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.

What’s that?  It’s still summer. You’d never know that based on the number of fall collections that we’re being inundated with.  Is it just me or do the fall colors seem to be coming out earlier?  Maybe it’s because I’m really enjoying my summer and while I’m all about some of the Fall collections, I’m not ready for it to start just yet.  The longer I can keep the Cleveland winter at bay, the better. It seems like forever and a day since I previewed the Essie Summer 2010 collection.  Oh that’s right, it has been forever and a day. Based on the pastels and florals spotted on the Spring/Summer runways, Essie has mixed soft hues with punchy brights.

Formula & Application: Essie is a 3-Free brand.  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.

The polishes in this collection all have that squishy, jelly-like feel to them.  Normally the word jelly causes my eyes to light up but in this case it’s a negative.  The polishes seem pigmented enough but the texture keeps them from leveling properly and promotes streaking.  I needed three coats with each polish and with some that still left patchiness.  Also for some unknown reason Haute As Hello and Knockout Pout both dried with a satin finish so I photographed them with top coat.

Pretty Edgy is a vivid AstroTurf green. It’s so bright and in your face, it doesn’t look real.  I love everything about this color even in spite of the fact that I needed three coats.  The way the jelly texture gives it a slightly rubberized finish makes it a hit plus it’s a step outside the box for Essie so I say, “BRAVO!!”

I couldn’t help but do a comparison of this one.  I had a feeling it might be close to CND Green Scene and I was right.  The CND dries a bit deeper and has a creamier texture to it but they are close enough that you wouldn’t need both unless you’re a green girl like me.  I knew OPI Jade Is The New Black wouldn’t be close but since so many of you own it, I thought you’d appreciate seeing them side by side.

Haute As Hello is a bright melon, coral.  Like I mentioned above, it dries with a satin finish which makes me think there is some neon pigment in the base.  If you look at the bottle you can see how it looks marbled.  That’s because all the bright pigment separated leaving the polish looking dusty and pastel.  I had to roll the heck out of it to get it mixed.  The same thing happened with Knockout Pout.

Vermillionaire is a cross between tomato red and tangerine.  It definitely looks orange but has a lot of red in it.

My bottle of butter London Chuffed was staring at me when I had this one so I slapped a couple coats on top for funsies.  It doesn’t really change the color much, it just adds sparkle, like a CND Effect.

Knockout Pout is a deceptive hot pink.  Like Haute As Hello, the pigment separated so I was expecting this pale pastel and was shocked to see it dry so bold.  It actually reminds me a lot of CND Sweet.

Miss Matched is supposed to be worn sheer but since I don’t roll that way, I tried to see if it would become opaque with three coats.  Um, no.  It was a giant steak-fest so even worn sheer, it wouldn’t look good.  My nails are in no shape to be rocking sheers so I didn’t even try to show it to you that way.  This nude pink crossover is just a giant fail for me.

I had high hopes for Demure Vixen but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.  The shimmer in this beige mauve mix adds a pale lavender flash but it’s not enough to keep me interested.  It’s fine but not great.

Bottom Line: Pretty Edgy gets a definite thumbs up from me but the rest of the collection gets a pass.  I just can’t get excited by these based on the formula issues.  Vermillionaire certainly surprised me and gets the runner up prize but, the rest just don’t thrill me.  Considering how impressed I was with the Resort collection, I guess I just expected more from Summer.

The Essie Summer 2010 collection is on sale now.  Essie polishes retail for $8/ea for a .5oz bottle.  Shop online at EssieShop.com or buy in person at salons and spas nationwide including chains like Beauty Express, Regis, Trade Secret and ULTA.

What colors in this collection are calling your name?  If you already picked some of these up, which ones?  Am I alone in feeling underwhelmed?

I won’t be doing comparisons for this collection but if you have specific comparison questions, I’m happy to answer them.

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

If Alice fell down the rabbit hole and met a Makeup Artist instead of the Mad Hatter, M·A·C alice + olivia is the curiously gorgeous collection she’d be rocking!

Hip, playful, unpretentious and unabashedly fun, M·A·C is thrilled to announce the latest collaboration with the most adorably fabulous fashionista we know, designer Stacey Bendet of cult-fave line, alice + olivia.  Celebrities, socials and all-around cool girls from coast to coast are obsessed with a + o’s uptown-meets-downtown aesthetic and colourful, playful vibe, so the inspiration for the makeup collection was a cinch!

