Filed In: Nail Polish Comparisons
Illamasqua – Generation Q Collection AW/12 ‘Charisma’ and ‘Creator’ Nail Varnish (swatches, comparisons, & review)
Leave it to the razor-sharp creative minds at Illamasqua, to create a collection that almost takes a 360° from what they’ve been showing us lately. A far cry from the exotic, the eccentric, and the alluringly bizarre past Illamasqua incarnations, the ‘Generation Q’ collection of products for Autumn/Winter 2012 is actually rather, well … universally wearable. Could it be that “normal” is the new “weird”?!
From Illamasqua’s press release:
GenerationQ
Where beauty has no age limits
I. Absolutely. LOVE. That. Frequently, I’ll see an ad for a beauty collection, and then realize how totally unwearable that look may be for me — highly frustrating, especially when the models in the ad just look so darn good …
What Illamasqua wishes to achieve with this collection, is to dispel the myth that beauty is highly exclusive – all by creating products that are highly inclusive, regardless of one’s gender, skin colour, or age. To that end, not only has the brand reached their goals on every level, but exceeded them as well. Take for instance these 2 limited edition varnishes; a ruby so richly saturated with colour, that it can’t help but empower its wearer, and a shimmering black that takes you to the very edge of modernism, and back again, both in Illamasqua’s ridiculously stellar formula. All swatches are with Seche Clear Base Coat and Seche Vite Top Coat.
‘Charisma’ is like applying liquified rubies along your nails. Seriously. A superbly flowing formula & application: this rich garnet base is completely self-levelling, with no visible brush strokes and filled with ultra finely ground magenta and burgundy shimmer. Applying with an intense pigmentation of colour even by the 1st coat, a second layer provides a more jewel-like tone and intensifies its plummy undertones. A medium-thick viscosity that allows no running or pooling into the cuticle area, the shine at the finish was an extra high gloss. BONUS: No staining upon removal. Coats applied: 2
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Finding a ‘Charisma’ clone in my collection wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be; it came as something of a surprise when I stumbled across Essie’s ‘Swing Velvet’ (I believe this is a 2009 release and may not be available anymore) and then did a further double-take when I swatched the two together. How it compared:
index & pinkie fingers: Essie’s ‘Swing Velvet’ (2 coats) – a significantly thinner formula, but nonetheless still quite colour-saturated by the 1st coat as well. Applying smoothly and quite glossy at the finish, this is literally a degree or 2 deeper in tone when seen with the naked eye against ‘Charisma’, but other than its shimmer being a touch coarser-looking, the two are almost identical. Coats applied: 2
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‘Creator’ (I LOVE this name!) bears a slightly sheer black base, redolent with ultra fine square and rectangularly shaped silver glitter. An excellently flowing formula that applies very smoothly despite the glitter, this became 100% opaque by the second coat, although the finish was definitely not as glossy – imparting a gentle sheen instead. One layer of top coat is all that’s needed to really enhance this beauty and to keep it smooth to the touch. While removal does require a bit of elbow grease, it wasn’t too difficult – just bear in mind that the glitter will travel somewhat. Completely non-staining upon removal, another plus. Coats applied: 2
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Looking for a comparison shade, the first lacquer that came to mind was NARS’ ‘Night Breed’ (previously reviewed here) from their ‘Night Series’ release. Yes, they are quite close. No, they’re not identical. If you missed out on the NARS, as it had been a limited edition item, here’s your chance at redemption — not that Illamasqua comes second to any other brand, mind you. How it compared:
index & pinkie fingers: NARS ‘Night Breed’ – a similar flow and application, but the black base is slightly more opaque, with its glitter bearing some tiny round shapes and being less densely packed than ‘Creator’. There appears to be a blueish tinge to this hue overall, although it winds up with the same dulled finish and has a similar level of grit to its glitter as the Illamasqua. Coats applied: 2
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in sunlight/alternate lighting
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Final thoughts: One thing I really admire about Illamasqua’s varnishes, is their consistency: the all maintain the same excellent level of quality in their flow, spread, pigmentation and wear – even the brush holds the right amount of rigidity/flexibility for a superior application. Neither ‘Charisma’ or ‘Creator’ are outrageous shades in and of themselves; what makes them stand out is their almost jewel-like intensity, as well as how well these shades translate from day to night – eminently suitable for all skin types across the spectrum, much like Illamasqua intended them to be.
