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. This week marks the launch of the MAC Surf Baby collection. It is already for sale on MAC’s website and releases in store this Thursday, May 26th. Much like florals and pastels are heavily associated with Spring, beach themed collections go hand-in-hand with Summer. Summer 2007 brought the China Glaze Surf collection, 2008 the OPI Retro Fun In The Sun and 2010 saw RBL Surf’s Up. This year MAC is heading to the beach with one of their classic themed summer collections with packaging to match and they didn’t leave the nail polish out of the fun. Surf Baby includes two new nail polish colors, Ocean Dip and Hangin’ Loose and I have the former to share with you today.

Formula & Application: MAC Nail Lacquers are 4-Free (including Formaldehyde Resin).  The tall cylindrical glass bottles are topped with a round, rubberized cap and a thick, stiff, round brush. The MAC brush can be your best friend or worst enemy. It allows for perfect polish placement but if you press too hard you’ll end up with patchiness or drag marks, so polish with a light touch.

Ocean Dip has a thin, squishy texture that is well packed with pigment. The lacquer flows easily on the nail and self levels. If the brush wasn’t stepping on its toes, it would only need two coats. I managed to get away with two coats on two of my nails but I had to use three coats on my ring finger due to dragging issues caused by the brush.

MAC Ocean Dip is a bright turquoise creme. It’s pretty straight-forward in its coloring in that it doesn’t have any grey or murkiness in its base color yet it isn’t screaming neon. This one leans more green than your typical turquoise without crossing over into teal territory.

To give you an idea of where it falls in the nail polish color spectrum I pulled its closest living relatives from my stash; Essie Greenport, Models Own Slate Green and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Sea Breeze. In the bottle I expected Sea Breeze to be a pretty close match if not an exact dupe but as you’ll see below, that’s exactly why you have to try on polish before making a verdict.

As it turns out Greenport doesn’t even belong in the same category as the other three polishes. It’s so much lighter and less pigmented than the rest. Sea Breeze is almost a one coater and ends up drying brighter, lighter and a bit more green than Ocean Dip. Models Own Slate Green has too much gray in its base to be a dupe. I would say that Sea Breeze is probably the closer sibling but there are no Ocean Dip twins to be found in my collection.

Bottom Line: Although I totally expected Ocean Dip to be just another turquoise, with multiple more accessible substitutes, it ended up being a unique color to my collection. If MAC’s brush wasn’t frustration on a stick it would get two thumbs up from me. I continue to hope the brush will be replaced someday soon. I would say unless you already own SH Sea Breeze, which was sadly a limited edition shade, and you can get over the brush, the color is worth having.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: I’m a sucker for MAC’s branded bottles and the color is a beaut so it’s sticking around in my STASH.

MAC Ocean Dip and the rest of the Surf Baby collection is available May 26th, 2011 at MAC counters nationwide and NOW online at MACCosmetics.com. MAC nail polish retails for $15/ea for a .34oz bottle.

Thoughts on Ocean Dip? Are you planning to succumb to the allure of the Surf Baby collection? What is your favorite MAC nail polish? Out of curiosity, those of you who don’t buy MAC polish, would you change your mind if the brush was better?

Disclosure: A product sample was provided by MAC. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

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. Today’s manicure was inspired by turquoise rings I saw on Tumblr. I know I’m so late to the Tumblr party but I’m really enjoying it. Anywho, when I saw those rings I reblogged the pic stating that if crackle nail polish could create veining like what appears on those rings, I would be more into it. Now I’ve made it pretty clear that I’m on the fence when it comes to crackle. I’ve seen people use it in ways that look good, like Kellie Gonzo’s manicure using OPI Silver Shatter, but for the most part I haven’t been its biggest fan. Today while attempting to replicate a turquoise ring using Models Own Moody Grey and China Glaze Crackle Glaze in Crushed Candy I may have leaned a bit more in crackle’s favor. I wouldn’t go printing me a Team Crackle tee shirt just yet but I “could” get there.

Formula & Application: Models Own nail polishes are not 3-Free. They contain toluene, formaldehyde resin and camphor. The round glass bottles are topped with a round plastic cap that is as wide as the polish bottles. While it’s not the most comfortable cap I’ve held, it doesn’t interfere with application. The short, round brush is really soft and flexible and it sucks up a ton of polish so make sure you wipe it well before applying to avoid pooling.

