Isn't Sheeee, Pretty In Pink (Creme)

I'm not a girly pink loving kind of girl. I give that title to my girl Nikki who is pink personified. However, this summer in addition to my major orange fetish, I'm all about a glossy pink nail. But I'm not talking about baby pinks or sheers here. No it's all about bright, bold, hot pink cremes. Creme finishes give these vibrant hues a chic spin that keeps them from being too garish.

And I'm not the only one feeling this trend. Celebs like Lindsay Lohan, Vanessa Mannillo and Miley Cyrus have all been caught rocking the pink. And even though the hamsters on Big Brother 10 have only been streaming live for a couple days now, one of the contestants, Keesha, has already delved into the nail polish stash to pinkify her nails.

Images: Splash News, Big Brother Caps and Faded Youth Blog

If you want to join the Pretty In Pink-ness here are the shades I recommend. For a slightly softer pink that still makes a splash try: Wet N Wild Dreamy Poppy, Essie Movers & Shakers, OPI Elephantastic Pink, Essie Guilty Pleasures, Orly Butterflies, Nubar Camelot Blossom


And if you want to go for full-on bright, in-your-face fuchsia look for CND Hot Pop Pink, Zoya Jewell, OPI That's Hot Pink, NARS Schiap, Lippmann Angel Eyes and Nubar Geisha Blaze. (Note: Geisha Blaze & Angel Eyes have extremely subtle shimmer but it doesn't show on the nail)



Now the trick in pulling this look off is perfect application. Any bubbles, dents or ridges will only be magnified with a creme so prep is the most important step. If you aren't going to a salon (I don't) make sure you buff out any flaws and use a great ridge filling base coat, like Seche, to give the lacquer a smooth application surface.

China Glaze Immaterial Gurl

You know that we are living in a material world
And I am a material girl
A material, a material, a material, a material world
Material Girl lyrics by Peter Brown & Robert Rans

Even though Madonna's song was about materialism and not fabric, it's hard for me not to look at the imMaterial Gurl collection from China Glaze without hearing those lyrics in my head. I can't sing to save my life but in the comfort of my polish room, I was belting it out like a champ while testing these shades.

A collection of six textile themed cremes, the imMaterial Gurl nail polishes are a girly change of pace compared to their bolder Spring/Summer offerings, Ink and Ecollection. With a diverse range of hues to flatter most skin tones, rich pigmentation and a high gloss shine, these are not what I'd call "must have" colors but they're definitely good staple shades to round out your collection.

For the most part the formula was spot on. Two coats for perfect, even coverage. The only notable exceptions are Second-hand Silk and Heirloom Organza. The consistency was a bit thicker and not as flowy so, I had to use three coats. All shades are shown without a top coat, just their natural glossiness.

Second-hand Silk

Mom's Chiffon

Heirloom Organza

Vintage Crepe

Atelier Tulle

Designer Satin

The imMaterial Colleciton is available now and can be purchased online from 8ty8Beauty.com and Head2ToeBeauty.com. China Glaze is also carried in ULTA and Sally Beauty Supply stores but call for seasonal collection availability.

It's A Neon, Neon World With Essie & Orly

As my favorite nail color queen, Rihanna, has already shown us, bright, bold, in-your-face shades are what's hot right now. She's been spotted wearing orange, teal, purple, etc. and even though she's driving the bandwagon other young celebs are jumping on board. Take Lindsay Lohan for example. She wore a hot pink to match her prom-tastic dress at her 22nd birthday party and was caught lighting up (don't do it!) with glowing orange tips.

Images: Faded Youth Blog & All Celeb Pics

To feed your need for neon, Essie and Orly have hit us with a one-two punch of bright, four color collections for Summer.

The Essie Neons are quite a departure for the usually subdued brand. They tend to target the conservative, classic nail fanatic. I give Essie two thumbs up for addressing the trend. Unfortunately I have to give a thumbs up/thumbs down to the formula. While half the shades (Mini Shorts & Short Shorts) were OK, the others (Bermuda Shorts & Shorty Pants) were pretty nightmarish. As expected, the neon pigments cause these polishes to dry matte but for some reason they don't smooth out easily. You have to put in some work to avoid an uneven texture. But the colors, love them! Mini Shorts is definitely my favorite.

