The Nubar Jeans collection is finally on sale and I’m sure, like me, you are curious about how this collection compares to the now sold out Chanel Les Jeans de Chanel collection so I put together a quick video for you while I work on proper comparison swatches. Enjoy!

The Nubar Jeans collection is available now online at ByNubar.com. The set of three nail polishes retail for $19.99.

What are your initial thoughts on the two collections? If you splurged on the Chanel Les Jeans polishes do you feel they are worth it? If you held out, do you plan to pick up the Nubar set?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by Nubar and Chanel. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

We all knew it would happen. That shortly after the Chanel Les Jeans de Chanel collection launched, other brands would follow suit with their own inspired send-ups. Nubar is one of the first out of the gate with their upcoming Nubar Jeans collection.

Keep reading to take a closer look at the polishes.

Faded Jeans - a light blue shimmer

Boyfriend Jeans – a medium blue creme

Dark Wash Jeans - a dark blue creme

The Nubar Jeans collection will retail for $19.99/set for all three polishes. The collection will be available either late next week (9/28) or early the following week (10/5) on ByNubar.com.

Considering that the set will retail for less than one Chanel nail polish I’m definitely curious to see how similar the Nubar shades are to the originals.

So are you excited about this collection? How do you feel about a brand so blatantly imitating another? Granted this isn’t the first time a brand has created makeup based on denim (ie MAC) but this is pretty dead-on dupe-ish.

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. Untried Day #116 – Before we start talking polish, I have a Weight Watchers update for you. If you recall, I joined the program in July after my father’s health scare. Well it’s been 30 days and I have lost 10 pounds! I’m so excited. I’m really loving WW since they have an app for Android and I’m pretty much addicted to my phone. It makes it so much easier to calculate and keep track of my points. Okay so back on track. As you know I went to Cosmoprof last week and I promise to start posting about everything I saw tomorrow. In the meantime, let’s talk about the fact that Nubar is launching mini bottles of their best selling shades. The minis are currently available outside the US but releasing here very soon.  They also have some gorgeous colors coming out in the fall collection but I can’t reveal pics for another couple weeks. Let’s just say they are unexpected fall shades. I had a great time chatting with Nubar founder Noubar Abrahamian and he was kind enough to send me home with some minis before they launch on the site. Oh and keep an eye out for a completely redesigned, easier to navigate ByNubar.com. Since one of the minis is a shade I have in full size but have never worn, I decided to use it for today’s Untrieds. Let’s take a closer look at Nubar Indigo Ocean.

Formula & Application: Nubar nail polish is 4-Free (includes formaldehyde resin) and is free of camphor, which can be an irritant.  The brand is also billed as vegan and cruelty free.  The bottles are topped with a curved, matte cap that is designed to rest comfortably between the thumb and forefinger.

The mini bottle brush is identical to the one in the regular size which is fantastic. It is thick and round though the width doesn’t impede application.  In fact it’s one of my favorite brushes.  It has a bit of resistance which allows for control but the bristles are flexible enough to fan out flat across the nail bed.

The lacquer is thin but not squishy or jelly like. It has a great flow and levels out to an even finish. The brush and lacquer formula work really well together allowing you to easily manipulate the polish. Plue the pigmentation is spot on.  I achieved opaque coverage in two coats and in spite of the slightly metallic nature of the shimmer, it doesn’t show any brush marks.

Nubar Indigo Ocean is much more electric blue than indigo but who am I to squabble over names. Pictures really don’t do this one justice as the finish is REALLY high shine to the point that it still looks wet in person. Unfortunately the two dimensional nature of photography doesn’t allow that to show. The polish is mesmerizing. And as I mentioned above, the pearl/metallic shimmer doesn’t cause brush strokes. It creates a really even, flawless finish.

When I saw this color I immediately thought of Essie Aruba Blue and even though it’s a glass fleck, I thought China Glaze Drinkin My Blues Away might have a similar base color. Same goes for China Glaze Eyes Like Sapphires.

As it turns out, Aruba Blue is very similar in its base color but it dries a bit more intense.  Though the downside is that the Essie doesn’t apply nearly as well. I needed three coats and it shows brush marks (they’re more visible in person). DMBA is also a close relative but the glass flecks set it apart.

