China Glaze Holiday 2013 Collection - Happy HoliGlaze Collection

Happy Thanksgiving!  The Macy*s Thanksgiving Day parade used to be the official start of the holiday season...a season that has been starting around the beginning of October for the past few years.  I find it interesting that I am nearly looking upon Thanksgiving as the beginning of the end of the holiday season, we have been seeing holiday products and collections early October and many of the top products are sold out by now.  My Christmas shopping has been started and I have been working on my Amazon shopping cart for early Black Friday deals.  Today's post returns us to holiday nail polish collections and I might be adding a few new red shades to my collection.

China Glaze is always one of my favorite nail polish lines but I have traditionally not liked their holiday collections.  I find this line turns out beautiful collections for spring and fall, all kinds of great bright shades in the summer months but the holiday collections usually repeat the same shades over and over again and are overly glittery or metallic.  We will see if Happy HoliGlaze is any better than the last few collections but I don't have high hope for it.

The Happy HoliGlaze collection...

- All Wrapped Up - blue purple microglitter
- Be Merry, Be Bright - purple and red hexagonal glitter suspended in a clear base
- Bells Will Be Blinging - large chunks of blue glitter suspended in a clear base
- Elfin' Around - bright orange-red foil
- Just Be-Claws - medium red foil
- Mingle With Kringle - medium gold foil
- Put A Bow On It - medium purple microglitter
- Santa Red My List - magenta foil
- So Blue Without You - mermaid blue foil
- This Is Tree-Mendous - olive green microglitter
- Your Present Required - multicolored microglitter
- There's Snow One Like You - white textured pieces in a white cream base

This collection rivals the Essie holiday collection as the ugliest collection this holiday season.  I hate the majority of the shades in Happy HoliGlaze and will be skipping over this whole collection.  I will admit that I like that this company has not released multiple versions of the same red shades over and over again this collection but I can't say that I would wear most of these shades and have no idea what some of them are doing in the holiday collection.  There are way too many "non-traditional" holiday shades in this collection and the collection lacks a theme.  It appears that China Glaze has grabbed a bunch of shades from their permanent shade line, modified the shades a little bit, and then slapped some type of holiday-inspired name on the bottle.  Elfin' Around and So Blue Without You look like they belong in a summer collection.  This Is Tree-Mendous, All Wrapped Up, and Put A Bow On It look like they belong in a fall collection. This is the oddest assortment of shades in any holiday collection...

I only like two of the shades, Mingle With Kringle and So Blue Without You are very pretty even though I wouldn't use So Blue Without You until next summer.  The rest of the shades are not my cup of tea and they range from the odd to the ugly.  The ugliest shade award goes to There's Snow One Like You, this was supposed to be inspired by snow but looks like huge white chunks applied to the nail.  Every photo that I find of that shade is uglier than the next. 

This collection is a huge miss for me and I won't be buying nail polish until the spring collections release. 

photo courtesy of Google

China Glaze Fall 2013 Collection - Autumn Nights

I spent yesterday's post mooning over the new Zoya collection and today we are moving onto the China Glaze fall collection.  I already have started making a long list for the next time that I visit Ulta and I am sure that this collection will provide even more additions to that list.  I have started using deep red hues on my toes this week but still haven't moved over to using them on my hands yet...but that will come before the end of the month.  I have a great red from the China Glaze fall collection of 2012 and I am looking forward to polishing my nail with it very soon!

The new collection from China Glaze is named Autumn Nights and I am envisioning a range of deep jewel tones in multiple finishes.  In short, I expect this collection to be very similar to the Zoya collection that we looked at yesterday.  I don't know how many of these shades that I will need if I am able to purchase all of the shades that I wanted from Zoya but it will be nice to have some backup options in the event that shades are sold out. 

Here is the Autumn Nights collection!

- Goldie But Goodie - rich gold foil
- Gossip Over Gimlets - rich silver foil
- Charmed, I'm Sure - deep cool rich purple cream
- Don't Make Me Wine - medium magenta metallic
- Kiss My Glass - silver metallic with blue flash
- Public Relations - silver metallic with cool purple flash
- Queen B - rich blue/purple cream
- Red-y and Willing - medium cool red shimmer
- Rendezvous With You - deep purple/gray foil
- Scandalous Shenanigans - medium blue frost
- Strike Up a Cosmo - warm rose gold foil
- Tongue and Chic - medium aqua shimmer

I must say that I prefer the Zoya collection and this is one of my least favorite collections from China Glaze (usually the makers of fabulous collections).  There are very few shades that I want from this line up and am really only interested in the foil finish shades.  I love all four of the foil shades and will want to add all of them to my collection, I am the most excited about Strike Up a Cosmo but I know that Gossip Over Gimlets will be a staple in my fall polish rotation.  The only other shade that I really like Charmed, I'm Sure.  All of the metallic shades look like ones from previous holiday or fall collections and there is nothing unique about any of these shades so there will be a very short shopping list from this collection...

photo courtesy of China Glaze's Facebook

Look at This Manicure!

Happy Birthday to me!  I must say that I have no plans today other than starting a new workout routine at the gym I just joined and I am craving a salon visit.  I have a hair appointment next week but I really want a new manicure and to try something different with both my hair and nails.  I have been all about pink nail polish shades lately and I have been on the lookout to add more bottles of this hue to my polish collection.  I have been using my favorite pink from Illamasqua nearly three times a week since the beginning of the warm weather and this trend shows no signs of stopping for me this summer!

I wanted to see some more pink shades and Goggled "neon pink manicure" and found the above picture.  Most of you know that I am not a huge fan of nail art and I can pull off an accent manicure or polka dots on my nails but I can't do anything more complex.  I fell in love with this picture as soon as I saw in on my screen and I am really beginning to think about taking it to my salon and seeing if one of the manicurists can recreate it for me.  I am not totally sure why I fell in love with this nail art, I guess it stems from my love of pink, silver, and animal prints and I really want to try it out as a birthday present to myself!


photo courtesy of Swatchandlearn.com

China Glaze Summer 2013 Collection - Sunsational

The summer collections are basically over with for the year, several companies didn't really release a separate summer collection and tend to wait until fall to bring out their next big collection.  I can understand why not every company will bring out a separate collection, I tend to spend most of my beauty products money on the products for the spring and fall and then only pick up a few new lip and eye shades throughout the summer and early winter months.  And it goes without saying that every company wants to bring special products out for the holidays since this is the time of the year that I buy more beauty product gifts than ever before.  One of the beauty items that I buy all year and update every single season is nail polish and therefore I decided that our last summer collection should be the one that I know that I will buy several products from this summer.  And that is the newest collection from China Glaze!

The new summer collection from this company is named Sunsational and is a series of super funky bright hues for the summer months.  I love bright shades in the summer, especially pinks and aquas and I have been buying shades like this since the middle of April.  I am excited to add a few more of these shades to my collection before I start picking up jewel tones to go into the fall months.

This collection appears to be range of shades, all of which are bright hues with cream finishes.  I do not like brights with shimmer or glitter finish as they can go from pretty to tacky very quickly and are rarely suitable for manicures.

Here are the shades in the newest collection from China Glaze!

- Sun of a Peach - true peach cream
- Shell-o - bright magenta cream
- Neon and On and On - bright salmon pink cream
- Bottoms Up - bright lilac cream
- That's Shore Bright - bright periwinkle cream
- Too Yacht Too Handle - bright aqua cream
- Keepin' It Teal - medium deep aqua cream
- Isle See You Later - bright robins egg blue cream
- Are You Jelly? - cool bright purple cream
- You Drive Me Coconut - warm bright purple cream
- Highlight of My Summer - cool mint green cream
- Heat Index - bright fuchsia pink cream

My favorite shade is actually the bright lilac cream from this collection, I don't own any shade like Bottoms Up and I really want to try a completely different type of bright hue.  I don't know that I have even really seen many shades like this, this is one is just so different that I must buy it the next time that I order from Ulta.  That's Shore Bright is another favorite of mine for the same reason, I love the bright periwinkle shade and it would fill a hole in my collection too.  I have loves in both of the teal shades, I want to order both even though neither of them is very different from the shades that I already own.  I use teal shades so much and get so many compliments of them and I know that I would get lots of use from these shades.  From the pinks, I want Shell-o and Heat Index, I was hoping for shades that were different from the typical bright pink and I am not disappointed by this collection.

