China Glaze Peachy Keen with OPI Silver Shatter

Hello peachies!  The past few days has been cloudy, so I needed a lift in color.  The cloudiness also explains the one photo and it's not in sunlight.  China Glaze's formula is a 3-free (free of toluene, formaldehyde, phthalates/DBP.)  Peachy Keen is from China Glaze's 2010 Up and Away Collection and OPI Silver Shatter just came out with the 2011 Pirates of the Carribean Collection.  I have always loved this color, a perfectly pigmented peach creme...just a yummy color:-)  Peachy Keen applied beautifully, no problems at all.  Of course, I applied three coats but you could totally get away with two coats, I promise.  I applied OPI Silver Shatter for kicks on my ring fingers and BLING, BLING!  I love that it reminds me of broken glass, it brings a certain edginess;-)  I don't think this Peachy Keen is available in the major retailers like Sally's Beauty or Ulta anymore but if you want it bad, try Amazon. That seems to always do the trick. China Glaze usually retails around $6.  OPI Silver Shatter is available at retailers for around $9.  Check http://www.opi.com/ for retailers. I pruchased mine from Ulta. My budget and I have decided to slow down on buying so much nail polish...so you will see more vintage nail polish colors from my personal collection.  I eventually want to blog about my entire stash but how can I when I buy so much polish? So I fugured this will be the way to do it. Anyway, until next time peachies!

Chanel Mimosa 577 (from the Summer 2011 Collection)

Hello peachies!  The lemony polish that is Mimosa is from Chanel's summer 2011 collection, Les Fleurs d'été which means "Summer Flowers" or "Summer of Flowers."  Chanel's formula is a 4-free (free of toluene, formaldehyde, phthalates/DBP and formaldehyde resin.)  Of course, Mimosa includes Chanel's infamous "hide-and-seek" shimmer that usually makes their polishes stand out from the rest. Yellow donned the new color trend for summer nail polish, I had to pick this one up. Generally, yellow nail polish is a PAIN to apply. Even the best brands have applications issues with their yellow nail polish. With that being said, Mimosa is one of the best yellows to date. Not only is the color the "just right" yellow, not too much orangey undertones going on, the application was breeze considering the general pain applying yellow can be. Of course, I went with three coats instead of two but two coats would have been okay. Three is my lucky number. The only issue I have with Mimosa is the "hide-and-seek" shimmer really hid on my nails, almost non-existent L. Want the lemony goodness that is Mimosa? It retails for $23 and is available at most major department stores (Nordstrom, Macy's) and online at http://www.chanel.com/. (Sorry for the crappy pics:-\)

    

The shimmer...

Outdoors

Chanel Morning Rose 557 (Summer 2011 Collection)



Indoor lighting



Hello peachies!   Morning Rose is from Chanel's Summer 2011 collection, Les Fleurs d'été which means "Summer Flowers."  The name of the collection alone just makes me anxious for summer to come;-)  Chanel's formula is a 4-free (free of toluene, formaldehyde, phthalates/DBP and formaldehyde resin).  Morning Rose is a squishy, coral-looking pink with a subtle golden shimmer.  The color reminds me of the roses in my grandmother's garden (ahh...memories;-) This color is absolutely gorgeous! The application was excellent, not too think or thin, just right.  I applied three coats although two coats probably would have be just fine.  I am a bit anal when it comes to how many coats I apply so I usually go with three.  Morning Rose is very Claire Huxtable, demure and feminine.  I think Morning Rose is a shade that will look great on everyone.  I honestly can't think of any dupes, Morning Rose is unique!  Want Morning Rose? It retails for $23 and is available at most major department stores (Nordstrom, Macy's) and online at http://www.chanel.com/.  Happy Mother's Day weekend to all of the mothers!



Indoor lighting...can you see the subtle shimmer?



See how vibrant the color is in the sun? 

