The ALU Archives focuses on older, beloved shades from the All Lacquered Up stash. As much as I try to focus on readily available colors for the Archives I couldn’t help myself this week.  I finally got my hands on one of my dream dc’d shades and just had to share it with you.  I mean if anyone will understand the excitement over finding a bottle of Essie Dominica Green on your doorstep, it’s all of you. Back in the early days of the MUA Nail Board, when I still had time to frequent it, there were only a few of us “green queens” hunting down old HTF shades and they seemed easier to find.  Now it’s like the whole polish loving world has joined in, making these rare polishes even harder to find.  I had pretty much given up hope of ever finding Dominica Green on my own (I REFUSE to pay big money on eBay) when an extremely generous gift made its way to me. See this treasure after the jump!

I now have two IKEA Helmer drawers stuffed tight with greens and I’m about to start filling a third.  I own pretty much every kind of green in the spectrum that you can imagine from the palest mint to the blackest forest and yet nothing compares to Dominica Green.    There’s something about this color that makes it light up on the nails like an electrified emerald.  It’s not that it’s bright per se but between the slightly golden undertone and the fine green shimmer it just illuminates.

The only negative this old gal brings to the party is lack of opacity.  You really have to want it with Dominica Green.  Even though it applies buttery smooth I needed four coats, five on my ring finger, to take this pic.  And for those of you on the 3-Free bandwagon, it is in Essie’s old formula so if you should come across a bottle, be warned.

Now there are a couple bottles of Dominica Green on eBay and if it were up to me, that’s where they’d stay.  I’m sure someone will eventually cave on the seller’s ridiculous price but I’d much rather see you get the satisfaction of finding a bottle in a dusty old nail shop than give in.

If you’ve never been “dusty hunting” Dominica Green is a fantastic reason to start.  Start scouring all the nail salons in town.  Check their walls and don’t be afraid to look in that dust filled glass case under the counter.  That’s how I came across OPI Rainforest (since a few of you have asked recently).  Go out there and find yourself a gem!

Disclosure: In the interest of full disclosure this bottle was given to me by the creator herself, Ms. Essie Weingarten.  Not for review, just as a kind gesture to this green polish loving girl.

The ALU Archives focuses on older, beloved shades from the All Lacquered Up stash. It’s time for another installment of the ALU Archives.  I’ve been reorganizing my stash, what a labor intensive project, and I came across a polish I’ve been meaning to share with you.  I’ve been on a greyed blue & green kick ever since I got my hands on the spring RBLs and there’s a blue-green stunner from Models Own that I just adore. Check out Slate Green from Models Own after the jump!

Slate Green is a really unique color in my collection.  It has a calm chicness to it.  Think of this washed out teal as a lighter version of Misa Dirty Sexy Money.  Oh and I’m happy to report that it’s a close relative of Essie Greenport from the North Fork collection.  It’s less vibrant but a great substitute if you missed out on that limited edition color.

The Slate Green formula is a bit thin and watery, perhaps a bit jelly-ish, and on the semi-sheer side.  It applies very smooth and even requiring three coats to achieve opacity.

I wore Slate Green for five days to see how it holds up.  It’s not the best wearing polish but it’s adequate.  Using Nubar Foundation Base Coat and Olan Quick & Slick top coat, I ended up with two small chips and average tip wear.

Models Own polishes can be purchased directly from the brand’s website ModelsOwnIt.com or at ASOS.com for £5/ea.

Have any of you tried polishes from the Models Own line?  What do you think of them?  Any fave colors?  Have you discovered any great sites to purchase them from that I haven’t mentioned?

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished to me by Models Own. For further information view my Disclosure Policy.

The ALU Archives focuses on older, beloved shades from the All Lacquered Up stash. Talking about Illamasqua’s new colors yesterday reminded me that I had never showed you one of my fave shades from their core collection, Phallic.  First of all, you gotta love the name.  Like my blogging pal Mel with her Penis Tuesday series, I love a fun penis reference.  I even won a knit, purple, penis-shaped lip balm holder (link NSFW!) from her site. The fact that Phallic is a stunning blue shimmer makes it all the better.  Check out the gorgeousness after the jump!

