Pink
Chanel Celestial Lights Starring Cosmic Violine
 Recalling Mademoiselle Chanel’s fascination with the constellations, LUMIÈRES CÉLESTES — eight exquisite new shades of LÈVRES SCINTILLANTES Glossimer — brings a brilliant reflection of light to the lips. Ranging from a shimmering ruby glow to the sparkle of pink diamonds, the effects are as mesmerizing as a star-filled sky.
Ever since I caught wind of Chanel’s Celestial Lights collection, I’ve been waiting with bated breath to cover my tips in Cosmic Violine. As far as I’m concerned, there aren’t enough fun brown family shades on the market so hearing that they were coming out with a “brown copper” lacquer to accompany their eight new Glossimer shades, all I could think was “SIGN ME UP!” Of course, it did not disappoint. Check out my swatches along with the rest of the Celestial Lights Le Vernis lacquers after the jump! |
In addition to Cosmic Violine, Chanel is introducing a new pink for summer, Mica Rose, repromoting permanent shade Allegoria and bringing back Dazzling (originally intro’d with Holiday 2007). With one minor exception (noted below) all the shades applied like a dream, smooth and even. They are all shown without top coat, over a ridgefilling base.
Cosmic Violine is a micro-glitter packed, red-based brown. It’s very rich, even more so in person, and the glitter reminds me of the Moscow collection. Cosmic Violine could be the lighter, browner sister of Feu De Russie. What I love is that even though this type of shade seems more suited to fall or winter, I totally want to rock it on my toes for summer. It truly is the standout shade of this collection. LOVE LOVE LOVE!
Mica Rose is the cool toned alternative to last summer’s Flamingo, one of my all time fave pinks. Flamingo is a warm sparkly pink while Mica Rose is more of a true pink with a slight leaning towards lilac. It’s on the semi-sheer side so I needed three coats to make it opaque. Though with the majority of my pink collection consisting of warmer hues, I’ll happily add Mica Rose to my perm stash.
Allegoria is milky beige creme that is part of the permanent Chanel Le Vernis lineup. It’s a staple type shade but not really “me” and since my bottle was pretty streaky, requiring three coats (four on my pinky), for me, it’s not a keeper.
Dazzling is a true red creme and with all the celebrity red tip sightings these past few months, it only makes sense to bring this baby back for summer. You have no idea how many red creme pedicures I saw on the cruise so if you want to jump on that bandwagon, Dazzling is a good place to start.
The Celestial Lights collection officially launches in May though I believe people have already started finding the polishes at their local Chanel counters. Le Vernis lacquers retail for $23/ea and can be purchased online from Chanel.com in addition to department and specialty store Chanel counters.
So who’s planning to run out and grab a bottle of Cosmic Violine? Are the other shades striking your fancy?
Finger Paints Sunburst Summer
 Coming soon to a Sally Beauty Supply near you is the Finger Paints Sunburst Summer collection. One look and I immediately think of ice cream. Do you remember as a kid, going to the Baskin Robbins and staring at all the fun colored ice creams like Superman, Pink Bubblegum, Orange Sherbet, etc.? Well, they’re all right here in Sunburst summer. And for those of you that dig Icees, there’s a red that looks just like a cherry slushie.
It’s total nostalgia. I’m ready for the ice cream man to come round so I can get a push-up. They were always my fave. Now I’ve mentioned Finger Paints in the past but I really haven’t given them the love they deserve. This brand is the hidden gem in the retail sector. They’re totally accessible, affordable and come in a great range of shades. Check out my swatches, after the jump! |
For you ingredient readers, Finger Paints are Big 3 Free though they do contain Formaldehyde Resin. In this collection the formula was very jelly-ish, like Sinful Colors, and thinner than most 3 Free polishes which means more layers. All the shades required three coats over a ridgefilling base (Seche Base).
Yellow Bikini looks soft and creamy, like lemon sorbet, in the bottle but on the nail it’s more vibrant and buttery with a hint of shimmer. My only issue was a bit of streakiness but I find that happens with most yellow polishes. I don’t know if its the nature of that type of pigment or what but it’s frustrating. Though with three coats, I was good to go!
The only polish I have that comes close is Chanel L.A. Sunrise from last summer’s Robertson Boulevard collection. So if you avoided shelling out the $$$ for L.A. Sunrise, here’s a great alternative. I showed it next to Sephora by OPI IM Beauty but they are nothing alike.
