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Essie – Resort 2013 Collection

If Essie’s goal is to help banish the winter blahs, then I’d say they’re off to a great start with their Resort 2013 Collection of these four happy & colour saturated hues. With a mix of crème and jelly finishes, as well as a nice selection of brights and/or aquatic tones, these four shades manage to perfectly capture the essence of the warmer weather to come .. which couldn’t be soon enough for me.

Essie – Resort 2013 Collection

Under Where – (get it? “underwear”? yes…totally cheesy of me …) a bright lilac hue with pink undertones in a jelly-esque formula, that gives surprisingly good coverage even by the first coat – totally self-levelling and highly glossy at the finish. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

Essie – Under Where

Positive that I had at least 1 shade in my collection that would be a near duplicate to ‘Under Where’, I was pleasantly surprised to note that I actually had nothing even remotely like it; I opted to compare it to ‘Nice is Nice’ (reviewed here), although the differences are glaringly obvious.

index & pinkie fingers: ‘Nice is Nice’ (2 coats) – thinner flow, hybrid crème-jelly formula, lavender toned and more blue based, several degrees lighter overall
middle & ring fingers: ‘Under Where’

First Timer – vivid aqua green crème hue with yellowish undertones, in a thicker formula that applied a touch patchy with the first coat, but levelled off completely by the second, becoming fully opaque. Highly colour saturated and almost bordering on neon, there was absolutely no staining upon removal. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

Essie – First Timer

While I own basically every green shade that Essie has produced, the only one that came even remotely close was ‘Turquoise & Caicos’, although even that’s a stretch, as can be seen by the swatches.

index & pinkie fingers: ‘Turquoise & Caicos’ (3 coats) – more muted in tone, blue leaning, sheerer formula and a significantly thinner flow
middle & ring fingers: ‘First Timer’

Come Here – electric coral/poppy hue with hot pink undertones – just shy of looking fully neon, in an ultra-pigmented formula that can almost pass as a 1-coater. Perfectly self levelling in application, it bears a nice shine at the finish, although not super glossy. Bonus: non-staining upon removal. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

Essie – Come Here

I easily found 3 shades in my Essie collection that seemed at first glance to be clones of ‘Come Here’, but I opted to compare it to the 2 closest: ‘Olé Caliente’ (reviewed here), and ‘Flirt’.

index finger: ‘Olé Caliente’ (2 coats) – sheerer, hybrid crème-jelly formula, a hair lighter & just a touch less vivid in tone
middle & pinkie fingers: ‘Come Here’
ring finger: ‘Flirt’ (2 coats) – fully pigmented, similar formula although a touch more red/orange leaning, glossiest natural finish

In The Cab-Ana – vibrant Robin’s Egg Blue shade in a crème formula, highly colour saturated, completely self-levelling and with a beautifully glossy finish. Bonus: non-staining upon removal. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

Essie – In The Cab-Ana

I was convinced that ‘In The Cab-Ana’ was an exact match to ‘Where’s My Chauffeur’ (reviewed here), but swatching the two proved otherwise.

index & pinkie fingers: ‘Where’s My Chauffeur’ (2 coats) – thinner & slightly sheerer formula, more of a “Tiffany Blue” and bearing greenish undertones
middle & ring fingers: ‘In The Cab-Ana’

Final thoughts: I confess to being a bit disappointed when I first beheld these shades, as at first glance none of them seemed that original colour-wise to me. I was also positive that with an Essie collection as extensive as mine, I would own several near-copies of each hue presented, but ‘Come Here’ was the only shade that has a twin (or triplet, in this case). I don’t wear lilac & lavender shades often, but I must admit that ‘Under Where’ is a shade that will suit all skin tones, while ‘First Timer’ is a great way to wear a bright green without coming off as too “Crayola”. My favourite of them all, is hands down ‘In The Cab-Ana’ (that name … resigned sigh), and if you missed out on ‘Where’s My Chauffeur’, you definitely need to pick this up. So yeah, no news-breaking colours, but a well-executed little collection, with formulas that are all a pleasure to apply!

Kindly provided by Essie for my unbiased consideration

CHANEL – Le Vernis Eastern Light & Western Light

February 27, 2013

To celebrate the opening of their largest boutique at Hysan Place in Hong Kong, CHANEL has released a small and limited edition capsule collection, consisting of an eyeshadow palette (Pearl River) and the 2 new nail lacquers shown here, ‘Eastern Light’ and ‘Western Light’ – colours inspired by the city’s contrasts of deep browns to brilliant whites. As it was recently announced that Peter Philips would be stepping down from his position as CHANEL’s Makeup Global Creative Director, this now becomes the last makeup collection he will have designed for the brand.

