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Nails

Spring Forward with Essie Spring 2009!

January 15th, 2009 by Karen 198 Comments

UPDATE: The contest is closed, and I’ll be notifying the winners shortly. Thanks for entering!

What do ya get when you mix sassy red with nude pink, add a dash of Smurfy blue, and pour in *lots* of cream?

Answer: a recipe for Essie’s spring 2009 color collection.


From left to right: Mesmerize, One of a Kind, Status Symbol


From left to right: Eternal Optimist, Flawless, Lacquered Up

The six sweet and spunky $8 nail colors go on sale next month, and aren’t they cute?

Compared to winter’s dark purples and deep reds, these nudes and classic reds (and the surprise blue) have spring written all over ’em, and I dig the vibe. It’s dreamy and playful — like a warm, lazy afternoon in the park.

I’m new to blue — nail polish (aka Le Club du Blue). Creamy, royal Mesmerize caught my eye because I don’t have anything like it in my nail polish stash. And for some odd reason when I look at Mesmerize I feel patriotic, go figure!

I can see it looking great well into summer. Could you imagine having her on your toes and wearing a pair of cute, strappy sandals? Hot!

Status Symbol, a creamy and bright pink coral, looks like food. By that I mean it looks good enough to eat, LOL! It makes me want to suck on my fingers, as if I’m sporting strawberry-flavored candy nails, and like Mesmerize it should look great worn well into August.

I think many of the collection’s other pinks and reds look somewhat similar but have subtle differences.

The creamy reds — One of a Kind and Lacquered Up — could be twins! But a hint of orange makes One of a Kind just slightly warmer.

And Lacquered Up looks more like a true red to me. I like both of these crimson divas, but I think I prefer the way One of a Kind cooperates with my skin color.

Creamy Eternal Optimist a peachy-brown and pink, looks warmer than her sister Flawless, a cool and pale pink.

I think I’m drawn more to Eternal Optimist, though. She just seems a little more natural, but it’s a tough choice. Flawless is one of those sweet pinks that pops!

Despite the nudes that make this feel like a traditional spring release, I love how the collection adds some funner shades to keep things interesting, particularly Mesmerize and Status Symbol. They’re my favorite stars of the show.

The Essie Spring 2009 Giveaway

Are your current nail polish colors giving you the blahs? Get a fresh nail look this spring. Enter the Essie Spring 2009 Giveaway!

You can enter to win by signing up to receive my updates by email or by leaving a comment on this post (or both!). If you’re already signed up for the updates, you don’t have to do anything else to be entered to win — you’re already entered — but you can double your chances by also leaving a comment on this post (a comment about anything at all).

The Prize

Four lucky winners will slip into new nail colors this spring with a complete set of all six polishes Essie’s Spring 2009 collection ($48 value).

How to Enter

There are two different ways to enter, and you can do both of them to double your chances.

  1. If you haven’t already signed up to receive Makeup and Beauty Blog daily email updates, then enter your email in the pink box below (or click this link).
  2. If you have already subscribed to the email updates but want to double your chances, add a brief comment at the bottom of this post (be sure to use a valid email address). 🙂

Enter your email address:

I’ll choose the four winners at random from among the people who enter by 11:59 PM PST on Saturday, January 17. The contest is open to all US and international readers. Good luck!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 198 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Nails Keywords: essie

Chanel Vendetta Nail Polish: Midnight Purple Fantasy

January 1st, 2009 by Karen 33 Comments

Girl, I don’t care how you do it — walk, run, rollerskate or hitch a ride on a three-legged donkey — but find some way to see the new limited edition Vendetta nail polish ($23) in person before it’s too late.

One of two new nail polish shades released for spring 2009, Vendetta’s shimmery midnight purple shines with flecks of red and blue micro-gltter. Imagine the darkest purple — nay, almost black calligraphy ink — and that’s Vendetta. I. LOVE. IT.

Vendetta selling out fast

I’m not the only girl fawning over it. A Chanel artist friend told me the color has been selling out super uber-fast. So fast, in fact, that in less than a week her counter had sold more than half their supply! Some women were buying multiple bottles, LOL! Seriously, I can see why. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+

Love Chanel Vendetta but looking to save a few bucks? Consider Essie Sexy Divide ($8).

Django, Chanel’s second spring polish shade

Vendetta (aka the spring nail superstar) joins another Chanel polish shade this spring. Django, a shimmery, peachy beige with pink touches, looks just like the inside of a seashell.
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There are 33 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Nails, Product Reviews

Butter London Nail Polishes: Vibrant But Fleeting

December 28th, 2008 by Karen 24 Comments

Because I love the company’s name, I buttered myself up to like Butter London nail polishes. I’d never tried the brand before, but at $12 each I expected a lot.

They’re classified “3 Free,” meaning they don’t contain formaldehyde, toluene, or DBP (phthalate). My only other experience with a “3 Free” polish is Lippmann ($15 each), and I hella love those, so you can see why I was expecting a lot from Butter London.

Last week I tested the two colors they released for fall/winter, Branwen’s Feather and Saucy Jack.

Too many coats

One coat of Butter London polish doesn’t do much, applying almost transparently. It took me four coats to get a rich, solid shade with Branwen’s Feather (a glittery dark purple) and three coats with Saucy Jack (a creamy red).

Pretty colors

I like both of these shades, particularly Saucy Jack, which I like a little more than Branwen’s Feather. Once dry they’re both vibrant, eye-catching and shiny.

