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. Step by step, ooh baby, Gonna get to you girl Step by step, ooh baby, Really want you in my world That’s right Fanatics, I went to the NKOTBSB concert and I’m not one bit ashamed because it was AH-Mazing! Those boys, well men, sing and dance their asses off for over two hours to throngs of screaming fans and I was so happy to be one of them. It totally makes up for the fact that I never got to see them perform when I was a kid. For me, the best parts of the concert were seeing my darling Joey McIntyre, who rocked some multi-colored nails the last time they were on tour, sing “Please Don’t Go Girl”, Donnie Wahlberg revealing his rock hard abs and Nick Carter sporting a LeBron James “Choke” t-shirt. Though I couldn’t help but notice that AJ McLean was wearing black crackle on his nails (see here). I went with two of my CLE blogger pals, Suzanne & Allison, and we had a blast dancing and singing the whole night. My ears are still ringing! While I enjoyed Backstreet Boys, I was really there for New Kids On The Block so I had to do a NKOTB themed manicure which I dedicate to Joey and his stunning baby blues. I chose a pale blue, Color Club Factory Girl, to match his eyes and a darker, grittier hue, Orly Sapphire Silk, to represent his “Hangin Tough” Boston background. I also failed at my attempt at nail art using Milani Nail Art polish in Blue Print.

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

The consistency of Sapphire Silk is nice and thin even though it’s packed with pigment. I used two coats and each one leveled out, drying with a smooth, glossy finish.

Formula & Application: Color Club nail polishes are 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin). The weighty square bottles are topped with a smooth round cap that feels solid, like it’s made out of metal, in the hand. The thin, round brush has long bristles that have a bit of tension to them but it doesn’t interfere with application.

Unfortunately, I wish I would have tested Factory Girl before choosing it for my manicure. The formula is really thin and sheer. I had to use FOUR COATS and even then I ended up with streaking and pulling at the cuticle. Not exactly a fitting tribute to Edie Sedgwick.

Orly Sapphire Silk is a murky, denim blue creme. It has touches of teal in its undertone but not enough for me to put it in that category. It’s more blue than say Color Club Gossip Column or American Apparel Peacock. Color Club Factory Girl is a sky blue creme, not too far off from Color Club Blue Light though I would say Blue Light is a bit brighter.

I almost didn’t post this pic because my handiwork is so pathetic. Drawing straight lines is one thing but circles and curves are clearly not my strong suit. Regardless, it was fun to try. The brush on the Milani Nail Art Lacquer is just so long, it makes writing a challenge. I thought about using the tip of my dotting tool since you can hold it like a pen so I may try that in the future.

Bottom Line: I dig that Sapphire Silk is kind of muddled and mysterious and it doesn’t fall completely into the teal category. Plus the formula is spot on. Factory Girl was not a winner in my book. The color is beautiful but the streaking and sheerness turned me off.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: I’m definitely STASHing Orly Sapphire Silk but Color Club Factory Girl is off to the SHARE bin.

Orly Sapphire Silk is available at Sally Beauty and ULTA stores and online at OrlyBeauty.com. Both Sapphire Silk and Color Club Factory Girl are available at Head2ToeBeauty.com and TransDesign.com. Orly nail polishes retail for $6-7.50/ea depending on the retailer and Color Club nail polish retails for $3/ea.

Thoughts on Sapphire Silk and Factory Girl? Do you have foolproof method for writing letters on nails? Or is it just practice, practice, practice? Where are my fellow NKOTBSB fans? Did anyone else go see them on tour?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by Color Club, Milani and Orly. 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’ve been doing quite a few interviews lately for various publications about summer and fall nail trends. Of course we know that crackle is EVERYWHERE, nail art isn’t dying out anytime soon and neutrals have been making a resurgence. But what I find funny is when looks that are pretty much “old hat” in the nail community end up being the “new” hot trend. I was recently asked by the Style Network’s StyleSpy about the “new” celebrity accent nail trend and the best ways to wear the look. Of course, this isn’t exactly a new look but since so many celebrities have been rocking the accent nail it’s now a thing. My advice has always been to look for contrasting or complementary color combos. Black & white, purple and gold, lime and fuchsia, etc. For this summer my favorite combination is orange & blue or teal & coral, so I rummaged my untrieds to create a fun accent nail manicure and came up with Deborah Lippmann Lara’s Theme and Orly Frisky.

