ALU NYFW NOTD Challenge – FW 2010 Day 4
Last Monday was a big day for me at NYFW. Not only did I run myself ragged covering like 6 or 7 shows in a day but I was invited to sit front row at the Tracy Reese runway show at the tents. Can you even? I nearly died inside when I found out.I’ve been to shows in past seasons and once I was even pulled to the front row as a seat filler at an off-site show. But this was totally different. I love Tracy Reese’s designs and her show is always one of my faves. Plus she draws some great celebs each season and being a total Entertainment Weekly/E! type of girl, my inner celeb stalker was thrilled.
Of course, I had to plan out not only what I would wear but my nail color. Since Sally Hansen partners with Tracy Reese each season, a color from their new Complete Salon Manicure line was a natural choice. But with so many colors in the line, which one do I bring? Color of the moment and Chanel Particuliere doppelganger Commander In Chic? A fun metallic like Pedal To The Metal? A very “me” blue or green? See what color I chose after the jump along with some pics from my front row vantage point and my web celeb encounter. |
In the end I opted for the chic black cherry creme, Plum Luck, to pair with my ruffly black dress. Plum Luck borders on the almost-black but it’s just a touch lighter to make it look plum in most lighting situations. We’re not talking OPI LPAD darkness. It applies a bit thin so I needed three coats but with the wide flat brush, like the ones in the Insta-Dri bottles, covering my wide nails in two strokes was a breeze.
I ran into Julia Allison after the show and she noticed that we were both wearing similar nail colors except hers was the new OPI Axxium gel polish. She wasn’t sure of the color but I’d guess it was Louvre Me, Louvre Me Not. FYI, my camera settings were way off so please excuse the craptastic quality of this pic. It was a pleasure meeting Julia and she even invited me to do an on camera interview about nail color trends for NBC New York Nonstop.
ps I know I’m a total dork for taking this pic but it was just too cool to see my site name on the seat back in the front row alongside editors from Seventeen and O Magazine.
I’ve gushed about my eternal love for Lauren Ezersky in the past. I loyally watched her now defunct Behind The Velvet Ropes during its Style Channel run and still miss seeing it pop up on my Tivo. Watching her sit down across from me caused me to have a total fangirl moment. The woman is New York Cool personified. Love her!
The rest of the front row. You can spot Mary Rambin’s gorgeous gams next Julia Allison, just right of center.
Tracy receiving flowers from her family after the finale.
Of course the celeb factor caused a ruckus with the photogs. Michelle Williams, formerly of Destiny’s Child, was backstage before I took my seat and I had no idea how tall she is. What a beautiful presence. Also in attendance were Kristen Bell, Julia Stiles, Erin Lucas (The City) and Adrienne Balion (pictured below).
Getting back on the polish track, I’ve been meaning to rave about this new Sally Hansen formula but FW prep got in the way. Sweet pickles you guys, the wear is insane. I jokingly said to the Sr. VP of Marketing for Coty (SH parent company) Bill Boraczek that there must be glue in the polish because it wears like iron. For the record, there is NO GLUE in the polish.
The big claim with the Complete Salon Manicure line is that you don’t need to use top or base coat. For a fanatic like me, that’s crazy talk. The cardinal rule to great polish wear is base & top coat so I decided to take this formula to task. I was honestly not expecting much because we’ve heard this song and dance before but I’m here to eat my words. I applied Commander In Chic and on two nails I left out my current base/top combo of Nubar Foundation Basecoat and Olan Labs Quick & Slick.
After my usual 5 day wear test time I couldn’t believe how good my manicure looked. Seriously, I couldn’t tell the difference between the nails with base/top from the ones without and there was very little tip wear. I was SHOCKED! To push it even further I wore the polish an additional 5 days and just look at the results!! Color me impressed Sally Hansen!
Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure polishes are available now at drugstores nationwide. Of course, I’ll have a full recap of the beauty look from the Tracy Reese show so be on the lookout for that.
Have any of you tried the new Sally Hansen formula? Did you have similar wear results? What are your fave colors from the new line?
Disclosure: A product sample was furnished to me by Sally Hansen. For more information view my Disclosure Policy.
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
Wow, it looks great after ten days! Wish my nailpolish stayed on like that.. Oh no wait, nevermind, that would bore me a little.
Wowza, that Julia Allison is EVERYWHERE and you looked beautiful.
I have not tried the Sally Hansen Complete but after those pictures I am totally going to try it. I need a new spring color so it will be perfect. I can’t wait to see how long it lasts on me!
How awesome to get to sit in the front row!!! I just saw the new Sally Hansen Collection in the store and thought about buying one or two. Now that I have read your review I will be getting some tomorrow.
That color is gorgeous.I have one of the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure polishes in Fairy Teal. It’s a really pretty slightly dusty teal creme. I’ve had similar results with the wear, it stays on my nails FOREVER!
