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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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. What day is it? What time is it? I seriously have no clue at this point. The time change from Cleveland to Vegas has me in such a tailspin that I honestly have no idea if it’s Monday, Tuesday or Sunday. I rarely have this type of reaction to flying outside my own time zone but this trip is really throwing me off. Maybe there’s something in the air because Deborah Lippmann mentioned this morning that she’s all out of sorts. That her typical spot-on sense of direction is so off that she keeps getting lost in the Mandalay Bay, a hotel she has stayed in many times. At least I fly home tomorrow night (gotta love the red eye) and will hopefully be back on track asap. So far I have met some amazing people and seen lots of fun products and colors at Cosmoprof (more on that to come) but I had a major fangirl moment when I met Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, EVP & Executive Artistic Director of OPI. I’ve had the privilege to speak with some incredible people in this industry but Suzi has always been at the top of my nail bucket list and today I can finally cross her off. It seems only fitting that I meet her the day I delve into OPI Sparrow Me The Drama from the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides collection as part of my commitment to inject more pink/red into the 365.

Formula & Application: OPI is a 3-Free brand but some (not all) of the PotC polishes are 4-Free including Sparrow Me The Drama. They made the switch to 3-Free in 2008. You can identify an OPI with the 3-Free formula by the green lettering on the label. Bottles with black lettering have the old formula. The new 4-Free formula doesn’t have a different color writing on the label so always check the labels to be sure.

The OPI Pro Wide brush is flat, wide and medium in length. It’s of average stiffness and easily spreads out on the nail when pressed. The only downside to the Pro Wide brush is that it can be too wide for slim fingers or little toes.

The formula is thin and easy to work with but I found that the pigmentation was lacking some and it looked a little streaky/patchy in person. I ended up using three thin coats just to make sure I had proper coverage but someone who applies their polish a little thicker could probably get away with two coats.

OPI Sparrow Me The Drama is a nice middle-of-the-road pink creme. I appreciate that it’s a bit cool but not so much that people with warm/olive skin tones can’t get involved. You’ll have to forgive me for not presenting comparisons. Due to time constraints before I left for Vegas, I just wasn’t able to make it happen.

Of course I couldn’t leave a sleeping dog lie. I had to pump up the volume on this color with a little Shatter Attack. Since the creme shatters don’t do much for me and Silver Shatter was released to be worn with the Pirates hues, I went for it. I was honestly curious if there would be enough contrast both colors to make it interesting and while I’m steadfast in my anti-pink-ness, I do appreciate the funky flavor of this combo.

Remember: When working with Shatter, apply to a COMPLETELY DRY nail or else it won’t crack properly. You will get the best effect when the polish is dry.  Thin coats = more cracks and make sure you apply a top coat to prevent the Shatter from flaking off.

Bottom Line: Sparrow Me The Drama’s name is more entertaining than the actual polish. I mean, the color is fine but would you want to be described as “fine?” Neither does this pink lady. Regardless of my personal feeling on the color, I wish the formula was a little less streaky for all my pink lovers out there. The nice thin flow of the polish held such promise.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: I’m just not feeling it… SHARE

OPI Sparrow Me The Drama from the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides collection is available now in limited edition at salons and spas nationwide including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA. OPI nail polishes retail for $8.50/ea for one .5oz bottles.

Thoughts on Sparrow Me The Drama? Do you like it better with or without Silver Shatter? How many of you love pink polish over all the other color families? Do you have a favorite pink that you think I would just FLIP over?

Disclosure: A product sample was provided by OPI. 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 committed to do, I’m featuring at least one pink/red nail polish each week. This week we’re looking at NARS Schiap. Schiap is interesting in that both the lipstick and nail polish forms of the color seem to have mass appeal even though it’s a shockingly bright shade. I have a love/hate relationship with NARS nail polishes. I love a lot of the colors they’ve put out over the years but I hate the formula because it’s notoriously streaky. Will Schiap follow suit or stand out from the pack?

Formula & Application: NARS nail polishes are 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin). The squat square bottles are topped with a somewhat rubberized cap that houses a short, round brush. Unlike a lot of prestige brands that have a removable outer cap, the NARS cap is one solid piece. The bristles are pretty flexible though they are kind of sparse and don’t really fan out easily. I believe that, like the MAC brush, that may be where we should place the blame for streaky application.