I was extremely impressed with how pigmented the polish is considering how thin and smooth it is. That’s what toluene brings to the party. I know there are health risks involved with toluene but I can’t help but selfishly miss it sometimes. I barely needed two coats of this polish and it was a joy to apply, even with that big wide cap.

China Glaze Crackle Glaze is 4-Free and doesn’t contain camphor. Their crackle polish is pretty thick and goopy which means it’s not as easy to apply as the OPI Shatters. I know shaking nail polish is frowned upon but giving these a good shaking helped a bit. You can also add a bit of thinner to help with the consistency but add it slowly. Crackles thin a lot faster than regular polish.

Models Own Moody Grey is a green-based, wet cement type grey creme. It definitely has a “moody” feel with its gritty undertones. It actually reminds me a lot of RBL Stormy though Moody Grey is darker.

After seeing the image I linked to above, I came across this pic from University of Swag. Combined with the suggestion from ALU reader and licensed manicurist Cathy that she was able to attain a similar look with crackle polish, I was determined to try and find some way to mimic it.

Being that crackle breaks up in direction it is applied and the veining on the turquoise ring comes from all directions, I decided to polish in all directions. I circled my nail with China Glaze Crackle Glaze in Crushed Candy polishing from the edge to the center. While the cracks are much thicker than I would like, I’m satisfied with my effort.  Though if I repeated this look I would apply Crushed Candy a lot lighter with less polish on the brush.

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Bottom Line: While Moody Grey may not be the most unique grey I’ve come across, when I went looking for a dark grey creme I couldn’t find similar colors in my stash. Plus the formula is a total win in terms of application though the ingredients might be a detractor for some. Crushed Candy may have a funky formula but I have yet to see a crackle sold in the US that looks like it.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: Based on the lack of similar colors in my collection, I’m STASHing both.

Models Own Moody Grey retails for $8/ea and can be found online at ModelsOwnIt.com. ps I see they have a couple crackles now as well.  China Glaze Crackle Glaze is listed as being in stock at SallyBeauty.com. The polishes retail for $5.99/ea ($4.99 with club card) for a .5oz bottle.

What do you think of my turquoise ring inspired manicure? Thoughts on the China Glaze crackles? How would you replicate this look? Are you a fan of Models Own polishes? What are your favorite colors from the brand?

Disclosure: For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

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. Have you ever spotted a nail polish line that is so inexpensive you can only assume that it has to be a waste of money?  Well, that’s what I thought the first time I heard of the Essence Colour & Go line carried at ULTA.  I mean, how great can a nail polish be when it’s priced UNDER A DOLLAR?!? Well, I finally bit the bullet and decided to order some colors from the line last Summer but even after they arrived, the bottles looked so cheap and tiny that I felt no immediate need to try them.  Today I put this budget brand to the test when I took Essence Pool Party for a spin.

Formula & Application: Essence Colour & Go nail polish is 4-Free. For a full ingredient list, visit Essence.eu.  The bottles are small and round with a sizable smooth, plastic cap.  The brushes are wide, flat and long considering the bottle size.  The bristles are somewhat stiff (think MAC) which can lead to some dragging so use a light touch.

The polish itself isn’t that pigmented but it builds nicely.  I used three coats of Pool Party to achieve full opacity but given the price point, it’s not something I will complain about.  In fact, if you consider how inexpensive the brand is, the formula proves the whole “you get what you pay for” adage wrong.  This particular polish applied very well and dried with a high level of glossiness.

Essence Pool Party is so much more vivid in person.  The actual color must not be “web safe” as it uploaded much lighter and more washed out than it appears in real life.  If you think of what a turquoise swimming pool liner does to the water, you have a good idea of what Pool Party really looks like.   It’s pretty fantastical and I REALLY don’t want to take it off tomorrow.  I’m absolutely mesmerized. The silver micro-glitter floating throughout is apparent but not over-the-top.

Bottom Line: Consider me impressed.  If Pool Party is an indication of how the entire Essence line performs than sign me up for the fan club.  I’m a smitten kitten and can’t wait to try some more colors from the line.  For a buck can you really resist trying it for yourself.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: Not only will I STASH it but I’m considering buying a backup.

Essence Colour & Go nail polishes are available at ULTA stores nationwide, availability can vary, and online at ULTA.com.  Essence nail polishes retail for 99¢ and some are on sale for 49¢ for a .1oz bottle.

