Shades by Barielle Summer 2009 Sugar Rush Collection

Eek! I am so excited about the new Shades by Barielle Sugar Rush collection for Summer 2009! This collection is aptly named because when I look at these colors they really do make me think of candy. The new Sugar Rush Collection has six pretty candy colored hues to satisfy your mani-pedi cravings with on-trend, fashionable nail color. I am so glad to see that companies like Barielle are taking risks and releasing fun and bright colors like this! This collection will definitely satisfy non-traditional polish consumers. 

Shades by Barielle Cotton Candy:

Barielle Cotton Candy is a medium toned pink with a subtle magenta shimmer. This color really reminds me of Zoya Barbie. This is the only one in the bunch that needed three coats. 

Shades by Barielle Swizzle Stix:

Barielle Swizzle Stix is hands down my favorite in this collection. It is a robin's egg blue that is slightly more vibrant than the real thing. I love love love this color!

Shades by Barielle Grape Escape:

Barielle Grape Escape is a gorgeous purple creme. I don't have many purple cremes so this is a welcome addition to my stash. Grape Escape reminds me of Sally Hansen Night Hydrangea (Spring 2009) minus the shimmer. Purple shades that actually look purple in all lights are hard to come by, so this is a must for you purple lovers. 

Shades by Barielle Lemondrops:

Barielle Lemondrops is a vibrant yellow creme. There is nothing muted about it but it really isn't neon either. This color looks so good, I want to eat it! That is because it reminds me of my favorite candy - yellow Sprees! The only thing this manicure is missing is some smiley faces a la Rihanna style. 

Shades by Barielle Sweet Addiction:

Barielle Sweet Addiction is a minty green creme that reminds me of chewing gum. Another fabulous color!

Shades by Barielle Decadence:

Barielle Decadence is a shimmery blue/green/turquoise color. This color is so gorgeous! It really glows.

Application of all colors in this collection was fabulous. Some of them were a little on the thick side but none were problematic. All of the colors were extremely pigmented. The only one that I thought could have used three coats was Cotton Candy. The others were totally opaque with two coats. Most were opaque on even the first coat. Again, I applaud Barielle for this fabulous collection! Each color is unique and wonderful. 

The Shades by Barielle Sugar Rush collection for Summer 2009 is available now at Barielle.com. The nail polishes retail for $8.00 each. But right now they are offering free shipping for orders over $50 and if you buy 2 colors you get the 3rd one free! I'd buy these soon because I don't know how long the promo will last. 

New Colors from Nicole by OPI

This is the first of a few posts featuring new colors from Nicole by OPI. It has been a really long time since I have featured Nicole by OPI on my blog; probably because these polishes are not available at the online discount beauty supply stores that I frequently order from. These new colors from Nicole by OPI are available at select Target, Wal-Mart, and other retailers and are definitely worth hunting down. The application is perfect and I absolutely love the brushes. They are much better, in my opinion, than the regular OPI pro-wide brush. Application on all of these was really dreamy.

Nicole by OPI Do Good...Feel Good:

Perfect opaque light pink creme. This swatch is three coats. I love how non-streaky and non-chalky this one is. It dries super glossy. A lot of nail polishes that are similar in color to this are problematic when it comes to the application. This one was perfect!

Nicole by OPI Play Fair:

Gorgeous lavender shimmer. This swatch is three coats. It looks fine with two coats but I prefer the more opaque look of three coats. The shimmer in this color has a wonderful iridescent quaility.

Nicole by OPI Love Your Life over Play Fair:

More cute hearts! I love these pink hearts suspended in iridescent glitter. These hearts were much easier to fish out of the bottle than the Maybelline hearts because the bottle opening is much larger. I did not even need to use a toothpick, the brush worked just fine.

Nicole by OPI No Limits:

Super dark, blackened blue. Very similar to Lippmann Devil in a Blue Dress. This color is more opaque and only takes two coats to achieve bottle color. 

Nicole by OPI Dream Maker:

Sheer pink that is loaded with iridescent micro glitter. This color is great worn alone (this swatch is three coats) and would also make an excellent topping for another color, like a deep pink. 