The formula of this polish is a cross between a creme and a jelly. It has a bit of a watery texture but is well pigmented. So pigmented that the first coat covered really well. In fact, I found myself thinking, “Is this a NARS polish?” as the first coat flowed on the nail like a dream. Then the second coat went on and it was streak city with patchiness a plenty. The third coat evened everything out but then I discovered a couple bubbles after it dried. Drat! You can see them on my middle and pinkie nails.

NARS Schiap is bright, fuchsia pink creme with a definite cool blue undertone.  What I found interesting is that in sunlight it becomes almost eye searing as though the sun is an electric source for the color. However indoors it’s a bit more subtle and not as in-your-face. We’re not talking glow-in-the-dark neon by any means but it sure does make a statement. I attempted to find a suitable dupe and they were either too dark (Chanel Pulsion), too neon (Zoya Ali) or too light (OPI La Paz-itively Hot & Zoya Whitney).

Bottom Line: NARS Schiap is one of those nail wardrobe staples. A pedicure perfect bright pink. Even though I’m not a pink girl I can’t deny the attraction. I’m not head over heels but it’s a great color. While I haven’t come across an affordable dead-on dupe the application issues prevent me from giving it the thumbs up. Considering its price tag, I can’t, in good conscience, tell you to run out and get it without proper warning.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: If I owned a dupe I would ditch it so until then I’m reluctantly STASHing it.

NARS Schiap is available at NARS counters worldwide and online at NARSCosmetics.com, Beauty.com and most department store websites. NARS nail polishes retail for $17/ea for a .5oz bottle.

How many of you are smitten with Schiap? Have you come across a dupe for it? Which NARS nail polishes do you feel are worth the splurge?

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

Rescue Beauty Lounge announces L’Oiseau de Feu, Ji Baek’s Pre-Fall collection inspired by the metamorphosis of colors brought on by Hurricane Earl.

“During my St. Barts vacation last August, I felt a frantic energy that I had never before witnessed in that familiar, peaceful paradise. There were scattered chaotic rhythms of energy as Hurricane Earl approached. As the storm unfolded, my inner dramatic stage director’s heart started to beat to the rhythms of Igor Stravinsky’s L’Oiseau de Feu (The Fire Bird). The honking brass section mirrored the hysteria on the island and the wind started to howl irksomely, just like Stravinsky’s French horns and bassoons. I peeked out the door and was mesmerized by the colors of a romantic and moody sky.”

As a former band geek, I even marched for one horrifying football season, I totally get associating music with life’s major events. There are certain songs or pieces of music that throw me back into another time and place, even for just a split second. Having been caught in a water spout on my parents’ sail boat, I can’t imagine letting go of the fear to hear the music in a storm but reading Ji’s take on her experience with Hurricane Earl, you can almost see the notes as she describes her latest nail polish collection.

Formula & Application: Rescue Beauty Lounge nail polish is 4-Free (includes formaldehyde resin).  The square glass bottles are thick enough to feel sturdy but thin enough to properly show off the color. The smooth brushed metal cap is easy to hold and polish with while the brush is round, of average length and on the thicker side. It’s a bit more flexible than most which makes application a breeze.

While I am usually impressed with Rescue’s impeccable formula and pigmentation, only Fortissimo and Piu Mosso were two coat wonders. I had major streaking issues with Poco a Poco so I needed three coats to get it even. I thought it might be the base coat I used (Gelous) so I tried another (CND Sticky) and both ended up with some unevenness and the need for a third coat. Pizzicato is semi-sheer, and it’s probably intentional, but I like to wear my polishes opaque and used three coats with it as well.

“I envisioned my first color—Pizzicato—inspired by the gentle tiny taps of rain droplets as they hit the tin roof, reminiscent of plucked strings. A misty white with the faintest hint of lavender, Pizzicato has a shimmer that acts like prisms of light in a sun shower.”

