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. “They call me Mellow Yellow, quite rightly. They call me Mellow Yellow, quite rightly. They call me Mellow Yellow.” -lyrics from Mellow Yellow by Donovan The day after our annual trip to Put-In-Bay I’m usually in recovery mode. Staying up til 4am every night, consuming a wee too much alcohol and indulging in all the delicious treats that accompany backyard barbecues take a lot out of a girl. So the last thing I wanted was a bright or vampy nail polish. I looked to my untrieds stash for something soothing and calming and came up with American Apparel Butter. I know it’s been said that yellow is actually a hostile color. That more fights will occur in kitchens painted yellow than blue or green but I can’t imagine anyone getting stabby over a color that looks like it was made from the fuzz of baby chicks.

Formula & Application: American Apparel nail polishes are 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin). The tall rectangular bottles come topped with a short, round cap an average length round brush at the base of a very long stem. The stem collects a lot of polish so make sure you wipe it well to avoid drips. The brush is nice and flexible so it fans out easily to cover the nail however, the consistency of this particular polish doesn’t quite work with a fanned out brush.

The lacquer itself is a bit thick and goopy but well pigmented and it does level itself out. Of course, like most yellows streaking can be an issue. That’s why I suggest not pressing too hard to fan out the brush. Doing so will increase streaking. So while I am normally an advocate of really thin coats, to make Butter look better, two medium coats of polish works best. Though how impressive is it that after two coats it’s opaque? For a pale yellow, that’s damn near magical. With the exception of a slight bit of dragging near the cuticle, barely perceptible to the eye, it looks flawless.

American Apparel Butter is a pale yellow creme. What sets it apart from the majority of the light yellows is the somewhat beige undertone that makes it more creamy, like frozen custard. When I was little we kept our boat in Marblehead, OH and there was this little frozen custard stand called Colonel Mustards Custard and I remember being freaked out by the odd yellow tint that looked exactly like this nail polish. Of course, one bite of that fantastic frozen treat and I no longer cared what color it was. It was DEEE-licious.

I looked for dupes to this color and came up short. All the pale yellows I own, China Glaze Lemon Fizz, Orly Lemonade, OPI Banana Bandanna, Hello Kitty Banana Cream, are too yellow/golden to be any sort of match.

Bottom Line: If lemon yellows aren’t your thing and you want something a bit more creamy, take a closer look at Butter. It’s a pretty unique color and the pigmentation is almost spot on. I’ve been wowed by American Apparel nail polishes in general (see my previous review) and this is just another in a long line of winning colors from the brand.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: Why wouldn’t I STASH it?

American Apparel Butter is available at AA stores nationwide and online at AmericanApparel.com. Nail polishes retail for $6/ea for a .5oz bottle. Buy them in a set of 3 for $15 or 7 for $32 and save.

Have you tried American Apparel nail polish before? What are you favorite colors from the line? Thoughts on Butter? Do you prefer creamy yellows like this or more lemony shades like China Glaze Lemon Fizz?

Disclosure: A product sample was provided by American Apparel. 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. One of the cult classic pale yellows is Maybelline Banana Puddin, a color that I covet but have never owned. My friend Christine has a bottle so I’ve seen its gorgeousness in person, I have just never worn it. From what I hear it’s a real bother to work with but oh is the color worth it. Since I first saw Banana Puddin on MUA many years ago I’ve had this inner yearning for the perfect pastel yellow. Something that isn’t too chalky, pale or golden. Hello Kitty Banana Cream just may be it.

Formula & Application: The Hello Kitty Liquid Nail Art polishes are a Sephora exclusive and neither the bottle nor the Sephora website list the ingredients. They simply state, “This polish is formulated without toluene, formaldehyde, or DBP,” so take that as you will.  The adorable Hello Kitty shaped bottles come with a long, flat brush that is average in width. Nowhere near as wide as OPI’s brush. The bristles are flexible but give some resistance.

Anyone who has worked with a yellow nail polish knows that they are notoriously difficult to apply. It’s the nature of the beast people. You want yellow nails, you deal with streaks or super sheer polish that needs numerous coats. Given my expectations going in, Banana Cream impressed. The lacquer leveled out well on the nail, had good pigmentation and only needed three coats. I probably could have gotten away with two but I ended up with a bit of dragging near the cuticle that I couldn’t ignore. I thought I waited long enough between coats to avoid that so it’s hard to tell if it’s operator error or the formula.

