CND Monday – Dark Ruby Colour & Jade Sparkle Effect
 Welcome to CND Monday, a new feature here on ALU. Each week I’ll be sharing a new layering combination from CND Colour & Effects to show you the versatility and creativity of the line.
This week’s CND Monday look is a reader request from Fanatic Strawberimilk. She wanted to see how Dark Ruby would look with Jade Sparkle layered on top. In my head I was thinking it sounded holiday-ish; red and green but I was way off base. Check out the combo after the jump! |
If you missed my detailed review of the new CND Formula, Bottle and Brush check out CND Colour, Effects and Henna? for a recap.
Dark Ruby is a black cherry shade along the lines of Essie Wicked, only darker and more pigmented with an extra shot of berry in its base. It doesn’t really read as a ruby to me. It definitely fits into the vampy, almost-black category.
Add a coat of Jade Sparkle and you get this foil-like effect where each particle catches the light as you move your hand. Depending on the angle it can read green, gold or somewhere in between. It’s similar to a past CND Monday combo, Raisin in the Sun and Gold Shimmer, except it had a more uniform, brushed metal look.
You can find CND Colour & Effects at salons nationwide and online at our fave e-tailers (see sidebar). Colours retail for $9/ea and Effects retail for $11/ea.
Strawberimilk, I hope this was helpful. Fanatics, what do you think of this combo? Have any of you purchased Dark Ruby yet? What is your favorite Effect to layer over top?
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
eww, like the ruby color by itself better.
I am loving these CND combos! I wish I could afford the whole line, I love all of the effects that are able to be made with these polishes!
This is off-topic, but any idea what nail polish Reese Witherspoon is wearing on the latest InStyle cover? I've been looking for a bright winter red and it seems like the perfect one. Could it be the one from the Essie holiday collection?
I'm loving this series!
Although this particular combo isn't my cuppa tea, the effects are lovely overall.
I love your pictures!
what kind of lighting do you use?
Oh my goodness. I LOVE this combo. It's such a unique color, I haven't really seen many polishes that look like that before!
Have you tried the silver chrome yet? I saw some pics online, where it didn't look streaky. Then I tried it and it did look streaky! Maybe I just didn't let it dry long enough…I was impatient!
I like just the ruby color, that effect completely ruins the beautiful pigment!
I'm so tickled you did my request! Thank you! The combination is getting a lot of hate! LOL. I wanted to see if it would look anything like MAC Toast of The Town which is like red in some light and green in others and cause red and green are complimentary colors. I'm kinda surprised how it turned out, you can't see the ruby!
Anyway, thank you. I'm doing Orly Cashmere Cardigan with CG matte topcoat right now. I can't wait to see what it will look like.
I like both and reckon it could look really fab if you were able to mask off the tip and leave it Ruby and just did the top coat on the rest of the nail, you'd have to have a steady hand though!
hm, not such a fan of this combo. I think I like the effects that don't alter the base coat color as much, and just add a little something extra. The sparkles seem to be more dense and really alter colors. Maybe you can do some of the "sheerer" (if that is word, or makes sense) effects soon.
Cybelesays – I prefer it on its own as well. The shimmer is overpowering.
Stef – Thanks, I'm so glad you like them. It's a lot of fun experimenting with the different effects.
Grace – good question. I'll see if I can find out for you.
Glitterati – Thanks! Yeah this is my least fave look so far.
Loungie – Wow, that's so kind of you to say. I don't use any special lighting. Just whatever streams in my office. That makes swatching a challenge on gloomy days but I try and make it work.
Caitlin – I'm glad you like it. It definitely looks better in person. Shimmer just never comes across on camera as well as it could.
Lani – I haven't tried it yet but I'm planning to use one of the chromes within the next week or two. One tip regarding metallics, wait at least 5 minutes between coats and use very thin layers. It will help with streaks.
Danica – I hear you. They don't really compliment each other well.
Strawberimilk – You're welcome. Ah yes, Toast of the Town. That one wasn't very glittery though, was it? The Emerald Shimmer might be a better choice to replicate that though it could end up lightening the base too much. I bet that Orly looks great mattified.
Anon – From what I can tell, each group of Effects (pearl, shimmer, sparkle) has the same level of opacity/denseness. It just depends on how you layer it. The Jade Sparkle wouldn't look as glitter packed over a green. The darker the base color, the more you'll notice the Effect on top.
Though I did notice that the Gold Sparkle seems to have some irregular shaped particles as compared with Sapphire & Raspberry Sparkle.
Love this hip attention getting combo–great for the holiday season! Love the look and feel of your blog too!
I'd like to see crimson or amethyst sparkle.