White
butter LONDON Fall-Winter 09 Swatches & Review
I’ve been champing at the bit to get my hands on butter LONDON‘s British Racing Green ever since I eyed it backstage at Vena Cava during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week last February. A couple months ago we got a peek a the rest of the Fall/Winter collection and now I finally have it in my hot little hands.
A set of five diverse and unique shades, Creative Director Nonie Creme designed this collection to give women colors with personality that punch up the muted tones seen on the runways. Check them out after the jump!
First off, let’s talk about what’s new for Fall 2009; a revamped butter LONDON bottle. Hearing your criticism regarding the hard to remove outer cap, bL has replaced it with an easy glide version. No longer shall we debate whether you’re supposed to polish with the outer cap on or off. The decorative raven printed on the inner cap solves that mystery.
Now on to the polish. The formula with these is on par with a couple noted exceptions. Rosie Lee, being a clear based glitter, required three coats as did Pearly Queen (the frosty white). Unfortunately my travel schedule to NYC limited my time so rather than wait until next week when I return, I did some quick one finger swatches for you.
Of course I had to do a full mani with British Racing Green. How could I resist?? The shade reminds me of a vintage MG convertible only better because of the shimmer. We’re not talking standout sparkle but the shade is so vivid that even in incandescent light I can pick up on it. Hand this polish a prize because it’s a winner!
The name Rosie Lee kind of speaks for itself. A sweet, dazzling rosy pink it becomes foil-like in the sun.
Scoundrel is a medium reddish lilac creme that’s just dark enough for me to avoid “alien hand” syndrome. It’s not bright but it definitely has a kick!
Can you say pumpkin? Minger‘s warm undertones give this nontraditional fall bright a sesonally appropriate feel.
Pearly Queen is my only disappointment in the bunch. It’s plagued with brush stroke issues and the hue just doesn’t work on me. To put up with brush marks I better LOVE the color.
The butter LONDON Fall/Winter 09 collection retails for $14/ea or get the Fashionista’s Favourites Fall 2009 pack and receive all 5 polishes for $45. The collection is on sale now at butterLondon.com and coming soon to Beauty.com.
What do we think Fanatics? Are you dying over British Racing Green like I am? Which fall bL’s do you plan to purchase?
Chanel Intermezzo and Gondola Le Vernis for Fall 2009
As a city built on water, Venice was a source of great intrigue for Gabrielle Chanel. She saw it as simultaneously dramatic and fragile – qualities she herself possessed. With the imagination of the CHANEL Makeup Studio, Venice comes to life in a palette reflective of the city’s shimmering facades and mosaics, and the sparkling aquatic colours of its lagoons.
As seen in the runway looks created by Peter Philips, Global Creative Director of CHANEL Makeup, at the 2009/10 Cruise Collection show, held on the beaches of Venice, Italy, rich sienna and deep rose tones, and dusky greys and greens combine for a modern look that can be softened for day or emboldened come evening.
Ahh Venice. How I long to go back. I spent three amazing days there with the Boyfriend back in 2002. We stayed in a gorgeous guest house, Palazzo Bembo, right on the canal near the Rialto Bridge. We spent our days wandering the maze of streets shopping, sightseeing and discovering the amazing food and wine of the region. This season Chanel aims to transport us to Venice with their fall colleciton inspired by the colors of this magical city. For nails they introduce Intermezzo, a white pearl, and Gondola, a stunning maroon shimmer. Let’s take a look.
Gondola is a rich burgundy sparkler. It is packed with gold and red micro-shimmer that catch the light adding a bit of jazz to what could be just another berry red. In typical Chanel fashion it’s a chic shimmer not a blingy glitter polish. It applied in two even coats and dried to a glossy, smooth finish.
Intermezzo is an icy white with an opalescent shimmer that gives off a pinkish sheen in the light. I’m not gonna lie, I’m not really a fan of the formula. It applies pretty streaky, requiring three coats and even then my smile line shows through.
The Chanel Fall collection Le Vernis lacquers retail for $23/ea and are available now on Chanel.com and at Chanel counters nationwide.
What do we think Fanatics? Are we loving these or what? Anyone planning to indulge?
