China Glaze Sugar Plums

   I'm fighting a migraine as I type, so this will be a short and to the point post.

   Sugar Plums is another Tis the Season... polish from China Glaze.  SP is a reddish purple, like the skin of ripe red plum, with multi-color glitter.   

Close-up to show glitter

   Formula and application were good.  The glitter does cause a bit of a gritty feeling when the polish dries, but a thick top coat should fix that.  Also, I found the polish to dry a little matte on its own, but again top coat fixes that issue.  Removal takes a little extra scrubbing because of the glitter and make sure you wipe in one direction to minimize leftover glitter on your hands.  I used 1 coat Seche Base, 2 coats Sugar Plums, and 1 coat Seche Vite top coat.

Direct Sun

Shade

Indoor

   Shade completely kills the lovely iridescence of the polish I found.  Click on the pictures to view them full size to get a true sense of the beauty that this polish is.

China Glaze Little Drummer Boy

   I know I said I was dedicating this week to some holiday polishes, but I've been a little down the last few days and not able to post.  Sorry about that.  But I guess today is a good day to feature a blue polish to match my mood.

   Little Drummer Boy is another polish from the China Glaze Tis the Season.... Holiday collection.  It is a darker blue that is just edging into blackened territory.  LDB has nice depth and shimmer.  Application was smooth and even.  The formula is the nice not gloopy not too thin consistency that is a pleasure to apply.  I used 1 coat Seche Base, 2 coats Little Drummer Boy, and 1 coat Seche Vite.

Direct Sun

Shade

Indoor

China Glaze Mommy Kissing Santa

   I think I might have my months confused.  Why you ask?  Well because this week is going to be dedicated to some holiday collection polishes.  These are the polishes I've had swatched and waiting to write up, but just haven't had a chance to because of work or various other reasons.
   First up is Mommy Kissing Santa from the China Glaze Tis the Season collection.   Mommy Kissing Santa is described as a deep cherry red shimmer.  And that's just what it is.

   Formula and application for MKS were both very nice.  Pigmentation was nice and only required two coats for even coverage and opacity.  I used 1 coat Seche Base, 2 coats MKS, and 1 coat Seche Vite.  Removal was pretty standard, no staining, no hard scrubbing required.  This is a very lovely dark red, but not so dark to be closer to black.

Direct Sun

Shade

Indoor

   I really like Mommy Kissing Santa.  It has nice depth and shimmer, can be worn to work with no problems yet still be fun and great for going out, and it's a color you can wear year round not just at the holidays.

   Because the Tis the Season was a holiday collection, you might have a hard time finding any of them in store anymore.  But they are still available online at various etailers.

China Glaze Peace on Earth

   Can someone please tell me how Christmas is only a week away? Seriously, when did that happen.  I have been so busy with work I've barely thought about the holidays.  Hope my friends don't mind their gifts in January.
   The China Glaze Tis the Season... Holiday collection is full of fun little surprises, at least for me.  The first of these is Peace on Earth.  Peace on Earth is an olive green foil.  Yes olive green.  And I LOVE it.  This is such an unusual color, especially in a holiday collection.  This was my Thanksgiving mani and I think it was the perfect color for the occasion. 

   Formula was excellent on this.  Application was smooth, but with a catch.  Because this is a foil finish brush strokes are a big issue.  So be patient while applying if you want straight even brush strokes.  I believe I used 2 coats of polish and 1 coat of SV top coat.  I don't remember what base coat I used, but I know I did use one.

Direct Sun

Indirect Sun

Shade

Indoor

   If you look closely at the indoor shot, you can see what I mean about the brush strokes.  But for me, the color payoff is well worth the small extra care needed.  If you haven't grabbed this color yet, I highly recommend getting it soon.

Nicole by OPI Holiday Magic

   I guess it isn't just me feeling the Holiday Spirit right now.  While I was at work today this lovely press release arrived in my email.  Hope you enjoy.

Holiday Magic from Nicole by OPI

Transforms Nails with Festive, Seasonal Hues

Capture the enchanting spirit of the holiday season with Holiday Magic from Nicole by OPI! For Holiday 2010, Nicole by OPI presents a limited-edition collection of four celebratory shades, ranging from sparkling silver to deep red. Designed to complement winter wardrobes, these festive hues add a magical touch to any occasion.

The new Holiday Magic Nail Lacquers from Nicole by OPI include:

Bring on the Tinsel

A silver that sparkles even more than tinsel.

Spark My Mistletoe

A red so hot it might cause a real spark.

Stuck in the Chimney

You’ll never forget this red – it will be stuck in your mind.

Kiss Me at Midnight

This dark red is perfect for night, the best time for a kiss.

“The holidays are all about celebration, and our Holiday Magic Nail Lacquers provide a burst of feel-good color that is perfectly on point with the spirit of the season,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “These four glamorous shades are the ideal accessories to accent holiday outfits.”

