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. Happy Hump Day Fanatics!  My nails were dying for a break and in need of some major TLC so while I am apologizing for the delay in posts my nails aren’t. I made the switch to non-acetone remover a few months ago to help prevent drying and I obsessively apply cuticle oil but sometimes my little buddies just need a rest. btw, Nubar’s Cucumber remover is the business. So getting back to my untrieds, we’re on Day #119 and I’m digging into my Nails Inc stash. I wanted something bright and fun but I was also curious about the 3D Glitters so I paired the creamy Warwick Way with Special Effects Sloane Square. Let’s see how it turned out.

Formula & Application: The Nails Inc formula varies in terms of ingredients.Warwick Way is 3-Free and Sloane Square is 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin) and free of camphor, which can be an irritant. The round glass bottles are topped with a thick, round, smooth cap of the same width.  The brush is round and pretty thick with bristles that give some resistance when you try to fan it out.

Warwick Way was a dream to apply. The formula is thin and easy to control yet rich with pigment. It flows on the nail effortlessly and levels out nice and even, drying with a high gloss shine. Two coats delivered perfect coverage. Since Sloane Square is a semi-sheer glitter and I used one coat of it to add some glitz to my manicure.

Nails Inc Warwick Way is a BRIGHT, almost neon, teal creme. It’s one baby step away from neon, that’s how bright it is. What’s interesting is that indoors, it looks really green but in sunlight it looks more aqua, though not as blue as China Glaze Aqua Baby. I photographed it in the sun because capturing this color in anything but direct sunlight is a CHALLENGE. That’s why I’m not showing a comparison, it’s too hard to translate this color’s vibrancy to a screen. Though if you’re looking for a color reference, Hard Candy Frenzy has the same base color. It’s just a lighter version.

I thought adding a coat of Nails Inc Sloane Square would make for a fun combo but I’m not sold on it as a pair. Sloane Square has a smoky grey semi-sheer base that is filled with graphite micro-glitter and holographic sequins. The base color darkens Warwick Way, making it a murkier and the sequins look out of place. Indoors it looks really sea-green.

Bottom Line: This is one manicure where the whole is not greater than the sum of its parts. I love how bold and vivid Warwick Way is and that I don’t have any almost-neons quite like it. I really dig the gunmetal glitter party that is Sloane Square but together, I’m not feeling it. I think Warwick Way would look much better under a Nfu Oh flakie and Sloane Square would be phenom over one of the sapphire blues or concrete greys that will be making waves this fall.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: I’m STASHing them both but making a mental note not to wear them together again.

Nails Inc Warwick Way and Special Effects Sloan Square 3D Glitter are available exclusively in the US at select Sephora stores (see full list) and online at Sephora.com. Nails Inc nail polishes retail for $9.50/ea for a .33oz bottle.

Thoughts on these colors? What do you think of them layered together? What would you put Sloane Square over? Have you discovered a new Nails Inc fave since the line launched at Sephora?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for Nails Inc. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

365 of Untrieds is my personal challenge to weed through the polishes in the ALU stash that I’ve been wanting to try but just haven’t gotten around to. Given my love for all things sparkly I couldn’t resist popping open Nails Inc Crystal Colour in Porchester Square. I’m sure there are some who feel an embellished cap is a waste of money but I love having bottles I’m proud to display. It’s one of the reasons I adore the shape of Lippmann’s bottle. The design is so high end and vanity table worthy that you just want to show it off. Since I’m leaving for Cosmoprof Saturday morning I’m already in Vegas mode so I blinged out Porchester Square with Nails Inc Electric Lane Holographic Top Coat. Check it out!

Formula & Application: The Nails Inc formula varies in terms of ingredients. Porchester Square is 3-Free and Electric Lane is 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin) and free of camphor, which can be an irritant. The round glass bottles are topped with a thick, round, smooth cap of the same width.  The brush is round and pretty thick with bristles that give some resistance when you try to fan it out.

