Have you been on the hunt for the new Sally Hansen Salon line created by fashion designer Tracy Reese? Thanks to the generosity of the folks at Sally Hansen you can score one of three (3) sets right here on All Lacquered Up. Use the entry form below for your chance to win.

If you haven’t seen the collection yet, check out my review:
Tracy Reese for Sally Hansen Spring 2008

Giveaway open to US residents only. One entry per person. All Lacquered Up is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Entries accepted though March 26, 2008 at 11:59 P.M. EDT.

For Spring 2008 Tracy Reese drew inspiration for her Ready-To-Wear collection from the culture of North Africa. She translated that concept into her fourth collaboration with Sally Hansen’s Salon collection.

I have to tell you, I’m extremely impressed with their Big 3 Free formula. Unlike the majority on the market, these lacquers flow very smooth and even on the nail. The consistency is thin and workable yet highly pigmented. It’s no wonder Sally Hansen dubbed this the Salon Line as it puts most drugstore polishes to shame.

All polishes are shown with two coats of color and no top coat. Exceptions are noted.

Feverish Rose is bright hot pink creme. It’s even more vibrant in person. As with all the cremes in this collection it dries to a high gloss finish. FYI, Feverish Rose is a close relative of OPI I’m Indi-a Mood For Love only Feverish Rose is a little less cool toned. Sultry Fuchsia… is the perfect name for this shade. It’s bold and sexy and has me mesmerized. I loved testing it out so much that I made it my vacation tip shade. It has a bit of warmth in spite of its cool pink base. Spicy Scarlet has that juicy tomato quality. A red orange creme that is very vivid in person.Arabian Night is the one that’s causing a ruckus on the MUA nail board. Ever since I posted a preview swatch this golden grape sparkler has created many a lemming. I’ve read tales of gals calling six or more drugstores trying to hunt this shade down and I don’t blame them one bit. It’s totally worth it. An added bonus; regardless of its glittery goodness Arabian Night dries smooth and is easy to remove.Cherry Glaze isn’t your average cherry bomb red. It has the faintest whisper of shimmer running throughout. It’s not visible it just adds pizazz.With its jelly like finish, Sumptuous Petal is a carnation pink semi-sheer concoction. I chose to show it opaque with three coats but thanks to its streak free quality it’s also lovely as a one coat sheer. Tunisian Sand was the shade chosen for the Tracy Reese runway show last September. It’s very cafe au lait which as a creme would be iffy on me. In my opinion, what makes this golden nude work is the multi-colored micro-glitter. The silver shimmer cools the shade’s warmth while the gold shimmer adds depth. The Tracy Reese for Sally Hansen Spring collection is available even if it’s hard to track down. Check with your local drugstores for availability.

It seems like “going green” and focusing on the environment is on everyone’s minds and it is affecting every aspect of our daily lives. And if it’s not everyone, it certainly should be. Now more and more beauty companies are starting to get on the “green” train and China Glaze is no exception. This Spring they introduce the ecollection a set of polishes with an earth conscious theme that comes in recycled paper packaging.

To preserve the beauty of our world’s colors, tread lightly and leave only footprints. In Blahniks or Birkenstocks, going green is always fashionable.

Overall I’m a fan of this collection. I’ll admit the grouping is odd in terms of shade until you read the names and reflect on the theme. So let’s talk formula. As you may already know this new Big 3 Free formula that was introduced last summer is thicker than the old formula and therefore requires a bit of getting used to. I’ve found that it applies best in two medium coats. Too thin and it pulls/drags on the nail, too thick and you get bubbles. All the manicures pictured below were done with two medium coats of lacquer.