So Fresh and So Clean – The White Nail Trend
 This past weekend P. Diddy hosted his annual 4th of July fete, The White Party. It’s always great for celeb watching as the Hollywood set gather to celebrate Independence Day and support a cause decked out in their finest white garb. This year Diddy co-hosted with Ashton Kutcher to benefit Malaria No More.
With a strict “white only” dress code I knew there would be some fab white nails on parade like the ones on my fave Kardashian sister Khloe. I just LOVE her. Khloe, as Chelsea Handler so eloquently put it, “you’re a real bitch and I like it!” But Khloe isn’t the only celeb who’s been sporting bright, white tips, the trend has been spreading like wildfire. Over the past couple weeks I’ve tested a whole mess of shades so if you’re looking for suggestions on the best whites to buy for summer, read on. |
Take Gwen and Lea Michele, star of my new fave fall show Glee. On Gwen white tips look rocker and edgy. On Lea the color adds a girly, upscale feel.
1. Thick, chalky and streaky So you’re either putting on three coats to get the thick lumpiness even or you’re applying four coats to get the polish opaque. Even my all time favorite, China Glaze White Kwik Silvr (below), needs three coats and it’s the BEST white I’ve ever used. Yellows have the same problems so I believe it’s just a side effect of trying to make light colors opaque. So what can you do to wear white tips with ease? My best suggestion is to wear a shimmery/glittery hues because they hide flaws better than cremes. White Kwik Silvr and Orly Gogo are hands down my favorites in the shimmer/glitter category. WKS brings on the bling so if you want to kept it subtle, opt for the Orly.
Even style icon Gwen Stefani who’s known for her retro chic makeup & hair has ditched her signature red nails in favor of white and I’m liking it. Like black, white goes with everything and it can accent a look by making it more mod, fresh, funky, etc. It’s a statement color in spite of its neutrality.
Though one thing plagues most white polishes… application. I’ve found that all white polishes I’ve tried have one of two major issues:
2. Thin, milky and semi-sheer
If sparkle isn’t your thing, look for a softer white. Yes, you need multiple coats to get it opaque but the formulas on these are easier to control and even with 3-4 coats they don’t look thick. My faves are Essie Marshmallow and OPI Peace Baby!. Peace Baby! doesn’t offer as much coverage but it’s workable.
If you’re dead set on the stark, creamy look then go for it full-on. You need a Wite-Out shade that isn’t overly chalky. It has to have major shine or else you may as well just paint your tips with correction fluid or, you know, OPI Alpine Snow Matte. Of all the truly opaque whites I tested these three are your best bets for decent application that won’t make you want to throw the bottle against the wall.
What do you think of this trend? Are you on board or jumping ship?
Do you have a favorite white that I didn’t mention? Have you found one with perfect application that’s still in production? I’d love to hear which ones tickle your fancy.
OPI Matte Collection Review, Swatches & Comparisons
 When I got my hands on the new OPI Matte nail polishes, I immediately started swatching them on my fingers. This was my first time using a true matte polish and all I could say was, “Wow, that’s MATTE alright!” I’ve never seen anything like these before. Think about dipping your fingers in flat wall paint and that’s the look we’re talking about here fanatics. Not at all like the satin-esque finish I got from using Orly Nails For Males top coat for my matte & glossy nail art experiment. It’s like the black hole of nail polish, no light lives here.
I’ve got swatches, a full review and comparison shots for you after the jump! |
It states that you should NOT use a base coat, top coat, drying drops or hand lotion. According to OPI, “because of the different formulation of the OPI Matte Nail Lacquers, it is best to wear it without a base coat and to stay away from lotions to get the best, most fabulous matte look possible.” My theory… hand lotion will affect the finish, making it more satin looking and a base coat affects the application (streaking, unevenness, etc). Application – This formula dries FAST. Like lightening fast so you must work quickly and meticulously. Any hesitation in your brush stroke will show as will any imperfections in your nail bed, like ridges. The polish is thick and highly pigmented but because of the difficulty in getting it smooth, I needed to do three coats of each shade.