Formula & Application: Deborah Lippmann nail polish is 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin) and doesn’t contain camphor, which can be an irritant. Her signature glass bottle is so distinct you would know the brand even without the name on it. It’s one of the best bottle shapes in the industry. The curved cap was designed with professional manicurists in mind as it is shaped to rest comfortably between your fingers.

The Lippmann brush is short, round and average in width with flexible bristles that easily fan out over the nail plate. Lara’s Theme has the same creme jelly hybrid formula that I’ve come to expect from Lippmann. They are packed with pigment but have a squishy, jelly type feel. I was able to get great coverage in two coats but the polish was a bit temperamental and could end up streaky if you press too hard on your brush, requiring a third.

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

The consistency of Frisky is kind of thick and it isn’t the best at self leveling but wow is it packed with pigment. I used two coats and that almost felt like overkill.

Deborah Lippmann Lara’s Theme was created with supermodel Lara Stone. Of course, the polish is named after the song from Doctor Zhivago. I had a music box that played this song when I was little and even played it on my flute. It’s so haunting. The polish is a Dutch orange creme in honor of Lara’s country of origin. Similar to the Summer 2010 release, Essie Vermillionaire, though Lara’s Theme has a bit more intensity.

Orly Frisky is part of the Happy Go Lucky collection and even though it’s described as teal, I see it as cross between sky blue and turquoise. It has a hint of green in its base though next to a polish with the same depth, Essie Turquoise & Caicos, it looks very blue. It’s a much more interesting color than I expected.

Bottom Line: Together these colors have me longing for Key West or Miami beach. Somewhere with a great party atmosphere, a beach and fruity drinks. On their own, Frisky is definitely the more unique flower. If I were calling the shots, I would say definitely pick up Frisky and snag Lara’s Theme only if you don’t already own Vermillionaire.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: Since I love how these colors look together, I’m STASHing both. I can see a Lara’s Theme pedi with a Frisky mani in my future.

Deborah Lippmann Lara’s Theme is available at DeborahLippmann.com and Nordstrom stores as well as Nordstrom.com and Beauty.com and retails for $16/ea for a .5oz bottle. Orly Frisky is available at salons nationwide including Sally Beauty and ULTA. Orly nail polishes retail for $7.50/ea for a .6 oz bottle.

What if your favorite accent nail combination? Do you switch up the nail you polish with the contrasting color? Thoughts on Frisky and Lara’s Theme?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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. Color-blocking was all over the Spring 2011 runways but being that my own personal style doesn’t really mesh with color-blocking, I translated the trend to nails. As much as I love how bright colors look on others, I tend to stick to neutrals when it comes to my own wardrobe. My nails are my color statement. Inspired by a dress I saw while online window shopping on Nordstrom.com, I incorporated Orly Ancient Jade from the Precious Spring 2011 Collection to create a color-block manicure.

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

I clearly have not been wearing enough Orly polish lately because their formula continues to amaze me, as if it’s the first time I’ve ever used it. I raved over Royal Navy’s application and Ancient Jade was just as fantastic. Thin, easy to manipulate, well pigmented. For a color so light, two coats were more than sufficient. In fact to avoid my color-block manicure from getting too thick (which it did) I should have used one coat. I totally could have gotten away with it if I wasn’t photographing the color on its own for this post.

Orly Ancient Jade is a mint green creme but as the name indicates, it’s not a pastel. It’s rich, like the jade stone it was named after, and along the lines of Chanel Jade. In fact, if it had the same Chanel subtle shimmer, they could be close relatives.

