China Glaze Desert Escape Summer 2015 Swatches & Review
China Glaze Desert Escape – Summer 2015
We’ve seen one take on desert chic nail color this season, and now China Glaze is putting their spin on it with the Desert Escape collection. Inspired by glistening sand dunes and vibrant sunset skies, this collection celebrates the vivid colors that make the desert landscape and its culture.
Formula & Application
China Glaze nail polish is 3-Free (Formaldehyde, Toluene, DBP). The tapered cylindrical bottle has a similarly tapered cap made of textured plastic that is comfortable to hold though not easy to grip if your cap gets stuck. If that happens, grab a rubber band.
The thin, round brush is both medium in length and firmness with enough give to allow for ease of control. Given my love of thin brushes, it’s no wonder China Glaze is on my list of Top 10 Nail Polish Brushes.
Overall, the polishes in this collection are well pigmented and smooth, though the my application differed slightly by color so I’m going to address that below.
Swatches
China Glaze Don’t Desert Me is a bright fuchsia shimmer. The consistency and coverage are both excellent and it glides on the nail in an easy two coats. I originally thought it would be a dupe for Marc Jacobs Oui, but Don’t Desert Me is more purple. The difference isn’t extremely noticeable until I wore them both on my nails. Oui is less flattering on me.
China Glaze Don’t Desert Me
China Glaze Don’t Desert Me comparison
China Glaze Don’t Mesa With My Heart is a bubblegum pink creme with a cool, violet undertone. It’s darker than Zoya Shelby and cooler/lighter than OPI Shorts Story and Zoya Rooney. I took a slightly different approach with this one. I applied one thin coat and then a second thicker coat, dabbing a lot of light, short strokes to avoid patchiness. I was worried this would cause bubbling, but no, just smooth, even perfection.
China Glaze Don’t Mesa With My Heart
China Glaze Don’t Mesa With My Heart comparison
China Glaze Meet Me at the Mirage is a rosy/bronze foil metallic. The mix of silver and pinkish bronze metallic flecks makes for a very unique color. It’s not as cool as the rose gold toned Orly Rage and warmer than Sally Hansen Gilded Roses. This applies really well, like most foils, and barely needs two coats.
China Glaze Meet Me at the Mirage
China Glaze Meet Me at the Mirage comparison
China Glaze Rain Dance the Night Away is a vivid turquoise creme that toes the line between cyan and turquoise. It’s brighter and less green than Essie In The Cab-ana and darker than Nubar Fan Club. I applied this one similarly to Don’t Mesa, in that I used a second thicker coat to avoid patchiness. By barely touching the brush to the nail, I was able to glide the lacquer across the nail. ps. you don’t have to worry about staining with this one.
China Glaze Rain Dance the Night Away
China Glaze Rain Dance the Night Away comparison
China Glaze The Heat is On is a tomato red creme with a jelly base. It’s a little sheer because of that, so I needed three coats to get it opaque. It’s not quite as warm as butter LONDON Ladybird, and lighter than OPI I STOP for Red and Chanel Coquelicot.
China Glaze The Heat is On
China Glaze The Heat is On comparison
China Glaze What’s She Dune? is a sandy beige creme with a cool undertone. It has a cafe au lait type quality in that it has a milky appearance, as compared to a pink or yellow cast. For example, Zoya Farah is yellow-based, while OPI Don’t Pretzel My Buttons is a pink-nude. It has great pigmentation and covered well in two coats, though my pinkie nail needed three because my ridge was showing. Stupid ridges!
China Glaze What’s She Dune?
China Glaze What’s She Dune? comparison
China Glaze Desert Escape swatches
Bottom Line: I was wearing Meet Me at the Mirage while out to dinner with a friend and we both realized it is much more suited to her olive-toned skin so it’s going to live with her. Though my favorite of the collection ended up being Don’t Desert Me. I’m have a major fuchsia moment, you guys. It even won my heart over Rain Dance, though I really like that one as well. I mean, I haven’t completely gone to the fuchsia side. I like it because it’s brighter than my other turquoise polishes in that range, which is perfect for summer. Also, for a neutral, What’s She Dune? is really nice.