Seriously, how adorable are the Nubar minis? Has science figured out what it is about mini-sized things that make people want them, no matter how unnecessary they are? I will say that mini nail polish has one major benefit… it’s perfect for travelling. Especially mini treatment products and Nubar has minis of the Foundation Base Coat and Diamont Top Coat. Gotta love it!

Top Row: Pink Creme, Sexy Red, Euphoric, Orange Spice. Bottom Row: Forest, Indigo Ocean, Hieroglyphs Purple, Sphynx Purple Regular size bottle: Vaso

Bottom Line: Although I appreciate the added depth of color that Aruba Blue brings to the party, the fabulous Nubar formula is winning me over. Knowing I can get perfect application, even from a mini bottle, is a major trump card. Of course I would dump both over a glass fleck but if you’re looking for a more subtle blue shimmer, Indigo Ocean gets my stamp of approval

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: STASHing Indigo Ocean, no doubt!

Nubar Indigo Ocean is available online at  ByNubar.com.  Nubar nail polishes retail for$7.49/ea for a .5oz bottle.  The shipping can be on the higher side but if your order is over $50 it’s free. I found a Canadian site selling the mini bottles so if you want to check out which shades will be offered head to GetAllDolledUp.ca. I can’t recommend the site for purchasing since I’ve never ordered from them so buy at your own risk.

Thoughts on Nubar Indigo Ocean? Are you also a sucker for all things mini? What other brands do you think have quality mini bottles in their line?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by Nubar. 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. As I mentioned in a recent post, I’m in Vegas for Cosmoprof which is an annual trade show where beauty brands, typically professional salon & spa lines, sell their products to distributors & buyers all over the world. It’s pretty amazing and after three years of attending it doesn’t get any less overwhelming or tiring. Today I met with some great brands including China Glaze, CND, Dashing Diva, Orly and Zoya and I finished out the day with a stop by the Nubar booth to meet Nail Files star Katie Cazorla, owner of The Painted Nail salon. I already adored Katie after speaking with her over the phone and, in person, she’s even more adorable. Affable, hilarious, larger than life and yet totally down-to-earth. No matter what you think of her show or reality TV in general, you can’t help but love Katie. She’s a star and all you have to do is meet her and you can see why TV Guide Network would want to give her a show. Now you know that I went all fangirl over Katie’s gorgeous purple, Legendary Lavender. I’m actually rocking my second pedicure in a row with that color. This is no fling my friends. My love affair is strong. That left me curious to see how some of the other summer collection shades would fare so I decided to try The Painted Nail Citrus Sparkle next.

Formula & Application: The Painted Nail nail polish is produced by Nubar, therefore it is 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin), free of camphor, which can be an irritant, and cruelty free. The bottle is the signature Nubar shape with the silver caps that appeared on Nubar’s Prisms collection and the same round brush that appears in the regular Nubar line.

As I mentioned in my previous review, the ingredients in The Painted Nail line is the same as Nubar but the texture is different. Katie wanted to make her line as user friendly as possible so there is a noticeable jelly feel to her polishes which in the case of Citrus Sparkle equaled a semi-sheer polish that requires three coats to get opaque. A bit of VNL (visible nail line) shows up in the swatch photos but in person it’s negligible. My macro lens really accentuates things like VNL that the naked eye wouldn’t detect.

Nubar Citrus Sparkle is a tangerine glass fleck polish. The gold and orange irregularly shaped flecks float in the polish like a high end version of pulp in a glass of OJ.

What shocked me about this color is how unique it is. When I first saw it, I imagined finding quite a few twins in my collection. Maybe not finish-wise but certainly in terms of base color matching. Um, WRONG! Citrus Sparkle is really intense without any red or yellow dragging it down. I feel I say this a lot and maybe that means my collection is lacking but I really DON’T have a dupe for this color.

I pulled my two fave orange glass flecks, China Glaze Orange Pacific & Orange Marmalade as well as Zoya Tanzy just to give you an idea of how Citrus Sparkle stands out against the rest.

