Chanel Diwali

It’s a new year, and one change I’ve made lately when it comes to beauty is to focus on quality over quantity.  After spending some major $$ over the past few years exploring every brand under the sun, I finally have an idea of which products from which brands work well with my skin, so I’m focusing now on sticking with those favorites and taking it easy on the exploration of random brands/products.  Yea, $40K tuition will take the wind out of makeup hauls.  On the nail front, I’ve significantly cut down my collection and this year am pretty much limiting new purchases to my favorite brands only – Chanel and Dior.

Chanel Diwali is a limited edition release from the Bombay Express de Chanel which I think was released last fall.  It’s a pale champagne gold with an incredibly smooth texture.  Last December I was looking for a great gold for the holidays, and after searching swatches and swatches I went for the pale gold of Diwali instead of the intense yellow gold of Chanel Gold Fingers.  These swatches are 3 very thin coats of Diwali; I certainly could have left it at 2 coats, but wanted to get full coverage on the nail.  The polish was amazing applied, and gave me such a glamorous feel on my nails.

Here’s Diwali on a bright, sunny morning (apologies for my nails, they’ve been breaking like crazy this winter):

I don’t know which I loved more on this day – the polish or the great weather! Days like this are why I endure the craziness of life in Los Angeles.

The next photo was taken in the shade, and best shows off the texture of Diwali on the nail:

 
 
I simply adore Chanel Diwali.  I haven’t had a polish get me this excited in awhile.  It was great for the holidays, and I know I’ll be bringing it out in the spring and summer, just as soon as flip flop and summer dress season is upon us.  Diwali is a limited edition release and is only available at Chanel boutiques and Chanel.com.  It is slightly more pricey than regular Chanel polish (I think this was $28 or $29) but completely worth it in my opinion. 

Do you have Chanel Diwali?  Let me know what you think in the comments!

Julep Maven: October Sneak Peek Box!

 Happy Tuesday!  It's October, a new day, a new month... and a new Julep Maven sneak peak box!  Once again I was not feeling the polishes picked for my Maven profile, "Classic With a Twist", so I completely skipped out on it to go for another Maven profile - "It Girl":

Edgy and bold, your statement-making look exemplifies the modern rock n' roll chic. You love bright, bold, fun, and innovative cuts and hues for your wardrobe. Inspired by colors and accessories that exclaim anything but ordinary, you're not afraid to stand out

Sounds fun, right?  This month's sneak peek box included 2 Julep polishes, Jaime and Leighton, as well as the Julep Age Glow On Age-Defying Hand Brightener.  

 
 
I immediately loved these polishes when I saw the email from Julep back in September.  I had just bought a similar combination of a blue and silver Butter London polish days before, so of course I had to snatch this one up too!  Julep Jaime is described as an “ultra-saturated dark turquoise” creme that dries to a slight satin finish.  To my eyes it’s much more blue than a traditional turquoise, but there is a tint of green that shines through.  Leighton will be released later this month as a part of the Julep 2011 holiday collection.  It’s a bold silver polish with a frost finish.  Here’s a look at both polishes!

There were some side issues with my order, but otherwise this is another winner for Julep!  The company has been having a lot of issues with the launch of the maven program for the first few months, but it looks like they’re finally making a turn for the good and getting the program on track.  I’m so excited, and can’t wait to see what they come up with for next month!

If you haven’t signed up yet to be a Julep Maven and you’re interested, I’d appreciate you clicking through my personal referral link to join!  To check out past Julep Maven sneak peek boxes, click here.

Fall ‘11 Watch: Chanel Peridot

Good Morning!  I know, I know, I’ve been M-I-A this week.  I really wish I had a good excuse for you.  But I don’t.  I painted my nails Saturday for the first time with a new brand, Illamasqua, just to play around with it, so I didn’t bother taking photos.  Obviously I also didn’t expect to still be wearing it 5 days later, yet here I am.  It’s wearing like iron and blowing my mind, but I promise to do some swatching this weekend!