In the past couple years Orly has released polishes in this color group but in comparison Gumdrop is lighter and more blue based, while Mint Mojito is much darker, almost a spring green. The closest I could come to finding a similar color is Models Own Jade Stone which is Ancient Jade’s slightly paler sister. I had hoped, based on the bottle color, that this was a MAC Peppermint Patti dupe but no such luck.

Using this dress from Jay Godfrey as my inspiration, I added CND Blackjack and Sinful Rise and Shine to Ancient Jade to create my color-block nails. Normally I would not attempt such a manicure. Nail art is not in my skill set and a lot of the nail art I see is too much for my personal taste. But thanks to readers who pointed me in the direction of Chloe’s Nails and her amazing scotch tape manicures, my first attempt at color-blocking came out pretty decent. Check out this tutorial for Chloe’s tips on working with scotch tape to create clean lines. I chose to not apply top coat between each layer to keep my manicure from getting too thick so I waited for at least 20 minutes before applying the next color. Application Tip: If you apply the tape too early, as long as it doesn’t pull of any color during removal, any surface marks from the tape will be erased with top coat.  I found that out when applying Rise and Shine. I totally marked up Blackjack and you can’t even tell.

Bottom Line: The jade/mint trend may not be the thing anymore but a great green can always suck me in. Ancient Jade’s formula is top notch and the pigmentation is strong with this one. If you’re into this type of color, you will not be let down.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: STASH!! In fact, I may be dumping other polishes from my collection in favor of this one. It’s that good!

Orly Ancient Jade is available now at Sally Beauty Supply and ULTA stores though availability will vary by store. Online shoppers can head to OrlyBeauty.com and Head2ToeBeauty.com. Orly nail polishes retail for $7.50/ea for a .6oz bottle.

Thoughts on Ancient Jade? How did my color-block nails turn out? Is this something you would attempt? Have you done a scotch tape manicure before?

Disclosure: A product sample was provided by Orly. 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. They say it takes 28 days to create a habit, or break one. Today is Day 28 of my untrieds challenge and one of the reasons I started this project was to get over what I’m calling a “blogpression.” It’s not that I didn’t love polish anymore or talking about it.  It’s just that after four years I was feeling very mixed about blogging. As much as I love all of you for reading, commenting, emailing, etc I was putting so much pressure on myself.  Wanting to fulfill every request and please everyone all the time made me avoid blogging.  I wanted to swatch and compare every polish that came out to every other polish that ever existed.  It’s simply not possible. So thank you for the endless support and encouragement.  I’m happy that you enjoy the 365 of Untrieds as much as I do.  It’s made me enjoy blogging more than I have in a long time.  Now let’s move on with Orly Royal Navy.

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

Royal Navy was such a pleasure to apply I was actually a bit giddy as it glided on the nail. The formula has a semi-sheer jelly look to it but it flows on the nail like a smooth-as-butter creme rather than a squishy jelly.  Due to its semi-sheer nature I used three coats and even though the picture shows VNL (visible nail line) it’s MUCH less apparent in person.

Orly Royal Navy is a an electrified royal blue jelly packed with turquoise micro-glitter.  This color launched last summer as part of the patriotic themed In The Navy collection and this color clearly stole the show.  It’s so amazingly vibrant in person that I can’t stop staring at it.  Pictures can not do this one justice.  It’s rich and bold but not in-your-face bright.

Bottom Line: Without a doubt Royal Navy is going on my all-time favorite blues list. It’s stunning and a “must-have” for any blue polish lover. I’m smitten and don’t want to take it off. You will have serious nail polish regret if you let this one pass by.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: As if you couldn’t guess… STASH STASH STASH

Orly Royal Navy is available online at SallyBeauty.com and TransDesign.com. Check your local Sally Beauty or UTLA for availability.  Orly nail polishes retail for $6/ea for a .6oz bottle.

How many of you have Royal Navy?  Are you as in love with it as I am?  Come on, back me up!  If you don’t own it, do you plan to hunt down a bottle?