Nicole by OPI Keep It Real:

Two photos of this color to show you the wonderful metallic finish it has indoors and then the amazing shimmery glow it has outdoors in the sun. This red really reminds me of the holidays! I can't wait to do a pedi with this color. This swatch is two coats. 

I will be featuring more fabulous new colors from Nicole by OPI soon. Check your local Target and Wal-Mart stores for these new colors! They are all all available now.

More from BB Couture for Nails

Today I have more from BB Couture for Nails to share with you. I have one brand new shade, one that is new to me, two that you've seen here before but I tried to get better pictures of and a few old favorites.

First, the brand new shade, BB Couture for Nails Midnight Desire:

Super dark blue/purple shimmer. This is one of those shades that looks nearly black indoors but then outdoors it is super gorgeous. At first I thought this might be dupeish to Chanel Vendetta but it is not. This is more noticeably blue than Vendetta, which is way more purple. I would have done a comparison swatch if I thought it was warranted, but it isn't. I am wearing Midnight Desire right now and I absolutely love it! I never get tired of shades like this. Midnight desire is extremely opaque with one coat but I used two for good measure.

Next, the shade that is new to me, BB Couture for Nails Dragon's Breath:

Purple/plum jelly with glitter. LOVE this color! This swatch is three coats. I love jelly based glitters like this because they have amazing depth. I love how the glitter looks almost like it is trapped deep under the layers of polish, almost like it is suspended in jello or something. Am I making sense at all?

Finally, the shades you have seen here before but that I tried to get better pictures of.

BB Couture for Nails Sea of Cortez:

BB Couture for Nails Frosty Meadow:

I tried to get better pictures of these jelly based stunners. Hopefully it worked! For you girls out there that appreciate the funkier colors, both of these are *must* haves. I think these blue an green shades are absolutely perfect. Just stunning.

Since we are on the subject of BB Couture for Nails, I thought I'd also show you a few of my old favorites.

BB Couture for Nails Poison Ivy:

BB Couture for Nails Maleficent Magenta:

BB Couture for Nails nail polishes can be purchased at Overall Beauty. Also, if there are any shades that you see on my blog but that you can't find at Overall Beauty, you can also contact BB Couture for Nails directly via phone or email (info on their website) and they will sell them to you directly.

Orly Prepster Collection for Spring 2009

This Spring Orly introduces the Prepster Collection, a range of six new shades that put a fashion forward twist on traditional style with modern shades of pink, lavender and khaki brown. Today I have three nail polishes from the collection to share with you. But before I do that, I have to let you in on a little secret about me. I love anything and everything preppy! You might not have guessed that with all of the crazy nail polish that I like to wear. But I love me some Lilly Pulitzer, Kate Spade, Stephen Bonanno, J. Crew, and Vineyard Vines. So it is no surprise that I am all over the newest collection from Orly! Now on to the swatches.

Orly Tennis Anyone?:

Off white, nude creme. Even though this was a three coater, it is a great shade because it is an easier and more flattering way to wear a white polish. This shade is warm and not stark like so many other whites in my collection. Winner! Plus I love to play tennis, so just the name is enough for me.

Orly Polo Princess:

Bright pastel pink creme. I found the application on this one to be a bit troublesome due to the streakiness factor but I like the color enough to make up for it. This is a three to four coater. This is one of those colors that looks good enough to eat. Do you know what I mean? It reminds me of ice cream.

Orly Cashmere Cardigan:

Iris blue creme. Loving the name on this one too! The color is fabulous, the picture speaks for itself. 

The other colors in the Orly Prepster collection sound fabulous too:

Prim & Proper - lavender shimmer

OMG - fuchsia pink creme

Country Club Khaki - taupe creme

I wish I had them to share with you but sadly I don't. 

Even though one of these colors was a bit of a pain, overall I am always impressed with nail polishes from Orly. Application is usually top notch. I also love the rubberized gripper cap. Guess who else has a rubberized cap? SpaRitual! Coincidence? I think not. Did you guys know that Orly and SpaRitual are made by the same company? I just figured that one out. No wonder I like Orly.

The Orly Prepster collection is not slated to hit stores until April but I am already hearing stories of these popping up early in beauty supply stores, so keep your eyes open. Plus the etailers have also been known to get collections in early. So hopefully you'll be able to find these soon!

