Rescue Beauty Lounge “The Real Housewives Of The Tudor Dynasty” Swatches & Review
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF THE TUDOR DYNASTY INSPIRE A BROCADE-HUED NAIL POLISH COLLECTION FROM RESCUE BEAUTY.
The opulent fabrics, quiet luxury and return of ladylike fashions brought to mind the British Royal family to Rescue Beauty Lounge’s Ji Baek. No, not the current resident of Buckingham Palace but the colorful (and often short-lived) wives of Henry the VIII. Known for her flawless, full-coverage cremes, for Fall 2010 Ji Baek infused opulent multi-dimensional shimmer with rich, heavily pigmented hues. The result, a collection worthy of even the most royal of fingertips. I’m personally not well schooled on the history of The House of Tudor, outside of my love for the Showtime series. Though given the popularity of The Tudors and recent series finale, this collection, with its strong fashion driven edge, is very timely. |
“I fell in love with the Tudor dynasty in the novel Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel,” says Baek. “The more I learned of the queens’ wardrobes—the layers of embroidery, embellishments of pearls and fur and rich jewel toned fabrics—the more I saw a parallel with what’s going on in fashion this fall.”
Formula and Application: RBL is a 4-Free brand. 3-Free used to be the thing but now with so many people asking about Formaldehyde Resin as well, 4-Free really is the new 3-Free. The brush is round, of average length and on the thicker side. It’s a bit more flexible than most which makes application a breeze for me.
As one would expect from a Rescue polish, this collection is heavily pigmented. With the exception of Jane, the polishes all applied perfectly in two coats. I used three coats of Jane though I apply my polish thin so you may be able to get away with two. Even though it took three coats, I was pleased to find that it applied smooth with no streaks in spite of being such a light color.
FYI: I typically don’t wear top coat in my swatch pics but at Ji’s suggestion I did with these. All swatches are shown with a coat of CND Super Shiney.
Anne, named for Anne Boleyn, is a grayed olive green packed with old gold and bright pink shimmer. The pink adds an unusual twist and in person it’s even more prominent. As you can see in the bottle pic above, the gold shimmer really captures the light but indoors it just adds a glow allowing the green come through.
Sunlight
Catherine, named for Catherine of Aragon, is a smokey royal purple infused with pewter, bright blue and fuchsia shimmer. On me, the shimmer isn’t as prominent in Catherine as it is in Anne. It could be that my skin picks up the gold shimmer more than the pewter.
Sunlight
Catherine H, named for Catherine Howard, is described by Ji as a Wedgewood blue. To me, it’s that sky before a storm type of blue that I love. The shimmer in this one is a combination of the old gold from Anne with the bright blue and fuchsia from Catherine. Though what’s odd is that I don’t really see the colors unless I’m in bright sunlight. Indoors it’s almost like the polish has water spots which is very interesting and unique.
Sunlight
Jane, named for Jane Seymour, is an oyster hued creme with an injection of yellow gold, pale pink and light green shimmer. The color is described as having lavender shimmer but I don’t see it. Though part of the reason for that could be that the shimmer is less apparent in Jane than the other three polishes. It’s really subtle, almost unnoticeable to the casual observer.
Sunlight
Bottom Line: My hands down favorite is Anne but not just because it’s a green. The shimmer is really unique and stands out the best in this polish. The Catherines are a close second though. Green, purple and blue are my favorite nail colors (in that order) so it’s no surprise that I’m totally enamored with all three of them. If I had to choose between those two… who am I kidding, I wouldn’t!
Now I’m not a huge neutrals fan though they are pretty prominent for Fall so I see Jane selling well. Finding a light colored creme with a bit of uniqueness that applies well is hard combo to come across so if that’s what you’re looking for, try Jane.
The Real Housewives of The Tudor Dynasty Fall collection from Rescue Beauty Lounge will go on pre-sale soon. I don’t have exact dates yet as Ji is still figuring that out herself. I will be sure to update you once they go on sale. Rescue polishes retail for $18/ea for a .4oz bottle. Shipping is free on order over $100 ($200 for international).
Thoughts on these Tudor inspired colors? Which is your favorite? Will you be splurging on the whole line? Don’t forget to give me your comparison requests!
See my comps: RBL Fall 2010 Comparisons
Disclosure: Product samples were furnished to me by Rescue Beauty Lounge. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
Anne is stunning!
they are all gorgeous. hands down my favorite brand. sure hope they will have a sale again soon.