Disclosure: I purchased this nail polish. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

One of the things I always look forward to when the holiday collections come out are the gift sets. Whether it is sets of minis or a selection of colors paired with a fun gift item, I always get suckered in. If a set includes a bag, a cute stuffed animal, a holiday themed tool, etc. you can pretty much bet I’m all over it. The Orly ‘Tis The Season gift set is no exception. Of the six polishes in the ‘Tis The Season collection, Orly paired the traditional red creme, luscious green sparkler and white, icing-esque sheer with a metallic red clutch.

Formula & Application: Orly nail polishes are 4-Free (which includes Formaldehyde Resin) and comes with the fan fave rubberized cap. That signature easy-to-grip cap makes it easy to control the polish. The brush is long and thin with flexible bristles. I personally would like it if there were more bristles to get more coverage in each stroke.

Each polish in this set is a bit different so I will cover the application in the individual reviews.

Meet Me Under The Mistletoe has a blue tinged evergreen base packed with fish food flaky glitter that reflects as light green, emerald green and gold. The finish looks similar to the Orly Cosmic FX collection only without the duo-chrome effect. To keep all those glowing flaky glitter particles suspended, the formula is a bit on the sheer side so I needed three coats to get the color completely opaque.

Candy Cane Lane is your average holiday red creme. It’s a punchy, bold hue that has a touch of warmth in spite of its berry base. It’s got a kind of jelly finish look to it rather than being creamy so it applies a bit sheer. I ended up using three coats and I have to say this one applied a little odd. It was hard to apply it perfectly, as evidenced below, so the third coat was necessary partially due to opacity but also due to application issues.

On its own Winter Wonderland does not thrill me. Sheers and I are not friends. I hate seeing my nails naked due to how detached my tips are and wearing a sheer just emphasizes that. I applied two coats in the swatch below and because the base is clear, unless your nails are hit by light, you don’t see the silver flakes floating in the polish. This is definitely best used for layering.

Throw a layer of Winter Wonderland over Candy Cane Lane and bring that ho hum red to life. It’s like tinsel on a Christmas tree. Actually this is an odd reference but it makes me think of that movie How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days when Kate Hudson’s character calls a blinged out dog collar, “a little frosting.” With Winter Wonderland you can “frost yourself!”

I wanted to see how Winter Wonderland would look over a green so I used Essie Going Incognito from the newly released Winter collection as a base. Doesn’t it look like the first snowfall of the year, when the grass is still green? In this swatch I purposely applied WW thinner on the ring finger to show how heavy or light you can go with the effect.

Bottom Line: As a gift set, it’s a great stocking stuffer for the nail fanatic in your life. The clutch is adorable and would make a great makeup bag. It has a basic red that so many love at the holidays but includes a perfect way to kick that red up a notch. I love that of the six polishes in the Tis The Season collection Orly chose to include the green instead of playing it safe with another red or the gold.

The Orly ‘Tis The Season Gift Set is available now along with the rest of the ‘Tis The Season Collection. This set retails for $18 and individual Orly polishes retail for $6/ea for a .6oz bottle. Orly is carried at Sally Beauty Supply, ULTA, Regis and Trade Secret and can be found online at various e-tailers.

Who’s loving this set? Even if you don’t love every color in a gift set will the bonus items, like a clutch, get you to buy it anyway? Would you buy this set for a friend or loved one?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by Orly. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

2010 is turning out to be the year of texture.  Satin, glitter, sequins, crystals, etc. have all been making a splash in the nail world.  Orly has certainly stepped up their game with the Cosmic FX collection. Combining natural rock minerals, crystals, and glass they have taken duo-chrome polishes to a new level. We’re talking the multi-dimensional love child of foil and duo-chrome. Each polish flashes multiple colors depending on the angle and how the light hits it. These are certainly not shades for the color shy.

