China Glaze- Bohemian Luster Chrome Collection 2012 (swatches & review)

Even though I am a self-professed “colour purist” at heart and will always prefer my deep, luscious crème shades, there’s something so completely riveting about the 6 varnishes which make up China Glaze’s new ‘Lustre Chrome Collection’. Starting with the rich, jewel-like hues, to the brilliance of the shine, and finally add to that a complex mix of metallic colours all playing off each other, and well … you literally won’t be able to stop staring.

China Glaze’s new Lustre Chrome Collection, is 6 absolutely eye-catching shades, with several commonalities that tie them together:

vivid, glowing hues
easy-flowing formula, rather on the thin side and slightly sheer
a complexity of colour, some dual chromes, others multi-chromed
very quick-drying

The application of each was effortlessly executed, with the brush bearing just the right amount of flex & rigidity to make the job easy. With a formula this brilliant, you do need to have a steady hand so as to keep visible brush strokes to a minimum, although I found that the foil-like and rather metallic shine at the finish, go a long way in cancelling out any perceived flaws. All swatches are with Seche Clear Base Coat and Seche Vite Top Coat.

Swanky Silk – pale oxidized gold, with antiqued rose flashes, especially seen along the sides of the nails. One of the sheerest shades of the 6, being the lightest in tone, it still gave decent coverage at 2 coats and the very nature of its hue means it’s almost “goof-proof”. Coats applied: 3

in sunlight

angled

shaded light

with flash

No Plain Jane – grey-tinged lavender/lilac with bronze flashes (some lighting also reveal a few olive tints). The sheer-leaning formula lends itself well to being layered over a solid colour, but even 2 coats covered quite well. The flash effect may not be as vivid as some of the others in this collection, but you could still definitely see some amber gleams at certain angles, with deeper amethyst in others. Coats applied: 3

in sunlight

angled

shaded light

with flash

buy super kamagra online buywithoutprescriptionrxonline.com/super-kamagra.html no prescription

Rare & Radiant – burnished gold base with emerald and blue flashes. While the formula here was the same consistency as the others, something about this colour combination gave it a fuller and deeper opacity by the second coat. Almost eerie in its effect, this shade is easy to wear during the day and has enough eye-catching power to hold its own in the evening. Coats applied: 3

in sunlight

angled

alternate angle

shaded light

with flash

buy symbicort online buywithoutprescriptionrxonline.com/symbicort.html no prescription

Unpredictable – aqua/turquoise with indigo flashes, and hints of golden green along the nail edges (similar glowy effect as with ‘Rare & Radiant’, above, but with the colour combination almost in reverse). Interestingly enough, the formula here was a touch thicker, requiring less product on the brush overall for full coverage. Very mermaid-ish, or like dragonfly wings — both hard to capture and so iridescent! Coats applied: 3 (thin)

in sunlight

in sunlight – alternate view

angled

angled – alternate view

shaded light

with flash

Deviantly Daring – vivid peacock blue with deep cobalt flashes. The formula surprised me by being paradoxically thinly-flowing and of a medium thick consistency (confusing, I know), but applied like silk. The deepened blue is the predominant shade seen here, with the dark purple making a rare appearance in some lights/angles, although it does serve to give this lacquer a beautiful dimension of tone — no staining upon removal. Absolutely STUNNING! Coats applied: 3 (thin)

in sunlight

angled

shaded light

with flash

buy tadalista online buywithoutprescriptionrxonline.com/tadalista.html no prescription

Want My Bawdy – iridescent blue-violet with slight amethyst and ultra-blue flashes. The duo chrome effect was the least visible with this lacquer, although I did catch a few subtle glimpses of it here and there. An excellently flowing formula, you barely need more than 2 coats for full opacity, with the final tone winding down to a rich, royal blue. Bonus: no staining upon removal. Coats applied: 3

in sunlight

angled

shaded light

with flash

Final thoughts: Yes, these are all absolutely gorgeous, and in my opinion, this finish makes them a great option if you’re looking to add some fire to your varnish, without resorting to glitter. My personal favourite is ‘Deviantly Daring’, as much for the colour as the name (very Mata Hari-ish), an almost hynotic colour combination. With ‘Rare & Radiant’ a near clone to CHANEL’s much pricier version, ‘Peridot’, this is an excellent opportunity to pick it up — and it won’t break the bank. Since you’ll be saving on that purchase, you may as well indulge in a few more from this collection, no?!

*I’ll be posting some comparison photos soon, as several of the lacquers featured here have much more expensive doppelgangers out there!