Porchester Square is thick with pigment but it spreads out easily on the nail and is self leveling, giving great coverage in two coats. Electric Lane contains holographic glitter so it dries with a bit of texture. I used one coat of the Kensington Caviar Top Coat and it wasn’t perfectly glassy so I added second coat. I’m sure a thicker top coat would only require one layer.

Nails Inc Porchester Square is a pale mushroom taupe creme. It’s a cool toned neutral, like a lighter version of the “greige” hue that has been so big the past couple years.

Adding a coat of Electric Lane Holographic Top Coat is like sprinkling the surface with tiny multi-colored twinkle lights and the best part is, the glitter shows up in most lighting. This combo is what I hoped the glitter in Butter London All Hail McQueen The Queen would look like. The particles are “scattered” so they don’t create a prismatic or “linear” pattern on the nail. The particles are much larger than China Glaze Wireless but smaller than OPI Paris Couture For Sure, two popular holographic top coats.

Bottom Line: I have quite a stash of these “new neutrals” but very few of them offer the coverage and ease of application of Porchester Square. Even if it wasn’t in special packaging I would want this shade. I can’t even begin to describe how full of win Electric Lane is. It’s not a super holo so it’s a great way to amp up an everyday color without going over the top. The fact that you can see the sparkles indoors in poor lighting makes it even better.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: You can’t hear it but I’m chanting “STASH STASH STASH” at home.

Nails Inc Crystal Colour Porchester Square and Electric Lane are available exclusively in the US at select Sephora stores (see full list) and online at Sephora.com. Nails Inc nail polishes retail for $9.50/ea for a .33oz bottle. The Crystal Colour polishes retail for $19.50/ea & the Electric Lane Holographic Top Coat retails for $10/ea.

Thoughts on Porchester Square? Do you like it better with or without Electric Lane? Will you pay more for an embellished bottle? What is your favorite holographic top coat?

Also, if you have any questions you want me to ask your favorite nail brands at Cosmoprof, hop on over to the ALU Facebook Page and leave a comment.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for Nails Inc. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

The hit UK nail polish brand, Nails Inc, is FINALLY easily available to US Fanatics thanks to their launch at Sephora. Select Sephora stores, including CLE’s own Beachwood Place location, and Sephora.com are now carrying the Nails Inc. line.

Fourty of Nails Inc most popular nail polish colors along with their Special Effects Crackles & 3D Glitters, Crystal Colours and treatments are headed Stateside and I couldn’t be more ecstatic. I’ve been a fan ever since I fell for their Kensington Caviar Top Coat at Cosmoprof a couple years ago and I’m so happy the line will be more accessible to us.  Keep reading for a closer look of which Nails Inc products are coming to Sephora.

Crystal Colour ($19.50) – Each season, four new colors in the line receive luxurious crystal caps. Each shade is packaged into a
beautiful box, making them the perfect gifts. Current Crystal shades include: Porchester Square (pictured), Charring Cross, Regents Palace, The Thames

Electric Lane Holographic Top Coat ($10) – This silver holographic glitter shade creates an electrifying look over any shade of nails inc polish.

Special Effects 3D Glitter ($9.50) – Three glitter-tastic nail polishes create a show stopping finish.

Sloane Square, Fitzroy Square, Connaught Square, Bloomsbury Square

Special Effects Crackle Top Coats ($9.50) – Create a gorgeous nail art effect using our innovative new crackle polishes. Simply apply crackle over your favorite nails inc polish and watch the magic happen. Your base color will appear through the cracks. Shades include: Camden – black crackle, Hoxton – purple crackle, Islington – pink crackle, Clapham – teal crackle, Farringdon – gold glitter crackle, The City – purple glitter crackle, The West End – blue glitter crackle, Hackney – silver crackle

Top Row: Farringdon & Hackney Bottom Row: Islington, Hoxton & Clapham

Nails Inc Nail Polish ($9.50) – Professionally formulated, catwalk inspired colors with an exceptionally glossy long lasting finish. All nails inc polishes are named after iconic UK destinations.