Have you tried Essence polishes before?  Thoughts on the line?  What are your favorite colors?  What do you think of Pool Party?  What other budget lines do you think buck the “you get what you pay for” concept?

Disclosure: I purchased Essence Pool Party.  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.

This past weekend the boyfriend and I attended the wedding of one of our favorite people on the planet.  She is funny, smart, charming.  Just an amazing friend.  One of those people that you meet and just know you want in your life.  So you can imagine how happy we are that she found a man who realizes how special she is and treats her a queen. Of course a wedding means planning the right outfit all the way down to your fingers and toes.  I immediately knew which dress I wanted to wear but deciding on nail color was a challenge.  Do I go trendy because I’m the all knowing nail girl (my friend said that, not me)?  Do I play it safe because it’s a wedding?  Or do I march to the beat of my own drummer and go with what strikes my fancy?  I chose D – All Of The Above.

Here I am with the beautiful bride.  This was towards the end of the night after a lot of drinking and dancing so we are a bit beat down.  Plus the humidity on Saturday was unbearably disgusting so it was near impossible to stay shine-free. Anywho, as you can see I opted for a gray dress with a silver embossed floral overlay so my nail options were pretty vast.  I scheduled a pedicure for the day before the wedding so I would have to commit to color family and not be stuck trying to decide the day of.  Even though I wasn’t sure about which shoes I would wear I knew they’d either be black or silver so I wanted something that would pop. All the talk of turquoise being hot for 2010 has the color pretty ingrained in my brain so that’s the first color family I thought of.  After sifting through my blue-green drawer I settled on China Glaze Flyin High.

I love Flyin High because it’s vivid but not overly bright.  It feels summery but the creme finish keeps it chic.  It’s the perfect complement to the silver heels I picked up the day of the wedding during a lightening fast DSW run.

So I had my dress, shoes, jewelry and pedicure all picked out but what should I put on my fingernails?  My rule regarding mani/pedi combinations is to coordinate, not match.  Since I had such a bright turquoise on my toes I wanted either a lighter version of Flying High or a silver for my fingers.  I had pulled Orly Shine but decided there was too much silver/gray going on in my look and ended up with an oldie but goodie, China Glaze For Audrey.

To me For Audrey is the ideal wedding shade.  I would love to see every bride make it their “something blue.”  It makes me feel feminine and girly but still unique.  It’s soft enough to be wedding appropriate yet colorful enough to add an element of fun. FYI this was taken two days after the wedding which is why you see some growth.  My nails grow like weeds, I tell you!

I’ve been wearing For Audrey for a few days now. I’m enjoying having ten matching fingers at the moment since it so rarely happens during the week.  However, I wanted to switch it up a bit.

I’ve had this bottle of Sally Hansen Sea And Be Seen sitting on my desk staring at me for a couple weeks now. I picked it up on a recent CVS run and came home to discover that it’s pretty sheer.  Such a shame considering  how gorgeous it looks in the bottle.  I guess I’ve left it out waiting for the right time to layer it and my current manicure just happened to be the perfect fit.

Sea And Be Seen turned For Audrey into a sparkly sky blue dream.  The base color has a sandwashed look to it while the demin blue micro glitter adds a glitzy punch.  This may be one of my fave layering combos ever!  It’s so much better in person, you must try.

Like I said above, I chose “D – All Of The Above” in plotting my wedding manicure/pedicure combo. I kept it somewhat conservative on my hands with a pale Tiffany hue. Choosing turquoise was definitely an on trend decision but it’s still very “me” in that I love blues & greens and everything in between. I seriously can’t recommend this color combo enough for any upcoming weddings you may have.

With wedding season officially in gear, what are your favorite nail looks to wear to a wedding? Have you been to any weddings already? What did you wear? Have any of you worn For Audrey to your own wedding? Do you think blue polish is too much for a bride?

Disclosure: Flying High and For Audrey samples were furnished by China Glaze. Sea And Be Seen was purchased by me. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

Last summer’s North Fork Collection from Essie was such a stellar sellout success that it’s no wonder she’s releasing the tropical themed Resort Collection that includes a new green and blue for us to drool over. I have to say, Essie’s colors are starting to win my heart again.  She’s introducing more “me” shades and I LOVE it.  Granted the Art of Spring wasn’t my style but she has a pretty large fan base to please. I mean I get that she’s known for stunning reds, sheers and neutrals but I’m just not that kind of girl.  I guess in NYC speak my nail flavor is more “downtown” than “uptown”  so when Essie creates colors like Turquoise & Caicos and Lapis of Luxury, I’m ALL IN!   Check them out after the jump!