These all look gorgeous, and I can’t wait for them to become available! I’ve never bought an RBL before, partly because of the price, but I think these would be worth it.
love them all! thank god Im working overtime so I can afford to get them!
My favorites are the two Catherines, but Anne is right up there. I’m not so much a fan of Jane, but those kinds of colors aren’t that flattering on me. Gorgeous swatches, as always.
As for comparisons, I’m certain that they’re different, but how different ARE Zoya Edyta and RBL Anne?
and maybe I would add Nubar Verde to the comparison? Thanks!
compare Anne with Suzi Skis the Pyrenees (suede w/a gloss top coat)
I don’t like shimmers that much, but this blue is pretty unique, and I love nudish Jane…also the names ideas are quite brill, made me laugh!
I love them all, although I’m not sure that I will purchase Jane. How does it compare to Grunge? I bought that and it totally did not work with my skin tone.
not a fan of these, but the blue is kinda pretty.
Wow I’m loving the Anne one <3
I’d like to see a comparison of Jane to Nubar Sandstone. Sandstone might be a touch more beige than grey, but I think it’s pretty dead-on.
They are all beautiful!! Anne and Catherine will be mine for sure.
Any idea how Jane compares to Rococo Stone Cold Karma?
How Does Catherine compare to China Glaze Bogey? I just love how this collection weaves together Ji’s inspirations from fashion, fabrics, and history.
Ooooh, I think yours are my favorites of the swatches so far.
Hey, do you know why she named 2 Catherines? Sure, sure, I get the 2 different wives, but really a bit confusing, no?
I love them all. Jane reminds me of Playa del Platinum, which for me was an instant staple in my “work appropriate” stash.
I think it’s interesting she only made polishes for the 4 wives who had tragic deaths, and not for the other two. I wonder if they had colors that just didn’t make the final cut.
actually, Grace, Catherine of Aragon didn’t have ‘tragic’ death, just a lonely one. An easy way of remembering how his wives fared: divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. I also think it’s interesting that all six weren’t represented. Anne of Cleves and Catherine Parr got robbed!
Akasha–One could argue her death was tragic. She was often ill after she was banished from court and after Henry divorced her. She was witnessing what she called her country fall apart at the seams. She was kept in seclusion by Henry. She had requested that she see her daughter Mary (whom she hadn’t seen in at least three years) and Henry when she was on her deathbed; she saw neither. She died with only a few servants around. Most historians believe she died of melanotic sarcoma and wasn’t poisoned as the rumors of the time decreed.
Well I think Catherine of Aragon’s death actually was pretty tragic. She died alone and exiled in poverty after being very publically shamed by own husband. She wasn’t even allowed to see her own daughter. Was she beheaded like poor Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard or did she die after childbirth like Jane Seymour? No, but the circumstances of her life at the time of her death were still quite tragic. I pity every woman who was ever involved with that monster. Henry the
VIII was a disgusting human being.
LOVE this mnemonic!
I really really like Jane. So pretty! And I like Catherine a lot too. Too bad the polishes are 18 bucks, I can’t afford that! Ah, oh well.
I’d like to see how Jane compares to Zoya Harley.
They all look good to me. I have the same request as Zemlet to compare Catherine to CG Bogie. I am also interested in seeing Jane compared to the new release from butter London called All Hail McQueen. From what I have seen online they look like they could be very similar and I’d only want to buy one because of the price.
Just got All Hail McQueen today and not had a chance to swatch it, but it looks way more gold then Jane, with a heck of a lot more shimmer!
Thanks for the feedback. I’m leaning toward the All Hail McQueen, I think.
Need all.
I need Anne & Jane. It looks like everyone else has all ready requested the colors I think might be close
If Ji is watching, a sale would be quite lovely. Even free shipping on a lesser amount than $100 would be welcome.
Love Anne and the blue Catherine! Might need to add to my collection!
OMG! I’m so in love this collection! Its brilliant! Maybe its just because I love the Tudors on showtime, but I am dying for all 4 of these gorgeous colors. Jane is the only one that I feel sort of iffy about. I’m not a huge fan of neutrals in fact I think there’s only 3 in my entire collection of 200 or so polishes (Grunge being one of them) and I’m just not sure how Jane would look with my pale porcelain skin. That said I’m still going to get it if for no reason other than having the full set of 4. The shimmer in Anne and the two Catherines are just so stunning! I hope they go on pre-sale really soon!