Fun, playful and hip all come to mind when I think of MAC and their consistently inventive collections so teaming up with Stacey Bendet of alice + olivia seems like a perfect fit.  When asked why she became involved in a makeup collection Bendet said, “Well, to me it’s all about colour, whether it’s a crazy pair of striped bell-bottoms or the perfect purple nail polish. It’s about a girl having a great time when she dresses up; and who dresses up without makeup?” Ah, a girl after my own heart.  The fact that she appreciates a good purple polish instantly endears her to me. Including a teal in her collection is icing on the cake.

Formula and Application: MAC polishes are free of the Big 3 and Formaldehyde Resin.  The brush is firm and short and the cap is rubberized giving a sturdy grip. I have to admit that when I was applying Morning. After I sounded like Mia Michaels talking to Alex Wong last week on SYTYCD.  I was all, “Who ARE you?”  Seriously this polish applies like a dream and is so easy to control. It’s not that MAC polishes have sucked lately or anything but I think I set myself up for disappointment with their cremes because of their past history of being streak fests.  My MAC mantra has always been that they do glitters & darks best so I was happy to be proven wrong. Now if they could get a harness on the pigmentation their polishes would be the complete package.  All three of these required three coats.

Morning. After is a deep sea blue-green that definitely has enough green in its base to categorize it in the teal family.  I know MAC describes it as a turquoise but it seems too dark for that.  The polish dries to a high gloss shine and even though I’ve been wearing this shade since Saturday it’s still super shiny with very little tip wear.

Is Morning. After the most original polish on the block?  No, but it doesn’t have any true dupes in my collection.  There are some definite close calls in China Glaze Shower Together and Barielle A Bouquet For Ava.  You could probably skip out on the MAC if you own the Barielle but Shower Together is quite a bit lighter.  In fact ST looks like a brighter version of ABfA.

Based on promo pics I was expecting So Rich So Pretty to be a true purple shimmer.  Another in the long line of purples that have come out this season (Funkey Dunkey, Grape Pop, etc.) but it’s so not that.  Instead it’s a punched up red-violet, like magenta and violet had a baby.  The shimmer in this one is tonal so you don’t get flashes of any other colors.  Just pure color.  I wish my camera could have captured the glassy finish on this one.  Even dry it looks dripping wet.

Military is the blackened sister of last winter’s Studded from the Riveting collection.  They are both glittery mattes that dry to a crepe paper-esque finish.  You know I love mattes for their quick dry time but I prefer the shimmery/glittery shades like this one as opposed to flat wall paint.  The only thing that threw me off was the application.  Normally mattes show every imperfection and even though Military applied a bit lumpy and bumpy it dried smooth and even.

I know Studded is completely different but I thought showing them side-by-side would be beneficial.  I also found a somewhat close match in Nubar Midnight Matte.  Midnight Matte has a lot more glitter in its base so it dries a bit lighter but you really only need one of these.

Bottom Line: Are any of these essential to life as a polish fanatic? Not in my opinion. Though I see teal as being the next big thing this Fall after a Turquoise-drenched Summer so if you’re at all into trends, it wouldn’t hurt to pick Morning.After up if your budget allows. MAC packaging collectors (raises hand) will appreciate the a+o themed boxes.

The MAC alice + olivia collection is available now at MACCosmetics.com and is set to hit MAC counters nationwide on July 8th.  MAC Nail Lacquers retail for $12/ea for a .34oz bottle.

What do you think of the color choices?  Do you think they’re a good fit for the alice + olivia brand?  Are you a packaging collector like me?  What products from the collection are you planning to pick up?  Do you have any dupe suggestions for Morning. After or So Rich So Pretty?

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

OPI’s butterfly themed Summer Flutter collection is their second summer release.  For some reason thinking about flutterbys, as I like to call them, causes that ridiculous Butterfly song from Crazy Town to pop into my head.  Shoot me now, ha! I actually started looking at pics of butterflies online to get something sweeter in mind as I played with the polishes.  That was especially necessary as I only have seen Monarchs in my neck of the woods. Nothing nearly as colorful as this collection.  With two foil sparklers, a shimmer flecked pink and a creamy orange, the Summer Flutter collection is perfect for those of you on creme overload.