Shorty Pants

Short Shorts

Bermuda Shorts

Mini Shorts

Orly High Voltage is a mixture of saucy shimmers and punchy cremes. The gold shimmer in Heat Wave is captivating. As soon as I picked up the bottle, I had to have it on my tips. It's really a stand out lacquer for me. Charged Up is a nice grape but it's also the only polish I had application issues with. I needed three coats to get even, full coverage. And if I were picking a hot reddish pink, Hot Shot would be my choice. It's way more vibrant in person, somewhat shocking.

Hot Shot

Live Wire

Charged Up

Heat Wave

The polishes pictured are shown with a top coat since the majority dry matte. I chose images for each lacquer that best represented the color so they aren't all shown in sunlight.

The Essie Neons and Orly High Voltage collections are available now online and in stores including hair and nail salons, Trade Secret, ULTA, Sally Beauty Supply and Regis. Contact your local retailer to check availability.

Chanel Robertson Boulevard Nail Colour Collection

When I was in LA last month, I desperately wanted to stop by the new Chanel boutique on Robertson Boulevard but time wasn't on my side. The reason for my desperation... the Robertson Boulevard limited edition Nail Colour Collection. Sold exclusively at the Robertson boutique from now until the online launch in July, this collection was created by Peter Philips, the new Global Creative Director of CHANEL Makeup.

Based on the bold pop art imagery, I wasn't expecting the slight softness I saw in the shades I tested. It's this quality that makes them very wearable, even for Chanel's more conservative clientele. As expected, the lacquers applied flawlessly and with excellent pigmentation, I barely needed two coats to reach bottle color. At $25 a bottle, they better.

Rodeo Drive is a warm grapey purple with subtle silver shimmer. In the sun it reminds me of the cartoon character Grape Ape. Of all the polishes in this collection, Rodeo Drive was the one I most looked forward to seeing so I'm glad it lived up to my expectations.

L.A. Sunset is a creamy melon orange with a high gloss factor. I wouldn't classify it as a bright per se but it's definitely bold and summery. A perfect pedicure shade.

With the popularity of yellow polish this season it's no surprise to see one included in this collection. However, I was surprised at how sweet and sexy L.A. Sunrise looked on Selma Blair's tips in InStyle's June edition. No mustard or neon here, just a gorgeous lemon sorbet. I plan to order it the day of the online release.
Melrose, L.A. Sunrise, L.A. Sunset and Rodeo Drive will be available for purchase exclusively on Chanel.com in July. You can sign up on the CHANEL site to be notified of their release.

Estee Lauder Pearls of Light Summer 2008

For Summer 2008 Estee Lauder released two color collections, Pearls of Light and Bronze Goddess. Pearls of Light is soft and glowy, filled with lustrous pinks and champagnes including two sparkling but subdued Pure Color nail lacquers.

I've never used Estee Lauder nail polishes before so I jumped at the chance to test them out. The bottles have always intrigued me, they're so luxe with a great weighty feel. Don't you just adore how the sphere of polish is encapsulated in the square glass? Or is it just me?

EL polishes have a flat brush that makes application a breeze. I really love that so many brands are using that style of brush. And the formula, well I'm super impressed with the formula's staying power. I gave my Mom a set to try out, they're very much her kind of shades, and when I realized she hadn't done a polish change in two weeks I gave her a scolding. Much to my surprise, she showed me her nails and can you believe that with the exception of one massive thumb nail chip the rest had just some tip wear. TWO WEEKS LATER. Unreal! Holy staying power Batman!

Champagne Pearl's metallic quality gives it a duo-chrome appearance. It fluctuates between a champagne metallic and a reddish shimmer and feels very water-washed beachy. The multi-colored shimmer is what keeps both these shades from being another boring color. Is it me? Not so much. It's not "pretty ugly" enough for me.
Pink Pearl is a bit more sheer as you can see in the pic. I used two coats with both shades yet I can still see the line of my whites through Pink Pearl. This is a very soft girly pink. Very work appropriate, even with all the fun shimmer.

