Neutral in November Post #8: China Glaze Concrete Catwalk (Fall 2011 Metro Collection)

Hello peachies!  Concrete catwalk is a dark grey crème.  The Metro collection has a nice range of colors, 10 colors to be exact, including most of the seasons top trend colors ranging from rust to purple hues.   This collection is one of the most complete from China Glaze.  I wanted to get every single, last one of them…no lie.  China Glaze is a three-free brand (free of toluene, DBP, and formaldehyde.)  The formula was great. I applied three coats but of course you could get away with two.  This polish is just what I was looking for, not all the way black but still maintain the edginess with the being the color of slightly sun-faded asphalt.  Another color I hated to take off.  Dark grey done beautifully!  Clawing for Concrete Catwalk?  It retails at Ulta or www.ulta.com for $7. This is my last installment of the Neutral Nails in November post series.  I hope you have enjoyed because I sure did. Hopefully, this series showed that not all neutrals are safe and boring.  Until next time...

Neutral in November Post #7: Zoya Minka (Fall 2011 Touch Collection)

Hey peachies! Minka is a beige crème with very subtle shimmer. The Touch collection includes Minka and two other full coverage nudes, Shay and Pandora. Zoya is a 4-free brand (free of toluene, formaldehyde, DBP and camphor) and has an award-winning vegan friendly formula. The formula is sort of thick but not too bad. Due to the thickness, I only applied two coats. Honestly, Minka had to grow on me. I love the creaminess of it but the color just wasn’t impressive at first but now I like it. It is a very safe nude especially for someone with yellowish undertones (olive). I’m not sure how it would look on someone with rosy or peachy undertones. Maybe one of the other colors would do. Yearning for Minka? Get it at Zoya’s website www.zoya.com for $8.  As my "Neutral in November" post series is nearing to a close, what do y'all think about it? Leave a comment for your thoughts!  Until next time... 

Neutral in November Post #6: OPI Warm & Fozzie (Holiday 2011 Muppets Collection)

    The awesome flecks...     

Happy Thanksgiving peachies! Warm & Fozzie is a burnished bronze with flecks of greenish gold and red.  The Muppets collection encompasses of 12 new polish colors, six reds and neutrals and six glitter shades. OPI is a 4-free brand (free of toluene, DBP, formaldehyde, and formaldehyde resin.)  The formula was great, just right.  I applied three coats but you could probably get away with two.  The coppery goodness that is Warm & Fozzie screams holiday!  It reminds me of drinking hot cider, smelling the Christmas tree, and looking at  tapestry.  I get an overall wintery, festive feeling when I look at this polish on my nails.  The coppery base with the warm flecks of gold and red suspended is just pure delight! Warm & Fozzie is the perfect holiday neutral.  Want your own Warm & Fozzie?  It retails at your local Ulta store for $8.50.  Visit www.opi.com for more retail locations.  

Neutral in November Post #5: Rescue Beauty Lounge Piu Mosso (Fall 2011 L’Oiseau de Feu Collection)

Hey peachies! Piu Mosso is a blackened navy with peachy orange flash of shimmer.   Rescue Beauty Lounge is a 5-free brand (free of toluene, formaldehyde, DBP, formaldehyde resin and animal testing.)  Piu Mosso is one of four colors in this collection.  In case you are wondering, L’Oiseau de Feu means “Firebird.”  Rescue Beauty Lounge’s formula is known for its smoothness and ease of application and Piu Mosso is no exception.  For real, I only applied one coat and if you have being a frequent reader of my blog you know that I rarely apply just one coat!  Navy is one of my favorite neutrals because it can sometimes be what I called “The Forgotten Neutral.” Ji Baek (the mastermind behind Rescue Beauty) hits the spot with this color. The inky base color and flash of peachy orange are separately noticeable, especially in outdoor lighting.  I just wished I  a smidgen more of the orange flash translated on the nail.  Even with that small complaint, I have nothing like it in my collection; it is definitely unique.  Gotta have Piu Mosso?  It retails for $18 at www.rescuebeauty.com. 

Neutral in November Post #4: NARS Cosmetics Night Rider (Fall 2011 Night Series Collection)

Close-up (see the iridescent sparkle?)