Bottom Line: This type of bright, frisky orange is perfect for summer. It doesn’t have any pumpkin tones that scream fall, which is always something I worry about with certain oranges. The glass fleck finish is always a win in my book because it gives the luscious sparkle I love about glitter polishes without the pain of removal. Given the originality of the hue, the perfection of the formula and the finish, I don’t see why you wouldn’t love this color as much as I do.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: No doubt, this is taking up permanent residence in my STASH.

The Painted Nail Citrus Sparkle and the rest of the Spring/Summer colors are available now at The Painted Nail salon in LA and online at ThePaintedNail.com, RonRobinson.com and Amazon.com. The Painted Nail polishes retail for $12.50/ea for a .5oz bottle.

Are you loving Citrus Sparkle or what? Have you tried any of The Painted Nail polishes yet? Do you have polish at all similar to this? What’s your favorite summery orange?

Disclosure: A product sample was provided by The Painted Nail. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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. I was talking to a blogger friend of mine the other day about how last Fall I was really over foil finish polishes.  After OPI, Orly and Zoya had put out some great foils earlier in the year, I was just kind of tired of them by the time the Zoya Wicked and Nubar Venetian Glass collections came out.  I was all about the glitter party at that point and foils felt blasé. It didn’t help that the collections also included a lot of reds, which as you all know, isn’t my thing. So now that I’m revisiting colors in my untried bin, I’m finding myself loving foils again.  There’s nothing quite like the finish those flakie metallic particles can create.  Even in a dark room, the polish continues to play with the light.  Today Nubar Verde caught my eye.

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

The lacquer itself is kind of thick but it flows well, leveling out to a nice even finish.  The pigmentation is spot on.  It achieved opaque coverage in two coats.

Nubar Verde is a forest green foil that appears to have a blackened quality but if you really look into the base you can see a semi-sheer teal hiding underneath all that gorgeous flakie glitter.  The glitter, which is really the core of this color, consists of green, gold and even a hint of bronze.  In person the overall forest hue is more pronounced than it appears below.  And in incandescent light, it absolutely glows evergreen goodness. I’ve heard this one compared to Zoya Edyta and while I agree that they have similar characteristics, in a side-by-side comparison Verde is more green with blue undertones while Edyta has more bronze to it.

Bottom Line: If you already own Zoya Edyta I would say the two are close enough to not need both.  Though if Edyta wasn’t green enough for you, give Verde a try.  Overall, you can’t go wrong with this polish.  Nubar has a killer formula with excellent pigmentation.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: I’m STASHing it for sure.  I will probably SHARE Zoya Edyta instead.

Nubar Verde is available online at ByNubar.com.  Nubar nail polishes retail for $7.49/ea for a .5oz bottle.  The shipping can be on the higher side but if your order is over $50 it’s free.

Thoughts on Nubar Verde?  Which do you like more Verde or Edyta?  Or do they look the same to you?  Are you a foil fan or has your love waned like mine did last fall?

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

The first day of Cosmoprof is over and I’m beat! The day just flew by and there’s still so much more to see. In case you’re not familiar, Cosmoprof is a beauty trade show that takes place in Las Vegas. Brands from the salon and spa industry come together to sell their wares and it’s not just products. There are packaging companies, product manufacturers and salon equipment suppliers here as well.  Plus there are sections for emerging brands and international brands. So cool! It’s a bit overwhelming but really interesting to explore.

From now through Tuesday I’ll be at the show checking out our favorite salon brands to see what they have in store for us nail fanatics and showing you any great finds I discover. Also, I have a new contributor to the site, Christine, who will be sharing her thoughts on the show with you as well. Christine is a friend I met via Specktra ages ago and she’s as big a nail fanatic as I am. Seriously, not long after we met, she purchased a full size OPI display rack to hold her polishes and it’s more than full. Anyway, check out what caught our eye on Day One of Cosmoprof!

Our first stop of the day was at the Color Club/Art Club booth.  You’re already seen the Glam nail decals but the Fall Untamed Luxury collection was also on display.  The fourteen piece collection comes in two sets; one with cremes and subtle shimmers, the other with glitters and more funky colors.