Gatwick Matte Nail Polish

Shoreditch, Brompton Place and St James

Porchester Place, St John’s Wood and Warick Way

Victoria, Foubert’s Place and The Thames

And how cool is this? Sephora is the first to launch the Fall 2011 collection.
The Nails Inc Autumn Winter 2011 Collection includes: Charing Cross – brilliant pure red gloss, Paddington – deep khaki grey, St Pancras – deep red brown and Fenchurch Street – russet cream

Here is a full list of the shades being carried at Sephora

Of course we can’t forget treatments. My beloved Kensington Caviar 45 Second Top Coat ($10) and its matching Base Coat ($10) are coming to Sephora along with the Westminster Bridge Matte Top Coat ($10), Kensington Hand Cream ($18) and Vitamin E Cuticle Oil Pen ($10).

Kensington Caviar Base & Top Coat, Westminster Bridge Matte Top Coat

The press information I received included a mention of a special top coat that will launch in October 2011 and it sounds pretty cool. This is the description:

Overglaze Top Coat ($10) - These top coats create a theatrical effect on the nails. Each contains hand cut holographic particles that look spectacular once painted over a solid base shade. Shades include: holographic red and green, holographic electric UV blue and holographic blue and green.

Per a reader request, here is the list of stores that are carrying Nails Inc: SANTA MONICA, ANAHEIM, HOLLYWOOD, FASHION VALLEY, VENETIAN, MIRACLE MILE, STANFORD, BEVERLY CENTER, POWELL STREET, MANHATTAN VILLAGE, BREA, TOWN SQUARE, 86TH AND LEXINGTON, PEARLRIDGE, SANTA ANITA, WASHINGTON SQUARE, DOWNTOWN SEATTLE, MENLO PARK, MALL OF AMERICA, POLARIS, KENWOOD, SOMERSET, COLONIE CENTER, BEACHWOOD, MALL OF LOUISIANA, CHESTNUT ST, FLAT IRON, PRUDENTIAL CTR, 5TH AVE, WATERTOWER PLACE, NATICK, 42ND AND MADISON, WALDEN GALLERIA, SOUTH BEACH, BOCA RATON, AVENTURA, FLORIDA MALL, COLUMBIA MALL, LAKESIDE, EATON CENTRE TRON, RIDEAU CENTRE, PACIFIC CENTRE, 5 TIMES SQUARE, CHERRY CREEK, FASHION PLACE, STONESTOWN, SOUTH SHORE, CHRISTIANA, APPLETON, AMERICANA-GLENDALE GALLERIA

Nails Inc is available now at select Sephora stores and Sephora.com in addition to their home site NailsInc.com.

Are you as jazzed about this launch as I am? Which products do you plan to pick up first? If you’re already a Nails Inc fan, share your favorite colors and products with the newbies out there. And make sure you check out my past reviews of St John’s Wood and Kensignton Caviar Top Coat with Tate.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for Nails Inc. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

365 of Untrieds is my personal challenge to weed through the polishes in the ALU stash that I’ve been wanting to try but just haven’t gotten around to. Exciting news US Fanatics, Nails Inc is coming to Sephora!!! The hit UK nail polish brand will roll out to Sephora stores this September and I’ve been told that the brand is launching some amazing things “never been done before.” I spied some “Special Effects” glitters on Eva Chen’s Tumblr but we can expect something “even better” than that so get your wallets ready. I’ve been a big fan of Nails Inc ever since I first got my hands on the polishes and their incredible Kensington Caviar Top Coat a couple years ago at Cosmoprof and I remember hoping that a major beauty retailer like Sephora or ULTA would pick them up. To celebrate their upcoming major US launch I’m sharing a fabulous Nails Inc color, The Mall.

Formula & Application: Nails Inc nail polishes are 4-Free (includes formaldehyde resin).  The round glass bottles are topped with a thick, round, smooth cap of the same width.  The brush is round and pretty thick with bristles that give some resistance when you try to fan it out.  I had problems with the brush in my last Nails Inc review but this one was cut well and gave me no issues.

The formula itself is nothing short of amazing! It’s thin, maneuverable and well pigmented. I applied two thin coats that leveled out perfectly.  The only odd part was that it dried with a satin finish so you definitely need a top coat.