Hello Kitty Banana Cream is a buttery yellow creme. You caught a glimpse of this color when I dotted it on my Easter manicure a few weeks back but this is the first time it’s been on my nails on its own. Something about it makes me think of buttercups and fuzzy baby chicks. It just screams Spring.  It’s textured like a typical creme in that it isn’t squishy or jelly-like. In fact it can look a bit chalky going on but once you add a top coat that goes away.

Bottom Line: I was very skeptical of the Hello Kitty polishes when they first launched. So skeptical that I only bought one in case it sucked. I figured ordering the yellow would be a true test of the brand considering the problems that plague the color family. I’m pleased to say that unlike a lot of lines that draw you in with packaging or branding, the Hello Kitty line put out a pretty great product and I highly suggest investing. Especially if you are a HK fan.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: No doubt about it, I’m STASHing it.

Hello Kitty Liquid Nail Art in Banana Cream is available exclusively at Sephora and Sephora.com. In store availability will vary. Hello Kitty polishes retail for $10/ea for a .304oz bottle.

Have you tried the Hello Kitty polishes? Which colors are your favorite? Thoughts on Banana Cream? Does anyone have Banana Puddin to compare? I hope to check out my friend’s bottle soon to see if they’re a match in person. What is your favorite light yellow?

Disclosure: I purchased this nail polish. 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. Happy Easter!  Happy Sunday to those who don’t celebrate.  I hope you all had a lovely weekend.  In spite of the gloomy weather we had a yummy Easter brunch with my parents which left me in a food coma for the rest of the day.  Though in spite of the day’s festivities I was up bright and early to make sure my digits donned their Easter finest. After I posted my less-than-impressed review of one of Inglot’s O2M nail polishes, a reader suggested I give the pastels from their regular line a try.  I quickly placed an order and they ended up being the perfect ingredients for my Easter themed manicure. Take a look!

Formula & Application: Based on an image found online, Inglot Nail Enamel is 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin) and excludes camphor which can be an irritant. The square glass bottles are a little shorter and fatter than Essie’s and are topped with a thin, smooth cap. The brush is round, fat and medium in length with flexible bristles that, in spite of their malleability, don’t fan out very wide. My guess is it’s due to the denseness of the bristles.

I have to say that for pastels, these colors are well pigmented and smooth. Much smoother than I anticipated. The only reason I found myself using three coats is due to the brush. It’s the same issue I have with most MAC polishes. The brush inhibits coverage by causing dragging. I suggest a very light touch when applying the pastels.

To start, I alternated Inglot 969 and Inglot 970 on each hand so that the corresponding fingers on each hand had the opposite color.  Inglot 969 is a gorgeous creme de menthe hue with silver micro-shimmer.  One might call it a pearl but don’t take that to mean frosty.  The shimmer does more than add depth, it’s definitely noticeable.  The same goes for robin’s egg blue, Inglot 970.  They are similar in finish, application and depth.  Both are stunning and a little darker than the average pale pastel.  They have a subtle intensity.

Even though I’m not big on the whole nail art thing I decided to add a little somethin’ somethin’ to my manicure. “Jazz hands” if you will.  Inspired by a manicure I reblogged on my Tumblr page (yes I’m on Tumblr now too), I added diagonal strips of polka dots using a dotting tool and another one of my untrieds, Hello Kitty Banana Cream.  As you can see, my dots got better as I moved from my pinkie towards my middle finger.  It takes practice.  My pal Steph from Steph’s Closet got me hooked on the dotting tool and she gave me a great tip for using it.

Dotting Tip: Pour a bit of polish on a piece of aluminum foil and let it sit for a few seconds to thicken.  It makes creating dots easier.   Just make sure you work fast and add more polish between every other finger or it will become too thick and stringy.

Bottom Line: I like to call colors like 969 & 970 “strong pastels” as they aren’t that watered down version of blue, green, yellow, etc that the term tends to invoke. They’re more statement making and with the understated but apparent shimmer they bring to the party, I’m all in on these colors. In fact, I’m regretting not buying the whole collection but I was understandably gun-shy after my first Inglot bubbling experience. I’ve VERY happy to report that no such bubbling occurred with these.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: Thanks to ALU reader Abbey for recommending the pastels and changing my mind about Inglot.  If I didn’t STASH these, I would seriously lament it.

