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. Untried Day #120 – We had a visitor in our back yard and she inspired today’s manicure. The boyfriend spotted a fawn grazing around the tree in the back corner of our property and when he went out on the deck, he was amazed how unfazed she was by his presence. It’s not like deer are that uncommon or anything but we are in a pretty urban area not far from downtown. Our neighborhood doesn’t exactly provide lots of wooded places for deer to hide. The fawn must be pretty adjusted to city life though because she napped under our tree for the entire day and night and her mom took up residence in our neighbor’s yard. I wanted to go out to try and pet her but I kept reminding myself that I don’t live in a Disney cartoon where humans and wild animals are friends. I dedicate today’s manicure to my little deer friend using Sparitual Inner Sanctum, the best shade I could find to match her gorgeous coat.

Formula & Application: Sparitual nail polish is 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin), vegan and excludes camphor which can be an irritant. Their round bottles are capped with a tapered rubberized cap that includes four ribbed sides for a secure grip. I’m a big fan of rubber caps for ease of polishing and the ability to get a good grip when opening  tightly capped bottles.

The Sparitual brush is relatively short and very thin but wow do I love it. The bristles are so nice and flexible and they spread out over the nail so perfectly. It’s such a pleasure to work.

The formula of this polish is kind of thin, watery and squishy but really pigmented. All I need is two coats for full coverage and it flows on the nail flawlessly, drying with a mirror-like finish. I have to give it up to SpaRitual, the consistency and color payoff of their polishes are really high quality.

Sparitual Inner Sanctum is a warm tan creme. It can look a bit more rosy under cool indoor lighting but direct light brings out its warmth. Compared to something like Color Club Best Dressed List it looks a lot darker with a ruddy undertone. I added polka dots using China Glaze White Out to mimic the racing stripe-esque spots running down my deer buddy’s back.

Bottom Line: Inner Sanctum is a great work-friendly neutral that feels very fall. The formula and pigmentation is spot on so it won’t disappoint in terms of application. This isn’t a color family that I gravitate towards to but it was perfect for my purposes.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: I don’t see myself needing a deer fur tan again anytime soon so I’ll SHARE it.

Sparitual Inner Sanctum is available at salons and spas nationwide but their distribution seems to be pretty limited. The closest salon to me is in Detroit. To locate a retailer near you visit Sparitual.com. Online shoppers can head to Amazon,  Apothica,  CosmeticMall and SkinStore to purchase. Sparitual nail polishes retail for $10/ea for a .5oz bottle.

Thoughts on Inner Sanctum? Do you have a favorite work-friendly neutral? Have you created a nature inspired manicure before? What was your inspiration and what colors did you use to recreate it?

Disclosure: A product samples was provided by reps for Sparitual. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

The stars at night are big and bright Deep in the heart of Texas ~Deep in the Heart of Texas lyrics by June Hershey Tell me you can hear those lyrics and NOT clap your hands. Go ahead, tell me! This Spring, OPI is venturing down south to the Lone Star state of Texas. In the past OPI has focused on areas within the US (Painted Desert, New England) or specific cities (New York City, Chicago) but this is the first time I can remember where and entire state has been the inspiration for a collection. The OPI Texas Collection for Spring/Summer 2011 is standard in that it consists of twelve polishes but for the first time there is a definitive dividing line between each set of six shades.  OPI is introducing their take on the beloved jelly texture with six “sorbet” style polishes; semi-sheer colors with a lucite look.  Before we tackle the sorbet lacquers let’s examine the creme & shimmer polishes.

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

This half of the Texas collection consists of three cremes, one opaque shimmer and two semi-sheer micro-glitters. The cremes all applied with a squishy texture that reminded me of China Glaze while the opaque shimmer (I Want To Be A-lone Star) had a creamier feel. The opacity with all four is spot on with each color.  They only required two coats.  The micro-glitters didn’t fare as well.  After three coats I could still see my smile line through each one.

I Vant To Be A-lone Star is a pale pastel blue packed with silver shimmer.  It straddles the line between baby blue and white.  I was really impressed at how well it applied considering how light the color is.  A polish this light tends to either be thick and streaky or watery and semi-sheer.

