Chanel's Fashion Night Out 2012: Infidele

Hi Everyone!  Yes, I'm still alive!  Grad school is kicking my butt!  It's been a crazy first quarter, with meeting so many people and learning to juggle work with two classes.  How I'm going to survive this for three more years, I'm not sure!  Ha.  But I'm having a lot of fun figuring it out.  The quarter is winding down, with finals next week, so hopefully I can do more blogging over the winter break.

Because even if I haven't been blogging, I've certainly been polishing!  And doing more hauling! Ha.

Today I want to share with you a lovely polish I picked up in September for Fashion Night Out.  I've come to look forward to this event so much, and primarily for the limited edition polishes Chanel releases for the occasion.  In 2010 it was Les Khakis de Chanel, with the much loved Khaki Brun, Khaki Rose, and everyone's favorite Khaki Vert.  Last year gave us Les Jeans de Chanel, with three stunning takes on blue in Coco Blue, Blue Boy, and Blue Rebel.  What did Chanel have in store for us for 2012?  A slightly different take - three exclusive polishes, but three matching lipsticks as well - Les Twin-Sets de Chanel.  I passed on all three lipsticks (and am sorely regretting not picking up L'Provocante now), but did snatch up all three polishes,  the first of which I have to show you today - Infidele.

Chanel describes Infidele as an 'intense pink with a burst of energy', and that it most definitely is!  And while it's certainly bright, it has a slight dusty quality that made it perfect for the sunny fall day when I wore it.  This is two coats of Infidele, and the formula was buttery perfection.  Normally I don't notice formula -as in, I don't really have problems with most - but when a formula is exceptional, I notice.  And Infidele is definitely exceptional.

 Infidele was certainly ready for its close-up:

... and here is a super warmed-up version of Infidele, in bright direct sunlight - it shows the hint of rosy dusk in the color:

Is Infidele the most unique color I've ever seen?  Probably not.  Did I have anything like it in my collection?  Nope.  Am I happy it came home with me with the other two beauties, Delicatesse and Provocation?  Absolutely!  (Reviews on both coming  soon!)


If you missed it in September, you can still purchase Infidele from Chanel.com.  Each polish retails for $26 - a steep price tag, so only take the plunge if you love Infidele or you're a Chanel addict like yours truly.  :)

Dior Acapulco

 Happy Wednesday!  How’s everyone’s week going?  Life has been super busy for me lately with all the planning to go back to grad school, and it’s only going to get worse as grad school actually kicks off next week! Ha.  Anyway, even when I’m not blogging, I’m still using mani/pedis as my relaxation technique, so I have tons of photos for these precious moments when I do have time to blog!

Today I have for you a bright polish perfect for summer, Dior Acapulco.  Earlier this summer Dior released the Summer Mix collection, four bright jelly-finish polishes with a gorgeous, high-gloss finish.  I picked up two polishes from the collection, Lagoon (blue tinted teal) and Acapulco, a bright, bold yellow.  Now, I’ve not had a lot of luck in the past yellows, as they tend to be very streaky and so difficult to get full coverage.  So how did Acapulco do?  Judge for yourselves!

The first photo is in direct, bright sunlight, while the second has a little shade.  I had to do 3 coats for this mani, and I think it was totally worth out – Acapulco is gorgeous!  There's still a little visible nail line showing through even after 3 coats, but I don't mind - this is such a buttery, rich yellow that I love it even with a little VNL!

Dior Acapulco, along with the rest of the Summer Mix collection, is available through Dior boutiques and retail for $23 each.  I don’t know if this collection ever made it to Dior counters (such as Nordstrom or Saks), but you may want to call around or do some googling if you have a difficult time finding it.  Happy Hunting!

Blog Sale Update!

I've overhauled my blog sale!  I've added a lot of HTF glitters, holos, and fun new releases too.  If you're in the US, check it out here!

China Glaze Ride the Waves

 Happy Sunday!  How’s everyone’s weekend going?  Any fun events!  I’ve been hanging around the apartment all weekend, cleaning, re-organizing, and de-cluttering.  Two rooms done so far, and it feels like success!  I also did some nail polish hauling yesterday for some international friends, and bought myself a polish or two (but not too many – as I said, I’m trying to de-clutter! ha).

