Essie Smokin' Hot

Good morning, Dear Reader!

This morning I tried out Essie Smokin' Hot from the Winter 2010 release, and I really like it a lot.  My first impression of it is that it's what I think Chanel Paradoxal would look like as a creme.  Smokin' Hot is a similar brown taupe with a little purple mixed in, and the color is really interesting.  It's really well pigmented, and two thin coats were all I needed.

Essie Smokin' Hot Nail Polish, Two Coats

That was short, but it's only 6:22 am so I have little else to tell you...  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Chanel Paradoxal

Good morning, Dear Reader, and Happy Fourth of July!

Last week I got Chanel Paradoxal (not "Paradoxical," as some department stores have it listed), and I tried it out yesterday.  It's an interesting taupe/purple shimmer, and it was good in two coats.  The color shifts quite a bit with light, from more purple and shimmery in glaring sun to barely a shimmer at all and mostly taupe in dim indoor lighting.  I took the picture under artificial light so it would be more in the middle, more representative of what Paradoxal looks like most of the time.  I thought if I used the glaring sunlight, it would look deceptively shimmery and purple.

Chanel Paradoxal Nail Polish, Two Coats

I'm still not entirely sure what I think of this one - I might like it enough to keep, I might not.  I did want to get it posted here for you while it's still on Chanel.com, so if you need it, you can go get it for retail.

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

Essie Summer 2010

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

I have something good for you today: Essie sent me samples of their Summer 2010 Collection, and I have swatches for you.  Well, five swatches and one manicure.

All six shades applied very well, not streaky or hard to apply at all.  They're well saturated, and the only one I used three coats of was the one described as sheer, all the others are two-coaters.  The variety of color in the collection is really good, and there are some seriously good colors here.

Demure Vixen is the only shimmer in the collection, a kind of pinkish taupe.

Essie Demure Vixen Nail Polish, Two Coats

Miss Matched is the one described as sheer, and at three coats it's sort of a semi-sheer creme.

Essie Miss Matched Nail Polish, Three Coats

From here, the colors are much more intense.  Vermillionaire is a really vivid red orange creme.

Essie Vermillionaire Nail Polish, Two Coats

Pretty Edgy is a medium green creme.

Essie Pretty Edgy Nail Polish, Two Coats

Knockout Pout is a great hot pink creme, much lighter than most hot pinks.

Essie Knockout Pout Nail Polish, Two Coats

Finally, Haute as Hello is the one I'm wearing, and the picture is with top coat.  It's kind of a cross between coral and cantaloupe, and it's a creme.

Essie Haute as Hello Nail Polish, Two Coats

That, Dear Reader, is Essie's Summer 2010 Collection, and I'm really, really happy with them.  They're great colors, apply well, and are two-coaters, so I really can't ask for more.

That's it for today.  Until tomorrow, love and nail polish to you!  

Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Today I have some swatches of the new (or rebottled, I'm not sure which) Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro nail polishes. There were five that looked cool to me, so those are what I have for you.

They were pretty cheap at $4 each, and all five colors required three coats to be opaque and even. The brush is moppy a la OPI India Collection, but manageable to work with.

One thing I noticed in saving the pictures is that some of them have names that really, really don't correspond to the colors. Obviously, the name isn't that huge a deal, but it struck me as odd. I'll show you the ones with the mismatched names first.

Steel Grey is neither grey nor anything like steel. It's a taupe creme.

Steel Grey Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish, three coats

Purple Rain really isn't that purple. It's more of a vampy creme.

Purple Rain Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish, three coats

The other three have names that really describe the color. Marine Blue is a sea blue shimmer.

Marine Blue Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish, three coats

Violet Metal is a cool purple with a purple blue flash.

Violet Metal Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish, three coats

Finally, Midnight Blue is a deep blue shimmer.

Midnight Blue Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish, three coats

So those are my picks of the Rimmels. I did a manicure with Midnight Blue and will likely add some Konad to it in a bit.

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

I'm Back in the Saddle Again

Hello, Dear Reader! Long time no see!

Your kind comments and emails, along with getting used to life's busier pace, convinced me to get back here! It's good to be back.