Off topic, but are you still planning on posting swatches of the Lippmann All That Jazz trio?
I definitely plan to swatch the Jazz trio. I picked up the set the day before I left for Vegas and I’ve been playing catchup ever since. I hope to have them swatched this week.
These look gorgeous! I love all 4 colors!
wow I really see the green in Anne. I saw scrangie’s swatches and I was like no…. that’s not green. I like catherine and jane. I’m not so sure about shimmer so I will have to see them in person.
These are beautiful, but I wish RBL did all 6 of Henry VIII’s wives. After all, he is most well known for that.
Anne, Catherine and Catherine H are my favorites as they really capture who these people were. I wish Jane’s was a different color like red. She did give him a male heir after all.
These are all really nice, and nothing like any of the polishes I have now. Personally, I’d skip Jane just because I’m not too big on neutral colors but I’d totally pick up all the others if they were in my price range.
Oh, beautiful!!! Anne is definitely my favorite with Catherine H. as a close second. The colors really pop. I may have to spring for the whole line!
I know Ji must be lovin’ you right now, because you have really captured the beauty of these colors. After seeing other swatches yesterday, I only wanted Anne. Now I’m going to get Anne and both Catherines. They are gorg and really unique. I’d love to see Anne compared to Nubar Verde, since I just ordered that. Thanks, Michelle!
I am in looovve with this collection! This will def be worth the price. I can not wait until they become available. Catherine is a definite for me.
i love Jane color the most
love RBL
great post
I LOVE Catherine H. Jane is nice, too. The collection has a cute name, but at first I was terrified it was inspired by the Real Housewives of New Jersey or something!
I NEED Anne & Catherine!
I’d like to see comparisons between Anne and Opi by Sephora “leaf him by the altar”. Also Jane and Essie “playa del platinum.” Love this collection!!
I’ll be picking up Anne for sure (it’s my name
and probably the two Catherines.
How do you think the purple one (Aragon) compare to Chanel Paradoxal? I think it’s different but how would it look like as a graduation manucure?
wow these are gorgeous. i love catherine, i’ve not seen a blue like it. xXx
I’m on the fence at the moment. I think they are lovely shades – all my favourite colour families represented! Not sure how much I need them…yet!
Out if interest I would love to see a comparison between Anne (the green one) and Diamond Cosmetics Never so Ever-Green as I just got it and while it may not have as much shimmer I think the base colour is the same.
Oh, just shoot me now! No nail polish budget, and yet I’m going to have to get Anne and the Catherines, not just because they’re gorgeous, but because I’m a Tudor history buff. Now tell Ji that she has to do an Elizabeth and a Jane Grey.
@Kate&Zena: Jane gave him an heir, but she was the least notable of his wives. Kind of a blank slate, really. Showtime has probably made her more interesting than she really was.
Actually, she’s one of the most notable. The only queen of Henry VIII’s six wives I consider “least notable” is Anne of Cleves; even then, she has some notable qualities as well.
Jane is the only one of Henry VIII’s wives that was not crowned Queen of England which is very unusual. Henry VIII is also buried next to his most beloved wife, Jane Seymour. Henry VIII did not marry for two years (the longest time ever between marriages for Henry VIII) after Jane died which goes to show how much love he had for her.
Aside from providing Henry VIII with an heir, Jane reconciled the relationship between Princess Mary and Henry VIII. Mary did have to sign a paper saying that her parents’ marriage was invalid (something she regretted her entire life), but they did reconcile.
Jane’s virginity came under disrepute by the Spanish Ambassador Eustace Chapuys. Historians can find no evidence to prove his statement, but the rumor was circulated considering how long she had been at court.
While The Tudors show is very well-known for being a little historically incorrect, most of what I’ve seen concerning Jane IS historically correct. Historians have records that Anne Boleyn did in fact rip the locket necklace off Jane’s neck (which cut Anne’s hand) and open it to find the king’s portrait in it. Anne did become angry when she saw this gift as she was pregnant for the third time. Anne Boleyn also did become hysterical and scream at Jane when she accidentally found Jane on the King’s knee flirting with him when Anne went to visit her husband. Many historians believe she miscarried her third child (she had a stillborn son) due to that event and the stress Anne was under at that time. Eleven days after Anne’s execution, Jane married Henry VIII which was not common back then. It was normal to grieve for several months.