One of the polishes I picked up yesterday was China Glaze Ride the Waves, a somewhat neon blue from the new neon collection for summer 2012.  Ride the Waves isn’t exactly neon, but it’s definitely vibrant, a bright, squishy jelly-like true blue polish.  I saw this in the bottle and immediately thought MUST. HAVE.  The photos below have 2 coats of Ride the Waves.  As you can see, there’s still a little visible nail line; for my next mani it will definitely be 3 coats and I also need to wrap the tips, so the color doesn’t pull back at the tip as it does here. 

Because it’s Sunday Funday, I also added a coat of Nubar White Polka Dots to jazz things up.  All in all, I love the combination!

A look at Ride the Waves in sunlight…

 … and in shade…

 … and the close-up:

A great bright blue for summer, right?  I am in love with Ride the Waves, and will probably be using this as a pedi color very soon.  White Polka Dots was a little difficult to work with – the larger glitters had all settled to the bottom of my bottle, so were a little tricky to get on the nail – but I still love it, and can’t wait to play more with this simple yet pretty glitter soon!

Chanel Rose Cache

Hey nail fanatics!  How’s your Thursday going?  It’s another overcast day here in LA – June Gloom is in full effect – which means crappy weather for photographing.  So instead I went through my photos to find a mani I haven’t shown you yet!

Today I have for you Chanel Rose Cache.  This is a sheer, nude colored polish with a pretty light pink shimmer.  Normally I don’t go for these nude colors at all, but this past winter I was in a nail polish exchange on one of my favorite forums and saw this polish; at the same time I was getting ready for grad school interviews and new I didn’t have anything conservative in my collection, so I grabbed this one up.  I’m so happy I did!  It’s a great neutral-but-not-boring polish.  This is 3 coats of Rose Cache. 

 Here’s a shot in direct sunlight….
 

…and another in indirect sunlight (it was a glorious day in LA!)…

I really like Rose Cache, but I also really dis-like visible nail line, which still shows through after 3 coats.  I’d heard that Dior Incognito, released in the Spring 2012 Color Block collection, had a similar base color as Rose Cache without the shimmer, so I picked up a bottle.  I’ll photograph a comparison of the two soon for you!  Either way, I’m holding on to Rose Cache for now; it’s not an instant love, but it’s a strong like, and maybe I’ll give it another chance…

Rose Cache was released in December 2011 and is currently available online at Chanel and at my favorite department store, Nordstrom.  Each polish retails for $26 for a 0.5 fl oz bottle. 

Make it a great day!

Dior Pink Graffiti

 Hey Everyone!  Happy Hump Day!  It’s been a crazy week so far for me, with a long day yesterday and another one in store for today, so I decided to take 20 minutes to treat myself to do something I like and is overdue – a new post for Polish & Tonic!

Today I have for you the last polish I picked up from this past spring’s Anselm Reyle for Dior collection, Pink Graffiti.  If you remember, the collection included five polishes, including Electric Blue, which I have previously reviewed, and Ultra Violet, which I photographed but never reviewed.  Oops!!  That will be coming shortly hahaha.  Dior Pink Graffiti is a bright blue-based pink crème that leans toward but still isn’t quite neon.  It is gorgeous and vibrant, though!  Pink Graffiti has the excellent formula I’ve come to love and expect from Dior, and this is 2 buttery coats.  Take a look!

Pink Graffiti in sunlight…

… and in shade…

 

Pink Graffiti was such a chameleon to photograph!  The photos are a little too warm – Pink Graffiti has a little more blue than photographed here – but these photos really show the vibrancy of Pink Graffiti the best.  Needless to say, I love it!  I think Dior really hit it out of the park with this collection, and I have to keep reminding myself to not buy Untitled Black (because, um, it’s black) and Metallic Silver (a dupe for Silver Lake, which I already own) to complete the collection, but I’m not sure if I’m going to win this battle against myself.

Pink Graffiti, along with the other polishes in the Anselm Reyle for Dior collection, is available online at Dior.com and at Saks (Electric Blue and Ultra Violet are sold out at Saks, but all are still available at Dior’s website).  Each polish retails for $23.