China Glaze Desert Escape officially launches in June 2015. You can find China Glaze at beauty retailers, including SallyBeauty.com and ULTA.com. And I’ve found them available now on eBay.com. For more info, visit ChinaGlaze.com.
Thoughts on Desert Escape? Do you think these types of brights work well in a desert-themed collection? Which colors are you planning to try?
Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for China Glaze. Affiliate links may appear in this post. When you purchase through an affiliate link, you help support this site. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
Great swatches. So helpful to see it compared to similar colors too.
Thanks Lisa! Glad they’re helpful.
Interesting to see another desert themed collection. I like it. I’m really in love with turquoise at the moment so Rain Dance will definitely be mine. Don’t desert me is also very pretty. I’ll have to think about Dune and that foil but it’s tempting! Your swatches make me want them all, even though I definitely have plenty of reds and pinks.
Ha! I love being an enabler
I’m having a “Fuchsia Moment” right along with you Michelle!
Yes!!!
I really love how you do the comparison color swatches. I imagine that it is alot of work but so appreciated! I really like all of these and since China Glaze does sets of minis I think I am going to get a set if I can. If not the fushcia color needs to be mine!
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoy the comparisons and find them helpful. I hope you can find the minis. I’ve never tried a ChG mini before. Are the brushes nice?
Don’t Desert Me is also my fav of this bunch – this seems to be a more interesting collection from CG then many have been for some tiime
I’m so glad you like it.
Is Meet me at the Mirage at all close to OPl Warm and Fozzie?
No, Warm & Fozzie is darker and more browned
I think I’m thinking of Designer de Better, not Warm & Fozzie.
Ah, maybe. Though Designer de Better is kind of the opposite of Mirage. DdB is a silver with bronze flecks whereas Mirage is a bronze with a few silver flecks. They’re nothing alike.
Michelle, hi! I liked all of the colors that you swatched! My favorite would be the Meet Me At The Mirage! The rose metallic probably wouldn’t look good on me. I’d probably paint my toenails with it!
Hi Barb! I think it would make an excellent pedicure color. Like jewelry for your feet.
I love all of these! I need them in my life
Thanks for the lovely swatches!
You’re welcome. Let me know if you end up getting them.
I am not sure what I think about this collection. While the individual colors are nice, none of them calls my name.
I can see that. It’s not a heart-stopping collection, though they are all well-made and pretty.
Not too sure about the fuchsia, the pink, or the rose-bronze since these are all too cool (and Wintery) for me. But I’ll be sure to get the nude (reminds me of OPI Do You Take Lei-away) and the tomato red (goes well with my Dark Autumn coloring). Still, I love the swatches.
I’m glad you found a couple colors that work for you. Sounds like we have opposite coloring so what doesn’t work for me, will probably be fab on you.
Mirage is gorgeous, and Orly Rage is already one of my faves so that’s my top pick.
Rage is so good. That, Luxe and Shine are a perfect metallic trio.
Meet Me at the Mirage stands out to me, but it also reminds me of a Butter London color that is a textured polish… can’t remember the dang name though! lol I’d consider still getting Mirage though, since it’s not textured… And dang it, it’s bugging me that I can’t recall the Butter London name.
Are you thinking of Dubs? That’s more of a pink-y taupe texture.
You know what, that’s exactly it! We had a blood drive at work yesterday so it completely spaced my mind to check on the name/exact coloring when I went home! So see, I DO need this one! lol Justification at it’s finest
How is rain dance compared to China glaze’s last summer’s color too yacht to handle?
Wow, this is the first time I’ve been to your blog, and I have to say I’ll be back. Great swatches WITH dupe/comparisons. Love it.