Rescue Beauty Lounge Pizzicato is a semi-sheer, lavender tinted white with silvery flake glitter. In the bottle you see specks of pink and blue but they don’t really show up on the nail. While I normally shy away from anything resembling lavender, this is white enough that it doesn’t give me alien hands.

“When the wind picked up, I saw Poco a poco, “little by little.” This is a shade that changes from moment to moment. It’s the stunning, sparkling pink of a fanning cloud when the red and orange rays of the sun are trying to burst through.”

Rescue Beauty Lounge Poco a Poco is a muted carnation pink with rosy pink micro-shimmer. On the nail, the polish looks like it has a subtle cast or heathering that makes the shimmer more subtle and hazy. There’s just something about this shimmer that makes me think of OPI Windy City Pretty. I just hope I still have the color to show you a comparison.

“Later, the ominous dark clouds bled into the sky with a fast-moving wind. Piú Mosso is an inky, blue-black that shoots through a flash of orange, the last glow of sunlight.”

Rescue Beauty Lounge Piu Mosso is a blackened navy with reddish orange micro-shimmer. It’s pretty dark indoors but not so much that you can’t tell it’s blue. Also, the shimmer isn’t as pronounced as the RBL Tudors polishes, it’s more reserved, like Insouciant. What I love is that Piu Mosso gives you two totally different looks in one bottle. It turns from a playful, fiery shimmer in the sunlight to a chic, creamy blue indoors and at night.

“At last, when the light left the sky and the wind started to roar, the sky turned into a shade beyond description—a dark greenish, blackish, brown, leading to a powerful Fortissimo, the finale chord of The Fire Bird.”

Rescue Beauty Lounge Fortissimo is a blackened brown creme with green undertones that give it a greyed cast indoors. At first sight, I wondered what this muddy liquid would look like on my nails but it turned out much better than I expected. Think of it as a dirty espresso bean. It doesn’t have that rich, warm chocolate goodness. It’s grittier with edge.

Bottom Line: While I love the story behind these colors, overall the collection didn’t wow me. I wanted to be Tudors wowed and it just didn’t happen. Piu Mosso is my hands down favorite from the collection and “must have” in my book. It’s a challenge to add orange shimmer to blue and not have it take over the base color. Ji accomplished this with her usual finesse and style. Pizzicato surprised me with its stunning shimmer and unique take on white.

Fortissimo is interesting and well formulated but it doesn’t make my pulse race and I honestly wonder how flattering it will be on most people. Now I’ve said it many times and I’ll say it again, I’m not a pink girl. Despite Ji’s best efforts to make a pink I would fall in love with, Poco a Poco made me work too much. To make the effort worthwhile it would have to be one special pink  and unfortunately, this one just isn’t.

The Rescue Beauty Lounge L’Oiseau de Feu collection will go on pre-sale before the end of July.  Make sure you’re signed up for the RBL newsletter to be notified of the sale dates.  Rescue Beauty Lounge nail polishes retail for $18/eafor a .4oz bottle and can be purchased online at RescueBeauty.com.

What are we thinking about the colors? Which polishes do you plan to order? Where are my fellow band/orchestra geeks?

I will be doing comparisons of these so if you have a specific comparison request, leave it in the comments.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by Rescue Beauty Lounge. 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. Over the weekend I went to a party where quite a few of my blogger friends were in attendance. Of course I asked about my nail polish and I was curious to find out what they were wearing as well. Then the subject turned to my Untrieds series, specifically the “SHARE” polishes. They were giving me a hard time about the fact that I keep STASHing my untrieds and sent a small percentage to the SHARE bin. The reasoning I shared is that, for the most part, I’ve been trying polishes based on my color mood rather than dig in to the pinks and reds where I know a lot of my SHAREs will come from. Starting with today’s untried, Milani Pink Out Loud, I vow to suck it up and start weeding through my pinks and reds, making sure I include at least one per week for the rest of the 365. I guess this means I’ll have to organize them better. If there’s anyone in the CLE with a good eye for color who wants to help, I sure could use it.

Formula & Application: Milani nail polishes are 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin). The bottles have a tapered, matte gold cap with a long, thick, round brush. The brushes on Milani polishes are longer than most and combined with the flexible bristles they allow for optimal coverage of the nail plate.