Deal Alert! Deborah Lippmann Footloose Duos for $9.95!

Happy Friday!  I hope everyone is getting ready to kick off a fantastic weekend!

I just wanted to give you a heads up on a great deal - remember last fall when Deborah Lippmann released 2 limited edition nail polish duos for the Footloose movie release?  Well, they're on clearance now at HSN.com for $9.95 each!  Originally $32 for each set, that's a savings of over 65% off!

If you're interested, head on over to HSN to pick these up soon!  I'm seriously tempted, but have been doing so much shopping lately (with more hauling planned this weekend!) that I'm on the fence.  Let me know if you pick these up - would love to hear your thoughts!

Skittles Mani with Julep Gayle and Cameron

 Good morning!  How’s everyone’s week going so far?  Pretty busy over here in LA, but not too bad, and the weekend’s almost here! Yay!  I can’t wait to unwind and relax.

Today I have for you a fun mani I decided to do last night.  I’ve totally done the accent nail thing in the past, and this is really just an expansion of it – nothing too crazy for work!  I did a skittles mani using Julep Gayle and Julep Cameron.  Gayle is a dark, eggplant purple crème polish while Cameron is a bright, blue-based pink crème.  Neither are neon, but they are super bright, so I thought it was right in line with the bright nails trend currently underway.  As is typical of Julep, both formulas were highly pigmented and could have easily been one-coaters.  I did two coats for this mani for flawless color.  Take a look!

 And of course, the closeup.

I love them both!  I had already done a mani before with Julep Gayle, so I already knew it was a winner, but look at Cameron!  Such a stunner too!

Gayle and Cameron are both still available at the Julep site, and you can now purchase Julep polishes at select Sephora stores, too!  Definitely check them out.  They retail for $14 per polish.

Dior Electric Blue

 Happy Thursday!  How’s everyone’s week going?  Good?  Or are you just ready for the weekend?  My week has been great so far – I started the P90X program on Monday, and wow, my body is SORE!! But it’s an awesome sore, as I know how hard I worked out, so I’m happy.  Have any of you tried it?  Let me know what you think!

Today I have a quick swatch for you, Dior Electric Blue.  Electric Blue is a bright, almost-neon blue polish with a crème finish.  You know that find silver shimmer you can sometimes see in Dior polishes?  Well it definitely shows up in Electric Blue!!! I was driving a few times with this mani and was distracted by its small blingy awesomeness.  This is 2 coats of Electric Blue, and it went on like a dream!

  

Electric Blue is ready for its closeup.

 

Dior Electric Blue is amazing!  I had originally passed on this one when I picked up the other polishes from the Anselm Reyle for Dior collection, and now I’m glad I went back and bought this!!! It’s a totally bold color for summer, and I can’t wait to rock it.

I checked my collection of bold blue polishes and only had one polish that was close (oh, the perils of slimming down one’s collection) – Rescue Beauty Lounge IKB:2012.  IKB:2012 was recently released as a part of the RBL Fan Collection, 4 polishes inspired by RBL fans.  I was going to swatch it for you here, but since IKB:2012 is sold out, I won't because I don’t want you to fall in love and go looking for it, as it’s selling for ridiculous prices on eBay!!  Instead, I swatched IKB:2012 next to Electric Blue so you could see how similar the two polishes are.

pinky and middle finger: Dior Electric Blue; index and ring finger: RBL IKB:2012

As you can see in the photo above, IKB:2012 and Electric Blue are very similar in color.  IKB:2012 is a slight shade darker than Electric Blue.  While their colors are discernible to the naked eye, I don’t think there’s any reason to own both, unless you a blue fanatic.  Of the two, I would recommend going with Electric Blue – the formula on IKB:2012 was ghastly to work with, while Electric Blue applied like butter.  I may not be Paula Deen, but even I know butter wins every time!


Dior Electric Blue was released as a part of the Anselm Reyle for Dior collection this past spring.  It retails for $23 for a 0.33 fl oz bottle; you can pick one up at Dior boutiques and at Dior counters at Saks Fifth Avenue only (unfortunately, it was not made available to all Dior counters).