Nails Inc The Mall is an indigo shimmer. It has a slight duo-chrome effect in that it looks navy in the bottle but with a slight purple sheen. Those colors come together on the nail to create a pretty unique shade. So unique that I don’t have a match for it. If I mixed China Glaze Indian Ocean, a gorgeous discontinued shade, and Revlon Street Wear Grape, another oldie but goodie, I could probably dupe but why would I want to waste two old gems when I can just wear The Mall?

Bottom Line: The formula is pretty epic, the color is stunning and the line and hopefully this color will soon be readily available. What’s not to love?

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: No doubt about it, STASHing it.

Nails Inc The Mall is currently available online at NailsInc.com and ASOS.com which do not currently ship nail polish to the US. However, the Nails Inc is coming to Sephora in September 2011 so we’ll keep our fingers crossed that The Mall arrives with it.

Thoughts on The Mall? Figuring that Sephora will carry only a selection of Nails Inc shades, which ones are you most hoping to see Stateside? Any predictions on what the “never been done before” polishes will be?

Disclosure: A product sample was provided by reps for Nails Inc. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

365 of Untrieds is my personal challenge to weed through the polishes in the ALU stash that I’ve been wanting to try but just haven’t gotten around to. While I had heard of Nails Inc for quite some time from international Fanatics, it wasn’t until I went to Cosmoprof in Las Vegas a couple years ago, that I actually got to see the polishes in person.  At the show I met reps for the brand, drooled over their limited edition, crystal encrusted caps and discovered their amazing Kensington Caviar 45 Second Top Coat.  However, until now I haven’t really worn their polishes. Before last summer Nails Inc were pretty hard to acquire here in the US.  Unless you found a British e-tailer willing to ship here (ASOS no longer does) or had a friend overseas, it wasn’t happening.  While you still can’t find the brand sold on a US website, you can get your hands on Nails Inc polishes at Henri Bendel stores, so that’s something. For today’s 365 I decided I wanted to wear a fun pop of color since I’m going to see Jo Koy, from Chelsea Lately, tonight and I’m wearing mostly black.  Nails Inc St John’s Wood is the perfect choice.

Formula & Application:  Nails Inc nail polishes are 4-Free (includes formaldehyde resin).  The round glass bottles are topped with a thick, round, smooth cap of the same width.  The brush is round and pretty thick with bristles that give some resistance when you try to fan it out.  I’m not a huge fan of the brush.  Mine had some wonky bristles that I needed to cut and it didn’t give me a lot of control in laying down the polish.  I made more application errors than I have in a long time due to the brush.

The formula itself is AH-MAZING!  In spite of the brush issues this color is so pigmented I only needed one coat.  No, that’s not a mistake, I said ONE COAT!  Fabulous, right?  Plus it leveled out perfectly.  The only odd part was that it dried with a satin finish so you definitely need a top coat.

Nails Inc St John’s Wood walks the line between blue and purple.  It’s like a deep violet hue but it has too much blue in its base for that.  It’s a hard color to describe.  If violets and cornflowers cross pollinated, this would be the result.  At first I thought I might be looking at a RBL Purple Haze dupe because in sunlight it’s very purple but next to each other, St John’s Wood looks incredibly blue.

Bottom Line: A cool toned, one coat purple or should I say burple?  Um, sign me up.  I hate hate hate the brush but the color and formula are so good, I can almost forgive it for sucking so bad.  If you have the means, this one won’t disappoint.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: An easy decision.  STASH!!

Nails Inc nail polishes are available in the US exclusively at Henri Bendel.  International Fanatics can find their polishes online NailsInc.com and ASOS.com.

Thoughts on St John’s Wood?  If you had easier access to it in the US would you buy a bottle?  What has your experience been with Nails Inc polishes?  Are they all this pigmented?

