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Collection Reviews

FEATURED - Friday, March 14th 2008

MAC Strobe Collection: Reviews and Swatches

The Strobe collection offers a new line of sheer tinted moisturizing lip conditioners with added bonus's, SPF 15 and UVA/UVB retailing $14.50/ea.  They are very soft, creamy and feel wonderful on your lips, and just in time for the pool and beach.  I  just want to add that these lip conditioners are extemely sheer, which was a little disappionting.  It was really hard to capture a photo swatch due to the sheerness of this product.  Honestly, they are way to sheer for my liking, espically for $14.50/ea.  I think I'm going to stick to my good ole tinted burts bee lip balm, it's just as good!

Kiss is a coral pink sheer color that is very faint.  This color would go great for those looking to bring out the natural pigmented colors in lips. 

Rays is a bronzy shimmery color that is my favorite out of the bunch.  This is a great color for those bronze beauties out there. 

Blossom is a nice cool very sheer pink tone.  This color would be more apprioate for those who don't have pigmented lips.

Current looks mauve-brownish in the tube and is the darkest color of the bunch.

Beam is hint of shimmer clear color.  I honestly, could hardly see the shimmer in this color.  And, on the photo swatch it is not even noticable.

I didn't pick up anything in this collection, just because I felt nothing appealed to me.  The colors are extremely sheer, and to honest, I rather spend $14.50 on a MAC lipstick or lipglass.  Plus, I have to save my mula for the next exciting upcoming collection heatherette.

Tuesday, March 18th 2008

China Glaze Ecollection: Review and Swatches

Suprisingly, Unplugged was my favorite color of China Glaze Ecollection.  A beautiful brown rust color with red and gold shimmer making this color stunning.

Shower Together a bright turquoise blue color that is my second favorite out of the ecollection.  Many hollywood celebs have been sporting around this color.  This color is comparable to China Glazes popular, Aqua Baby.

Solar Power, a bright taxi cab color that represents the sun but, don't be afraid of this color!  Believe it or not, this color is going to be the "it" color geared towards summer.  Rescue Beauty Lounge also has a beautiful yellow color that I will be swatching soon.  I was really hesitant about this color at first, but, ended up like it.  Solar Power will look great on those pedi's.

 

Tree Hugger, a Granny Smith Apple shimmer color, that is perfect for spring.  I really like this color, it also reminds me of an sour apple blow pop.

Hybrid, a light brown shimmer that is very comparable to OPI Charmed by a snake.  This is a nice neutral color, that most will find appealing.

Recycle, a dark gray creme shade that's my first. Gray nail polishes are on the hot radar right now, so I think alot of us will really like this color. 

Overall, I really liked this collection and the fact that the colors are based around the envirnoment is and A+ in my book.  The fact is, our Environment is in Crisis and we need to be aware of this critical problem.  What have you done to change the envirnoment?

I laughed when my husband handed my 20 cloth re-usable bags at Walmart to replace the plastic ones.  But, the fact is, he is the one laughing at me.  If everyone just makes the littlest change, it could make the biggest difference.

I would love to hear if anyone has done anything different to save the envirnoment.

FEATURED - Thursday, March 20th 2008

MAC Heatherette: Review and Swatches

 

Forget the reviews, the photo swatches justify everything!  I tried to get high quality pictures for you guys on the MAC Heatherette Collection.  But, as always its hard to capture beautiful color.

Overall, I really liked the Heathertte collection with the exception of a few items. MAC's previous collection, Fafi, which many of us were disappiointed (excluding myself), was my favorite.  I have to be honest, I really loved the Fafi collection.  I think many of us really didn't give Fafi a chance due to the bold daring colors and was hyptonized by Heatherette's pink packaging (ha ha I was).

On to the Heatherette collection.  WOW!  Fafi who?  This collection is going to be the Barbie loves MAC collection of 2008, and is going to be sold out extremely fast!  I always advise people not to wait when it comes to MAC's limited edition collections.  Because, you don't wanna pay those outrageous ebay prices.  If you love pink foremost, then this is a must have collection in your beauty wardrobe. 

Heatherette Lipstick and Lipglasses.  I purchased every color except Fleshpot Lipstick and Bonus Beat Lipglass.  They just seemed really dull and boring to me, compared to all the others from this colorful collection.  Fleshpot and Bonus Beat are somewhat similar to the Lollipop Loving and Sock Hop, as you can see by these swatches.  The only true difference is Lollipop Loving and Sock Hop are more orangish rather than beigish. 

The Heatherette Collection Eye Shadow Trio's. It was really hard to pick one eye shadow Trio, so I choose both.  My philosphy, whenever in doubt, get both.  No, really I don't condone that, because it will get you and your checkbook in trouble.  But, I did end up purchasing both, because they are equally beautiful.  Heatherette Trio 1 is my favorite out of the two, only because it has a gorgeous shimmery blue color.

The Heathertte Collection Glitter and Pigments.  The most definite stand out colors amoung the glitters and pigments are, Pink Pearl and 3D Silver.  Pink Pearl, described as a mid-tone pink color with blue undertones, that makes this color really pretty.  Another bonus to Pink Pearl is it can be used on your eyes, cheeks, lips, etc.  Pink Pearl paired up with Fafi's, Fun n Sexy lipstick (which also has blue undertones) would look great together.  3D Silver, describled as a multi-reflective silver metallic glitter, is right up my alley.  Although, 3D Silver is not eye safe, you can use it for other purposes.  The MA had $$$$$ Yes, mixed up with the 3D silver glitter and looked hot paired together.

MAC Heatherette Dual Edge Eye Pencils.  I love these bold pretty colors!  My must haves are the Pop Blue/Black Funk and Fab Orchid/Dash Lily.  I also liked Nighhawk/Front Row but, haven't decided if I'm purchasing it yet.

 

The Heatherette Beauty Powders.  I had to pass on both beauty powders, just because I recently purchased two gorgeous beauty powders from the previous, Fafi collection.  Beleive it or not there is actually a swatch for Alpha Girl (very faint cool pink color).  Alpha Girl, described as a light pink with gold nuances.  The color is unbeleivealble light, I put numerous coats on my NC25/30 skin, and the pink is still very faint.  I think this color will be more appealing for cooler skin tones.  Smooth Harmony, described as a medium gold bronze color that is more on the organish side but, had great color payoff, espically for those with darker skin tones.  Smooth Harmony, is a color that would be more appealing to me rather than Alpha Girl. 

 

The Heatherette Nail Polishes.  The stand out color out of the two is, $$$$$ Yes.  I happened to pick up both colors, because Lola Devine is a nice coral shade I've been looking for.  Lola Devine, described as a soft mid-tone coral (cream) nail polish color.  This is a true coral color nail polish that is very pretty.  If you've been looking for that perfect coral color, well, Lola Devine is what your looking for.  $$$$$ Yes, described as a metallic silver foil (frost) nail polish color.  The MA had $$$$$ Yes combined with 3D silver glitter, and just looked devine. I really liked this color also. 

Check out an great alternative to MAC's, $$$$$ Yes nail polish. 

 

The MA's went on and on about these pantent leather-look lashes way before this line was even released.  So, this was a must have for me.  I haven't personally worn them yet, but, saw them on and they look pretty hot.  If you love MAC's number 7 eyelashes, you will love these.  I love that they are very natural looking.  I'm saving these beauties for a special night out.

Check out the photos at the MAC's Heatherette Launch party in Los Angeles, CA.

FEATURED - Friday, March 21st 2008

Chanel Summer Collection: Reviews and Swatches

Overall, I was really impressed with their Summer Collection.  Chanel's last couple of collections really hasn't impressed me, so, I was pretty excited.  This collection can be for anyone.  They have all the season's "it" colors.  Peach, pink, bronze, and corals are this seasons it's colors and it think they hit the nail on the head. 

The thing I love about this collection, it's very suitable for "Green Eyes!"  I have light green eyes and olive complexion, and sometimes it hard to satisfy us, let's just say that.  These colors look amazing with green and hazel eyes.  Emeraude, gives a hint of color that's not too bold nor daring, and the Vert Bronze eyeliner, is very unique, like an olive green bronze liner.  Items I picked up: Oasis Quad, Nail Polishes, Gazelle Glossimer, Emeraude Mascara, Atoll eyeshadow fluid and Vert Bronze eye liner.  Gazelle, is by far a must have, it's simply gorgeous, and the color pay-off is great you don't even need a lipstick!

Chanel Le Vernis Nail Polish.  $19.00 USD.  Flamingo and Antilope are both limited edition colors for the Summer 2008 Makeup Collection.  Flamingo, described as a pink flamingo with gold shimmers, that makes this beautiful.  Antilope is a metallic light bronze sand color that is also gorgeous.  I think the most appealing color will be Antilope because it is a very neutral color.  Although, they are both gorgeous colors, and will sell out quicky, as most Chanel limited edition colors do.

The Flamingo and Antilope has been applied with two coats.  One thing I love about these polishes is you can contol the color completely.  They apply somewhat sheer, but, can be darkened nicely with an additonal coat.

I've been hearing alot about these two colors lately.  So, I wanted to show you guys the comparisons.  Delice and Antilope may seem similar, but, are completely different in their own way.  Delice, is a very clear-to-light beige sheer polish with lots of gold shimmer.  Antilope, is a semi-sheer, sand frosty color, that does not have any shimmer.  Although, it may be semi-sheer it applies much thicker than Delice.  It actually has good color, and can be thickened easily by additional coats.  I definitely prefer Antilope over Delice. 

Here are some additional swatches.  Stay tuned for more to come.

 

Chanel Levres Scinttillantes Glossimer.  $26.00 USD.  Gazelle, a new color this year, described as a prailine pink color with orangish undertone.  I know it's described as a prailine pink, but, I'm seeing more peach in this color, which makes this a very hot and unique color!  Repromotes: Pinup, described as a frosted golden peach color and Seashell, described as a soft shimmering bubblegum pink color.  To be honest with you, I loved every single color, even though two are repromotes.  I can't say enough good things about Chanel's Glossimer's.  They really are FAB!