Phallic is an eye catching jewel-toned navy with royal blue micro-glitter dispersed throughout.  As you’ll see below, the glitter gives a “lit from within” glow when it catches the light.  The formula applies flawlessly.  It’s not at all thick or gummy, just smooth perfection going opaque in two coats.

Illamasqua Phallic is available on Illamasqua.com, Sephora.com, select Sephora stores and Selfridges in the UK.  Prices vary by retailer.  In the US they retail for $14/ea.

Who else is a fan of Phallic?  If you haven’t joined the cult of Illamasqua yet, will this one get you to succumb?

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished to me by Illamasqua. For further information view my Disclosure Policy.

The ALU Archives focuses on older, beloved shades from the All Lacquered Up stash.

A sweet reader, Faye, emailed me quite some time ago about how she visited the L’oreal Company Store and spotted two GREEN Shu Uemura nail polishes that I just had to have. I was floored and flattered that she thought of me and was kind enough to send them my way. The generosity of strangers, I tell you!

One of the polishes is a dark green creme a la NARS Zulu and the other is such a unique hue, words fail me to describe it. Take a peek after the jump!

I tried my first Shu polish (sounds like I’m saying shoe polish) last year when I picked up their gorgeous fall shade during the Nordstrom Anniversary sale. I was instantly sucked in by the formula and pigment packed color. By the time I got my hands on Tanzanite Aquarium from the holiday collection I was hooked. The formula is flawless and they really pile on the glitz and glamour.

So why am I seeing the nail polish listed in the discontinued section of the Shu Uemura website?? Say it isn’t so Shu!!! Just when I found you, you leave me? What the H people?

Here’s hoping that by posting this glorious green shimmer we can generate grassroots support for a revival of the nail polish line. This beauty is named P665, so boring. She deserves a much more creative moniker, no? The silver shimmer and muted, spring green hue make this one a winner in my book. I haven’t come across another polish anything like it.

Flash

Sun (we have sun in the CLE today, yay!)

So where are my fellow Shu polish fans? Do you have any favorite shades you just can’t live without? Anyone else disappointed to hear the line is in the DC’d bin?

The ALU Archives focuses on older, beloved shades from the All Lacquered Up stash. Last night I went to a screening of the Wizard of Oz with the winners of my giveaway courtesy of China Glaze. In select theaters across the country the film is being shown in Hi-Def to celebrate its 70th Anniversary. Being that I had never viewed the film on anything larger than a 27″ TV it was a thrill to see Judy Garland singing on the big screen. In lieu of the standard previews they showed a whole package about the making of the movie with casting info (I never knew Buddy Ebsen was the original Tin Man) and cast interviews. It was really cool. If you can find a screening in your area I highly suggest going. Of course such an event requires a WoO themed manicure and naturally Dorothy Who? was my pick. Check it out along with a fun pic of me and the giveaway winners after the jump!

You guys I can NOT WAIT until the Wizard of Ooh Ahz collection returns. Mainly so I can stop using my old bottle of Dorothy Who?. I love the old gal but she’s not in the best shape. I’d like to preserve her as is without attempting to add thinner. As you can see Dorothy Who? is a glitter packed gem.

Similar to Ruby Pumps the blue and silver glitter is suspended in a sheer electric blue base. It does dry with texture so you need a thicker high gloss top coat (ie Seche Vite) for a glass like finish. I just wish my camera could capture how truly magical this shade is. There is a fire and brilliance that the camera just doesn’t see.

So who else is dying to see the new Wizard of Ooh Ahz polishes?? It’s got to be one of the most anticipated collections of the year. I just know it will be a sensation.

The ALU Archives focuses on older, beloved shades from the All Lacquered Up stash. My Chanel Jade nail polish frenzy is growing. I am seriously dying to get my hands on the shade. I heard from a reader that it was on sale at Chanel.com for like a minute but I’m hoping that isn’t the last we’ll see of it (i.e. Tokyo Happening). UPDATE: I was misinformed. I am told that Jade will not be publicly released until September 10th. To quell my fever I had to pull out one of my all time fave Chanels, Vert Sacrilege, for this week’s Archives. Check it out!

