Filed In: China Glaze
China Glaze – Prismatic Chroma Glitters Collection (swatches & review)
Imagine shards of multifaceted crystals. Now take those same crystals and pulverize them – that’s basically what you have with China Glaze’s new ‘Prismatic Chroma Glitters Collection’, 6 new über-blinged out, yet still somehow managing to stay rather urbanely sophisticated, shades of nail lacquer. All swatches are with Poshé Fast Drying Base Coat and Super-Fast Drying Top Coat.
According to the company,
“Inspired by the colors formed by the refraction of light through a prism, Prismatic by China Glaze® combines glitter and holographic particles to create the ultimate eye-catching, 3-dimensional manicure”
I say get ready to observe unbelievable brilliance sparkling off the tips of your fingers (or toes)! Combining ultra-fine glitter with larger metallic sequins, along with prismatic glitter pieces, it’s like applying a fusion of metallic & holographically charged colour along your nails – the photos fail to capture how vivid these shades truly are, but I think you’ll get a good idea. A few quick facts about these lacquers:
- recommended to leave an interval of at least 2 minutes between coats to avoid any dragging
- finished surface slightly rough, but easily smoothed over with at least one layer of top coat
- amazing reflective shine, especially considering how glitter-packed they are
- formula flows quite easily without the usual suspension format of most glitters
This is what comes to mind when I look at these bottles ! (source)
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‘Polarized‘ is much like an icy meteor shower; a clear base filled with silver ultra-fine glitter along with larger multi-hued chromatic glitter hexagonal pieces, this shade offered surprisingly good coverage with the first coat, although I applied 3 coats here for swatch purposes. I found this to be the most wearable hue of the bunch, giving off a delicately futuristic look to the nails.
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indoors
with flash
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‘Full Spectrum‘, is identical in every way to ‘Polarized’, with the exception of the colour, bearing pink/lilac tinted ultra-fine glitter in its clear base, as well as larger silver and polychromatic hexagonal glitter pieces thrown in. Once more, 3 coats were applied here for the swatches. Isn’t this such a mod dainty shade?
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‘Ray-Diant‘ differs slightly from the others; a clear base filled with yellow-leaning green ultra-fine glitter and the requisite polychromatic larger hexagonal glitter segments, the formula here was slightly thicker than the rest although the flow was still excellent, making application rather effortless as the glitter stays exactly where you brush it on. While 2 coats are more than sufficient for full coverage, 3 were applied for these swatches.
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indoors
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‘Liquid Crystal‘ (I love the imagery that this name invokes!) is a clear base brimming with sky blue ultra-fine glitter, along with the multi-hued larger hexagonal pieces, and a unique lavender duochrome flash to it when seen in varying lighting. Once more, 3 coats were applied for the swatches.
in sunlight
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‘Optical Illusion‘ is most likely what mermaid skin is made of. Seriously. The clear base here is loaded with vibrant aqua ultra-fine glitter and the larger multi-chromatic hexagonal glitter pieces, all working synergistically together to give the look of pure magic! For best coverage, you definitely need at least 2 coats – 3 were applied here for the swatches.
in sunlight
closeup
in sunlight/side angle
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‘Prism‘ should have been named “twilight”, for that’s exactly what this shade resembles. A clear base filled with violet & purple ultra-fine glitter with the polychromatic larger hexagonal glitter swirling throughout, I found this colour to be the most mysterious of them all and equally lovely. Once more, 3 coats were applied for the swatches.
in sunlight
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Final thoughts: I don’t know if it’s all the combinations and hues and/or the many brands out there that continue to release glitter lacquers at us, but I find my resolve beginning to weaken; where I tended to avoid glitters in the past, I now find them infinitely interesting, especially when a collection like China Glaze’s ‘Prismatic Chroma Glitters’ comes along with everything it has going on. Not only do you have veritable glitter bombs happening, but there’s also movement, something I’ve only come across a few times with these types of varnishes, although be warned that some elbow grease is required in removing these beauties -a small sacrifice, wouldn’t you agree?! This limited edition collection is available now wherever China Glaze products are sold – feel free to visit their website for more information.