 

Chanel Aqualumiere Lipshine.  $26.00 USD.  Mauritius, described as a bronzed coral color and Zanzibar, a soft peach color.

Chanel Rouge Allure Satin Lip Color.  $30.00 USD.  Naive, described as a sheer light pink color.  Curious, described as a sheer nude brown color 

Chanel Rouge Hydrabase Creme Lipstick.  $26.00 USD.  Rose Flamingo, described as a pretty pink flamingo color.  Leopard, described as a gold coral color.  Flamingo and Leopard both has awesome color payoff.  Both these colors are so calling my name, but, I just hate spending that much for lipstick!  Urggh! Check out some color combinations of the Lipstick and Glossimer's.

Here are some Lipstick and Glossimer combinations.  Again, the Rose Flamingo and Leopard are the definte stand out colors to me.  One thing I love about Rose Flamingo and Leopard, it just takes the right lip gloss and you can accomplish every color shown here.  Rose Flamingo with Seashell or any light pink gloss will create the Navie/Seashell look.  And, Leopard paired up with Pinup or any light peach lipgloss will create the Zanzibar/Gazelle look.

When creating lip combinations, I always think in terms of "good color pay-off", when choosing a lipstick color.  Because, after all, that is your prime base, so make it a good one.  And, if you have good color pay-off, all it takes is gloss to create any of look or color.  Mix your glosses with lipstick colors you normally wouldn't, I bet you'll be surpised in the color outcome!

 

Chanel Inimitable Waterproof Mascara. $27.50 USD.  Emeraude, described as a beautiful jade green color.  I messed around with the color today, and I do like it.  It's a Jade Green, but, isn't very noticable which is why I liked it.  Just a hint of color, that everyone can wear.  I espically loved it because it brought out my light green eyes.  This color would also look great with hazel eyes. 

Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Eyeliner.  $26.50 USD.  Espresso, described as a dark brown choclate color.  Vert Bronze, described as a green-bronze eyeliner.  The stand out of the two eyeliners is  definitely Vert Bronze.  It's a very unique color eyeliner that I really liked.

 

Chanel Ombre Deu Fluid Irisdescent Eyeshadow.  $30.00 USD.  Atoll, described as a gold sand color.  This color is absolutely stunning.  It's a very pretty gold sand color that looks great alone or as an eyeshadow base!  Also, looks great paired with Vert Bronze eyeliner.  I really love Vert Bronze it's a very unique eye liner color!

FEATURED - Monday, November 9th 2009

New Holiday Mini Sets from Borghese

Product: Borghese Holiday Mini Kits, 4 minis per kit, .14 oz/ea

Price: $9.99/per kit

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Rite Aid, Walgreens

When you start to see the Christmas trees, lights and decor - you know the Holidays are right around the corner, which only means, exclusive gift sets! I'll be the first to admit, I'm a sucker for seasonal collections including this one from Borghese.

Each limited edition set includes four, small nail lacquers with Micronized Gemstones or what I'd like to call, Glitter. The mini sized bottle is accompanied with a pint size application brush that I had minor issues with. No biggie, but worth mentioning.

Are you ready for some swatches? Lets start with the first set called, Allegra.

Gold Glitter is a warm toned gold with gold glitter. It's much warmer than Nubar's 24K Nail Polish.

Red Glitter is a fabulous holiday color, it's an opaque red loaded with gold glitter. 

White Glitter is a frosting like white glitter with micro glitter that can be topped over any nail color or worn alone.

Black Glitter is a opaque black with silver glitter.

White glitter layered over Black glitter.

Next is the Serena Collection. 

Brown Glitter is a semi sheer brown/red with gold, red and silver glitter. If you love OPI's Holiday Glow like I do, you'll love this one. 

As soon as I swatched Green Duochrome, I knew we had a winner and a close dupe to Laura Mercier's Caviar Dreams. It's a gorgeous duochrome that switches from Gray, Green and Purple depending on the lighting. Really fabl!

 

Even though Borghese Green is a teensy bit more blue toned or tealish compared to Laura Mercier's, it's great alternative to the fabulous Caviar Dreams. 

Multi Color Glitter is a clear/sheer with blue, purple, gold and red glitter that's a close dupe to Sally Hansen's Rockstar Pink.  

Purple Shimmer is a vampy purple/plum with micro shimmer.

Overall, Great Sets! A perfect holiday gift for any fashionista. Each set includes trendy, up-to-date colors that are fabulous and unlike the typical package sets. Downside, I found the price of $9.99/set a bit high considering each bottle is only .14 oz. The smaller application brush gave me some minor issues. Micronized Gemstones or Glitter? Whatever the case, these are awesome! Borghese, we want full sizes!

My favorites: Green Duochrome, Brown Glitter, Red Glitter, Black Glitter and Gold.

What do you think of miniatures? Love them, Hate them? What's your favorites?

FEATURED - Thursday, August 20th 2009

OPI Fall Matte collection: Review, Swatches

This Fall, OPI introduces the Matte collection, a release of six current OPI shades available in a non glossy, matte finish. Each bottle is included with an instruction tag that states the following:

• Matte by OPI does not wear as long as original OPI Nail Lacquer.
• Do not use base coat, top coat, drying products, or hand lotion when wearing matte.
• Do an all Matte nail. Or do a Matte nail with matching Glossy tip.

Before we get to the details, let's discuss what this means. It's time to toss that rule book out the window because skipping a base coat would be a bad idea. You don't want your nails super stained. If you can hunt down a no shine base coat, that would be best. I've had better luck using a ridge filler for my base.

As far as hand lotion, just be sure to wipe your nails off with a tissue or cotton pad to avoid that shiny, satin finish.

Application is the challenging part. Every matte polish I've tested is super fast drying, which may create problems for the habitual coater. The good news, OPI's wide brush makes it easier to accomplish three brush strokes. Anymore than that, you'll notice streak lines in your application.

Ready for some swatches guys?

Alpine Snow, a white chalky flatte matte. This reminds me of a winter snowy morning when the snow is intensely bright to look at.  

As much as Gargantuan Grape looks minty green in my swatches, it's not. It's a tad bit more yellow based and has that chalky texture.

La-Pazatively Hot is true to the name! A gorgeous hot pink matte with shimmer that's one of my faves from the collection.

 You Don't Know Jacques, a mushroom brown taupe chalky matte.

Lincoln Park after Dark, a vampy blackish purple matte. 

As much as I'd wish Russian Navy was a shimmer like the original, I still love it. A flatte navy blue  matte.

The matte collection is now available at Professional Salons and online at the E-tailers. Have a wonderful night!

FEATURED - Friday, July 31st 2009

Summer 09: Essie Cute as a Button Swatches

Happy Friday, woot woot! Can you believe we only have one month of summer left? Yep! Vampies look out, here we come. But, before we step over to the dark side, I wanted to bring you two last Summer collections that were hiding under my fall excitement.

This Summer, Essie's given us a variety of color to choose from. North Folk gave us a reason to sail our blues away with three oceanic shades, The Neons - rock out with four brights perfect for those tootsies and Cute as a Button, a mixture of six flirty hues perfect for your feminine side.

Overall, a nice selection of six, soft and cute colors that are surprisingly wearable! The application was perfect. Most colors are three coaters, with the exception of a couple.

Check out the swatches. 

 

Not Just a Pretty Face, a semi sheer nude with a dash of pink. A lighter, more beige version of Essie's sister, Eternal Optimist. I was worried that Not just a Pretty Face would clash with my skintone, but it didn't!   

Lovie Dovie is a fun, bubblegum pink creme that's opaque in two coats. Girls, If you don't own a classic candy colored pink, go grab you some Lovie Dovie.

Lucious Lips reminds me of another semi sheer pink that I love, Orly's Confetti. Although, Lucious Lips may be a tad bit pinker with better pay-off.  

Cute as a button is a creamy mixture of coral, pink and orange that's really pretty! An excellent summer color, especially for your tootsies!

Funny Face isn't your typical hot pink cream. It's mixed with a tad of purple, which makes this a deeper hue of pink - slighty magenta! Loves it! 

Chubby Cheeks is a pumpkin spice creme with a dash of pink undertones. Sally Hansen's Nasturtium is just a tad bit more orange compared to Chubby Cheeks. A great fall color heading into October!

Essie's Cute as a Button collection is now available at Essie, professional salons and E-tailers! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

FEATURED - Monday, August 3rd 2009

OPI Summer 09: Sunbelievable Collection

Happy Monday! I have one last Summer collection to bring ya'll before I get into the Fall goodies.

OPI's Sunbeleiveable collection is a small release of four summertastic colors ranging from coral, yellow, pink and blue.

The application: I found most colors to be semi sheer with a jelly consistency. You'll need a minimum of three coats or more. My swatches were done with three, with the exception of one. Let's get down to business, shall we?

Check out the swatches. 

I'm his Coral Friend is a semi sheer coral jelly that's similar to her sister, Modern Girl.

 

Sea I told You, a gorgeous aquamarine with blue micro-glitter that's really stunning. A little different than Sephora's Skinny Jeans, which is a bit more teal. Must have for any blue lover!

 

If the Fushcia Fits, your standard hot pink shimmer. Not so much unique, but certainly pretty!

 I love Banana Bandanna! The application may be somewhat streaky, but definitely worth the hassle of this soft, buttercup color. So pretty!

OPI's Sunbelieveable collection is now available at Professional Salons and E-tailers. Hope you have an awesome day! 

FEATURED - Tuesday, August 4th 2009

LA Girls Flare: New Nail Polish Colors

It's a dreary, rainy Tuesday and hopefully your day is fabulous as ever! And if it's not, maybe these new L.A. Girls Flare nail polishes will cheer you up a bit!