Strengthen your nails with Tamanu Oil. Take a look at Makeup Kits. Available online for all types of
Skin Tones.

SpaRitual Cherish Spring 2009 Color Collection

The new SpaRitual collection for Spring 2009, Cherish, features six shades that range from princess pink to baby blue. I have swatches of two of them to show to you today.

SpaRitual Marvel:

Lavender pink shimmer. Gorgeous color, fabulous application. I used three coats but you could really get away with two coats just fine. I love this color and look forward to wearing it often. 

SpaRitual Delight:

Stunning aqua blue creme. Before you ask, this is not a dupe for China Glaze For Audrey. Delight is a shade or two lighter than For Audrey. 

Oh Delight, you are a delight to look at but not a delight to apply. You see, this swatch isn't three coats of color, it's not even four coats. This swatch is a whopping FIVE , albeit thin, coats of nail polish. This color was just too streaky to look even with less than five coats. I have never encountered a five coater before, this is the first. I am shocked because I have never met a SpaRitual that I didn't like; usually their application is flawless. I don't know if it had something to do with my base coat or if somehow I got a dud of a bottle. Admittedly, I do not own SpaRitual's base coat. But I swatched this over my regular base coat and also a ridge filler. Neither was better than the other. I don't know if using SpaRitual's base coat might have improved the application of this color. I can only hope it would. Sigh... this is still such a pretty color. I don't know if I'll ever have the patience to actually do a manicure wearing it.

There are four other colors in SpaRitual's Cherish Spring 2009 color collection:

SpaRitual Love - bright pink creme

SpaRitual Adore - light pink shimmer

SpaRitual Treasure - bright orange shimmer

SpaRitual Revere - orange and gold shimmer 

I have not seen swatches or even bottle pictures yet of the other four colors but I am very curious to see Revere and Treasure. 

SpaRitual nail lacquers are available in fine salons and spas and online at skinstore.com

These new colors should be available any day now. 

New Colors from BB Couture for Nails!

*dead* 

I seriously almost dropped dead when I saw these gorgeous new colors from BB Couture for Nails. For those of you that are not familiar with this awesome brand, I suggest checking out these other posts of mine to see some other colors. Wait until you are done with this post of course :)

OK, so on to the hot new colors. My pictures do not do them justice. I sometimes find that when I take pictures late in the afternoon that the sun is too bright. The colors are right on but what these pictures do not capture is the awesome glitter. It is really nice and flashy, almost iridescent, without being overly blingy. I will photograph these again next week in the morning or early afternoon sun to see if I can get a better result for you. As a reminder, you can always click my pictures to make them huge.

BB Couture for Nails Frosty Meadow:

BB Couture for Nails already holds the title of making my #1 green nail polish - Poison Ivy. I think that Frosty Meadow *might* tie it! Frosty Meadow is a green jelly with glitter. The glitter appears to be silver and goldish green. This picture does not show how beautiful the glitter is but it does show how great the color is.

BB Couture for Nails Sea of Cortez:

Holy hotness! Sea of Cortez is a light blue jelly with the same glitter as Frosty Meadow. I love this blue so much! This color is so pretty. I don't have anything in my stash that is even remotely similar to this. That goes for Frosty Meadow too.

Application for these is spot on, just like all of my other polishes from BB Couture for Nails. These swatches are three coats of color but they are jellies so it is totally worth it! I have been praying for some fabulous jelly based glitters and BB Couture for Nails answered! How did they know?

I have two more fun colors from BB Couture for Nails that I'll be bringing you next week.

These new colors are available at Overall Beauty and they retail for $8.00 each. These super unique colors are worth every penny! 

Essie Spring 2009 Collection Swatches

Hi everyone!

Today I have swatches of Essie's Spring 2009 collection for you. First the swatches and then my overall thoughts on this terrific collection. All swatches here are three coats of color, no topcoat. As always, you can click on the pictures to enlarge them if you like.

Essie Lacquered Up:

Red Hot Crimson. This reminds me of a juicy, ripe tomato!

Essie Flawless:

Cherry Blossom Pink. Nice opaque pink for those of you that do not like sheer ones. I think this is a very pretty work appropriate type color.