What I have for you today is something you've already seen, I'm sure: Nubar's Prisms Collection. I bought them when they came out, and they arrived on Friday. But I had good sun, a new-to-me collection, and so I thought I'd show them to you for my first post back. The first seven are swatches and the last is a full manicure.

All eight shades were three-coaters for me. Although most Nubars are two coaters for me, holos seem to require more in general (think OPI Coronation...), so for complete opacity in three coats, I was content.

The eight colors can be divided into two groups, as I see them. There are four standard holos, and four that are standard holos loaded up with crazy holo glitter. I used one of the crazy ones, the last I'll show you, for a complete manicure, and it's smooth with one coat of Diamont.

The way the sun hit these, the holo effect is most visible on top of my thumb. I'll start with the standard holographic colors.

Spark is a light brown holo.

Nubar Spark Nail Polish, Three Coats

Absolute is a strong light blue holo.

Nubar Absolute Nail Polish, Three Coats

Brilliant is a darkish pink holo.

Nubar Brilliant Nail Polish, Three Coats

Treasure is a slightly blue purple holo.

Nubar Treasure Nail Polish, Three Coats

Essence is a peach holo with holo glitter.

Nubar Essence Nail Polish, Three Coats

Gem is a kind of taupe holo with holo glitter.

Nubar Gem Nail Polish, Three Coats

Jewel is a brown holographic base with holo glitter.

Nubar Jewel Nail Polish, Three Coats

Prize is a red holo with holor glitter (!!!).

Nubar Prize Nail Polish, Three Coats

That's Nubar's Prisms Collection, and it's my happy return.

Until next time, Dear Reader, love and nail polish to you!

Ulta Professional Nail Lacquer

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I have something a little different for you today. Now that that I have no Ultas nearby, they came out with some cool colors in their Ulta Professional line! I found them on Ulta.com during a buy three get three free sale, and armed with an additional discount code, I got some. Some colors are new, some probably aren't, but these are the ones I tried out.

They required three coats (except one, which only needed two), and one ad a weird brush that was all splayed out. For what I spent and what I got, I'm happy. If I'd paid retail, I would not be.

Here they are. I'll start with the two coater just to keep it simple, so I don't have to remember to mention it.

Twilight is a glittery taupe, not really the best shade on me, but it had really good coverage and applied well.

Ulta Professional Twilight Nail Lacquer, Two Coats

On to the three coaters... Black Diamond is a black base with gold and many-colored shimmer.

Ulta Professional Black Diamond Nail Lacquer, Three Coats

Blue for You is a vivid, somewhat purple blue shimmer that include hot pink shimmer bits.

Ulta Professional Blue for You Nail Lacquer, Three Coats

Green with Envy was the one I was after in the first place, a blackened green shimmer.

Ulta Professional Green with Envy Nail Lacquer, Three Coats

Purple Reigns is a kind of magenta purple shimmer.

Ulta Professional Purple Reigns Nail Lacquer, Three Coats

The last one, as always, is my favorite: Rock Star. This one's a deep purple, and check out the crazy shimmer.

Ulta Professional Rock Star Nail Lacquer, Three Coats

That's my little sampling of Ulta's Professional Nail Lacquer line. Until next time, Dear Reader, love and nail polish to you!

Essie Cuddle with Color Collection for Fall 2009

Good morning, Dear Reader!

This is turning into Swatch Week! Today I have Essie's Cuddle with Color Collection for Fall 2009 for you. They were all three-coaters for me, and went on well. The color can be divided into those you'd expect and those you wouldn't. I'll start with those you would.

Angora Cardi is a deep muted mauve creme.

Chinchilly is a somewhat grey, beige-y creme.

Mink Muffs is a muted brown creme.

Now for the surprises!

Bright Tights is a retina-searing orange neon creme.

Pink Parka is also a retina-searer, a pink neon creme.

Last, Midnight Cami is a dark navy shimmer.

Quite a collection for Fall, no? I'm a fan of all six shades, so I'm happy with them. Whether they hang together as a collection, well, I don't know if that matters to me here!

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