We were also able to check out the Halloween promotion, Bewitching, a mini set consisting of a black, neon orange, purple and glitter topper with decals.  They’re also putting out a set of coordinating nail gems.

Holiday 2010 brings us another mini set, Enchanted Holiday, which is similar to the Halloween set in that there are coordinating nail decals and gems.

Next up, Nubar where I had the pleasure of meeting founder Noubar Abrahamian to discuss his unique line of colors.  Little did I know that Mr. Abrahamian creates all the collections himself.  You gotta love a guy that appreciates color and nails.  We also chatted about some upcoming launches that you’ll be hearing more about soon.  Trust me, they are fun.

Of course we drooled over the Venetian Glass polishes that have real glass flecks.  Christine got a treat when nail tech and Nubar consultant, Vicki Peters, offered to give her a manicure using Vaso.  She even added a little nail art using the Nubar Nail Art Pens.

Also, I mentioned to Mr. Abrahamian your complaints about the shipping charges on the Nubar site. Unfortunately, in that respect his hands are tied. Rather than risk a major fine from the USPS, he utilizes the proper ground shipping and that costs a lot. There really isn’t much to be done about that but he’s working to get national distribution through one of the many beauty chains we all know and love. So fingers crossed that Nubar will soon be much more accessible.

Finally, we made a visit to the China Glaze booth to find out all about the holiday and spring collections. Unlike the past couple years where China Glaze released a small holiday set they went full out this year creating collection of twelve brand new colors AND an additional four piece set of new shades.  There’s a big glitter party happening here and of course tons of green.  Bonus!

In addition to the full collection, China Glaze put together a ton of gift sets with various pieces paired with giftable items like candles and a stuffed Reindeer (so cute!).  A few of our favorite sets are below.

Dreamin’ Of A Green Christmas.  This is a no brainer.  The light green on the right dries to a glass fleck-esque finish.  Truly unique.

Celebrate In Style contains the four additional colors for Holiday and comes with necklace pictured on the box.

Perfect for New Year’s Eve, the Cheers To You set comes with a China Glaze branded shot glass and hot foil metallic polishes.

Seriously, how adorable are these Peppermint Kisses with Holiday Wishes candy canes?  I’m not 100% sure but there’s a white glitter included that could satisfy your White Kwik Silvr cravings

Fanatics, get ready for the Anchors Away collection coming to stores in January 2011.  This blew us away.  I grew up spending every weekend of my summer on my parents boat so anything nautical appeals to me.  Though regardless of the theme, the colors are fantastic.  The slightly burnt orange and indigo blue are stunning cremes.  We saw them as a mani/pedi combo and they looked gorgeous paired together.  Oh and that blue-grey creme on the bottom right (Sea Spray) is my big winner of the set.  Yes there is a beautiful green creme, I’m not overlooking it but that blue grey is out of this world!

On our way out of the show we ran into my pal, Celebrity Manicurist Elle, who shared some pics of her upcoming Barielle collections.  Can’t wait to see them in person.  Post show we stopped for a drink with Elle and gel nail art extraordinaire, Gina Silvestro when Celebrity Manicurist Tom Bachik stopped by.  Tom is now the nail expert for Chanel and a completely brilliant nail artist. Remember when he put Chanel Nouvelle Vague on his client, Beyonce’s nails for her “Why Don’t You Love Me?” video?  By the by, if you want to see some sick ass nail art, check out Gina’s work with Akzentz gels on the Gel Essentialz website.  She recently worked with J.Lo and Lady Gaga.  Amazing, right?

Elle, Tom Bachik, Gina Silvestro

On a non-Cosmoprof related note, Christine and I are in Vegas with two of my best girlfriends from childhood and they went to a taping of the Wheel Of Fortune. Fun, right? I know my mom would be jealous. She’s a Wheel Watcher. Anywho, we were discussing Vanna White and trying to guess her age at dinner (she’s 53) and on our way out of the restaurant she walked right past us! Seriously, the woman looks amazing. Even prettier in person. I swear, if I didn’t know her I would guess her at 35. What is that woman using on her skin?