We have about a month until we start hearing about fall and I will taking that time to try a bunch of new products out.  I always try out a bunch of fragrances and body products in the summer and I will be reporting back with my thoughts and then we will begin heading into the fall collections by the end of June!

photo courtesy of China Glaze's Facebook page

China Glaze Glitz Bitz n' Pieces Nail Polish Collection

I now have begun stalking the China Glaze website to see when their summer collection comes out since I am craving some bright new pink and aqua polishes and I have some very high hopes for the next China Glaze collection.  While stalking their website, I noticed that there was a collection listed up there that I had somehow missed out on earlier this spring and we are going to look at it very quickly right now.  We are in the time period where the spring collections are finished and I am eagerly awaiting the new summer collections and by the next week they should be coming out.  The small collection that I missed earlier on is named the Glitz Bitz n' Pieces collection and contains six new polish shades that are all dramatic glitter polishes and will really appeal to certain customers. 

This is not a polish collection for me, I am sick of the glitter pieces in polishes and I am basically over nail art so I am getting sick of the very dramatic nail looks.  However, these trends show no signs of letting up so I know that I will be seeing these types of polishes for the next few months.  I will just try and ignore them the best that I can but I feel like when this trend finally does end, the nail polish trends are going to swing so far the other way that we will be wearing neutrals and pales for the next few seasons.

Here is the Glitz Bitz n' Pieces collection...

- Bling it On - black and purple large glitter in a clear base
- Glitz n' Pieces - black and silver large glitter in a clear base
- Graffiti Glitter - emerald green and black large glitter in a clear base
- Mosaic Madness - deep blue and black large glitter in a clear base
- Razzle me, Dazzle Me - pale pink and black large glitter in a clear base
- Scattered and Tattered - deep red and black large glitter in a clear base

I don't like any of these shades but I still say that they look much better when I found blogger swatches of them online rather than just looking at the pictures of the bottles on the China Glaze website and Facebook page.  The glitter in all of these pieces are much too big for me to pull off on a normal day, I could only consider using them in an accent manicure when going out at night.  The only shade that I am even somewhat interested in is the Mosaic Madness, I do like the deep blue glitter in it.  I could imagine myself using this shade in an accent manicure over a pale blue nail polish shade.  This is still the only way that I could consider wearing one of these polishes so I still doubt that I will be buying any of these shades.  This is collection that I will be skipping over...

photo courtesy of China Glaze's Facebook page

China Glaze Spring 2013 Collection - Avant Garden

The official collection for the spring season from China Glaze has finally arrived to their website and that means that I will have a trip to Ulta and Sally Beauty Supply coming up very soon.  I have collected many shades from spring collections in the previous years from this company and Anchors Away from spring of 2011 is still one of my favorite polish collections in history and I own almost half of the shades but still keep adding more polishes from it when I go shopping.  That collection contained a great mixture of brights, neutrals, and pales and I can only hope that Avant Garden is just as lovely this year. 

China Glaze is a favorite nail polish line of mine and one that I buy multiple bottles of every single season.  I just love their shade range and how well their polish wears for me, thanks to this company, my polish collection is spilling out of the box that it is stored in and I have to take a day while I am on vacation and visit Bed Bath and Beyond to figure out a new storage system.  And if this spring collection is as good as last year's Electropop and Anchors Away, then I will need a new storage system before I haul from Avant Garden...

"China Glaze is a professional-level nail enamel made with a special balance of polymers and resins that combine to create a nail lacquer that is long lasting, chip-resistant and resistant to color and shine fading. Will not thicken in the bottle, no thinners necessary."

This collection is comprised of pretty pastels and vibrant brights.  I am not sure which line I am more excited for and I know that I will quickly find favorites in both shade ranges.  I think that I will start with the pale shades for spring and then buy the brights but save them for the summer months.  I have just started getting my pale shades out and I refuse to go back to wearing my deep jewel tones.  It hit the mid 60s last weekend and I want the temperatures to stay there for the rest of the month!

Here are the pales in the Avant Garden collection!

- Dandy Lyin' Around - pure white shimmer with silver while glitter flecks
- Fade Into Hue - muted periwinkle cream
- Keep Calm, Paint On - mint green with a silver shimmer finish
- Life is Rosy - muted cool rose cream
- Pink-ie Promise - medium bubblegum pink cream
- Tart-y for the Party - bright lilac cream

And here are the brights in the collection!

- Budding Romance - bright yellow olive green cream
- Fancy Pants - bright indigo with silver shimmer
- Mimosas Before Manis - bright warm coral with gold shimmer
- Passion for Petals - bright warm salmon pink cream
- Snap Dragon - bright magenta with silver and gold shimmer
- Sunday Funday - bright cool blue cream

My favorite part of the collection is the pastels, my top rated shade is the one that I have pictured here.  Tart-y for the Party is very similar to the shade that I loved from the OPI Eurocentrale collection and I have been loving lilac polish shades so far this season.  I now know what shades will be in constant rotation on my nails this season.  It goes with saying that Tart-y for the Party will be going on my Most Wanted List for the next month.  I also want to purchase a few more shades from this collection and my shopping list is as follows; Dandy Lyin' Around, Fade Into Hue, Life is Rosy, and Snap Dragon.  Snap Dragon reminds me very much of a shade from Anchors Away (Ahoy! I believe) and I know that I will get lots of use from all of these shades this spring and summer.

This is another great collection from China Glaze and it is getting me ready for the warm weather to come back and stay.  We only have a few more spring collections left so we will wrap it up over the next two weeks and I will keep collecting great new beauty products from spring!

photo courtesy of China Glaze's Facebook page

China Glaze Spring 2013 Collection - Tranzitions

Today we are going to start with the spring collections and I am more than ready to begin shopping for the new season!  I have visions of pinks and all kinds of pastel nail hues running through my head and I am already trying to figure out how I am going to store all the new nail polish shades that I will end up purchasing over the next few months.  Storage of polishes is still the same issue for me that it was several months ago, I haven't been to a Bed Bath and Beyond with the holiday shopping season just ending and I have to visit this store and find some type of drawer or container that can store a polish collection that is very rapidly growing.  One of my goals of 2013 to start organizing my stuff better so that I can be ready to move out when I finish my degree.  I think a trip to Bed Bath and Beyond is order before the next semester begins...

The first of the spring collections of nail polish is China Glaze Tranzitions, this is the first of two spring collections that I believe this company will be coming out with.  Lately, the polish company has brought multiple collections out for each season, many of them have tie-ins to movie releases so I do wonder what else will be on the way over the next few months.

The Tranzitions collection contains series of new polish colors and then several top coats that can be layered over the shades.  The top coats change the shade of each polish and allow the user to create all different kinds of patterns and looks for the nail.  This collection of polishes will help create all kinds of nail art looks, this is one of the easier ways to work into a nail art look.  You can make these patterns as complex or simple as you wish, I would be more likely to start with simple dots or stripes and then try to work up to a more complex pattern (if I even could).  It looks to me like each base shade has it's own top coat color and I have yet to figure out if they can only be used together or if the top coats can be used on any base shade.

The Ulta website provides a full description of the formula for the China Glaze Nail Lacquer, this only applies to the traditional hues in the collection (the top coats are totally different).  "China Glaze is a professional-level nail enamel made with a special balance of polymers and resins that combine to create a nail lacquer that is long lasting, chip-resistant and resistant to color and shine fading. Will not thicken in the bottle, no thinners necessary."

Here are the shades in the collection...

- Altered Reality - medium teal with teal shimmer and a metallic finish, when used with matching top coat - bluish teal
- Duplicity - aqua with matte finish, when used with matching top coat - deep teal
- Metallic Metamorphosis - gray with a silver metallic finish, when used with matching top coat - dark charcoal
- Modify Me - medium periwinkle blue cream, when used with matching top coat - deep blue
- Shape Shifter - deep gray with purple flash, when used with matching top coat - deep purple
- Split Personality - light pink with cream finish, when used with matching top coat - dark pink

I love the aqua shades in this collection, I want both the Altered Reaility and Duplicity shades.  I will be using aquas and emeralds all spring and this will be a new way to wear the trend on my nails.  Modify Me is another great hue for spring, periwinkle would actually fill a hole in my polish collection since I don't own any shade like this already.  Lastly, Metallic Metamorphosis is a deep gray that I would use in the winter and then put away for next fall.  However I must buy and try one of these shades before I decide that I must have all four of the shades.