I have the same polish and I can attest to it, I did wear mine with top coat for the gloss and that baby stayed on for nearly two weeks until I had to have a new color. I think I may need the entire collection.
I was a major skeptic about this line, but I picked up the plum color a few weeks back and I really like it. I did find the formula a little on the thick side, but I kept it to two med/thick coats, so it appeared a little lighter than your picture here. I love commander in chic, but it’s too similar to SOPI metro chic for me to shell out $8 for it. My only real complaint is that the brush might be great for manis, but for someone who always does pedis, as well, it’s no good – the tip of the brush is too round
I’d definitely use this line again, but only if the color was really special.
I wish! Can’t get hold of them here. But the next time I’m in the US …
I have a few of them and I also noticed the wear was fantastic.
I actually just did a Monday’s Manicure post today about the Sally Hansen complete manicure (I did Fairy Teal) and I love this stuff. I have Lavender Cloud and I bought my Mom Haute Chocolate and they wear amazingly well. I was super surprised and I love the color options. I hope they keep adding to the collection of colors.
wow, my teenager loves polish I will have to keep my open for this. I love the color of polish in the last pic-I will have to put some
Commander in Chic on my list as a must have-it seems pretty neutral but bold-ish. Now if I could only make sure that I can do both hands nicely.
I have the SH Grey on Grey, but I was busy talking to Meredith and ended up going the whole routine – base coat/two coats/top coat – and it wore amazing. I’m def going to have to try it out on its own now.
I have 3 colors (I pink I can, plum luck, and gray by gray.) ALL THREE lasted 7+ days WITHOUT A CHIP. I have been using Orly Bonder + Nails Inc Kensington Caviar top coat. I follow your blog religiously and have tried all the tips and tricks — nothing has ever worn this well! It’s going to be so hard to resist buying more colors
i have this colour and one that is a nude. the wear is unbelievable! it stays on, does not chip, and i wore mine for almost two weeks! i am tough on my nails, so this was a first, and i work in the style and beauty industries! i put a top coat of seche vite on once every five days just to renew the shine. perfect! if i did not want to change out the colour for diversity, it would probably still be on!
I’ve been thinking about buying Commander in Chic, now I definitely will! Congrats on sitting front row.
Will there be another Tracy Reese/Sally Hansen collabo this spring? I have LOVED the past collections!!
Yep, they’re doing what they call the ‘new neutrals’ A line of mushroom, taupe, nude, milk chocolate type shades. Very comfy and chic.
I’m really looking forward to more of their lighter neutral colors, I hope they come out soon. Currently, I’ve got a bunch of their darker neutrals now and I love the colors, formula, and how long they last. I emailed Coty (parent company of Sally Hansen) asking them to change their brushes as I can’t do pedicures with them nor can I do the french tip with those wide brushes. I like their polish a lot.
You know, I never thought about how the brush shape would hinder painting a tip. I don’t wear French manicures but I’ll do a funky French from time to time.
Longtime reader/lurker here – LOVE your blog!!! That is SO cool that you scored a front row seat; I was a fashion editor for several years and I know full well that’s a total coup. And Tracy Reese is awesome. So glad you had a terrific Fashion Week!
Sally Hansen really does have a great line of nail products. Their colour range is great and obviously they wear nicely. I’ve also found that the Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish is another great bargain buy. The colour selection, while limited, is great and they have a pearlized finish that applies beautifully. I have to SCRUB to get it off! Try it out!
I just picked up a couple of the new Rimmels to try out. The new bottle reminds me of the old SH Salon line.
I have been wearing Gray by Gray (no base or top coats) for 4 days now and I have no chips at all! I change my polish every 3 days because they rarely last longer than that. I don’t love the brush, but it is better than the wider version on SH’s Insta-Dry polish. I am ready to go out and buy a few more colors but they are sold out wherever I go!
Really? Wow, I had no idea they were selling out. My local Walgreens was fully stocked. I hope they get some more out to you soon
Gorgeous color! Unfortunately, the wider brush SH has been using lately is too stiff for me to use effectively. :/
i have seen it at the walgreens i went to but i wasnt sure it would be true… so i didnt buy it ’cause it was like $10/bottle and i didnt know it would be so worth it. man, i regret and now, there’s like no more and yah… is it going to be part of their collection or is it a limited edition thing???
The Complete Salon Manicure line is permanent but they will have seasonal color collections. This line replaces the old Salon line.
Around here they sell it at Walmart for $6.50. I just went over the weekend and they re-did their racks and have the complete set of colors. I got 3 bottles. Walgreens here also sells it but it’s like $7.99 there and $8.49 at CVS, if I remember correctly.
How cool are you?! I would def have taken the chair photo, dork is good! And you look lovely in your photo, you have seriously fab hair as well as great nails, no fair! Pretty sure will never see these polishes here in the UK but am really after a dark taupe, will keep my eyes peeled.
Aww, thank you so much. It was a blast and such a cool experience. I’ve had seats at shows before but unless you’re in the front row, you don’t get as good a vantage point.
