Fall 2007
Chanel Nouvelle Vague, Mistral & Riviera Swatches, Review and Comparisons
Bold and audacious, Gabrielle Chanel pushed the boundaries of style.
Now Peter Philips continues the tradition by creating a free-spirited makeup collection inspired by an idyllic seaside vista: LES POP-UP DE CHANEL, fresh new cult-worthy hues for lips and nails. Vibrant pops of colour, including neon pink, sunny coral and brilliant turquoise are beautifully complemented by bronzed, glowing skin. . . and sure to be the standout shades of summer. Chanel’s Summer 2010 collection will be rolling out to stores before you know and it and with it comes the highly anticipated Nouvelle Vague (turquoise), Riviera (intense pink) and Mistral (soft pink) nail polishes. I’ve been dying to get my mitts on what looked to be a blue version of Jade since I first saw promo pics pop up online. Following up Jade Collection fever with a turquoise shimmer could cause quite a craze but does Nouvelle Vague live up to the expectation? Find out after the jump! |
Dashing Diva Fall Collection 2007
For Fall 2007 Dashing Diva has put together a palette of warm comforting shades that reflect the colors of the season. Instead of bombarding us with an overload of new polishes they chose to remain focused and deliver three distinct lacquers.
As with all the Dashing Diva shades I’ve worn in the past, the formula is smooth and free flowing; it doesn’t pool or streak. And I really must commend the pigmentation of their darker colors. The ones I’ve tested are one coat colors and, for a red, that’s a major feat without sacrificing formula consistency.
Champagne Nude is a hard shade to describe. Is it a dusty pink with peach and gold shimmer? Is it a metallic champagne that leans toward pink? Is it a shimmery nude? I really can’t decide. One thing’s for sure, it’s a unique shade with chameleon-like properties and a must have for my light tip lovers.
Bronze Bombshell flashes both cool and warm depending on the lighting due to it’s champagne and silver shimmer. It’s a warm mocha hued metallic that doesn’t leave brush marks. Any metallic that can accomplish that is a winner in my books but the shade itself doesn’t do much for me personally.
Black Raspberry lives up to it’s name. A deep berry based red creme, it dries to a high gloss shine without a top coat.
Dashing Diva polishes are available on the Dashing Diva website and at Dashing Diva salons.
OPI Blue Comparisons
Since navy is such a big color this fall and with OPI putting out three great blues this year, I thought you all might appreciate a little side by side comparison. While I love these dark colors, capturing their true beauty on screen is REALLY difficult but I did my best.
To me, the major differences are:
Russian Navy – has a blue green base, like Glacier Bay Blues, subtle shimmer on the nail and is the closest to an actual navy shade
Who Are You Wearing? – has more purple in it’s base, multi-colored blue and red shimmer, looks blue/purple depending on the light and has an overall darker hue
OPI Ink – is the most burple (bluish purple), has the most sparkle and glitz due to the silvery micro-glitter, is the least “blackish-blue”
Which one do you prefer? Or did you just give in and buy all three?
Chanel Fall 2007
I finally got a chance to test out a couple of the shades from the Chanel Fall campaign. They’ve been sitting in my “to review” bin for way too long. The collection includes four nail lacquers (three are limited edition):
Lotus Rouge (pink plum)
Lily Beige (soft beige) – limited edition
Magnolia Rose (soft rose) – limited edition
Tulipe Noire (deep plum) – limited edition
When I first took Magnolia Rose out of the box, my eyes were attracted to the silver bits of glitter sparkling back at me. The baby pink shade is highly pigmented and I found the formula to be on the thicker side, similar to a Zoya creme or the new OPI formula.
One thing I learned is that I need to wait longer in between coats with this color because the drying time is a bit slower. I ended up with drag marks near my cuticles when I applied a second coat. Overall it’s a pretty shade and the glitz factor is subdued on the nail, it’s just not very me. Though I’m sure there are a few pink lovers I know that would be more than willing to take it off my hands.
I’ve been hearing so much hype about Tulipe Noire that I just had to see what the fuss was about. Like Black Satin, this one sold out fast and I can see why. It’s the epitome of fall color; rich rusty burgundy with flecks of gold shimmer. And as I was told before seeing it in person, it’s beauty really doesn’t translate to photos. It’s a knockout. To top it off, the formula is so smooth and easy to apply. Though I couldn’t expect anything less than flawless from Chanel.
When Tulipe Noire released, there was also a fall polish collection by FingerPaints that showed up at Sally Beauty Supply. Included in the collection is a shade called Cranberry Beauty. The ever so brilliant MUA Nail Board quickly discovered it’s similarity to Tulipe Noire. So ladies, even if you didn’t get your hands on the Chanel, there’s a chance you can still find it’s less expensive cousin. In my opinion Cranberry Beauty is bit more browned than Tulipe Noire but the difference is slight.
Lippmann Collection Fall 2007
The new fall shades from Deborah Lippmann’s Lippmann Collection, I Want Candy and Rehab, are a departure from what you would normally expect to see for the fall season. They’re sheer with a jelly finish and very unique. The most versatile fall polishes I’ve seen in a while. The formula makes these bold shades something that a sheer fan can wear comfortably but buildable enough to please opaque wearers. If you want to learn more about jelly finish polishes, check out this fab article my pal Melanie wrote for Blogdorf Goodman.
I have to admit that when I saw Rehab in promotional photos I got all excited about finding a great navy creme. There are a lot of beautiful navy polishes out there but very few cremes. And then I heard about Rehab’s sheer quality and my heart sank. I wasn’t looking forward to testing it because I didn’t want to give a bad review of a blue. I love blue polish. So you can imagine my joy and surprise when I gave it a test run and discovered the exceptional glossy finish and pigmentation.
Here is my Rehab mani with 2 coats of lacquer. It’s more subtle, I’d call it a cornflower blue.
And here is 4 coats. Beautious navy goodness.
I Want Candy, as a sheer, reminds me of the Revlon Glimmer Gloss Strawberry Sizzle but without the glitter and a much prettier finish. With four coats, it reaches bottle color which is a great candy apple red. Both I Want Candy and Rehab apply smoothly without streaking so it’s easy to achieve a sheer or opaque look that is clean and even.
Here is I Want Candy with 2 coats of polish.
And with 4 coats.
Ok so the question I’m sure a lot of you are asking is, are they worth it? You know that I’m frugal, that spending $15 on polish is not my M.O. However, I do feel that for blue lovers Rehab is worth every penny. I can honestly say I don’t have another color like it and I own a LOT of blue polish. If I could find a less expensive alternative, I’d tell you. Now I Want Candy is one I’d personally pass on at retail price. But for people that love red as much as I love blue, go for it! If you have the means and love the finish, it’s a great shade but not one I’d consider a “must have” for my collection.
Alright lovelies, now it’s your turn to chime in. Share your thoughts on these shades.
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
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