Summer Lovin' 2012: Dior Bikini

Happy Saturday!  I hope everyone is having a great weekend.  I am on my way to my first MBA event this afternoon, and even though I had to go neutral on my nails with Chanel Rose Cache (did I ever review that polish?? I must check!!), I thought I’d show you a fun color today.  Time is of the essence, so let’s jump right in!

Today I have for you the second polish from the Dior Croisette Summer 2012 collection, Dior Bikini.  Bikini is a orange-tinted coral with a crème finish.  It reminds me a lot of the base color of Chanel Distraction (which I reviewed a few weeks ago) minus the pink shimmer in Distraction.  The formula on this one was a little wonky – very thick and not self-leveling (you can kind of see this problem on the middle finger in the photos below).  While the color is pigmented and I could have gotten away with 2 coats, I ended up doing 3 coats on a few nails to smooth out the bumps.  No fun!!

 

(Apologies for the hang nail on my ring finger – the perils of quickie manis before work!)

As I mentioned, Dior Bikini is really similar to Chanel Distraction, minus the pink shimmer.  If you have one, I’m not convinced you need both, unless you really love the base color and want to have a shimmer option.  If I had to choose, I’d probably prefer to own Chanel Distraction as it had the better formula and more interesting color.


What do you think?  Is Dior Bikini a must-have?  Are you loving the coral nail trend this season?  Or are you just ready for me to review a brand other than Dior (which is quite a reasonable request!)?

Dior Les Rouges: Icone

 Hey Everyone!  I hope you weren’t thinking (or hoping) I would get off the Dior train… I don’t know what it is, but I’m having such a love affair with the fashion house right now!  I was in Las Vegas this past weekend, and even put a stop at the Dior Beauty boutique at the Palazzo Hotel & Casino on my itinerary – because we all know nail polish is serious business! Haha.  I think this Dior affair will go on at least for another week (ahem, until my Rescue Beauty Lounge fan collection polishes arrive!!)

Last summer Dior released an exclusive collection named Les Rouges (not to be confused with Les Rouges Or, the holiday 2011 collection) that included 3 red nail polishes that celebrated the signature reds of the House of Dior.  I missed out on this collection when it was first released, but with persistence I’ve managed to get my hands on all 3 polishes!  The first polish I have for you today is Dior Icone.  Icone is a dark reddish-brown polish with a gorgeous red shimmer.  Unlike some other Dior polishes, the shimmer in Icone is prevalent and gorgeous to the eye both in sunlight, shade, and artificial lighting.   Icone was a dream to work with, and I only needed 2 coats for this mani.  It’s absolutely stunning!

Here’s a close-up  of Icone.

And another pic, just because it’s so pretty.  Icone wore really well and I could have gotten exceptionally long wear out of it, if I hadn’t spent 7 hours Saturday in the lazy river at the MGM Grand.  Chlorine will kill a mani, always!

Dior Icone was a limited edition release from the Les Rouges collection last summer.  It sold out nearly instantly, so if you really like this one, happy hunting!  You may be able to find a bottle through the interwebz or a swap from another fanatic!


What do you think?  Is Icone as unique as I think it is, or do you have something similar in your own collection?  Were you able to snatch up any of the Les Rouges polishes for the 10 minutes they were available?  And most importantly… what’s your favorite Vegas pool?  Sound off in the comments below!

Dior Glacier

 Hey Everyone!  I know, I know, before you say anything – I have been on a serious Dior kick lately!  I feel like it’s the only polish brand I’m wearing these days.  That’s partly because when I decided to reduce my collection it’s one of the few brands where I kept everything I owned, but also because Dior has been hitting it out of the park this year with some fantastic colors!

Today I have for you Dior Glacier.  Glacier is a limited edition release exclusive to Asia.  Apparently Dior does a regional LE collection like this for Asia for the past few years.  I’ve never hunted these polishes down before, but as soon as I heard about Glacier and saw swatches on The Purse Forum, I knew I wanted to have it for myself.  Glacier is a pale, icy blue polish with a hint of a frost finish – but not a full frost by any means.  It is sheer, and below is three coats for opacity.  I think I could also have used a white or very pale gray polish as a base, and then could have gotten away with one or two coats, but for this swatch I didn’t want to distort the polish whatsoever.