Most of my concern is that I might have issues using the polishes and creating designs.  It sounds very easy however China Glaze polishes are quite thick and I do wonder how control would be on creating the design, I have not seen much information on these polishes in any beauty blog or magainze so I will be watching out for some more thoughts and reviews on them.

Let's get spring started!

photo courtesy of China Glaze's Facebook page

Current Favorites!

I just realized the other day that I haven't done a Five Favorites post for several months now, at one point I was doing them monthly and then somehow I just stopped during them during the fall months.  I can pretty sum up my entire fall and early winter favorites with this post, I have been using all kinds of red shades for my nails and lips and have been using Kate Walsh Boyfriend ever since I first got the sample from Sephora and then ordered the rollerball of the fragrance.  I can say that I have chosen some really great products over the past few months since I have been many of the same shades and fragrances since October, normally I tend to rarely use the same fragrance or shade two days in a row so it is pretty unbelieveable that I continue to use the same shades day after day and am still in love with them!

My Five Favorites from the beginning of fall to the present!

MAC Lipstick in Ladybug - " Colour plus texture for the lips. Stands out on the runway. Simmers on the street! What made M·A·C famous"  Ladybug is a sheer red, described by the company as "yellow tomato" and it is one of the Luster finish Lipsticks.  Lusters are on the sheer side and are more hydrating than any other formula, they are perfect for any time of the year and are among the easiest of MAC Lipstick's to wear.  This lipstick shade is a neutral red that is sheer enough to wear in any situation but will still get you noticed.  This is one of my favorite red lip shades and is one that I often recommend to ladies looking to buy their first red lip hue.

Kate Walsh Boyfriend - "She inhales his shirt, taking in the scent of the man she loves. It lingers on her clothes, her sheets, her hair—all over. Imprinted on her body and in her mind, it radiates within her, filling her with feelings of warmth and desire.  Actress Kate Walsh wanted to capture the scent of a guy on a girl: a man's cologne mixed with perfume, the smell that lingers on the skin. This fragrance evokes memories of that time after he has left for the day—when she gently awakes in a bed that's still warmly redolent of "boyfriend."  An alluring balance of vanilla, jasmine blossoms, and an accord of amber is set against the sensual scents of a man, including a light musk and a shimmer of fresh woods.  Notes: Dark Plum, Myrrh, Night Blooming Jasmine, Benzoin Tears, Skin Musk, Golden Amber, Vanilla Woods."  This unique fragrance has been one of my favorites over the past few weeks, I used my sample of this scent within a few days and then quickly ordered the Rollerball from Sephora.  This fragrance is a mixture of plum, jasmine, vanilla, and wood on me.  I initially didn't like this fragrance but am very glad that I gave it another chance, it is much more masculine than what I normally wear but doesn't smell like men's colonge.  It is very soft and sensual and the perfect date fragrance or to wear for cuddling in the winter months.  I will be using this all the time until spring comes.

China Glaze Nail Lacquer in Adventure Red-y - "China Glaze is a professional-level nail enamel made with a special balance of polymers and resins that combine to create a nail lacquer that is long lasting, chip-resistant and resistant to color and shine fading. Will not thicken in the bottle, no thinners necessary. "  Adventure Red-y is a "deep vivid red" with a cream finish, I love this red shade so much!  It came out in the On Safari collection for fall and now it is getting harder to find but I really recommend searching for it.  This is one of my favorite reds, it is deeper than many of the other that I own and I get compliments on it whenever I wear it.  It works very well in the fall months and then I wore it straight through the holidays and will still use it next summer for pedicures.  This is one of the best purchases that I have ever made from this polish company and On Safari is now up there with Anchors Away as my favorite collections from them.

Buxom Big and Healthy Lip Polish in Betty - "A pout-perfecting, sheer coverage, shimmering lip gloss.  This bestselling, lip polish instantly creates the look of fuller, more voluptuous lips with luminous shine. Vitamins A and E help keep lips soft, smooth, and protected while the tingling sensation reminds you that it's working."  Betty is a "crimson red" and is one of the older shades in this product, I first got this lip gloss back in 2009 and I somehow forgot about it for a whole year and then I pulled it out and tried it for the first time around the holidays in 2010.  This is a lovely deep sheer red.  It is another shade that is sheer enough that anyone can pull it off and it will work in any situtation but will still get you noticed.  This formula has a bit of a plumping effect but nothing mind blowing, it will help to slightly fill out your lips and improve the texture but it will not give you the collagen lips.  This is one of the Sephora best-selling lip gloss formulas and I have never met anyone that doesn't like this product!

Tarte EmphasEYES Waterproof Clay Shadow/Liner in Bronze - "A collection of plush eyeliners and a double-ended eyeliner brush, to create intense and long-lasting high definition eyes.  These liners provide skinvigorating™ benefits and an intense yet smooth-cream texture, perfect for creating a precise, high definition line or a smoky, sultry shadow base. High-performance natural™ Amazonian clay deepens the intensity of pure color pigments while nourishing skin for a truer, bolder color that lasts. The botanical waterproofing agent in these liners is earth engineered from a blend of natural plant waxes to form an impermeable layer that protects against rain, sweat, tears, and creasing for longer wear.  Nature's most perfect ingredient, Amazonian clay, balances and neutralizes skin's surface. Whether oily or dry, it reduces surface oil and improves the overall texture of the skin, for smoother application and better wear. The black and brown shades are matte; the bronze, plum, indigo, and green shades are metallic."  Bronze is a "deep bronze sheen" and is the eyeliner that I have been turning to more and more ever since I bought it in October.  This liner shade works with both of the Urban Decay Naked Palettes and therefore I use it at least three times a week, it is more subtle than the liner shades that Urban Decay selected for the palettes and therefore is much easier to wear in a professional environment.  This shade has a bit of shimmer but it is subtle and will work well with any type of makeup look.  I have been using this liner with shades from Naked and Naked 2 and then doing a sheer red lip at lot lately, both for work and getting dressed up at night.

I have been using this fragrances and products for the past few weeks and I know that I will continue to use them all through the rest of the winter.  Last year, I got sick of red right after the holidays were over but I am much more in loves with reds this year and I know that I will be using these products all the way until the beginning of March!

photo courtesy of China Glaze's Facebook page

China Glaze Cirque de Soleil Nail Polish Collection

China Glaze has partnered with a film company to create a collection to celebrate the new release of the Cirque de Soleil movie (opening this months).  I don't need to add any more nail polish shades until I visit Bed Bath and Beyond and find a new way to store all of my nail polishes however I can never ignore a new collection from China Glaze.  At this point, I use more China Glaze polishes than any other brand and I bet that I own more polishes from this company than all other brands combined.  It is at the point that every single time that I visit Sally Beauty Supply or Ulta, I walk out with an entire bag full of polishes from this line.  Cirque de Soleil is yet another opportunity for me to add more polishes for this line to my already huge polish collection.

Cirque de Soleil contains a collection of shades that are all over the place on the shade range.  Some of the shades will be good for the holiday season and the rest will be held until the beginning of the spring months.  Most of the shades would be ones that I would put aside until the beginning of spring but I know that they will sell out well before the end of the holiday season so if I fall in love with anything, I know that I must order it now.  Many of these shade have a strong glitter or shimmer finish and will not be office appropriate but a few of the shades are more subtle cream hues.  I am on the fence with glitter polishes, I like all of the glitters that I own but I am starting to get burned out with seeing them in every single collection and in every single shade...

Here is the China Glaze and Cirque de Soleil Collection!

Nail Lacquer - China Glaze is a professional-level nail enamel made with a special balance of polymers and resins that combine to create a nail lacquer that is long lasting, chip-resistant and resistant to color and shine fading. Will not thicken in the bottle, no thinners necessary.