So either Mom read my layering post or she just didn't feel like redoing her nails and added more polish on top because she layered champagne pearl over pink pearl to create her own unique shade. I tried layering both ways and the results are pretty similar to the camera's eye but in person they really are different. I think the Pink Pearl over Champagne Pearl is my favorite. The pinkness really stands out with the opaque nudish base underneath.
Estee Lauder's Pearls of Light collection is available for purchase on the EL website however Pink Pearl is unfortunately sold out. Fear not fellow fanatics, you can still snag a bottle of your own. How? Stay tuned!

OPI Summer 2008 - Mod About Brights

When I first caught wind of a new Brights collection from OPI, I honestly wasn't that jazzed. I figured, what could Suzi and her crew possibly come up with that would be fresh and new? But after three summers of Brights that were hit or miss, I will admit that I'm pleasantly surprised by the Mod About Brights collection. Instead of fooling us with beautiful in the bottle blues & greens that end up being sheer (I'm looking at you, Call My Cell-ery and Can't You Sea?) these shades deliver a bold, funky punch of color that really stand out.

An entire collection of cremes, this rainbow lineup of nail polishes has a retro feel that reminded me of this drawing from the book 100 Years of Fashion Illustration by Cally Blackman (see above left). Don't you just expect her to pop off the page and into a dance sequence from Austin Powers?

When these beauties arrived on my doorstep, I was jumping out of my skin to start swatching. I've been dying to show them to you all but time is not on my side. So what you see below is two coats of color with no top coat, exceptions are noted. As with the India collection, OPI is really hitting their stride with creme finishes in their Big 3 Free formula. They all applied smooth and even with a glossy finish.

Mod-ern Girl is a reddish coral shade that actually matches one of my favorite summer gauzy tunics. I can't wait to pair them together.

That's Hot! Pink is your typical bright summer pink. It's La Paz-itively Hot without the blue undertone or shimmer.

Brights Power fits right in with the hot orange trend that is happening in nails but instead of being neon it's just bright and fun. Definitely a better choice for people that are shying from the day-glo construction barrel shades I'm loving.

The "It" Color is a bit too French's Mustard for me personally but I can see a darker skin tone rocking it on their tips. You know this is a total Rihanna shade, right? Unfortunately, it makes my skin tone look a bit dirty. I so wish I could pull it off though because I love seeing the reactions I get to wearing totally odd colors.

Green-wich Village. What do I even need to say? It's perfect! Perfect I say. Can there ever be too many greens? Um, NO! And a green creme? You know I've been wanting a creme in every shade of green I can find. And even though Green-wich Village took three coats to achieve perfection, it's worth it. Look at that color, look at it! You know you want to buy a bottle just to have, even if you're too scared to wear it.

And before you even get a chance to ask I went ahead and swatched it next to Carolyn New York Greenwich Ave. You know someone was going to request it. The CNY shade is more pigmented and a bit deeper in color. It only required two coats to the OPI's three. As you can see, they're pretty close though not dupes. Do you need both? Only if you're a fellow green freak.
I swear, either I've become clairvoyant or the brands have been reading my 2008 Wish List. Because Dating A Royal not only fulfills my need for blues that aren't "almost black" (e.g. Yoga-ta) but also for blue and green cremes. Where did this undying love for cremes come from? I have no idea. Maybe because I feel like my nails are imperfect and achieving a smooth creme finish makes them look flawless. Anywho, this deep cornflower confection is unlike any other lacquer I own.

Of course, looking at all the bottles lined up like a little rainbow, I thought they'd make the perfect Skittles Manicure. Instead I ended up looking like the disembodied fingers that were put on ice during an episode of Dexter. Creepy, huh? I think I'll stick to more candy/pastel shades from now on.

image: Frozen Barbie

The OPI Mod About Brights collection is on sale now at all professional salons and retailers including Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, Ulta, Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Dillard’s, and JCPenney.