Disclosure: A sample was provided to me by reps for Nails Inc. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

Twitter followers may remember my overzealous tweets about the Nails Inc. Kensington Caviar 45 Second Speedy Dry Top Coat (that’s a mouthful) while I was in Vegas for Cosmoprof. You can’t give a girl like me a product with such significant claims like a 45 second dry time and expect me to wait to try it out. I was very skeptical of this whole “45 Second” thing but they aren’t kidding. Even over multiple layers of polish, I’ll explain that in a second, it dried my CND layering project to the touch in under a minute. Crazy, right? Now I could just say it dries in 45 seconds and expect you to believe me but wouldn’t it be better if I showed you? I put the Kensington Caviar Top Coat to the test for all of you. Not only did it get my standard 5 Day Wear Test but I also shot a VIDEO to show you how fast it really dries. See the results after the jump!

So here’s a little backstory on my Vegas manicure. You see I was so rushed in getting ready to leave that I did a horrid job on my nails. Smart move when I’m going to see leaders in the nail industry, no? Here I planned to be all trendy and wear a matte mani but in the wee hours of the morning I did such a bad job applying the matte top coat that you could see glossy edges peeking out around my cuticles. So rather than start over, I slapped a layer of glossy top coat over it and called it a day.

Of course, the two top coats didn’t play well together so after two days I had chipping to the point that I couldn’t deal. Rather than waste money on a bottle of polish remover at the gift shop, I added even more layers when I put a couple of the new CND polishes on to cover the mess. Considering all that, I honestly wasn’t expecting much when I put the Nails Inc. top coat on so you can imagine my surprise when my tips were dry to the touch in under a minute and TOTALLY dry in a few minutes. Like I passed out not long after and not a sheet mark was to be found.

So to show you how fast it works, I shot a short video. I’m not really a video tutorial kind of girl but I thought this would be fun. Check it out!

And here’s the final results. You can see the tiny air bubble on my index finger so you know there’s no retouching here. There’s not a fingerprint or wrinkle to be seen. Just pure glossy goodness.
Remember my CND manicure from last week? I used this top coat over it so I could give it a full 5 day test and as you can see, there’s very little tip wear and no chipping. That makes it a WINNER in my book.
The next logical question is where do you get this fabulous product? Well, right now Nails Inc doesn’t have US distributorship. That’s why they were at CosmoProf. So let’s cross our fingers that it finds a home here very very soon. I found a couple sites that carry the line who ship to the US but the costs are VERY high.

ASOS.com carries the top coat for $19.77 and HQHair.com carries the polishes for $18.75 so we really need to start a campaign to bring them here.

So UK Fanatics, who’s tried the Kensington Caviar Top Coat? Thoughts?

Day 1 of CosmoProf is over and I’m exhilarated, tired, giddy and dying to share the deets on everything I saw. I’ll be going in depth on some of the amazing things I came across when I get home but I wanted to update you all with a quick recap of the goodies I spotted on the show floor. If you’re not familiar with CosmoProf it’s an annual salon trade show with exhibitors showing off their products in hopes of getting distribution. Because they are unveiling some of their latest and greatest products, press (including bloggers) are invited to cover the event. Now some of the brands are revealing collections that will release next Spring/Summer so to avoid being copied I’m only able to photograph fall/winter/holiday launches. But I can tell you, there are some EXCITING colors on the horizon. Check out my Day 1 redux, after the jump!

My first stop was the Discover Beauty section of CosmoProf. It’s an area with new, emerging brands looking for US distributorship. When I saw Nails Inc. listed on the show map, I made an immediate beeline to their booth. Fanatics, let’s hope, hope, hope that they get picked up by someone like Sephora or ULTA or some other online/chain store. We NEED Nails Inc. in our lifestyle like ASAP. The color line is amazing, the packaging is so so chic AND they have a 45 Second Top Coat that has me in utter disbelief. They were giving a sneak peek at their holiday blinged out polishes and I MUST have one in my collection come December. The perfect stocking stuffer, no?
Within the Discover Beauty section, Total Beauty manned the Beauty Blogger Central booth. As a guest of Total Beauty I was invited to vote for the best of the Discover Beauty section. I voted for Nails Inc., natch. Granted there are a lot of unique new brands represented but Nails Inc. stole my polish loving heart.

