Essie has teamed up with the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Kamalame Cay to create a special summer collection. As part of the It’s Better In The Bahamas promotion you can win a trip to the gorgeous tropical locale. Check out the Essie website for an entry form and details.

Ok, I’ll be honest with you. When I see the colors in this collection, I don’t think Bahamas or beach or ocean. With the exception of Jumpin’ Junkanoo and The Cove Copper the rest of the colors seem like typical safe shades for the company that has built an empire on pinks, reds and sheers.

Now I haven’t been to the Bahamas myself but I have been to many of the Caribbean islands and if I had created a collection based on the culture and area it would be filled with hot pink, coral, sea green, opalescent shell pink and a sandy shimmer. But we all have different visions and this is Essie’s. It seems to me that she decided to create shades that flatter the women of the islands rather than reflect on their surroundings.

(l-r) The Cove Copper, Lyford Lilac and Jumpin’ Junkanoo

Atlantis Pearl is slightly paler and less opalescent than the shell pink I would imagine being in this collection but it’s soft and pretty. The only issue I had was with streakiness. I applied two coats in the swatch above but I’m sure that with three coats you could even it out.

Alright, so now it’s your turn to weigh in. I’m sure by now some of you have tried these. What are your “must have” and “I’ll pass” shades? Help keep your fellow polish junkies from missing out on a “holy grail” or wasting money.

I decided to wear China Glaze For Audrey during the photo shoot for the article coming out this Sunday. It’s very on trend and a brilliant tribute to Audrey Hepburn and Tiffany & Co. What girl doesn’t love Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Audrey Hepburn?

For Audrey is inspired by the famous Tiffany blue not a dead on dupe. I find the polish to be a bit more muted and dusty though definitely in the same vein.

I picked up For Audrey from Head2Toe Beauty. 8ty8 Beauty carries it as well. If it is out of stock, don’t give up hope. Email both suppliers to see if there is more bottles on order before you give in to the eBay scalpers.

So we’ve seen the summer collections, I’ve tested them and picked my favorites. Now let’s talk about the trends for this summer. While I still find a shiny black nail very chic, the trend is dead people. Time to move on.

Today is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year and the official start of Summer in the northern hemisphere. It’s going to reach a balmy 80 degrees here in the burbs of Cleveland, Ohio and I’m ready to talk trends.

I’m calling this summer as being all about Blues, Whites and Brights. And you can quote me on that. I know there’s been talk of a metallic trend and yes the OPI Night Brights has a silvery lavender and two gold tones but, I just don’t think it’s hitting like expected.

For the Blue trend people will transition from black to navy, go outside their comfort zone with royal shimmery blue and for the color shy, it’ll be baby blue on tips and toes. I’ve selected my favorite blues from my collection. Some are new, some are old and the majority are still available for purchase.

So you still want to be vampy but not dated? Check out these dark blues. Revlon Midnight Affair is a limited edition shade, part of the Dark Pleasures collection. I’ve seen it at Ulta and other drug store chains. Fingerpaints Summer Nights is only carried at Sally Beauty Supply. It came out with their summer collection but Fingerpaints tend to sell out fast so this one may be hard to come by. China Glaze Up All Night is a classic navy blue. Even though it’s technically a shimmer, it looks like a gorgeous creme when applied. As part of the Patent Leather In The City collection, Up All Night fits the bill with it’s high gloss shine.
Wanting a little glitz with your blue? Then check out OPI Ink from the Night Brights. It’s smooth purple and blue glitter will get you noticed. The holographic glitter in Glamour from the Designer Series will turn your toes into rainbows while you lay out at the pool. NYX Sapphire has a somewhat foil appearance that is bound to get attention.

Feeling brave and wanting to go full on blue? You’re a gal after my own heart. These next 3 sets of pics will fill that need.

Creative Blue Nirvana from this spring’s Optix collection is a unique periwinkle shade. OPI Blue My Mind is from the original Brights collection but is still readily available. China Glaze Drinkin’ My Blues Away from the Tequila Toes collection has that famous glass flecked formula and can be found easily online. Zoya Tart is from the Candy collection. Check the Zoya site for salon locations and purchase info. N.Y.C. Skin Tight Denim is a great drugstore find. A blue for the budget minded polish fanatic.