I’m sure a lot of you thought the same thing, that I Vant To Be A-lone Star is a dupe for China Glaze Sea Spray or Essie Sag Harbor.  We were all wrong.  The other two are darker with less obvious shimmer.  Unlike its pale blue predecessors, I Vant To Be A-lone Star’s shimmer isn’t hiding from anyone.

San Tan-tonio is a sandy beige color.  It’s a bit warmer than it appears on screen and reminds me a lot of CND Desert Suede.  Something about this type of color makes me think of bad foundation.  It’s just not flattering with my skin tone.  I could see this looking stellar on someone with an olive or darker complexion.

OPI Austin-tatious Turquoise looks like a vibrant aquamarine hue in the bottle but on the nail it comes off lighter with a dirty gray undertone.  The blue metallic shimmer and micro-glitter paired with the semi-sheer turquoise base looked promising it’s pretty muddled on my nails.

It’s Totally Fort Worth It has a shimmery pale grey base filled with pink micro-glitter.  Like Austin-tacious Turquoise it has a muddy quality that appears a bit dirty.  Normally I’m all about a “greyed” anything but it doesn’t work in this case.  Throw in semi-sheer coverage and I”m all “Mismas out!”  Sorry, it’s Idol season.

Suzi Loves Cowboys is one of the truest brown cremes I’ve come across in a while.  There’s no dominating red or black base color pulling it towards warm/cool territory.  It’s like a liquid Hershey bar.  The squishy jelly-like texture had me thinking it might need three coats to go opaque but I was happy to only need two.

Don’t Mess With OPI is a rich grass green creme.  For some reason when I uploaded my swatch image, WordPress changed the colors making it look WAY more muted than it appears in person.  I can’t get it to load with the proper shade so I really wouldn’t go by this picture.  DMWO is pretty bright in person but not like kelly green bright.  It’s definitely darker like what I think of as a shamrock green.

I did a comparison with China Glaze Starboard and Essie Pretty Edgy and again, the colors didn’t appear right after the image was uploaded (If you know why this happens, EMAIL ME!).  What I can tell you is that both Starboard and Pretty Edgy are lighter shades than DMWO.  I would say Starboard and Pretty Edgy are more closely related with Starboard being more muted compared to the astroturf-esque Pretty Edgy.

Bottom Line: Regardless of whether these colors represent the state of Texas well, there doesn’t seem to be a cohesive theme here.  Maybe I just don’t get it.  Now you know I’m always on board where greens are concerned so Don’t Mess With OPI gets a definite thumbs up.  I love the obvious shimmer in I Vant To Be A-lone Star and having a solid brown creme like Suzi Love Cowboys is a great addition to any collection so those both get my stamp of approval.  The rest are a pass.

The OPI Texas Collection is available now at salons and spas nationwide.  OPI nail polishes retail for $8.95/ea for a .5oz bottle.  You can find OPI at national chains including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and Ulta.

Thoughts on this half of the Texas Collection? Do the Texan fanatics out there feel this collection represents everything great about the Lone Star State? Which colors made your list of must-haves?

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

I can’t begin to tell you how apropos it is that China Glaze created the nautical themed Anchors Away collection for Spring 2011. You see I grew up sailing. As a child I spent every weekend of my summers on my parents’ sailboat cruising the shores of Lake Erie. It was such a huge part of my life that even though I’m not exactly a fan of sailing (it can be boring), being on the water is an essential piece of who I am. It’s always been part of my life plan to have a boat of my own to enjoy everything Lake Erie has to offer. The Lake Erie islands, the Sandusky Bay area, it’s all so beautiful and fun. This spring my dream of summering on a boat just may come true. The boyfriend and I are signing up for a safe boating course and starting to shop for our own floating home away from home which has me on an all things nautical high. I’ve been shopping for new deck shoes, conjuring up boat names, contemplating the boat themed manicures I’ll wear, etc. And after seeing a mani/pedi combo using the navy and orange cremes from this collection, I already know what is going on my nails first.  But before we get into the bold Knotty Nauticals let’s take a look at the softer side of the Anchors Away collection, the Sand & Sea six piece set.

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.

Because this half of the collection has varying finishes and opacity levels I addressed the specific application issues I experienced in the actual color review.  The three cremes that I showed you in my sneak peek all applied flawlessly in two perfect coats.