I was lucky enough to score a bottle of Vert Sacrilege through a swap on MUA and even though it’s a tester and the formula is a little thin, I LURVE it! I mean, it’s a GREEN Chanel. A bottle of shimmery forest gorgeousness , what’s not to love? It’s like it was made for me. The shimmer is a bit metallic so there are tiny brush strokes but I can deal. I can more than deal, I’m just plain blind to them. I seriously wanted to hug the bottle when I got it.
Since we’re on such a matte kick and the new Zoya MatteVelvet green hasn’t yet arrived, I thought adding a layer of Nubar’s matte top coat would give me an idea of what’s to come. I almost prefer it mattified. What do you think?

Unfortunately, this is one of those really hard to find colors. Testers were still around on ebay a few years ago but it seems the well has run dry. If you find a hidden treasure trove somewhere, give us the heads up (after you buy yours of course).

So are there any other fanatics out there hoarding a bottle of Vert Sacrilege? Should we petition Chanel Creative Director Peter Philips to give us a dark green? Let’s here it!

The ALU Archives focuses on older, beloved shades from the All Lacquered Up stash.

First of all, thank you to everyone who messaged, commented, tweeted me about my overly obvious absence. You’re so sweet to worry about me. I’ve been out the past three days due to a pinched nerve. It’s a recurring issue I’ve been dealing with for the past twelve years or so and when it flares up I just have to rest the pain away. I’m not 100% but I’m well enough to sit up for short periods of time. So while I’m feeling up to it, I thought I’d share a couple polishes from the Archives.

A while back I told you that Beauty.com is now carrying Pop Beauty Nail Glams and I ordered a few but never posted them. Check out Ocean and Mandarin after the jump!

Pop Beauty Nail Glams are 3 Free (including Formaldehyde Resin) though it seems that at some point the formula and packaging changed a bit as one bottle lists Camphor as an ingredient and the other doesn’t. So if Camphor is an issue for you, make sure you check the bottle. The formula on these were spot on; well pigmented, smooth and fairly thin in spite of its 3 Free status. Normally I show polishes with no top coat but because Mandarin is a neon, which dries matte, I threw on a glossy top coat.

Ocean is a vibrant ultramarine hue. The metallic shimmer does leave minor brush strokes but they’re not overly distracting. I ended up applying three thin coats but you could get away with two medium coats.

Mandarin is like a greased pig, VERY hard to capture. Imagine a radioactive slightly underripe orange and you get close to what this neon orange-yellow creme looks like in person. There are a lot of neons on the market and I HATE most of them for two very good reasons. 1. They are eye searingly painful to look at. 2. They apply terribly; thick, streaky nonsense. Mandarin is in its own class. If you’ve yet to find the perfect neon, try this!

Pop Beauty Nail Glams retail for $14 on Beauty.com.

Which of you have Nail Glams in your stash? What are your favorite colors? Do your bottles list Camphor as an ingredient and when did you buy it? Did I inspire any of you to snag some bottles for yourself? Share!

The ALU Archives focuses on older, beloved shades from the All Lacquered Up stash.

I can’t believe that in the two and a half years I’ve been writing ALU that I’ve NEVER mentioned Icing polishes! If you’re unfamiliar, Icing is a chain of accessory stores owned by Claire’s. I honestly never shopped there until some MUA nail board girls discovered their line of nail polish. They have a wide range of colors and come out with limited edition seasonal collections quite often. AND they’re pretty cheap. You can usually find them on some kind of sale.

Unfortunately, since we moved a couple years ago I haven’t had immediate access to an Icing so it’s been a while since I added to my stash. Obviously I’m not up on the latest colors but I have a couple of my faves to show you. Check them out!

According to my bottles Icing polishes are 3-Free (including Formaldehyde Resin) but I would check the labels before buying, just to be sure. The formula is on the thinner side so even dark colors usually take three coats for even coverage but it flows smoothly on the nail and dries glossy.