*Disclaimer: Product samples provided by the company/PR for my unbiased consideration
China Glaze – The Hunger Games collection: ‘Colours From The Capitol’ (swatches & review)
I had no idea what ‘The Hunger Games’ meant, let alone that it was about to explode onto everyone’s consciousness, most probably because it’s not a story targeted to my age group – but it should be; as a matter of fact, I bought and read this best-selling book by Suzanne Collins, in preparation for this post – I wanted to be able to make all the proper connections! Just in time for the release of the sure-to-be blockbuster movie, China Glaze is set to launch twelve new shades inspired by the story, with a colour and finish to suit all tastes. All swatches are with Poshé Fast Drying Base Coat and Super-Fast Drying Top Coat, except where indicated.
A brief synopsis: Set in the post-apocalyptic country of Panem (formerly The Rockies), this is a story of human depravity coinciding with immense courage. At Panem’s core is ‘The Capitol’, a city of high technology and obscene wealth, which is surrounded by 12 districts, each specializing in a particular field/industry, however the further the district from The Capitol, the more deplorable the living conditions. As a result of a rebellious uprising, a 13th district was destroyed and as punishment, the rulers of Panem decreed that every year 1 male and 1 female child from each district, aged between 12-18, would be chosen by lottery system (for a total of 24) as “tributes” to participate in the yearly “Hunger Games” at The Capitol – a contest to the death where there can only be one winner, not to mention having this entire morbid event televised for the entire population to see.
This is the story of Katniss Everdeen from District 12, the poorest and harshest district, who through a series of circumstances, finds herself en route to The Capitol for this yearly event, and along this journey, what she comes to learn of herself and manages to teach the entire land.
In order to parallel the story, I have chosen to showcase these twelve “Hunger Games” lacquers in descending order, beginning with Katniss’ District 12, and culminating with District 1 … with a special ‘Katniss inspired mani’ at the very end!
*WARNING: This post is epically long (I needed to show all 12 shades!) and picture heavy, so go grab yourselves something to drink & eat, and sit back to enjoy!
‘Smoke & Ashes’ (representing District 12 – Mining), is a deeply colour saturated black base filled with ultra-fine green and aqua micro shimmer. This easy-flowing medium thick viscosity formula can almost be a one-coater, although I applied two here for full coverage. The shimmer is a little shy and not always that apparent, but seen in sunlight, the effect is undeniably impressive. Self levelling and gorgeously glossy, an added bonus was that there was zero staining.
in sunlight
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‘Smoke & Ashes’ layered with one coat of ‘Luxe and Lush’ on top: (may look slightly overdone, but trust me that this is a killer combo)
in sunlight
sunlight/alternate view
closeup
indoors
with flash
‘Agro’ (representing District 11 – Agriculture) is a highly pigmented olive/mossy green shade in a slightly thicker formula, made even more unique with the addition of some ultra-fine glitter dust that it bears. As the finish is highly reflective – rather metallic leaning, it can be prone to some visible brush strokes, so care needs to be given in application … but so worth the extra little effort! Two coats were all that were needed for perfect coverage, giving the final look of a deeply saturated green often seen only in vibrant plantlife.
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‘Agro’ layered with one coat of ‘Luxe and Lush’ on top: (the shimmery finish of the base shade really offsets this top coat)
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‘Fois Gras’ (representing District 10 – Livestock) is a dusky raisin hued shade in an amazing crème formula. Flowing with incredible ease, this was a breeze to apply – only two coats needed for an ultra-smooth surface, leaving nothing but an intense glossy finish behind. Falling somewhere between known colours and rather chameleon-like as it seems to shift between looking cool or warm/dark or light, this is definitely a lacquer that will compliment every skin tone across the board.
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‘Fois Gras’ layered with one coat of ‘Luxe and Lush’ on top: (I love the amped-up effect shown here)
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sunlight/alternate view
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‘Harvest Moon’ (representing District 9 – Grain) is a “to-die-for” true copper hue. An absolutely spectacular formula, this highly pigmented shade is absolutely filled to the brim with burnished gold flecks throughout, that stay at the surface level and never sink into the base colour, as some fine glitter has a tendency of doing. An almost baroque-looking colour, this wonderful foil gleam is easily accomplished with two coats, leaving behind a stunning cognac-coloured shine. TOTAL LOVE!