Zoya Summer 2008 - Chit Chat

The Chit Chat collection from Zoya is just one of their summer offerings launching May 1st. Filled with golden metallic goodness, each shade has ribbons of shimmer and micro-glitter flowing throughout yet dries smooth to the touch.

Each lacquer was tested using two coats, except where noted, without a top coat. For the most part they all applied smooth and even with good pigmentation. I just wish the spectacular glitz factor would have translated on camera. I think the sunlight shot of Lianne captures it well but it's really something best admired in person.

Regarding the name change: A lot of you have asked about why there isn't a Mismas in this collection. I wanted to address you all at once. While I am extremely honored and flattered that Zoya would want to immortalize me in polish, I suggested that they name the shade after someone who would truly love and appreciate it. So naming the shade Bekka, after the color's designer, seems fitting.

Gaia - Oh how I wanted to love Gaia (the label says Gala but it's Gaia) because the color is outstanding. It has an icy white base but the ribbons of gold shimmer make it a perfect warm weather shade. Not at all dingy or white out-esque. Unfortunately, the formula is its downfall. After three coats it still wasn't opaque or even on the nail.

Erika's cool baby pink base has a slight lilac undertone but the gold shimmer gives it warmth. I think it's the combination of the two that make this pink very neutral and wearable. As you can see, with three medium coats my whites are still slightly visible so, this may work better as a sheer.

Bekka is described as a "cool chartreuse metallic". Three coats on me looks like a semi-sheer neon yellow leaning towards green. This shade just doesn't work for me and if I'm being honest, it doesn't really fit in the collection. I think coral would have been a nice transition between Erika and Lianne.

Lianne is my absolute favorite shade in the bunch. This gorgeous tangerine is right on trend and so so sparkly. The base color has a creamy melon feel but the glorious shimmer really makes it a knockout! I know I'll be sporting Lianne on my tips and toes a few times this summer.

Annie is a red orange and looks like a duo-chrome in the bottle. On the nail the red is more prominent in indirect lighting while it looks more orange in the sunlight. The golden red base makes me think this will look best on warm and dark skin tones.

Elke has a berry red base but the shimmer warms it up. I think if you're going to do a red in the summer, this is the way to go. With a glossy top coat the finish looks jelly-esque which gives it a lighter feel than your typical heavy winter red.
The Chit Chat collection is available for pre-order on the Zoya website and will be available in salons across the country after May 1st.

OPI Summer 2008 Preview - Mod About Brights

The Brights are back everyone! OPI is adding to their ever so popular Brights series with a set of 6 vivid creme polishes dubbed the Mod About Brights collection.

“The mod look is back in a fresh, new way, both in fashion and beauty,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “The six shades in Mod About Brights capture the fun and edginess of the mod ‘invasion’ of the Sixties, but with a bright twist that makes them exciting and current for 2008. And with fashion right now being all about color and vivid, graphic prints, these are the shades that are perfect for fingertips and toes.”


Yet again I'm getting giddy with delight over a fab looking green hitting the mass market. You know the frankeners on MUA will be adding black to Green-wich Village to try and duplicate RBL Recycle. And a royal blue creme... catch me as I swoon. If these cremes are as fantabulous as the ones from India, I'll be in heaven. I've been on such a creme kick lately. Between that and my recent pink love you would think I had a polish lobotomy.

So here's the line up and descriptions courtesy of OPI.
Mod-ern Girl - A pop of coral with more than 15 minutes of fame.
Brights Power - A brilliant orange that fashionistas find fab!
The “It” Color - This must-have yellow is the color to be seen in.
That’s Hot! Pink - Bright pink that sizzles with style.
Green-wich Village - A vivid green that’s downtown mod.
Dating a Royal - A royal blue that sets crowns spinning!

The Mod About Brights collection retail for $8.50 ($9.50 CAN) and will be avaiable in May at salons including the major chains; Beauty First, Beauty Brands, JCPenney, Dillard’s, Regis, Pure Beauty, Ulta, and Trade Secret.

