Matte
Orly Metal Chic Metallic Matte Swatches & Review
A perfect addition to your special occassion Orly’s newest set of matte colors, Metal Chic, includes three metallic shades that will add a fun twist to your party look. Iron Butterfly, Glam Rock and Solid Gold are in the same vein as the OPI Suede and Zoya MatteVelvet polishes in that they contain metallic shimmer to add a bit of bling to what could be a very flat, wall paint-ish polish.
Even though I’ve been a proponent of using a matte top coat versus a matte nail polish, there is one HUGE advantage in the matte polish corner… dry time!! Even though I love painting my nails, I don’t always have time to execute the perfect manicure. Case in point, last night. I was heading downtown for a charity event but was running late, per usual. It was bad enough that my tips were naked during my charity beauty sale but two nights in a row was unacceptable. So I threw on a quick coat of Iron Butterfly and not only did it give great coverage, it was dry before I got out the door. Talk about convenient. Check out these last minute manicure wonders along with some comparisons, after the jump! |
Zoya MatteVelvet Winter Collection Swatches & Review
Keep On With The [Mattes] Don’t Stop
Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough
lyrics by Michael Jackson (altered by moi)
As long as you keep loving the Mattes, its seems Zoya will keep pumping them out. And if they’re as hot as the Winter MatteVelvets, sign me up.
You all know that I’m a fan of the matte top coat vs. matte polish but some colors are worth the short wear time. For me, that color is GREEN! Big surprise, I know. Throw in my other love, purple, and we’ve got ourselves one helluva matte party. Check out the Winter MatteVelvets after the jump!
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SpaRitual Mind.Body.Spirit Matte Nail Polish Swatches & Review
 Just when I thought I was having all my matte needs met, along comes the Mind.Body.Spirit collection from SpaRitual. I have been longing for the purple from this set ever since I first spotted it on the SpaRitual rep at Cosmoprof in Vegas. It’s a big ball of fabulous. The collection includes:
Put your Mind at ease with matte champagne Give your Body an edgy boost with matte black Let your Spirit soar to new levels with matte purple Check them out after the jump! |
As we’ve discussed in the past, matte polishes are not long lasting. They’re like the temporary tattoo of nails. Lotion, water, base and top coat will all affect its wear and finish.
In spite of those issues, I think SpaRitual got it right with this collection. The formula is very smooth and easy to work with. Those of you that have feared the unforgiving nature of matte polishes will have better luck with these. The consistency isn’t as thick as other polishes giving you the ability to even it out.
Added Bonus: the dark colors don’t stain when worn sans base coat. Score!
Mind is honestly not my cup of tea. On my hands this shimmery pinkish nude makes my nails look dead. I thought I was looking at a corpse’s hand. The yellow base in my hand’s skin tone just didn’t play well with the hue. However, if you’ve been wanting to try matte but are disappointed by the lack of light colored options, this is definitely a work safe version.
Body surprised me because it isn’t an empty, lifeless black. It dries to a more satin finish that reminds me of BBQ briquettes. Comparing it to Orly Matte Vinyl, I can’t tell them apart except for the formula differences. I feel Body applies better.
Spirit is a total love at first sight situation. I couldn’t wait to wear it this past weekend, it’s just so gorgeous. The finish is somewhat unique in that Spirit falls somewhere between Mind and Body in that it isn’t a shimmer yet it isn’t totally flat. There’s a graininess to it that prevents it from falling flat.
The SpaRitual Mind.Body.Spirit Collection will be available starting October 2009 for $10/each at salons and spas such as Spa Halekulani, Canyon Ranch, and the Mandarin Oriental or online at SkinStore.com and AveYou.com.
Who’s loving the SpaRitual matte polishes? Who prefers to just use a matte top coat? Will a certain color of matte polish cause you to give in? Have you been looking for a light version like Mind? Share with the group!