The ‘Generation Q’ collection is set to launch on September the 6th, but you can see the entire range on Illamasqua’s website live now.
*Disclaimer: Product samples provided by the company/PR for my unbiased consideration
CHANEL – Les Essentiels de CHANEL Fall 2012 Le Vernis #559 Frenzy, #561 Suspicious and #563 Vertigo & Comparisons
Before I even began swatching the new trio of nail varnishes from CHANEL’s fall 2012 ‘Les Essentiels de CHANEL’ collection (reviewed in my previous post here), I had already started thinking of possible look-a-like contenders; naturally, I wanted the duplicates to be as identical as I could find them and since these particular shades aren’t too outrageous, I figured it would be relatively easy to find a few döppelgangers. Uh, not so much. But some interestingly close relatives were found just the same.
Finding a #561 Frenzy clone wasn’t as hard as I originally thought, but even so, most of the bottles I culled from my stash were either too pale, too grey, or too pink. I finally opted for Essie’s ‘Miss Fancy Pants’ from the brand’s fall 2012 collection (previously reviewed here). The following swatches are all with Seche Clear Base Coat and Seche Vite Top Coat. Coats applied – 2 (for each) and how it compared:
- middle & ring fingers: CHANEL #559 Frenzy
- index & pinkie fingers: Essie ‘Miss Fancy Pants’ – a definitely thicker formula, more grey tinged and a few degrees deeper in tone, bearing similarities in opacity, self-levelling application and high gloss shine at the finish
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I immediately knew which shade I wished to compare #561 Suspicious to, and that was none other than CHANEL’s #541 ‘Tentation’ from one of the brand’s spring 2012 releases (previously reviewed here), although I was concerned about the differing finishes but I felt that the base colour was identical enough to warrant a comparison. Once more, all swatches were done using Seche Clear Base Coat and Seche Vite Top Coat, using 2 coats of lacquer for both. Here’s how it compared:
- middle & ring fingers: CHANEL #561 Suspicious
- index & pinkie fingers: CHANEL #541 Tentation – a hybrid jelly/crème formula, which seems to give this shade more elasticity on application, several degrees more vibrant and pink-leaning when viewed live – most probably due to the multitude of fuchsia and blue tinged ultra-fine shimmer it’s filled with, same opacity and ease of application but not as glossy at the finish.
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The final shade, #563 Vertigo proved to be more of a challenge and I was pretty sure that I had absolutely nothing like it in my collection. On the one hand I was right, but still found myself surprised to pull out at least 2 possibilities – both found amongst my Diors – ‘Ebony’ from the Mitzah Collection (previously reviewed here) and ‘Underground’ from the ‘Rock Your Nails Collection’ (previously reviewed here), and then decided to add CHANEL’s #509 ‘Paradoxal’ (previously reviewed here) to the equation, primarily because it offers the same mysterious shimmer as that of ‘Vertigo’, although the intensity of ‘Paradoxal’s’ hue is visibly way off. All swatches are with Seche Clear Base Coat and Seche Vite Top Coat. Coats applied – 2 for each. Here’s how they compared:
- index finger: Dior ‘Ebony’ – the thinnest formula of them all, more brown based and bearing sparse silvery flecks that are almost invisible to the naked eye
- middle finger: CHANEL #563 Vertigo
- ring finger: Dior ‘Underground’ – the thickest formula of the group, although with a similar flow to that of ‘Vertigo’, more prune based and bearing scant silvery flecks that add depth, but are not visible unless seen in direct sunlight/flash
- pinkie finger: CHANEL ‘#509 Paradoxal’ – identical formula to that of ‘Vertigo’ and similar concept of a “muddied tone filled with complex shimmer”, obviously more deep mauve/purple leaning but with that same enigmatic look to it
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Final thoughts: From the three lacquers of the ‘Les Essentiels de CHANEL’ Collection, the 2 that I would have to say are the most easily duplicated, are without a doubt #559 Frenzy and #561 Suspicious, although even at that, you would be hard pressed to find an exact match or come close to CHANEL’s stellar formula and application. Looking at the comparisons to #563 Vertigo, it is clear that there really is NOTHING like it out there, although if you theoretically combined Dior’s ‘Ebony’ and ‘Underground’, you’d probably come very, very close. Theoretically. My final verdict? I’m pleased to say that all three CHANELs can definitely hold their own in anyone’s collection, but if it’s something unique, off-the-wall, and one-of-a-kind that grabs your fancy, then you should definitely snag #563 Vertigo — while you still can!