Hello peachies! Night Rider is a muted lavender with a dominant silver sparkle with hints of holographic flakes.  Although the flakes and sparkle, the base color is so muted that this is an unusual neutral, a lacquer wearable with anything.  NARS Cosmetics is a 4-free brand (free of toluene, formaldehyde, DBP and formaldehyde resin.)  NARS Night Rider is one of four colors in the limited edition collection Night Series.  The formula was good, no problem with it.  I applied three thin coats for complete opacity.  The color is just gorgeous, very soft and demure.  It oddly reminds of me of the lavender Care Bear.  I think her name was Harmony Bear (shrugs).  I guess it’s the iridescent flakes combined with the lavender base that take me back Care Bear cartoon show. Anywho, I was totally expecting a vampy color with a name like Night Rider but got the beautiful, airy color instead.  My verdict?  I love it so that I didn’t want to take it off even after my tips wore.  Speaking of worn tips, NARS nail polishes have always stayed on my nails for at least 7 days, AT LEAST.  Need Night Rider in your life?  Hurry up, it’s a limited edition!  You can find it at your local Nordstrom’s or www.narscosmetics.com for $17.        

Neutral in November Post # 3: Rescue Beauty Lounge (Iconic/Ironic Spring 2011 Collection)

See the subtle shimmer...

Hi peachies!  Iconoclast is an intense black shimmer.  The pink and green shimmer gives it a metallic look.  It is so fabulously smoky that I would either describe it as a black shimmer or the true color of coal, successfully teetering the line of black and the darkest of charcoal grey.  Rescue Beauty Lounge is a 5-free brand (free of toluene, formaldehyde, DBP, formaldehyde resin, and animal testing.)  Most of black shimmers usually don't appeal to me because either the shimmer is so invisible that it might as well just be a black creme or so visible that it looks like lint on black giving a grubby look to the polish. The formula is Rescue Beauty standard. By that statement, I mean flawless. I think it can be a one-coater but because black can be messy, I maintained better control by applying two thinner coats.  The rich base color and multifaceted shimmer are in perfect tandem.  Iconoclast is the softest black I've ever seen while effectively maintaining the edginess that black polish creates.  Rescue Beauty has done it again.  My verdict?  This will definitely be my new go-to black.  Want Iconoclast?  Unfortunately, it is sold out right now on www.rescuebeauty.com.  Ji, the mastermind behind Rescue Beauty Lounge, informed me that it is gone for good:(  I know MAJOR bummer. I will definitely keep you updated if she changes her mind or if I find a dupe.  Until next time...

Neutral in November Post # 2: Chanel Blue Boy (Les Jeans de Chanel Fall 2011 Collection)

Up close (but blurry, sorry)...there is no Chanel shimmer to Blue Boy

Hey peachies!  Blue Boy is a medium blue crème which mimics the medium wash color of jeans.  It is a touch blurple, not necessarily gray undertones but definitely a calm bright color.  It is a tad squishy, sort of a jelly but it finishes as a high-gloss crème.  Chanel's formula is a 4-free brand (free of toluene, formaldehyde, phthalates/DBP and formaldehyde resin). This is a neutral, in my opinion, because jeans go with everything right?!  LOL but it’s true.  Blue Boy applies beautifully, I used three coats.  The color is just so chic to me. It is a blue that anyone can wear, from the wild child to the conservative chick.  I didn’t want Blue Boy to leave my nails but the tips eventually wore in 5 daysL.  Want your own Blue Boy?  Hurry up!  It’s a limited edition…get it at www.chanel.com for a whopping $29. So what are your thoughts?  Would this polish work as neutral for you? Until next time...

Neutral in November Post # 1: Essie Case Study (Fall 2011 Brand New Bag Collection)

Hello peachies! So I’ve decided to have a theme for the month of November.  It will be called “Neutral in November” where I will be exploring the world of neutral nail polish.  Now some of the neutrals will be usual like this kick-off post about Essie Case Study, some unusual.  So follow my posts in November about the wonderful world of neutral nail polishJ.  On to study Case Study lol...Case Study is a cool, dusty taupe color with greenish undertones.     Essie is a 3-free brand (free of toluene, DBP and formaldehyde.)  This lovely polish is one of six colors in this collection.  The formula is wonderful; it could really be a one coater, the first time I have experienced that with an Essie polish. Y’all know me though, I applied two coats. The color is a usual neutral but it is just so sophisticated.  It does have a grayed out look like its spring cousin, Essie Sand Tropez but it is darker.  Case Study is similar to the color of the standard khaki pants.  Gotta have Case Study?  Essie retails at major retailers like CVS, Target and Ulta for $8.  Until next time...

Pic is sort of blurry :-/