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‘Harvest Moon’ layered with one coat of ‘Luxe and Lush’ on top: (this combination is so incredibly unique – must be seen to be believed!)
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‘Dress Me Up’ (representing District 8 – Textiles) is a mid-range nude hue with antique-rose leanings in its base, in an excellent crème format. Wonderful coverage with even just one coat applied, I opted for two coats here to make it completely opaque. Self-levelling and a high gloss finish left behind – an incredibly easy to wear and versatile shade. Did I mention how ultra creamy it looks?!
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‘Dress Me Up’ layered with one coat of ‘Luxe and Lush’ on top: (the prismatic flashes of the top coat really compliment this base shade)
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‘Mahogany Magic’ (representing District 7 – Lumber) is totally delicious! A stunning, warm leaning mid-tone brown hue in an amazing crème formula, neither too thick nor too thin, this flowed like melted chocolate across the nails, leaving behind a perfectly smooth finish and mirror like shine. Two coats were all that were needed for complete and even coverage. So, so luxurious …
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‘Mahogany Magic’ layered with one coat of ‘Luxe and Lush’ on top: (this combo makes me think of lush brocade fabric)
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‘Fast Track’ (representing District 6 – Transportation) is a semi-sheer warm taupe/pale beige hue chock full of gold ultra-fine shimmer dust – or is it a golden shimmer with hints of colour? Either way, it is understated and sublime, with the glitter bits appearing suspended at the surface level of the lacquer. As I personally prefer the look given off with two coats (as I’ve applied here), you could always add a third for deeper coverage. Wonderfully self-levelling and a shiny formula, this shade manages to look both neutral and edgy at the same time.
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‘Fast Track’ layered with one coat of ‘Luxe and Lush’ on top: (an interesting look, but I prefer the look of the base shade without)
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‘Electrify’ (representing District 5 – Power) is like capturing fire in a bottle of lacquer, albeit with some slight Christmas-y undertones! This is a clear suspension-like yet still thinly flowing base, loaded with small gold and slightly larger red glitter. I applied three coats here for denser coverage since I opted to wear it solo, but two would be enough if it’s to be layered over another base colour. Needing some wait time between coats and not as glossy at the finish as the rest of this collection, I was pleasantly surprised to find that removal was actually rather painless (I still don’t know how China Glaze manages this feat!).
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‘Electrify’ layered with one coat of ‘Luxe and Lush’ on top: (yes, overkill and redundant but I was curious just the same!)
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‘Hook and Line’ (representing District 4 – Fishing) is a totally strange & unique pearly taupe/grey hue – and the problem child of this entire collection! A slightly thicker formula, the slightly metallic formula means you need extra care in application in order to avoid patchiness at the cuticle level, as well as keeping visible brush strokes to a minimum. With three thin coats as I applied here, full coverage was definitely reached, and while I adore this pewter colour, bear in mind that it’s not as effortless to apply as some of the others here.
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‘Hook and Line’ layered with one coat of ‘Luxe and Lush’ on top: (AKA: a hot mess! Unfortunately, this combo did not work for me, but I still had to try)
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‘Riveting’ (representing District 3 – Technology) is an eye-searingly beautiful vivid tangerine hue, made even more spectacular with the addition of fine golden glass flecks that appear to float at the surface level of the lacquer. A wonderfully easy flowing formula, I applied three very thin coats for the swatches, which gives a fairly decent opacity, although shorter nails can definitely get away with two coats instead. This vibrant colour is like a citrus burst along your nails! GORGEOUS!!
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‘Riveting’ layered with one coat of ‘Luxe and Lush’ on top: (oddly enough, I totally LOVE how these two look together)
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‘Stone Cold’ (representing District 2 – Masonry) is a deep slate hue in a killer velvet soft finish. Not fully matte, this can literally be a one-coater and THE most versatile colour of the entire collection. As it dries exceptionally quickly, you need to work fast, loading up your brush with plenty of polish in order to avoid any empty patches, although a second coat (as I applied here) eliminates any issues. A layer of base coat for prep, a layer of lacquer, and you’re out the door in seconds – perfect for those hurried moments! The following swatches all show a secondary photo with a layer of top coat applied, which really intensifies all the nuances that go into this shade.
in sunlight
in sunlight, top coat added
indoors
indoors, top coat added
with flash
with flash, top coat added
The only similar shade and finish in my arsenal, is OPI’s ‘Suzi Skis in the Pyrenees Suede’, and naturally I had to compare it to ‘Stone Cold’. The two are exceptionally close in both colour and format, with the differences being almost negligible and not overtly visible; I noticed that the OPI was slightly more sheer and had a thinner flowing formula with the base tone being a touch more silvery-leaning. The following swatches are all: index & ring fingers – OPI, middle & pinkie fingers – China Glaze.