Below Deck is a murky purple taupe creme.  It’s meant to be a dupe for the discontinued China Glaze Channelesque polish that achieved cult fave status thanks to the message board communities.  As I mentioned when I first showed you Below Deck, I never picked up Channelesque while it was still available.  I wasn’t a fan the first time around and it just goes to show how tastes can change.  Now I find this type of color very chic though it’s still an ugly-pretty situation.

Knotty is a golden tan, semi-sheer glass fleck.  I used three coats and you can still see my smile line.  This color is one that is best left to sheer polish lovers and layering types.

Pelican Gray is a dove grey creme with a hint of micro-shimmer.  It’s a bit more apparent on Pelican Gray than on Sea Spray (below).  We’ve seen pale greys before but none of them tend to stick around.  Prior to this launch I had readers looking for a quality, opaque pale grey and I didn’t have anywhere to send them, especially with RBL Concrete Jungle being discontinued.  I just hope China Glaze keeps this beauty around.

Sea Spray is a soft, grayed blue creme with the tiniest hint of pearl.  The micro-shimmer doesn’t really show on the nail, it really adds depth more than anything.  It keeps the polish from looking chalky.  I really can’t talk this color up enough.  I’ve been wearing it since late August and if I had my druthers I would wear it all spring.  It’s so fresh without feeling like a typical spring pastel.

Sunset Sail is a peachy nude with an opaque creme base peppered with silver micro-glitter.  It has that band-aid effect and reminds me of a beloved shade OPI Skinny Dippin In Lake Michigan except I think Sunset Sail is more wearable.  The only thing dragging this polish down is the application.  This polish applied so streaky that I needed four coats on my ring finger to avoid patchiness and dragging at the cuticle.

White Cap is a sheer, white-based glass-fleck style polish packed with gold flecks that create a sunshower type effect when the light hits it.  Because it is so sheer I think it’s best used for layering.  I think it will look amazing over the orange, green and navy cremes in this collection or you could use it to add warmth to a cool toned shade like Sea Spray.

Bottom Line: This side of the collection definitely speaks to the Fanatics who opt for a more neutral palette.  I can’t get enough of the three cremes and can’t wait to start layering with White Cap.  The application problems that plague Sunset Sail and the unflattering nature of Knotty place them in the “pass” category for me.

China Glaze Anchors Away is available now and can be found at stores like ULTA and online at TransDesign.com, 8ty8Beauty.com and Head2ToeBeauty.com.  China Glaze polishes retail from $3-6 depending on the retailer.  Sally Beauty will not be carrying Anchors Away instead they have exclusive collections Treasures (in stores now) and Tronica (coming in March).

What do you think of the sand-washed neutrals and semi-sheer glass flecks in the Sand & Sea set?  Which colors are on your must-have list?  What would you layer under White Cap and Knotty?

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

One of Color Club’s three, yes I said three, new collections is Rebel Debutante.  The collection introduces nine new creme polishes that for the most part are very chic and subdued but it’s the stand out blue and green that caught my eye. What an unexpected twist to add such bright pops of color to the palette.  I suppose they are the rebels in the group.  Though what I like about this collection as a whole is that even though the majority of the shades are neutrals, they are what I’d call “new neutrals.”  They have an updated feel to them.  See what I mean after the jump!

Who Are You Wearing? is a grayed cream.  Its cooler base makes it more relevant than a buttercream icing type white.  Though because it’s a semi-sheer polish, I needed three coats to get it opaque.  It’s also a bit on the streaky side but by layer three those issues are resolved.  Oh and yes, there was a polish from OPI with this name but they look nothing alike.

High Society falls into that mushroom-y taupe trend that’s so popular right now but it’s a bit lighter than colors like Chanel Particuliere.  For those that find Particuliere too dark for spring/summer, this would be a great option. Like Who Are You Wearing? this shade has a greyed out coolness to it that makes it very wearable.  The formula feels kind of watery so I used three coats.

Best Dressed List is actually much warmer in person it just doesn’t translate on camera.  Think of a cozy camel cashmere sweater.  It has a cuddliness to it.  This is definitely a warm toned shade so it would be best for olive and darker skinned ladies.