That’s Day One people and we’re just getting started.  Stay tuned for updates throughout the day and follow me on Twitter to keep up with our adventures.

I get a lot of questions and comments regarding the tools and treatment products I use to keep my nails healthy and in tip top shape. Since my routine changes as I test new products, I’ve launched, The Arsenal, to share with you the items that are “must haves” in my nail kit.

The bare bones basics of any good manicure is base coat, top coat and color.  I’ve shared with you one of my all-time fave top coats but I’ve never dedicated a post to base coats.  Obviously this is long overdue!

I’ve been a fan of CND Stickey for forever and a day.  I even posted about the “Stickey Sandwich” method back when ALU was just a baby.  However Stickey has a major competitor for the “holy grail” crown in Nubar Foundation Base Coat.

I’ve had bottles of Foundation Base Coat floating around the polish room for years now but it wasn’t until I ran out of Stickey that I discovered its magical powers.  It doesn’t dry tacky like Stickey or Orly Bonder but Foundation Base Coat grips on like glue.  I get amazing wear every time I use it.  And although it’s not a ridge filler, it provides a smooth surface for the polish to glide along even in spite of my less than stellar nail beds. I told you it was magic.

Nubar Foundation Base Coat can be purchased online from ByNubar.com for $6.99.  The shipping is steep though so I suggest banding together with some friends to hit the $75 limit for free shipping.

To celebrate 10 years of creating beautiful 3-Free polishes, Nubar has released a special edition color called Nubar 2010.  A clear polish filled with iridescent flake glitter, this lacquer will make those of you who have yet to hunt down Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure very very happy. Not only does Nubar continually put out collection after collection of gorgeous colors, they have some of the best treatment products on the market.  Their Foundation Base Coat has achieved “holy grail” status in my book and the Diamont top coat is one of the few quick drys in my arsenal that isn’t thick or tricky to apply.  In my opinion, that’s more than enough reason to celebrate their 10th Anniversary in style.  And Nubar 2010 has plenty of style.  Check it out after the jump!

As I mentioned above, Nubar 2010 is a glitter polish that is best appreciated layered over another color.  On its own, you just don’t get the same fire out of the flakes.  Like Hidden Treasure, the flakes of glitter look like fish scales in the bottle and while they flash different colors, the main hue that comes through is burning embers copper.  Inspired by Barielle Falling Star, I chose to show Nubar 2010 over Illamasqua Force from the Body Electrics Collection.

Two coats

I think what really sets Nubar 2010 apart from Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure is the density of the glitter.  Nubar 2010 is packed with flakes so you end up getting more value from it than the SH since you only need one coat to get the same looks as two coats of Hidden Treasure.  Shown over Orly Wandering Vine.

Nubar’s Nubar 2010 nail lacquer is available now at ByNubar.com. Nubar nail polishes retail for $7.49/ea and they offer free shipping on orders over $75.  While you’re at the Nubar site, be sure to sign up for their newsletter to be notified of any upcoming promotions.

So between Nubar 2010 and Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure, which do you prefer?  Do you intend to pick up Nubar 2010?  Are you a flakie fan?

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

If you’ve been wondering how Nubar would follow up the utlra stunning Going Green collection, I’ve got the answer. Next month Nubar will launch the Royal Gems collection; a set of seven rich jewel tones and one glitter bomb that can be worn alone or layered.

The Royal Gems collection includes:
24k – pure glimmering gold shimmer with gold glitter accents
Ruby – shimmering red with red glitter
Tiger’s Eye – warm medium brown shimmer
Emerald – sparkling green shimmer with green glitter
Sapphire – blue glitter in a base of royal blue shimmer
Platinum – lustrous silver with silver glitter accents
Amethyst – rich royal purple shimmer with subtle blue micro glitter accents
Tiara – rich multi-faceted glitter which can either be used alone or as a top coat that takes on the color of any shade with which it is paired.

The Royal Gems Collection will release on September 15th. Nubar polishes retail for $7.49/ea and can be purchased on ByNubar.com.

I will have swatches of these and the Modern Matte collection for you soon so stay tuned.