‘Stone Cold’ – middle & pinkie fingers
with top coat added
‘Stone Cold’ layered with a coat of ‘Luxe and Lush’ on top: (even though it may look busy, the contrasting textures all seem to work)
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‘Luxe and Lush’ (representing District 1 – Luxury) is a paradox: beautiful to behold, a trial to apply – very true to what ‘The Capitol’ stands for, indeed. This almost glue-like formula, took some manipulation to get the hang of; instead of applying it like you would regular polish, it works easier if you drop a glob of it near the cuticle line, then literally pat/dab it into place. The irregularly shaped mylar pieces it holds have the look of shards of glass, and give an incredibly reflective crystalline look to the nails. The slightly milky base is at once forgiving in nature (no visible irregularities that need cleaning up), and while care needs to be taken to avoid any overhang at the tip, it’s actually quite easy to place the flecks where you want to. The finish is rather glossy, surprisingly so, but mixing the bottle contents is basically impossible due to its rather thick format. One warning is that this does leave behind a rather rough surface, so do NOT skip the top coat. The following swatches are all with three coats, as thinly as I could apply them.
in sunlight
in sunlight/alternate angle
closeup
backlit
indoors
with flash
As Katniss is being prepared for an interview, she is given a unique “flame” nail look, to remind the populace of her spectacular fiery introduction to the Games where she became known as “the girl on fire”, and in tribute (double entendre fully intended) I decided to create my version of this mani. I began with ‘Smoke and Ashes’ as the background/base colour (in honour of Katniss’ District 12), then focusing only on the tips of the nails, I applied a scant amount of ‘Riveting’ – which also happens to be the trait that Katniss embodies throughout this entire story, ending with a few dabs of ‘Electrify’ on top – in homage of her electrifying debut. Top coat sealed everything in and brought out the sparkle of each shade.
in sunlight
in sunlight
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Final thoughts: From the earliest promotional photos, I had a fairly good idea that I would love the shades of this collection, as they all seemed to have a unique factor to them that seemed right up my alley. The ‘Luxe and Lush’ top coat is a strange animal, to be sure, but one that can either totally enhance a base colour (case in point: ‘Mahogany Magic’) or completely obliterate it (the disastrous combo with ‘Hook and Line’). The finishes and textures are varied enough to keep this collection interesting, and I love how such obvious thought and care went into the creation of each colour, keeping it all in sync with the concept of the movie that inspired it all. My favourites here, are undeniably ‘Smoke and Ashes’, ‘Agro’, ‘Harvest Moon’, Stone Cold’, and ‘Riveting’, with ‘Fast Track’, ‘Fois Gras’ and ‘Mahogany Magic’ a close second. This is definitely a much-anticipated collection, and with good reason … not to mention China Glaze’s incredibly affordable price point to sweeten the deal.
“May these colours be ever in your favour”…!
PS: I humbly congratulate you for having made it through to the very end of my epic post!
Product samples provided by the company/PR for my unbiased consideration
China Glaze – ElectroPop Collection part 2 (swatches, comparisons & review)
Presenting the second half of China Glaze’s spring 2012 ElectroPop Collection: the blues, one yellow … and a glitter! I should begin by setting the record straight; in my review of part 1 (here), I erroneously stated that ‘Gothic Lolita’ was the only shade with shimmer in this entire collection, however this group has its own shimmery star as well! All swatches are with base and top coats.
‘Aquadelic’ – an absolute dead ringer for the shade made famous by Tiffany®, is a vivid turquoise-leaning Robin’s Egg shade of blue, with some subtle yellow undertones. The first coat applied a touch patchy, but the second coat not only eliminated any issues, it gave perfect coverage without any streaking and levelled off utterly smooth. Incredible gloss left behind at the finish.