Application and Formula: The Orly Cosmix FX formula is 4-Free (which includes Formaldehyde Resin) and comes in the regular Orly bottle with the fan fave rubberized cap. The brush is long and thin with flexible bristles. I personally would like if there were more bristles to get more coverage in each stroke.

There is a drawback to this formula, opacity. To suspend the multi-sized particles, the base is pretty sheer. Due to that, each polish requires at least three coats.  Also, there’s something about this formulation that makes the polish take longer to dry.  Twice while swatching these I had to start over because I would bump something at least 30 minutes after applying and get a huge dent.  That’s with a top coat applied.  Granted I was using CND Super Shiney which is not a quick dry top coat but still it shouldn’t be denting that easily after that much time.

Removal: The particles do make removal a bit more cumbersome than a regular creme or shimmer polish but not as bad as a traditional glitter.  Watch for staining with Halley’s Comet.  You should consider an extra layer of base coat with that one.

FYI: You guys have no idea how hard these polishes are to photograph.  Seriously, I’ve had them for over a month and I didn’t swatch them earlier, in part due to the original September launch date but, because they are a bitch to capture.  The duo-chrome effect only shows up at an angle so I’m showing all of these with a close-up from the side.  I thought about doing photos in sunlight but it just blew out the color and looked really inaccurate.  That’s the main reason I rarely take photos in the sun.  I don’t think it tells the real color story.

Lunar Eclipse is a vibrant electric blue packed with purple and pink particles.  This probably the most opaque of the polishes.  This one and the purple, Out of This World.  The finish on all these is like the foils we love but on steroids.

Rocket Science makes me think of Swamp Thing, that early 80s flick with Adrienne Barbeau.  It’s this mossy, browned green base with gold and ivy green sparkle.  It’s more flattering in person than it looks here but it’s still one of those ugly pretty shades that will probably only appeal to small group.

Halley’s Comet is the only real let down in this group for one very big reason. It’s a dead-on dupe for OPI Catch Me In Your Net and its doppelganger Zoya Charla. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a gorgeous color.  A stunning turquoise base with gold, green and blue pieces.  I’ve spotted the OPI & Zoya versions on people all summer long but I can’t help but wonder what the difference is between the formulas because on the nail they look identical.

Out of this World has an inky blackened plum base filled with purple and pink glimmer.  The official description from Orly says there is silver FX in this polish but it flashes golden to me.  This color looks like a glitterized grape popsicle on the nails.  The golden flash is pretty minimal.  This is probably the least duo-chrome of the bunch.  What I find interesting is that in the bottle OotW looks a lot like Zoya Julieanne from the Wicked collection.  Are we seeing a pattern here?

Galaxy Girl looks like a bruise to me with its mix of berry, blue and green.  The base color is reminiscent of dried blood which sounds gross but it’s not.  On the nail, the blue FX is the prominent color and the green takes a backseat.  I’m not a huge fan of how this looks on me.  I feel it brings out the ruddiness I try to mask in my skin tone.

Space Cadet is my absolute favorite polish in this collection and I know that will surprise you but believe me, it’s killer.  Photos do it a serious disservice.  It’s the most multi-faceted polish in this collection and changes color like a chameleon as you move your hand.  One second it’s rosy, then you move and see a coppery flash.  At certain angles it looks mauve and others it’s pink.  What’s funny is the base is teal so you see this glow of blue-green coming through.  In the bottle I was not loving this color AT ALL.  On the nail, I couldn’t stop staring at it.

Bottom Line: I don’t know that these polishes necessarily justify the higher price tag.  I can only assume that there are some costly ingredients that aren’t normally in Orly polishes.  I think I was more excited when I saw them in the bottle because they looked so magical.  On the nail, some of them fall flat.  The only one I’m dubbing a must-have is Space Cadet.  Lunar Eclipse is beautiful and definitely gets the runner-up prize.  I love Out of this World but the jury is out until I compare it to Zoya Julieanne.