Nicole by OPI Nail Lacquers and Nail Treatments contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde. Holiday Magic from Nicole by OPI will be available beginning November 2010 at ULTA, Meijer, Harmon, HEB and Sears. 

For more information, visit nicolebyopi.com. Follow Nicole by OPI on Twitter @NicoleByOPI and become a Facebook fan!

Fire & Ice - Zoya Holiday 2010 Collection

   I love getting packages in the mail don't you?  They're always so much better than bills.  Well yesterday morning I heard a knock on the door as I was getting up.  I figured it was maintenance coming to replace my air filter since they had been by the day before to see what size filter I needed.  But, to my pleasant surprise, it was the mailman delivering a package from Zoya.  Trust me, there was giddiness.  What was inside?  Their new Holiday Collection Fire & Ice.  Here's the official press release:

   Click either image for a larger picture.  Sorry about the size of the text part, I have tech issues sometimes.  

   Now for the fun part.  Pictures.  There are 6 polishes in this collection.  I like to think of 3 as the Fire half and 3 as the Ice half.  I don't think there is an official distinction between the halves, that's just the way the colors look to me.

Whole Collection

"Ice" Half

"Fire" Half

   Do you guys see why I've personally labeled them that way?  So which ones are everyone most excited to see?  Individual reviews and more pics coming soon of course.

Disclaimer: The product(s) in this post were sent to me by the company for consideration.

China Glaze Holiday 2010

   Happy Friday!  I hope you've all had a good week.  After work yesterday I checked my email and found this lovely press release.   Am I the only one wondering where the year has gone that Holiday items are already popping up everywhere?  I swear it was just my birthday, which is in May btw, not like last week.  How is it October already?  But here's a peek at the China Glaze Holiday Collection.  Let me know which ones are making it on to your wish lists for the season.

 

CHINA GLAZE INTRODUCES

“TIS THE SEASON TO BE NAUGHTY AND NICE”

Celebrate the Holiday Season with Sugar, Spice and Everything In Between

Los Angeles, CA – (September 2010): Ring in the holidays this year with 16 brand new colors from China Glaze that are sure to bring festive cheer to your hands and feet!

• Naughty and Nice: Deeply rich wine crème.
• Sugar Plums: Plum shimmer.
• Mommy Kissing Santa: Deep cherry red shimmer.
• Phat Santa: Red crème.
• Ruby Deer: Bright red crème.
• Mrs. Claus: Red glitter.
• Party Hearty: Green, gold and red chunky glitter.
• Mistletoe Kisses: Green glitter.
• Jolly Holly: Forest green shimmer.
• Peace on Earth: Olive green shimmer.
• Little Drummer Boy: Navy blue shimmer.
• Jingle Bells: Champagne shimmer.
• Midnight Kiss: Gold shimmer.
• Cheers to You: Silver shimmer.
• Frosty: White frosty shimmer.
• Snow: White crème.

Certain colors will also be available in the following gift sets:

• Celebrate in Style Collection: Includes Little Drummer Boy, Peace on Earth, Mommy Kissing Santa, Jingle Bells and a holiday necklace. 
• Merry Mint Set: Includes Naughty and Nice, Mrs. Claus and a complimentary China Glaze Peppermint Oil.
• Rejoice Set: Includes Mistletoe Kisses, Mrs. Claus and a special red holiday candle.
• Cheers to You: Includes Midnight Kisses, Cheers to you and a China Glaze shot glass.
• Dreamin’ of a Green Christmas: Includes Mistletoe Kisses, Midnight Kiss and Jolly Holly.
• Oh, Ruby Deer: Includes Sugar Plums, Ruby Deer and a stuffed animal.
• Peppermint Kisses with Holiday Wishes: Includes Mrs. Claus, Phat Santa, Snow and Frosty.

The 16 seasonal colors will be available for a limited time only, so catch them fast before the holidays are over.

China Glaze is free of DBP, toluene, and added formaldehyde.

China Glaze nail lacquers are available through salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide. For more information, visit: www.chinaglaze.com or follow China Glaze on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ChinaGlaze

China Glaze is a division of American International Industries.

About American International Industries

For nearly 40 years, AII has been the leading manufacturer and worldwide distributor of innovative, quality beauty and skin care products for men and women.  Our product lines include Ardell, Andrea, Body Drench, Bye Bye Blemish, Checi, China Glaze, Clean + Easy, Clubman/Pinaud, Duo, European Secrets, EzFlow, Fright Night, Gena, GiGi, Gypsy Lash, IBD, Jeris-Lustray, No Tweeze/Micro Tweeze, 'N Rage, Prolinc, RAW, Seche, SuperNail, Surgi-Care, Waterworks,  Winning Nails, Woltra, Woody’s,  and Youthair. For more information, visit our website: www.aiibeauty.com.