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.

New to me: PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics

Today I am very excited to introduce you to a brand that is new to me and I am guessing it might be new to you too: PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics.

At the grocery store, I am all about everything organic. But when it comes to beauty products, I am not one to seek out organic, natural or vegan products. I don't know why, but I have been operating under the assumption that these products would lack in quality; that there was a trade off for the organic ingredients. These nail polishes from PeaceKeeper, or should I say nail paints as they call them, has really changed my mind about that.

These nail polishes had a beautiful consistency, flowed nicely onto the nail and dried quickly. Absolutely no complaints about the formula of these nail polishes! Here are the colors that I tried:

PeaceKeeper Paint Me Luminous:

Love this one! Frosty white base with iridescent multi-color glitter. This one is serious bling yet subtle at the same time.

PeaceKeeper Paint Me Forgiving:

Pinkish nude with silver shimmer. I love this color because it is really natural looking and chic, yet it has a little something extra. I think this is one of my favorite nude colors to wear right now. My picture really does not do it justice.

PeaceKeeper Paint Me Stunning:

I am not that into pinks but this is one of the prettiest ones in my collection. This color has a very luminous and almost etherial quality about it.

PeaceKeeper Paint Me Patient:

Brownish nude shimmer. Another very chic, gorgeous color.

As I said before, I am super impressed with everything about these nail polishes - beautiful colors, flawless application and relatively quick dry time. The line does not make any crazy colors, but these are nice, wearable, and practical colors for everyday.

PeaceKeeper Nail Paints are made without Toluene, Formaldehyde, Acetone, Phthalates, Parabens, or FD&C/Lake Coloring and PeaceKeeper does absolulely NO ANIMAL TESTING! For more information on the ingredients here is a direct link to the section of PeaceKeeper's website that discusses the ingredients. This is actually very interesting information, I really recommend checking it out.

PeaceKeeper also makes a nail polish remover that is eco-friendly. It is made from sugar beets, rosemary and spearmint. I will be reviewing this product for you very soon.

One more fabulous thing about PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics: they are the first cosmetics line to give all of its after-tax distributable profits to women’s health advocacy and urgent human rights issues.

PeaceKeeper Nail Paint retails for $10 and can be purchased online by clicking here. PeaceKeeper offers free shipping on all orders.

Reader Requests: Comparison Swatches Part 2

Happy Saturday!

I have more comparison swatches for you today. If you don't see your request here, do not worry, I still have more in the works.

First, OPI Miami Beet (pinky and middle fingers) and Zoya Moxie (ring and index fingers):

It was so sunny yesterday that photographing these colors was nearly impossible outside. The bright sun was really distorting the colors for me. So this pic was taken in my laundry room where I get really nice natural light from the huge window. As you can see, these two colors are extremely similar. OPI Miami Beet has a brighter appearance and Zoya Moxie is slightly dusty or muted. Both are great colors! Do you need both? That is your choice.

Essie Eternal Optimist (pinky and middle fingers) and OPI Tickle My France-Y (ring and index fingers):

Two totally different colors. The only thing they have in common is that they are nudeish shades with a creme finish. I personally prefer Tickle My France-Y but I also like Eternal Optimist and will definitely wear it. But if you already have Tickle My France-Y, and were wondering if it was a dupe for Eternal Optimist so that you did not have to buy it, well clearly it is not a dupe. Sorry ;) 

Sorry that I only have two comparisons for you today! Our weather here in the greater San Diego area has been freaking amazing for the last week or so. We have been having high temps in the low to mid 80's and it has been super sunny. When we get a streak of weather like this in January, as much as I like playing with my nail polish, I just can't bring myself to sit in the house and swatch. Our 2nd floor deck overlooks a lagoon and the ocean, and I just love to sit out there and catch some rays. My cats Cleo and Vincent usually join me outside and sit under the chairs for some shade. As I have mentioned before, we moved to California from Michigan back in July. I am not used to living in such a beautiful climate, especially in the dead of winter!