China Glaze Sexy In The City is also from Patent Leather In The City. I feel it was overshadowed by Beauty & The Beach from the Fiji Fling collection but that it’s a much better blue. Nubar Mali-Blue can be purchased directly from Nubar. NYX South Sea can be found in many beauty supply stores, outlet malls and online. Color Club All In is a bold blue creme, very unique. I buy Color Club online from e-tailers like Head2Toe Beauty & 8ty8 Beauty.

OPI Just Groovy from the Psychedelic Summer collection and Zoya Yummy from the Candy collection are both cremes and could be sisters their shades are so close. Orly Turquoise Charm is from the Year In Rocks collection. The 12 shades are all inspired by birthstones. Turquoise Charm is my favorite of all the twelve and if you can find it, a must have in my opinion. The glitter is a pain to remove but the color is gorgeous.

Ok, so blue scares you a bit but you’re still curious. You prefer pale shades but want something different. You like sparkle but not dark blue. Well, here are the polishes for you.

Creative Aqua Jet from the Optix collection has a great iridescence to keep it from looking chalky. China Glaze Moody Blue from the original Patent Leather collection gives off an amazing high gloss shine and makes a for a gorgeous pedicure. And China Glaze Kaleidoscope Him Out from last fall’s Kaleidoscope collection is blingtastic.

When I think of White polish, my first flash is to the sheer boring shades that my mother wore for the majority of my childhood. Pearly, dated and blah. My second flash is to white out chalky tips. Very mod but so hard to pull off. This summer white is making a comeback in a bold and fun way that’s still extremely wearable. Whites should be opaque with iridescence or sparkle.

The three main shades for this summer are China Glaze White-Kwik-Silvr from the Surf collection, Creative Hyper Fresh from the Optix collection and OPI Fit For A Queensland from the Australia collection. White-Kwik-Silvr is my favorite. It’s a glass flecked white that will suit most skin tones. Hyper Fresh and Fit For A Queensland are bit trickier to pull off but they both have iridescence to make them wearable.

If you can find those three polishes, pick up any old white creme and make it better with a sparkly sheer white layered on top. These three aren’t the easiest to find but there are lots of alternatives out there. I just happen to own and like China Glaze Straight Up, OPI Elle’s Pearls and OPI What’s Dune? What’s Dune? from the Summer for Shore collection has a fine holographic shimmer that I adore.
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I know, I know, Brights for summer is nothing new. Brights and warm weather go hand in hand. I’m not exactly Kreskin by calling them a summer trend. However, instead of the typical bright pinks, corals and reds that tend to be the norm, this year yellow, orange and turquoise are in the spotlight. Fluorescent is the way to go. It’s not like we haven’t seen these colors before, they just haven’t been mainstream.

Being a green lover, turquoise and teal are a great way for me to be summery and get my green fix. Nocti Nip Tuck, China Glaze Passion in the Pacific from the Fiji Fling collection and Turned Up Turquoise from the ongoing Wow Factor collection are all shimmery bold turquoise shades while Creative Hotski To Tchotcke leans more towards teal.

I know yellow is a bit too much for most people. It was a bit too much for me until I wore it. But, yellow is everywhere. Even it the idea of yellow on your nails makes you squeamish, you should at least pick up a yellow accented bag or shoe for the season. China Glaze Yell-O Neil from the Surf collection & OPI Cabana Banana from the Summer Splash collection can look like you had an accident with some Gulden’s mustard but I think they’re fun. Zoya Creamy is a much gentler yellow with a glossy finish.

Where would warm toned gals be without orange or coral in the summer? While these shades may suit the cooler skin tones, they are designed with the warmer gal in mind. Nocti Bikini is a traffic stopping day glo orange while OPI Tangerine Scene from the Psychedelic collection is a bit more subdued. Misa Um You’re Too Delicious from the Love Connections colletion reminds me of a nectarine and China Glaze Orange-Pacific from the Surf collection has smatters of glorious gold glitter.

What you thought I’d leave out pink and fuchsia? Don’t be silly. They’ll always be big in the summer. These just happen to be my favorites. Divine from the Designer Series is one of my all time favorite shades. The holo glitter and bold shade are to die for. Misa Ur Beautiful is a bit on the cool side for me but still a gorgeous fuchsia creme. Creative Scorch from this summer’s Flash Point collection has hot pink shimmer and the name says it all for China Glaze Shocking Pink from the Wow Factor collection.