I have to admit, I normally don’t go for really light, pale polishes like this one.  I’m more of a brights and vampys kinda girl myself.  But for some reason I love Glacier – I love the contrast against my skin, the finish – everything.  I actually wore this mani for 2 days.  On my skintone I wouldn’t consider it safe for work, as it definitely stands out against my skin, but maybe it would be great for summer, with a bold outfit that requires a calmer, more subtle nail.  Either way, I can’t wait to play with this one!

If you’re interested, LacquerWear has a fantastic comparison of Dior Glacier to the much loved Chanel Riva here.  I didn’t realize they were so similar when I picked up Glacier, so now I’m even happier to have it as I missed out on Riva!

Dior Glacier is a limited polish from the Diorsnow Icy Halos collection released as an Asia exclusive.  If you have a friend in Asia and really want this polish, you may want to put them on the hunt for it for you.  I’ve also seen a few bottle pop up on eBay (I bought mine from seller babysweetie7), and while they’re retailing for approx. $38 USD, I found it reasonable as if you convert what Dior polishes regularly retail for in a country like Japan into US dollars, it’s comparable (for some reason, Dior polishes retail cheaper in the US for $23 – yay!).


What do you think?  Are you a fan of Dior Glacier?  Did you grab a bottle of your own?  Or is $38 just entirely too much to ever spend on a bottle of nail polish, no matter how pretty it is?!?

Dior St. Tropez

 Happy Friday, everyone!  What’s everyone up to this weekend?  It’s raining right now in LA, so I’m happily confined to my home for the day.  Not sure what’s on the agenda this weekend – I had my wisdom teeth pulled a few days ago (ouch!) so as long as I’m chewing food by Sunday, I’ll be a happy girl – I never thought I’d say this, but I am so over eating ice cream all the time! Haha.

Today I have for you a super popular polish that’s making a return in Dior Beauty’s Summer 2012 Collection – St. Tropez.  St. Tropez was originally released last summer to commemorate the opening of the Dior boutique in the town of the same name in the South of France.  The polish was an instant hit, and pretty much sold out at Dior.com and Dior boutiques instantly.  It was originally a LE release, but given the popularity and demand, Dior decided to bring St. Tropez back in the summer beauty collection (Thx, Christian!).  St. Tropez is a blue-leaning turquoise crème polish.  It is absolutely stunning in the bottle, and delivers perfection on the nail. 

So perfect, in fact, it deserves extra photos.

 

If you missed out on St. Tropez last summer, don’t make the same mistake twice!  This is an amazing polish, and I can't wait to try another mani with it, maybe with a bright coral accent nail - the other hit color of the season.  St. Tropez is currently available at Dior boutiques and counters and retails for $23 for a 0.33fl oz bottle.  Trust me, this one is worth every penny.  Snatch it up while you still can!


What do you think?  Is St. Tropez worth all the hype it’s getting?  Did you snatch up a bottle of your own?  And what’s your-must have color from the summer 2012 collections?  Sound off below!

April Beauties: What I'm Lovin'

Hi Everyone!  I know, long time, no post!  I'm still alive, I promise - just doing some soul-searching about this space, how I want to use it, and thinking about what's the story I want to tell.  I've done a lot of purging of my nail polish collection lately, mainly because I was overwhelmed by how much I had and would never reasonably use. I'm happy(er) with my collection these days, but as everything I've kept I've pretty much already blogged about, it makes me think... what's left to talk about?

The answer is - a lot of stuff!  I'm just going to take some time to explore blogging about other beauty topics (and yes, still polish!) and what's going on in this crazytown known as L.A., and hopefully there's still something here that resonates with you, my readers.

We're only 9 days into the month of April...and I've already blown my beauty budget.  Well, not blown it really, but definitely used up all the funds I budget for beauty products. Ha!  I've been really exploring blushes lately.  Back in 2008, a friend and MUA introduced me to my holy grail blush - MAC Ambering Rose.  It's a fantastic rose blush with gold shimmer, and with MAC MSF in Gold Deposit it gave me the best natural glow.  Well, last fall I decided to start trying out new NARS blushes, which just unleashed this whole new love I didn't know I had!