Inglot 969 & 970 are available at the Inglot stores in Las Vegas, Miami, New Jersey, NYC and Newport Beach or online at InglotUSA.com.  Inglot Nail Enamels retail for $10/ea for a .51oz bottle.

Did you do a special manicure for Easter?  Thoughts on the Inglot pastels?  Has there ever been a brand that you initially hated but ended up loving due to a specific polish?  What do you think of my attempt at polka dots?  Any suggestions for improving my technique?

Disclosure: I purchased all the polishes used in this post.  For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

I thought 2009 was the year of Mimosa. At least according to Pantone it was. Yet here we are, two years later, with yellow nail polishes making a splash again.  What’s funny is that so many Fanatics think yellow looks bad on them yet still go gaga when a new one hits the market. Of course, when Chanel makes a yellow, everyone’s eyes light up.  Remember the craze that Chanel L.A. Sunrise created in 2008 when the Robertson Boulevard collection launched?  This time around the buzz has been building over Chanel Mimosa from the Summer 2011 Les Fleurs d’Ete de Chanel collection. Les Fleurs d’Ete or Flowers of Summer makes me say, in my best Miranda Priestly impression, “Florals? For spring? Ground breaking.” Yes, we’re talking summer and not spring but still.  Haven’t we beaten that horse to the point that PETA is about to step in?  Then again, there must be a reason florals keep coming back. Let’s see if Chanel can prove why.

Formula & Application: Chanel nail polish is 4-Free (includes formaldehyde resin) plus there’s no camphor, which can be an irritant.  The signature square glass bottles are topped with a black square outer cap that is removed to reveal a stubby, round, ribbed inner cap.  The brush is round, medium in length and width and reminds me of the old OPI/new SOPI brushes.  It easily fans out and covers the nail without much resistance.

Yellow polishes are a pain.  PERIOD.  Doesn’t matter who is making it or what shade of yellow it is.  They are either thin and sheer or thick and streaky.  If the brand is going for opaque, as Chanel is with Mimosa, the polish is going to be streaky.  You have to be willing to accept that with a yellow polish.  There are rare breeds out there that get it right but they are few and far between.  Mimosa was a pain to apply, as was L.A. Sunrise, so be prepared.  It took me three solid coats to get Mimosa opaque and I still wasn’t entirely pleased with how it looked.  This is not a self-leveling dream so make sure you are cautious in your placement.

Chanel Mimosa is a bright lemon yellow sprinkled with micro-glitter.  It’s not overly apparent glitter as it actually shows up more in the bottle than on the nail.  In fact, I tried over and over to capture the glitter, as you’ll see below, and it REALLY likes to hide.  It’s more like a subtle sparkle, like how we think of the Chanel shimmer as “subtle shimmer.”

I went looking for a comparable color and came up short.  I have quite a few yellows but nothing that matches dead on.  All you frankeners out there may be able to dupe the base color by mixing OPI Banana Bandana and China Glaze Happy Go Lucky. In terms of how Mimosa relates to Chanel L.A. Sunrise, it would say they are related but definitely different.  L.A. Sunrise is more mellow and buttery

Bottom Line: I can’t say I’m a fan.  If the promise of glittery goodness you see in the bottle had translated to the nail, I would have been all in.  Being that it doesn’t deliver, I’m out.  I much prefer L.A. Sunrise to Mimosa plus I have other lemon yellows in my arsenal that get the job done.  If the formula had been a dream, which is asking a lot of a yellow, I could have even overlooked the lack of glitz.

Chanel Mimosa is available now at Chanel counters nationwide and online at Chanel.com.  Chanel nail polishes retail for $25/ea for a .4oz bottle.

Thoughts on Mimosa?  Which do you prefer Mimosa or L.A. Sunrise?  If you own L.A. Sunrise do you plan to pick up Mimosa as well?  What’s your favorite yellow nail polish?