- It's a Trap-eze - white cream base with blue, green, white, orange, silver, pink, yellow, and purple large glitter pieces.
- Whirled Away - clear base with black bar pieces of glitter, black dot glitter, and large white dot glitter
- Escaping Reality - bright medium pink cream
- Surreal Appeal - bright warm coral/pink cream
- Def Defying - bright lime green cream
- Running in Circles - bright kelly green shimmer with green glitter
- Haning in the Balance - medium periwinkle blue cream
- Water Are You Waiting For? - medium blue base with all shades of blue glitter
- Creative Fantasy - rich deep purple cream
- Bend Over Backwards - bright red cream base with red glitter
- Igniting Love - bright orange red cream
- Get Carried Away - black base with black and orange glitter pieces

Bend Over Backwards is bascially Ruby Pumps with a new name, enough already!  I am am really a fan of any of the glitter shades in this collection, most fvo them contain huge pieces of glitter and are very glitter heavy.  Ladies who love glitter will love this collection but many of the shades are just too out there for me to pull off on a daily basis.  I must say that all of the glitter shades are very unique and I have never seen shades like these before so I must give China Glaze points for being original.  Water Are You Waiting For? is the only glitter that I must have in this collection, I love all the hues of blue glitter in the formula and I will use this shade all year long.

Escaping Reality is a great bright pink cream and I will buy this shade to put aside for the spring, I loved bright pinks all last year and I bet that I will love them again this spring season.  I don't really like any of the other creams, the corals and reds are much too warm for me to pull off.  Def Defying is much too bright for me and I have never liked bright greens before and I don't plan to start anytime soon.

This is not my favorite collection from China Glaze, usually I like at least four or five shades from a collection.  A collection from this company that I only like two shades from could be considered a failure for me however I do really love these two shades.  I can't add any more shades to my collection anyway at the moment so I am not that heart broken that I won't have a huge haul from this shade collection.

photo courtesy of China Glaze's Facebook page

China Glaze Holiday 2012 Polish Collection - Holiday Joy

One of my favorite brands has just released their seasonal collection and I could not be more excited.  The other day, I had a good sized haul of polishes from this collection at Sally, I picked up some of the best rated shades from the Makeup Alley Nail Board (WOW, Dorothy Who? is amazing!) and then I found that their fall collection shades were all on the Sale table and I picked up a bottle of Adventure-redy that I have fallen in love with overnight.  I see that they must have been making room for the new holiday collection since I now see that the China Glaze holiday-inspired polishes are now up on the China Glaze website. 

Subtle is not the word for this collection, I see tons of reds and almost everything has a shimmer or glitter finish.  the only creams are dramatic red hues, all of which look exactly like other reds that I already own from either China Glaze or Deborah Lippmann.  These shades will bring attention to your nails this holiday season and there is a shade for every single party that you will attend over the next two months.  Professional, these are not but they are so much fun and I will be wearing them anytime that I am not in professional attire.  Maybe one of the reds could be worn at a company Christmas party but that is about it...

The Ulta website contains the best description of the top rated China Glaze formula.  "China Glaze is a professional-level nail enamel made with a special balance of polymers and resins that combine to create a nail lacquer that is long lasting, chip-resistant and resistant to color and shine fading. Will not thicken in the bottle, no thinners necessary. "  China Glaze has been one of my favorite nail polish formulas and shade ranges ever since I got really into nail polishes about 18 months ago and I have been collecting shades like crazy every single season from this brand.

Here are the new shades from China Glaze holiday!

- Merry Berry - deep berry cream
- Cranberry Splash - bright red with red glitter
- Red Satin - medium blue red cream
- With Love - bright blue red cream
- Pure Joy - red and gold glitter suspended in a clear base
- Champagne Kisses - rose gold glitter suspended in a clear base with subtle holographic glitter bits
- Winter Holly - forest green and subtle gold glitter suspended in a clear base
- Glitter All The Way - mixture of red, purple, green, and gold glitter chunks in a clear base
- Angel Wings - gold glitter suspended in a clear base
- Glistening Snow - silver glitter suspended in a clear base
- Blue Bells Ring - medium ice blue with a metallic foil finish
- Pizzazz - multicolored glitter suspended in a clear base

I just bought a bunch of reds on my last visit to Sallys so I don't know that I really need any of these shades even though I really like them.  Cranberry Splash looks so similar to Ruby Pumps that I know that I can skip over it very easily, Red Satin looks very close to Adventure-redy, and With Love looks exactly like Hey Sailor, shades that are all in my collection already.  I can safely ignore the reds in this collection even though they are very attractive.

Champagne Kisses and Glistening Snow are my favorites in this collection, I love glitter metallics around the holidays and in the winter and these are two great choices.  I have been in love with the rose gold shade ever since it became so popular last spring and I have been using it in all, types of looks for the past few months.  I am more than happy to add Champagne Kisses to my collection and I know that I will wear it all year long.  Glistening Snow will work well for the holidays too and then again for the rest of the year, I love silver hues too and this one must be added to my collection. 

All of the multicolored glitters will be skipped over, these are hues that I would wear very rarely.  I already own Deborah Lippmann's Happy Birthday and that is the only shade that I wear when I feel the desire to rock a nail look like this.  I don't even wear that shade very much so the last thing that I need to add more shades like this to my collection that is already getting way too big. 

So I only really need two shades from this collection and the rest I will be ok skipping over, this isn't that great of a China Glaze collection for me, normally I want at least four or five shades from every collection and will then end up finding more that I want every time that I go to Sallys or Ulta.  The holiday collection from this collection isn't very unique, it is very similar to the holiday collections from the past two years and none of the shades really change my life.  I am now much more excited for the Skyfall collection from OPI...

photo courtesy of China Glaze's Facebook page

China Glaze BCA Collection - United in Purpose

Everyone knows that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and many companies make special products to celebrate awareness and then to donate the proceeds to charity.  I have already seen some special facial skincare products from Clinique for BCA month and the NFL is producing all kinds of special jerseys for this month.  One of the companies that I hadn't seen many special products created for charity is China Glaze, I love this company and it is one of my top five favorite nail polish companies and I am so excited to have stumbled across the United in Purpose collection on their website!

China Glaze has brought us twelve new shades of pink lacquers, there is every single shade from super pale pink to a bright magenta and then two shades with full glitter finishes.  I will be picking up a few shades from this group since I love pink polishes and am always adding new pinks to my collection.  I bet that I will be putting a few of these aside for the next spring and summer since some of the shades are not what I prefer to wear this time of the year.  The pale shades are the only ones that I would wear at this point but I still plan to buy a bunch of shades from the lineup.

Here are the shades that are part of the BCA collection!

- Hello Gorgeous! - pink and silver glitter suspended in a clear base
- United - pink and gold glitter suspended in a clear base
- Heart of the Matter - deep magenta cream
- Beauty Within - bright magenta cream
- Live, Love, Laugh - bright bubblegum pink cream
- Exquisite - light pink shimmer
- Faith - pale neutral pink cream
- Always Be a Lady - pale cool pink cream
- Hopeful - very pale neutral pink cream
- Dare to Bare - very pale cool pink cream
- Angel's Breath - sheer pale neutral pink cream
- Pearls of Wisdom - pale cool pink tinged with gray

My favorite two shades are the glitter finish polishes, I don't need both of these shades so I think that I will choose the Hello Gorgeous! shade (the silver version) and I will wear this polish right now and I can actually see myself wearing it all throughout the year.  I am so excited for this shade, it is very unique and I own nothing like it at all.  I am hoping that I can layer it over other silver and pink polishes that are already in my collection.

It goes without saying that I would like to own and would use any of the pale pink hues.  If I had to decided on just a few, I would start my search with Always Be a Lady and Dare to Bare (the cooler pinks).  I will be happy with any of these shades and I will buy whatever shades are still left on the display next time that I go to Ulta.

photo courtesy of China Glaze's Facebook page

China Glaze Halloween 2012 Nail Polish Collection

It seems that the fall collections are coming to a close and I am so excited to see a few Halloween collections before the holiday collections start releasing at the beginning of October.  Halloween is a holiday that I really enjoy, even though I don't always get dressed up, I still start buying Trick or Treat candy as soon as it hits the supermarket shelves.  For me, the true arrival of fall occurs when I see the seasonal aisle in the supermarkets change the picnic items to all kinds of Halloween candy and treats.  I have been picking up candy nearly every single time that I have bought groceries the past three weeks and crave candy all the time now.  It's that special time of the year!

I am so excited to see that China Glaze has released a series of new polish shades for Halloween, six brand new hues that are perfect for those who love this holiday.  And for those who just want to keep adding more nail polishes to their already large collections!  All of these shades are bold and great for someone who wants to get noticed!  I wouldn't recommend wearing any of these in a professional environment, they are strictly for fun...nothing wrong with that at Halloween!

Here is the Wicked collection from China Glaze!