On display in the Blogger Central booth is Total Beauty’s Top 10 rated products of the brands exhibiting at the show. I’m DYING to try the magical Morroccan Oil I’ve heard so much about.

One booth that made me stop in my tracks was KleanColor. Their display of colorful Nail Lacquers drew me right in. And I was beyond flattered that the rep for the brand actually reads ALU. Now I just need to track down where I can order the polishes from. If anyone has a KleanColor hookup, give me a shout!
One look at these bottles and you’ll understand why I was drawn in to Np2′s booth. Talk about a unique shape! And the color range is uber-chic. There are some vampy greens, blues and purples that I can’t wait to get my hands on. According to the rep for the brand, the formula is will knock Essie & OPI out of the water. They’re hoping to launch in Sephora soon so keep your eyes peeled.
As I wandered aimlessly trying to figure out the long winding ailes of booths, I came upon Essie, THE ESSIE! It’s like spotting a rock star. I also ran across Suzi of OPI, Jessica Vartoughian of Jessica and celebrity hairstylist Ken Paves, creator of HairDo. He’s so adorable and pocket sized!
I had to stop by the Color Club/Art Club booth to check out Wild At Heart. That purple and teal green will be MINE!



Next up, the SpaRitual/Orly booth. There are some incredible colors coming down the pike from both brands including two luscious greens for Spring (can’t wait!). First let’s talk SpaRitual. They too are releasing a matte collection called Mind Body Spirit only they formulated a base coat to apply underneath and extend wear. The rep I spoke with was wearing the purple, Spirit and it’s totally gorg. There is also a Fall colllection that I’m bringing home with me to show you.

Out now for fall, the Orly Once Upon A Time collection comes with adorable fairy tale themed charms on the bottles. Enchanted Forest, Pixie Dust and Mirror Mirror are immediate faves.
For holiday they will introduce Femme Fatale and collection of festive reds.

For Spring/Summer 2010 there is a candy colored collection with matching mini lipglosses, a colorful vivid floral inspired collection called Bloom that includes the green I mentioned.

Finally, the true highlight of my day was attending the CND Colour & Effects launch party. CND’s own Jan Arnold greeted us warmly, wearing yet another killer ensemble. That woman has such amazing style I can’t even stand it. She remembered meeting me backstage at the Barbie show during fashion week and it totally made my day.

I have so much more to show you and say about this amazing revamp of the CND line but I’ll just give you a quick rundown. Basically, CND has completely changed their game. Being that they are all about customization at fashion week, creating custom blends for designers all over the world, they have now brought that concept to all of us.
The Colour consists of 50 perfect cremes in a range of shades that will satisfy any addict. There are true primary and secondary shades, sheers, neutrals, pinks, reds, vampies, etc.

The Effects are 15 opalescent pearls, shimmers and glitters that you can layer over the Colour shades to customize your color. They may look similar in the bottle but once you start to play, you really see the difference.
Jan invited us to play at the colour bar and can you guess where I plopped myself down? In front of the “me” colors of course. I went to town swatching different Colours and testing them under the Effects. I was in heaven!

Being the kind, generous woman she is, Jan invited everyone to take home their favorite Colour & Effects combos but when she saw my bag with just a few bottles (I didn’t want to be greedy) she sent me back for more saying, “You’re All Lacquered Up, that’s not nearly enough!”
Oh and I didn’t even get to the bottles. They redesigned the shape of the bottles to be more ergonomic with a soft rubberized cap. And the BRUSH, wow on the brush. It’s now flat but THIN flat, very pinky nail friendly, and the bristles are triangular and clear, a first in the industry. I actually did a little playing back in my room and they apply phenomenally! I can’t wait to show you.

Well that’s pretty much Day 1. We finished the night with a cocktail party at The Mix in The Hotel and dinner at Strip Steak in the Mandalay Bay. The food was so spectacular I regret not taking pics for the fellow foodies out there. Next time, I promise!

Also, I’m attending the show with Phyllis from Makeup For Life so be sure to visit her blog to see the products that she discovered.