Money Talks is a blackened forest green shimmer with silver micro-glitter floating throughout. It was packaged in a set a couple holidays back so I’m not sure if it’s still able to be found.
I Married Blue was an open stock color I picked up during one of their sales. It’s definitely in the burple family more than navy. It has a pearl/shimmer that looks a bit magenta in the bottle that I attribute to its slight purple leaning.
I realize the bottles look VERY similar to China Glaze and I know people have wondered if they’re by the same company but I think the similarities stop at the bottle shape. Icing polishes are produced in Illinois while China Glaze is based in California.

You can only find Icing polishes at their stores and this bottle size retails for $3.50 but there’s usually some kind of deal going on. You find an Icing near you using their store locator.

Where are my Icing lovers? What are your favorite shades? Seen anything new and fun that I should make the trip out east for?

The ALU Archives focuses on older, beloved shades from the All Lacquered Up stash. So I’m leaving for Vegas on Saturday. If you’re my Facebook friend or follow me on Twitter you know already that I’m going for the CosmoProf show. It’s this huge convention where tons of salon brands come together to introduce their lines and new products. Needless to say I’m uber-excited. Preparing for the trip got me daydreaming of our next vacation. The Boyfriend and I decided that we’re over cruises so we talked about heading to Mexico with some friends come Winter. I know that’s a long way off but it got me thinking our last trip to Mexico and how I wore one of the OPI Mexico collection polishes, Cozu-Melted In The Sun, so I pulled it out for this week’s Archives. Take a look!

Cozu-Melted In The Sun is one of the few polishes in my stash that The ALU Mom and I both agree on. A lover of all things metallic (bronze, silver, gold, copper, etc), she borrowed it from me and undoubtedly wanted to keep it but I’m not giving this beauty up! Cozu-Melted is a light pinky, peachy, coppery glitz bomb.

The base color is filled with silver micro-glitter that catches the light even indoors. The formula is pre-3Free so it spreads like a dream but is on the semi-sheer side. Even after three coats over a ridgefiller I can still see my tips but I love the shade enough that I can live with it.


OPI Cozu-Melted In The Sun is discontinued but TransDesign.com has it listed for sale and I saw some bottles on Amazon.com and Ebay.com as well. As always check out any seller before buying and consider emailing first to confirm availability. Some smaller sites are slow at updating inventory.

Who else has a forgotten bottle of Cozu-Melted in their stash? Or maybe not-so-forgotten? Thoughts?

The ALU Archives focuses on older, beloved shades from the All Lacquered Up stash. You asked for HTF’s well you’re gonna get them. Thank you to everyone who voted in the poll last week. An overwhelming majority of you want to see some of my favorite discontinued polishes pop up in the Archives. For those of you that weren’t a fan of the idea, not to worry, you’ll still get plenty of available shades to ogle. I decided to kick off the DC’d Archives with China Glaze C-C-Courage. Check it out after the jump!

C-C-Courage was released as part of the Wizard of Ooh Ahz collection. With Wizard of Oz themed names and colors the collection also included Cowardly Lyin’, Dorothy Who?, Good Witch?, The Ten Man and the lone core collection survivor Ruby Pumps. I owned Good Witch? at one point thanks to a special MUA friend but I decided she belonged with the queen of all things pink, NikkNack. My WOOA shades (pictured above): C-c-courage, Cowardly Lyin’ and Dorothy Who?

It’s the multi-sized glitter in these polishes that make them special. C-C-Courage has tonal shimmer and silvery light purple glitter trapped in a semi-sheer grape hued base. Though don’t let semi-sheer scare you off. This one is totally opaque in 2-3 coats. It does dry a bit flat and satiny so I am showing it with a glossy top coat.

Now because this collection was released prior to AII Beauty acquiring the brand, the formulas were lost. But I have it on good authority that China Glaze has been working on re-creating the colors so if you would like to see these beauties make a triumphant return, let them know. Leave a comment here or email them directly through the contact form on the China Glaze site.

Have any of you run across the Wizard of Ooh Ahz collection? Do you own any of the shades? What do you think of C-C-Courage.