New blushes and highlighters by MAC, Milani, and Sleek Makeup are just a few of the things I'm hauling this month.  Take a look at what else has caught my eye!

Milani Baked Blush in Corallina.  Ugh, how I wished there was a stock photo so I could show this to you!  Corallina is a bright orange coral blush with gorgeous yellow and white gold veining.  It was absolutely stunning in the pan, and delivered when I rocked it all day Saturday at a beer festival!  I am no good at swatching - I've never done it before - but I swear I'm gonna learn, just so I can show you all this blush.  It's stunning.  And it's killing me to not run back to CVS and buy every other blush in the collection.

 MAC In Extra Dimension Skinfinish Highlighters.  You guys, I have to tell you - I have a highlighter fetish.  I LOVE them - they're my secret to always looking so warm and glowy.  When bloggers first started reviewing these, I had to have Glorify, the bronze-y one of the trio (especially as I'd just used up my MSF in Gold Deposit).  I also took a chance on Whisper of Gilt, a lighter yellow-gold color, but I have a feeling it's going back.  I would keep it, but I recently discovered....

Sleek Makeup Blush By 3 Cheek Palette and Glo Highlighters.  Sleek Makeup is a UK drugstore brand that I had never heard of until I found some great brown-skinned beauty bloggers like The Glamorous Gleam how have turned me on to what I've been missing. I've heard that Sleek blushes are highly pigmented (a la NARS), which is manna in the desert to a brown-skinned girl, for sure.  Since I had to pay $10 shipping, I decided to make this order worth it and picked up the Blush By 3 Cheek Palette in Pumpkin and Lace, as well as the Glo Highlighters in Bronze Baby and Gold Digga (I told you I had a highlighter problem).  Can't wait for these beauties to make their way across the pond and cross country to my eager hands!

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 4.  I. KNOW! I am soooo late to the UD BOS4 party!!  Let's be honest - this palette got less than stellar (but still average) reviews, and at $64 a pop, I wasn't having it!  However, UD recently reduced the price to $29 for BOS 4 in their sale section (and you can get it even cheaper today on Hautelook - just $24!).  Well, at that price I had to jump on BOS!  I haven't tried any shadows yet... I've picked it up twice now to try to create looks for certain occasions, but then I ended up putting it back down and opting for other eyeshadows.  An omen?  I sure hope not!  (Also, if you're shopping the UD sale section, also pick up the Rollergirl palette - it's only $13!)

That's it... for now.  I also picked up the much talked about MAC lipstick in Watch Me Simmer, a bright pink coral.  I don't know if I have the sass to pull it off, but we're definitely going to try!
  

What have you been hauling this month?  Any collections catching your eye?  How many days can you make it into the month before your beauty budget is blown?  And if you have any ideas on what you'd like me to talk about in this space, sound off in the comments below!

Blog Sale Update!

Hi Everyone!

I just wanted to pop in and let you quickly know that I've updated my blog sale!  There's still a lot of great items left, and I just added a bunch of stuff, including high end brands (Rescue Beauty! Deborah Lippman!) and some hard to find polishes (Bad Fairy! Ming Blue! And some OPIs I don't want to spoil for you!). 

If you're interested, check out the sale here. 

And yes, I'm working on some fun posts for you this week!  Stay Tunes

Chanel Distraction

 Happy Tuesday, everyone!  I just finished an awesome morning jog – the weather is gorgeous right now in LA, and I love how I have my early sunrises again – it makes waking up for morning workouts so much easier when the sun is already out!

Today I have for you one of my instant new favorite polishes, Chanel Distraction.  Chanel recently released 4 new polishes in the Roses Ultime de Chanel collection, and 3 of the 4 are permanent additions to the collection, including Distraction.  I am on the orange/coral polish train this spring, and Distraction is a much loved stop on the route!  Distraction is a orange-leaning coral with a fuchsia shimmer that is just stunning in sunlight!  The formula was a dream to work with, barely requiring 2 coats for full opacity.  Take a look!

Can you see that fuchsia shimmer? Love.