*Disclaimer: Some products provided by the company/PR for my unbiased consideration
Dior Vernis #605 Amazonia – Fall 2012 (swatches, comparisons & review)
I have a total and probably incomprehensible passion for deep, murky, and mysterious-seeming shades … as well as a “thing” for uniforms; Dior’s ‘Amazonia’ somehow manages to satisfy both of these desires in one bottle of nail lacquer. One of 2 limited edition shades released as part of the fall 2012 collection, I initially confused the deep army green hue of the ‘Golden Jungle Crocodile Leather Effect Duo’ (previously reviewed here) with this shade, but quickly corrected that error, thankfully!
#605 Amazonia does not disappoint; an absolutely stellar formula, this is the truest shade of “battle fatigues” green I’ve yet to come across. This deep khaki hue bears that legendary Dior “secret shimmer” which, while almost imperceptible to the naked eye, adds a new level of depth to this hue and keeps it from looking flat and one-dimensional. The medium-thick density formula flows with creamy perfection, applying in a self-levelling manner and becomes 100% opaque by the second coat, although its excellent pigmentation means that it can almost be a 1-coater. The brush is the newer Dior chiselled brush, and while it may take some getting used to at first, I have come to love its incredible ease of use: by using just the smallest bit of pressure, the brush fans out beautifully and makes application quick, even, and easy. With its ultra-high gloss at the finish, I was thrilled to note that no staining was left behind upon removal. Coats applied: 2
The serene beauty of the Amazon forest (source)
Dior’s iconic blue foil box & silver embossed lettering
item clearly labelled on top
no-nonsense label on the bottle
macro view of the “secret shimmer”
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Even though I believed that I had something close to ‘Amazonia’ in my collection of varnishes, interestingly enough my search showed me how wrong I was. All of the following swatches are with 2 coats of lacquer each, as well as base & top coats. It bears noting that ‘Amazonia’ is the only shade with shimmer, although once applied, that feature remains firmly in the background. Here’s how they compared:
- index finger: Deborah Lippmann ‘Billionaire’ (previously reviewed here) – the deepest and darkest of them all, slightly patchy at first coat but excellent coverage by the 2nd, the most brilliant natural gloss
- middle finger: ‘Amazonia’
- ring finger: CHANEL ‘Khaki Brun’ (previously reviewed here) – more brown tinged and weathered-looking, a few degrees lighter, similar super glossy shine
- pinkie finger: China Glaze ‘Westside Warrior’ (previously reviewed here) – a thinner formula and the greenest-looking of them all, the most vibrant as well as quickest drying
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Final thoughts: As far as I’m concerned, this shade is a must have on many levels: the colour, while nothing outrageous, is unique and highly complimentary for many skin tones across the spectrum, the formula is superb – which helps to offset its higher price (CAD $24.00), and while deep & brooding in its intensity, it somehow manages to retain enough of its base colour so that it does not appear as just another dark lacquer, even in the dimmest lighting. The Dior of the past became linked with pastel & pretty hues; the Dior of the present has begun showing us its “teeth”, and I for one, am not complaining. Edgy, urban, sophisticated, sexy, and smoldering … all rolled up in one bottle of nail polish!
Dior Vernis ‘Saint-Tropez’ and ‘Bikini’ – Summer 2012 (swatches, comparisons & review)
Last year when Dior released ‘Saint-Tropez’ as a very limited edition lacquer and I soon learned that it would not be made available in Canada, I was crushed – seriously. Apart from the fact that Dior is one of a handful of my all-time favourite varnish brands, I am a complete fool for turquoise hues, especially when the weather begins to warm up. Then a miracle happened: back in late January of this year, I received word that Dior was bringing ‘Saint-Tropez’ back as part of their summer 2012 collection, limited edition again, but this time more widely available in the marketplace AND more importantly to me, to be sold here in Canada as well! To say I did a major happy dance, would be an understatement!