Lilac Lagoon looked promising in the bottle because of the flecks of gold micro-glitter floating throughout but I obviously just need to give up hope of any pale purple looking good on me. It’s a gorgeous color, just not with my skintone. This one is the sheerest of the bunch and you may need four coats to achieve opacity.
Turquoise Tile is unlike any polish I own in this color range. Compared to my more blue turquoise shades, it looks green. Next to my green leaning shades, it’s more blue. Based solely on bottle color, it falls between China Glaze Beauty & The Beach and Martini Pedicure in my collection.
Ripe Peach definitely has that sherbet feel and even though it looks slightly shimmer in the bottle, it dries creamy on the nail. 
Strawberry Shake really lives up to its name. This shimmery pink looks very drinkable, though I wouldn’t recommend that.
Cherry Ices has subtle gold shimmer that warms up the vibrant maraschino hue. If you’re looking for a summer pedicure red, this could be your winner.
The Sunburst Summer collection will debut in May but as any Finger Paints fanatic knows, it’s best to call your local Sally’s in advance to see when they’ll arrive. You can also purchase Finger Paints online at SallyBeauty.com. Polishes retail for $4.99 ($4.49 with a Sally Card) but be on the lookout for specials like B2GO Free in the monthly flyer.
China Glaze Kicks Collection – Part 2
 Does anyone else remember when Tretorn tennis shoes were all the rage? Better yet, do you remember Tretorns period or did I totally just date myself? Maybe it was just my school but for a second, it was all about what color Tretorns you had. I distinctly remember a green plaid pair I owned.
Anywho, the reason I bring this up is that the more I look at the China Glaze Kicks collection, the more it reminds me of Tretorns. Every single shade would make a perfect accent color on a pair of their white sneaks. BT-Dub, Zappos.com sells Tretorns and now I’m all nostalgic, wanting a white/green pair (pictured). Getting back to the polish, the 2nd half of the collection introduces four cremes and two shimmers to the Kicks party. See them all, after the jump. |
B-Girlz is a hot, Barbie (could that be the “B” in B-Girlz?) pink shimmer. It’s totally Barbie’s pink convertible bottled.
Laced Up is Hubba Bubba hued creme that applies extremely even for such a light color. Normally I get drag at the cuticles with lighter cremes but Laced Up applied beautifully.
Sneaker Head has this sunwashed look to it. It’s a deep, baked berry red. Rich and luscious.
Oh How Street It Is can best be described as a burnt red-orange creme. Like that dark hue of orange flavored jelly candy.
Style Wars is a deep mango creme. I know when I previewed these shades on nail art wheels, that Styel Wars and Oh How Street It Is looked very similar. As you can see, on the nail, Style Wars is less red based and lighter.
I hear Breakin‘ and I’m compelled to say “Electric Boogaloo” before I look to see if Turbo is breakdancing on my ceiling. Anyone? Bueller? Well this Breakin’ may not spawn a sequel but it certainly has a fan base, me! This shimmery baby is pure concentrated OJ. LOVE!
The Kicks collection hits shelves at the end of April. You can order them online at Head2ToeBeauty.com, 8ty8Beauty.com or TransDesign.com or look for them in stores at Sally Beauty or ULTA.
China Glaze Kicks Collection – Part 1
 China Glaze is killing it! Absolutely f’n killing it this summer. I could barely contain myself over the gorgeousness of Summer Days and then out of nowhere comes Kicks, a collection of twelve vivid shades inspired by the colorful footwear worn by Sneakerheads. Sneakerheads aquire colorful “kicks” the way us fanatics accumulate polish. Amassing an array of fashion foward, unique sneakers, the more rare and LE, the better. Sound familiar polish collectors?
All I can say is that Kicks is definitely a collector’s collection. One that you won’t want to swap or give away. I sound like a crushed out schoolgirl, don’t I? Just take a peek after the jump and you’ll be all swoony too! |
The first six shades in the Kicks collection all have some form of shimmer and, with one notable exception (Paper Chasing), it’s very subtle. Think TreeHugger; a creme feeling base with micro-shimmer finely dispersed throughout the pigment. It’s this style of shimmer that makes Kicks a great companion for Summer Days. While I go ga-ga for that glass fleck look, I know that kind of intense look isn’t for everyone. So for the girls that want color minus the uber-glitz factor, Kicks is your new BFF.