Today I have for you another polish from the Chanel fall 2011 Illusions d’Ombres collection, Peridot.  Peridot is a gold polish with hints of green, depending on the angle you look at it.  I wouldn’t call it a true duochrome, but it’s definitely trying.  It ends up looking most of the time like a gold polish with a green cast to it.  I did 3 coats for this mani, but I could have gotten away with 2 – I think the 3rd coat just helped the polish to pop more for the photos.  Take a look!
  

 
You can kinda see the green/teal duochrome peeking out the sides, but it never really makes a full on appearance on the nail.  While I don’t normally go for these warm-toned gold polishes – actually, this may be the only gold polish I own! – I’m still cuckoo for Peridot.  Somehow, some way, I just think it works for me... or maybe I’m just in a very special place of denial.


Chanel Peridot is limited, so grab a bottle while you can!  I also previously reviewed another polish from this collection, Graphite, and apparently it’s already sold out on the Chanel website.  Pick up Peridot while you still can.  It retails for $25 per polish, and is also available at Nordstom and Macy’s.

What do you think?  Would you call Peridot a duochrome, or just another gold polish?  Do you have any polishes similar in color?  And what fall collections do you have your eye on?

The Untried Diaries: Zoya Edyta

Happy Friday! Anyone have plans for this weekend? I will be packing for the upcoming move, with strategically planned breaks to go to the movies. I have so many summer movies still to catch up on! I saw Crazy Stupid Love last weekend (so good!), and this weekend will likely be 30 Minutes Or Less and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (I know, I know, I'm like, the last person in the world to see it). Should be good times!

Today we're returning back to my stash of many untried polishes and I came up with Zoya Edyta. Edyta is a mix of green and gold shimmering awesomeness in a dark blue-green base with a metallic foil finish. Yes, it's a whole lotta color, my friends. She went on easily in 2 coats, and I was not ready for her photo finish. She stunned me, people! Take a look!



And here's the close-up:




Now, I have reviewed a few other Zoya polishes on my blog, but nothing has gotten me so excited about the brand as Edyta. Think of Edyta as Chanel Graphite's darker, more colorful, and more mysterious sister. Graphite just puts her business out on the streets, but with Edyta, you're not sure exactly what your getting until you get up close with her. I guess, you could say, Edyta is a little like me. Which is why this little hot mama is without a doubt staying put in my permanent collection. Booyah!

Zoya Edyta is available at ULTA and other beauty retailers, or online at Zoya's website. Each Zoya polish retails for $8 for a 0.5 fl oz bottle. Luckily Zoya polishes stay around for-ev-er, so Edyta is not LE and you can pick her up. Enjoy!


What do you think? Have you tried Edyta yet? How would you describe her? And what other dark, mysterious polishes do you have up your sleeve (collection)? Let us know!

Last Night's Nails: Chanel Graphite

Last Night's Drink: London Pride
Last Night's Mani: Chanel Graphite

Hi Everyone! I had another post planned for today, but late last night a friend called and we decided to hit up my local bar for an hour or so before closing. I had a polish on my tips that I wasn't feeling, so I quickly acetoned it and reached for a new, sexy fall color - Chanel Graphite. Graphite is a metallic foil polish with hints of silver and gold. It really reminds me of pewter in color. This is my first Chanel polish (actually, my first polish ever over $20!) and I was curious about how the color would look on me. Graphite applied easily; I could have gotten away with 2 medium coats, but in order to get rid of all VNL, I applied 3 thin coats. Check it out!

(Chanel Graphite; direct sunlight; no flash)

(Chanel Graphite; in shade; no flash)

(Chanel Graphite; closeup; direct sunlight; no flash)

Chanel Graphite is all kinds of WINNING! I absolutely adore this polish. It's a beautifully cool-toned metallic, but as you can see in shade, it flashes green/gold. Graphite was perfect for going out - I wore it with jeans and a cute black top, and dark/smokey makeup, and pewter/metallic flats. Kind of wish I had a photo of the full ensemble for you! The only problem I have is trying to figure out what polish to pair with Graphite on my toes - I was wearing a summer bright that obviously clashed, but I feel another metallic on the toes - like Chanel Peridot - would be too much metallic. Maybe a vampy dark?? I'm not sure. Going to have to play around with it.