The consistency of Pink Out Loud is that of a squishy, jelly polish. It applies semi-sheer and with three coats a bit of VNL (visible nail line) peeks through. The finish is similar to Milani Totally Cool and I could be wrong but I’ll bet they were released together.

Milani Pink Out Loud is a hot pink jelly polish packed with pink and gold micro-glitter. It has somewhat of a glass fleck look to it though it’s missing the big chunks like the ones we saw in China Glaze 108 Degrees. Actually, the more I think of it, this looks like a cross between a bright bubblegum pink and the raspberry hued 108 Degrees.

Bottom Line: The finish is lovely, no doubt, but I can’t picture myself grabbing for this one anytime in the future. In spite of the barely noticeable VNL, I’m sure it would make for a fabulous summer pedicure and pop against a faux glow, it’s just not my cup of tea.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: It’s pretty but deserves a more loving owner. SHARE!

Milani Pink Out Loud is available at drugstores and mass retailers nationwide. Online shoppers can MilaniCosmetics.com and CherryCulture.com. Milani nail polishes retail for$4.99/ea for a .5oz bottle.

Does Pink Out Loud get your stamp of approval? How many of you already own this beauty? Am I wrong to share it?

Disclosure: I purchased this nail polish. 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. In the summer, there’s nothing I love better than a fabulous China Glaze glass fleck nail polish. I always associate that type of finish with the season because China Glaze had a tradition of releasing glass fleck collections every year just in time for summer. The series, dubbed Babes in Toeland, produced some of the best glass flecks I have ever seen; Wicked Step Sisters, Stroke of Midnight, Sass in a Glass and Drinkin My Blues Away among others. The glass flecks continued but away from the Babes in Toeland moniker when the beloved Surf collection released and then we didn’t see another glass fleck collection until Summer Days. While China Glaze still includes some glass flecks in their collections, we haven’t seen a set dedicated to them since. Which brings me to today’s untried, China Glaze 108 Degrees from the Island Escape collection for Summer 2011. Even though there are a couple cremes in the lineup I’m happy to see the return of my favorite nail polish finish.

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

The glass fleck finish is unique to China Glaze and while other brands have duped it, this is the OG version and it deserves recognition as such. What makes the glass fleck so unique is that it has a squishy jelly base that is packed with a plethora of micas, glitters and particles to create this unique look of sparkle and flecks being trapped in lucite, like a bug suspended in amber. It’s a magical thing and something that needs to be witnessed in person. Of course there is a caveat to this type of finish, opacity. Expect to apply at least three thin coats to hide the dreaded VNL (visible nail line).

China Glaze 108 Degrees is an electrified raspberry glass fleck. It contains fuchsia, gold and silver particles that all come together to create this almost 3D look on the nail. There is so much depth to a glass fleck, you can’t even begin to imagine. This isn’t even a typical “me” color and I can’t get enough of it. The thought of taking it off is depressing.

Bottom Line: If you haven’t tried a China Glaze glass fleck I highly suggest you get involved ASAP and 108 Degrees would be a perfect place to start. Off the top of my head I can’t think of a dupe to this color and given that my red/pink storage is a disaster beyond belief, 108 Degrees owners, please leave a comment if you’ve found a kissing cousin to it. EDITED TO ADD – A few readers reminded me of OPI Be A Dahlia Won’t You? as a potential dupe and while I would say they are similar enough to not need both, 108 Degrees is more intense, more flecked and slightly warmer in tone.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: My head says SHARE, because I have TOO many bright pink polishes but my heart says STASH so I think I’ll find something else to get rid of to justify keeping it.

China Glaze 108 Degrees and the rest of the Island Escape collection is available now at salons and beauty supply stores nationwide including Sally Beauty and ULTA. Online shoppers can head to Head2ToeBeauty.com, SallyBeauty.com, TransDesign.com and ULTA.com. China Glaze nail polishes retail for $3-6.50/ea, depending on the retailer, for a .5oz bottle.

Thoughts on 108 Degrees? Am I the only one that keeps thinking of the boy band 98 Degrees while wearing this? What is your favorite China Glaze glass fleck? Who else wants to see a BLACK GLASS FLECK? Can we make that happen China Glaze? Can we??