Disclosure: I purchased Chanel Mimosa. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

The Knotty Nauticals set from the China Glaze Anchors Away collection for Spring 2011 is filled with rich, bold cremes and glimmering glass flecks. It’s common knowledge in the boating community that there is a long standing rivalry between power & sail boaters.  As a kid I would watch Ohio’s version of Jimmy Buffet, Pat Dailey, rile up the power & sail boaters at the Beer Barrel on Put-In-Bay. This was long before it burned to the ground and rose from the ashes to become the world’s longest bar. And yes, I was a kid in a bar.  Let the Sweet Home Alabama analogies begin. Anyway, Pat would taunt each side with stereotypes.  That sailors are wine sipping fuddy-duddy’s who look at the water as a relaxing escape.  That power boaters are beer chugging, party people who look at the water as a mode of transport, something to rip through.  Granted these are heavy generalizations but in some cases they hold true. In my eye the Sand & Sea set is a smooth afternoon cruise on a sailboat and the Knotty Nauticals are a wind-whipping, wild ride on a speed boat.  They represent both sides of the boater in me who appreciates the zen of sailing but loves the thrill of zipping across the lake.

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.

In this half of the collection, the majority of the polishes are cremes and they all flowed on the nail perfectly in two even coats.  They are more squishy/jelly-ish than creamy but I think that lends to their ability to even out on the nail which is great for novice at-home polishers who don’t have their application down pat.

The two glass fleck polishes both applied with a similar squishy consistency but with differing opacities. It is the nature of glass fleck polishes to apply semi-sheer but they are usually buildable to opaque but this wasn’t the case with the yellow (Lighthouse). Even after three coats, my smile line still shows through.

Starboard is much more vivid in person and I’m honestly REALLY unhappy with how it photographed.  This murky Cleveland weather is not my camera’s friend.  Starboard is a leaf green that isn’t quite as bright as Essie Pretty Edgy yet not as dark as OPI Don’t Mess With OPI though it’s more pigmented than both of them.  A comparison will be included in my OPI Texas review.  Maybe it’s just me but I find it odd to include Starboard (right side) in the collection and leave out Port (left side).

Ahoy! is a raspberry glass fleck a la Raspberry Festival from the Summer Days collection only this one isn’t as packed with clear glass particles.  The glass fleck effect is more subtle and mixed with gold micro-glitter.  The result is a rich, pigmented polish that looks more opaque than the Summer Days lacquers.

Hey Sailor is a “come hither” cherry red creme.  Seriously, what is it with men & red nails?  The boyfriend always takes notice when I use red polish. For some reason Hey Sailor looks tomato red in the bottle but reads more blue based on my nails.  Now my brief affair with red polish may be over but what would a nautical themed collection be without a classic red and this one fits the bill.

Lighthouse is the other glass fleck polish and it is more of a traditional glass fleck than Ahoy!  This yellow gold  applies pretty sheer so it can be used in one layer as a top coat or built up to semi-opaque.  Another option would be to wear it over a yellow creme so the true color of the base can pop.

I already know that First Mate will be my new BFF once sandal season rolls around.  A rich blue creme, it falls somewhere between royal and navy.  It’s one of those idyllic blues that effortlessly walks the line between bright and almost-black.  It’s so easy for a navy to cross over into that “too dark” territory and this one will never go there.  Better yet, it’s not so bright that your nails will be screaming “BLUE!”  I’d say it’s the perfect marriage of Bermuda Breakaway and Calypso from the Bahama Blues collection.

Life Preserver is a muted orange creme but thanks to its melon-y undertones it definitely feels more spring than fall.  There’s no way anyone would accuse you to hanging on to Halloween wearing this shade.  While it’s not necessarily a shade I would gravitate towards naturally, I saw it paired with First Mate in a mani/pedi combo last summer and I’ve been thinking about it ever since.  The pairing looked classic and so boat-y.  There’s no doubt in my mind that it will be the first combo I wear once the weather warms up.

In fact, I was inspired by that mani/pedi combo and the signal flag for the letter “T” to create my own nautical themed manicure.

I polished all my nails in First Mate and turned my ring nails into little “T” flags with China Glaze Snow and Life Preserver.  I wish the white line was a bit thinner but I didn’t have easy access to my nail art brushes.  Either way, I’m happy with it.  What do you think?

Bottom Line: Individually the polishes in this half of the collection aren’t exactly ground-breaking but they make sense as a unit.  I love everything about First Mate and the opacity of Ahoy! makes it a winner in my book.  Since I’m a girl who can never have enough greens, Starboard gets the thumbs up from me but if you already have OPI Don’t Mess With OPI you might find it a bit redundant.

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).

Which set from Anchors Away is your favorite?  Knotty Nauticals or Sand & Sea?  Do you agree that First Mate & Life Preserver make a killer color combo?  Which polishes made your shopping list?

