China Glaze ‘Summer Neons’ Collection – part 1 (swatches & review)

For a self-professed “neon-avoider”, it may seem a little odd that not only is this my second collection of these über-bright hues, but that I’m actually really enjoying the jolt of colour that they provide. What sets China Glaze’s new ‘Summer Neons’ Collection apart from everything else out there, is that these attention-grabbing colours come with a nice surprise: shimmer! It’s like a 2-for-1!

Part 1 of this 12-piece collection of lacquers, focuses primarily on the more obvious “neon” shades of the group along with the pinks, and some of the characteristics they all have in common, namely:

a medium-thick formula
a brushstroke-free and self-levelling application
ultra-fine shimmer
a semi-matte/satin finish
2 coats for each shade for opaque coverage

The following swatches are all with Poshé Fast Drying Basecoat and Super-Fast Drying Topcoat – as stated, the final look is rather satiny/semi-matte; unless you prefer that finish, I recommend ending with a nice glossy top coat, as that really brings out every ounce of visual interest of each shade.

‘Sun-Kissed’ is a retina-searing “highlighter” yellow hue, infused with an ultra-fine pearly shimmer that’s a nice way of modernizing such a vivid neon shade. The formula was the thickest of the 6 here, although it still applied easily enough.

in sunlight

backlit

indoors

with flash

‘I’m with the Lifeguard’ is almost radio-active; a neon green so vibrant that you’d swear it glows in the dark, there’s almost a cartoonish “toxic-waste” eerie look to this hue, but it’s surprisingly flattering to wear. Bearing a slightly similar formula to ‘Sun-Kissed’, this shade nonetheless applied very well just the same and I absolutely loved the ribbons of pearly shimmer visible in both the bottle and on the nail.

in sunlight

backlit

indoors

with flash

‘Surfin’ for Boys’ is a high-octane pink filled with that same crushed pearly luminosity, and bears an excellently-flowing formula. While the shimmer is not as clearly visible with this shade as with the previous two, the coral flash you see along the nail edges more than makes up for that. There also seems to be an inner blue flame that becomes apparent in certain lights, adding a beautiful depth and overall tone to this unique colour. LOVE!

in sunlight

backlit

indoors

with flash

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‘Orange You Hot?’, is a high-voltage orange which still manages to somehow appear rather dusty-looking. Like a sophisticated take on that well-known colour of our childhood, “school-bus orange”, the shimmery pearly strands in the base give this citrusy hue a nice depth and dimension. An interesting and lighter version of the colour of the year, ‘Tangerine Tango’.

in sunlight

backlit

indoors

with flash

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‘Flirty Tankini’ has a secret; a more toned-down version of ‘Surfin’ for Boys’, the formula on this hot pink shade seemed to be more of a hybrid as it felt almost jelly-like. With an excellent flow, the pearl shimmer appears much less apparent to the naked eye, although the pale violet flash that shows up at certain angles and which compliments the light peachy/coral undertones, makes for a nice touch.

in sunlight

backlit

indoors

with flash

‘Pink Plumeria’ (love that name!) is a highly vibrant & saturated doll-pink hue, filled with an ultra-fine golden shimmer. The formula was unexpected as well; flowing with the consistency of raw egg white (sorry – I call ’em as I see ’em!), I did not expect the ease with which it applied. While it can appear as a less intense version of ‘Flirty Tankini’, the gold shimmer takes this hue in a completely new direction and can make it look at times rather warm leaning (think: flamingo pink), or cooler-toned (as in pink lemonade). A grown-up, beautiful & unique summery pink hue!

in sunlight

backlit

indoors

with flash

Final thoughts: I’ve documented in my numerous China Glaze posts, what a total fan I am of this brand; the permanent colour range is vast, the seasonal collections that are released offer totally wearable shades, with colours that generally meet everyone’s tastes, the formula is for the most part absolutely stellar and the best part? The price point is almost ridiculously low in comparison to all that you’re getting. This first half of the ‘Summer Neons’ Collection took me by surprise; I may have groaned upon viewing the lacquers, but that quickly faded when I actually began swatching – then couldn’t stop staring and taking photos! Even if you don’t manage to squeeze in any beach time, something tells me that a quick swipe of one of these happy hues can almost transport you there … I said “almost” !
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Available now at all locations where China Glaze products are sold, feel free to visit the company’s website for further information and/or to view their entire lineup, and you could also follow them on twitter or their facebook page.