Disclosure: A product sample was provided by China Glaze. 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 wore a pink and I liked i-it! I hope my polish friends don’t mind it.” I’ve been blasting Katy Perry in my polish room all day so while I was applying today’s 365 of Untrieds color, my altered version of that lyric created an earworm that I can’t seem to get rid of. The point is, I am wearing pink nail polish today and I don’t hate it. SPOILER ALERT - I’m actually kind of in love with it.  I suppose that ruins the whole stash/share verdict for today but I hope you’ll keep reading to see why I’m so smitten with Chanel Morning Rose.

Formula & Application: Chanel nail polish is 4-Free (includes formaldehyde resin) plus there’s no camphor, which can be an irritant. The signature square glass bottles are topped with a black square outer cap that is removed to reveal a stubby, round, ribbed inner cap. The brush is round, medium in length and width and reminds me of the old OPI/new SOPI brushes. It easily fans out and covers the nail without much resistance.

While I was applying this color I couldn’t help but thinking the formula is so “Manicures for Dummies” in that it’s pretty goof proof for novice at-home manicurists. It’s not that this polish specifically is better than others but this type of formula, squishy, jelly-ish, light colored, is great for beginners. You can pretty much slap it on and have it look good since it levels out easily, doesn’t show unevenness in application around the cuticle and is barely visible on the skin should you make a mistake. Morning Rose ended up needing three coats but it applied phenomenally well and dried nice and glossy, like a jelly.

Chanel Morning Rose is just as the name implies, a warm rosy pink with gold, flaky micro-glitter that reflects the light the way morning rays of sun would. I’ve always tended to lean towards warmer pinks and when I was in my pink heyday circa 2005 I was all about Essie Ball-timore, a rosy pink shimmer. Morning Rose reminds me of that old favorite.

Okay so a while back I saw a manicurist (either Kimmie Kyees or Sophy Robson) tweet about buying 14K gold Chanel logo decals online and I just HAD to get them. I know, I know logos can be tacky, like people dripping in Louis Vuitton Monogram, but I figure I get a pass if I’m wearing it on Chanel polish. I’m at least not trying to fake it, right?

The decals come flat so I suggest waiting for your polish to dry, sans top coat, so you can lightly bend the decal to fit the curve of your nail without messing up your mani. Place the decal with a toothpick and lightly press in place.  Add a layer of top coat and you should be good to go.  If you are concerned about losing it, you can use a bit of nail glue on the decal but I don’t find it necessary.

To give you an idea of how Morning Rose compares to some past Chanel pinks, I’m showing it next to Mica Rose, Mistral, Ming and Flamingo.

While Mistral is probably the closest in terms of texture and finish, it’s much cooler toned than Morning Rose.  Ming has the most similar base color though it’s not as pigmented and has shimmer rather than micro-glitter.  Mica Rose and Flamingo are both way off but thought they might be a good reference point for those who own them.

Bottom Line: I love everything about Morning Rose. The color is my ideal shade of pink. Not too light, not too bright, just warm enough to complement my skin tone. And the gold flecks actually show up unlike the Chanel that stole Morning Rose’s thunder (I’m looking at YOU Mimosa). As far as the Chanel Summer Collection is concerned, this is the true nail polish winner. Don’t waste your dinero on Mimosa, spend it on Morning Rose instead.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: Surprise, surprise I’m STASHing it.

Chanel Morning Rose is available at Chanel counters nationwide and online at Chanel.com. Chanel nail polish retails for $25/ea for a .4oz bottle. Chanel 14K nail decals can be purchased from Esther’s Nail Center for $3.75 for 48 decals.

Okay what’s your verdict on my Chanel decals? Are they are win or fail? Thoughts on Morning Rose? How many of you bypassed the much ballyhooed Mimosa for Morning Rose? Yes, I used “ballyhooed” in a sentence. I’m old!

Disclosure: I purchased Morning Rose and the Chanel decals. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

Formula & Application: OPI nail polishes are now 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin) and free of camphor, which can be an irritant. This is a new development as OPI’s pre-Texas were only 3-Free. I just wish OPI had changed the color of the print on the labels so buyers can identify 4-Free polishes like they did when they made the switch to 3-Free.