The Orly Cosmic FX collection was supposed to launch in September 2010 but I’ve already seen it online so I would start checking your local Sally Beauty Supply, ULTA, etc. if you want to scoop these up. The Cosmic FX polishes will retail for $10/ea for a .6oz bottle.

Are you feeling the effects of the Cosmic FX?  Do you think the finish justifies the price tag?  Will you be running out to get these?  Which colors are speaking to you most?

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

Monday was utter craziness at Cosmoprof North America. Christine and I arrived bright and early and hit the ground running. We met with the teams at CND, OPI, Orly, SpaRitual and Zoya and I think by the end of the day we were both visually overwhelmed.  You can’t really grasp the scope of how large this show is unless you’re here.  Outside of all the major nail, hair and skin care brands that are represented there are a tons of smaller and international brands to check out. Three of the big trends I’m noticing are keratin treatments, hair tinsel and gel polish.  The amount of brands that have come out with those three products is exploding.  Check out our finds from Day 2 after the jump!

Our first stop of the day was at the Orly and SpaRitual booth to check out what they have coming out from now through the holidays.

Orly Cosmix FX is their Fall collection and without even swatching a single polish I’m predicting this a must-have. The polishes contain crystals and flash multiple colors creating what I’m calling a multi-chrome effect. Due to the special formula the polishes will retail for $10.

For Halloween 2010 we’re seeing some classic Halloween shades repromoted.

Orly Instant Artist is a new nail art line that launched in April. I really love this bottle shape and was pleased to discover that in addition to their full size treatment products, Orly launched them in this size bottle as well.

Orly Instant Artist Starter Kit

I posted a pic of Orly Tis The Season from my phone on Sunday but here’s a better shot.

Next up, SpaRitual. One of things Christine has been curious about is brands that put the “Vegan” stamp on their polish. Is it a marketing tool or are there non-vegan nail polish ingredients? According to the rep for SpaRitual some shimmer polishes contain fish scales and SpaRitual does not. Who knew?

Imagine will be launching for Fall and there is a gorgeous duo-chrome in the lineup.

In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, SpaRitual will release the In Pink collection. Two colors, a pale pink and beige metallic, will be sold to support Living In Pink.

If you’ve ever had issues with your SpaRitual wear time, you should check out the new TrueBond system.  TrueBond is a three piece Primer, Base Coat and Top Coat system designed to extend the life of your manicure.

Holiday 2010 brings us the Holiday Glow trio with red, pale silver and burnished gold shimmers.  I also got a peek at Spring/Summer and there are some fun colors and more tranquil shades coming our way but I can’t discuss them just yet.

Holiday Glow Minis

Christine was really excited to visit the CND booth so she could try the new Shellac manicure.  I was excited to finally meet CND Education Ambassador Torie Savickis (pictured below) and visit with the whole CND team including the fabulous Jan Arnold who was wearing the most blingtastic silver glitter heels.  Torie (aka PolishedPinky) and I have been tweeting with each other for quite some time now so it was great to put a face with a name and talk nails.

I previously reported that we’d see new Shellac shades this Fall but due to the overwhelming demand for the Shellac system, that launch has been pushed back to early 2011.  So to quell everyone’s thirst for new colors, CND has come up with layering combinations to create new shades.  You can get a purple, lavender and pewter (seen below) in addition to many other shades by layering Shellac.  Torie topped Fedora with Strawberry Smoothie and added a some glitz to with a bit of nail art glitter.  Aren’t they hot?  Totally Vegas! Be on the lookout for Christine’s report on her experience with Shellac in the coming weeks.

Speaking of Shellac, one of my friends that came to Vegas with me got Shellac’d last Wednesday before we left Cleveland.  Steph chose Fedora and as you can see, after five days it’s still perfect outside of the nail growth.

