called RGBten. These ten shades are designed as a nail wardrobe with classic, staple hues. You know, the basics.

Seasonally, RGB will introduce an edited collection of fashionable, on-trend hues. Their first release is the Pre-Fall 09 shades pictured above. Check them out after the jump!

Let’s dig right in with the colors. I’ll discuss the formula and my 5-day wear test results below.

Haze is described as a smokey violet but to me it’s very chameleon like. The hue changes drastically in the light. It reminds me of SOPI Metro Chic with its dirty, grayed undertones.
Steel is a blue based, mid-tone grey creme. If RBL Stormy and Concrete Jungle reproduced, Steel would be cooing in the nursery.
Toast is a rich, latte-esque shade. It’s very creamy and warmer in person. Think of it as a fall version of Orly Country Club Khaki.
Slate is part of the RGBten core collection and I couldn’t resist sharing it. The deep charcoal shimmer reminds me of a black sand beach. In spite of the metallic glitz it applies smooth and even without a brush stroke in sight.
Now that I’ve tempted you with color, let’s break down the bottle design, brush and formula.

Bottle – The rectangular bottle holds .4oz/12ml of polish and looks like a squat version of the Rescue Beauty bottle. The cap is short and smooth. It’s fine for application though I would appreciate more length.

Brush – The brush is short, fat and dense similar to MAC’s only with slightly shorter bristles. Despite the thickness of the brush I had excellent control.

Formula – RGB polishes are 3 Free (including resin) and camphor free. They are heavily pigmented with a typical 3Free thick viscosity yet the cremes are self-leveling and not at all streaky. Every polish I tried only required 2 coats.

I gave Haze my 5 Day Wear Test using butter London Nail Foundation and Seche Vite top coat. While the actual tip wear was relatively minimal I wasn’t pleased with the bit of chipping on my index and thumb (not shown) nails. Depending on your base/top combination, your mileage may vary.
The RGBten shades include a range of cremes, sheers and shimmers ranging from the brightest white to the inkiest black with some reds, pinks and vampies thrown in for good measure.

You can purchase RGB polishes including the Pre-Fall ’09 collection directly from their website, RGBCosmetics.com, for $14/ea. At the moment only two salons in California carry the brand for in store purchase but hopefully that will change and the brand grows.

Have any of you tried RGB before? What do you think of the colors? Are you thinking of trying them out? Let’s hear it Fanatics!

The wait is over Fanatics. I can finally show you the All Lacquered Up collection from Barielle. In case you missed the original announcement, this collection is a collaboration between myself and Celebrity Manicurist Elle, Creative Director for the Shades by Barielle line. We pooled our color inspirations straight from the runway and came up with a palette of shades that are fashion forward yet accessible. They are all very chic and wearable. Check out the first half of the collection after the jump!

Collaborating with a nail trendsetter like Elle was such a thrill. With her years of experience working in editorial and alongside more celebrities than you can count, she really has her finger on the pulse of the beauty and fashion world. One trend we noticed was lot of muted, neutral tones with random pops of color, like Falling Star (below). Based on many phone convos about shades and perusing runway images, Elle custom mixed samples of our collection for the chemists to reproduce.

Now I know some of you commented that you were expecting all kinds of craziness from me and though this is the All Lacquered Up collection it’s not like I had license to do whatever I wanted. Shades by Barielle is about bringing fashionable shades to the masses so while there is a lot of me in this collection, it’s as much about being on trend and incorporating Elle’s color concepts. It’s a collection I am proud to attach the ALU name to and I hope you’ll love it as much as I do.

Slate of Affairs – when I was backstage at Reem Acra with Jamie from The Beauty of Life, I just about drooled at the site of her luxe designs. I wanted to dive in to the rack of dresses head first. It was her sandwashed steel blue gown that inspired this shade. A stunning slate blue grey, the polish has a subtle hint of pearl that adds a bit of light blue flash depending on the light. The formula on this one is somewhat jellyish and thick so I used three coats to get it perfect.

Get Mauve-ing is based on another Reem Acra dress. While I’m not typically one for mauve hues, I was so drawn to the gown’s shade that I felt it just needed to be in this collection. This one is a richly pigmented creme and applies evenly in two coats.
Grey tones like U-Concrete-Me were popping up on just about every runway. Undoubtedly a sign of our somber economic times, grey is still very much “in” for nails come fall. U-Concrete-Me is a two-coat, dolphin grey creme.
Putt-E On Me fits in with the neutral/grey concept only this warmer, muddier shade will please those of you that feel that grey washes them out. This mid-tone mushroom-y hue is another two-coat creme.

Out-Grey-Geous is the answer to what comes between $OPI Run With It and OPI Brand New Skates. A grey with gold fleck is just what I’ve been looking for but the $OPI was too putty-ish and BNS was too charcoal. Out-Grey-Geous is just perfect; a medium grey shimmer with gold micro-glitter.