Essie Eternal Optimist:

Spiced tea rose. Nice opaque beige-y nude. Another very nice work appropriate color. This is a color I will definitely reach for when I am in one of my nude color moods, which are happening surprisingly often lately.

Essie Mesmerize:

Roa va-va blue. Whoa Essie! This one is straight out of left field! Huge surprise, in a good way.

Essie One of A Kind:

Poppy red kiss. Fabulous pedicure color! I love this red hot coral. Nice and bright.

Essie Status Symbol:

Feisty hot pink. It certainly is feisty! Nice hot pink (not neon) that would also make a lovely pedicure color. I am not huge on pinks but I am really digging this one.

Application on all of these was just fine. I used three coats of nail polish on all of these swatches but to be honest with you, the only one that really needed three coats was Lacquered Up. The rest of them were opaque enough to be fine with two coats.

I am seriously shocked, in a good way, by Mesmerize. This color is so hot! It is mesmerizing, no lie. I have been looking for a fabulous blue creme, one that is not blackened, and this definitely fits the bill. 

As far as the other colors, I can live without Lacquered Up, but I am really digging the rest of them! I think that Essie does the soft colors better than anyone else. Flawless and Eternal Optimist are great soft, work appropriate colors. One of A Kind and Status Symbol are great bright colors. With the exception of Lacquered Up, I would absolutely wear all of these colors in real life. I am actually really excited to get a pedicure with Status Symbol!

I think this collection has a nice variety and something for everyone. Two thumbs up from me for Essie on this collection! What do you all think?

Essie's spring collection will be available starting in February at www.essie.com as well as beauty stores nationwide. 

That is all for now. I will be back soon with some reader requested comparison swatches and of course, more spring collections!

xoxo,

Katee

Random Monday Giveaway!

Good morning, dear readers!

Happy Monday! I know that Mondays are kind of random, so I thought I would take a quick break from swatching the spring collections and do a totally random giveaway. One lucky e-mail subscriber has been picked at random to win a bottle of SpaRitual Nail Lacquer in Surreal. The winner is "jcjones23@..." (provider not published to ward off the spam). Check your e-mail inbox to see if you are the lucky winner! Please send me your mailing address as soon as possible so I can get this baby out to you. This is just the first of many random giveaways exclusively for those who subscribe to e-polishblog's e-mail updates. 

Here is a swatch of SpaRitual Surreal:

(click to enlarge)

SpaRitual Surreal, from their fall 2008 collection dubbed Inspired, is a gorgeous deep navy blue that is super glossy and shiny. It has just the faintest amount of shimmer when you look at it in direct sunlight. It certainly is surreal!

No, the bottle of SpaRitual Surreal that jcjones23 is being sent is not the one in the picture hahaha. I just happened to have an extra, un-opened bottle.

Wasn't that fun? I love a random giveaway! Like I said, this is just the first of many random giveaways that I will be doing for those that subscribe to my e-mail updates. Not a subscriber yet? Well enter your e-mail address in the box below to subscribe so you can be eligible for my next totally random giveaway. They happen without warning whenever I am feeling, well, random!

Enter your email address:

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That is all for now. Don't worry, I will be back soon with more swatches from the spring 2009 nail polish collections!

xoxo,
Katee

Zoya Twist Collection Spring 2009 Swatches

Hello, dear readers!

Today I have for you my swatches of the Zoya Twist collection for Spring 2009. These are so pretty! As always, click my pics to enlarge them. Enjoy!

Zoya Cassi:

Peachy pink with awesome shimmer. For some reason this reminds me of sherbert! I don't know why, but it looks good enough to eat. Call me crazy. The shimmer in this is totally insane, it is like Zoya chopped up little golden diamonds and put them in the polish. Amazing! You could definitely get away with two coats of this nail color but I used three because I was really digging it.

Zoya Malia:

Gorgeous lavender creme. This applied super smooth like butter. Actually, all of these did. This swatch is two coats. I am a habitual three coater but there was absolutely no need for a third coat, that would have been wasteful. 

Zoya Barbie:

Cutsey pink with magenta shimmer. For me, this is a perfect summer pedicure color. When you enlarge the picture you can see the shimmer much better.