While Christine was getting Shellac’d I stopped by the OPI booth and was sad to learn that Suzi was unable to attend the show but delighted to meet OPI President George Schaeffer. George showed me the new Burlesque collection for Holiday which is half glitter party, half holiday reds, golds and bronzes.  The glitters are insane and if you missed out on the Alice In Wonderland collection, the Burlesque glitters should satisfy that lemming.  I was fortunate to leave with a bottle of Simmer & Shimmer and I can’t wait to get home and swatch it.

Did You Know? George told me that for every collection that OPI releases, the creative team comes up with an average of 600 names before the final twelve are selected.  600??  Can you imagine?  He jokingly shared that there is usually alcohol involved in those meetings and I don’t doubt it!

Our last stop of the day was to meet with the Reyzis family at the Zoya booth.  The Cleveland based company truly is one big family and I was pleased to meet the woman who started it all, Zoya Reyzis.  Zoya is charming, funny and a great story teller.  I was mesmerized as she told us the story of how she met her husband Michael, how they escaped to this country as refugees and how the Zoya brand was founded.  She’s an amazing woman.

We also got a look at the Zoya Holiday collection and it’s really beautiful. Plus there’s a fun new product coming out that I can’t wait to tell you about. I hope to have info I can share with you soon!

So what product caught your eye the most? How much is your wallet crying? Is anyone else kind of hoping for Fall even though it means cold weather and shorter days??

Brian Wolk and Claude Morais, the designers behind Ruffian, have declared the “moon manicure” their signature nail.  After two seasons of incorporating the moon mani into their runway look, the nail world went nuts for the crescent moon inspired design from their Fall ’10 show (shown left). Each season it’s not just about a moon manicure it’s about invoking a specific look or reference.  The Fall ’09 ruby colored moon (below right) was inspired by a vintage Vogue cover while the Spring ’09 raspberry and black art deco design (below left) was pulled from a tapestry. For Fall ’10 the nail came together in a magical way. After meeting with the designers, CND’s Jan Arnold was walking the Manhattan streets when she looked up to see a crescent moon glowing against the midnight blue sky. The moon had a golden cast to it and she was immediately inspired. When she spoke to the designers, they had also seen the moon and had the same thought to translate it onto a nail.

What makes this version of the moon manicure so unique is that instead of a half oval moon it has an upside down crescent shape.  It’s as though your cuticles are smiling up at you.  That small sliver of gold really pops against the matte navy tip.  So how do you recreate this look at home?  Well it’s easier than you think.  While I can’t paint a traditional moon to save my life, my amateurish nail art skills were able to pull this off.

There are actually two ways you can recreate the Ruffian Manicure.  One is how CND actually did it and the other is their suggested at-home method.  If you watch the video below you’ll see the way they created the runway nails using pre-made chrome tips, like the Dashing Diva Design Nails I told you about.

I recreated the look using the same Dashing Diva Gold Digger tips I posted about yesterday with Orly Blue Suede on top. I chose to use Blue Suede because it gives the same satin finish of the CND version without the need for two products. I’m all for simplification.

Application: I did each layer in 5 strokes.  Start with a minimal amount of polish in your brush.  Stroke 1 – Place brush in middle of nail about a 1/4 inch from the cuticle line.  Sweep in a curved motion to the side of your nail.  Stroke 2 – Sweep in the opposite direction. Stroke 3 – Fill in the middle.  Stroke 4 & 5 are optional.  I needed them to even out the surface.  Repeat with a second coat of polish.

If you don’t have chrome tips on hand try CND’s DIY method.  They suggest using CND Gold Chrome, Inkwell and Super Matte Top Coat.  My bottle of Gold Chrome is M.I.A. so I used Milani My Network from their new Liquid Metal line.  This is the same application process as above only you put down a layer of the gold polish first.  Make sure it’s dry before applying Inkwell so it doesn’t pull any of the gold.

Add a layer of CND Super Matte for that satiny finish.  For some reason Super Matte dried somewhat uneven and milky over inkwell which is odd because it’s been very smooth over other colors.  It could just be my application.  Alternate satin finish top coats include Barielle Matte-inée and Orly Nails For Males (their Satin is dc’d).