They say you save the best for last and Falling Star definitely fits the bill. Remember that bright pop of color I mentioned? It’s like the primary colored dresses at Chris Benz but with a twist. I had thought of adding gold micro-glitter but it was Elle who felt copper particles would make it truly unique and she was dead on. They look like fiery stars falling from the sky. Application with this one is a bit tricky. The thick jelly like consistency makes this one a three coater for me.
The All Lacquered Up collection from Shades by Barielle will launch in August on Barielle.com. The polishes retail for $8/ea and, as always, Buy Two get One Free.

So what do you think Fanatics? How’d we do? Make sure you check out Part 2 where you’ll get to see, can you guess, a GREEN!

Zoya Dare has landed and after much anticipation, I’ve got your first look at them on the nail. As you may remember, the Dare collection of Zoya’s Truth or Dare Fall lineup is a group of chic, dramatic shades with five cremes and one shimmer. Let’s get right to it and check out the colors, shall we?

With the exception of Ibiza all the Dare collection polishes are cremes. They all glide on smooth and even in spite of the formula’s thickness. The shades are well pigmented requiring only two coats and dry with a high gloss shine.

Demi is a midtone reddish purple, you might call it a mauve. In the bottle it looked a bit Barney-ish but it’s a very pretty on the nail.

Ciara has a sundrenched raspberry look about it. Don’t get me wrong it’s vivid and rich, not at all dusty, those are just the first two words that came to mind when looking at it.
Vanessa is a berry based cool red. It applies very close to bottle color on the first coat which is always a plus with reds.

Pinta is the definition of burple (bluish purple). It definitely leans way blue but you can see its purple roots in bright light. My issue is that it’s so dark that unless you’re in sunlight, you’re the only person who will know how truly stunning this shade is.
For that reason I decided to take a sunlight shot of it. You see I shy away from direct sunlight swatching because I find it to be SOOOO inaccurate and I don’t want you kids buying a color and being disappointed when it looks NOTHING like what I showed you. So for the purposes of displaying the base color only, I did this sunlight shot for you.
Envy is a mossy deep forest green that has an earthy, camouflage feel to it. What’s funny is that as I applied it, the first coat had a graininess that looks like watercolor which I originally mistook for shimmer. With the second coat it’s pure glossy creme. Though if you want the bottle color and not an “almost black” make sure you apply two thin coats. Three is way too much.

Ibiza is a shimmery deep sapphire blue. The color is so dark and the shimmer is so subtle that you barely notice it outside of direct sunlight. Honestly, I love Indigo, with its multi-colored micro-glitter, so much that Ibiza is just OK for me.
The Zoya Dare Collection polishes retail for $6/each and are available for PRE-ORDER now on Zoya.com with a ship date of July 15th.

So all my DARE girls out there, what do you think?

The holidays seem to be extra sparkly this year with so many festive, glimmering polishes headed our way. Zoya’s Flourish collection certainly fits in with that trend. This set of six glitzy shades is sure to put a twinkle in your eye. In the same vein as the Magique collection from two years ago, each lacquer has fine micro-glitter that peeks at you through ribbons of luscious gold shimmer.

I called out the colors I wanted to see most in the preview and they certainly lived up to my expectations. Richelle, Zara and Kalista are my faves in the bunch.

The only downside is the application. This collection’s formula has a “china glaze glass flecked” feel to it yet it doesn’t flow as nicely. I’m not sure if the formula has changed of if it’s just the nature of this type of finish but for some reason the second coat applied so streaky I had to put on a third. Though I would have needed a third coat with these regardless, they’re just not pigmented enough for two, Kalista being the lone exception.

Richelle is a warm rich gold that is a bit more brassy than last year’s Austine.

Zara is the polish some of you thought might be a Sally Hansen Arabian Night dupe. Sorry gals, it’s not. AN is deeper and more graple with very prominent gold flecks. The sparkle in Zara is much more subtle yet still apparent. While Zoya describes this shade as periwinkle, I see it as violet. No matter how you call it, this icy purple shade is totally unique!

Shivon is a pretty golden mauve with duochrome tendencies. It’s different and normally I’m all about different but this one just isn’t me.

Mieko is rosy deep pink that I’m oddly drawn to. It’s not a color I would typically choose but I’m feeling it.

Cyma is the least sparkly and least original of the six. A berry-ish red with low-key tonal shimmer and just a bit of gold running throughout, this lady is a “pass”.

Kalista is a beyond gorgeous reddish brown stunner. While a lot of red-based browns get to the “too red” point and black-based browns just look like poop (sorry it’s true), Kalista is a perfect blend of the two. Light enough to still look brown without reaching the funky milk chocolate zone. Zoya describing it as “mahogany” is so PERFECT I can’t even try to top it.

The Zoya Flourish collection can be pre-ordered now on Zoya.com and should ship within the next couple weeks. Individual nail polishes retail for $6 and the collection sampler with 6 full size bottles retails for $36. Check the Salon Locator for a retail location near you.