So now that I’ve made my picks, what are your favorite colors for summer? Do you agree with my trends choices or think I’m way off base? Chime in with your thoughts!

A reader suggested I check out Dashing Diva products and I have to say thank you for the suggestion. Not only am I impressed with their polish line but, after speaking with a Dashing Diva rep, I’m totally jealous of anyone that lives near one of their salons. I mean, who wouldn’t want to spend a Girls’ Night Out sipping cosmos while getting a pampering pedi? If any of you have been to a Dashing Diva salon, you must spill about the experience. Inquiring minds want to know.

Alrighty, so let’s dish about the polish. Dashing Diva carries over 150 shades ranging from cremes to sheers to shimmers and frosts, so there’s a finish and color for everyone. While I’m normally drawn to the “crazy colors,” I was quite pleased to test out some of the more standard nail shades in addition to their 3 new summer colors.

I received 4 of Dashing Diva’s most popular shades that are now part of the Extra Virgin collection. They’ve taken their 8 most popular shades and made them Big 3 Free.

First up, Convertible Red Connie (misspelled in the photo, oops). All I have to say is 3 words, listen up everyone, “ONE COAT COVERAGE!” I’m not kidding. A red creme that is true, glossy and streak free in one coat. I’m flabbergasted and wowed beyond belief. I’m telling you, pictures do not do it justice and you will not regret purchasing this one. In fact, I don’t blame you for leaving the site to go order it immediately. Just make sure you come back and read the rest later.

So on to Prima Donna Pink. A bold fuchsia creme, this would be a great summer pedi color for the cool toned. It didn’t have the same jaw-dropping wow factor as Convertible Red Connie but it applied smoothly and evenly and was true to the bottle color with 2 coats.

Pink Martini Marni is a dusty shell pink with a hint of pearl. It’s on the sheerer side but totally buildable. This is a very safe, everyday color. What I would call an “interview polish” An elegant, classic, clean pink regardless of the slight bubble-gummy appearance it has below.

Chelsea In The Buff has a grayish cast to it in the bottle. On the nail, it’s a creamy sheer. The Dashing Diva site describes it as a “sheer light dusty pink,” but I don’t see that at all. It just looked dirty on me and is not my type of color.

Next up, Dashing Diva’s summer collection. An Italian themed collection of sheers filled with glitz. As you can see from the nail swatch pic below, you can get them semi-opaque with enough coats. I used two coats and could still see my tips below. They all applied smoothly but I did have a bit of an issue with View From Anacapri. It pooled a bit at my tips.

View From Anacapri was not as blue as I was hoping. The bottle color never really came to life on my nails. Instead, it’s a silvery sheer shimmer with a hint of blue that shows up in direct light.

Fellini Bellini is my favorite due to it’s peachiness. You might call it a golden pink but it reminds me of the setting sun.

Paparazzi Pink is an iridescent metallic mid-tone pink. It looks a bit Barbie-ish in direct sunlight and more rosy indoors.

I’ll be honest, none of these 3 really won me over. They’re just not my cup of tea.

Thanks to the good people at Essie, I was able to test out their summer collection, Buckle Up! An interesting mix consisting of signature Essie shades like pink and coral thrown together with clean white, purple and silver, this collection has me torn. While this is a departure from collections of the past filled with pinks, sheers, nudes and reds, I just can’t love all “out of the box” colors like I hoped.

The standout shade for me is Huckle Buckle. Even though it’s on the sheer side, it becomes opaque with 3 coats. It’s a smokey grape with pink shimmer that gives the color depth. The shimmer reminds me of the polish I made last winter using MAC Entremauve pigment (pictured below). The pink shimmer in the pigment didn’t show up on my skin, only on the nail. While Huckle Buckle is a lighter color, and Entremauve has more blue in it, they both have that amazing hint of pink.

I tried on the pinks and coral shades first. As I expected, they applied beautifully, were well pigmented and only needed 2 coats to be opaque. The “oops” in the picture below are operator error and not the fault of the polish.