Charity Ball has that burnt sienna crayon look to it.  It’s a brown based brick red hue that reminds me of dried red clay, only without the dustiness.  It’s definitely vibrant and feels very fall to me.  Again this is a bit watery and required three coats.

Uptown Girl is the color I recommended to get Deborah Ann Woll’s Oscar nail look.  It’s a smokey deep violet that looks a bit darker in person.  It’s definitely in the same vein as one of my other greyed purples, OPI Parlez Vous OPI?. I’m really in love with this color.  Even though this color has been done, every time I come across it I fall in love all over again.

She’s So Great is a vivid candy-ish pink.  It’s got a blue undertone that makes it more cool but not so much that warm skinned girls should stay away.  This one was a bit difficult to work with.  A little thick and streaky but manageable.

Ms. Socialite looks like a cross between a red grape and a plum (a grum?).  It’s got a lot of warm red tones in its base and in the bottle looks like a deep magenta.  It dries much darker of course.  I normally shy away from warmer purples but this one got to me.  Partly because the application was fantastic.  A dream really.  Two coats got it done and it flowed extremely smooth and even.  Ms. Socialite is the total package.

Gossip Column is the color that initially drew me in.  I love deep sea blues and teals and this one is a gem.  I have a lot of blue-greens that are heavy on the green but not as many that lean more towards blue so this one is a must have in my collection.  In the bottle it looks a lot like A Bouquet For Ava from Barielle’s Wildflower collection but Gossip Column dries darker with a hint more teal to it.

Rebel Debutante is definitely the loner in this crowd.  This bright neon green doesn’t quite fit in with the other kids at the ball.  Because it is a neon it dries to a satin finish but a layer of top coat will take care of that.  Of course, as with all brights/neons it doesn’t photograph well.  They must be shy or something, don’t want to upstage the others with its vivid hue.  In person it’s MUCH bolder and in your face but not day-glow offensive.

Bottom line: The understated creams are a great addition to your color wardrobe but not must haves.  Uptown Girl is a great substitute for OPI Parlez Vous OPI? and Ms. Socialite and Gossip Column are my hands down faves.

The Color Club Rebel Debutante collection is available now and can be purchased online at TransDesign.com and VictoriaNailSupply.com where prices range from $2.25-$2.50/ea.

What do you think of this collection?  Which colors caught your eye?  Are you feeling these subtle tones for spring or are you more into the bold colors like Gossip Column and Rebel Debutante?

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

To be Strange is to be Beautiful. This is the concept behind the StrangeBeautiful line of nail polish and it’s what makes their libraries of color so intriguing. Founder Jane Schub‘s love of art, architecture and design has been translated into a set of eight seasonal hues that I can only describe as achingly unusual. I’ve long said the reason I adore nail polish and started this site is because of my lifelong obsession with color. That while I don’t wear a lot of colorful clothing, I express my creativity and mood through nail color. This is why I was immediately drawn into this 3rd Volume of color from StrangeBeautiful. I swear I must have sat, staring at the polishes, for a good fifteen minutes remarking over and over how wonderfully brilliant and unique a collection this is. Let’s explore this new-to-me brand after the jump!

Taking inspiration from design pieces like the vibrant red typewriter by Ettore Sottsass and everyday objects like a lobster shell, each season StrangeBeautiful creates an eight shade limited edition collection that is both provocative and wearable. Using a creme finish for all the polishes makes them refined and chic. The formula is 3-Free, including Formaldehyde Resin, highly pigmented and flows smoothly on the nail drying with a high gloss finish. The 220 strand brush is thin, long and pliable, easily spreading out for the perfect three stroke application. Like I said, the polish is pigmented, even the lighter shades, so you only need two coats to achieve complete opacity. What I find interesting is that because the polishes are sold as a library, the individual shades are unnamed. They are also produced once in extremely limited edition so when a volume sells out, that’s it.

Because the inspiration for each color is so specific, and there aren’t descriptive names for each polish I thought including descriptors straight from StrangeBeautiful would be helpful in understanding the concept.

The saturated rusty iron color of an Irish bog caused by the reaction between tannin, wood and iron. The rich warm color of this polish reminds me of the peanut sauce that comes with chicken satay. It’s definitely best suited to a neutral or warm skin tone but I love its fabulous fall feel.