Formula & Application: The consistency and texture of these polishes are very similar to the cremes from the North Fork Collection. They have the squishy jelly-ish quality when applying and they level out very well. Seriously, on one nail I had too much polish and I thought I created a polish ridge but it dried perfectly flat and glossy.

My only issue, and it’s kind of major, is with the pigmentation. These apply pretty sheer so I would highly suggest a ridge filling base coat to avoid VNL. With Turquoise & Caicos I used 4 thin coats and at certain angles you could still see my tips.  With the rest of the polishes I was a bit heavier handed with the layers and I got away with three coats.

Turquoise & Caicos is a beautiful true turquoise creme.  It screams tropics and actually the whole collection reminds me of the St. Maarten sign that greets cruise passengers at the port.

I went on the hunt for T&C’s twin and failed.  I have a literal smorgasbord of blues, greens and everything in between and couldn’t find a true dupe.  T&C falls somewhere between Essie Greenport and Barry M Mint Green.  Surprisingly they all have the same texture and finish.

Lapis of Luxury is a rich cornflower blue creme.  It’s got that sky before a storm quality only brighter.  I have a sweater this color that is beat down and covered in pills but I keep shaving them off because I love the color so much and haven’t found anything to replace it.  Similarly, I haven’t come across a polish this color before either.

Looking at Lapis in the bottle I felt confident that I had a match in my stash.  Not so much!  China Glaze Secret Peri-Winkle is a deeper more purple version and Maybelline’s Pie In The Sky is touch lighter and definitely more sky blue than pre-storm sky blue.  Plus, the Maybelline was a nightmare to apply so even if it was a dupe I’d go with the Essie.

Playa Del Platinum isn’t a grey to my eye as much as it is a greige, like greyed sand which is something you’d find on the shores of Lake Erie.  There’s no white sands to be found here people.  It definitely fills the neutral void in the collection and while I didn’t find it flattering against my skin I can see this being a very work friendly way to work those greige tones into your wardrobe.

Playa Del Platinum has no close relatives in my collection though it found some twice removed cousins in Essie Body Language and Deborah Lippmann Waking Up In Vegas.  Playa is more tan and greyed than Body Language but not quite as browned or dark as Waking Up In Vegas.

Spalsh of Grenadine looks more fuchsia than the magenta it was described as in the preview.  It’s a vivid purple toned pink creme.  This type of color isn’t really my deal so they don’t tend to take up residence in my permanent collection and since I recently cleaned house, I have nothing to compare this with.  Think of it as a lighter, pinker version of SOPI Don’t Go There.

Bottom line: Turquoise & Caicos and Lapis of Luxury scream ALU must-haves.  They’re totally unique and very me.  Playa Del Platinum and Splash of Grenadine get a pass from me because while I’m willing to deal with the sheerness for an amazing blue or green I’m not willing to put in the time on colors I won’t regularly wear.

The Essie 2010 Resort Collection launches in May 2010 on essie.com and in salons nationwide.

Are you loving the Resort polishes?  Which one is your fave?  Are you planning to pick up any of these when they hit shelves next month?

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished by Essie.  For more information read my Disclosure Policy.

In honor of the upcoming Illamasqua launch at Sephora, I thought I’d share a couple more fab shades from their Nail Varnish line. In case you missed my post last week, Illamasqua is coming to the US and will be sold on Sephora.com starting July 21st. That’s only SIX days from now!! Yippee!! Now I can make all the REST of their polishes mine. I’m also looking forward to snagging a few eyeshadows and lip glosses to try. The packaging is just so amazing I want it all. The eye quads are especially tempting. I could just go on and on but you’re here for the polish, right? Let’s take a look!

As with all the other Illamasqua’s I’ve tried, the formula is phenom. On the thick side but spreadable and smooth. Strike was pigmented enough to only need two coats but Hectic’s semi-sheer jelly-ish consistency required three coats to go opaque.