Nail Lacquer - China Glaze is a professional quality nail enamel that is resistant to chipping and color fading.  China Glaze is a professional-level nail enamel made with a special balance of polymers and resins that combine to create a nail lacquer that is long-lasting, chip-resistant and resistant to color and shine fading.  Will not thicken in the bottle, no thinners necessary.

The new Halloween shades...

- Roguish Red - warm red cream
- Glitter Goblin - clear base with large pieces of orange and silver glitter
- Make a Spectacle - clear blase with small silver shimmer and large pieces of holographic glitter
- Cast a Spell - black cream with green and gold shimmer
- Bizarre Blurple - blue purple base with blue shimmer
- Immortal - light gray cream with blue shimmer

The glitters are my favorite shades in this collection, the creams are nice but they aren't anything special and I could find them in many different permanent polish collections.  Make a Spectacle is my favorite shades, this one can be worn on its own or as a top coat over all shades of polish.  I would wear it this time of the year over jewel tones or black and gray hues and then next spring, I will wear it over pastels.  I hope China Glaze made enough bottles of these shades to keep up with the demand because I must own this color!

Immortal is my second choice, I love grays and silvers in the fall and winter and this one is very unique.  Glitter Goblin is very festive but I am on the fence on it, its nice but I feel like I would only wear it once or twice a year and I would be more likely to buy it if I could get it in a small size in a set.

Hopefully we see some more Halloween collections soon!

photo courtesy of bebeautiful.com

China Glaze Fall 2012 Collection - New Bohemian

China Glaze has released a second collection for the fall season, I loved many of the shades from On Safari and am so excited for the New Bohemian polish collection.  I have seen glimpses of it on professional polish websites and blogs and it is now available on the China Glaze website.  New Bohemian is a series of all duochrome shades, duochromes are polishes that appear to be one shade on the nail and then shine a completely different hue when the hand is in different lights.  I own a few duochrome shades but they aren't my favorite finish and I don't wear them very much.  My favorite duochrome is Lippmann's Wicked Game, the purple shines all different hues when I move my hands.  I am somewhat interested in another purple duochrome, the only other shade that I am coveting in a duochrome finish is a gold that shines with a green hue.
China Glaze describes these polishes as "luster chromes", all of the polishes have a shimmery finish and are rich jewel tones.  These shades are perfect for fall and I can see them inspiring lots of love among China Glaze polish fans.  They are too much for a professional environment but will work well for weekends and other play times.

The Ulta website provides a descrtiption of the nail polish formula.  "China Glaze is a professional quality nail enamel that is resistant to chipping and color fading.  China Glaze is a professional-level nail enamel made with a special balance of polymers and resins that combine to create a nail lacquer that is long-lasting, chip-resistant, and resistant to color and shine fading.  Will not thicken in the bottle, no thinners necessary."

The shades are as follows...

- Unpredictable - blue green teal with gold shimmer and gold duochrome
- Rare and Radiant - gold foil with cool green duochrome
- Swanky Silk - gold foil with pink duochrome
- No Plain Jane - deep cool purple with slight blue duochrome and gold shimmer
- Want My Bawdy - deep blue with silver duochrome and silver shimmer
- Deviantly Daring - deep aqua with gold shimmer and gold duochrome

I don't know that I am in love with any of these shades, I like all of them but I don't really need to add them to my collection.  My favorite shade is Rare and Radiant, this is the gold foil with the green cast that I had been searching for when I first heard about this collection.  That shade is the only one that I plan to add to my nail collection the next time that I head over to Ulta.  No Plain Jane is a pretty purple shade however I have been told on the Makeup Alley boards that this shade has a very slight duochrome and the gold shimmer is more evident than the blue cast.  This might be the easiest of the shades to wear if you have never tried a duochrome polish. 

The two shades listed above are the only two shades that I am interested in buying, the others I can easily skip over.  Unpredictable and Deviantly Daring are not very different, look very similar in the bottle.  I already own an aqua duochrome and I don't need to add another one to my collection.  Want My Bawdy is a nice blue hue but another one that I am not super in love with, I thought that I would like this shade much more when I saw that it was a blue shade but it isn't deep enough to be a navy hue.  If this shade was a darker navy hue, I would be all over this shade.  Swanky Silk is another gold hue, this time with a rose duochrome.  I would have been more likely to buy this shade earlier in the summer months, I have been creating rose gold eyes since the beginning of the summer and I wish that this shade would have been available earlier on, I might buy this shade and put it away for next summer...

photo courtesy of China Glaze's Facebook page

China Glaze Fall 2012 Collection - On Safari

We have just finished up one of my favorite weeks of the year, I love looking at all kinds of French brands and products.  However we now are back to fall collections and looking at everything new that is coming at very rapidly.  In fact, having one week where I didn't touch new products or collections has left me with a list of new releases and collections to check out.  I have lots to catch up on!

One of the fall launches that I am most excited for is that of China Glaze.  Their summer collection came out so late that I never bought anything from it because I already owned every polish hue that I was going to buy for the summer months.  I find it interesting that their fall collection came out in early July, actually only one month after their summer collection.  Very strange timing on the part of this nail polish company...

On Safari is a range of deep fall shades for the nails and toes.  Ten of the shades are full pigment shades and the other are glitter shades that can be used either alone or as top coats.  I loved China Glaze's collection from last fall and I hope that this one is just as lovely.  I have been using bright hues for the past few weeks and I am now beginning to crave buying some deep jewel toned polishes.

Here are the shades in On Safari!

- Man Hunt - bright denim blue with a cream finish
- Exotic Encounters - medium muted teal with a cream finish
- Elephant Walk - medium cool gray with a slight silver shimmer finish
- Jungle Queen - deep gray purple with a silver shimmer finish
- Purr-fect Plum - deep berry with a cream finish
- Prey Tell - very deep red with a cream finish
- Adventure Red-y - deep blue red with a cream finish
- Call of the Wild - deep burgundy brown with a cream finish
- Desert Sun - medium orange caramel with a cream finish
- I Herd That - mixture of gold, copper, and red glitter
- I'm Not Lion - mixture of gold and silver glitter
- Kalahari Kiss - sandy beige with a cream finish

This collection isn't as strong as last fall's (at least in my opinion) but I still ahve some shades from it that I really want to own.  My favorite from this collection is the shades that I have pictured, I'm Not Lion.  This gold and silver glitter mixture is so unique and will work so well with many outfits for the fall.  I must have this shade since I can wear it now and then all next season!  My second favorite shade is Exotic Encounters, I love the teal cream shade.  I have teal shades but all of them have a shimmer finish and I love how the cream finish looks in this hue. 

After I purchase my two top choices from this collection, I have a list of other hues that I wish to own.  Man Hunt is a great blue shade that will match much of my wardrobe.  Elephant Walk is a great gray, I wear grays as neutrals all year long and this shade is seasonless.  I like all of the red and berry hues in this collection however they are not the most unique shades that are offered.  Adventure Red-y is my favorite red, it will work with all of my blue red lipsticks to create a ladylike look for fall.  I would buy both of the other reds but they don't excite me as much as the first one.

This is great selection of fall polish hues, there are some very unique shades and some that are slightly more office appropriate.  I have two top choices from this collection to add to my polish collection and I can't wait to start collecting new hues for the fall months!

photo courtesy of China Glaze's Facebook page

My Current Favorite Beauty Products!

In the middle of June, I did a Favorites list and I was on the fence about doing another one, I am still loving many of the products that were on the list and I didn't want to write up a list that was exactly the same this month.  I am still into keeping a great fake tan and making sure that I don't fall into the hot weather rut of simply grabbing the same products over and over again.  I have fallen into that trap for a few summers in a row and I refuse to fall into it again this year.  That being said, I still have some of the same favorites but my tastes have been changing over the past few weeks.  My self tan is now fully developed and I have fallen comfortably into that routine and have been choosing shades that complement it.  I stopped summer product shopping well over a month ago and am now beginning to collect shades that I can use both now and in the fall months or products that I am putting away for after Labor Day.

Being that I am really into the self tanning routine now, I am all over bright shades for my tips and lips to complement the bronzed look.  Illamasqua's Collide Nail Varnish was on my last Top Five List and it still tops this one, this neon pink is simply one of the best pinks and a consistent favorite of mine.  I believe that it will remain a favorite hue of mine all through the beginning of fall.

So what am I loving right now?!