Chanel Summer 2008

This summer, go on safari with Chanel. Khaki gets an upscale makeover in this collection inspired by the hues of the Serengeti. As one of the few high end beauty brands to acknowledge the importance of incorporating nails into an overall look, the line includes nail polish shades for both the warm and cool toned.

I tested both lacquers with three very thin coats and found that they applied smoothly with adequate pigmentation.

Straight up, I flipped for Flamingo. I think my pal Nikki's undying love for all things pink is starting to rub off on me because I felt a bit giddy just applying the shade. I haven't been feeling pink polishes much for the past year or so but this one really got to me.

In person this bubblegum girly confection has a sparkly finish that leaves one word swirling through my head, "encrusted." It's like there is a layer of silver and pink micro-gems sprinkled atop my nails. In all honesty, I just couldn't capture Flamingo's magic in an image so I dare you to test this at a Chanel counter and leave empty handed. For pink girls, it won't be easy.


Oh how I wish I could gush over Antilope but it's just not a winner for me. I know it has its fans, including The Daily Obsession, I'm just not one of them. While it has some of the same sparkle as Flamingo, Antilope has a metallic finish that causes brush strokes I just can't overlook. To quote Cher from Clueless the finish is, "a full-on Monet. From far away, it's OK, but up close, it's a big old mess." To be fair, the golden beige shade is chic and wearable and I know my mother will LOVE taking it off my hands.
Chanel's Summer 2008 Collection is on counters now and available online at Macys.com and Nordstrom.com

MAC Fafi Polishes

OK I'll admit it, I didn't have a clue who or what a Fafi was when I first heard rumors of this collection from MAC. I guess I'm old and out of touch that way. That doesn't mean I didn't drool over the collection anyway. I know people are waiting on pins and needles for the Heatherette collection. Some even skipping over Fafi to save money for it but I'm telling you, you're missing out.

For those of you joining me in the Fafi-clueless realm, Fafi is a French graffiti artist who creates strong, sexy, playful female characters. She even gave singer Lily Allen the Fafinette treatment in the Mark Ronson video, Oh My God.



I was at my freestanding MAC store the day Fafi released and I went gaga over the Fafi Eyes 2 palette and Strawbaby lipstick. You know I'm a sucker for anything green so You're Fresh (the light green shadow) had me at "Hello!" btw if you own Strawbaby, go pick up the new Viva Glam VI SE gloss. It looks phenom over it and you get to help an amazing cause in the process.

So now on to the polishes. MAC released two shades with the Fafi collection, Boom and Girls Will Be Girls. Unfortunately the MAC website is sold out of both lacquers so I suggest calling your local MAC counters to find them. Both polishes applied fairly well, I just had to really wipe my brush off to avoid pooling because the formula is a bit more fluid than I'm used to.

Girls Will Be Girls is a peachy pink due to the ribbons of gold shimmer running throughout. For those of you from the MUA nail board, it's a very Nikki shade. With two coats it was almost entirely opaque but I could still see a bit of my tip color underneath. It dries to a semi-matte finish with no top coat applied.

Boom is described on the MAC website as an eggplant shade but to me it's more of a deep fuchsia. I've heard comparisons to OPI's Jewel of India mentioned but I don't own that one to show you. The shimmer is apparent but not gaudy and the shade is so well pigmented. Even though it's not the graple I anticipated, it's still very pretty and wearable. I can already picture it as a pedi shade this summer.

Did anyone else run out and join the Fafi fever? What did you buy? What did you love?

MAC Fafi Collection

Hey kids! In case you didn't know, MAC's newest collection Fafi hits shelves today. A collaboration with French graffiti artist Fafi, this collection is a girly girl's dream come true. And the packaging is to die for.

I'm heading down to my freestanding MAC today to check out the collection and play with the new nail lacquers.

Girls Will Be Girls - Pink with coral pearl

Boom - Rich eggplant with purple pearl

Anyone else planning to check out Fafi? Who's already ordered from the MAC website?