China Glaze Matte Magic Top Coat Swatches & Review
 I’ve got another matte top coat to add to your shopping list. Matte Magic is China Glaze‘s entry into the matte nail trend for Fall and they really hit it out of the park. When I originally did my matte top coat review a few readers asked about the Men’s Matte Top Coat from China Glaze. As I said then, that product isn’t intended to be worn over polish but that didn’t mean there wasn’t something in the works. Ta da… Matte Magic.
Check it out along with my Dorothy Who? Matte look after the jump! |
Now I don’t have any info to back this up but if I was a betting woman, I’d place all my chips on Matte Magic, Essie’s MAY and RBL’s Matte Top Coat being manufactured by the same company. There’s no other explanation for how they all look IDENTICAL in the bottle and on the nail. All three are the most mattifying top coats I’ve used. If you’re looking for a truly flat finish, they’re your girls!
Since I used OPI No Room For The Blues in my other matte post, I wore it under Matte Magic as well to make it easy to compare. If there are any differences in Matte Magic versus the other brands it’s that this one applies more even and I’ll assume that’s due to the brush.
Thanks to a reader suggestion, I slapped a coat of Matte Magic over my Dorothy Who? manicure before removing. It looks like crushed sapphires trapped behind frosted glass. LOVE!
China Glaze Matte Magic is rolling out to Sally Beauty Supply stores now and will launch everywhere else China Glaze is carried October 5th. The bottle is .325 oz and retails for $6.50.
I have one more matte top coat to show you but in the meantime, which one is your fave so far? Will you be stalking your Sally’s for a bottle of Matte Magic? Is it just me or do you want it even more because it’s mini-sized? Everything is more adorable miniaturized, no?
Orly Matte Couture Collection Swatches & Review
 Because Matte is the New Black! Orly’s tagline for the new Matte Couture collection totally nails the trend, no pun intended. Everywhere I look in the polish world, there is a new matte collection or top coat to check out. If there’s a brand that hasn’t embraced matte yet, I’ll bet they will soon.
I can hear many of you, channeling Elle Woods, saying, “whoever said matte is the new black is SERIOUSLY disturbed, ” but I’m starting to believe in matte’s staying power. As much as we hear that it’s a fad, a blip, a small moment in nail culture I can’t help but wonder if that’s just a wish rather than a prediction. Check out what Orly is bringing to the matte table after the jump! |
Unlike other matte polish collections, Orly is the first brand to suggest using a base coat under the lacquers. I tried these on bare and base coated nails and the application over both was relatively smooth. Granted mattes are still unforgiving if your technique is uneven but I found this formula to be thinner and easier to work with than the OPI or Zoya mattes. Also, these shades are extremely pigmented so you barely need two coats.
FYI – A reader asked on Twitter if applying a matte top coat over matte polishes would extend their wear. I tested Nubar’s matte top coat over their Modern Matte polish and had major chipping after one day. A great suggestion but unfortunately not a solution.
Blue Suede isn’t a true matte and I LOVE that. I was expecting flat, lifeless wall paint a la OPI Russian Navy Matte but instead I was treated to a lovely dusty hue with a suede-like finish as the name suggests.
As I applied Purple Velvet I started to pick up on the theme. This shade has a slight hint of shimmer giving it a (say it with me kids) VELVET finish. This one lies on the red-grape side of the purple spectrum but I’m digging it anyway.
Matte Vinyl is definitely the most matte shade in the bunch. Looking at it, I can’t help but think of that chalkboard spray paint I’ve seen used on old episodes of Trading Spaces. It’s a bit too much for me but I think with a glossy tip I’d be all over it. Want to see what I mean? Check out a modified matte manicure on my friend Sara from Bit By the Beauty Bug.
The Orly Matte Couture collection launches in September. The polishes retail for $7.50/ea and can be purchased online at OrlyBeauty.com and our fave etailers (see sidebar) and in stores like Sally Beauty and ULTA.
What do we think? Are you liking the different finishes on these? Which colors struck your fancy? Am I slowly breaking down the matte haters? Let’s here it!
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