Along with the by now cult-status ‘Saint-Tropez’, Dior also launched ‘Bikini’ as part of their summer 2012 collection, and while at first my only concern was in snagging the former hue, I could not resist the charms of the latter. Dior varnishes are, in a word: sublime. Application is usually flawless, with an excellent consistency to their formulas, and the “secret shimmer” that’s to be found in several of their shades, only adds to their allure. The brush takes some getting used to; going from a straight-bristled narrow brush to one that is wider and slightly chiseled, may seem awkward at first, but I have found it to help with the actual application. Always super glossy at the finish, relatively quick drying and able to stay chip-free for days, you cannot go wrong with any Dior lacquer. All of the following swatches, including comparisons, are with base and top coats (Dior’s clear top coat, part of the Electric Tropics Catwalk Duo – previously reviewed here), and all bear 2 coats of lacquer each.
Inspiration: Saint-Tropez with its aqua waters & adobe clay roof tiles (source)
#401 Saint-Tropez has its reputation hugely deserved; an absolutely amazing “aged” aqua blue shade, it holds a secret deep within: tons of ultra-finely ground shimmer that while generally inconspicuous, really adds a well-rounded depth to this colour. There also seems to be an antiqued quality to this lacquer, as it bridges Tiffany Blue, Robin’s Egg Blue and Mediterranean Blue – with a dash of green thrown in for a nice urban edge. Perfectly self-levelling and über-glassy at the finish, 2 coats gave absolutely perfect coverage. BONUS: absolutely no staining upon removal. This is the equivalent of aquatic perfection for your nails!
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While it seems like every brand has released a similarly-hued shade in the past couple of years, and to be sure I’ve scooped up every one I ever came across, I felt like Saint-Tropez still had something unique to offer, and so I limited my comparisons to the 3 shades shown above, which I felt were the closest judging from the bottle colour – I was wrong! All swatches are with 2 coats of lacquer, and here’s how they compared:
- index finger: China Glaze ‘For Audrey’ (previously reviewed here) – lighter by a few degrees, more green-leaning, bearing a similar formula
- middle finger: Dior ‘Saint-Tropez’
- ring finger: CHANEL ‘Nouvelle Vague’ (previously reviewed here) – several degrees lighter, sheerer & more watery formula, pale green undertones, pearly ribbons visible in the bottle adds a pearlized gleam to the finished look
- pinkie finger: a-england ‘Galahad’ (previously reviewed here) – most opaque with a thicker formula, can almost be a one-coater, the darkest and bluest-leaning of the group but in the same tonal family as ‘Saint-Tropez’
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How fabulous is this? Bikini power! (source)
#231 Bikini is summer personified in a bottle of nail varnish; a dusty pink-leaning salmon/coral shade, the formula appears to be a crème-jelly hybrid as it lays down somewhat translucent on the first coat, but becomes perfectly opaque by the second. Totally self-levelling and with a brilliant glossy finish, I hadn’t realized that this shade also had some of that “secret shimmer” at its heart, until I saw the photos – a nice surprise!
NOTE: I was sure that I owned at least one, if not several similarly hued shades to ‘Bikini’ … until I actually went looking; to my utter surprise, I do not own any that can be considered duplicates, as what I do have in my collection either leans too orange, too pink or too coral. Verdict? ‘Bikini’ stands unique!
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Final thoughts: Even though my ultimate goal was to add ‘Saint-Tropez’ to my collection, I could not resist including ‘Bikini’ – especially after seeing the two together and how well they complimented one another. To be perfectly honest, I didn’t stop with the varnishes of Dior’s summer collection — but that’s for another post! What sets these apart from the plethora of similar shades that are available, is their stellar formula and how easily they apply, flowing like silk across the nails – something you’d expect when you pay premium prices for lacquer, am I right? Still available at some Dior counters, as well as through Sephora, bear in mind that they are limited, ie: definitely won’t be around much longer!
CHANEL Summer 2012: Le Vernis in Island, Delight, and Holiday (swatches, comparison & review)
Sometime this past January, I began dreaming of summer … specifically a CHANEL summer. I lay the blame for this fixation directly at the feet of the early promotional photos I was privileged to see; one can’t help but fall head over heels for this fabulous and so totally wearable, limited edition collection. I couldn’t resist last year’s CHANEL summer offering, and this year was no exception either; if anything, it proved how weak my will is in the face of all this beauty!