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

As an editorial manicurist and butter LONDON Creative Director, Nonie Creme merges the world of fashion with nail color.  So it should come as no surprise that when the fashion community experienced the loss of the brilliant Alexander McQueen, Nonie thought to pay tribute to his genius. The butter LONDON Fall 2010 Collection polishes All Hail McQueen and Bumster are both nods to the designer.  Marrow is Nonie’s second collaboration with the designers behind Vena Cava and Victoriana is a faded blue inspired by vintage British fabrics.

Application & Formula: butter LONDON is known for its 3-Free formula but it is actually 4-Free (no Formaldehyde Resin).  The bottle has a smooth plastic outer cap that easily slides off (thanks to a bottle redesign) to reveal a ribbed, round inner cap used for polishing.  The brush is thin and round with flexible bristles that easily fan out to cover the nail.

The consistency of these polishes is thick but spreadable.  You can almost feel how pigmented they are.  With the exception of All Hail McQueen I only used two coats of polish to get full coverage.  However, I would suggest waiting for a few minutes between coats.  I went to apply my second coat of Bumster a little early and ended up with a bit of dragging and had to start over to avoid using a third coat.

Victoriana is a patina-esque muted blue packed with silver micro-glitter.  The base color reminds me a lot of Rescue Beauty Lounge 360 only this is a bit more vivid.  I see a green undertone in this in the same way that 360 has a tinge of green, like murky seawater.

All Hail McQueen is described as a holographic taupe.  On me, it’s a twinkling BBB (band-aid but better) shade.  I love it because it’s a more wearable, sparkly version of one of my fave BBB shades, OPI Skinny Dip’n In Lake Michigan.

My only real point of contention with this color is the “holographic” claim.  Yes, there is multi-colored glitter in the polish but you don’t really see it unless you are in the sunlight and even then you mainly see the rose colored glitter.  I don’t see a holographic/prismatic effect.  The polish is still beautiful but I wouldn’t classify it as a holo.

Marrow looks different than the custom mixed color Nonie showed me backstage during NYFW.  See for yourself.  Granted the lighting situation is much different but still, I remember it as a dusty plum.  Much more like what you would expect dried bone marrow to look like.  Used at the Vena Cava FW 10′ show, designers Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock named the reddish grape polish.  A fine silver shimmer replaces the glitter seen in the runway version to add depth and shine.

I’m still not sure how I feel about Bumster. Named after McQueen’s famous low slung trousers, this dijon yellow creme is a bit daunting on the nail. I appreciate it for being so odd but I don’t know if I love it or hate it with my coloring.  In poor lighting it looks like baby poop which is not exactly a look I’m going for.  I don’t own it to compare but this looks a lot like Misa Hot Couture from the Runway collection which was another polarizing love it/hate it polish.

Bottom Line: If you liked RBL 360 or are into blues & greens like me you’ll love Victoriana. It’s my top pick from the collection and totally unique. All Hail McQueen is my runner up. It’s an amped up neutral that can work for day or night. I wish I could say that Marrow lived up to my expectations but it fell short. I think with all the purples that have come out this past year, including my own, they’re all starting to blend together.

The butter LONDON Fall 2010 Collection is available now on butterLONDON.com and ULTA.com. Beauty.com also carries bL but they seem to get the collections a little later than the brand’s website.  Polishes retail for $14/ea for a .4oz bottle.  The bL website has a Store Locator if you want to make your purchases in person.  I don’t see any in Ohio yet but hopefully that will change soon.

What do you think Fanatics?  Which colors are calling your name?  If you already ordered from the collection, which ones?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to me by butter LONDON. 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.

I have a love/hate relationship with brights and neons. I LOVE wearing them in the summer but I HATE photographing them. They are just so hard to capture. Neons just never translate on screen so it’s really hard for me to show you what you’re getting. Regardless, I took the new China Glaze Poolside collection for a spin. Poolside consists of six bold, in-your-face neons that are bound to attract attention.  From the shimmery blue Towel Boy Toy to the hi-lighter yellow of Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, if you want to make a bold color nail statement, this collection has it.  Check out my swatches after the jump!

My main issue with the Poolside collection is opacity. I’ve always thought of China Glaze as having a great color range with an excellent formula but this collection is lacking. Each color applies a bit differently and the pigmentation just isn’t there. Application tip: Apply a coat of white creme polish underneath to make the neons really pop and to avoid VNL (visible nail line).