I haven’t been this excited about a polish in a long time!  Chanel Distraction is my dream coral, and if it wasn’t permanent, I’d run out immediately and buy a backup so I’d never know life without it again.  That’s how much I love it!


Chanel Distraction is currently available at Chanel boutiques and your regular Chanel counters.  Each polish retails for $26 each.  If the price tag has you gasping, you may want to check out Sabrina’s post at The Beauty Look Book, which has some really good comparisons.  If the shimmer isn’t a must-have for you, take a look at Laura Mercier’s new release Cabana, which Sabrina says is really close to the base color of Distraction and comes with the bargain price tag of $18 (ha!).


What do you think?  Is Chanel Distraction as unique as I think it is?  What are you favorite coral polishes?  And are you enjoying the coral train that’s moving at full throttle this spring, or are you over it already?  Sound off in the comments!

China Glaze Agro

 Good morning!  How’s everyone’s week going so far?  Any interesting plans to look forward to this weekend?  I feel like a total weakling for saying this, and my east coast friends and family would probably hit me for it, but it’s soooo cold in LA!  Like, high in the upper 50s cold, which is a bit ridiculous for this town.  But the chill is the less annoying part – the constant change in weather from warm to cold is wreaking havoc on my allergies!  I’m looking forward to a quiet weekend and nursing myself back to health, for sure.  Or at least that’s what I say now – who knows what last minute party or drinking excursion will come up to distract me!  Haha!

Today I have for you the other polish I purchased from the new Hunger Games collection, China Glaze Agro.  Agro is an olive green polish with a shimmer finish.  Initially I thought the shimmer was all gold, but when I looked under bright sunlight, I could see flashes of pink and purple, too!  Agro is such a chameleon!  The formula for this one was less wonderful to work with – it was thick as all get out, almost a one coater, but not in a good way.  All I can suggest is go as thin as you can when applying this polish, friends!  I ended up doing 2 coats for this mani.  Agro was a bit of a pain to manipulate, but I love the color so much that I won’t give up on it! 

Agro was the polish I was most excited for from this collection, and while the formula left something to be desired, the polish otherwise did not disappoint!  I think this may be my mani when I head to the theater to see the movie later this month!

Agro and the rest of the polishes from the Hunger Games Collection are available beginning today at your regular beauty retailers.  You can find them online at sallybeauty.com where they retail for $5.99/polish.  Agro is getting a lot of buzz, so grab it up while you can! 
 

What do you think about Agro?  Do you have a polish you love so much you’ll tolerate some formula issues?  Do you have any other polishes in this olive color family?  And which polishes from the Hunger Games collection caught your eye?  Sound off in the comments below!

China Glaze Fast Track

 Hi everyone!  How’s everyone’s weekend going so far?  The weather is GORGEOUS here in sunny SoCal, and I am trying to find something fun to do outdoors!  I always tell my friends and family that December – March is why I pay the ridiculous amount I do to live in SoCal – best weather, hands down!

Today for you I have quick mani that I’ve been wearing for the past few days, China Glaze Fast Track.  Fast Track is a part of the new Hunger Games collection.  Can I just tell you how excited I am for this movie?!?! I loved the books so much when I read them back in 2010, and it has been painful waiting this long to see the film!  Fast Track is a very warm and pale tan base with a stunning gold sparkle.  It feels almost like the gold is a micro glitter.  A little bumpy going on the nail, but nothing a thicker top coat couldn’t smooth out!  Fast Track is slightly sheer, and I used 3 coats for full opacity here.  I could have gotten away with 2, as the VNL (visible nail line) would have only been noticeable to me or another nail addict staring at my hands, but whatever – I had the time, so 3 it was!

Apologies for the minor tip wear.  Take a look!

I absolutely love Fast Track!  It is a great work-appropriate neutral, but that gold sparkle keeps this polish from ever being described as boring.  Definitely a keeper!

Fast Track and the rest of the polishes from the Hunger Games Collection should be available by mid-March at your regular beauty retailers.  They’re currently available online at sallybeauty.com, and I found Fast Track at my local beauty supply. 


What do you think about Fast Track?  Is it love at first sight?  Are there any other polishes from the Hunger Games collection that catch your eye?  I also bought Agro, and hope to have a review up for you in a few days.  Till then, sound off in the comments below!