Zoya Harley:

Flawless shimmering grey. I knew I would be in love with this one from the second I saw the promo pics. Oh Harley, where have you been all my life?

Zoya Moxie:

Vibrant red plum creme. This is one that I was not excited about when I saw the promo pics but as soon as I put it on I was in love. What was I thinking? This color rocks!

Zoya Jo:

Fabulous shimmering blue that falls somewhere between cornflower and periwinkle. Funny thing about this color, I love blue nail polish and my boyfriend hates blue nail polish. But when he saw me wearing this one, he actually liked it. Not that I really care what he thinks, I wear what I want! Thank you Zoya for putting a blue in your Spring collection!

Overall, I have nothing but compliments for Zoya on this collection. Flawless application? Check. Fabulous, vibrant colors? Check. Pause from typical Spring colors? Double check. I don't know what else to say. The colors speak for themselves. 

The Zoya Twist collection is available now at www.zoya.com.

Also, don't forget about the awesome nail polish exchange that Zoya has going on right now. In a nutshell, you send Zoya your old, crappy polishes (non Zoya polishes of course) and then they send you brand new the brand new Zoya polishes of your choice in return. All you have to pay is $3 per bottle processing plus your end of the shipping to send them your old stuff. But basically this offer amounts to a 50% discount, which rocks. I believe there is a 6 bottle minimum and 200 bottle maximum limit. Thanks again Zoya for a fabulous offer. Check out full details on their program at www.zoya.com/exchange.

Ok guys, I mean gals, let me know what you are getting! Guys reading, if you are out there, you can let me know what you want too :)

That is all for today!

xoxo,

Katee

CHANEL Moscou/Moscow Nail Russian Nights Collection Swatches

Hi everyone! 

I know you've been waiting for these so I am just posting these swatches quick. I will edit later with more commentary. Bottom line is, they are freaking gorgeous, all of them. These pictures DO NOT do them justice. 

**EDITED TO ADD BABBLING COMMENTARY**

When I say that these pictures do not do them justice, it is because these polishes have a lot of sparkle and fire in the sun that my camera just would not pick up. I almost feel like my pictures make these look a bit flat, and flat they are not. I photographed these in the late afternoon and typically my late morning/early afternoon sun is better. I am going to photograph these again later in the week, the next time the sun comes out. If I am able to get better pics I will share them. 

My favorite is Nuit De Russie, followed by Feu De Russie and Or De Russie, in that order. Click on the pics to enlarge the shimmery goodness. 

CHANEL Nuit De Russie:

Blackened base that is loaded with teal and green micro glitter. There are also sparsely placed pieces of burple micro glitter that really add extra fire and sparkle in the sun. 

CHANEL Feu De Russie:

Blackened base with burgundy, almost magenta shimmer. There are also some larger pieces of red and hot pink glitter.

CHANEL Or De Russie:

Blackened base with gold shimmer. There are also pieces of orange and green micro glitter. This color definitely has an olive look to it. 

Application on all of these was a bit on the thick side but nothing problematic. Sometimes I appreciate a polish that is a bit thicker because I feel like I have greater control over the application and less clean up to do.

So the main question everyone probably has - are these worth $30 bucks each? I think that can only be answered individually. For some people this might feel like a major splurge. Others might not think it is a big deal to plunk $30 bucks down for little luxuries like this. I am sure there are several people that simply can't bring themselves to spend the $30 on a bottle of nail polish. I say, if you like it, and have the money to spare, then get them. And I also cannot blame the people that won't drop the cash and think it's foolish. If I wasn't blogging, and didn't feel the need to show you the latest and greatest, I probably would have only sprung for one or two of these. But I am glad I have them and will definitely wear all of them. 

Well that is all for now. I am spent! LOL literally.

xoxo,

Katee

OPI 2008 Holiday in Toyland Nail Polish Swatches - Darks & Neutrals

Hello, dear readers!

Today I have nail polish swatches of the OPI 2008 Holiday in Toyland collection for you. I am sharing the darks & neutrals today and will have the red shades for you in a few days. I am just waiting on "A Ruby for Rudolph" to complete my collection. When you are done looking at these, make sure you enter my giveaway for your chance to win a bottle of Essie Pama. 