OPI Spring 2008 Collection - India

OPI, you don't know this but we've been broken up for some time now. The fighting began when you revamped your formula last spring. The inconsistencies in every collection since Australia has been frustrating. I understand the pressure to go Big 3 Free but sacrificing quality in order to satisfy the protesters was a bad call if you ask me. Of course our fight occurred entirely in my head but I'm sure you'll be happy to know that we've called a truce.

Why the change of heart? Well, two reasons really.
1. You finally delivered a navy blue shimmer that actually looks navy. No purple undertones. Not just another blue-black. Yoga-ta Get This Blue, it's like you knew I needed you.
2. You realized that I was not the only unhappy camper in regards to formula and you found a way to deliver pigmented, streak-free, non-goopy cremes.

The OPI India Collection for Spring 2008 made me remember what it was that caused me to fall for OPI in the first place. How compared to all the drugstore brands of polish I had used, there was a line that applied smooth and even with a beautiful range of colors. My first OPI obsession was the classic; I'm Not Really A Waitress. My latest; Yoga-ta Get This Blue.

With a color range pulled from the fashion and culture of India, this collection is filled with vibrant pinks and reds, rich berries and luxurious metallics. Do I think every shade is utterly unique and rave-worthy? No but let's get real girls. Us hardcore nail fanatics are a finicky group to please. I say formula improvements are a good step. Giving us the next Rainforest would be a fabulous and giant leap.

So this formula I am raving about, is it really that different? I wouldn't testify in a court of law but, to me, there really is a noticeable improvement. I can't find the change in the ingredient list but I'm telling you, something happened. With a couple exceptions, every shade applied like a dream. And disregarding the two sheers, these lacquers are highly pigmented requiring no more than two coats. Each image below was taken without a top coat and only two layers of lacquer.

Black Cherry Chutney - a blackened red with subtle shimmer for depth. In most lighting all you see are a few specs of shimmer and otherwise it's just another almost black berry. The brush on mine has a few bent strands so that affected application. I hope it was just the brush but I can't promise anything.Charmed by a Snake - a lighter bronze, more appropriate for Spring. The champagne shimmer keeps this shade from being too warm and too Fall. Definitely one of my favorites.Curry Up Don't Be Late! - I'm not gonna lie, this will be a hard shade to pull off. Brushed yellow gold is too much for my pale skin but, I would think with a faux tan or darker skin tone this shade could really pop. ElePhantastic Pink has been creating a buzz before it even hit shelves. It's the shade I've received the most inquiries about. A bold carnation pink creme, this isn't for the demure pink wearer.Get Me to the Taj on Time - is a safe opalescent semi-sheer. Yes, it applies well but we've seen this before.I'm Indi-a Mood for Love - a hot pink creme that leans towards blue, giving it a slight purple undertone.Keys to My Karma is your basic maraschino cherry red creme. This one has a lot of pink in its base and needs two coats to achieve the bottle shade. It's a good staple color but not something you need. Still I'm feeling the urge to pull out my reds again.Lunch at the Delhi has been dubbed a "coral" but I'm not seeing it. If anything, I think of it as a dusty, muted red. Yes, it's warm and orange based but not the pinky peach I typically think of when I hear coral. Sometimes an OPI description is so far off from what I'm seeing, I wonder if I'm colorblind. What shade do you see?MonSooner or Later is a tomato red creme. Orange and red combine to create this glossy confection. I can totally see this on toes at the beach.Moon Over Mumbai - get on the gray train now before it runs you over, leaving you face first in the dust. Of course the uber-chic nail boarders over at Makeup Alley have been frankening their own grays for months now but if you don't want to make your own, here's a nice soft version to ease you into the trend.Royal Rajah Ruby is the other vampy berry shade included in India. A rich wine shimmer, this shade would have made me take notice had it been a bit lighter. It just doesn't stand out in the crowd. The shimmer adds character but no real charm.Yoga-ta Get this Blue! - I saved the best for last. I had to keep you scrolling. From the very second I got my hands on this shade I've been talking it up to anyone who would listen. Deeper and richer than Blue My Mind from the 2005 Brights yet lighter than all the 2007 OPI blues, Yoga-ta is everything I've been wanting a navy to be. It's visibly blue in most lighting situations which is something many of the blues that came before it have failed to achieve. In the simplest of terms, it's perfect.The OPI India collection is available in stores and online now and retails for $8.50 ($9.95 CAN). No that's not a misprint, there was a price increase.
Now let's hear from you? What are you loving/hating, buying/passing on?

