I’m not a skier by any means but the Ski Collection from China Glaze makes me wish I was. Following up this summer’s Surf line with it’s hot vibrant beachwear inspired colors the Ski collection is filled with frosty bold shades reflecting not only the icy slopes and green forests associated with the sport but the colorful ski wear as well.

I have to say I am loving all the greens and blues the brands are throwing our way. Even though I predicted purple to be the prominent jewel tone this fall, blue is going to usurp it and I couldn’t be happier. As much as I love my greens, blue comes in a close second.

At first when I read that these shades were “high lustre pearl” I was expecting frosts. But the finishes are much more wearable than the icy pearl I had imagined. It’s more of a metallic shimmer with the exception of Avalanche (metallic chrome). As the pictures show, the majority of the shades have a nice and glossy finish even without a top coat.

Cross Iron 360 is obviously a shade for the warm tones. With it’s soft gold shimmer and bold copper shade, it reminds me of Halloween and Jack O’ Lanterns.

Frostbite is a stunner. It’s vivid and eye catching. This is a blue for a true blue lover. I know it’s more chic to sport navy or almost black blues but sometimes you just have to kick it up a notch. Well, Frostbite certainly fits the bill.

Vertical Rush isn’t the most unique berry/wine shade I’ve seen but it’s pretty and makes my tips look like little shimmery cranberries. I think this will look great on my toes during the holiday season. I see it peeking out of a pair of black peep toes paired with a little black dress.

Outta Bounds is a no brainer. Hello, it’s green. There’s no way I wouldn’t love it. The slight tinge of blue in shade reminds me of a magnificent blue spruce.

Xtreme Thrash is described as bronze but it doesn’t have enough brown in it for me to see it that way. In my opinion it’s just a deeper shade of copper than Cross Iron 360. Again, this is suited for warmer tones but the depth of color and less prominent gold shimmer may help this work on the neutral and cool tones as well.
OK so lets talk application for a second. For the most part these shades flowed smoothly on the nail but there were some brush inconsistencies that caused me to work a little harder than usual. Some brushes were thinner than others and they weren’t all the same length. I honestly can’t say if these were isolated incidents but I hope so since I haven’t had this issue with my other China Glaze brushes. Also this collection uses the new toluene, formaldehyde and DBP free formula so like the shimmer polishes in the X collection it applies evenly, unlike the cremes from X.

Avalanche was my only disappointment from the collection. It applies like those old China Glaze Chrome polishes, leaving tons of stroke marks. For that reason alone I have to give it a thumbs down. Metallic finishes and I are just not friends.

In addition to the traditional 6 pack pictured above, China Glaze has also put together a special 3 piece set that includes Frostbite, Outta Bounds and Black Diamond. Black Diamond can only be found as open stock or in this exclusive set.

I know I know, black is over. I keep hearing it yet amazingly enough I keep seeing it show up on peoples’ tips. There are no real rules when it comes to color anymore. And it’s obvious that China Glaze is choosing to buck the trend by including it in this collection.

Black Diamond is not a typical black shimmer. The pearl lightens the base color much more than any of the Ski shades. One might call it a deep gunmetal gray, similar to Lippmann Hit Me With Your Best Shot. When I do my fall/winter color comparisons you’ll see for yourself.
And just because I think the graphics on the packaging are so fun and original. Kudos to the art and marketing departments at AII Beauty.
Alright everyone, time for your thoughts. Share with the group.