Strike – Is a bright, metallic turquoise. In the bottle it looks like it has a bit of gold flash but that’s just a reflection off the metallic particles. On the nail that pearly effect creates dimension and unfortunately, a bit of brush stroke madness. It’s not so overly stroke-y that I can’t deal though.
Hectic is an army green/pea soup creme. It’s like so fugly it’s cool, if that makes sense. I love its funky look as it reminds me of RBL’s No More War but on the lighter side of that. Color me smitten!
These along with all the other Illamasqua Nail Varnishes will officially go on sale at Sephora.com on July 21st and in their Times Square location on July 30th. The polishes will retail for $14/ea and should be in stores across the country come fall.

If you need some more Illamasqua enabling check out my previous swatches HERE!

So who else is counting down the days, plotting their first Illamasqua order? Which colors are you dying to try?

Remember the Sally HD Hi-Definition line I told you about back in March? Well the wait is almost over. The collection will be on store shelves soon, July to be exact, and come in a rainbow of shades. The Tracy Reese designed, Opulent Cloud (click to view), will launch along with seven vivid, liquid crystal filled polishes. Are you scratching your head about how HD and nail polish go together? Unlike other HD beauty products, this isn’t going to make your nails look slimmer or flawless like a high def foundation intends to do. It’s working off the theory that liquid crystals, like those used in Hi-Def LCD TVs, will produce a true, vibrant multi-dimensional hue. Take a peek at the first half of the HD rainbow after the jump!

The first thing I noticed about the formula is how thin and smooth it is. Using the same bottle shape and brush as the Lacquer Shines, the polish applies extremely even and dries quickly. The only downside is the pigmentation. I needed three medium coats to go opaque and even though it dried glossy, the first and second coats were a bit satin-esque. Odd. The overall finish looks like a cross between metallic and shimmer. It’s not all that brush-strokey yet not 100% blended either.

The end result is stunning. When Sally Hansen says vivid, they aren’t kidding. It’s not that the actual hues are uber-unique it’s just that they’re so alive. Pictures really can’t do justice to the vibrancy. The shades play with the light, changing at each angle. Not necessarily a duo-chrome effect more like they’re lit from within.

Cyber is a shimmering grape with a slight pink undertone. You know I love a purple so I’m all over this one.

Blu was the hardest shade to capture. To quote Danny Zuko, “it’s electrifying!!!”

Pixell Pretty is a pretty true Turquoise, a little bluer than Honeydew.

Hi-Def is a bright green apple that reflects gold. I can’t tell if it’s just the liquid crystals catching the sun or if there is actual gold shimmer in the color but it’s a very fun.
The Sally Hansen Hi-Definition Nail Color collection ($5.95) launches in July at drugstores and mass retailers like WalMart, KMart and Target.

Stay tuned for my review of the second half of the collection. In the meantime, what do we think? Is HD the future of polish or just a gimmick? Are there any colors you’re just dying to own?

Every time I post new nail polish pictures, I try to search through my stash for comparable shades but sometimes time just doesn’t permit that. And then the requests for comparisons start coming in. So to remedy the situation, I’m introducing Swatch Request Weekends. Every weekend that I have free, I’ll be addressing as many swatch requests as I can. The unveiling of the Chanel Celestial Lights collection and my new Barry M shades brought up a lot of great dupe questions so I hope I answered them for you after the jump. Enjoy!

MariahGem wanted to know how Finger Paints Turquoise Tile from the Sunburst Summer collection compares to Sally Hansen’s Honeydew. As you can see, Honeydew leans more green.
After seeing Chanel’s new Mica Rose and hearing how it compares to fan favorite Flamingo, Denette requested a Flamingo dupe. Unfortunately I don’t have any polishes with Flamingo’s exact sparkle factor but Nubar Je t’aime comes pretty close. OPI Dancing In The Isles is just too metallic.
Of course people always want a low cost version of Chanel’s stunning shades and Cosmic Violine is no exception. The closest I could come is with OPI Kris Kringle Makes Me Tingle, a holiday Trade Secret exclusive. Kris Kringle’s shimmer is more garish and the base is more brown without the same depth as Cosmic Violine. I threw in Tulipe Noire just for funsies.
Reader Crotchfairy wanted to see Barry M’s Grey next to MAC On The Prowl and Rescue Beauty Lounge Stormy. The Barry M is much deeper.
The only shade I have that is remotely close is a custom blended CND shade. Get the recipe here.
That’s it for this week kids. If you have a request, leave a comment or email me at [editor] at [alllacqueredup] dot [com]. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.