Note: As I mentioned, neons do not photograph true to life so imagine each shade much brighter than it appears. Also, because these polishes dry with a satin/matte finish, I used a top coat.

Bonus: If you’ve been hunting for a bright matte polish, just put on a neon.

Pool Party is a hot reddish pink. It’s got a very 80s feel to it.  I realize neons in general evoke thoughts of the 80s but this one really embraces that style.  Like I imagine this color on a vintage windbreaker.  This color applied a little on the thick side but it leveled out well.  What you see below is three coats.

Pool Party with no top coat

Flip Flop Fantasy was the hardest polish for me to capture.  It’s a very bright coral pink and with corals being so prevalent in makeup this season (think Bobbi Brown’s Cabana Corals) this color fits right in with that trend.  It applied very similarly to Pool Party, a little thick but spreadable.

Sun Worshiper is my problem child of the bunch. It’s a pretty thick, streaky, radioactive orange that has issues leveling out.  AND to top it all off, I could still see my nail line after three coats.  I added a fourth to my middle finger just to see if I could get it opaque and we’re not quite there.

Towel Boy Toy is my fave color in the collection. I love the slight shimmer, the cool Caribbean blue color and how incredible it looks both matte and glossy.  It applies very smooth and even though on the thin side.  Again we’re talking opacity issues so four thin coats is your best bet if you don’t apply it over an opaque white creme.

Kiwi Cool-Ada‘s neon kelly green hue makes Four Leaf Clover look dull. Think AstroTurf at a rave.  The formula on this one was pretty thin and smooth though that results in multiple coats.  What you see below is three layers and while it looks opaque on camera, in person, I could still see my white tips.

Yellow Polka Dot Bikini is straight up yellow-green hi-lighter. It’s a very thin polish that applies pretty streaky and never really gets opaque.  I did four coats on my middle finger before snapping this and it was still looking pretty see through.  Even more so under incandescent lights.

Bottom line: Neons are notoriously difficult to work with (hello essie neons!) but if you want to go there, I recommend Towel Boy Toy, Kiwi Cool-Ada and Flip Flop Fantasy.  Take a pass at Yellow Polka Dot Bikini and Sun Worshiper based on their formula issues.

The China Glaze Poolside collection launches in April but it may start popping up online at e-tailers like Head2ToeBeauty.com before then.  China Glaze can also be found at Sally Beauty Supply but seasonal collection availability varies.  Your best bet is to call first if your nearest Sally’s is a trek.

So what do you think of Poolside?  Is it what you expected? Are any colors jumping out at you?  Which polishes are you adding to your summer shopping list?

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished by China Glaze.  For more information view my Disclosure Policy.

I don’t know about you but after this train wreck of a year, I could use some mood lifters to kick off 2010 and the Up & Away collection from China Glaze fits the bill. I try to keep ALU positive so I haven’t really shared the disaster that was 2009 for me.  Professionally it’s been a dream year, personally a train wreck. I really won’t get into the deets but can we all hope for a happy 2010??  I’m gearing up wearing the fun, uplifting shades from Up & Away, a collection of creamy pastels and bright pops of color. I’m breaking the collection up into three parts so I can show you color comparisons for each shade.  With 12 colors, that would be one LONG post so I broke it up to make it easier to digest.  Let’s kick this party off with the purples and yellows.  Check them out!

So before we jump into the colors I have to talk about the formula.  China Glaze, you know I love you but the pastels were kind of difficult to work with.  It seems there are two types of light colors.  Either they’re opaque & thick or sheer & thin.  Finding that happy middle ground is like hunting down a bottle of OPI Rainforest (ie HARD!).

So while the deeper, bright shades have pleased me to no end, the pastels are definite problem children.  They leave stroke marks, don’t level out well and are pretty thick.  I know I’m not a pro manicurist but I consider myself to have some skill and if I’m having trouble, I think most people will.  If you really love a color, I suggest three thin coats and a thick top coat to help fix any glitches.

Lemon Fizz is a summery pale yellow creme.  It has a buttery softness but it definitely dries a bit darker than the bottle color suggests.  It makes me think of baby chicks, all fuzzy and sweet looking.

While Lemon Fizz has no dupes in my collection, OPI Banana Bandanna does come close with Lemon Fizz being just slightly more pale.  The other pastels I own in this range are either too yellow/green or too warm.  This one falls perfectly in the middle.  I’m thinking it would make a great spring pedi, no?