I have to state that I feel so blessed to have a husband who not only accepts, but understands (and indulges) my passion for CHANEL, as these 2 limited edition beauties formed part of his Valentine gifts to me (the last gift, CHANEL’s ‘Mouche de Beauté’ will be shown soon) – definitely the way to my heart ♥ I’ve also been trying to narrow down my wishlist of CHANEL’s fragrances amongst their ‘Les Exclusifs’ Collection, so the 3 scent samples that were included could not have come at a better time – plus, I just adore how they look!

CHANEL – Hong Kong Collection

CHANEL Eastern Light – (CAD $27.00 – 13 ml/0.4 fl.oz) a cool white crème hue with faint blueish undertones, that applies basically streak-free even by the 1st coat. Bearing a perfect density to the formula – neither too thick nor thin, it falls in a self-levelling way and leaves an ultra glossy finish behind. I absolutely LOVE its pristine whiteness – looks exactly like freshly fallen snow! Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

CHANEL – Eastern Light

While I own several other CHANEL white shades, they all have shimmer of some type, and so I didn’t bother comparing those to Eastern Light. The next closest I own, are Essie’s ‘Blanc’, and OPI’s ‘My Boyfriend Scales Walls’ (reviewed here), and how they compared (2 coats each, plus top coat):

index finger: OPI ‘My Boyfriend Scales Walls’ – thinner density, excellent flow to the formula, comes across as slightly grey tinged beside the other 2
middle & pinkie fingers: CHANEL ‘Eastern Light’
ring finger: Essie ‘Blanc’ – formula a degree thicker and just slightly more opaque, colour seems a bit more vivid to the naked eye, closest in tone

CHANEL – Eastern Light & comparisons

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CHANEL Western Light – (CAD $27.00 – 13 ml/0.4 fl.oz) a deep brown/mink hue filled with ultra-fine reddish shimmer in a quasi-sheer jelly-esque formula, that becomes perfectly opaque by the second coat. The shimmer is more visible in the bottle than what comes across on the nail, but it definitely adds a multi-dimensional touch to a colour that manages to stay just shy of appearing black. A decadent & luscious looking dark chocolate shade, the glassy finish makes the addition of top coat almost redundant – totally LOVE its molten look! Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

CHANEL – Western Light, detail

CHANEL – Western Light

CHANEL – Western Light, with flash

While I do own a few brown toned CHANEL lacquers for comparison, none of them had either the same depth of tone or a similar shimmer; ‘Vertigo’ (reviewed here), and ‘Haute Chocolat’ (reviewed here) were my original choices, and I also included the original ‘Rouge Noir’ (reviewed here), as asked by several readers. How they compared (2 coats each, plus top coat):

index finger: Vertigo – similar “hidden shimmer” effect, excellent pigmentation, more crème-like formula, same muddied tone although it looks grey-based in comparison
middle finger: Eastern Light
ring finger: Haute Chocolat – definitive dark brown hue, slightly sheerer formula, golden shimmer that is as apparent on the nail as in the bottle
pinkie finger: Rouge Noir – oxblood hue, crème formula, the glossiest of them all, looks burgundy beside the others

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CHANEL – Western Light & comparisons

CHANEL – Western Light & comparisons, with flash

Les Exclusifs de CHANEL samples in: Sycomore, 31 Rue Cambon, and Coromandel

Final thoughts: Knowing that these two varnishes form part of Peter Philips’ last creation for CHANEL, makes it a little poignant for me and I’m very happy to have them in my collection for that reason, as well as the fact that I don’t own anything like them from this brand. The formula for each was simply superb; while I’ve always maintained my love of deeply brooding hues, lately I’ve been strangely drawn to whites, and ‘Eastern Light’ is a true standout, with it’s crisp tone and paradoxically opaque yet translucent appearance. ‘Western Light’ is absolutely perfect for when you want a dark shade that’s NOT black, and I can even see these two working together in a unique French mani (note to self: must try this).
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Available now through the CHANEL site (for US readers only) and through select CHANEL boutiques – mine were purchased through the Holt Renfrew Bloor St. location – remember that these are limited edition.

*Disclosure: Product samples provided by the company/PR for my unbiased consideration

YSL – La Lacque Couture #18 Bleu Majorelle

February 21, 2013

When YSL Beauté re-vamped their nail lacquer line with the now larger and permanent colour line up, one of the shades that literally stood head & shoulders above them all, was the vibrant #18 Bleu Majorelle; the problem lay in that it was constantly sold out at every counter I visited, else I would have snagged this beauty long ago. Never mind … it’s mine now!

There’s an interesting connection/history behind this particular blue shade, and the house of YSL; M. Saint Laurent who often visited Marrakech, Morocco for design inspiration, fell in love with a botanical garden there created by French artist Jacques Majorelle. Along with his partner Pierre Pergé, M. Saint Laurent then bought the garden 1980 and not only lovingly restored it all, but added a new design to it with each visit, preserved it as a museum of Islamic art, and eventually had his ashes scattered there when he passed away in 2008.