Tree Hugger reminds me of a green apple but with multi-tonal green shimmer. It’s like the perfect spring shade for me. Just looking at it makes me happy. I could go on and on about how gorgeous this polish is but it really speaks for itself.
Solar Power can only be described as “taxi cab yellow.” It is a loud and proud shade and with the yellow trend popping back up for spring/summer Solar Power, with it’s golden shimmer, fits right in. I have to admit that I prefer the jelly finish of last year’s Yell-O-Neil from the Surf collection. Simply because its glass like look is so completely unique.
Shower Together is a slightly lighter version of the oh so popular Aqua Baby from the Patent Leather collection. It’s like Aqua Baby and For Audrey had a baby which makes this blue green stunner is a color I could just swim in. Doesn’t it look like pool water?
Unplugged isn’t a shade I normally think of when I look towards Spring but it adds a nice balance to the collection. A red based brown with ribbons of gold shimmer running throughout, the overall color is that of a deep bronze with flecks of gold.Hybrid is a pinky beige with silver shimmer. In other lighting it’s a dusty nude rose. So hard to describe which is what makes it stand out. Does anyone else think it’s similar to Chiaroscuro but without the green shimmer? I’m just not sure I love this on me. What do you think?Recycle is a shade a lot of us have been longing for. A mid-tone gray creme that reminds me of rubber wire coating. Even though some of the MUA nail girls have franken’d their own gorgeous grays, I love being able to get it without the muss and fuss. Gray is going to be the next big shade in polish, especially in fall so, I’d get this one now before gray becomes a scarce commodity.
The China Glaze ecollection is available now in salons and online at 8ty8Beauty and Head2ToeBeauty

Thoughts? Questions? Comments? Weigh in lovelies!

OK I’ll admit it, I didn’t have a clue who or what a Fafi was when I first heard rumors of this collection from MAC. I guess I’m old and out of touch that way. That doesn’t mean I didn’t drool over the collection anyway. I know people are waiting on pins and needles for the Heatherette collection. Some even skipping over Fafi to save money for it but I’m telling you, you’re missing out.

For those of you joining me in the Fafi-clueless realm, Fafi is a French graffiti artist who creates strong, sexy, playful female characters. She even gave singer Lily Allen the Fafinette treatment in the Mark Ronson video, Oh My God.

I was at my freestanding MAC store the day Fafi released and I went gaga over the Fafi Eyes 2 palette and Strawbaby lipstick. You know I’m a sucker for anything green so You’re Fresh (the light green shadow) had me at “Hello!” btw if you own Strawbaby, go pick up the new Viva Glam VI SE gloss. It looks phenom over it and you get to help an amazing cause in the process.

So now on to the polishes. MAC released two shades with the Fafi collection, Boom and Girls Will Be Girls. Unfortunately the MAC website is sold out of both lacquers so I suggest calling your local MAC counters to find them. Both polishes applied fairly well, I just had to really wipe my brush off to avoid pooling because the formula is a bit more fluid than I’m used to.

Girls Will Be Girls is a peachy pink due to the ribbons of gold shimmer running throughout. For those of you from the MUA nail board, it’s a very Nikki shade. With two coats it was almost entirely opaque but I could still see a bit of my tip color underneath. It dries to a semi-matte finish with no top coat applied.

Boom is described on the MAC website as an eggplant shade but to me it’s more of a deep fuchsia. I’ve heard comparisons to OPI’s Jewel of India mentioned but I don’t own that one to show you. The shimmer is apparent but not gaudy and the shade is so well pigmented. Even though it’s not the graple I anticipated, it’s still very pretty and wearable. I can already picture it as a pedi shade this summer.

Did anyone else run out and join the Fafi fever? What did you buy? What did you love?

It’s OK, you can say it. What took me so long? Sifting through 1,000 bottles of polish is your answer. I compared the shades in the new OPI India collection to every bottle of lacquer I own.

I tried to meet most of your requests but there are some colors I just don’t own, like OPI Strawberry Margarita. Due to the number of comparison requests for Yoga-ta Get This Blue, they will be posted in their own entry. You all are blue crazy. I love it!

Some of the India polishes didn’t have a twin or any close relatives so I won’t waste time posting comparisons. Charmed By A Snake is nothing like the new China Glaze Unplugged. Lunch at the Delhi and Elephantastic Pink stand alone in the crowd. Even though I don’t own a ton of cremes I was still surprised by that.

I know a lot of people were hoping to find dupes for Black Cherry Chutney and Royal Rajah Ruby but as you can see below, they are unique. Maybe not to the casual observer but definitely to a polish connoisseur. RRR’s deep richness doesn’t exist anywhere else in my stash, especially when compared to the black based X and Midnight and Moscow. The same goes for BCC, it differs from its competitors in that its not a plum or a burgundy.