I had to try these and I’m super impressed. I love the two coats without base or top because it doesn’t look so thick on the nail. I wish the bristles on the brush were a bit softer/thinner because it seams real cheapy but I like the shape. Rite Aid is BOGO 1/2 off right now but they don’t have the teal or grey or blue cremes. Either does CVS (sold out of almost all colors in Mayfield, btw). Now that I think I can’t find them, I’m going to be a girl on a mission until I do!
WOW, thanks to your long-wear testimony, I can’t wait for these to go on sale soon to get a bottle! (I’m too cheap to pay $8 for nailpolish at the drugstore!) : )
My Walgreens only had a couple of colors, but lots of blank spaces, so either they didn’t get a good stock or they are selling out! The one I liked best (of course, I can’t remember the name and I can’t match it to any of their website swatches…)looked very similar to my fave old OPI shade, How to Jamaica a Million. Can’t wait to try it out!
Are they cruelty free yet? I’ve read conflicting information on different sites.
A miss for me. Bottles seemed oddly overfilled, and the brushes are lopped off in an odd shape that made them hard to control or get even strokes. I bought Navy Baby and Grass Slipper,and both went right back. I would have thought they were defective (especially the brushes) except that both colors had the same issues.
I generally don’t believe in any all-in-one product claims. (Remember the old Pert Plus shampoo, which claimed to be a shampoo and conditioner in one? That didn’t work, either). Base coat, color, and topcoats all serve different purposes and are formulated accordingly. You’re not going to get any stain protection on the nail plate when you apply pigment directly to it, nor will you avoid getting little scratches of color on paperwork if you skip using a topcoat. Basically I think this is a gimmick, but buy it if you like the colors and don’t mind struggling with the packaging or brush.
ok, i actually bought one now. i got black platinum that looks exactly like the blackish metal that a lot of earrings are made of. i am in love with this color! ’cause i actually like that kind of metal. but i hate that when it dries, it’s still soft and i had to put on a top coat so it doesnt got “moved” as did when i didnt put any top coat. =P it barely wore down on me and it’s already the fifth day although i havent been doing anything serious like using my nails as tools. lol =D
I am wearing Commander in Chic now, and it’s been a full week.
I did put a coat of clear Hard as Nails under it, but that isn’t specifically a base coat.
My results are very similar to yours, only slight wear at the tips, everything else still looks picture perfect. I could easily brush gently over the tips and then add a shine coat and keep going.
I need to go get more colors, I also wore All Fired up for a week, again, just tip wear.
It’s good stuff…
I just recently found your blog, and I am hooked already! I love it! I just picked up Commander in Chic – due to your review! Its gorg! I cant wait to see how it wears! I also did a pedi with Navy Baby, and I’m waaaay disappointed. I’m not sure if its my sub-par pedicuring skills or the fact that this brush just doesn’t work well for pedicures. I’d love it if you’d do a post with Navy Baby so I could see if its just me
I don’t know if I have Navy Baby. I’ll check and let you know.
I did wear Grass Slipper by itself though and the stain was terrible, so I’ll be wearing it with a base coat next time.
Thanks for sharing that. That is the one downside of wearing polishes without a base coat, potential staining. Greens, blues, blacks and purples seem to be the worst for that with blues leading the pack.
Did the same for me! Oops! :p
I just recently discovered your blog and this post on the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure made me so happy because I could not agree with you more on the quality of the polish!
It’s definitely my new favorite line. I randomly stumbled upon the line at CVS as I’ve been on the hunt for a color like Commander in Chic for a while. I’ve gotten lots of compliments on the color. I like that it’s grayish with a hint of lilac (?). Under some lighting conditions, the color definitely has a light purple tint. I wore three coats of the polish for about a week without a base coat or a top coat and I only experienced some wear at the tips. I’m planning on getting lighter colors now that we’re well into spring. Will you review any other colors from the line any time soon?
No thanks. It’s unusual for me to wear a color more than two days (if that) so just the fact that it’s harder to get off makes it a no go for me.
I love the brush shape and formula! Only thing is that without a top coat, the colors look flat. Oh, and grass slipper stained like crazy.
I am IN LOVE with this line. I was a little reluctant to shell out $8 for my first one, but it was worth every cent. I was absolutely floored when I discovered this line was as amazing as it is. Honestly I’ve had better experiences with this line than with OPI and Essie, which a lot of times I’ve been disappointed with. Plum Luck is one of my all-time favorites, its my go-to winter color, and I also love Plum’s the Word and So Much Fawn. In the summer, or when I’m feeling gloomy and need a pick-me-up in winter, Shrimply Devine is perfect. I also just grabbed their gold one (aptly named Guilty Pleasure) a week ago, and its my new summer fave, goes beautifully with a nice summer glow. I’m a huge fan, every time I go into a drugstore or beauty supply, I have to grab one!