The original garden was created in 1924 by French artist Jacques Majorelle, who drew inspiration from the blue colour found in local Moroccan tiles, and he used this colour throughout the garden, painting the walls, fountains, and features of the villa in this intensely blue shade, finally trademarking the name “Majorelle Blue”.

Majorelle Garden – Marrakech, Morocco (source)

YSL – #18 Bleu Majorelle

YSL – #18 Bleu Majorelle – (CAD $27.00 10 ml/0.34 fl.oz) an intensely vivid ultra blue shade, in a STELLAR jelly-esque formula that applies streak-free and in a buttery smooth self-levelling way. Highly colour saturated and perfectly opaque at 2 coats, the finish is insanely brilliant. Bonus: absolutely non-staining upon removal. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

YSL – #18 Bleu Majorelle

YSL – #18 Bleu Majorelle, matte

While I own several bright blue shades in my personal collection, I was surprised to find that only one was close enough to Bleu Majorelle to warrant a comparison – Essie’s ‘Butler Please’ (reviewed here), and even further stunned at how close the two are colour-wise; with the naked eye, you can just make out a hint of variance between them, but the biggest difference lies in the price tag with the Essie being easily 1/3 the cost of the YSL.

index & pinkie fingers: Essie ‘Butler Please’ – 1st coat not as smooth laying, thicker formula, colour almost identical but perhaps a couple of degrees less intense, not as naturally brilliant, non-staining as well
middle & ring fingers: YSL #18 Bleu Majorelle

YSL – #18 Bleu Majorelle vs Essie ‘Butler Please’

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Final thoughts: There is everything to love about this varnish, starting from the eye-catching colour, the amazing application, long-lasting & glossy formula, to the fact that it’s completely non-staining … all well worth the rather steep price tag, in my opinion. The fact that ‘#18 Bleu Majorelle’ is part of YSL’s permanent range is also a bonus – no need to run out and stockpile. A truly spectacular blue that manages to look sophisticated, modern, classy & edgy at the same time – also perfect for when you want to make a unique fashion statement.
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I picked mine up at Holt Renfrew (Canada).

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*Disclosure: Product samples provided by the company/PR for my unbiased consideration

OPI Euro Centrale Collection for Spring/Summer 2013 – part 1 “Hot & Spicy”

January 28, 2013

I really enjoy travelling with OPI and look forward to seeing how they interpret the countries they feature, into polish. The 2013 Spring/Summer Collection takes us into the heart of central Europe, with all its diversity and lushly vibrant colour – perfectly captured into nail lacquer. I’ve decided to separate the 12 shades into two parts, beginning with part 1, or what I call the “Hot & Spicy” group, shown here.

The formula on every single one of these hues was absolutely amazing, flowing easily, self-levelling, drying relatively quickly, and leaving behind a gorgeous shine – with a few looking almost mirror-like. All swatches are with base & top coats.

OPI Euro Centrale SS 2013 the “Hot & Spicy” group!

My Paprika Is Hotter Than Yours!, My Vampire Is Buff, Suzi’s Hungary Again!

Hands Off My Kielbasa!, Oy – Another Polish Joke!, A Woman’s Prague-ative

My Vampire Is Buff – an ultra creamy and warm leaning blush white hue, which gives decent coverage even at 2 coats. Never stark looking, I found this shade the easiest white to wear that I’ve ever come across – pure LOVE! Coats applied 3 (thin)

OPI – My Vampire Is Buff

Suzi’s Hungary Again! – a vivid rose/coral/pink hue in a hybrid crème-jelly formula, and with incredibly fine pearly shimmer throughout – although it’s very subtle on the nail. Beautiful high gloss at the finish. Coats applied: 2

OPI – Suzi’s Hungary Again!

Hands Off My Kielbasa! – a dusty/antique nude-rose hue with finely ground gold, silver & pink shimmer in the base, as well as brush stroke-free in application. I’m not sure how I feel about this shade; on the one hand, it can come across as somewhat dated, but it’s also strangely appealing – it looks very much like NARS’ cult Orgasm blush. Coats applied: 2

OPI – Hands Off My Kielbasa!

My Paprika Is Hotter Than Yours! – a searingly hot coral red crème hue that applies with all the qualities of a jelly: squishy-looking and ultra glossy. Very colour saturated, this can almost be a 1-coater but don’t skip base coat, to avoid any mild staining. Coats applied: 2

OPI – My Paprika Is Hotter Than Yours!