Catch Me In Your Net is an eye popping sea green foil metallic.  Considering my affinity for blues and greens, is it at all surprising that I rushed to wear this beauty as soon as I got my hands on it?  Like other foils of this nature, it leans towards the semi-sheer side so I needed three coats to get it opaque.  Now the pic here shows VNL (visible nail line) but in person it’s less apparent.  It’s actually much richer and more vibrant than my camera can capture.  Oh and it wears fantastic!  After four days on my nails I could barely detect any tip wear.

As I wore it, I had the nagging feeling that a dupe existed and sure enough Zoya Charla is a dead-on dupe.  I don’t make those kinds of claims often but I dare anyone to tell the difference between them in person.

Wing It! has the same type metallic foil micro-glitter as Catch Me In Your Net only in a blueish purple hue that really pops against the strawberry pink hue.  Again this was a three coat polish for me and while CMIYN had a dupe in the Zoya Sparkle collection, Wing It! has no twin in my stash.

Flower-to-Flower is a bubblegum pink sprinkled with silvery shimmer that looks like micro sugar crystals.  There’s something about this type of pink that always draws me in.  It actually reminds me of one of my all time fave pink, Essie Ball-timore only Flower-to-Flower is deeper and not as warm toned.  The base color is very similar to Zoya Lo from the 2008 Gossip collection.  The formula on this was a bit thicker, like a creme, only for some reason it still needed three coats to get the surface perfectly smooth and opaque.

Flit A Bit is a warm melon tinged orange creme.  It looks like a pretty vivid orange in the bottle but when worn indoors it dries a bit darker with a subtle softness.  In direct sunlight, it’s all systems go as the color comes to life.  I love that about this color.  You won’t feel like your nails on display while at work or at a restaurant but they’ll really pop when enjoying some time outdoors.  Normally I love OPI’s cremes but this one needed three coats to get a flawless finish and even then I can still see VNL from certain angles.  Not ideal!

Considering the size of orange polish drawer I expected to have more comparable colors but only a couple stepped up to the plate.  OPI Tangerine Scene is a very close cousin to Flit A Bit and if you own TS, you really don’t need this shade.  The main difference is that TS has a bit more red in its base.  I also showed FAB next to Zoya Jancyn which is a brighter, true orange hue.

Bottom line: If you like bubblegum pinks the way I do, snag a bottle of Flower-to-Flower. Catch Me In A Net is an outstanding color but if you own Zoya Charla consider it a pass.  Foil finish fans will not regret picking up Wing It!

The OPI Summer Flutter Collection officially launches in June 2010.  OPI nail polish is sold in salons and spas nationwide including chains like JC Penney Salons, Regis, Trade Secret, ULTA, etc.

Is it just me or do the names not really fit with what we’ve come to expect from OPI?  I guess I expect something more cheeky and catchy.  What do you think of the Summer Flutter colors?  Any must haves?

Disclosure: Samples of the Summer Flutter Collection were furnished to me by OPI.  For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

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

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

Two coats

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

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

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

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

Ever since I first laid my eyes on a pic of Dominica Green on the MUA Nail Board many years ago, I’ve been dying for Essie to bring us another fabulous green and I know I’m not alone.  Well our wishes have been heard.  The Essie Summer 2010 Collection includes what looks to be a stunning vivid green. Summer is special. Aside from the wonderful outdoor activities that we wait for all year, we also revel in the opportunity to now wear lighter, brighter and more playful clothing. Finally, we can shed the wool and mohair for cotton and linen. The keyword for summer is: fun! So shed those boring, drab clothes and at last, indulge in seriously sensational color! Don’t be shy — make it the time to play with bold, playful color combinations. Check out full size bottle images and color descriptions after the jump!

“This year’s runways reflected the ease of the season with youthful, fun to wear clothing in feminine fabrics,” explains Essie Weingarten, President and Founder of Essie Cosmetics, Ltd. “I was inspired by the vivid pastels at Versace and the splashy florals at DKNY. I created this collection to reflect the youthful, fun-to-wear flirty frocks.” The summer fashion trend is all about mixing and matching, and the summer color palette allows for the same fun and freedom. Choose Miss Matched for fingers and Pretty Edgy for toes, or whatever you fancy – since there is no more matchy-matchy!

Pretty Edgy – Vivid Palmetto Green

Miss Matched – Sweet, Sheer, Ready For Anything Pink

Haute As Hello – Racy, Scorching Coral

Knockout Pout – Hot Supercharged Pink

Vermillionaire – Heart Pounding Red Orange

Demure Vixen – Iridescent Cocoa Mauve

The Essie Summer 2010 collection launches in June 2010. Essie polishes can be purchased from Essie.com and salons and spas nationwide including chains like ULTA, Regis, Trade Secret and Beauty Express.