Application was a total breeze. Each shade flowed and spread out to give a perfect, even finish. Excluding Paper Chasing, each lacquer is monstrously pigmented and only required two coats. Paper Chasing is more of a semi-sheer, jelly-ish metallic so it required three coats.
Entourage looks like it was pigmented with under-ripened lime zest. It has that bold lime-y quality but it’s not as dark as a fully ripe lime rind. The glint of micro-shimmer is more apparent in Entourage than its sister shades below.
Paper Chasing is my kind of girl and she’s totally different than all the other Kicks polishes. This kelly green beauty has a Sinful San Francisco feel and a slightly metallic look making it a standout shade for me.
What makes Custom Kicks a total winner is the gold shimmer. You can see flecks of it in the bottle and OMG does it draw me in. I have a whole drawer filled with teal polishes but none that look quite like this. A little blackened but not dark or dingy with this frisky hint of sparkle.
Sky High-Top is a vibrant royal blue with tonal shimmer. It reminds me of those rainy spring days when the sun still shines even though it’s pouring. You know how the sky darkens ever so slightly? Bottle that and you have Sky High-Top.
Fly is a purpley raspberry peppered with pink flecks of micro-shimmer. It’s a shame that doesn’t truly show up in pictures because it really does add depth and personality to the polish.
It’s Poppin actually reminds me of a pink poppy flower. It’s a rosey take on fuchsia and makes me long for berry season for some odd reason. Riddle me that.
The Kicks collection will launch at the end of April and can be purchased online at Head2ToeBeauty.com, 8ty8Beauty.com or TransDesign.com or in stores at Sally Beauty Supply and ULTA.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of the collection! What do we think so far?
Barielle Sugar Rush for Summer 2009
 Sugar Rush is the alternative to last year’s neons -celebrity manicurist, Elle
Barielle spokesperson, Elle, created six hot candy colored lacquers for the Shades by Barielle summer collection and I’m loving every single one of them. We’ve seen candy inspired collections in the past but never with this kind of pigmentation, consistency in formula and hello, TWO GREENS!! To steal a line from Clueless, they give me a toothache just looking at them. |
I had the chance to speak with Elle about her latest polish confections and get her take on the collection. “It’s high voltage color but they’re more wearable. I wanted to keep it creamy, like taffy, with a lot more pigment rather than on the sugary edge.”
You know I’m a girl that loves her brights and Sugar Rush hits that spot dead on. Neons are fun and all but they can be too harsh if you don’t have the right coloring so these shades are definitely more my deal. I applied two coats of each polish and they flowed on perfect and even with pigmentation to spare.
Let’s start with my hands down winner, Sweet Addiction. I’m so loving these variations on dusty, minty greens. Sweet Addiciton, Misa Dirty Sexy Money, MAC Peppermint Patti and Essie Greenport are all on the same vibe yet surprisingly different enough to own them all.
Swizzle Stick‘s light azure hue makes me think of my college days. My sorority’s colors were white and azure blue and now I want to go dig out one of my old t-shirts to wear with this shade.
Can I just say that I’m so not over yellow? Lemondrops totally revived it for me. Yes, the pastels are safer and easier to pull off but give me a fab golden yellow and I’m in. Think of Lemondrops as a more pigmented, creme version of China Glaze Solar Power. Very similar base shade but with a different finish and pigmentation.
Cotton Candy really is the perfect descriptor for this hue. It takes me right to the fair. And the subtle sparkle reminds me of the iridescent quality of spun sugar threads. It adds playfulness and depth to the polish. I know my skin looks a bit ruddier than normal in this pic but that’s just to get the polish color right. It’s actually a bit more vibrant in person.
Grape Escape even more vivid in person that it appears in pics. It’s a pretty dead on purple. Not too dark, not too light. In comparison with the other summer purple, Lippmann Call Me Irresponsible, Grape Escape is definitely more pigmented and a couple shades lighter. All I can say is, LOVE!
Decadence is unlike any teal I own. It has amazing depth and fire, very much like a jewel. Being the only metallic-ish shade in the bunch, it definitely stands out. I like to think that if ChG Turned Up Turquoise and Passion In The Pacific hooked up, you’d get Decadence.
The Sugar Rush collection from Shades by Barielle retails for $8/ea and is available now on Barielle.com. And if you buy 2 colors, you get one FREE with free shipping on all orders over $50.
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
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