It’s On: The Polish & Tonic Blog Sale!

Thanks for visiting my blog sale!

Below are photos of all the polishes available through this sale.  Everything is sold as photographed; there are a few higher end polishes where I do not have the box, so if it's not in the photo, it's not available.  I've tried to price everything reasonably, primarily based on what I paid for it and the item's condition.  All prices are firm - please do not email me with barter offers as I will not be considering them.  This blog sale is open to US residents only. Sorry, no international orders, please!

If you'd like to see a short list of all the items available for sale, please see my spreadsheet here The spreadsheet also includes the condition of each polish:

(N) - New, never swatched/tested
(S) - Swatched on a nail wheel and/or hand
(U) - Used for at least 1 but not more than 5 manicures.


Ordering & Payment Information
Orders will be processed on a first-come, first served basis.

When you're ready to place an order, please email me at polishandtonic at gmail dot com.  To more efficiently process your order, please indicate your shipping preference when you email me (see options below).  If you do not include a preference, you will be invoiced for Standard Shipping.  I will then invoice you for the items and shipping through PayPal.  You will have 24 hours to make your payment. Any items not paid within 24 hours of invoicing will be released and made available again for sale.

I will regularly update the information below to let you all know what is pending sale, what has been sold, and what is still available.  Please be aware that I am the only person running this blog, and I do work a regular job Monday - Friday.  Please be considerate that it may take me a few hours to get back to you during the week, but I will respond! 

If you have any questions about my reputation as a seller, please see my profile on Makeup Alley or eBay.

Shipping
Standard Shipping is $2.50 for the first item and $0.50 for each additional item.  Whenever possible, I ship USPS First Class Mail.  If you order over 5 items, your package will likely ship USPS Parcel Post (due to weight restrictions).  USPS Priority Mail Shipping is available. A small flat-rate box can hold up to 5 polishes (I'm a bubble-wrap fiend, and this is all I can usually fit!) for $5.50.

Regardless of shipping method, delivery confirmation will be provided to the buyer.

That's about it!  Thanks for taking time to check out my blog sale, and I hope you see something you like!

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China Glaze: Ingrid (N-$4), Midtown Magic (S-$3), Make Some Noise (S-$3), Gaga for Green (N-$4)

China Glaze: BFF (N-$10), Wireless Top Coat (N-$10), Under the Boardwalk (N-$4), Zoya Dree (N-$4)

OPI: Servin Up Sparkle (N-$5), Roadhouse Blues (S-$4), Alpine Snow (S-$4), 

Russian Navy - Suede (N-$6)

OPI: Pedal Faster Suzi (S-$4), Red Lights Ahead...Where (N-$5), DS Sapphire (N-$12), 

Absolutely Alice (U-$25), Mad As A Hatter (U-$35)

Nubar: Black Polka Dots (N-$5), White Polka Dots (N-$5); 

Orly Preamp (N-$4), Mysterious Curse (N-$4)

 

Models Own: Grey Day (N-$3), In the Navy (N-$3); 

Nails Inc Brooke Street (U-$2), Queensgate Terrace (U-$2)

 

Color Club: Noveau Vintage (N-$2), Artsy Craftsy (N-$2); Sci-Fi (N-$2), Electro-Midnight (N-$2) 

Sally Hansen Model Behavior (N-$2), Mandarin Garnet (N-$2), 

Catrice Hip Queens Wear Blue Jeans (N-$5), Joe Fresh Twilight (N-$5)

Essie Smokin Hot (U-$3); Wet N Wild Cougar Attack (N-$2) ; Mavala Maron Glace (N-$1); 

Hard Candy Pixie (N-$4); Fresh Paint Olive You (N-$2)

Barielle Lava Rock (N-$2), Accessorize Teal (N-$2); MAC Festive Finery (N-$8),   

NARS: Orgasm (no box) (U-$8), Mato Grosso (U-$8); Koh Lanta (N-$10); 

Deborah Lippmann Across the Universe (U - $12)   

OPI The Amazing Spider-man Mini Set (2 available) N - $8

Deborah Lippmann Run the World (Girls) Set: N - $35