Capturing the vibe of a glorious summer spent at some luxury locale (I’m picturing Cap Ferrat …), the three varnishes that make up this collection perfectly embody the key elements of the season, both in name & in colour: ‘Island’ – representing the ethereal bounty of the seas with its shell-like hue, ‘Delight’ – bringing to mind the soft beach sand under your feet, and ‘Holiday’ – a burst of colour the exact shade of a tropical sunset. The following swatches are all with both base and top coats.
‘Island’ tucked into a shell – a perfect mimicry of hues!
#597 Island, is an elegant seashell pink shade with slight flashes of blue and violet for added depth, and beige-y undertones which impart a nice warmth – all in a pearlized gleaming formula. A very wearable and “clean” hue, its delicate duo chrome makes it modern and fresh, although it must be noted that your base coat needs to be completely dry before you apply any colour, or it could cause some dragging issues. The pearly finish also means you need to take care with your application in order to avoid any visible brush strokes. The least glossy of the three, a layer of top coat really brings out all its delicate nuances. Coats applied: 3.
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I was surprised to find that I really didn’t have anything closer to ‘Island ‘ than ‘Rose Baby’, an older CHANEL lacquer. While both shades bear a similar pearl finish, ‘Rose Baby’ is a straight up baby pink shade without the hidden flashes and beige undertones that make ‘Island’ so much more complex, and the formula was definitely streakier with the first coat. The following swatches are: index & ring fingers – ‘Rose Baby’, middle & pinkie fingers – ‘Island’.
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#607 Delight, is pure molten perfection; a gleaming light bronze hue with a rose-gold cast and filled with silver & coppery metallic flakes, this medium-thick formula flowed exceptionally well, with hardly any visible brush strokes and leaving behind a beautiful foil-like look. A very goof-proof application, I was impressed by how quickly it dried, its incredibly reflective shine at the end, and how easy removal was. Coats applied: 2.
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Naturally, I went hunting for a duplicate, but the closest I could come, both in colour and in finish, was ‘Designer…de Better’ (previously reviewed here) from OPI’s Holiday 2011 collection. What I found instead, was that these two shades appeared to be mirror images of each other, with the OPI appearing more silver and with larger golden/copper flecks throughout, next to ‘Delight’s’ richly smooth shimmer. The following swatches are: index & pinkie fingers – ‘Designer…de Better’, middle & ring fingers – ‘Delight’.
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#617 Holiday, a colour-saturated, crème-jelly hybrid in a richly vivid tangerine shade, bears the type of formula that CHANEL has justifiably become known for. Almost a 1-coater due to its intense pigmentation, this über-glossy and completely self-levelling shade almost applies itself – the formula is THAT amazing. While practically every brand has their own version of this year’s “it” hue, what sets ‘Holiday’ apart is that is appears more as a true orange, without any visible red, pink, or even yellow undertones that I’ve seen with other similar shades. Coats applied: 2 (and that’s pushing it, really!)
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Interestingly enough and while I have quite a few orange-hued lacquers, the only one that almost perfectly matched ‘Holiday’ was none other than another now-legendary shade, Dior’s ‘Aloha’ (previously reviewed here) from last year’s Electric Tropics Catwalk Duo. Bearing almost identical formulas (applies like a crème, shines like a jelly) and incredibly close colour-wise, the only notable differences I found were that ‘Aloha’ appears to have a hint more yellow in its base and just barely more sheer. My photos didn’t really capture any differences between the two, although seen with the naked eye you can definitely tell them apart. All swatches are: pinkie & index fingers – ‘Aloha’, middle & ring fingers – ‘Holiday’.
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Final thoughts: No doubt about it, CHANEL has once more brought summer to gleaming life with these three limited edition varnishes. I love how different each shade is from the other, both in finish and in colour, and yet how beautifully they compliment each other, offering numerous mani/pedi options. With ‘Island’ and ‘Delight’, I was surprised that even in a collection as large as mine, I really didn’t have anything close, while if you were lucky enough to snag Dior’s ‘Aloha’ last year, you could probably pass on ‘Holiday’ (all these lacquer names are urging me to book a flight to Hawaii….!), although with a formula as sublime as this, I wouldn’t let this beauty get away – especially if you collect CHANEL varnishes like a certain beauty blogger ahem, cough!
So ends my first “chapter” of what I like to call my Wedding Anniversary Bounty … more to follow, naturally!