Hello, Mr. Chips

But after one day of wear, half of the nails I’d painted were already chipping. My nails take a lot of abuse, so any nail polish I’m going to wear on a regular basis has to be tough. Lippmann polishes are. They’re tough as nails (hehe!), but Butter London — not so much.
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There are 24 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Nails, Product Reviews

Essie Mega Mini Treasures: Great Gift for Your BFF

December 3rd, 2008 by Karen 17 Comments

If it weren’t for Essie’s hot holiday collection, I might actually feel the cold this winter. Their Winter 2008 Collection totally rocks, and now they’re coming at me with the Mega Mini Treasures set ($15). Way to go, Essie!

It comes with mini-bottles of Essie polish (0.16-fl oz each) in four easy-to-wear shades…

  • Imported Champagne: metallic golden beige
  • Jelly Apple: creamy red
  • Berry Hard: creamy dark berry
  • Pink Glove Service: creamy translucent petal pink

What do you think of the red case? Looks like a nice stocking stuffer, right? You don’t even have to wrap it! Just pop on a ribbon and voila… regular Santa’s little helper. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 17 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Nails

Essie Winter 2008 Nail Polishes: Her Royal Hotness

November 29th, 2008 by Karen 44 Comments

Well, cover me in jewels, and bring my royal scepter because the regal shades of rich purple, deep ruby and gold make the Essie Winter 2008 collection ($8 each) a royal tour de force!

The colors remind me of His Royal Purpleness, Prince, from the height of Purple Rain fame.

Bold and Beautiful: creamy ruby red
Damsel in a Dress: creamy deep berry
It’s Genius: shimmery purple with gold flecks
Rock Star Skinny: creamy blood red
Sexy Divide: shimmery violet
Shift Power: metallic gold



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There are 44 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Nails, Product Reviews

Which China Glaze Rodeo Diva Shade Do You Like Best?

October 21st, 2008 by Karen 35 Comments

Giddyup, girl! I always wanted to be a cowgirl, ropin’ steers and such and whatnot … but growing up in the suburbs and listening to Public Enemy didn’t lend themselves to the fulfillment of this dream. I’ve never even ridden a horse.

That said, I can still get my fingers and toes ready for the rodeo with China Glaze’s Rodeo Diva nail polish collection, my favorite China Glaze release of the year.

I found the China Glaze Rodeo Diva collection online for $2.68 per bottle.

I think these dark colors are perfect for fall, yet they pack enough shimmer to make ’em fun and spunky at the same time. The shades aren’t as bold as previous releases like Ink, 2BHAWT and 2BKEWL, and I’m glad to see China Glaze is keeping things interesting.

Six of the 12 shades from the Rodeo Diva release…






Which of these China Glaze Rodeo Diva shades do you like best?

View Results

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There are 35 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Nails Keywords: china glaze

Lippmann Collection Party Like a Rockstar: Encore! Encore!

October 16th, 2008 by Karen 20 Comments

It’s true — Lippmann Collection’s limited edition Party Like a Rockstar nail kit ($24) won’t get you on the VIP guest list for the MTV VMA after party, but who cares? Your nails will look hot!

The kit comes with three .6-oz. mini bottles of Lippmann Collection polish in a cute plastic carrying pouch of shiny faux snakeskin. It’s very disco ball and should make a really eye-catching gift.

Devil in a Blue Dress: a creamy midnight blue

This creamy, inky blue looks almost black in some lighting. I didn’t expect to like Devil in a Blue Dress, but once I put her on she became my favorite of the three shades. I don’t have anything else like it in my nail polish stash. Love this!

Good Girl Gone Bad: a shimmery dark plum

Good Girl Gone Bad wields lots of silver and shimmery plum, but despite the shimmer it’s not gritty at all. The plum reminds me of some of the deep purple shades released earlier this year, like Sally Hansen’s Alchemy and Dior’s Vernis Nail Enamel in Liquorice, but the shimmery silver is what really sets it apart.

Addicted to Speed: a clear, quick drying top coat

I’ve used Addicted to Speed in the past and remember liking it then. It was released before this kit. She’s a shiny, long wearing, durable top coat comparable to — the mother of all nail polish top coats — Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat.
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There are 20 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Nails, Product Reviews

Lippmann Collection Nail Colors, Holiday 2008

October 10th, 2008 by Karen 24 Comments

e=mc squared, yo! All the numbers I crunched at work earlier this week nearly drove me insane. I’ve been seeing Microsoft Excel workbooks in my sleep and need something to take my mind off of all these spreadsheets and formulas.

I know! — I’ll paint my nails. 🙂

Take a gander at the new Lippmann Collection Holiday 2008 colors ($15 each). The four new full-size shades are available online and at Nordstrom stores nationwide.

  1. Icing on the Cake: Pale pink frost
  2. Maneater: Deep chocolate brown cream
  3. Holiday: Candy apple red with fine red and magenta shimmer (limited edition)
  4. Superstar: Brown with copper glitter (limited edition)

The last shade I used to paint my nails was a little on the dark side (Sally Hansen’s The Good Earth, a shimmery chocolate brown), so I’m leaning toward something lighter this time, like Icing on the Cake.

Or maybe Superstar… Those coppery glitter flecks are tempting.

Which Lippmann holiday shade do you like best?

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There are 24 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Nails

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