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My first thought was that ‘Aquadelic’ was a near-duplicate of China Glaze’s cult shade ‘For Audrey’, and while there’s no denying the resemblance, there are some minor differences as well, primarily in the intensity of the hue. Whereas ‘For Audrey’ appears to be a truer turquoise from the bottle photo, swatched beside the slightly more vivid and greenish ‘Aquadelic’, it comes off as rather blue based. Other than that, the formula was almost identical on both. The following swatches are: index & ring fingers – ‘Aquadelic’, middle & pinkie fingers – ‘For Audrey’.
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The following swatches show one coat of ‘Techno’ layered over both ‘Aquadelic’ and ‘For Audrey’, still in the same order as listed above.
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‘Sunchine Pop’, the second shimmer of this entire collection, is an egg-yolk shade of yellow, filled with ultra-fine pearly shimmer. The first coat showed some bald patches, which were then completely covered and smoothed over by second layer. I love how happy this shade looks, and that shimmer gave it a unique depth of tone.
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Once more, as soon as I applied ‘Sunchine Pop’, I was immediately reminded of CHANEL’s Mimosa (previously reviewed here), and even though the bottle photo shows them to be somewhat different from each other, once swatched I was surprised by how close they actually are. The following swatches are: index & ring fingers – ‘Sunchine Pop’, middle & pinkie fingers – ‘Mimosa’. Here’s how ‘Mimosa’ compared to ‘Sunchine Pop’s’ more daffodil yellow hue:
- slightly thinner flowing
- applies easier with less streaking/patchiness
- definitely more shimmer filled, but a similar quality
- not as vivid, more of a lemon-curd yellow
- not as opaque even at two coats
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indoors
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With one coat of ‘Techno’ layered over both ‘Sunchine Pop’ and ‘Mimosa’, still in the same order as listed above.
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‘Kinetic Candy’ may very well be the sleeper hit of this group! A washed out sky blue with the most subtle green tints thrown into its base, this had a slightly thinner formula than the others, which helped it flow exceptionally easily. Two coats are all that are needed to achieve complete opacity and I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that for a pastel hue, there was absolutely no streaking or patchiness. Amazing gloss at the end – LOVE!
in sunlight
indoors (* please look beyond the lobster hue of my skin!)
with flash
With one coat of ‘Techno’ layered over ‘Kinetic Candy’, I was totally captivated; I found that the more prismatic pieces completed complimented the lighter yet funky neutral base.
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‘Electric Beat’ – the slightly deeper-toned sibling of ‘Kinetic Candy’, is a saturated periwinkle blue shade, in a wonderfully easy to apply formula. Some patchiness that was noted with the first coat, immediately disappeared once the second layer was applied, leaving nothing but a smooth and high gloss finish behind – a pastel hue, but with an urban vibe to it just the same … another hit!
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Once more, one coat of ‘Techno’ layered over ‘Electric Beat’ did everything right to this shade, as both the base colour and the prismatic glitter totally set each other off beautifully.
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‘Gaga For Green’ is a paradoxically ultra-vivid yet somewhat still muted looking clover-green shade. The formula was a surprise as well, applying rather sheerer than the other colours in this group with a hybrid jelly-crème finish. The finish was not only rather pillowy-looking, but the glass-like finish was absolutely superb!
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One coat of ‘Techno’ layered over ‘Gaga For Green’ turned out to not be my preferred combo, as I found that the vivid base shade and everything going on with the layering lacquer seemed to clash – like they’re each trying too hard! However, this would make a fabulous Christmas look!
in sunlight
closeup
indoors (*do not adjust your sets: yes, the green makes my skin look lobster-ish once more!)
with flash
‘Techno’ is hypnotic; a clear suspension formula base absolutely loaded with silver ultra-fine glitter and larger prismatic hexagonal glitter pieces, this is a kaleidoscope captured in a bottle of lacquer! Care needs to be take for application in the sense that you absolutely must wait at least 2 minutes between coats for the best look, but for a layering polish I found that it still gave decent coverage due to the density of the glitter. For the smoothest surface, do not skip top coat, but I must say that it was surprisingly smooth to the touch even without. As with all glitter polishes, some elbow grease is required for removal, but I’ve discovered that China Glaze glitters are definitely some of the easiest to remove.