Happy Go Lucky is traffic stopping, taxi cab, sunny side up, egg yolk yellow.  It screams, “Look at me, I’m Yellow!”  I just wish yellows applied better.  There must be something about the pigment.  While Happy Go Lucky is a ton of fun, it’s not that fun to apply.  Don’t get me wrong, you can get it to look nice but it takes some work.

To the polish savvy eye, Happy Go Lucky isn’t an exact dupe of Misa Happy Happy but if you already own the Misa, skip this one because no one but you will be able to tell the difference.

Light As Air has a slight pink undertone that makes it look more lilac than the “periwinkle” China Glaze describes it as.

Being that most pale purples give me “alien hands syndrome” very few survive to live in my collection.  One of the few and the one I expected comparison requests for is China Glaze Agent Lavender from Operation Color.  That one is much more of a true periwinkle to me with its bluish tone.

Grape Pop is a love at first sight type situation.  Purples and I are all BFF and all but a creme purple, well do I even need to go there?  Rich, vibrant, smooth, well pigmented.  It’s got all the makings of a champion.

Now this is all tongue-in-cheek but, China Glaze why you trying to steal my thunder?  Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?  All kidding aside, Grape Pop is a gorgeous color and in the same vein as RBL Mismas but they’re not dupes.  I have yet to find a Mismas dupe (& Misa Sorry Just Can’t Help It or OPI Can You Dig It? aren’t even close) but I’ll give Grape Pop props for coming close.  It’s significantly more blue-based in person but that just doesn’t translate on screen.

The Up & Away collection from China Glaze is slated to go on sale in January 2010 but if it’s ready earlier I’m sure it will start shipping out some time this month. Keep your eyes on your local Sally Beauty and your fave e-tailers to scoop up these colors.

What do we think so far? See any must-haves? Have you found a truly phenom yellow that is opaque and smooth? I’d love to hear your recs.

Disclosure: A product sample was furnished to me by Priti’s PR rep. For further information view my Disclosure Policy.

Happy Friday Fanatics! I hope you’re gearing up for a fun weekend and 4th of July celebration (for US readers). Today I have the butter London Spring/Summer Fashionista’s Favourites to show you. It’s a lineup of five new colors, four cremes and one metallic, created by high fashion manicurist and Creative Director Nonie Creme. Take a peek after the jump!

As I’ve come to expect from bL’s 3 Free formula, the consistency is on the medium-to-thick side yet the polishes apply very smooth and even, with one noted exception (Muggins). The lacquer dries fast and glossy and even though pulling off the outer square cap can be a struggle, it does make application much easier using just the round inner cap.

You saw Artful Dodger on me when I discussed Miley Cyrus’ nails. It’s my favorite shade in the collection and it’s been sitting on my desk for a few weeks now so I can stare at it while I work. It’s just such a happy color, a shade I’d LOVE to see in the sky if these darn rainclouds would ever vacate the CLE. So I’ll continue to stare at Artful Dodger and wait for some much needed sun.

The Old Bill is a warm old gold metallic. You know how I feel about the issues metallics bring to the party but guess what?? The Old Bill isn’t plagued by them. There’s no streaking, no monster brush strokes, no weird pooling or anything. It applies like a freakin’ dream in two thin coats. LOVE IT!!

Muggins is my problem child of the bunch. I’m already leery of pale purples but this one applied terribly. After three streaky coats I gave up. I tried with this one but for a color I know won’t work with my skin tone, it wasn’t worth it. I even added top coat to try and even it out and it STILL looked lumpy. PASS!

Cheeky Chops is perfect for the whole yellow trend that’s happening. It’s a vibrant banana pudding type shade. Bright but not neon, buttery but not pastel. Pretty dead on perfect if you ask me.

Blowing Raspberries doesn’t really blow my hair back, no pun intended. It’s a rich berry red creme not overly unusual. Though what did impress me was the application and pigmentation. It’s almost a one coater and so damn smooth. I’d call it a goof-proof red.
The butter London Fashionista’s Favourites are currently on sale through butterLondon.com or Beauty.com. Individual polishes retail for $14 or you can buy the entire set for $45 (bl) or $50 (Beauty.com).

So what do we think fanatics? Who’s got big plans for the 4th? Or just fun plans in general?

AND DON’T FORGET TO ENTER MY CHANEL GIVEAWAY THAT ENDS TONIGHT!