Concerning the color I chose, I chose it because the most famous portrait of Jane is by Holbein the Younger. The portrait portrays Jane wearing a burgundy gown with an English gable covering her red hair. Red is also the color of blood which would represent not only how she died (puerperal fever) but how she was able to reunite the eldest Tudor child with her father. If I could redo Jane’s color, it’s be a dusky burgundy-red with old gold, deep purple and pewter shimmer.
I’m loving all of these! Of course I just can’t bring myself to get them unless they do have a sale. I’m still wanting the summer collection but have been trying not to cave.
If she did a sale right now I’d probably haul bigtime.
Maybe compare Catherine with Paradoxal & Butter London Marrow; and Catherine H with Butter London Victoriana?
I would like to see them side by side too. However, I just got both of them and Marrow is definitely much darker than Catherine (it’s darker than I thought it would be) and has less shimmer. And I Victoriana has green in it, unlike Catherine H. Hope that helps.
My favorite is Anne. It has a really interesting mix of colors and it looks really unique in the photos so I’m betting it’s very nice in person.
Anne of Cleves and Catherine Parr DID get robbed! Gotta include all six wives.
Historical note (for anyone who cares, besides me): Henry never actually divorced Catherine of Aragon or Anne of Cleves; he had the marriages annulled. Catherine got royally screwed — her marriage was totally legit and everyone knew it. Anne actually made out quite well, with her own palace in London, a role as unofficial royal aunt to the Tudor children, and the knowledge that she’d never have to go back to boring old Cleves again.
Jane reminds me of $OPI Under Her Trench. I was also questioning a comp withCatherine and ChG Bogie, also wonder about Anne and Ingrid
new(ish) follower, first time commentor: great post!!! i LOVE these colors!!
that
oehh!!!!!!!!!
The last one!! (L):D:D
Ohhh, definately splurging on the whole collection, my poor credit card lol
Anne looks a lot like my bottle of CND’s Okie Dokie Artichokie. I ditto the request for a comparison of Catherine to CG’s Bogie. Unfortunately I have nothing like Catherine H; instant incurable lemming!
I think I’ll get Jane and both Catherines. I’m loving the color they made for C.of Aragon, she’s my favorite of the wives.
Could you please compare Jane to OPI Tickle my France-y, and Catherine to CG Bogie?
Great swatches! Thanks a lot!
The collection name alone won me over, but Anne’s so gorgeous I’ll likely violate my typical “no paying over $12 for a bottle of polish” rule and buy it. That’s something I don’t do very often, even though RBL polishes regularly tempt me.
I’ve been wanting the ChG Vintage Vixen collection… But I wished really hard that the colors would be a bit more muted or dusty. Seems that Ji has read my mind. Gosh she’s talented!
I’m diggin’ Anne. I love the unique color and sparkle combo. This one I can’t resist and will have to pick up during the pre-sale!
Do you know how or where I could get this brand in the UK? They’re our queens after all!!!
I believe the only option is to order from the Rescue site. As far as I know, RBL is only carried in Ji’s salon and the website.
They are gorgeous! I’m going to try and resist until RBL has a sale. I just bought two Chanel’s and I’m still in sticker shock.
could you do a comparison of anne with zoya edyta and nubar verde? i’ve heard the last two are very close dupes but there weren’t any pictures to show for it :/ anne is really gorgeous, but i can’t see myself splurging $18 for a nail polish!
i second this. i would love to see anna side by side w. zoya edyta….they look exactly the same to me and i already have the zoya so im really curious to see how close they actually are!
I am loving Anne – just gorgeous! thanks for sharing!!
I was so ready to pass on these until I saw your swatch of Catherine. I love the legacy of the Aragon family, too, so that might make this one hard to pass up…
dang. I like all of them. ANd I can’t afford 1 Rescue Beauty Lounge Polish, let alone FOUR.
I’m wondering how Anne compares to Diamond Cosmetics Never So Evergreen? This is a gorgeous collection; I think I like Catherine best but if I could splurge I’d get Catherine and Jane.
Be still my little Tudor-loving heart! I won’t be able to resist these, I just know it. I love Anne, Catherine, and Catherine H. Bring on the royal colors for fall!
I’m thinking the exact same thing! 18$ is rather steep though so maybe there’ll be a sale before these sell out?
Ji has recently stated on her Facebook page that she won’t be holding any more 50% off sales.
I was wondering how Catherine (of Aragon) compares to Chanel’s Paradoxal.