The OPI Pro Wide brush is flat, wide and medium in length. It’s of average stiffness and easily spreads out on the nail when pressed. The only downside to the Pro Wide brush is that it can be too wide for slim fingers or little toes.

Being that we’re talking about two very different kinds of polish in each duo, I will address the formulas individually. Spark de Triomphe is a clear based glitter. Because the glitter particles vary in size and are so densely packed into the base, it quickly builds to opaque with only three coats though I opted to use two coats as it doesn’t need to be opaque under the crackle.  I feel using three would just make the finished product too thick.  Rally Pretty Pink is a foil glitter that flows easily on the nail.  While the pigmentation is good, the two coats I used would probably require a third if I were wearing the color on its own..

OPI Rally Pretty Pink has a rosy pink base packed with pink and gold foil micro-glitter.  The gold is very predominant in this shade and it really pops under the shatter but the pink is definitely noticeable.  On the nail, the two colors combine to create a peachy duo-chrome effect.

Now when I saw this duo in the package, I thought OPI Red Shatter made absolutely no sense.  That it would look like a mistake.  Boy was I wrong.  Applied over Rally Pretty Pink, the gold foil glitter really stands out making for a gorgeous combination.  I’m showing Red Shatter without top coat on my middle finger because I loved the contrast between the matte shatter and gold. It gives the look an Old World feel.  I later added a layer of Essie Matte About You top coat and the effect is even more gorgeous.

OPI Spark de Triomphe is the bright shining star of this collection.  This clear based glitter is chock full of so many kinds of glitter; silver and gold micro-glitter, silver and gold foil pieces, gold hexagonal glitter.  It’s a cornucopia of glitzy goodness.  The overall effect comes off more gold than silver but the gold is more champagne than yellow. Adding the silver particles definitely keeps this one neutral.  One could use this as a topper but the glitter is SO jammed in the base that it really steals the show from whatever color you layer it over.

When the duos first arrived, I swatched them on a nail art wheel and all I could think was how OPI White Shatter was going to ruin the gorgeousness of Spark de Triomphe.  Covering it up seemed like a crime.

Inspired by an image I saw on Tumblr, that a reader told me came from a blog called Chloe’s Nails, I used a piece of scotch tape to block off the majority of the nail from the shatter hoping that would be a better option. Though as one follower commented it looked like dried sour cream. Not great.

So in an effort to find a better Shatter match for Spark de Triomphe I tested it with OPI Blue Shatter, OPI White Shatter and OPI Silver Shatter over top. While Blue Shatter pairs nicely with SdT, it makes the look feel heavy. White Shatter looks better than I thought but I should have used a lighter coat so more of the glitter would show through. Silver Shatter was a complete and utter fail. If SdT was more gold it would make for a better contrast but as is, it just looks a mess.

When using Shatters remember these tips:

• Use over COMPLETELY DRY nail polish.
• The thinner the layer, the more cracks you will get when dry
• Shatter polishes dry matte/satin and can flake off so use a top coat
• Shatters thicken faster than traditional polish and according to OPI you can thin them.  Just make sure you add the thinner slowly, rolling to mix well between each thinner addition

Bottom Line: Spark de Triomphe is my must-have polish of the four. It’s utterly gorgeous and back-up worthy (that’s saying a LOT). Rally Pretty Pink is so not my style yet I’m so attracted to it. I don’t see myself wearing it often but there’s no way it’s leaving my stash. Neither Shatter color is something I would opt for but Red Shatter does look good over Rally Pretty Pink. If you can find open stock of the polishes, definitely snap up the base colors even if you don’t like Shatter.

OPI Glam Slam! France is available now at professional salons and spas nationwide including national chains Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA. OPI nail polishes retail for $8.50/ea for a .5oz bottle.

