OPI Burlesque: The Glitters

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Since I have OPI Burlesque and reasonable sunlight this morning, I also have swatches of six of the OPI Burlesque Collection for Holiday 2010, the six glitter polishes.  I was a little apprehensive about these, wondering if they'd only be suitable for layering, but they're all opaque with 2-3 coats.  I used two coats of each for the swatches, but some could have used a third, I discovered upon reviewing the pictures.

Glow Up Already! is primarily gold with a few red and green bits.

OPI Glow Up Already! Nail Polish, Two Coats

Simmer & Shimmer is mostly blue with red and silver.

OPI Simmer & Shimmer Nail Polish, Two Coats

Extra-va-vaganza is mostly orange with silver.

OPI Extra-va-vaganza Nail Polish, Two Coats

Bring on the Bling is gold with red and green.

OPI Bring on the Bling Nail Polish, Two Coats

Sparkle-icious is a pretty even mix of gold, purple, and blue.

OPI Sparkle-icious Nail Polish, Two Coats

Finally, Show It and Glow It! is primarily purple with some silver.  This one has one coat of Seche Vite on it.

OPI Show It and Glow It! Nail Polish, Two Coats

I'm wearing Show It and Glow It!, and one coat of top coat just isn't enough - it probably needs two more to be smooth.  That's to be expected with dense glitters though, so no surprises there.

That's it for today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Sally Hansen Downtown Rubies

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Today I have another of the limited edition Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail polishes, Downtown Rubies.  It's fine red glitter in a clear base, dense enough to be opaque in three coats.  I finished it with two coats of Seche Vite, but once it completely dried, it was less than smooth - it needs at least one more coat of top coat.  However, it looks cool, so that's good enough for now.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Downtown Rubies Nail Polish, Three Coats

So another good one from this collection.  That's all for today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

More Limited Edition Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicures

Good morning, Dear Reader!

There was good sun yesterday, so today I have more swatches of the new limited edition Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail polishes, another three.

Before getting to today's, I ought to mention that taking off Problem Child was a huge hassle.  Those little flaky bits were seriously stuck on there - I'd rather remove Starry, Starry Flight twice than remove Problem Child once.

On to new pictures... Golden Ticket is a gold glitter that I thought wouldn't be opaque, but three coats later it was.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Golden Ticket Nail Polish, Three Coats

Feeling Saucy is a fuchsia shimmer that was good in two coats.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Feeling Saucy Nail Polish, Two Coats

Fedora is a really nice brownish beige with a gold shimmer, also a two-coater.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Fedora Nail Polish, Two Coats

You can see the variety in this collection, and that there are quite a few really strong colors.  I hope to one day get past the names.

That's the update for today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Some Limited Edition Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicures

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Yesterday I swatched a few of the new limited edition Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail polishes, and I have pictures of them for you today.  The sun wasn't the best I've ever had for pictures, but good enough to get by.  I swatched three of the shimmers before my patience for swatching wore thin.

I only got the colors from this collection that I really like so I don't have all the names in front of me, but of those I got, I can't make sense of the names or see how they're related to one another.  They're pretty bad.  But truthfully, if the worst thing about a polish is its name, I can live with that.

These all applied really well, now that I'm used to the wacky brush they have, and the colors are strong.  First up is Perfect Match (which immediately makes me ask, "To what?"), a great red shimmer.  It's on the dark side of real red and has a really glowy shimmer - I'm thinking it might be the perfect pedicure red.  This is two coats of Perfect Match (completely dry).

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Perfect Match Nail Polish, Two Coats

The one with the worst name has received a good bit of hype, Sequin Scandal (a scandal related to one sequin).  It reminds me a lot of the old Revlon Blacker Lacquer Talk Dirty.  Here's two coats of Sequin Scandal, which I think I like better in the bottle than on my nails.  It's smooth, it's the small flaky bits that make it look lumpy.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Sequin Scandal Nail Polish, Two Coats

Back to one I like: Problem Child (not an inherently bad name, I just don't see how it's related to the other color names).  This one's a deep plum with flaky shimmer bits.  It looks deep plum indoors, not black, and I like it.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Problem Child Nail Polish, Two Coats

That's a good start to what this display offers.  Although I got most of them, I did leave behind a few cremes that just weren't sufficiently noteworthy to buy.  Now I've worn two and swatched two more, and I like them quite a bit.  A happy surprise about Starry, Starry Flight was that it was easy to remove - I think the glitter's fine enough to make it completely not a hassle to take off, which also bodes well for the red glitter.