Hey kids! In case you didn’t know, MAC‘s newest collection Fafi hits shelves today. A collaboration with French graffiti artist Fafi, this collection is a girly girl’s dream come true. And the packaging is to die for.

I’m heading down to my freestanding MAC today to check out the collection and play with the new nail lacquers.

Anyone else planning to check out Fafi? Who’s already ordered from the MAC website?

OPI, you don’t know this but we’ve been broken up for some time now. The fighting began when you revamped your formula last spring. The inconsistencies in every collection since Australia has been frustrating. I understand the pressure to go Big 3 Free but sacrificing quality in order to satisfy the protesters was a bad call if you ask me. Of course our fight occurred entirely in my head but I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that we’ve called a truce.

Why the change of heart? Well, two reasons really.
1. You finally delivered a navy blue shimmer that actually looks navy. No purple undertones. Not just another blue-black. Yoga-ta Get This Blue, it’s like you knew I needed you.
2. You realized that I was not the only unhappy camper in regards to formula and you found a way to deliver pigmented, streak-free, non-goopy cremes.

The OPI India Collection for Spring 2008 made me remember what it was that caused me to fall for OPI in the first place. How compared to all the drugstore brands of polish I had used, there was a line that applied smooth and even with a beautiful range of colors. My first OPI obsession was the classic; I’m Not Really A Waitress. My latest; Yoga-ta Get This Blue.

With a color range pulled from the fashion and culture of India, this collection is filled with vibrant pinks and reds, rich berries and luxurious metallics. Do I think every shade is utterly unique and rave-worthy? No but let’s get real girls. Us hardcore nail fanatics are a finicky group to please. I say formula improvements are a good step. Giving us the next Rainforest would be a fabulous and giant leap.

So this formula I am raving about, is it really that different? I wouldn’t testify in a court of law but, to me, there really is a noticeable improvement. I can’t find the change in the ingredient list but I’m telling you, something happened. With a couple exceptions, every shade applied like a dream. And disregarding the two sheers, these lacquers are highly pigmented requiring no more than two coats. Each image below was taken without a top coat and only two layers of lacquer.

Black Cherry Chutney – a blackened red with subtle shimmer for depth. In most lighting all you see are a few specs of shimmer and otherwise it’s just another almost black berry. The brush on mine has a few bent strands so that affected application. I hope it was just the brush but I can’t promise anything.Charmed by a Snake – a lighter bronze, more appropriate for Spring. The champagne shimmer keeps this shade from being too warm and too Fall. Definitely one of my favorites.Curry Up Don’t Be Late! – I’m not gonna lie, this will be a hard shade to pull off. Brushed yellow gold is too much for my pale skin but, I would think with a faux tan or darker skin tone this shade could really pop. ElePhantastic Pink has been creating a buzz before it even hit shelves. It’s the shade I’ve received the most inquiries about. A bold carnation pink creme, this isn’t for the demure pink wearer.Get Me to the Taj on Time – is a safe opalescent semi-sheer. Yes, it applies well but we’ve seen this before.I’m Indi-a Mood for Love – a hot pink creme that leans towards blue, giving it a slight purple undertone.Keys to My Karma is your basic maraschino cherry red creme. This one has a lot of pink in its base and needs two coats to achieve the bottle shade. It’s a good staple color but not something you need. Still I’m feeling the urge to pull out my reds again.Lunch at the Delhi has been dubbed a “coral” but I’m not seeing it. If anything, I think of it as a dusty, muted red. Yes, it’s warm and orange based but not the pinky peach I typically think of when I hear coral. Sometimes an OPI description is so far off from what I’m seeing, I wonder if I’m colorblind. What shade do you see?MonSooner or Later is a tomato red creme. Orange and red combine to create this glossy confection. I can totally see this on toes at the beach.Moon Over Mumbai – get on the gray train now before it runs you over, leaving you face first in the dust. Of course the uber-chic nail boarders over at Makeup Alley have been frankening their own grays for months now but if you don’t want to make your own, here’s a nice soft version to ease you into the trend.Royal Rajah Ruby is the other vampy berry shade included in India. A rich wine shimmer, this shade would have made me take notice had it been a bit lighter. It just doesn’t stand out in the crowd. The shimmer adds character but no real charm.Yoga-ta Get this Blue! – I saved the best for last. I had to keep you scrolling. From the very second I got my hands on this shade I’ve been talking it up to anyone who would listen. Deeper and richer than Blue My Mind from the 2005 Brights yet lighter than all the 2007 OPI blues, Yoga-ta is everything I’ve been wanting a navy to be. It’s visibly blue in most lighting situations which is something many of the blues that came before it have failed to achieve. In the simplest of terms, it’s perfect.The OPI India collection is available in stores and online now and retails for $8.50 ($9.95 CAN). No that’s not a misprint, there was a price increase.
Now let’s hear from you? What are you loving/hating, buying/passing on?