They’re all lovely. Jane is the only color I can see looking washed out on me. I have RBL’s Grunge and the color never stood out on me.
I love them ALL …..EXCEPT for Jane!
But Jane is very different! Great collection! RBL does it again
Can I offer some dorky historical context? There seems to have been real thought put behind these.
–Catherine of Aragon was Henry’s 1st wife and the only one who was his royal equal: she was a royal princess of Spain. (4th was a lesser princess, ignored in this collection.) so the royal purple is most appropriate with her and bright additional tones capture a sense of Spain.
–As many people have learned from all the films and tv shows, Anne Boleyn, #2, was the most complex and distinctive, so the combo here is a good fit.
–By all accounts, Jane Seymour, #3, was downright bland, quiet, discreet. She followed fiery Anne and, days after giving birth to Henry’s only son (who died as a teenager), she died. Stands to reason that the quiet-toned polish is hers.
–Poor Catherine Howard was a teenager when she got forced into marriage with an old, fat, diseased king. She made up for it by having affairs – lots of them. And she got busted. When he found out, Henry had her arrested in the palace and beheaded; a good person to have a stormy blue dedicated to her. Rumor has it that her ghost can be seen screaming down the halls of Hampton Court.
And the other 2 wives left out of this collection? Anne of Cleves, #4, was the lesser European princess stuck marrying Henry. Either he found her too unattractive or he was embarrassed at his inability to perform sexually with her…both reasons have been given…but he wanted out of the marriage. She was clever enough to get him to agree to divorce (and keep her head) and until his death, he referred to her as his “sister.”
The final wife, Katherine Parr, was a smart, well-off middle-aged widow who agreed to marry Henry in his final years. She kept things calm, successfully fought off Henry’s idea to behead her as well, stayed with him to the bitter end and then married the man she’d loved for years. She deserves her own polish too, huh?
Great post, Lynnie! I also adore Tudor history. Anne and Carherine ate the two I’ll preordering, and I’ll get the other two at the half off sale.
Hi!
These are fabulous….I will be purchasing Catherine H and I also love Jane….do you have Barielle belly dance? I’d love to see comparison of this one and RBL Jane
Hi! Could you please compare side by side Catherine and Chanel Paradoxal? Thank you
*SQUEEE* Goddamn, they’re cute T^T
These are so lovely! Really gorgeous! How similar is Catherine of Aragon to Chanel Paradoxal?
Anne reminds me of SOPI Absinthe Makes The heart, except for the pink flash in Anne. Absinthe was a pain-in-the-neck 3-4 coater, but digging out a year-old bottle was worth my while. It is now a slightly difficult two-coater! Yea! A bit of acetone and it should be aged to perfection.
Could you please compare Anne to Zoya Edyta? I’d love to see how close they are. (And any other dupes for this collection! I want these but can’t afford $20 a bottle plus shipping!)
I already did. Here’s the link
http://www.alllacqueredup.com/2010/08/rescue-beauty-lounge-fall-2010-comparisons.html
I received my first (and last) RBL haul yesterday – what a huge disappointment! Their formula is one of the worst I’ve ever tried, and believe me I’ve tried a lot – I’m filling up my forth Helmer. I don’t understand how come all the nail polish bloggers are singing the RBL formula praises in every review – “heavily pigmented, applies itself, BUTTER, application is a breeze, etc.” I tried the whole Fall 2010 collection and some of the older colors including their highly acclaimed Grunge, and my only question was – What good do they all see in this polish? Besides, it’s so expensive – $18 for a 12 ml bottle! And 8 hours later there was visible tip wear – without doing dishes or scrubbing or anything. What a waste of $18! CG, Essie, OPI, Nubar, SOPI, Nfu-Oh or even Lippmann are cheaper and they wear MUCH better. Yes, the colors are beautiful but because of the formula I
Oh, thank goodness… and here I thought I was the only one who was having major issues with RBL formulas! I own well over a dozen RBL polishes because I keep getting drawn in by the colors, but their formulas are incredibly frustrating! They have either been super thin and streaky and leave bald spots even after 3 coats, or they are so thick and uneven that I’ve had to thin them out (brand new bottles!) with polish thinner. They also seem to take forever to dry, even if I use OPI drip dry. Glad I’m not the only one who is completely baffled as to why everybody thinks they are the cat’s meow…
Catherine!!
Catherine H!!
Frugalista!!