Recap: L.A. Girls Flare is a nail polish brand you can find at Urban Outfitters or Forever 21 usually located in your mall. Personally, I prefer going to F21 because the retail cost is half the price from Urban Outfitters.

Most shades are full of life, loaded with opaque color and no true applications issues. The brush is small and thin like Essie's, but I don't mind - my petite nail beds love them!

Check em' out! 

 

Nostalgia, a mustard creme. Yellows are on fire this summer, so it don't suprise me that this unique color pulls me in. A bit more yellow than OPI's the it color. 

 

Celestial is a dose of foilstastic heaven...A light purplish silver that's definitely unique in my collection.

Magnetism, a great mid tone blue that's along the lines of Sephora's Blue Grotto and Misa's On the Edge.

It's Glitter time!! Fame, a purple, blue and pink glitter in a clear base. Pretty much the same version as L.A. Girl Rock Star in Overdose.

We have another L.A. Girl Rockstar look alike to Supernova. Rockstar is a semi sheer, gray jelly with holographic silver confetti.

Sunset, a peachy orange with flashes green shimmer. A lighter version than Maybelline's Sunset Prisms, love those peaches!

Eureka, a gold glitter in a clear base.

Spicy Salmon is actually really pretty! The subtle pink and gold shimmer isn't to noticeable in this Salmon orange, but still a great color!

Ravishing, rose colored pink glitter in a clear base.

You can find these in store at Urban Outfitters, Forever21 and online at Cherry Culture. Have a great day!

FEATURED - Friday, August 7th 2009

New Colors: Sally Hansen Insta Dri Fall

It's Friday and what gal doesn't love that!!  Since you've worked long and hard this week, girlfriend... You deserve a much needed treat from Sally Hansen's Insta Dri line. Your totally worth it!

This Fall, Sally introduces a variety of eight, limited edition colors to the Insta Dri line. The collection ranges from reds, pink, white (sheer), violet (ooh la, la), teal and blue.

Application: I'm not entirely convinced with Sally's wide, tapered brush. It's a love, hate relationship. Love the opaque colors, but my petite nail beds say no, no, no to this large, oversized brush. But, I'll deal. The formula itself is perfecto.

On your mark, get set, go... Grab your kicks, it's time to head over Walgreen's and let the stalking begin!   

Check out the three I snatched up.

Violet VOOM has that boom, boom Pow! A vivacious, blurple with pink and blue shimmer. Oh my, this is really fabulous and unique! More purple than OPI's Play til Midnight and not as blue as OPI's Blue my Mind. I'll post comparison swatches tomorrow.

Ink-a-Blink-Blue is another great shade from this collection. A deep sky blue with bright aqua shimmer.

It don't suprise me I fell for this blue green shade. Teal Takeoff is a gorgeous shimmering teal.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! This collection is now available, keep your eyes peeled.

FEATURED - Sunday, August 9th 2009

Sephora by OPI Matte Nail Colour Collection

Happy Sunday! Hope your having a fantabulous weekend! Are you ready for some Mattene this week, Diva's? I have a few collections to show you, starting off with Sephora's newest one.

This Fall, Sephora introduces a limited edition collection of fashion forward, matte nail colours available in three of Sephora by OPI's most popular shades.

Matte Finishes may not be for everyone, especially die hard glossy lovers. It's trendy and gives us Manicure Mavens an alternative to shiny polish. But until the formula is perfected, I don't think this fad will be catching on quite yet...we'll see! 

Before I get to the goodies, let's talk about application and formula. Like most non glossy nail polishes these are fast drying, which might usher problems when applying mattes all together.

On all my swatches I used three thin coats. But I've found applying thicker coats may deliver a smoother application with less stroke lines.

Shall we check out the swatches?

Domestic Goddess, a flatte vibrant purple grape matte. 

Metro Chic, a flatte smokey brown, gray, purple, muddy matte. 

I'm excited to add another flatte black to my collection. What's a Tire Jack, a flatte jet black matte. I really loved this one, not as dull as the other two.

The matte collection is now available online at Sephora for a limited time and retails for $9.00/ea. What do you guys think? Love or hate the Matte trend?

FEATURED - Monday, August 10th 2009

Go Green this Summer with Nubar

Happy Monday, Ladies! It's August and Summer has offically kicked in high gear with blazing temperatures. And what better way to cool off with Nubar's fabulous Going Green Collection.

If you've been reading the nail blogs, you know this collection is hot, sweet and just plain incredible for us green nail polish fanatics! Thank you Nubar for making our nail polish dreams come true!

The going green collection is a limited edition release consisting of six bodacious greens from crème to shimmer - to holographic to duochrome; whatever your preference.

A litte Nubar History, if your not familar with the brand. In 2000, Nubar was founded as the healthy alternative for beautiful nails. After being affected by cancer within his own family, Nubar’s creative force, Noubar Abrahamian, was uniquely committed to his role as a pioneer in producing the highest quality nail care products that were free of formaldehyde, toluene, and DBP (phthalate). These common ingredients are included in California’s Proposition 65, which lists chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects, or reproductive harm, and nubar’s exclusive formula omits these components as well as their derivatives without sacrificing quality.

You guys ready for some swatches?

Introducing the first true green holo on the market, Reclaim. A light grassy green holo that screams hotness.

Forest, a rich forest green creme that's a tad bit lighter than RBL's Recycle.

Conserve, a gorgeous green teal loaded with glitter. A bit more green than blue. 

Nubar has some amazing duochrome shades and Wildlife being one of them. A mossy green when applied at first that flashes bronze, pink and green at the same time. Wowzers! 

Earth is a more blue version of Conserve loaded with glitter.

Greener is a rich, dark emerald green shimmer that's absolutely stunning!

Now let's talk about application...Perfecto, every single one of them! Even though I'm a die hard three coater, you could get by with two coats on each color.

The Going Green collection is still available online at ByNubar, don't miss out on this fabulous release. Have a wonderful night! 

FEATURED - Thursday, August 27th 2009

Fall Collection: Color Club Wild At Heart

Trust your impulses! Color Club introduces Wild at Heart, a Scintillating collection of high quality lacquers in the sexiest colors that go from Dark to Light and Dazzle with Seductive Sparkle.

Take a Walk on the Wild side with Color Club's newest fall release. A collection of holographic, shimmer and glitter polishes.

Season after season Color Club seems to impress and leaves me anxiously waiting for more. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, it does! In Spring we saw an introduction to the fabulous holographic shades, Summer blew our socks off with electrifying neon nail candy and now, they totally nailed it again!

Overall, every single color is fabulous as the next. Even the oddball grew on me! The holos had excellent coverage along with most shades being two or three coaters.

Let's get down to business, shall we? 

Oh my freakin' holo goodness! What more can I say? Wild at Heart is absolutely incredible. A gorgeous purple filled with a kaleidoscope of colors. Wow, just Wow! And to make things even better, I'm talking one coater here. The opaqueness is fabulous.

Love 'Em Leave 'Em is a gold holographic shade that also has good coverage.

Wild and Willing is a shade you'll have to see in person to appreciate. My swatches don't justify the intense sparkle and shine. It's a duochrome glitter that flashes gold, pink and copper. 

 

Oh yes, what would fall be without a gorgeous green. Rule Breaker is a greenish blue shimmer that leans more towards the green family.

With Abandon is a black jelly with bronze-y, brown fine glitter. It's a little streaky when applied at first, like most jellies. But no worries, three coats will do the trick. The glitter is more noticeable with two coats: whereas, with three the black takes over.

Want to add some flair? Try topping Wild and Willing over With Abandon for that extra bling. Can you see the duochrome effect in the second picture? Love this!

 

As soon as I saw that On the Wild Side was a frosty charcoal metallic, my hopes were let down a bit. You see, me and metallics aren't too friendly these days. But all things put aside, I was instantly drawn into the shiny, steel look.

The Wild at Heart collection should be available within the next month or so. Stay tuned, I have more Color Club goodies to share with you guys.

Have a wonderful day!

FEATURED - Friday, September 4th 2009

MAC Cosmetics: Nail Trend FW 09 by Jin Soon

Collection: MAC Nail Trend F/W 09, Nail Lacquer .34 oz

Price: $12.00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: MAC Cosmetics, MAC Stores

More than a colour statement, an of-the-moment approach that dazzles with innovation and style. How to do it? Enter Jin Soon, much-sought-after nail guru who has worked the shows, collaborating with us to create nail colours exclusively for M∙A∙C.

I’m excited to bring you MAC’s latest collaboration called Nail Trend, created by professional nail artist, Jin Soon Choi. In this new collection, we have a variety of six falltastic runway colors ranging from luscious chocolate to blackened teal, army green to party purple and cool lavender to brick house red.

A little Jin Soon Choi  Aside from Jin’s incredible talent, she owns a Natural Hand and Foot Spa located in New York City where you’ll find the best nail art around - even the celebrities are taking notice. Known for her “No Airbrush” rule, you’ll walk out with a Choi masterpiece.

Are you ready for some swatches?

Cool Reserve is one cool Cat and I have nothing close to compare. It's a grayed out lavender creme that coordinates perfectly with the ongoing gray trend.

Dry Martini, not quite olive nor army green - perhaps a mix of both rolled around in the mud. As much as I raise my eyebrows with Dry Martini, I find myself drawn to the strange and unusual color.  

Beyond Jealous, a blackened Teal and just in case you're wondering, Beyond Jealous is a bit greener compared to Sephora's Dark Room. But, both are similar. 

Dance All Night, A red brick house creme. 

Rich, Dark, Delicous is one of my faves from the collection, a blackened chocolate with very subtle shimmer that dries to a creamy texture.  

 

For Fun is a fun party purple, and paired up with MAC's Peppermint Patti makes one sassy combination. Don't you love how the mint green polka dots pop on this purple grape?

All in All, Nail Trends F/W 09 hit the spot. Each cream shade flowed perfectly on my nails with minor application issues. And, not to mention the fabulous color selection to choose from.

What do you guys think? Love this, hate this? Favorites? 