While I really loved this look on the models, I’m not digging it on my nail shape. It makes my tips look even shorter and fatter than they already are. I think if I had a more length or a rounded shape it would look better.

CND products can be purchased at salons and spas nationwide. Orly Blue Suede can be found at Head2ToeBeauty.com and Dashing Diva Gold Digger tips can be purchased on DashingDiva.com.

What do you think of the Ruffian Manicure? Have you tried it yourself? What variations on the look have you come up with? I’m thinking of trying a one color matte & glossy version.

Disclosure: Products from CND, Orly and Dashing Diva were furnished to me by the brands. I purchased Milani My Network. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

“Gretchen, stop trying to make FETCH happen! It’s not going to happen!” – Regina George leader of “The Plastics” in Mean Girls.

For the past year now nail polish brands have been trying to “make fetch happen” with a seemingly never ending barrage of matte nail polishes.  My lazy, always-running-late self loves mattes for their quick dry time and I know I’m not alone but the detractors seem to be in the majority.  I get it.  The wear issues and flat wall paint finish aren’t exactly selling points and most certainly deal breakers for a lot of you.

Enter Orly’s twist on the game, the Plastix Collection, a set of four satin lacquers.  Like their Nails For Males and now discontinued Matte Top Coat these polishes dry with a semi-gloss “plastic” finish.  This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this type of finish but it hasn’t come in fun colors until now.  The Fall runways featured lots of satin nails as well which is why I’m declaring Satin is the new Matte.

Formula and Application – Just like the matte polishes these are meant to be worn without top coat.  There was no warning about using a base coat so I suggest doing so.  Just wait until a few minutes for the base to dry to avoid any unevenness in application.  A tacky base coat like Orly Bonder or CND Stickey would be my preference.

The formula on these is thin and flows well.  It has a bit of a squishy, jelly texture similar to Orly Charged Up.  The pigmentation is better with the purple and teal shades requiring only two coats while the red and orange look best with three coats.

Viridian Vinyl is a cool blue-green teal that is very similar in color to Sally Hansen Fairy Teal.  Since this is a Fall collection I see this as being great transition from the turquoise hues that have been so dominant this season.

I ended up wearing Viridian Vinyl for five days because I was so smitten with the color.  The cashmere like finish feels both retro and futuristic at the same time, kind of like how I think of The Jetsons.  I wore the polish with a base coat of CND Stickey and as you can see, after five days of showers, hand washing and various other chores it’s very well intact though the finish has changed some.  Lotion and water will do that.

Purple Pleather actually looks a lot like Charged Up when you apply it.  Of course when it dries it tells a completely different story but it still has that cool blue-based purple hue to it.  Though I have to say the word pleather does not bring up positive images though I get the whole alliterative angle.

Old School Orange is pretty straight up.  We’re talking true Sunkist orange.  It’s the perfect blend of red and yellow with no undertones of either in the final mix.

Retro Red is more of a bright strawberry pink than it appears below.  It looks more cherry in my pic and I just couldn’t get it to look quite right.  It’s got the look of red leather interior in a 50′s Corvette Convertible that’s been weathered by the sun.

Bottom Line: The satin finish is a perfect middle ground for those who are turned off by mattes but want to switch up their nail game. A satin finish top coat would work as well though they tend to lighten the base color. Viridian Vinyl gets my pick for “must-have” in this group, shocker I know, with a surprising honorable mention for Retro Red. There’s just something about that plastic red look that makes me think of Grease and old school diners.  You know Rizzo totally would have rocked it in her day.

The Orly Plastix Collection launches in July 2010. Orly polishes can be found in salons and stores including Sally Beauty and ULTA and online at OrlyBeauty.com and Head2ToeBeauty.com.

Are you feeling the satin finish? Will this make the matte haters cave? Are you standing your glossy finish ground? Do you like seeing more “fun” colors in a non-traditional finish?

Disclosure: Product samples were furnished by Orly. For more information view my Disclosure Policy.