Comparisons are in the works but before I finish, are there any requests? I already have down Ms. DQ2's desire for a China Glaze X comp but what else do you want to see? I can't fulfill all your demands but I'll do my best to please the majority.

Essie Spring 2008 - In The Mood

In the mood for all his kissin'
In the mood his crazy lovin'
In the mood what I was missin'
It didn't take me long to say
I'm in the mood now

When I hear Glenn Miller's "In The Mood" I can't help but picture the scene from Cannery Row in which Debra Winger and Nick Nolte swing dance with competitive ferocity. The same image came to mind when I first saw Essie's Spring 2008 collection, In The Mood, with it's cheeky names and sweet girly shades.

For the most part all the polishes applied smoothly with no streaking. Looking For Love being the exception. It was just too difficult to get a fluid sheer look. Even after the three coats I applied it was still semi-sheer and splotchy (see below).

Body Language - Is a pinkish gray nude. A very neutral and wearable creme. I honestly didn't expect to like this one at all, this is so not a part of my normal color range. But once I had it on, I loved the clean chic look.Great Expectations - An opalescent gray, the shimmer is extremely subtle to add depth. I see light to medium grays becoming more and more popular. In fact this color would have fit right in with the silvery/pearly whites that were seen on the red carpet at the SAG Awards.Hard To Get - A bubblegum pink creme with a hint of lavender in it's base. It didn't really mesh with my skin tone but I think it would be a fun pedi shade. With it's high gloss shine, Hard To Get is the slight deeper sister of one of my favorite patent finish polishes, China Glaze Go Go Pink.Hi Maintenance - You know sheers and I aren't friends so even though this milky pink makes a great french manicure base, it's not for me.Looking for Love - This one was the big disappointment for me. Lilac and lavender shades make my hands look alien-esque so even though I love wearing purples, the lighter ones are a no go. Though regardless of the color the formula bit it, big time. Major application issues makes me give Looking for Love a double "thumbs down".Secret Affair - Is my other favorite from the collection. The shade is hard to describe which is why I find it so intriguing. Is it nude, pink, taupe or a combination of all three? With this one, it really depends on the light which makes a Secret Affair a winner in my book. The In The Mood collection is available for sale now online and is slated to be in stores and salons on February 1st.

Who's buying what? How many of you are going to clutch your dark polishes, run and hide in a cave vampire-style until all this pale sheer madness goes away? And who is starting to venture towards the light? As much as it pains me to say, I'm kind of loving the freshness of these light colors. Shh, don't tell! My green and blue polishes may revolt and run away.

CND Spring 2008 - Plexi Pop

The sheers are coming! The sheers are coming! Take cover vampy girls for the sheers are a-coming! This spring will be a sheer lover's paradise according to the spring collection previews. You all know I'm not a fan of sheers but I'm going to try my hardest to remain objective.

CND's collection for Spring, Plexi Pop, is sheer-gasm of pinks, peach and aqua with an opaque white cream. If you followed my coverage of the Spring 2008 New York Fashion Week shows, you know that a lot of these colors popped up on the runways of fashion's biggest designers. At the time they were still unnamed but here they are in all their glory.