FEATURED - Tuesday, September 8th 2009

Halloween Collection: Milani Black Magic

Collection: Milani Black Magic, Nail Lacquer 0.45 oz

Price: $3.49/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Meijer, CVS or other Stores

Hope y'all had a wonderful Labor Day weekend! It's dreary and rainy on this Tuesday afternoon. The good news, it's a short week for us work-goers. Let's ring in the new season with a drugstore favorite of mine, Milani.

Halloween is undoubtedly one of my favorite holidays of the year, so it's no surprise I fell over heels for Milani's new Black Magic Collection. Aside from this new Fall collection, Milani hit the scene with two more limited edition releases sure to love, Vintage and Welcome Back Color.

In Black Magic, you'll find two qualities I adore: Black and Glitter, Yes Glittah! Each color is based in a thin, semi-sheer black jelly loaded with sparkling glitter. My Application was like most Milani's - smooth, excellent and dries to a non gritty finish. Noted below, you'll find the average coat-age on my swatches.

Let's down to biz-nass, shall we?

Magical - A Black jelly loaded with brown glitter.

Fairy Tale - A Black loaded with blue glitter. 

Charmed - A Black with loaded silver glitter. 

Enchantment - A Black with "ink" blue glitter. 

Whimsical - A Black jelly loaded with purple glitter. 

Spellbinding - A Black jelly loaded with red glitter.

Before you ask about dupes, I haven't pulled out any glitters to officially compare. But, I can probably think of around 20 look-alikes off the top of my head.

Milani's Black Magic Collection should be available at stores for a limited time only.

Do we have any Milani fans? What's your favorite drugstore brand? 

FEATURED - Tuesday, September 15th 2009

Chanel Jade Collection: Swatches, Review

Product: Chanel Jade Collection, LE Vernis Nail Colour 0.4 oz

Price: $25.00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Chanel, Boutiques

The time is here Ladies and Gents! Ever since the debut of Jade at Chanel's Fall 09' Fashion Runway Show, I couldn't wait to get my grubby little hands on this gorgeous minty green shade.

In this new collection, we have two limited edition shades from Chanel, Jade and Jade Rose. Both shades are lightly sprinkled with a dose of shimmer. I'm talking very subtle, almost non existent shimmer. My application required three full coats to achieve bottle color. 

Let's move on to the swatches! 

This year, mint green hit the scene bigger than ever and Jade fits the bill perfectly. A gorgeous mint green with a dash of faint shimmer that makes this different from most greens I own.  

Jade Rose is a soft pink beige with extremely subtle pink shimmer. With my skin tone, Jade Rose turned out very "neutral-ish" on me. It's a cross between Essie's Eternal Optimist and Not Just a Pretty Face minus the shimmer, which isn't very noticeable anyways.

And for the polka dot lover in all of us!

All in All, the superstar in this collection is clearly the beautiful Jade. Although I'd hope the shimmer would be more visible, I'm happy with the overall color.

The Jade collection is only available online at Chanel or Chanel Boutiques and retails for $25/ea.

FEATURED - Wednesday, September 23rd 2009

Halloween: Color Club Master of Disguise

Collection: Color Club Master of Disguise,    4 minis per box, 0.25 oz. ea

Price: $5.95 and up

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Head2Toe Beauty, VNS

Summer has officially kicked the bucket this season, and I couldn't be happier to celebrate Fall. Football, Sweatshirts & Long Pants, Bonfires - All things I love! And don't forget, Halloween!

Today let's start with a wickedly cool collection from Color Club called, Master of Disguise. In this new boxed set, you'll find four halloween mini polishes averaging .25 oz/ea. All colors applied fairy well not exceeding three coats.

Check out the swatches! 

 

Abracadabra is a thin orange jelly with chunky round gold glitter that has a slight matte texture.  

Abracadabra layered over black screams Halloween.

Taboo is absolutely gorgeous and one of my faves. It's a blue purple shimmer that's certainly pretty. Just a tad bit blue compared to her sister, Electronica.

Ghost of Chance is a opaque french white creme.

Witchy Woman or Master of Disguise, you pick? On the original press release both names are mentioned, but I'm going with Witchy Woman. It's more fitting. Described as a black creme that has the same satin/matte texture as Where's the Soiree.

All in All, great collection! Price is right and the small mini bottles are ideal for travel and everyday use. The only downfall, Abracadabra and Taboo aren't sold seperately.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

FEATURED - Tuesday, September 29th 2009

MAC Style Black Nail Lacquers: Swatches, Review

Product: MAC Style Black Collection, Nail Lacquers .34 oz

Price: $12.00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: MAC, MAC Stores

From '80s Sprouse-in-the-House kohl and fringe to London New Goth, going back to black changes the mood, deepens the drama. Eyeliner, beehives and beyond, this is a celebration of going madly, deliriously noir. Don't wait 'til midnight.

Black is back Divas and I'm excited bring you MAC's latest Fall release called, Style Black. An edgy, yet wearable collection inspired by the gothic lovin' shade, Black! In this review, I'll be covering the nail lacquer portion only, but you can check out additional swatches from Style Black and Dazzleglass Creme Collection in my Photo Gallery.

MAC introduces three nail polishes to the dark side. Nocturnelle is a classic black jelly that's a frequent repromote, along with two bodacious new colors, Seriously Hip and Baby Goth Girl.

The formula is rich, opaque and a bit on the thick side, but no biggie. All polishes applied smooth with two or three applications depending on the thickness of your coats.

Are you guys ready for some swatches?

Baby Goth Girl is a blackened red toned purple with shimmer and chunky gold copper-y flakies. It's a great vampy color that's Fall-tastic!

And just for the fun of it, here's an oldie - perhaps a distant cousin of Baby Goth Girl called, Vin Goth. A gorgeous vampy purple with silver glitter.

Seriously Hip is Seriously cool! It's a blackened olive-gold with shimmer and chunky glitter much like Baby Goth, but more visible.

And for my dupe lovin' gals. Let's break it down. It's a cross between Wagon Trail and Stromboli. More chunky than China Glaze and less pricey than D&G. You choose!

All in All, nice collection! Application is smooth and full of opaqueness. The deepened shades coordinate perfectly with MAC's Style Black Fall collection. And not to mention Halloween right around the corner. Right on!

Who's loving MAC's Style Black Collection? Did you pick up goodies? Please share!

FEATURED - Friday, October 2nd 2009

Hard Candy Just Nails: Swatches, Review

Collection: Hard Candy Just Nails, Nail Color 0.35 oz

Price: $5.00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Walmart Stores

Now that you've seen a preview of Hard Candy's new makeup line, are you ready for some yummy eye confection? If you're not familiar with the brand, Hard Candy was founded in the mid 90's, best known for their sky blue and pastel colored nail polishes. They've recently teamed up with the largest retailer in the world, Walmart to bring you cost effective, higher-end cosmetics.

Just Nails is a range of 16 new nail colors. Each shade is included with an oversized plastic ring, similar to older bottles. And the formula is just as wonderful as I remember. Although some of us might find the opaque colors are bit more thicker than usual, but no big deal. Just apply in thin coats.

Let's get to swatches! 

 

Mr. Wrong is anything but wrong, it's a bad-to-the-bone amazing shade that you have to see in person! A smokey purple with silver and gold glitter! Just fabulous!

Click here to check out a comparison swatch of smokey purples. 

Envy is a gorgeous, deep blackened green shimmer.

Sweet P is a yellow green pea colored glitter.

 Date Night is a pink glitter in a clear base.

Hot Pants is a sheer pink jelly with large hexagon shaped glitter. It makes a great topper over any nail polish.

Break Up is a clear glitter with smaller hexagon shaped glitter that shifts different colors depending on the lighting and base color. Another great topper over any nail polish. 

Oh, yeah Frenzy is uber hot! An opaque sky blue creme that's a classic Hard Candy color.

Splendid is a soft buttery yellow.

 

Lava is a red orange loaded with an insane amount of glitter. Similar to Mr. Wrong's texture.

   

Mr. Right is an opaque Navy Blue with shimmer. 

Sugar Daddy is pretty spectacular when used as a topper. It's similar to CND's Colour and Effects line. A sparkly sugar topping that coordinates with any nail polish. Check out one more example below.

Don't you just love the gold over green? Hard Candy's Evny would also look super hot!

Hypnotic is another candy topper similar to Sugar Daddy. A sheer pink loaded with gold, pink and subtle purple glitter. 

Overall, great collection! Price is right and budget friendly. The application and formula is right on. A variety of 16 colors ranging from shimmers, glitters and cremes. Readily available at most Walmarts.

Make sure you bookmark this page; I'll be adding more Hard Candy nail swatches soon. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

FEATURED - Tuesday, October 6th 2009

Fall 09 Collection: Nubar Royal Gems

Product: Nubar Royal Gems Collection, Nail Lacquer .5 oz

Price: $49.95/set or $7.49/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Nubar

After the spectacular summer collection, Going Green, Nubar swings forward into Autumn with seven new shades inspired from the richness and luxuries of the finest jewels around.

The Royal Gems consists of Platinum, Gold, Sapphires, Rubies, Emerald, Amethyst, Tiger's Eyes and the queen of the crop, Tiara - a dazzling multi faceted glitter that can be worn alone or layered over any nail polish for that extra sparkle, bling baby!

With the exception of Tiara, most polishes from this collection are shimmer based with glitter.  The application is like most Nubar shades, full of opaqueness and only requires two to three coats for bottle color.

Let's get down to business! 

24K is a semi sheer, vivid gold with gold glitter.

Tiger's Eye is a brown red with shimmer.

Platinum is a white silver with silver glitter.

Ruby is a ruby red with red glitter.

Emerald is a gorgeous green with glitter.

Sapphire makes this virgo proud! A gorgeous blue with glitter.

Amethyst is a royal purple, almost blurple with glitter.

Tiara looks great both ways - alone or layered over any nail polish.