OK, let’s take a head count. How many of you plan to pick up Pretty Edgy? What other colors from the collection might you be adding to your shopping list? I’m thinking that Demure Vixen and Haute As Hello may find permanent homes in my collection.

SpaRitual is unleashing a rainbow of color on us with their upcoming release, the Kaleidoscope Collection.  A set of twelve hot shades that include everything from bright white to neon pink and dark purple in a range of finishes. As much as I’ve been digging the blue, green and yellow pastels that have come out recently I’m really happy to see a collection that is pastel-free.  This entire collection is filled with bold hues which seems a bit unusual for SpaRitual. They tend to mix more conservative, serene colors with their unique creations but this collection is anything but safe. I have six of the twelve shades to show you so check them out after the jump!

Crystal Eyes is one of the polishes I was most excited about.  I love blues and this one is gorgeous but unfortunately it seemed a bit familiar.  Thus the comparison below.

Crystal Eyes is a dead-on dupe of Orly Calypso Breeze.  The picture makes the Orly look a bit darker but trust me, the colors are IDENTICAL.  I don’t think the SpaRitual had finished drying when I snapped this.  Dry, they are twinsies.  They even apply the same.  So which one you choose depends on which formula/bottle you prefer.

Illume is another color that ended up letting me down thanks to an Orly dupe.  This jelly-ish purple is gorgeous but a bit on the sheer side.  I ended up using FOUR COATS which is just unnecessary, especially when there’s a twin out there.

Illume has an identical twin sister in Orly Charged Up only the Orly is more pigmented.  I only needed three coats of that to match the SpaRitual shade.

Optical Illusion is a swamp thing green glitter that applies on the sheer side but builds up to a fun, funky color.  Actually, this would be a good fit for the OPI Shrek collection, no?  Just as a warning, when you start applying it, the base coat looks a lot like pea soup but keep going it gets better.  Though what’s odd is that in the bottle Optical Illusion looks like it could be a duochrome but on the nail that effect disappears.

Golden Gleam has a warm burnished gold but the silver metallic shimmer keeps it in the neutral gold zone so cool toned girls shouldn’t be too afraid.  It’s got that great foil-like finish that I love in metallics and the pigmentation is good.  Only two coats for me.

Lustress is another foil-like metallic shimmer.  In all honesty, this one seemed pretty meh in the bottle but on my nails I got a kick out of the coral tone. You all know this isn’t my usual color family but I’m making an exception for this one because it resembles a FingerPaints color I regrettably gave away.

Outside of the dupe issue, Color Trip is my one true disappointment in the collection.  A bright rosy pink neon, I applied three coats and still have VNL.  The one bright side is that even though it dries to a satin finish (as you can see on my pinkie nail), when you add top coat it has a jelly-ish quality that I’m sure some of you will love. What totally confuzzles me is that SpaRitual calls this a purple neon and like Essie Perky Purple I don’t see how in the world this could ever be labeled a purple.

The rest of the collection includes Flashback, Solaris, Imaginarium, Twinkle, Looking Glass, White Light

Bottom line: Optical Illusion is a must-have in my book since I have nothing like it. If you prefer the SpaRitual formula and don’t own Orly Calypso Breeze, check out Crystal Eyes. With all the great purples that have been coming out, Illume is a pass not only due to its lack of pigmentation but its unoriginality. The foil metallic shimmers are definitely gorgeous and worth a look. I’m also hoping to snag a bottle of Twinkle in the near future because it looks stunning.

The SpaRitual Kaleidoscope collection launches on May 1st 2010. You can find SpaRitual online at SkinStore.com and AveYou.com and in salon and spas nationwide including Canyon Ranch, Mandarin Oriental and Spa Halekulani. Or try the locator at SpaRitual.com.

What do you think of the Kaleidoscope collection? Any faves that you’ll be picking up?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided for review by SpaRitual. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

You might have seen a housefly, maybe even a superfly, but I bet you ain’t never seen a donkey fly. Fanatics, can you please join me in a standing ovation for OPI and Suzi Weiss-Fischmann for creating a collection with NO REDS OR PINKS!! It took a big, smelly ogre to make this magical moment happen but I’m not complaining.  The Shrek Forever After Collection is OPIs addition to their ongoing Summer Brights series and I’m totally into it. Surely, OPI could have found a reason to include a red or pink in this collection but I applaud them for not playing it safe.  A swampy, ogre green isn’t exactly conservative and I love that.  In fact, looking at the colors it’s like they were designed to be mani/pedi combinations.  The lilac & purple, sky & cyan blue and yellow & green.  They’re just meant to be together.