2 coats in sunlight (no top coat)
3 coats in sunlight (with top coat)
closeup
indoors
with flash
I was fairly convinced that ‘Techno’ was the China Glaze version of OPI’s ‘Serving Up Sparkle’ (previously reviewed here), and while initially they may seem almost identical, there are several differences. All swatches are: index & ring fingers – ‘Techno’, middle & pinkie fingers – ‘Serving Up Sparkle’ (plus top coat). Here is how the OPI compared to ‘Techno’:
- formula was slightly thinner-flowing
- the hexagonal glitter pieces were significantly sparser
- much less densely applying, needing at least another coat to reach the look of ‘Techno’
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closeup
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Final thoughts: Something feels right about bright pastel hues for spring; even though these may not be the “wheel re-invented” as far as originality is concerned, I love the energy that these colours project and I can’t stress enough how fabulous China Glaze’s formula is – especially when you factor in the budget-friendly price point. I did not expect that ‘Kinetic Candy’ would grab me the way it did, but I so love how it’s a pale but vibrant baby blue – adding flamboyant ‘Techno’ on top, took “cute” to a whole new other level! If you haven’t already, give this ElectroPop collection another look – you may find some surprises, much like I did.
*Disclaimer: Product samples provided by the company/PR for my unbiased consideration
China Glaze – ElectroPop Collection part 1 ‘the pinks and purples’ (swatches & review)
China Glaze’s new spring 2012 ElectroPop collection, is like a boost of adrenalin: bright, vibrant, happy and just so much fun! While neutrals and deeply brooding shades will always rank high on my favourites list, I have to say that I’m really loving these “hot” shades and look forward to sporting some much needed colour on my nails – always feels good after the winter “blahs”. All swatches are with two coats of lacquer, and Poshé Fast Drying Basecoat, and Topcoat.
‘Make some Noise’ is an incredibly juicy-looking, pink-tinted coral in a jelly format that mysteriously applies like a crème. Exceptionally glossy, the finish was also very self-levelling (as were basically all of these shades), and I experienced absolutely no staining upon removal – always a plus.
in sunlight
indoors
with flash
With one coat of ‘Techno’ (to be reviewed and compared in detail in part 2) layered over ‘Make Some Noise’. Quite smooth to the touch at the finish.
in sunlight
closeup
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with flash
‘Wicked Style’ is a paradoxically muted yet vivid deep rose pink, bearing the same hybrid jelly-crème formula as ‘Make Some Noise’, as well as a similar high-gloss shine and super smooth finish. No staining with this lovely, either!
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with flash
‘Wicked Style’ with one coat of ‘Techno’ layered on top – very retro looking but so pretty at the same time.
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‘Fuchsia Fanatic’ is an absolutely true fuchsia hue, with definitive blue undertones to give it depth. I was surprised by how much I totally fell for this hue on my nails, and how flattering it seems to be against the skin. Very self-levelling and ridiculously glossy at the end, this one felt much creamier than the previous two. Once more, no staining was noticed upon removal.
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indoors
with flash
‘Fuchsia Fanatic’ with a coat of ‘Techno’ layered on top, brought me right back to the “groovy” 70’s … love this!
in sunlight
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with flash
‘Sweet Hook’, a grey-tinged lavender hue, was the problem child of the six shown here, but with a little patience, it did eventually behave. A true crème formula, the first coat applied somewhat patchy, but the second coat levelled everything off and gave full coverage. I was not prepared for how naturally glossy this shade ended up – not usual for a pastel hue. Sometimes showing some pink, at others flashing rather purple, this shade holds some unique properties indeed.
in sunlight
indoors
indoors, alternate view
with flash
‘Sweet Hook’ with one coat of ‘Techno’ layered on top, wound up being my favourite combo of the six. Dainty, feminine & punk, all rolled into one!