Overall, good collection! A variety of seven rich, jewel-toned hues to choose from. Each color applied well in 2-3 coats. And as always, the formula is Big 3 Free.  

What's everyone's favorite? Hope your having a fabulous week!

FEATURED - Thursday, October 8th 2009

Orly Matte Couture Collection: Swatches, Review

Collection: Orly Matte Couture Collection, Nail Lacquer 0.6 oz

Price: $2.99/ea and up

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Sally's, TransDesign, Head2Toe

"Always the trend-setters, ORLY introduces Matte Couture, a collection of matte lacquers created to keep you on the cusp of this fashion-forward craze".

Along with Once Upon a Time this Fall, Orly embraces the Matte trend with three edgy, yet fashionable shades to the Matte Couture collection. With the exception of Matte Vinyl, each shade has a satin texture that I'm absolutely thrilled about!

Before we get to the goodies, let's take a minute to discuss application. Unlike most matte polishes, these dry like regular nail polish - not at lightening speed. A huge plus in my case! If you need to re-coat 3, 4, or even 5 swipes - you have plenty of time. And the formula is most excellent - thick, pigmented and perfect!

Testing in progess: The only issue with mattes is the staying power. Sadly, it's just not there. But since were dealing with a different kind of breed, Orly recommends using a base coat, specifically Orly Bonder for extended use. While I'm still in the process of testing with and wiithout bonder, I should have results in a week or so. Make sure you check back.

Check em' out!

Purple Velvet is a reddish purple, mulberry-tastic with subtle shimmer. It's more of a satin/velvet finish lightly sprinkled with a dose of shimmer. I love this, a great fall color too!

Matte Vinyl is the only one with true matte qualities. A flat black that's a bit washed out compared to Knockout and Sephora's version.

Blue Suede is just marvelous! It's a gorgeous blue that has a satin/velvet texture.

All in All, fabulous! Fashionable colors for Fall that dry to a velvet like quality, excluding Matte Vinyl. Formula and application is right on. Big 3 Free. Priced right starting from $2.99. Great starter collection for mattes.

What's everyone think? Will Orly's collection break my non matte lovers out of their shell?  Have a wonderful Thursday guys!

FEATURED - Friday, October 9th 2009

Get Your Foil On with Claire's Mini Sets

Product: Claire's Mini Foil Set, Nail Polish minis (6) 0.25 oz

Price: $12.50/set of 6

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Claire's Stores

It's Friday ladies and gents - woot, woot! I don't know about you guys, but I need some cheering up from this cold and dreary weather we've been having. And Claire's foil collection should do the trick!

I'm really excited with this mini set from Claire's and to think, I almost passed this baby up twice! In this set, you get six polishes averaging .25/oz each at $12.50/set. Each shade is packed with loads of pigmentation for the foil lover and who doesn't love that?

Like most Claire's limited edition sets, there's no officially nail polish name - which is a huge pet peeve of mine!

Let's check out the swatches

Silver is an opaque silver foil.

Gold is the only color that's not as opaque as the others. This would look great layered over any nail polish too.

Blue is an opaque, gorgeous blue foil.

Pink is an opaque red toned pink foil.

Green is an opaque sage green foil.

Purple is an opaque purple foil that's insanely pretty.

Just to mix things up a bit, Purple and Silver foil.

Overall, great collection for the foil lover! Good color pay-off and application. Small mini bottles perfect for travel or on the go! Hope you a wonderful weekend!

How do you guys feel about foil nail polishes? Love them, Hate them?

FEATURED - Thursday, October 15th 2009

Zoya Ultra Glitter Collection: Swatches, Review

Product: Zoya Ultra Glitter Collection, Nail Lacquer 0.50 oz

Price: $7.00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Zoya, Professional Salons

This Winter, Zoya introduces two smaller collections delivered right to your fingertips, Ultra Glitter and Matte Velvet. And today I'm bringing you an Ultra-Glam, Ultra-Blingy and Ultra-Cool collaboration for my glitter lovers.

In this collection, we have three new sparklers from Zoya - Astra, Luna and Nova. The formula is semi sheer, buildable color and you'll need three coats for full coverage.

Please Note: All my swatches were taken in overcast weather and not direct sunlight.

Check em' out! 

Astra is a red toned pink in a reddish pink base with pink glitter.

Luna is a silver glitter in a cloudy, gray-white base. I really loved this one, it's reminds me of snow with a layer of diamond dust!

Nova is purple toned pink in a purple base with pink and silver glitter. The silver glitter was hard to pick up, but it's definitely in there with three coats.

Overall, great collection! It's Fun, Glitzy and perfect for the holiday season. Application was decent with semi-sheer coverage. Texture is smooth, not bumpy or gritty with a top coat.

Who's on board Zoya's Glitter Train? Have a wonderful night!

FEATURED - Tuesday, October 20th 2009

Finger Paints Holiday Collection: Swatches, Review

Collection: Finger Paints Holiday Collection, Nail Lacquer 0.5 oz

Price: $4.99/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Sally's Beauty

Coming Soon to your Sally's Beauty Store is Finger Paints newest Holiday Collection and I'm super excited to show you guys a preview of this fantastic Winter release!

In the past I haven't mentioned Finger Paints that often, but deep down I'm a huge fan and I don't think the brand gets enough credit! Sure, maybe some of the core line colors aren't as unique BUT just when you thought you fell out of love, they bring you back with a really spectacular collection. *heart flutters*

Let's break it down. In this release, we have mostly shimmers - but not really? I'd like to call these shimmer flecks, Finger Paints Style. And they're absolutely gorgeous when light hits the glass like particles.

For the most part, all polishes are three coaters with the exception of a couple. Good application and formula.

Check em' out!

 

Snowman's Scarf is a red with gold fine shimmer that's a bit orange toned compared to Candy Cane Shimmer.

Yes, Yes, Yes a Green! And boy is Evergreen Dream a stunner. Think shimmer version of China Glaze's Emerald Sparkle. A Definite must have for my green lovers. Oh, and my swatch is with two coats! Good pigmentation.

Icy Ivy is a gorgeous, deep purple with pink and purple flecks. Sometimes it's really hard distinguishing the different colored shimmers in each shade.

 

Candy Cane Shimmer is a red with silver and pink shimmer that has a foil like appeal.

Sparkling Snow is a semi sheer silver foil, not as opaque as most foil polishes. 

Decked with Dazzle is another foil like, a pink with silver, red and purple shimmer.

All in All, one of the best holiday collections I've seen this Fall. Perfect for shimmer and glitter lovers that hate the hassle of glitter removal. Affordable and easily available at Sally's Beauty Stores.

What would I change? Maybe to replace the red, Snowman's Scarf with a Gold blinger and this would easily be a five star collection in my book.

Who loves Finger Paints? What do you guys think of this Collection? Have a great Night!

PS: Make sure you check out my Photo Gallery and subscribe to my new feed, I usually post new pictures before I publish my blog posts! 

FEATURED - Friday, October 23rd 2009

Icing Limited Edition Black Glitter Set

Product: Icing LE Black Glitter Set, Nail Lacquer 0.40

Price: $16.00/set or BOGOHO

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Icing Stores in the Mall

Happy Friday Diva's! Here in the Kentucky/Ohio region we're being drenched by massive rain, so I hope you guys are keeping warm and dry today! To end this week on a good note, let's start with a nifty black glitter set from Icing.

I'm sure you've heard me talk about Icing quite a bit in the past, so for those who aren't familiar to the brand I wanted to do a quick little recap. For me, Icing is a Hit or Miss. A Hit: The color selection is absolutely fabulous - you'll find unique and unusual colors every time. A Miss: However, the application is the downside - more so the applications brush. And it probably just boils down to a fixable manufacturer defect. With all that being said, I continue to stalk my icing for rare and amazing colors!

The formula on these were a hit and miss like I mentioned above. Some colors applied perfectly, while others were a pain. Are you ready for some swatches?!

Check em' out!

Blackened Green was the color that hooked me, a semi sheer black with green glitter.

Blackened Blue is a black with blue glitter.

Blackened Gold was a bit thick and gloopy, a black with gold glitter.

Blackened Purple is a black with purple glitter.

Blackened Brown is a black with orange/brown glitter.

Overall, Good Collection. The formula is a tad sheerer than Milani's Black Magic Collection. I found the price of $16.00 for a set of five to be pricey, but if you take advantage of Buy One, Get One Half Off it's a good deal. And according to my bottles, Icing polishes are Big 3 Free.

Stayed tuned, I have another Icing Fall Set to post that's gorgeous! How do you feel about Icing's Polishes? Love them, Hate them? Have a wonderful Friday!

FEATURED - Tuesday, October 27th 2009

Nubar Modern Matte Collection: Swatches, Review

Product: Nubar Modern Matte Collection, Nail Lacquer 0.5 oz

Price: $7.49/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Nubar Online

This Fall, Nubar gives us Matte Mavens a couple different alternatives to the traditional glossy look. Modern Matte, one of their newest collections, is a small release of four stylish and sleek colors with a no-shine finish. Don't wanna splurge on an entire collection? No worries! Nubar offers a matte top coat that's a personal fave of mine called, V for Men. Stay tuned for a separate product review.

Each color is shimmer based, which I adore. And if you don't fancy matte textures, just slap on a shiny top coat and their just as spectacular - if not more! The application and formula was good - fast drying, smooth and opaque.

Check out the swatches!   

 

Contempo is a classic red matte with shimmer. 

Prevail is a gorgeous, deep purple matte with shimmer.

Advant Garde is a russet red/brown matte with shimmer.

Vital is a red/purple wine matte with shimmer.

Overall, Good Collection. Nubar mattes are versatile - you can wear them glossy or matte. The formula was smooth, opaque and as always Big 3 Free.

What do you think of Nubar's Mattes? Love them, Hate them? Have a great night!