That's the update for today, Dear Reader.  I'll show you the rest of my picks from this display as the week wears on.  Untl then, love and nail polish to you!  

Sally Hansen Starry, Starry Flight

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Last night I tried out one of the new limited edition Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail polishes, Starry, Starry Flight.  Other than recognizing the similarity to name of the Essie classic, I don't get the name at all.  However, this is one cool polish, so I don't really care.

Starry, Starry Flight is a very fine platinum colored silver glitter.  When applying the first coat, I was thinking this one would never be opaque alone, but after three moderate coats it is.  I finished it with two coats of Seche Vite, and it's glassy smooth despite the glitter.  I have other silver glitters, but I've continued to acquire them because I always want them to look just like Starry, Starry Flight looks - this one's just right, so I'm done buying silver glitters.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Starry, Starry Flight Nail Polish, Three Coats

It's cloudy here, so I don't have bright light to show you how sparkly the glitter is, but at least you can see the color and coverage.

I also found that I've finally gotten used to the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure brush.  I don't believe the brush is different - still moppy but stiff at the same time - but I finally got the hand of using it.  That should make showing you the others I got from this display a little more bearable!

That's it for today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Sally Hansen Fireberry Red

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

Today I have another of the new Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear nail polishes, Fireberry Red.  It's a dark red with tiny flaky shimmer, and is the one I most wanted of this bunch.  It took three coats to be totally even, and the dry time was a bit below average, but I still like it.

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Fireberry Red Nail Polish, Three Coats

On a related note, I ran into the new Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure limited edition nail polishes today while they were on sale, and I picked some up.  I'll have those for you this week.

That's it for today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Sally Hansen Cosmic Blue

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Today I have another of the new Sally Hansen Xtreme Wears for you, Cosmic Blue.  This one is a bright blue shimmer with regular and bar glitter.  I used two coats, and it applied well.

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Cosmic Blue Nail Polish, Two Coats

My criticisms of Cosmic Blue are that the polish seems to be a bit opaque for the glitter to show through (the glitter from the first coat is covered up by the second), and that once dry, the surface is a little bumpy.  Overall, I like how it looks, but I think I'd like it better if those two things were changed.

That's it for today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

SpaRitual Loving in Pink

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

Today I have one of SpaRitual's BCA colors for 2010, Loving in Pink.  I don't have a press release on these, so I don't know what the charitable contribution associated with the colors is - I bought them because I like the colors.

Living in Pink is a light pink foil, good in two coats.  It dried faster than average, and was easy to apply.

SpaRitual Loving in Pink Nail Polish, Two Coats

That's what I have for you today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Sally Hansen Mystic Lilac

Good morning, Dear Reader!

This week I came across the new Sally Hansen Xtreme Wears, and today I have Mystic Lilac for you.  It's kind of a lilac grey shimmer.  I've read reviews criticizing the sheerness of Mystic Lilac, so I layered two coats of it over one coat of SpaRitual Living in the Moment, a grey creme of about the same shade, which provided an opaque base without changing the color of Mystic Lilac.  It worked out well that way.

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Mystic Lilac Nail Polish, Two Coats

I like the shimmer in it quite a bit, but I don't think it's worth all the hype it's gotten.

That's the update for today, Dear Reader.  Untl next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Chanel Rose Confidentiel

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Today I'm wearing Chanel Rose Confidentiel, a brownish rose creme.  It's really well pigmented, but I used two coats anyhow to make it nice and shiny.  Here it is completely dry, about twelve hours after I finished the manicure.

Chanel Rose Confidentiel Nail Polish, Two Coats

It's a very tame color, but a nice one that's super shiny.

That's all for today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Chanel Vert Sacrilege

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Today I have an older Chanel nail polish to show you, Vert Sacrilege.  It's a green shimmer, and my bottle was pretty thin, so I needed three coats of it.  Since it's a great shade and I really wanted it for a long time before finally getting hold of it, I'm okay with doing a third coat for his one.  Here is my finished manicure with Vert Sacrilege.

Chanel Vert Sacrilege Nail Polish, Three Coats

I'd given up on this one long ago, but was really pleased and surprised when the opportunity to have it came along.  So don't give up hope!

That's what I have for you today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Sally Hansen Salon Heartsapphire

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

Today's nails of the day is a limited edition drug store polish I from late 2008, Sally Hansen Salon Heartsapphire.  This one came out with Emerald Ring and another that had "tourmaline" in the name (Take a Tourmaline?  Something like that...), and I never did get to see a display of them.  Around the time they were released, I managed to get Emerald Ring and the Tourmaline one, and I was finally able to get hold of Heartsapphire - it's on ebay for less than retail now.