Graphite was released as a part of the Chanel Illusions d'Ombres Fall 2011 Collection and is currently available at Macy's, Nordstrom's, and other Chanel counters, as well as chanel.com. Graphite is only available for a limited time, so if you like it, be sure to grab one up soon!


What do you think? Are you loving this mani? If you have Graphite, what pedicure color have you paired with it? Do you have any polishes from Chanel? And are you still in the mood for summer, or anxious to start wearing the fall colors, too?

NOTD: Zoya Jules

Good Morning, Polish Aficionados!

Let's jump right into today's manicure - Zoya Jules. Jules is a champagne gold shimmer that appears to have a slight frost finish. I bought the polish a few months ago at Ulta, thinking it might be a great everyday work-friendly polish; a color that is neutral but still has a little bling to let me know my creative side is shining through. Well, Jules definitely delivers!

Jules applied very nicely in 2 coats with no issues. I really should have used ridge filler on that middle finger - doh! There is very slight VNL, but you have to stare and concentrate on the nail to see it, so I didn't find this problematic at all. I will say Jules dries with a slight matte finish and a more coarse texture - definitely not the smooth glossy finish I'm used to with cremes and jellies. Luckily, the shimmer in the polish brings enough bling to make the polish sparkle without a super glossy finish.



Jules was released as a part of the Zoya Spring 2011 Intimate Collection and is readily available at salon and beauty supply stores. Zoya retails for $8 each, but if you follow them on Facebook, you'll frequently see deals for free shipping, discounted price, or a free polish promo.


What do you think? What colors do you have and love from the Zoya line? And what's your go-to polish when you want a nude or neutral that isn't sheer and adds a little personality to your mani?

Last Night's Nails: OPI DS Coronation and An Essie Treat

Drink of the Night: Too many to count, but Sam Adams' Blackberry Witbier was #winning
Nail of the Night: OPI DS Coronation

Here at Polish & Tonic, 'Last Night's Nails' has become my weekly round-up of what I was wearing - and drinking - over the weekend. Notice that this post is coming very late on a Monday night - it was that awesome of a weekend! I hope you all enjoyed the Memorial Day holiday. I had a friend visiting from San Francisco, and my LA crew did it big with several parties and BBQs all weekend. Thank goodness I took tomorrow off to recover!

Since this weekend was more about daytime drinking and fun in the sun, I really wanted a manicure that really shined in bright daylight. I was wearing a dark gray dress for the main party Saturday , and decided to pick a color from the OPI Designer Series - Coronation. DS Coronation is a bright silver polish with crushed glass to give it a 'diamond-dust' glimmer. This particular polish was great at capturing light and reflecting a rainbow of color. This is 3 coats of DS Coronation (no topcoat):


Now, I know I normally do not discuss pedicures here (and would never force you guys to see pics of my feet! ewww), but I tried out a new pedicure this weekend that I absolutely loved and have to share. It's Too Too Hot from the essie Braziliant Summer 2011 collection. Too Too Hot is a bright red-orange creme that screams summer to me. I normally do not like to wear oranges as they tend to have a yellow undertone that does not match well with my coloring, but since TTH has a red undertone to it, I thought it was perfect. No piggies, I promise, so I swatched the polish on my hands for you to see; this is 3 coats of TTH (no topcoat) and apologies for the mangled pointer finger:


I am in LOVE with this color! I am not normally a hoarder - I prefer to have a lot of different colors/options as opposed to stocking up on bottles I love - but this may just be the first polish I for which I need a backup. That's how great I think it is!

essie Too Too Hot is currently available as a part of the essie summer 2011 collection Braziliant. You can find it at large retailers such at Target, CVS, and Walmart. OPI DS Coronation has been discontinued, but there are still a few bottles here and there. Put on you walking shoes and take some time to hunt it out at your local beauty salon or beauty supply store!


What do you think? Have you picked up any polishes from the essie Braziliant collection yet? Do you have any bling-y polishes like DS Coronation? And just how crazy did your Memorial Day weekend get? Sound off in the comments!