FEATURED - Monday, November 2nd 2009

Holiday Collection: Avon Nailwear Pro Sparkle

Product: Avon Nailwear Pro Sparkle Shades, Nail Lacquer 0.4 oz

Price: $5.00/ea or Sale Price $2.99

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Avon, Avon Rep

When I was bargain shopping with some friends a few months ago, I spotted an old - yet loved brand that I haven't revisited since High School. It's been years since I flipped through Avon's mini catalog of makeup, fashion and even electronics. But I only had one thing on my mind and it was nail polish!

Through Beauty Blogs, Makeup Forums and friends I've heard all good things about Avon's Nailwear Pro Nail Enamel and couldn't wait to test them out myself. Some of the core line colors aren't too spectacular or unique, but the Sparkle shades are worth peeping out.

In the Sparkle Collection is four holiday colors sprinkled with loads of gold shimmer. For the most part, formula is opaque and all my swatches varied between two or three coats.

Check em' out!

Let's start with the best, Golden Twilight. Even though this looks like your standard black with gold shimmer, it's actually in a gorgeous, deep purple-blue (ink) base. Since its opaque, all you'll need is two coats.

Looking at the bottle I thought this might be close to Wagon Trail, but wrong. Golden Twilight has a faint purple/blue base when compared.

Golden Wine is a red wine drenched in gold shimmer. A great holiday color!

Golden Wine also looks great mattified. It takes on a velvet-y appearance.

Golden Rose is a frosty pink rose with gold shimmer.

Gold Nude is a peach/nude/gold combination with gold shimmer. I'm not sure how I feel about this one, it's very different from anything I normally wear. But different can be good!

Overall, great Holiday collection. Nice formula, application and Big 3 Free. Priced on sale now at $2.99 each - you can't beat that. I adore the sparkle based textures and would love to see more shimmers to their Nailwear Pro Line.

Make sure you add the Photo Gallery to your favorites, I have several core line colors I'll be posting soon.

So who loves Avon's Nailwear Pro Line? What do you guys think of the new Sparkle Shades?

FEATURED - Friday, November 6th 2009

Winter Collection: Zoya MatteVelvet Swatches

Collection: Zoya MatteVelvet Winter Collection, Matte Nail Lacquer 0.5 oz

Price: $7.00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Art of Beauty, Professional Salons

It's another matte edition Divas and before you roll your eyes or shrug your shoulders, Zoya's new shimmering MatteVelvet collection is worth paying attention to!

Unlike the Fall release, these applied perfectly! So flawlessly that I thought the formula had been recalculated, but they haven't; every pigment is different. And the drying time isn't lightening speed either; you have plenty of time to swipe 3, 4, or even 5 strokes with no visible streak lines. Go Zoya!

Are you ready for some swatches?

Don't ask me how to pronounce Veruschka, but the color is absolutely to die for. A forest green with intense shimmer that looks almost holographic with a glossy top coat. Gorg and my favorite by far! 

Harlow is a magenta pink matte.

Savita is a purple with blue undertones; not your traditional blurple, but there's definitely blue in there. And with a glossy top coat, the shimmering mattes really come to life! 

Overall, Super Hotness! Quite honestly, if the staying power was there, five star rating in my book. Good application, formula and Big 3 Free. Versatile - you can wear them matte or glossy.

What do you think of the Winter Mattes? Love them, Hate them? Have a wonderful weekend! 

FEATURED - Tuesday, November 17th 2009

Fall 09: Icing Limited Edition Nail Polish Set

Product: Icing 5 piece Nail Polish Set, Nail Lacquer 0.4 oz

Price: $15.99/per kit

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Icing Stores

Now that you've seen the Gothic Lovin' side of Icing's Halloween Set, it's time to bring you more of a reserved, Fall collection of teal, purple, orange, taupe and black shimmers that's right up my alley.

The formula and application was a total hit for me, and quite honestly that doesn't happen as often as I'd like from Icing. Each color is shimmer based with either gold or silver. Like most Limited Edition collections, there's no official polish names.

Are you ready guys for some swatches?

Orange Shimmer is a hard shade to describe. Is it Orange or is it Pink? Maybe even a rustic combo of red, pink and orange with gold shimmer.

 

Teal Shimmer is really gorgeous, blue based teal with silver shimmer.

Purple Shimmer is a frosty Purple.

 

Black Shimmer is a deep, olive brown with gold shimmer. It's a bit more olive green compared to China Glaze Wagon Trail, both are very similar.

Khaki Shimmer is a cross between gray and khaki with silver shimmer.

Overall, Good Collection! A great selection of colors for Fall. Each shade was opaque and applied fairy well with two coats. Formula is Big 3 Free. Makes great holiday gifts for any nail polish lover. 

What do you guys think of the colors in this set? I have a special treat for my glitter vixens, stay tuned for massive bling, bling from Icing's Holiday Mini Set.

FEATURED - Wednesday, November 18th 2009

Get Your Bling On With Icing's New Glitter Set

Collection: Icing Mini Holiday Gold Set, Set of 5 minis .21 oz/ea

Price: $12.99/Set

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Icing Stores

When the holidays come rockin' around, we can expect to see lots of bling and Icing's miniature glitter set has me jumping for joy this season.

Maybe it's the gold packaging or perhaps the sparkly goodness that caught my eye. Whatever the case may be, these are fab. And we all know being fabulous doesn't always come cheap. Each mini set is priced on the high side at $12.99/kit, but if you love glitter as much as I do, it's well worth the splurge.

The texture is similar to China Glaze's Specialty Collection in the sense of Opalescent (holo-like qualities), Hex and small, square glitter particles loaded with color. Yes, full of opaqueness!

Are you ready for some Bling, Bling? Check em' out!

Who loves White Nail Polish? I do, I do and I absolutely heart White Gliter for Winter. It's packed with loads of opalescent and hex glitter. A definite fave of mine!

Red Glitter is a great red to sport at Holiday events or Christmas.

Gold Glitter is a warm toned gold loaded with Opalescent and Hex Glitter.

Do I really need a description for this gorgeous Green Glitter! Wow, it's amazing and have nothing like her!

Blue Glitter is a Turquoise Blue with Opalescent and Hex Glitter.

Overall, Awesome Collection! Upside: Perfect Holiday gifts for Christmas, Secret Santa or just treating yourself. Formula is Big 3 Free and all shades are two - three coaters. Downside: I found the price tag of $12.99 to be a bit high. But Icing usually has BOGOHO specials, which may offset the difference. The small, limited edition bottles may be a disadvantage because the colors rock!

What does my Glitter lovers think of Icing's new set? Have a great afternoon!

FEATURED - Tuesday, December 1st 2009

MAC Holiday: Magic, Mirth and Mischief Collection

Product: MAC Magic, Mirth, Mischief Collection - Nail Lacquer .34 oz

Price: $12.00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: MAC, Macy's, Nordies, Dillard's

Magic, Mirth and Mischief is all about the sparkle, shine and seduction you need to dazzle and delight, with holiday colour to bring out the mischievous minx in each and every one of you. Have a ball!

This Holiday season, MAC Cosmetics gets decked out with two, ultra-shiny nail lacquers in the Magic, Mirth and Mischief collection. Each shade is a metallic/chrome based texture that resembles those mirror-like, disco oranments you'll find on your Christmas Tree.

Are you ready for some swatches? Check them out!  

Back in the Heatherette days, I wasn't too crazy for this frosty Silver and my opinion remains the same. $$$$$ Yes is your typical metallic and my application required three full coats to completely even out stroke lines.

Lucky Number is MAC's newest addition to the collection and it's certainly an upgrade from $$$$$ Yes. More like a chrome texture, you'll only need one or two coats for full coverage.

Unfortunately, Lucky Number is sold out online but you can still find this at Freestanding stores or online at Macy's, Nordies or Dillards.

Overall, A good collection for the metallic lover! I liked how MAC took a different approach from the usual Green, Red and Silver suspects. However, if your not a big fan for frosty nail polishes, I'd pass on this one - the application may give you one big headache.

What do you guys think of these two metallics? Did you pick up anything from the Magic, Mirth and Mischief collection? Have a wonderful day!

FEATURED - Wednesday, December 2nd 2009

Essie Sweet Time of the Year: Winter Collection

Product: Essie Winter 2009 Collection, Nail Lacquer 0.5 oz

Price: $8.00 Retail

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Essie, Professional Salons, E-tailers

It's that Sweet, Sweet time of the year and this Winter Essie whips up three fun n' fresh, candy coated colors sure to please your cravings!

In this limited edition collection, we have a mixture of three juicy hues of red, pink and a luscious creme de menthe dessert you don't want to pass up. Each color applied like butter. The formula was pure perfection!

Check em' out! 

Lollipop is a juicy, mouth-watering red creme/jelly. It's a bit sheer and transparent on my nails as you can see in my first picture above.

Rock Candy is a sheer pink that's very Essie-esque.

I was most excited to swatch Mint Candy Apple and she does not disappoint! A perfect combination of blue and green pastel that's very unique. Looks great on most skin tones too!

For my dupe lovers, Mint Candy Apple is one of a kind. More blue than most mint greens I own, but not quite as blue as For Audrey.

And for my dotters!

It wouldn't be the same without some fun polka dots? Which is your favorite? I think I like the red with mint green dots best.

Overall, Good Collection. A fun and refreshing breath of Holiday color. Mint Candy Apple is simply amazing; a definite must have Diva's! Application and formula perfecto!

Spill the beans, who picked up Mint Candy Apple? How fabulous is it? Have a wonderful night! 

FEATURED - Thursday, December 3rd 2009

Nubar Winter: Calling All Chocolate Lovers

Product: Nubar Chocolate Truffles Collection, Nail Lacquer 0.5 oz

Price: $49/95/set or $7.49/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: ByNubar

Indulge this Holiday with Nubar to experience a Chocolate Lovers sensation of six, cocoa brown shades of creme, shimmer and glitters in the Chocolate Truffles Collection!

Ladies, we can always count on two things to lift our self esteem - Chocolate and Nail Polish. What's better than that? An entire collection themed around the decadent candy from one of my favorite nail polish brands!