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closeup
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‘Dance Baby’ is a girly bubble-gum pink hue, made slightly cool by its blue undertones. Bearing an excellent flow to its crème formula, it was perfectly opaque by the second coat, although I did notice some patchiness with the first layer. Gorgeous gloss at the finish.
in sunlight
indoors
with flash
‘Dance Baby’ with one coat of ‘Techno’ layered on top – gives this cotton-candy hue a nice “kick”.
in sunlight
closeup
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‘Gothic Lolita’, the only shade with shimmer in this entire collection, is in a word: SUPERB. A violet-grape hue, this shade had the best formula of the six, flowing across the nail with barely any effort at all, and its understated dark pink shimmer dust gives it an amazing depth of tone. As it was also the least glossiest of them all, you definitely need topcoat to really bring out its gorgeousness. Note how this colour shifts, depending on the light – incredible!
in sunlight
in sunlight, alternate view
indoors
indoors, alternate view
with flash
with flash, alternate view
‘Gothic Lolita’ with one coat of ‘Techno’ layered on top – slight overkill in my opinion, as this base colour doesn’t need any more amping up, but looks good just the same.
in sunlight
closeup
indoors
with flash
Final thoughts: The first part of my ElectroPop collection review, didn’t yield any surprises, but it didn’t hold any disappointments either. China Glaze continues to impress me with the quality of their formula, their vast range of colours, their wonderfully medium-density and flexible brush, as well as their excellent price point. All six shades gave an easy application, and even though the two pastels had some slight issues, they wound up complying along with the others. While ‘Gothic Lolita’ is a total eye-catcher, I was actually surprised to find myself gravitating more towards ‘Fuchsia Fanatic’ – and you know how much I’m NOT a pink girl! Stay tuned for my upcoming part 2 of this collection!
*Disclaimer: Product samples provided by the company/PR for my unbiased consideration
China Glaze ‘Let It Snow’ Collection Holiday 2011 – part 2 (swatches & review)
Wrapping up China Glaze’s ‘Let It Snow’ Collection, this second half of my review (the first six were previously reviewed here) brings you the remaining six holiday-inspired lacquers, made all the more fresh with an unexpected, yet edgy vibe. Once more, there are finishes to satisfy all tastes, and the saturation of colour will not only fill the need of visual warmth for the winter ahead, but carry you well into spring. All swatches are with Deborah Lippmann’s 2-Second Nail Primer and On A Clear Day Top Coat, as well as Seche Clear Base Coat.
‘Icicle’ is Jack Frost at his wintry finest; a white-based silver hue, the formula, while a touch on the thick side, still managed to flow quite well. As the finish may be slightly on the frosty side, I still found that it was relatively easy to avoid any visible brush strokes being left behind. Two coats were all that were needed to reach full opacity, and the foil-like texture leaves behind a beautiful high gleam finish at the end.
When seen in full sun, the mirror-like reflective finish of this hue is impossible to ignore, but somehow still manages to avoid being over the top.
Indirect lighting brings out the white undertones found in ‘Icicle’s’ base, while simultaneously lending it a unique icy grey tinge.
Shaded light not only intensifies the mesmerizing shine of this shade’s core, but imparts a beautiful almost 3-dimensional depth to it as well.
A final view taken with flash almost blinded my camera, but gives an accurate depiction of how brilliant this tinsel hued shade truly is.
‘Ring In The Red’ brings to mind Mrs. Claus –at her naughtiest! A sheer red-pink base absolutely crammed with red micro glitter and larger red glitter sequins, it applies with an almost jelly-like consistency and levels itself out as if by magic. At two coats, you achieve a pretty, but more delicate look; at three coats (as I applied here), you not only reach a deeper opacity, but magnify this shade’s intensity. I am absolutely mesmerized by the fiery shimmer it bears, that seems to be basically emerging from deep within…so stunning! Bonus: very easy removal, and no staining left behind.
Sunlight surrounds this shade with an almost cherry-red like glow, and merges all its scintillating elements into one sparkly landscape.
When seen in indirect light, ‘Ring In The Red’s’ glimmery base acts as the perfect backdrop for the larger and more prominent glitter pieces.
Shaded light does everything right to this shade, by creating the illusion of several layers of differing glow embedded along the nails.
A final view taken with flash lightens the base hue to a more playful red shade, while showcasing the insane amount of glitter it holds.
‘Tinsel Town’ is the mysterious shade of the bunch, yet still fits in with the rest so incredibly well! A pale charcoal-grey sheer base, it is totally filled with pewter-toned micro glitter and larger silver hexagonal sequins, all in a suspension-thick formula. While this shade is fairly easy to apply, I definitely recommend waiting at least a couple of minutes between coats to ensure you avoid any clumping. Two coats are more than sufficient for full opacity, and the gunmetal-like brilliance at the finish will absolutely captivate you. Bonus: removal was quite painless for something so glitter filled!