Thoughts on the Glam Slam! duos? If you had to choose, which duo would you get? Which colors do you plan to buy? Would you put a Shatter over Spark de Triomphe or wear it on its own?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by OPI. 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 we talked about the J.Crew ad featuring Jenna Lyons painting her son’s toe nails bright pink.  It caused quite a stir with some conservatives out there and to show support of Jenna, someone of Facebook created an event asking members to paint their nails pink on April 22nd. Like I said in my original post about this, most people I know were more curious about the nail polish color than what Jenna was doing to her son’s toes.  The color used in the ad is called “Peep Show,” a shade made exclusively for J.Crew which has now sold out (not surprising). Essie Pink Parka from the Fall 2009 collection is said to be a dupe for Peep Show so I polished my nails with it today as a sign of support. ***Edited to add – Apparently I was misinformed when told that Pink Parka was a dupe for Peep Show.  Cute As A Button is a better match.***

Formula & Application:Essie nail polishes are 3-Free. The square bottles are embossed with the essie logo and the smooth plastic caps include an embossed e on top. The brushes are thin, round and shorter than most. The bristles are very flexible, allowing you to easily fan out the brush to cover your nail width.

Neons are notoriously a pain to deal with and Pink Parka is no exception. Neons actually trump yellows in the level of frustration they give me.  They tend to be thick and streaky, needing several coats.  Because the neon pigment causes the polish to dry matte, I use the same rules I apply to mattes; wait for the base coat dry completely before applying.  I ended up using three coats of Pink Parka though in spite of waiting for the base coat to dry I still ended up with some dragging on my ring finger so that got a fourth coat.

Essie Pink Parka was released as part of the Fall 2009 collection which is very un-Essie. Neons for Fall? How unexpected. When I saw Essie during Fall 2009 Fashion Week she mentioned being inspired by the Michael Kors runway that included neon pink, orange and yellow (see below). That inspiration come to life in the form or Pink Parka and Bright Tights. Of course those two shades were kind of overshadowed by the major hits of the collection; Mink Muffs and Chinchilly.

Essie Pink Parka is about as neon pink as you can imagine.  Of course, neons photograph terribly and never appear true-to-life on screen, unless some serious Photoshop magic is involved, so you have to trust that Pink Parka is eye searing.  It verges on glow-in-the-dark territory.

Bottom Line: As fun as neons can be in the summer, I personally opt for brights.  Simply because they are easier to apply and not as in-your-face.  I do keep a few neons on hand but I gravitate more towards oranges than pinks so Pink Parka just isn’t my cup of tea.  Considering that most neons tend to apply the same as Pink Parka and this shade is discontinued, I would look for a more accessible option if you want a polish like this.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: SHARE

Essie Pink Parka is discontinued but can still be found online from various vendors.  Being that none of them are e-tailers I’ve purchased from before, I’m hesitant to link to them but a quick Google search will connect you with them.  Remember, order at your own risk.  If anyone has a reputable e-tailer to recommend that has Pink Parka in stock, please leave a link in the comments.

So who else joined me in wearing pink polish today?  Thoughts on Pink Parka?  Are you a fan of neon nail polish?  Do you have any special application tricks to share?

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

Katy Perry combines her love of music and nails to introduce a new line of lacquers with OPI, launching January 2011. Inspired by Katy’s cutting edge style and latest album, Teenage Dream, the Katy Perry Collection by OPI will include four fierce, irresistible colors for nails and toes. Complementing Katy’s already daring nail trends on and off the red carpet, a revolutionary Black Shatter™ formula will accompany the collection to create a ground-breaking cracked pattern when applied over each dried bright lacquer. Katy Perry has become a celebrity nail icon thanks to her eye catching nail designs so it only seems natural that a brand like OPI would want to partner with her.  Though to be honest, I am surprised that she hasn’t collaborated with a brand know for nail art, like Minx. The Katy Perry Collection utilizes the new OPI Black Shatter polish to add some artistic flare to the colors which include a duo-chrome, sparkly red and two glitters.

Formula & Application: OPI is a 3-Free brand. They made the switch to 3-Free in 2008 and the Black Shatter formula is also 3-Free. You can identify an OPI with the 3-Free formula by the green lettering on the label. Bottles with black lettering have the old formula. Always check the labels to be sure. The OPI Pro Wide brush is flat, wide and medium in length. It’s of average stiffness and easily spreads out on the nail when pressed. The only downside to the Pro Wide brush is that it can be too wide for slim fingers or little toes.