After the release of Chanel's Haute Chocolat last winter, I was determined to go on this wild, crazy, man-hunt for the perfect brown shade and to make a long story short, it was a big fail. So, when I heard about Chocolate Truffles I was beyond excitement!

Confession: Over the past year, I've secretly been crushing on Nubar. For the most part, their formula is grade A for me. And talk about a variety of colors - unique, fun and sassy!

Ready for some swatches? 

Chocolate Caramel is a scrumptious, milk chocolate brown filled with gold shimmer.

Cherry Cordial is a medium red-brown with red and pink shimmer.

Raspberry Truffle is a deep brown with red shimmer. In my first picture, you'll notice the slight duochrome shimmer on the bottle.

Swiss Chocolate is one of my favorites from the Chocolate Truffles Collection. Not exactly a straight forward brown. It has a muted, purple overcast that draws me in. Loves it! 

Chocolate Coffee Bean is a deep brown with purple shimmer. It's similar to Raspberry Truffle except the shimmer is more purple toned and is finer.

Milk Chocolate Creme is a medium brown creme.

Overall, Great Collection for the Chocolate lover! A selection of six different brown shades from shimmers to cremes. Good application and formula.

Have you hopped on the Nubar train yet? What are your favorite colors? Have a wonderful night! 

Full Disclosure: The following product(s) was provided to Steph's Closet by the manufacturer or PR company for consideration.

FEATURED - Tuesday, December 22nd 2009

OPI Suede Collection: Swatches, Review

Collection: OPI Suede Collection, Nail Lacquer .5 oz

Retail Price: $8.50/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Professional Salons, E-tailers

Be Per-Sueded with the richness and luxury of Suede by OPI. A new collection of six best selling colors available in lush, shimmering metallic finishes.

The matte craze has exploded this year - from flatte paint and shimmering textures to the pure brilliance of no-shine top coats. There's pretty much a choice for everyone and every budget. Following up from the previous Matte collection, OPI introduces one-of-a-kind, Suede.

Shall I start raving now, or save it for later? These are spectacular. Each color is insanely opaque and loaded with glistening, metallic shimmer that dries to a satin or velvety finish.

Before we get to the goods, let's take a minute to recap application. Like most matte polishes, it's not recommended to wear a base coat. But in my personal experience, a base coat don't hurt as long as your nails are completely dry and free of natural oils or lotions. Another difference is the formula. Smooth, flawless and perfect. Bravo, OPI!

Check em' out!

You Don't Know Jacques Suede started a new era of the mushroom color, released in the Fall 08 Le Collection De France is a golden brown with silver shimmer.

 You Don't Know Jacques with glossy top coat.

Russian Navy Suede was my first navy blue crush, released from the Winter '07 Russian Collection is a blue with silver shimmer. 

Russian Navy Suede with glossy top coat.

We'll Always Have Paris released from the Fall '08 La Collection De France is a purple plum with silver shimmer.

We'll Always Have Paris with gloss top coat. 

Lincoln Park After Dark released from the Winter '05 collection is a purple with silver shimmer. 

Lincoln Park After Dark with glossy top coat.

Suzi Skis in the Pyrenees Suede released from Winter '09 La Coleccion de Espana is a charcoal grey with silver shimmer. It's much different from the orginial, smokey blue shade.

Suzi Skis in the Pyrenees with glossy top coat.

Ink Suede released from the Summer '07 Night Brights Collection is a blue-purple with silver shimmer. Ink is just a tad more purple compared to Russian Navy Suede.

Ink Suede with glossy top coat.

Mixing combinations can be so much fun! How cute is We'll Always Have Paris with polka dots?

All in All, Fabulous collection! The Suedes are versatile - you can wear them glossy or matte; both ways look great. Smooth formula and flawless application.

What do you guys think of the Suede Collection? Which ones did you pick up? Have a wonderful night!

Quick Poll

FEATURED - Saturday, January 2nd 2010

Chanel Spring 2010: Les Impressions De Chanel

Product: Les Impressions De Chanel Collection, Nail Lacquer .40 oz

Price: $23.00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Chanel, Chanel Counters, Nordies

This Spring, the Les Impressions de Chanel collection brings us a palette of three neutral nail lacquers ranging from sheer pink and classic nude to a grayed out muddy brown.

Let's get to the swatches, shall we?

Tendresse is a soft pink that's your typical spring shade. Tendresse may not be completely sheer like most neutral pinks. You can get by with three coats for decent coverage and four coats for full coverage. 

Chanel describes Particuliere as a grey creme, which is a little misleading. It fits into the mushroom/taupe/brown category. All you need is two coats to get the job done - the pigmentation is fabulous. If you're into mushroom shades right now, this is definitely worth the splurge.

I have some bad news for your pocketbooks. Particuliere does not have an exact dupe. It falls somewhere between OPI's Over the Taupe and Avon's Nocturnal. OPI's leans towards a mauvey-brown and Avon's is much darker like You Don't Know Jacques.

Edit: I've had a lot of questions regarding Essie's Mink Muffs and Orly's Prince Charming as close dupes. Just to clarify, both colors are much darker than Chanel Particuliere. Check out another comparison of Mink Muffs. 

Inattendu is a classic nude-beige cream with peachy undertones. A nice Au Naturel with good coverage, but not for me.

Overall, a nice selection of neutrals for Spring. Particuliere is the standout color from Les Impressions. Inattendu and Tendresse are nice, but can easily be duped. if you're looking for flesh or mannequin type shades, Essie has a good variety to choose from.

Does Particuliere live up to your expectations? Are you picking up any shades from Les Impressions? Have a wonderful Saturday!  

FEATURED - Wednesday, January 6th 2010

Nubar Prisms Collection: Swatches, Review

Product: Nubar Prisms Collection, Nail Lacquer .5 oz

Price: $59.95/kit or $9.49/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: ByNubar

Inspired by the colorful play of light through a prism, those bands of light and color are embodied in nubar’s new Prism Collection. Each shade is filled with holographic glitter reflecting every color of the rainbow.

Last Summer, Nubar made our Dreams come true with a collection of eco-friendly greens. For winter, they fulfilled our sweet cravings with decadent Chocolate Truffles. Now, it's Holo-ific for Spring - Yes, Double Yes!!

Nubar introduces eight holographic glitters ranging from subtle neutrals to vivid pink to pale blue. We have a couple different types of textures in the Prisms collection. Some are smooth and fine, while others have large and chunky glitter. Either way, all colors are non-gritty to the touch. 

Like most Nubar polishes, application and formula was pretty good. My average coats varied between two and three with the exception of Absolute.

Check out the swatches.     

Absolute is a semi sheer, baby blue with fine holographic glitter. Even though this is somewhat sheer, it's a great alternative to OPI's pale Blue Lagoon. Very nice!

Gem is very interesting...Is it Grey or is it Pink? Well, a little bit of both. Described as duochrome-like, mauvey grey with medium holo glitter.

Brillant is a light pink with fine holo glitter. Another semi sheer, three coats for good coverage.

Prize delivers a punch! Boom, right in your face holo-tastic. A ruby red-pink filled with massive chunky glitter.

 

Spark is a neutral tan beige with fine holo glitter.

 

A girl can never have to many purples! Treasure is a light purple with fine holographic glitter.  

 

Essence is a peachy pink with fine holo glitter. Nice, but nothing special...Moving on.

Jewel is one of my favorites from the collection. A little bit of charcoal, brown and taupe with chunkier holo glitter. Fabulous!

Will you be purchasing any of Nubar's Prisms Collection? What are some of your faves? Have a wonderful night!

Full Disclosure: The following product(s) was provided to Steph's Closet by the Manufacturer or PR company for consideration.

FEATURED - Saturday, January 9th 2010

Shades by Barielle: Wildflower Spring Collection

Product: Barielle Wildflower Collection, Nail Lacquer .5 oz

Price: $8,00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Barielle starting in Feb, ocrf.org.

Happy Saturday Divas! After all this snow, I know I'm ready for Spring. And Shades by Barielle celebrates with six stylish colors to look forward to.

Last week you saw a sneak peek at the gorgeous, A Bouquet for Ava. Today I'm bringing you the remainder of The Wildflower Collection, starting with the shades that benefit The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund created by, Elle.

Celebrity Manicurist and Barielle's Creative Director Elle says, "It means so much to develop a collection that hits so close to home with women affected by ovarian cancer. Having my best friend pass away from the disease, I feel honored to be part of something that gives back."

Let's jump to the swatches, shall we?  

June Bug is a grayed-out blue with subtle shimmer and fuchsia glitter. The combination of pink glitter and blue shimmer is fab!. Two coats for full coverage; dries to a non gritty finish.

Myrza's Meadow  is a semi sheer, light lime green with silver holographic glitter. Even though the holographic effect is mild, it's a step in the right direction. I would love to see more holo's from Barielle.

A Bouquet for Ava is a cool, caribbean blue creme with a touch of teal. 

100% of proceeds from June Bug, Myrza's Meadow and A Bouquet for Ava will be donated to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund when purchased through ocrf.org. How incredibly cool is that? A 100%! If you're interested in these colors, I encourage everyone to call and order. The retail cost is $8.00 and phone number is (212) 268-1002. Free Shipping and it's for a great cause!

Having fun with A Bouquet for Ava and Blossom. 

Blossom is an opaque peachy creme. The color is pretty... very spring and summery. Since the formula was a bit on the thick side, I had application issues. Just be sure to apply in thin coats to avoid streaking.

Snap Dragon - is a frosty sea foam green metallic. Love the fresh green... but me and metallics never seem to get along.

Darling Dahlia - is a fuchsia with shimmer. The base is a jelly like berry with extremely subtle shimmer. Application was good with three coats.

Overall, Great Collection! A fun, refreshing mix of Spring colors that benefit a good cause. As always, Barielle's formula is Big 3 Free.