Comparisons are in the works but before I finish, are there any requests? I already have down Ms. DQ2′s desire for a China Glaze X comp but what else do you want to see? I can’t fulfill all your demands but I’ll do my best to please the majority.

In the mood for all his kissin’
In the mood his crazy lovin’
In the mood what I was missin’
It didn’t take me long to say
I’m in the mood now

When I hear Glenn Miller’s “In The Mood“ I can’t help but picture the scene from Cannery Row in which Debra Winger and Nick Nolte swing dance with competitive ferocity. The same image came to mind when I first saw Essie’s Spring 2008 collection, In The Mood, with it’s cheeky names and sweet girly shades.

For the most part all the polishes applied smoothly with no streaking. Looking For Love being the exception. It was just too difficult to get a fluid sheer look. Even after the three coats I applied it was still semi-sheer and splotchy (see below).

Body Language - Is a pinkish gray nude. A very neutral and wearable creme. I honestly didn’t expect to like this one at all, this is so not a part of my normal color range. But once I had it on, I loved the clean chic look.Great Expectations – An opalescent gray, the shimmer is extremely subtle to add depth. I see light to medium grays becoming more and more popular. In fact this color would have fit right in with the silvery/pearly whites that were seen on the red carpet at the SAG Awards.Hard To Get – A bubblegum pink creme with a hint of lavender in it’s base. It didn’t really mesh with my skin tone but I think it would be a fun pedi shade. With it’s high gloss shine, Hard To Get is the slight deeper sister of one of my favorite patent finish polishes, China Glaze Go Go Pink.Hi Maintenance – You know sheers and I aren’t friends so even though this milky pink makes a great french manicure base, it’s not for me.Looking for Love – This one was the big disappointment for me. Lilac and lavender shades make my hands look alien-esque so even though I love wearing purples, the lighter ones are a no go. Though regardless of the color the formula bit it, big time. Major application issues makes me give Looking for Love a double “thumbs down”.Secret Affair – Is my other favorite from the collection. The shade is hard to describe which is why I find it so intriguing. Is it nude, pink, taupe or a combination of all three? With this one, it really depends on the light which makes a Secret Affair a winner in my book. The In The Mood collection is available for sale now online and is slated to be in stores and salons on February 1st.

Who’s buying what? How many of you are going to clutch your dark polishes, run and hide in a cave vampire-style until all this pale sheer madness goes away? And who is starting to venture towards the light? As much as it pains me to say, I’m kind of loving the freshness of these light colors. Shh, don’t tell! My green and blue polishes may revolt and run away.

And now for you warm toned gals, the China Glaze OMG! 2BHOT Collection. I keep trying to convince myself that I’m neutral because I love warm and cool colors equally but I think it’s clear that the 2BKEWL colors work better on me. What do you all think?

Since the formulas are the same for both sets in this collection, you can check out the 2BKEWL for my review.

The 2BHOT set includes:

Comparison images are in the works. I just have to find my bottle of OPI Day At The Peach.

In the meantime, which set is your favorite? Will you cave on just one or both?

I don’t own every holographic polish out there but I did sift through the ones I have to give you some 2BKEWL comparisons. I hope these are helpful in your purchase decisions.