I'll have more comparison swatches soon in the next few days. Feel free to comment or email me if you have any special requests! I will also have more spring 2009 new releases to share with you.

Hope that all of you have a fab weekend and if you are in the mid-west or somewhere else chilly, stay warm! I know my fam back in MI has been getting some ugly weather. Junk.

xoxo,

Katee

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

CND Spring/Summer 2009 Nail Polish News and Swatches

Good day, dear readers!

The new year is officially in full swing and so are the 2009 Spring nail polish collections! The first one I have to share with you is from Creative Nail Design aka CND.

CND is currently in the process of a major color relaunch. They have paired down their current nail color offerings to their top 40 polishes and will begin to create seasonal color collections outside of their top 40 colors starting spring 2010. In the meantime, CND will select colors from their core collection that they feel best represent the seasonal trends from Fashion Week.

For Spring/Summer 2009, CND has selected the following shades:

CND Bisou De Lulu:

CND Bisou De Lulu is a sheer white that is build-able to almost opaque. This swatch is three coats, two coats was a little too sheer for me. This is one of the few whites that is not a streaky mess to apply. When my nails were longer I would never wear colors like this because I thought they made my nails look like acrylics. Now with shorter nails, I think a white nail color like this looks very chic and gorgeous for spring. My boyfriend rarely notices or comments on my nail polish, unless it is a green or something else he hates. But he really liked Bisou De Lulu.

CND Moonlight & Roses:

CND Moonlight & Roses is a sheer color that has a white base and tons of pink and violet toned iridescent shimmer. This swatch is two coats. This is a very pretty color, I think I'll try this one on my toes for my next pedicure.

CND Fedora:

CND Fedora is a gorgeous, red toned brown creme. Inside it looks like dark coffee and outdoors in the sun it almost has a bit of a plum tone to it. If your collection is missing a nice dark brown, pick this one up! 

CND Cocoa:

CND's Cocoa was seen on the runway at spring 09 shows for Giambattista Valli, Nina Ricci, Max Azria, Halston, Thakoon, & Peter Som... to list a few. This is a super chic, fleshy nude creme. This was the #1 requested nail color requested at fashion week by designers. 

CND Wildfire:

CND's Wildfire, a red-violet, raged on both tips and toes at Tibi's spring 09 show. Red is one of those nail polish colors that is very difficult to photograph. This picture does not do this gorgeous red justice. This is a super blue toned red, it is SO HOT in person! I do not normally wear reds, but this color is so sexy, I'll definitely wear it as a mani soon. If you are a red lover, Wildfire is a must.

CND Iced Cappuccino:

CND Iced Cappuccino is a light brown metallic. It is a very pretty color but I am not big into metallic polishes. Application was flawless though, no brush stroke issues here.

CND Decadence:

CND Decadence is a dark red that I might also classify as a jelly. Again, another photographic problem child. This red is much deeper in person. 

Application of all of these polishes was flawless, with a capital F! The lacquer flowed onto my nails perfectly. The finish of all of the cremes in this collection was super glossy. These did dry slower than average for me though. At first I used Orly Bonder and Seche Vite when I did a mani with one of these, and it seemed like they would never dry. But then I did another mani with CND's Stickey base coat and CND's Speedey top coat and they dried much faster. So if you don't have luck with your normal base/top coat combo, give CND's a try.

Overall, I am quite pleased with the shades that CND has selected for Spring/Summer 2009. I get tired of seeing the same old boring pinks and pastels. Here we have gorgeous nudes, a vampy brown and two fabulous reds. I think all of these colors are versatile, wearable, and in my opinion, much more chic than easter egg colored polishes (just my opinion!).

CND products are available at Head2Toe Beauty and 8ty8 Beauty - links are under the "where to haul" section of my blog.

That is all for now, dear readers. Stay tuned for more Spring 2009 nail polish swatches coming soon!

xoxo,

Katee