Clearly Pink - a milky pink sheer, it reminds me of my beloved OPI Passion (not the Designer Series version). It applies streak free and adds a slight hint of creamy pinkness to my nails. The only downside for me is that with my whites being slightly yellowed from dark polish use, Clearly Pink's milkiness didn't help brighten my whites.
Nail Gloss - Is a straight up pink sheer. No milkiness, just a pink tinged clear. It really is like lip gloss for your nails. It reminds me of one of my favorite lip glosses from my early 20s, Bonne Bell Lip d'Votion in Fresh Melon, super glossy with the slightest hint of color.
Plexi Pink - is a pretty hot pink sheer with subtle bluish-purple shimmer that gives the shade some pop. It's more pigmented than the other pinks but still not buildable to opaque.
Retro White - This slightly creamy white was a nightmare for me. I'm not gonna lie, I tried three times to get an even application to show you all and it wasn't happening. The picture below is with three spaced out coats, to allow proper drying, and it was still streaky as all get out. Just look at the massive dragging near my cuticles. I assume that this shade was intended for use in an american manicure but I can't recommend it.
Translucent Tangerine - A glittery peach sheer, this color didn't work for my skin tone but it's really pretty in the bottle. I'm sure warm toned gals would love this. And despite the high glitter content, that polish felt smooth on my nail.
Turquoise Tint - To me, I see this color and immediately think layering. A turquoise sheer just isn't something I'd think of wearing. It looks so unnatural and alien-esque on me. Though the cellophane finish is pretty cool.

Plexi Pop will be available in salons, spas and professional beauty stores as of March 2008. Each enamel retails for $6.00 US/$9.40 Canada.

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Dashing Diva Fall Collection 2007

For Fall 2007 Dashing Diva has put together a palette of warm comforting shades that reflect the colors of the season. Instead of bombarding us with an overload of new polishes they chose to remain focused and deliver three distinct lacquers.

As with all the Dashing Diva shades I've worn in the past, the formula is smooth and free flowing; it doesn't pool or streak. And I really must commend the pigmentation of their darker colors. The ones I've tested are one coat colors and, for a red, that's a major feat without sacrificing formula consistency.

Champagne Nude is a hard shade to describe. Is it a dusty pink with peach and gold shimmer? Is it a metallic champagne that leans toward pink? Is it a shimmery nude? I really can't decide. One thing's for sure, it's a unique shade with chameleon-like properties and a must have for my light tip lovers.
Bronze Bombshell flashes both cool and warm depending on the lighting due to it's champagne and silver shimmer. It's a warm mocha hued metallic that doesn't leave brush marks. Any metallic that can accomplish that is a winner in my books but the shade itself doesn't do much for me personally.
Black Raspberry lives up to it's name. A deep berry based red creme, it dries to a high gloss shine without a top coat.
Dashing Diva polishes are available on the Dashing Diva website and at Dashing Diva salons.

OPI Holiday in Hollywood: Dazzling Darks & Neutrals

When I think of glitz and glam, my mind immediately drifts to Hollywood, award shows and the red carpet. For Holiday 2007 OPI takes us there with the Holiday in Hollywood Collection. It includes two distinct sets of six polishes: Dazzling Darks & Neutrals and Glamour Reds.

The Dazzling Darks & Neutrals are up first. The Glamour Reds are soon to follow.

(l-r) Stars In My Eyes, Hollywood Blonde, I'd Like To Thank

(l-r) My Big Break, Have You Seen My Limo?, Who Are You Wearing?

Stars in My Eyes is a semi-sheer sparkly silver. What you see below is two thin coats. I'm sure a third coat would make it completely opaque. As I was applying Stars in My Eyes and the majority of the sparklers in this collection I noticed a great multi-colored shimmer in the lacquer but it doesn't appear on the nail. Instead this shade has a slightly pinkish cast and amazing depth. It dries semi-matte so if you really want to put on the glitz, add a super shiny top coat.Hollywood Blonde is my surprise of the collection. I totally didn't expect to like, let alone love, this shade. From the few pics I'd seen of it online, it looked like a blah nude. Wow was I wrong. A glistening nudish pink semi-sheer, this is my kind pale. The gold shimmer gives it depth and a fairy dust quality. I would totally rock this on my tips or toes for a holiday party. I love when a polish blows my expectations out of the water.