Heartsapphire is a dark blue with subtle pink and blue shimmer.  My bottle of it is a little watery, probably because it's a couple of years old, so I did need a third coat to make it completely even.  For an LE DS polish I've wanted for years, I'm willing to do a third coat.  Here it is finished with top coat under artificial light.

Sally Hansen Salon Heartsapphire Nail Polish, Three Coats

Even though the polish was a little thin, it was easy to control.  Applying Heartsapphire reminded me of how much I liked the old Sally Hansen Salon nail polishes.  They were my favorite drug store brand, and I prefer them to the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure line (although that could be just because I was annoyed when SH took away my old Salons!).

The good news about the discontinuation of the old Salon line is that there are a ton of them available for less than retail on ebay now, including a whole lot of the Tracy Reese and other limited edition shades that were highly coveted and impossible to find when they were initially released.  So even though more won't be produced, at least we can catch up on the hard to find ones we missed before.

That's the update for today, Dear Reader.  Untl next time, love and nail polish to you!  

FingerPaints BCA Nail Polishes

Good evening, Dear Reader!

Sally Beauty Supply sent me samples of the two 2010 FingerPaints Breast Cancer Awareness nail polishes, and I have swatches of them for you today.  As for the charitable contribution associated with them, Sally Beauty Supply will make a $65,000 contribution to Cancer Support Community next month.

I Pink I Can is a light pink with a really cool shimmer.  It's delicate, but still pronounced.  I used three coats of I Pink I Can to make it completely even and opaque, which is pretty typical of a lighter pink.

FingerPaints I Pink I Can Nail Polish, Three Coats

The other color is I'm A Survivor, which is a bright pink shimmer.  The shimmer in I'm A Survivor appears to be the same as that in I Pink I Can, but it's more evident in the darker base color.  I'm A Survivor was good in two coats.

FingerPaints I'm A Survivor Nail Polish, Two Coats

I really like these a lot, they're a nice change from the sheer pinks that are usually released for BCA.  This has been a really good year for BCA colors so far.

Both polishes will be available in brick and mortar Sally Beauty Supply stores as well as on their website on October 1st.

That's it for today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Chanel Rouge Fatal

Good morning, Dear Reader!

This morning I was up ridiculously early in order to do a bit of housework, and much to my dismay, my Khaki Vert got quite a few chips from it.  I didn't do much that required water (the nemesis of a good manicure for me), but it chipped nonetheless.  That was disappointing, since I've read accounts of Khaki Vert wearing especially well.  I used SpaRitual Lacquer Lock base coat with it, which has always done well with Chanels for me, but I'll have to try another to see if I get better wear.

In any case, faced with lots of chips, I changed my polish to Chanel Rouge Fatal.  I'd passed on this one when it first came out based on promo pictures, but after seeing a few real pictures of it, I decided to get it.  It's a brick red creme, but what's special about it is the super shiny finish it has.  One coat was almost sufficient for color coverage, and I used a second to even it out and make it nice and shiny.  Here it is finished with top coat in sunlight.  Since the picture's in direct sunlight, the polish appears a bit brighter than it is in normal light.

Chanel Rouge Fatal Nail Polish, Two Coats

I'm really pleased with Rouge Fatal, and I think it's a great Autumn red for me.

That's what I have for you today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Chanel Khaki Vert & Konad M35

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I'd planned to wear Khaki Vert by itself today, but I was up super early and decided to Konad it - I realized that I hadn't Konaded in forever, and since I was wearing a creme, it seemed like a good idea.  I used a floral pattern from plate M35 stamped with an orange Konad Special Polish offset to the side.  I like the outcome - it's very Fall to me.  I took the picture under artificial light - it's too early for sunlight.

Chanel Khaki Vert Nail Polish with Konad M35 in Konad Orange

So that's my new and improved birthday manicure.  I'm off to go about the business of having a really good day, and I hope you do the same.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Les Khakis de Chanel

Good evening, Dear Reader!

I mentioned a few days ago that the Chanel Khaki nail polishes were available on Chanel's U.S. site, and I have swatches of them for you today.  This collection of three limited edition nail polishes was created by Peter Philips, Chanel's top creative guy for makeup, to celebrate Fashion's Night Out.