Due to the varied range of finishes in this collection I will address the application of each in the individual reviews.  Know that I used three coats for all the polishes as opacity is not their strong suit.

Black Shatter is a top coat that needs to be applied over completely dry nail polish. It applies like a typical black creme but dries in a “shatter” pattern once dry. A thin coat will shatter more resulting in smaller shards of polish on the nail while a thick coat will make it more chunky.  Thanks to a reader suggestion, I applied Black Shatter on my ring nails in a sideways motion to show how you can change the look of the crackle pattern.

Not Like The Movies looks green with a reddish flash in the bottle but on my nails it’s lavendar with green and pink flashes and random flecks of silver micro-glitter.  I applied a bit streaky due to the metallic pigment though the glitter kept it from looking like a total brush-stroke nightmare.  This color reminds me of a Scherer Chameleon polish I picked up at Rite-Aid and like previous OPI duo-chromes (Significant Other Color) it changes color depending on the angle and lighting which makes this a perfect shade to put under Black Shatter.

On its own I would probably not opt to wear Not Like The Movies but with Black Shatter on top it’s pretty stunning.  I’m still on the fence with the whole crackle finish trend but the changing of the base color makes this look really unique and fun.  Definitely my fave combination in the collection.

The One That Got Away surprised me.  I wasn’t expecting to love this color but I do.  In the bottle it looked kind of foil-esque with a hint of duo-chrome but on the nail, SHUT IT DOWN! This deep raspberry has the glass-fleck finish that China Glaze made popular and, as you know, I can never have enough glass-fleck in my life.  Any of you who own glass-fleck polishes know that a camera really can’t capture its natural beauty so you know this one is even better in person.  It applied utterly flawless even though it needed three coats and yes, I know I’m gushing over a very non-ALU color family but this one’s a winner people.

The One That Got Away definitely pops against Black Shatter but I would rather wear it solo.  The rubber textured shatter gives this girly color a bondage-esque edge but I don’t think it needs it.

Last Friday Night is a very sheer pale blue based glitter.  The tiny foil micro-glitter and chunkier blue, pink and green hexagonal glitter are evenly peppered throughout the base giving a nice even coverage.  The issue is with the opacity.  This color is just too sheer for me to wear it on its own.  It makes a great top coat but that’s about it.  I put a fourth coat on my ring finger and it’s still REALLY sheer.

For me, even Black Shatter can’t save Last Friday Night.  The blue is so washed out that it doesn’t pop against the black.  Instead it makes my nails look pretty grungy underneath.  Not a fan!

Now Teenage Dream is built the same as Last Friday Night but instead of making me look dead, it actually flatters my skin.  It’s still to sheer for my taste thought it builds up much better than its blue based counterpart.  I’m not much for pink but it’s pretty and fun though I think it makes a much better top coat.  The application of both glitters was kind of goopy and jelly-like and I found if I didn’t wait long enough between coats it would drag.

If you’re not using it as a top coat Teenage Dream does look good under Black Shatter.  The chunky glitter plays off the light and creates a pretty eye-catching combination.  This is the epitome of mixing girly and punk.

Bottom Line: Overall I’m not especially wowed.  I think OPI could have done a better job choosing the base colors to pair with Black Shatter.  Things that would have popped more against the black.  I also wish they would have given us a different Shatter color.  China Glaze is coming out with six different crackle polishes certainly OPI could come out with more than one shade.

The One That Got Away is pretty sensational and I give it a thumbs up with or without Black Shatter.  The glitters are pretty pointless to me and unless you really need another glittery top coat they get a pass.  If you’re into the crackle look definitely get Not Like The Movies to wear under it.  You won’t regret it.

The Katy Perry by OPI collection is available now.  OPI nail polishes retail for $8.50/ea for a .5oz bottle and can be purchased at salons and spas nationwide including national chains Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA.

Thoughts on the Katy Perry collection? Which color do you like best under Black Shatter? Crackle finish haters are you warming up to the idea the more you see them? Which polishes, if any, will you get from this collection?

Disclosure: Product samples were furnished by OPI.  For more info view my Disclosure Policy.