Sunlight, and ‘Tinsel Town’ is on complete retina-searing display, flashing brilliant shards of diamond-like light in every direction.
Indirect lighting tamps down the almost blinding effect of this shade, while adding a more sooty grey hue to the base colour.
Shaded light not only emphasizes the intense amount of glitter to be found in this varnish, but also considerably darkens the base tone.
A final view taken with flash, and the gleaming pewter sparkle of this lacquer comes at you full throttle — I LOVE this brooding beauty!
‘Holly-Day’ is PERFECTION in a bottle of nail polish. Seriously. A deep, almost pine shade of green, this is what every crème lacquer strives to be: a luxuriously rich formula, completely self-levelling and ULTRA high glossy at the finish, completely reminding me of the almost fake-looking waxy green leaves of the holly bush. Totally opaque with two coats, this was a dream to apply and the best part was that it left absolutely zero staining behind.
Sunlight enhances the almost midnight green depth of this shade, and seems to pick out the faint hints of yellow lurking within its base.
Indirect light brings about a slightly cooler look to ‘Holly-Day’, and serves to really play up its forest green hue.
While shaded light deepens this shade a few degrees, its velvety green tones are still in clear evidence, with its shine practically fathomless.
A final view taken with flash brightens this shade’s base tone, while throwing the emphasis on how verdantly creamy it truly is.
‘Poinsettia’ is the perfect representational hue of that holiday flower. A blue-based cerise red shade, it bears a jelly-ish formula that glides on like silk across the nails, leaving behind not only a superb glassy finish, but gives your tips a cushiony appearance. I found that two coats (as I applied here) were more than enough to give great coverage, although those who prefer a deeper opacity should aim for three. An interesting paradox that I noticed, was that while the first coat showed this to be more of a blue-based and pink tinged colour, the second coat made it more of an orangey tomato red hue…odd! Dry time was amazingly fast and the bonus: NO staining at all.
Sunlight channels a bright & juicy tomato-red colour, and while some nail line may be visible here, it was not apparent to the naked eye at all.
Indirect light seems appears to pull out any honeysuckle tints that may be lurking in ‘Poinsettia’s’ base, and highlights a more playful side of this shade.
Shaded light seems to drape a golden mantle over this colour and gives it a deep tangerine-like hue, yet still maintains its vivid red base.
A final view taken with flash shows what words cannot describe: how incredibly luscious and pillowy ‘Poinsettia’ actually looks…intense!
‘Blue Year’s Eve’ is an exceptionally vivid primary blue colour; a sheer blue jelly-ish base, filled with cerulean glass fleck-like shimmer, it nevertheless applied easily and smoothly, levelling itself out completely. With two coats, the coverage was just right and while the finish itself may not be the glossiest, it compensated by bearing that “lit-from-within” glow that is my absolute favourite. Bonus: no staining at all and very easy removal, so rare for a blue this intense.
Can you possibly look away from this?! Sunlight appears to not only be trapped within this lacquer’s heart, but is reflected right back at you at full volume!
Indirect light certainly calls forth a cooler vibe to ‘Blue Year’s Eve’, and also serves to spotlight the swirling masses of shimmery flakes in its depths.
Shaded light, and you can see how this hue seems to be absolutely burning with an unearthly deep blue glow…hypnotic, I tell you!
A final view taken with flash calls forth this shade’s fun side, and gives clear evidence of it’s scintillating blue shimmer.
Final thoughts: In the event I hadn’t made it clear by now, China Glaze’s entire ‘Let It Snow’ Collection for Holiday 2011, is one big massive HIT for me. Each lacquer’s formula was a pleasure to apply, and the colours themselves, while nothing outrageous, somehow not only managed to convey the spirit of the season, but can translate to everyday wear as well. Feel free to visit the company’s site for more information on this collection, but in the meanwhile, take some time to enjoy all that the holidays have to offer…while indulging in some of these glorious shades, of course!
*Disclaimer: Product samples provided by the company/PR for my unbiased consideration