China Glaze Nail Lacquer in Aquadelic - "China Glaze is a professional-level nail enamel made with a special balance of polymers and resins that combine to create a nail lacquer that is long lasting, chip-resistant and resistant to color and shine fading.  Will not thicken in the bottle, no thinners necessary."  Aquadelic is a shade that came out with the spring Electropop collection, this shade is a bright turquoise cream that pops out against a tan.  I initally tried this shade on my toes and was a bit hesistant to wear it on my hands during the spring months but now that summer is in full swing, I have been rocking it as much as I can.  I never fail to get compliments on this color and I get two to three full days of wear from this shade with very minimal chipping.  I love this shade and this is one of my summer favorites, I am very glad that I left my comfort zone and bought this at Ulta several months ago.

Illamasqua Nail Varnish in Collide - "Leave your mark with bold, rich, vibrant colours that stand out.  The formula is hardwearing and chip resistant and contains individual finishes from matte to high gloss.  Apply two coats for high intensity and use with Illamasqua Nail Base Coat and Illamasqua Nail Top Coat for the perfect finish.  Make a statement and talk with your hands!"  Collide is a "bright neon pink" with a satin finish.  I have been wearing this pink hue for about two months now and it is one of the few polishes that I turn to at least once a week.  This bright pink is very vibrant against my fake tan and simply screams "Summer!" to me.  I just bought a vintage Lilly Pultizer dress and this pink shade is the exact same shade that is used in the dress, yet another reason for me to love this polish!

C.O. Bigelow Mentha Body Vitamin Body Wash - "Our mint-infused body wash provides an invigorating sensation while cleansing and refreshing skin.  Wake-you-up formula deeply nourishes with Vitamins A, C, and E to keep skin extra-healthy and looking its best.  Infused with cooling peppermint for an invigorating experience."  This body wash and matching products are my savior during the hot, humid months of the summer.  The cooling peppermint oil acts like an air conditioner for your body and manages to cool me off even while I am still in the shower.  This wash is perfect for morning or night; in the morning, it helps to wake me up and help me start my day and in the evening, it helps to rinse all the sweat and dirt from the day off.  I also use this after going running and it is the perfect product for an after workout shower.  This product is best in the summer, it is too strong for any other time of the year.  This is one of C.O. Bigelow's best body product blends.

NARS Semi-Matte Lipstick in Schiap - "A modern semi-matte lipstick that provides full-bodied, velvety color in a highly pigmented and non-drying formula.  Longwearing, full coverage finish.  Rich, vivid shade range from neutrals to high fashion hues.  Patened blend of conditioners and antioxidants hydrate, nourish, and protect lips."  Schiap is a "shocking matte pink" and works well with a bronzed or pale complexion.  I have been reaching for this shade when dressing up for day or night recently and it has taken the place of my beloved red lips for summertime drama.  I will be wearing it all the way through the fall since bright matte lips will remain a top trend.  This lipstick formula lasts for several hours and stays on well through eating and drinking.  The formula can be slightly drying after an hour or two so I do need a separate lip balm with it.  This is one of my favorite lipstick formulas and I add to my collection of them almost everytime that I head to Sephora.

Chloe L'Eau de Chloe - "L'Eau de Chloe is elegance injected with a modern twist.  It's an utterly innate sense of chic with the fresh feeling of springtime pastels, light dresses, and rose petals.  This smooth and comfortable fragrance is a toally addictive floral mix.  Made with 22 percent natural rosewater, the scent is fresh, carefree, and feminine with a delicate and lively mix of rose, floral notes, and green outdoorsy notes.  The notes of this fragrance are - Grapefruit, Cedrat, Peach, Violet, Rose Petals, Natural Water of Rose, Cedarwood, Patchouli, Amber."  I originally bought and reviewed this perfume earlier in the spring and had no room for it on my dresser.  Having finally used a few body products at the beginning of this summer, I cleared enough room to get it out.  This light floral scent starts out with the grapefruit notes and then goes quickly into the rose notes.  This is one of the few grapefruit scents that I really wear since it contains all the rose notes and rosewater in the  formula.  The fragrance develops into a floral mix of rose notes and the cedarwood that lasts all day on my skin.  I wear the original version of this scent all year but this version is special for the warmer weather months.

I know that we have been looking at the fall collections of the past few weeks but summer is still in full swing and I will be making use of all of my summer beauty products until Labor Day!

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

China Glaze Summer 2012 Collection - Summer Neons

This is the last of the summer collections that I will be looking at for the season, I would have ended the summer collections with Naked Strangers from Illamasqua but I was waiting around for this collection from China Glaze to release.  I was a little surprised at how long it took China Glaze to release this shade, the spring collection from this company was on the website in the middle of January and I had been seeing reports of the summer collection being available for use at salons since the beginning of May.  Personally, I have already bought all the nail polish shades that I am going to buy this season and I don't need anymore neons that I will only wear for the next three months...

Even before checking out this collection, I can state that there is probably nothing that I will need from the collection since I am already beginning to think about fall beauty trends.  Realistically, before the end of June, we will be seeing hints of the major fall collections and I will be writing up a Trend Report for this season.  This collection from China Glaze is named Summer Neons and consists of twelve new neon shades that all have a fine shimmer finish.  On first glance, this collection looks very similar to the summer collection from Zoya (released last April) and it would have been much better to release it back when that collection was released.  But I think that it is time to get off my soapbox and just look at the polishes and see if I should make a last minute trip to my nearest Sally Beauty Supply.

Here is the Summer Neons collection from China Glaze!

- Surfin' For Boys - bright peach coral with shimmer
- Love's A Beach - bright neon pink with pink shimmer
- Hang-Ten Toes - light blue neon pink with silver shimmer
- Beach Cruise-r - bright purple with silver shimmer
- Under the Boardwalk - deep berry cream
- Ride The Waves - bright denim blue cream
- Splish Splash - bright blue with silver shimmer
- I'm With The Lifeguard - neon green with gold shimmer
- Sun-Kissed - bright highlighter yellow with gold shimmer
- Orange You Hot? - bright medium orange with silver shimmer
- Flirty Tankini - warm bright coral with silver shimmer
- Pink Plumeria - light pink coral with silver shimmer

Overall this is a great summer collection and it is so disappointing that it came out at the tail end of the releases, this collection could have held it's own if it has been released about a month ago and I would have been picking up quite a few shades.  My favorites are the blues and pinks in this collection, Splish Splash is the shade that I am considering a trip to Sally's to see if it is still in stock.  Assuming most of the shades are in stock, I would also like the Love's A Beach, Hang-Ten Toes, and Pink Plumeria shades.  I love the pinks in this collection and they would be solid additions to my pink polish collection. 

The corals in this line are too warm for me to find flattering, most of them tend toward the orange side.  The super-neons are just too much for me and I wouldn't use them at all but I can see them selling well to people who love China Glaze and unique polishes.

Well this is my last summer collection post, I will be rocking my summer shades for the next three months while I begin to look forward to the fall collections.  I have already found a sneak peek of the Chanel fall collection on Makeup Alley and if this collection is any indication, we are in for a great next few months!

photo courtesy of China Glaze's Facebook page

Five Favorite - China Glaze Nail Lacquer Shades

I haven't done a Five Favorite from a specific product in line in ages and I feel that I need to change that now!  I have been obsessed with China Glaze polishes for almost a year now and I have been amassing a decent sized collection of them and now I have enough for me to find my favorite shades and to recommend shades for you all to try.  Personally I have found that many of the best China Glaze shades come in seasonal collections, therefore they are slightly more difficult to find.  I have found the best place to find the full shade range is Sally Beauty Supply, any store that I have visited always has a full display of almost every single shade and the fixture is always clean and well organized.  At Ulta, the display is almost always more than half empty and the display is a mess.  Ulta has many great attributes but the China Glaze display is not one of them...

My favorites from this collection encompass a huge range of shades and finishes, this line is wonderfully diverse and unlike some other collections, contains great picks from every shade.  Some lines contains great pales, some great brights, and so on.  "China Glaze is a professional quality nail enamel that is resistant to chipping and color fading.  China Glaze is a professional level nail enamel made with a special balance of polymers and resins that combine to create a nail lacquer that is long lasting, chip-resistant and resistant to color and shine fading.  Will not thicken in the bottle, no thinners necessary."  This polish has a high shine finish and I rarely need to add shine with a separate top coat (but of course I have a top coat from this company too!).  With most shades from this collection, I get two to three days wear with minimal chipping and fading, however I usually change my polish shade every other day anyway.  This polish formula is thicker than many others so it does take some practice and concentration to apply, also the brush is larger than those in the O.P.I., Butter London, Chanel, and Deborah Lippmann polishes.  The brush allows me to apply the polish in two or three quick strokes and then give it about five to ten minutes to dry.