Formula and application -All these polishes applied extremely smooth and creamy, even the yellow (rare, I KNOW!).  As I’ve come to expect from OPI the formula levels well and flows like butter.  The only downside is the pigmentation.  I ended up using three coats for each color as they just weren’t that pigmented but I’d take three smooth layers over two chunky coats any day of the week.

Funky Dunkey is a true grape purple.  It’s rich and not too dark, making it the perfect purple for summer.  Though I’m not entirely sure how purple relates to Donkey.  I would have imagined a purple tinged gray for him though that’s not very summery or bright.

When I first wore Funky Dunkey, I thought it was a dead-on dupe for China Glaze Grape Pop but upon further inspection, Grape Pop is more blue.  What FD is close to is my color, Rescue Beauty Lounge Mismas.  Think of FD as Mismas’ slightly brighter sister.

Rumple’s Wiggin’ is a soft lilac purple and normally it would turn me off completely but there’s just enough pigment to keep it from becoming a washed out pastel.

This comparison shot isn’t my best work so you’ll just have to take my word that Rumple’s Muggin’ is darker than China Glaze Light As Air.  It’s not a huge difference but definitely noticeable.  I was going to show RM next to the lavendar from the Hong Kong collection but that color is way to pink to be a match so I’m showing it next to last year’s Done Out In Deco from the South Beach collection.

Ogre-The-Top Blue is a very deceptive blue.  I really didn’t expect it to dry this dark based on the bottle shade.  It’s a deep cyan blue.  For some reason it reminds me of a swimming pool liner.  Random, I know.  Oh and be careful when removing Ogre or it will give you smurf fingers.

Since I don’t own anything similar to Ogre-The-Top Blue, I’m comparing it to Barry M Cobalt Blue which is more of a true blue and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Brisk Blue which has more turquoise to its base color.

What’s With The Cattitude? is a pretty true sky blue creme.  Like Rumple’s Wiggin’ it’s got enough depth of color to escape pastel territory.  I think a pedicure with Ogre-The-Top Blue and a mani with this would be gorg for summer.  Also, can’t you picture this as a bride’s “something blue” pedicure?

The closest thing I have to a dupe is China Glaze Bahamian Escape from the Bahama Blues collection.  The main difference is that BE is much brighter.

Who The Shrek Are You? takes lime green to a whole new level.  We’re talking under-ripe lime here.  It’s a total match to Shrek’s body.  Now as much as I love a green, this is not my style.  I’ve never really gotten into the yellow-greens and this one is fugly in a fabulously funky way.  Would I wear this?  Probably not but I appreciate the uniqueness of it.

I almost forgot that I own another yellow-green, Misa Green With Envy.  I don’t even remember ordering from Head2Toe.  It was buried in the back of my light green drawer.  I pulled it out and was all, “Ah-ha! Dupe!”  Well, close but not cigar.  Green With Envy is more yellow but close enough.  I’ll probably ditch the Misa and keep the OPI.  I also showed this next to Sally Hansen Lickety Split Lime.

Fiercely Fiona is lemon yellow with a slightly green cast.  It’s yellow funkified.  Now most yellows are application problem city and while this one wasn’t as dreamy as the rest of the collection it’s certainly better than most.

Again, no exact dupe for Fiercely Fiona. It falls somewhere between OPI Banana Bandanna and Fingerpaints Bikini Yellow.

Bottom Line: If you like funky colors, you won’t regret picking up Who The Shrek Are You? and fans of purples won’t be disappointed in Funky Dunkey. In all honesty, while all the colors may be dupeable, I can’t imagine anyone regretting picking up any of these.  I know that’s a bold statement but I was very pleased with this collection.

The OPI Shrek Forever After Collection launches in May 2010 though I suspect it will on sale before that. OPI polishes are carried at salons nationwide including chains like ULTA, Regis, Beauty First, Trade Secret and JC Penney.

So now that you’ve seen the Shrek colors, what do you think? Any must-haves? Are you loving/hating the ugly beautiful nature of Who The Shrek Are You?