Chastity is a cool toned pink creme. Leaning towards lavender, it’s a very mod shade in my opinion. It wasn’t streaky and has a great glossy finish.

It’s A Cinch reminds me of my favorite pink Essie, Ball-timore. They have similar finishes and belong in that soft bubblegum pink category. It’s A Cinch is a bit warmer in spite of the silvery shimmer. This is my 2nd favorite shade in the collection.

Click It Or Ticket! is very similar to It’s A Cinch in finish and shade. They’re almost hard to tell apart in bad lighting. Click It Or Ticket! is a warm coral with what looks like a beige shimmer.

Chastity, It’s A Cinch and Click It Or Ticket!

After having such great success in applying the first half of the Buckle Up! collection, I was excited to try what I consider the “fun colors.” I can’t help it, I love the unusual shades. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. Aside from the lovely Huckle Buckle, the other two just didn’t cut it.

Below The Belt was so streaky. It took 3 coats to get it even and by that point it was getting gloppy. Even the color itself couldn’t save this polish. It’s chalky, white-out white but not in an attractive mod way. As much as I’m loving white polish this summer, I just can’t love this one. It looks a tad creamy in the swatch pic below because the sun was setting by the time I shot it.

Loophole could have been and should have been a great metallic silver. The finish and application are what mucked it up for me. It has the same problem most metallic polishes have, it shows brush marks. But, that wasn’t Loophole’s only issue. It’s too thick, making it difficult to brush on evenly. I ended up with pooling even after I removed my first application. The shade is a fab brushed silver and I’m sure if you have patience and a steady hand, it could be a winner. It just wasn’t for me.

So I just got my blue-tipped claws on the summer collection from Creative Nail Design. It’s called Flash Point and consists of a nice selection of brights and a metallic sheer.

I have to be honest with you all, I’m not wowed by this lineup. But I know that having so many polishes makes me extremely jaded. After seeing hundreds of red and pink polishes over the years, it takes a lot to get me jumping up and down over a color.

That’s not to say that these aren’t pretty colors or that Creative doesn’t make a great product. They absolutely do. The pigmentation in their lacquer is fantastic. It’s just that for the hard core collectors, there isn’t a truly unique shade here. I’m sure it must be hard for all the brands to come up with 4+ collections a year and try to make them special and trendsetting.

Let’s talk about the colors. I was so excited to read that Glow is a “nude gold shimmer” only to have my heart sink when I saw how sheer it is. But fear not, there is a silver lining on this one folks. For any of you still on the hunt for the discontinued FingerPaints Snow Angel, you can stop searching and pick up a bottle of Glow. The shimmer/glitter is a bit less dense but otherwise they’re dead on dupes. That’s a reason to rejoice!

Flare is a medium carnation pink creme. It’s a great pedi color that will compliment most skin tones. Even without my full on self-tan happening, holding Flare against my skin instantly warms me up.

I held Scorch up to my Bright Pink Lemming Wheel (or nail art wheel) and it falls somewhere between OPI La Pazitively Hot and Zoya Fergie (closer to Fergie). The pink shimmer is very fine and gives Scorch a lot of depth in bright light.

Describing Burn as a “bright hibiscus red creme” does absolutely nothing for a plant killer like me. I have murdered many an expensive flora over the years. In dissecting a color what works best for me is comparison. So in Burn’s case, I look to my collection.

Although it’s described as a creme, I see some minute shimmer up close. And even though Burn is slightly on the orange side, it’s nothing like OPI Cajun Shrimp. I think the fuchsia shimmer that prevents that from happening. China Glaze Hot Lava Love comes close but Burn is brighter and much more pigmented.

A close up look at Burn and Scorch

Opinions? Got suggestions for duplicate shades? Let’s here it!

I just got this info in a press release. I had heard that Creative would have a metallic in their summer lineup, I’m happy to see it’s true.

Courtesy of Red PR:

Brought back from the archives, Art of Beauty has revived their Nocti line of polishes.

Known for their bright, fun colors, Nocti was retired years ago but now they’re back with a vengeance. Responding to the popular demand for bold colors, this line is not for the shy. Dubbed “The Return of Strong Creative Color,” they’re perfect for a summer pedi that is sure to attract attention.