This is a favorite polish formula and line of mine!  And here are my favorites from this line!!

For Audrey - This is one of the classic China Glaze shades, it is the perfect Tiffany Blue shade with a cream finish and is the only one that is even close to the right color.  After I bought this shade, I held it right next to a Tiffany's box and the colors are identical.  This shade was created for the Holly Golightly character in the classic 1960s movie, Breakfast at Tiffanys (played by Audrey Hepburn of course!).  I get so many compliments on this polish hue almost every single time that I wear it and this might be one of my favorite polish shades of all time. 

Blue Iguana - When I made my frist China Glaze order, I debated between this shade and Sexy in the City.  On the website, both shades looked alike and I decided on Sexy in the City only for the name.  When I played with the polish, I saw that it was more aqua in real life and not the bright blue that it appeared to be on the website.  I still like Sexy and the City, but I instantly wished that I had ordered Blue Iguana, which was then sold out at Ulta the next two time that I went there.  I finally found this shade last March hidden in a Sale rack at the bottom of the nail polish display.  It was originally part of the Island Escape collection that was released for Summer of 2011.  This shade is a medium bright blue jelly finish with a subtle silver shimmer.  The shimmer is so subtle that the polish just appears to shine in the sun.  This is another shade that I have never seen anything else like it.

Ahoy! - This is one of my two favorites from the same collection, I guess that I can consider Anchors Away (from Spring 2011) my favorite seasonal collection from China Glaze.  Ahoy! is a magenta pink jelly with a gold shimmer.  I rarely like gold hues but this one is a great pink with a slight hint of shimmer.  This shade is much like the Blue Iguana shade that the shimmer isn't in your face but makes the polish glow in the sun.  This shade is one of the few that works equally well for a great manicure and pedicure, it works any shade of pink or gold clothing.

White Cap - White Cap is one of the first shades that I ever ordered from China Glaze and still remains one of my favorites, I have put this product in my Favorites list before and I still use this one on a regular basis.  White Cap is a sheer off white with a heavy gold shimmer, it appears gold in many lights and literally glows in the sunlight.  This shade is one of my go-tos, I can wear it in any circumstance and with any outfit.  In addition, this polish is one of the longest lasting out of any China Glaze and I can get a full four or five days from it without having to redo my manicure.  One coat is a subtle gold shimmer, two coats is a full golden glow.  This is another polish that is among my top favorites of all time.

Ruby Pumps - Ruby Pumps is another one of the classic China Glaze shades and was one of my first polish shades from this company.  Think of the red pumps that Dorothy wears in The Wizard of Oz and you have this shade exactly.  This is a red base with lots of red glitter suspended in it, I wear this all time around the holidays and that season is exactly what this shade makes me think of.  I wear this almost every single time that I get dressed up for a holiday party and I have had both friends and strangers come up to me and comment on it.  I have had to write down the name of this shade more than any others in my collection. 

I am confident that at least one of these shades will work well for everyone that is reading this, whether you like subtle or dramatic shades, China Glaze offers shades for everyone and every occasion.  These five are just the tip of the iceberg in the shade rnage of China Glaze, I strongly recommend that you all check out the shades on the China Glaze website and then go to your closest Sally Beauty Supply armed with a long list and a shopping basket!

photo courtesy of Sally Beauty Supply

Current Favorites!

The last month has consisted of me trying product after product to keep the reviews coming and looking forward to what I am going to be buying this summer.  Over the past few weeks, a few winning products have emerged and I am going to be paying tribute to my current favorite products and why I love them.  I have been all about color and skincare the past few weeks, I have been using up most of my current perfumes in order to open some new ones up and the same is going for most of my body products, I can't buy any new bottles until some more space is cleared for the current products that I haven't even opened up yet.  My five favorites therefore are taken from my skincare and color purchases so hopefully the next time that I write a favorites list up, I will have more fragrances in it.

My current favorites!

China Glaze Nail Lacquer in Sea Spray - "Unleash your inner color with China Glaze...your longwearing professional nail lacquer choice!  Longwearing formula with hardeners features great coverage and DBP free.  China Glaze Nail Lacquer makes nails look spectacular and dries in seconds.  China Glaze offers the latest technology in formulas and color selection."  Sea Spray is a shade from their spring Anchors Away collection that was released in early 2011, I was introduced to this collection last year when I purchased White Cap (still a favorite shade) and now I have added Sea Spray and Ahoy! to my collection.  Sea Spray is a lovely pale gray blue shade with a hint of a shimmer finish.  I started wearing this shade in early spring and have been wearing it ever since.  The best way to describe this shade is to tell you to look at the sky right before it begins to rain.  This shade is a new neutral for me.

Stila Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer Oil-Free SPF 20 in Fair - "A tinted, oil-free moisturizer with a hint of color.  This water-resistant moisturizer is packed with sun protection and just enough color to even skintone.  The light, hydrating formula is ideal for all skin types and comes in natural, see-through shades.  Application is a cinch and the coverage is long lasting, leaving you with a perfect finish every time."  Fair is the lightest shade in this product and it turned out to be a perfect match for my skintone.  I only purchased this product to use when I am in a hurry, since my normal routine doesn't work well for busy morning.  However with me being on vacation from work this week, I have been using it almost everyday for a bit of extra coverage while I run errands and hang out, it is working its way into being a VIP of my traincase.  This product covers better than many tinted moisturizer formulas and lasts throughout most of the day.  It hydrates just enough for my skin to be soft and smooth, even though I have chosen the oil-free formula.  I am really liking this formula and being able to have a bit of coverage when needed but not looking made up.

Origins Gin-Zing Refreshing Eye Cream - "A clinically-proven eye cream that instantly de-puffs and reduces dark circles.  Late night?  Long flight?  Look tired all the time?  This natural, clincially-proven morning-after eye cream instantly reduces dark circles.  Unsightly bags and puffiness virtually disappear.  And Origin's  proprietary complex of caffeine from coffee bean.  Panax ginseng, magnolia extract, and natural optic brighteners rapidly wakes up, refreshes, and and restores radiance to tired eyes.  Best for all skin types."  I use this eye cream at night and the Cliniqe All About Eyes Rollerball during the day to take care of my puffy, allergy eyes.  This product helps to reduce my puffiness and my dark circles.  This is one of the few eye creams that I have worked with recently that actually helps dark circles look better and not just easier to cover up with makeup.  In addition to helping reduce both puffiness and dark circle appearance, this product helps to moisturize and to brighten the entire eye area.  This is simply one of the best all-in-one eye creams that is on the market today and I recommend it to almost anyone that needs help choosing an eye cream formula.

OPI Nail Lacquer in You Callin' Me a Lyre? and Pirouette My Whistle - "The world leader in professional nail care."  Both of these shades came out recently with their New York City Ballet collection released mid spring.  I put both of these together since I prefer to wear both of them together, I have worn each one alone but they pack a huge punch when used together.  You Callin' Me a Lyre? is a pale peach pink cream that is the epitome of the natural nail look and Pirouette My Whistle is a fine silver shimmer suspended in a clear base.  The combination of the two creates a natural nail look with a bit of pizzazz that keeps it from being boring.  I can get three to four full days wear from this combination so I use it at least once a week.  I have really been getting into OPI polishes lately and my shopping shows no signs of stopping...

Illamasqua Lipstick in Test - "Let your lips speak volumes.  Indulge in colour-intense lipstick with a highly pigmented formula, available in a choice of flawless finishes, from creamy matte to iridescent finishes.  Illamasqua Lipstick glides on smoothly and doesn't give up without a fight for the perfect all-night pout.  A must have for professional makeup artists, and those who want to make a statement."  Test is a "soft pink chocolate" with a matte finish.  For those of you who remember my initial review on the Illamasqua Lipstick formula, you will remember that I went on a near-rant about this shade and how it was described on the Sephora website (to sum it up - it looks nothing like what is pictured/described on the Sephora website and use the Illamasqua website for accurate descriptions) and I decided that I never would have purchased it had I known exactly what it looked like.  Application at full strengh produces a warm pink nude mouth with a matte finish, what sets this product apart is that it has a very full pigmentation and is not as subtle as I had been expecting, greatly reducing the amount of ways I could wear it.  I originally wanted a sheer, my-lips-but-better shades when I ordered this and not a shade with strong pigmentation.  However, recently I have been applying this shade with a bit of lip balm underneath, reducing the pigment strength and have been wearing it with all types of colored eye looks.  Even sheered out, this product lasts for several hours and stays color-true the whole time.  I love this lipstick formula and am happy that I have found another way to wear it!