Black Pearl (from Chanel Spring 2011 Collection)

Outdoor lighting

Hey peachies! I am finally getting around to trying my March PPs (Polish Purchases).  This time I wanted something unusually neutral so I went with Black Pearl 513 from Chanel Spring 2011 collection.  Chanel's formula is a 4-free (free of toluene, formaldehyde, phthalates/DBP and formaldehyde resin).  Black Pearl is a smokey charcoal greenish grey with a pearlish finish.  A mouthful I know but this polish did not disappoint in the least bit.  I am in love with the finish because it sets Black Pearl apart for the rest of the charcoal greys, making it edgy but not too intense-looking.  The application was superb, I only had to use two coats and there were no other issues.  I got tons of compliments, more than usual so if that's any indicator of how gorgeous it is then it's a killer;-) Black Pearl is unique although I'm sure there are some almost-dupes out there.  The Beauty Lookbook (http://www.thebeautylookbook.com/2010/12/closer-look-at-chanel-black-pearl-513.html) has some pretty awesome comparisons.  Want Black Pearl? It retails at $23 a pop. I got mine at Nordstrom but you can also order it directly from the Chanel website (http://www.chanel.com/).  Until next time...;-)

Indoors

Crystal (Zoya Winter 2010 Flame Collection)

Indoors

Well peachies...I'm not giving up on Zoya just yet.  From Zoya's Winter 2010 Flame collection, Crystal is a steel, dusty metallic blue with gold flecks floating throughout it. The blue is very cool but gorgeous nonetheless.  Anything involving gold flecks is guaranteed to get my approval;-) The formula is great, it dried quickly and the application is darn near perfect.  I opted for three coats but two coats would have been just fine.  Crystal is absolutely beautiful...I've heard that this is an exact dupe for obscure UK and Asia exclusive OPI's Reflecting Pool and by the looks of things, Crystal is definitely a dupe.  Although it's not uber-unique, it is still not run of the mill, only one other polish looks exactly like it and that polish is not readily available like Crystal. Want Crystal? Get it at http://www.zoya.com/ for $8.

OPI Reflecting Pool

Both outdoors









Zoya Spring 2011 Intimate Collection "Marley" and "Jules" Update

Sunlight

Hey peachies! It's been way too long;-) Just in time for Easter, I decided to finally try this muted lavender.  I love the name Marley, this was my top girl name pick but I ended up with a boy. I know random but whatever;-) When I look at Marley in the bottle, the first polish I thought of was OPI Rumple's Wiggin from the Shrek collection, a pretty saturated lavender but Marley is definitely is more subdued with silvery undertones. Zoya is a 4-free brand (free of toluene, formaldehyde, DBP and camphor) and has an award-winning vegan friendly formula.  The application went without a hitch and the formula was great, I only needed two coats with this baby. My beef I have with Marley and some of Zoya polishes is that the durability is not great AT ALL! I did my mani on Saturday and today I have major chippage. This is very disappointing because I do like the line, the variety of colors and the formula that Zoya offers. My suspicion is Zoya polishes probably that last way longer when used with their base and top coat from Zoya Color Lock System and was designed that way.  (Side eyeing Zoya) Well, I am going to test this theory out only because I love their colors and give y'all an update.  Although Marley didn't last long, I did enjoy it while it lasted. 



Indoors



 

UPDATE:  Now on to Jules, if you are an avid reader of my blog (if you not, you need to be;-) refer to my  for my review on Jules), you know that I had tons of problems with the application of Jules and it was such a spectacular color. Well, I did a pedi with Jules and YES! The application was darn near perfect!  I can't wait to try Jules for my mani again!

Just a pic to remind y'all of what a beautiful color Jules is:-)

Ice Cream Cake - MAC 2011 Quite Cute Collection

Hello peachies! I feel so bad that I haven't posted anything since last Wednesday...I am going to do better, I promise:-)  Ice Cream Cake is a very pigmented cool (bluish undertones) bubblegum pink creme. It's so packed with color sort of reminds like Pepto Bismol. I needed another color like this in my collection so I couldn't resist. Ice Cream Cake did not disappoint! The application was good, it is a bit streaky but not extremely and it took 3 coats to achieve the perfect look although it probably would be okay with 2 coats. My brush bristles were flawed, I had to pluck one out because it was bent but this issue may be isolated.  I love MAC nail polish bottle design; easy to roll between your hands and the rubberized top makes it easy to screw the top off.  I decided to also do an accent finger with OPI Black Shatter on my right index finger to give my mani an edge.  The color is not uber-unique although I haven't thought of a dupe yet, I am definitely leaning towards one of Essie's polishes. I do think the coolness of Ice Cream Cake is unique and I like how the bluish unertones makes it very bright and pops right off of the nails.  MAC 's Quite Cute Collection debuted in stores on April 7.  It is +limited edition so if you want it, hurry up and get it.