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

Pulled straight from the runway, Chanel’s Noir Et Or Paris-Shanghai Collection is a black and gold extravaganza that would make Cleopatra proud.  Peter Philips, Global Creative Director of Chanel Makeup, was inspired by the “glamorous fantasy of Shanghai in the 30’s and 40’s” when he created this limited collection consisting of three new nail colors and an eye shadow/liner palette. Like most of you, my brow wrinkled when I heard that Chanel was jumping on the matte bandwagon so late in the game but I was intrigued by the idea of a gold glitter.  After missing out on the gorgeous Tokyo Happening glitters, I hoped this would fill that lemming and it more than surpassed my expectations.  Check out my swatches and full review after the jump!

Gold Lamé is a brushed warm gold metallic.  Being a pretty typical metallic lacquer, it applies with visible brush strokes.  Even though I let each coat dry for a few minutes in between, I couldn’t keep those darn stokes at bay.  In terms of pigmentation, it’s OK but not perfect.  I ended up applying three thin coats over a ridge filler to get it completely opaque.  Though I will give Gold Lamé props for its buttery smooth texture.  It was very easy to control.

I hate having to tell you all that I have no exact dupes for Gold Lamé. I know how it disappoints budget conscious Fanatics.  So I’m showing you Gold Lamé next to its gold Chanel cousins, Gold Fiction and Golden Sand.  Gold Lamé falls somewhere between the coppery hue of GS and the true yellow gold of GF.

Illusion D’or is such a star and that just doesn’t come across on camera.  The second I pulled it out of the box, I was compelled to Tweet about its glorious iridescent flaky glitter that reflects a bluish-purple hue.  All you “flakies” fans are going to die over this one.  Amongst the evenly distributed golden micro-glitter are these gold and purple flakes that are something I’ve never seen in a Chanel polish before.  It’s heavenly.  I applied two thin coats that dried to a smooth glossy finish.

Illusion D’or over Gold Lamé

Black Velvet is a satiny black creme.  It dries with a cool, rubberized texture that has a risqué bondage feel to it.  The application was so flawless I kept thinking, “this isn’t a matte.”  Seriously, the polish is uber-pigmented and it flows so extremely smooth you can’t believe it will dry anything but glossy.  I even applied it over a base coat, to prevent staining, and it oozed onto the nail perfectly.  No matter what you think of the matte/satin finish look, this is a high quality polish.  What you see below is two thin coats that I let dry for 10 minutes before photographing so you can see the true finish.

Illusion D’or over Black Velvet

Obviously my ability to paint tips is sub-par but I thought I’d give the Shanghai Runway Nail a go.  I did my own version including Illusion D’or over Gold Lamé with Black Velvet tips and while I don’t hate it, I’m sure it would look much better applied by a pro on a slightly longer nail.

Bottom Line: Illusion D’or is the standout with its flaky iridescent glitter and would be the one color I’d call a “must-have.”  Black Velvet’s satin finish helps it stand apart from other matte polishes but a coat of Barielle Matte-inée over a black creme gives a similar effect.  Gold Lamé’s streaky finish garners it a “pass” from me.

The Chanel Noir Et Or Paris-Shanghai Collection is on sale now at Chanel.com and can be found at Chanel Boutiques and Makeup Studios. These LE polishes retail for $25/ea. Oh and in case you didn’t know, the Summer Collection nail polishes are up on Chanel.com as well and they retail for $25/ea.

What do you think of the Noir Et Or colors? Do you like the rubberized look of Black Velvet? Will you be running out to get any of these? Oh and are you interested in seeing a wear test with Black Velvet?

Disclosure: Product samples were furnished to me by Chanel. For more information view my Disclosure Policy.

The Illamasqua Blog has been hinting about the upcoming Body Electrics collection for Summer 2010 for a while now and I’ve been very anxious to see what a collection with such a high voltage name would bring to us in terms of nail color.

They finally released images and info on the polishes today and I’m VERY happy to see a shockingly fun blue headed our way.  Check out the promo pics and color descriptions for Prism, Force and Jo’Mina after the jump!

Prism – iridescent with a shot of blue, best used for layering.

Force – deep blue creme

Jo’Mina – bright lilac creme

Body Electrics launches this Friday April 9th on Illamasqua.com and comes to Sephora this May.

I’m hoping the Body Electrics colors launch with the Pastels so I can pick them all up in one fell swoop.  If only my Sephora would start carrying the line, I wouldn’t have to rely on online.  *sigh*