These are my current favorite but I know that they will be changing again within the next few weeks, as I type this I am letting my newest shade of Illamasqua Nail Varnish dry and I just received a big Sephora order two days ago (complete with skincare and the 500 point perk of a Too Faced palette) and I will be working on getting some new fragrances and body products out.

photo courtesy of Sephora

My Favorite Products at this Time!

The spring is now here and I am breaking out of all my favorite new seasonal products!  Currently my city is in a bit of a cool weather wave but the warm, sunny spring will be back by next week and I am not giving up any of my current loves just becuase I have to wear my trench coat every single day now.  Come to think of it, my trench coat is also one of my favorite pieces of this spring!

All I want is pinks and pretty lip glosses!

My favorites right now!

Bath and Body Works Signature Vanillas Lemon Vanilla Body Lotion - "Our Siganture Vanillas Body Lotion takes pampering to the next level.  Fortified with powerful ingredients like super conditioning Shea Butter, fast absorbing Jojoba Oil, and protective Vitamin E that hydrates skin with moisture that lasts all day.  Our non-greasy formula absorbs quickly and completely to leave skin feeling incredibly soft, smooth, and nourished, making it the perfect daily moisturizer.  Smooth over body to lightly fragrance and quench parched skin.  A bright blend of refreshing lemon and cool vanilla."  I love that Bath and Body Works brought their Vanillas collection back this spring, the Lemon Vanilla is the perfect light gourmand fragrance for the spring.  This one reminds me of lemon merinque pie and I had to go out and pick up a few more bottles of this lotion and matching shower gel!

China Glaze Nail Lacquer in Sweet Hook - "Unleash your inner color with China Glaze...your long wearing professional nail lacquer choice!  Long wearing formula with hardeners features great coverage and DBP free.  China Glaze Nail Lacquer makes nails look spectacular and dries in seconds.  China Glaze offers the latest technology in formulas and color selection."  Sweet Hook is a pretty pale lilac cream that is my polish this spring.  The formula is a bit on the thick side so the first few times that I used this, I really screwed it up and had to completely redo my manicure.  This polish hue takes some extra time to get right but look great once I have it on.  i have gotten so many compliments on this color and it might be one of the favorites for the spring.

Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Nymph - "Illuminate, radiate, make your face come alive with the colour and drama of Illamasqua Powder Blusher.  Colour-intense and highly pigmented, use it to shade, brighten, enhance, and define the shape of your face.  Be bold, be daring, be the centre of attention."  Nymph a "warm candy pink" with a matte finish.  Nymph is one of the lesser pigmented Illamasqua Blushes but it still packs a punch when applied to the cheeks.  My skin is still pale and I love how well this shade flatters my complexion while still be appropriate for all situations.  I love Illamasqua's Blushes and this is one of the best shades that they offer.

Korres Pomegranate Balancing Cream-Gel Moisturizer - "A lightweight moisturizer that provides a matte finish and pore-minimizing properties while leaving skin soft, hydrated, and balanced.  This pore-minimizing and mattifying moisturizer delivers immediate and lasting hydration while simultaneously balancing oil to combination complexions.  The unique lightweight cream-gel texture is formulated with a blend of 15% pomegranate water, pomegranate extract, alpine willow herb, and contains tannins and polyphenols.  These ingredients help reduce the appearance of pores and rejuvenate the look of skin while providing a matte finish.  Hyaluronic and salicylic acids combine to offer an immediate moisture boost while conditioning skin for an overall smooth appearance."  This hybrid product is a great product for the warmer weather, providing a bit of moisture to my dry areas while not making my T-Zone any worse.  It provides a bit of mattyifing benefits, just enough for those of us with combination skin.  I will be getting good results from this day cream all throughout the trest of the spring.

China Glaze Nail Lacquer in Sea Spray- "Unleash your inner color with China Glaze...your long wearing professional nail lacquer choice!  Long wearing formula with hardeners features great coverage and DBP free.  China Glze Nail Lacquer makes nails look spectacular and dries in seconds.  Chins Glaze offers the latest technology in formulas and color selection."  This shade is actually from the spring of 2011 collection, Anchors Away.  I first tried White Cap from this collection and now I have found another hit from it, Sea Spray is a very pale blue with a cool gray cast to it.  This shade looks like what rain would be if it was assigned a color.  This shade is one of the best hues for spring!

Spring is finally in full swing and I am loving it!

photo courtesy of Illamasqua

China Glaze The Hunger Games Collection - Captial Colors

China Glaze is releasing a second polish collection for the season in the beginning of March, the swatches of it are currently up on their website but I haven't seen it available anywhere else yet.  This collection coincides with the release of The Hunger Games movie, a film based on the best-selling young adult book.  I have not read the book but I have heard that it falls in the sci-fi genre and that the movie promises to be very true to the book, this is not a genre of book or movie that I am interested that much in so I doubt that I will see the movie when it releases this March.  I would be more likely to try and read through the book to get an idea of the plot and how China Glaze got their inspiration for the nail polish shades that they choose to be part of the collection. 

Let's start with a bit of background first.  I found the book on the Barnes and Noble website (after getting hopelessly distracted by new releases in the Mystery section) and will provide the description they put out on their website.  This title is actually a trilogy and is written by author Suzanne Collins.  I haven't read yet how the movie will be divided up, I hope that it was done the way The Lord of the Rings was.  If the director decides to smash all three books into one movie, there is then no hope for it being any better than fair.  A bit more research on this movie showed me that the film company is only doing the first book in this movie so this is what I will focus on.

The first book in the trilogy is The Hunger Games.  "Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?  In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts.  The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.  Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and her younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games.  But Katniss has been close to death before - and survival."

Looking at pictures of this movie, my head immediately goes to the spring 2011 Illamasqua color release, this world look exaclty like many of the pictures that were featured in Toxic Nature.  I guess this makes sense in that both were designed to take place in the future when the world as we know it is completely changed.  These shades are nothing like your traditional spring hues and would look much more appropriate in a fall collection, I would pick up my favorites now and then save them for a few months.  Many of shades have a shimmer or glitter texture and are all very attention getting.  These will be very interesting shades to pull off in a non-party environment.

The Capital Colors collection from China Glaze!

- Dress Me Up - medium rose brown cream
- Foie Gras - medium warm brown plum cream
- Fast Track - medium taupe with warm gold shimmer
- Hook and Line - medium gray frost
- Stone Cold - deep gray matte with silver shimmer
- Smoke and Ashes - pure black with blue and silver shimmer
- Agro - medium olive green shimmer
- Mahogany Magic - medium warm chocolate brown
- Harvest Moon - metallic copper shimmer
- Riveting - bright orange with gold shimmer
- Electrify - clear base with gold and red glitter
- Luxe and Lush - clear base with chunky silver glitter

OMG I love these colors!  I am hearing hints on the Makeup Alley boards that this collection is being spotted in a few Sally Beauty Supply stores already and so I must drive out to mine this week!  I can't even decide which is my favorite shade because I love so many of them and they are all so unique!  I checked out more swatches of these colors on the Scrangie blog and they are all so lovely.  I think that my favorite shade is Harvest Moon, it is the perfect shimmery rich copper shade.  I won't wear it until fall but it still is one of the best colors that I have seen so far this year.  Agro is very unique and would fill a big gap in my polish collection, as would Stone Cold.  I don't know how much wear I would get from these shades but I love both of them (I think that I would use them for pedicures more than manicures as these are not the easiest of shades to pull off).  I actually don't even own a matte polish so Stone Cold would be my first experience in working with this unique texture.  Smoke and Ashes is another shade that will fill a gap in my polish collection and that I must own for this fall.

I still am not that interested in the movie for this collection but I am riveted by the new shades of polish...

photo courtesy of Sally Beauty Supply