Oy – Another Polish Joke! – (oy – the name…) a clear base filled with pale yellow gold and some scattered pink finely ground shimmer. There’s almost an oxidized look to this finish, sporting a brilliant canary gold veneer with some slight greenish flashes, although the formula itself is on the sheer side – also excellent as a layering polish. Bonus: easy removal. Coats applied: 3

OPI – Oy – Another Polish Joke!

A Woman’s Prague-ative – a semi-sheer pink/orange base filled with gold, bronze, and copper ultra-fine shimmer that gives an overall honey/amber look and bearing a subtle duo chrome effect – definitely more visible in the bottle than on the nail. A complex shade that will also translate well for fall, you can also layer this beauty over a complimentary base colour for even more depth. Bonus: easy removal. Coats applied: 2

OPI – A Woman’s Prague-ative

Final thoughts: I cannot stress enough how impressed I was with the formula on every single one of these shades; flowing like silk across the nail for an effortless application. ‘My Vampire Is Buff’ took me completely by surprise with its lush & simple beauty and if I’d have to pick a favourite here, that one would be it. ‘Hands Off My Kielbasa!’ is an odd duck and will definitely appeal to the nudie-lovers out there, while ‘My Paprika Is Hotter Than Yours!’ will make an epic pedi shade come the summer. All in all, this first group gets a thumbs up from me – stay tuned for part 2, where the shades take on a darker vibe.

The OPI Euro Centrale Collection will be available early February. Feel free to follow the brand on facebook/twitter for all updates.

*Disclosure: Product samples provided by the company/PR for my unbiased consideration

CHANEL Spring 2013 Le Vernis – Emprise, Fracas & Accessoire

January 21, 2013

CHANEL’s 2013 Printemps Precieux Collection does not disappoint, especially as far as the varnishes are concerned. The three shades shown (only #573 Accessoire is supposed to be permanent) have a fairly broad appeal with colours that should fit all tastes, from neutral fans to vampy lovers, but #571 Fracas steals the show with its flirty hue – I see this becoming my summertime staple!

All swatches are with base and top coat.

CHANEL #569 Emprise, #571 Fracas & #573 Accessoire

#569 Emprise – a muted ballerina slipper pink hue with pearly shimmer – clearly seen in the bottle, but appears less distinctly on the nail (in some angles & lighting, you can see an almost silver/pearly sheen). The medium density formula applies in a self-levelling way with a nice gloss at the finish. Coats applied: 3 (very thin)

CHANEL – #569 Emprise

Going through my collection of CHANEL polishes, revealed #543 Frisson (previously reviewed here) to be the closest to Emprise in base colour, but they are still quite different from each other.

index & pinkie fingers: #543 Frisson – sheerer, pale baby pink with pink, silver & gold finely ground glitter, less apricot in the base
middle & ring fingers: #569 Emprise

CHANEL – Emprise vs. Frisson

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#571 Fracas – a hot salmon pink shade with extremely fine gold, silver, & pink/magenta shimmer, that once more does not translate as clearly on the nail to what’s seen in the bottle, although it does add some overall depth and reflects well in certain lighting. Good density and flow, self-levelling and glossy, there’s a nice saturation of colour to this uniquely vivid hue. Coats applied: 2

CHANEL – #571 Fracas

The only CHANEL shade I own that bears a similar intensity to Fracas, is #537 Riviera (CHANEL Summer 2010 Collection), although the only thing in common between them is that they’re both vivid pink hues.

middle & pinkie fingers: #537 Riviera – sheerer, a hybrid jelly/crème formula with no shimmer, a truer pink with blueish undertones, cooler leaning
index & ring fingers: #571 Fracas

CHANEL – Fracas vs. Riviera

#573 Accessoire – an ultra rich & decadent deep burgundy hue with hints of brown in the base. An absolutely stellar formula, highly colour saturated, self-levelling and finishing with a high gloss, making top coat almost superfluous. LOVE this! Coats applied: 2

CHANEL – #573 Accessoire

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I initially thought that #573 Accessoire was almost identical to CHANEL’s Provocation (previously reviewed here), and while they both share a similar depth, there are differences as well.

index & pinkie fingers: Provocation – grape undertones, cooler leaning, amazing glossy shine, formula even more spectacular (if possible!)
middle & ring fingers: #573 Accessoire

CHANEL – Accessoire vs. Provocation

Final thoughts: With every CHANEL launch, I always assume that the nail lacquers couldn’t possibly top the ones that came before before, and yet I am always pleasantly surprised just the same. Along with a few other pieces that from the collection that came home with me, there was no way I would leave any of these behind, but as my comparisons show, the only shade that is truly unique amongst the three, is #571 Fracas. And with these CHANEL beauties, Spring has truly begun for me!
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I purchased these varnishes from The Bay (Canada) – feel free to me know what you’ll be indulging in with this collection!