By the following day I already had two chips on my index and ring fingers, by day five, well you can see the disaster they were. Going out to dinner with nails like this was, um “fun.” The boyfriend just shakes his head at this point. Meanwhile, the nails with base coat showed normal tip wear, nothing drastic. While OPI doesn’t suggest using base coat, I highly recommend it for two reasons: 1. So you don’t feel like you wasted your money on a polish that only lasts two days. 2. To avoid staining. The dark colors do stain! It may mean trickier application but it’s worth it for longer wear. Now let’s move on to the colors Alpine Snow Matte is the polish version of painting Wite-Out to your nails. It’s chalky and blindingly bright. I know you’ve weighed in on the matte look but what do you think about OPI’s version? Will you be running out to buy them?
Every bottle of OPI Matte comes with a little tag that explains the nature of the formula, rules regarding application and suggestions on how to wear it (i.e. matte nail w/glossy tip).
Wear – I experimented with the no base coat rule when I did my five day wear test. I buffed then prepped my nails using Seche Prep to make sure they were free of any oils. I applied CND Stickey base coat to three nails (thumb, middle, pinkie) and left the other two bare. I noticed that the formula didn’t flow as nicely over the nails coated with Stickey.
Even though original Alpine Snow is used as a french tip shade, next to the matte version it looks almost off white. Now because Orly Matte has a tinge of color to it, it altered the color of Alpine Snow making it more creamy.
Gargantuan Green Grape Matte is also very chalky and as much as I love a green, I’m not in love with this. It reminds me of a faded dried out pressed leaf. Unfortunately I don’t own the original version (I know, I know sacrilege) so I can’t compare them for you.
As much as I’m not a pink girl La Paz-itively Hot Matte is my favorite polish in the collection. It’s the shimmer in it that gets me, making the finish a bit more satin than the rest.
As you can see La Paz Matte is NOTHING like the original. La Paz is a hot pink but the matte version is more rosey and deeper in hue. Both colors are actually more vibrant in person but my camera just can’t capture that.
I showed you You Don’t Know Jacques Matte in my second matte/glossy nail art experiment but here it is on its own. Is it just me or does it look like I rubbed dirt on my nails? I don’t hate the color but the finish just isn’t doing it for me. It doesn’t have the same uniqueness as the original (below).
Lincoln Park After Dark Matte is the same almost black plum that the world has come to know and love. In most light it looks pretty black, in natural/sunlight you can see the purple undertones. It’s warmer than a flat black just like it’s shiny finish sister.
Now after seeing La Paz Matte I had high hopes for Russian Navy Matte, expecting that same slightly satin, shimmer-filled finish. But that’s not what we got. Instead it’s a lifeless blue-black hue.
In this case, I much prefer the satin version using Orly Matte.
The OPI Matte collection officially goes on sale in July and can be found online at our fave e-tailers and in professional salons like Regis, ULTA, Trade Secret, JCPenney.
Finger Paints Week – Day Four
 We’re over the hump and starting to wrap up Finger Paints Week. Today is kind of a mixed bag in terms of color. As I tried to group similar shades, these three ended up being the odd men out but now they’re all BFF so no worries.
Part of their new 16 perm color additions, today we’re looking at a sparkling off-white, a silver chrome and a deep creme berry. Check them out after the jump! |
Private Collection is a semi-sheer shimmery creamy white with a jelly-like texture. It has a subtle pink hue that makes it very multidimensional. When I saw it in the bottle I wasn’t overly enthused. I thought at most it would be a good layering polish but not something I’d consider wearing on its own. WRONG-O. It doesn’t come across on screen but this baby is stunning. Very much a special occasion, i.e. NYE, type shade.
Silver Sculpture is a one coat wonder. No I didn’t stutter, ONE COAT! A matte foil like chrome, Silver Sculpture has a hint of purple in it’s undertone. The only downside with this type of polish is it shows every, and I mean EVERY, imperfection in your nails. My ridges are atrocious in this. Thanks overzealous manicurist and your evil, evil cuticle pusher!
Pretty As A Portrait is a berry red creme with grape undertones. It’s well pigmented, only requiring two coats. With FP’s thin formula, getting away with two coats is awesome!
You’ll find these and the rest of the Finger Paints line exclusively at Sally Beauty Supply stores and online at SallyBeauty.com. Don’t forget to visit the website to snag your B2G1 Free coupon.
Stay tuned for more Finger Paints goodness as FP Week continues. And check out Day One, Day Two and Day Three if you haven’t already.
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
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