OPI You're A Doll!:

Nude-ish, gray-ish pink shimmer with flecks of red glitter. If I had to name a favorite from this collection, I think this would be it. As a reminder, you can click on all of the pictures to make them huge. I think enlarging them really helps to show the detail of the shimmer, glitter, my bad clean up job LOL, etc. 

OPI Baby It's "Coal" Outside!:

Gorgeous dark charcoal, almost black, nail color that is loaded with chunky silver glitter. The glitter is smooth, I only say chunky because it is not all the same size. I really like this color but just found it way too cool for my skin tone. 

OPI Play 'Til Midnight:

Dark blue loaded with purple shimmer and hot pink glitter. The base of this color is very heavy on the charcoal side which gives this blue an almost "dusty" appearance indoors. 

OPI Glamour Game:

Gorgeous soft metallic champagne nail color with iridescent glitter. Love this color! I have a Christmas party to go to this weekend and I might wear this one. 

OPI Brand New Skates:

Gray soft metallic shimmer with the same iridescent glitter as Glamour Game. I call both of these shades "soft metallic" because they aren't quite as metallic as other nail colors I've used, which I like, because I did not have huge brush stroke issues with these. Normally a metallic gray like this one would be too cool for me but the iridescent glitter warms it up just enough.

OPI "Sheer" Your Toys:

Silvery gray nail color that has silver shimmer and flecks of red glitter, the same red glitter in You're A Doll! This is another one of my favorites from this collection. 

I think that OPI has a huge winner on their hands with the Holiday in Toyland collection. So many of these dark and neutral shades are very unique and nothing that I have dupes for in my collection, with the exception of Play 'Til Midnight. The OPI Holiday in Toyland collection is available for sale now in stores and online. 

That is all for today! Remember to enter the giveaway and I'll see you back here soon. I have some good stuff coming up! Let's just say that Spring is in the air :)

xoxo,

Katee

Lippmann Collection - Party Like A Rockstar Set

Hello readers! 

Today I have a real treat for you: the Lippmann Collection Party Like A Rockstar Set. I love love love this little set. This is the perfect size and price for an awesome stocking stuffer for you or another nail polish addict in your life. 

The Lippmann Collection Party Like A Rockstar Set includes two gorgeous nail colors and the fabulous Lippmann Collection Addicted to Speed top coat, in an adorable, sparkly little bag. The sizes of these are .3 oz. 

Lippmann Colllection Good Girl Gone Bad:

Gorgeous jelly plum that is packed with very fine silver and hot pink glitter. I could seriously wear this color every day. I love it that much. 

Lippmann Collection Devil In A Blue Dress:

2 coats.

3 coats.

Super dark blue cream. It is almost black indoors but outdoors you can definitely tell it is a dark blue. I just love these blackened blues and this has got to be one of my favorites. I swatched this color with both 2 and 3 coats to show you that you can go either dark blue at 2 coats or more black-blue at 3 coats with this color. 

Both of these nail colors are limited edition and are only available in the Party Like A Rockstar set. I love both of these so much and would love to see these added to the Lippmann Collection permanent line. The formula and application of these colors was flawless, I did not have any issues with either of these nail polishes. 

Lippmann Collection Addicted To Speed: Amazing fast dry top coat. This dries as fast as my beloved Seche Vite top coat but does not have the same thick consistency that many people find difficult to work with. So if you have been looking for a quick dry top coat that is easier to work with than Seche Vite, you must pick this up. The Party Like A Rockstar set is a great excuse to try this. 

The Lippmann Collection Party Like a Rockstar set retails for $24.00 and is available online at the Lippmann Collection website, Nordstrom or Bath and Body Works. 

The Lippmann Collection website is offering FREE SHIPPING right now on all orders, for a limited time (no end date has been published for this offer). Lippmann Collection is also offering some fabulous free gifts with purchase, also for a limited time. With your purchase of $69 or more, you will receive a free "I Will Survive" treatment set ($24 value). With your purchase of $99 or more, you will also receive a free "Helping Hand" hand warmer set ($39.50). So basically what I am telling you is that I cannot think of a better time or opportunity to head to the Lippmann Collection website now and start shopping!

That is all I have for you today. I hope that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'll see you back here soon.

xoxo,

Katee