They're not the most unique colors that have ever existed, but they're very, very nice.  For all three, one coat gave sufficient coverage of color, and the second coat gave them the high vinyl shine I associate with Chanel cremes (like Imperial and Dragon).  I sprung for them as my birthday gift to myself since I love colors like these, and the timing was good since by birthday is tomorrow.

The pictures are taken in natural light, but i's not terribly sunny out.  I swatched the first two, and the third is my birthday manicure for tomorrow, finished with top coat.

Khaki Rose is quite simply a khaki rose creme, the most mainstream of the three shades.

Les Khakis de Chanel: Khaki Rose Nail Polish, Two Coats

Khaki Brun is kind of a muddy brown creme.

Les Khakis de Chanel: Khaki Brun Nail Polish, Two Coats

The last one, which I really love, is Khaki Vert.  It's a dusty green creme that's about one shade darker than Essie Sew Psyched.

Les Khakis de Chanel: Khaki Vert Nail Polish, Two Coats

There you have them, Les Khakis de Chanel.  I'm really happy with them, but I'm also disregarding their cost because they were within my budget for a planned special occasion expense.  I probably would have been pickier otherwise.

That's it for today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

SpaRitual Dreams Becoming Reality

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Today I have the last of the SpaRitual Imagine collection for you, Dreams Becoming Reality.  This one's a really good teal creme, a two coater, with the same good application as the rest.  The color isn't too bright, it's just right for a Fall teal.

SpaRitual Dreams Becoming Reality Nail Polish, Two Coats

Dreams Becoming Reality wraps up the Imagine Collection, which I overall like quite a bit.  The only thing is that the six colors together seem a bit random, not really like a collection.  That's not a huge criticism, all things considered.

That's what I have for you today, Dear Reader.  Until tomorrow, love and nail polish to you!  

SpaRitual Living in the Moment

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I'm cranking through the SpaRitual Imagine Collection, and today I have Living in the Moment for you.  It's a creme, kind of a cross between greige and mauve.  It's definitely a work-safe color, but still interesting, sort of like an updated mauve.

It applied really well, the polish was easy to control, and took two coats.  This one is just a swatch, no topcoat, and so I can't comment on the dry time on this one.  I was thinking there were more than six in the collection, but it's just the six I bought, so I thought I'd swatch this one so I could show you all of the Imagine Collection with the last one tomorrow.  Anyhow, here it is...

SpaRitual Living in the Moment Nail Polish, Two Coats

That's what I have for you today, Dear Reader.  Until tomorrow, love and nail polish to you! 

Color Club Untamed Luxury Indulgence Collection

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

This morning I had a chance to swatch the other half of the Color Club Untamed Luxury colors, the Indulgence Collection, that I'd promised you a while back.  The colors are tame, but modern and quite nice nonetheless.  Like the others, the polishes applied well and were easy to control, and all but one of the seven were two coaters, with the seventh requiring three coats.  The dry time for these is good.

I took the pictures in very early morning sunlight, so it's not the most even light I've ever had, but it gives you a good look at the colors and their finish.

Pretty in Platinum is a pale shade that's a cross between beige and grey, with a subtle shimmer.  This is two coats.

Color Club Pretty in Platinum Nail Polish, Two Coats

Wild Orchid is neither wild nor orchid, but a good color.  It's a light greige with a sparkly shimmer, and I used two coats.

Color Club Wild Orchid Nail Polish, Two Coats

Soft as Cashmere is a muted brown beige creme, and this is the one that needed three coats to be totally opaque and even.  Having said that, I'll let you assume the polishes that come after it are all two coaters.

Color Club Soft as Cashmere Nail Polish, Three Coats

Positively Posh is a muted brown creme.

Color Club Positively Posh Nail Polish, Two Coats

Jewel of a Girl is a deep reddish brown shimmer.

Color Club Jewel of a Girl Nail Polish, Two Coats

Nothing but Truffle is a deep brown shimmer.

Color Club Nothing but Truffle Nail Polish, Two Coats

Ready to Royal is a deep plum creme that looks almost black on the nail.  Not quite black, but almost.

Color Club Ready to Royal Nail Polish, Two Coats

That's all of Color Club's Indulgence Collection, which wraps up Untamed Luxury.  As you can see, all seven shades are pretty tame, very work-safe colors.  At the same time, I find them to be very modern, pretty representative of what we're seeing a lot of this year.  I like them.

That's it for today, Dear Reader.  Tomorrow I'll resume with SpaRitual's Imagine Collection, and until then, love and nail polish to you!