The veins of green mold running through Roquefort. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that this deep teal green was the one I rushed to put on first. My love of all things green is infinite and there’s something about the aged feel of this hue that I can’t get enough of.

The dreadfully wonderful dirty almond color used on kitchen appliances. Growing up in a home that reveled in the 60s avocado, almond, red shag aesthetic, this shade takes me right back to the adorable ranch-style house I grew up in that my Dad built for us.

The belly of a pigeon. I suppose I’m fortunate to say that I haven’t been up close and personal with a pigeon though I doubt the Lake Erie seagulls are any less annoying. Regardless this moody, lilac tinged gray is so me it’s not even funny.

Aged Armagnac. There’s something about this burnt sienna that makes me long for a bonfire, hot cider and the smell of pumpkin pie on a cool, fall night.

The artist Sean Scully. Deep and vampy, this dark plum looks like Grape Dimetapp in the bottle but dries pretty dark on the nail. Think OPI LPAD.

The rich black olive green color of Loden cloth. Hellooooo luvah!! There just aren’t enough mossy, olive greens in this world for me. So even though I own RBL No More War and Illamasqua Hectic, I love that this Swamp Thing hue is less yellow based therefore much more wearable on a range of skin tones.

The dull brown red of Redrope files. I truly wish the creaminess and slightly browned base of this red had translated better on camera. It’s very luscious and rich in person.
Color Volume 3 from StrangeBeautiful is available now on LuckyScent.com. The library of 8 shades retails for $79, which is less than $10 each.

Who has tried StrangeBeautiful before? Thoughts? How do you feel about these colors and that they come as a set?

Giddy up little cowgirls for the Rodeo Diva collection from China Glaze is here. Twelve nail polishes divided into two sets, warm and cool, these shimmering beauties will be causing a frenzy. And even though I tend to go the cool route (blues, greens) the gold shimmer in the Hay Ride polishes is incredible.

I would describe the shimmer as micro glitter yet it doesn’t affect the finish or cause that skin crawling glitter scratching as you remove it. All in all, the polishes applied well. Though I did notice the formula getting thicker as I went from lighter to darker shades. The lacquers dry glossy and the pigmentation is excellent, I only needed two coats to achieve bottle color.

Now you’ll notice that my skin tone looks a bit funky in the swatch pics below. That’s only because I altered the images to best show the polish color, which resulted in my skin looking a bit jaundiced in some and flushed in others. You’ll just have to excuse that.

Yee Haw! is a golden peachy orange that just radiates in the sunlight. I don’t think it necessarily works on me but the shimmer really gives it a punch to take it from being just another peach.

Golden Spurs is actually one of my favorite shades in this group and I’m not a big fan of tans. There’s something about how the shimmer really adds dimension to what could be a totally boring color that draws me in. It’s a sexy evening neutral.

Prize Winning Mare is a hard shade to capture. It’s golden brown but not chocolaty and very chameleon-like. In every light, it looked different. Very unique

Lasso My Heart’s golden shimmer makes it look more rosy in person. In fact, in the bottle, I thought it was a duo-chrome because of the way the shimmer affects the color.

Wagon Trail was the one color I most look forward to testing and it didn’t disappoint. You know me, any mention of green perks my ears up. This golden green is dirty, funky and totally fun. Like nothing else I own. I know there are fans of the discontinued China Glaze shade, Cat’s Eye (I don’t own it). Well I’d say that Wagon Trail is its blackened, trampy cousin.

Side-Saddle is for all you vamps. A browned plum peppered with gold, this shade represents the “diva” in Rodeo Diva the best. The minute I saw it, I thought of my pal Sara from Bit By The Beauty Bug. Even though I’ve helped encourage her to explore the lighter, brighter side of polish this summer, she’s a vampy girl at heart. I just know she’ll love this!
And since I knew there would questions of how Side-Saddle compares to NYC Cognac Sparkle, I beat you to the punch. Cognac Sparkle is more berry/wine based and a tinge lighter. Sorry gals, no twin here.

The Rodeo Diva collection can be found online at Head2ToeBeauty and is coming soon to 8ty8Beauty. China Glaze can also be purchased at ULTA and Sally Beauty Supply, call for seasonal collection availability.