Do you like this collection? What are some of your favorite colors? Have a wonderful weekend.

Full Disclosure: The following product(s) was provided to Steph's Closet by the manufacturer or PR company for consideration.  

FEATURED - Friday, January 15th 2010

MAC in Lillyland Collection: Coconut Ice, Steamy

Product: MAC in Lillyland Collection, Nail Lacquer .40 oz

Price: $12.00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: MAC, Macy's, Nordies

"When MAC meets the lore and legend that is Lilly Pulitzer, you get a fabulous and funky fun new chapter: a bit of Mar-a-Lago, some well-to-do winky-wink, and a dash of retro-modern pop culture mayhem in prints and colours that make it hip to be in permanent happy land!

MAC Cosmetics newest collection, MAC in Lillyland launches with two fresh and colorful Nail Lacquers for Spring. Steamy, a permanent color, is a hot pink creme and Coconut Ice, limited edition, is a peachy sorbet treat.

Check out the swatches.

Coconut Ice is a yummy confectionary sweet made from coconut, sugar, eggs, and milk. Depending on the food coloring, it can range between a whitish/red or pink tint.

MAC represents Coconut Ice in the Lillyland collection as a bright peachy-pink creme perfect for Spring and Summer on those tootsies.

Do we really have to talk about the formula... because I'm so bummed with a capital B? Gorgeous shade, but the application was troublesome. No matter what method I tried, I couldn't get away from streak lines.

Check out some comparisons below. 

Coconut Ice is brightened, less pastel and more pink compared to MAC's Seasonal Peach. A good alternative is Barielle's Blossom, which leans towards peach.

Steamy is a MAC core line shade, described as a hot pink creme.

Are you feeling Coconut Ice? Did you pick up anything from MAC in Lillyland Collection? Have a wonderful Friday! TGIF!

FEATURED - Sunday, January 17th 2010

OPI Alice in Wonderland Collection for Spring

Product: OPI Alice in Wonderland Collection, Nail Lacquer .5 oz

Retail Price: $8.50/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: TransDesign, Professional Salons

When January and February find you buried in a mountain of cupids and hearts, OPI and Disney will take you Underland to a world of wild imagination and color!

This Spring, OPI and Disney celebrates the remake of Alice in Wonderland, directed by Tim Burton, with a limited edition collection of four new nail lacquers. Absolutely Alice and Mad As A Hatter - magical glitters for your fun side, and Off With Her Red and Thanks So Muchiness - classy, powerful reds for your romantic side.

Glitter lovers, you are going flip for these glistening gems... They are fab! We all know fame comes with a price tag, and in this case it's the removal process. Let acetone be your friend. 

Check out the swatches!

Just looking at Absolutely Alice makes me smile. The blue glitter with flecks of gold sparkles to your little heart desires. She's intoxicating, breathtaking and just has that wow factor.   

Based on OPI's description I was expecting Mad As A Hatter to be more blackened. Even though the multi-colored glitter is in a clear base, the overall color leans towards silver.

Off With Her Red - is a reddish orange creme. I'm not a big fan or reds, but the orange undertones gave this one a kick. It falls along the lines of a harvest red. 

Thank You So Muchiness - is a red shimmer with subtle, pink glitter flakes. In my second swatch, you can slightly see the chunky flakies.

All in All, Great Collection! Absolutely Alice and Mad As A Hatter are the star attractions. The application and formula was decent with 2-3 coats for good coverage. If you're interested in any colors, make sure you grab them quickly - the glitters are more than likely to sell out.

Did you pick up anything from OPI's Alice in Wonderland Collection? Are you planning to check out the movie in March?

FEATURED - Thursday, January 21st 2010

Nina Ultra Pro: Crushed Velvet Collection

Product: Nina Crushed Velvet Collection, Limited Edition Nail Lacquer .5 oz

Retail Price: $3.49/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Sally Beauty Stores

Last week when I stopped by my favorite beauty store to pick up some nail gel, I stumbled across a sweet, limited edition collection from Nina Ultra Pro that caught my eye.

The Crushed Velvet Collection introduces six, hi-gloss metallic nail lacquers laced with stunning flecks of gold shimmer. For the most part, each color is well pigmented and has a foil-y metallic finish. With the exception of Vintage Velvet, all shades applied smooth with two coats.

Are you ready for some swatches?

Vintage Velvet - is a gorgeous green metallic with flecks of gold shimmer. 

Velveteen Rabbit - is a mixture between a white gold and bronze metallic with flecks of gold shimmer.  

Viva La Velvet - is a red metallic with with flecks of gold shimmer. 

Velvet Underground - is a purple grape metallic with gold shimmer flecks.

Velvet Revolver was the only color from the collection that has a true metallic finish without flecks of gold shimmer. You'll notice in my swatches, the streak lines are more visible compared to the others.

Velvet Seas - is a blue green metallic with flecks of gold shimmer. 

And for the Matte Edition starring Essie's Matte About You. 

 

Overall, Great Collection for the metallic or foil lover. Nina Ultra Pro polishes are Big 3 free of toxic chemicals. Nice variety of colors, smooth application and reasonably priced for the budget savvy diva.  

My favorites: Velveteen Rabbit, Velvet Seas, Velvet Underground and Vintage Velvet.

How do feel about Nina Ultra Pro polishes? What are some of your favorite colors from the collection?

FEATURED - Thursday, February 18th 2010

Nubar Sparkles Collection for Spring

Product: Nubar Sparkles Collection, Nail Lacquer .5 oz

Retail Price: $49.95/kit or $7.49/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Online @ Nubar

Big 3 Free: Yes, Cruelty Free and Vegan!

Add some glitz and glamour to your wardrobe this season with the Sparkles Collection. The fine glitter texture provides full coverage in two to three coats, and available in eight dazzling colors.

After a record breaking week of that fluffy white powder, a fresh dose of Spring air is in order, wouldn't you agree? Nubar celebrates with another fun lovin' collection of eight colorful glitters.

As far as the formula, we have a couple different variations. Night Sparkle and Fire Sparkle are the only two colors in a "not so jelly" texture. It's more like a tinted satin and the glitter isn't as brilliant compared to the others, which are in a clear base.

Just a small disclaimer before we get started. All my swatches were taken indoors with a flash and artificial lighting. As soon as we get some sun here, I'll get better pictures.

Night Sparkle - is a deep blue glitter in a matching base. Since the base has a nice tint, Night Sparkle can easily be a two coater.

Oh man, Violet Sparkle is extremely pretty! It's a violet purple glitter in a clear base that flashes a bit of pink or magenta in certain lights. A must have!

Meadow Sparkle - is a light green glitter in a clear base.

Star Sparkle - is the only holographic based glitter from the Sparkles Collection. It's described as a silver glitter in a clear base. This would look fab layered over any nail color too.

Hyacinth Sparkle - is a lavender glitter in a clear base.

My swatches do absolutely nothing for Petunia Sparkle. It's a gorgeous magenta glitter in a clear base. This is another one of my faves up there with Violet Sparkle.

Sky Sparkle, sadly, is the only four coater from the group. It's a bright turquoise blue that resembles Massini or Color Club's Sexy Siren. 

Fire Sparkle - is a vibrant and saucy red glitter in a matching tinted base just like Night Sparkle.

My favorites: Violet Sparkle, Petunia Sparkle, Star Sparkle and Night Sparkle.

Overall, A great collection for glitter lovers! Not exactly two coaters as they claim to be. On the average, most colors were opaque in three coats, which is still pretty good considering. If you can get past the stubborn removal, you'll love these!

Did you guys pick up any colors from the Sparkles Collection? What are some of your faves?

Full Disclosure: The following product(s) was provided to Steph's Closet by the Manufacturer or PR company for consideration. 

FEATURED - Thursday, February 4th 2010

Milani 3D Holographic Collection for Spring

Product: Milani 3D Holographic, Nail Lacquer .5 oz

Retail Price: $4.25 - $5.99/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Meijer, CVS, Kmart

This Spring, Milani Cosmetics enters the realm of 3D with an assortment of new products consisting of Nail Lacquers and Makeup inspired by the blockbuster flick, Avatar.

When I heard that one of my favorite drugstore brands was unveiling a line of Neon, 3D Holographic and Nail Art polishes I was ecstatic and couldn't wait to test these babies out myself. Well the time is finally here, after a sneak peek at Fashion Week last September, Milani finally launches nationwide at stores.

If you're familiar with holographic or prismatic shades, then you can relate these to the Kaleidoscope Collection from China Glaze. The rainbow effect isn't nearly as strong; the large, glitter-like particles tend to break up the hologram a bit more compared to others.

The formula is light, airy and dries to a smooth, non-gritty finish with three coats. Have fun!  Try experimenting with different layering combinations for the ultimate look of sparkling, brilliant cut diamonds.

Check em' out! 

I haven't had a chance to check out Avatar, but when I do Cyberspace is the perfect accessory to tag along with for a total 3D experience. Even better, add some depth with Milani's Neon Dude Blue. 

HD - is a silver holographic.

3D - is a gold holo.

Hi-Res - is a light purple holo. To add more color, try using a coordinating base color like Milani's Rad Purple. 

Digital - is a pink holo.

Hi-Tech is absolutely fabulous! If you only pick one, this is your go to gal. Keep in mind, my swatches are NOT even close to being accurate, it's a bright (not neon) spring green with strong holo effect. Totally awesome with three coats!

Overall, Great collection! If you need a spur of the moment holo polish, Milani's are readily available at stores. The price may be a little on the high side, but if you figure in shipping costs and time for online ordering it all balances out.

To my knowledge (98%), Milani's Neon, 3d and Nail Art products are permanent items. I can't completely back that up until we starting seeing these more widespread. Look out for special BOGO (buy one, get one free) sales.

What do you guys think? Has anyone picked these up? I would love to hear feedback and what stores you've seen these? Have a wonderful pre-friday!

Feel free to link to this post; under no circumstances should my pictures be used without permission. 

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