Sunday, March 24th, 2013

China Glaze Strap On Your Moon Boots Nail Lacquer
China Glaze Strap On Your Moon Boots Nail Lacquer

China Glaze Strap On Your Moon Boots Nail Lacquer ($14.00 MSRP for 0.50 fl. oz.) is described as a “midnight sky blue.” It’s a darkened, stormy blue with linear, holographic shimmer. I couldn’t come up with any dupes, though, even for something similar in color (but without holographic shimmer).

This looks many times more interesting in the photos than it ever looked in person. I found it difficult to detect the holographic effect under indoor light, because it is very, very subtle. My camera did a far better job picking up the holographic shimmer than my own two eyes did! In brighter light, like sunlight, it is somewhat more obvious, but it’s not a strong holographic effect (definitely not the “strong linear finish” they noted in the press release) and at double the price, disappointing to see (or not see, in this case).

I had no trouble applying Strap On Your Moon Boots, though.  It dries down faster than the average polish, and as a result, it’s important to wait for the first coat to dry before applying a second as it will pull at the polish if it is still drying.  I used two coats for completely opaque color coverage.  I tested this particular shade for wear, and it lasted five days with minor tip wear but after seven days, the tip wear was more than my norm for both China Glaze and polish in general (and if you’re not familiar with my reviews, most polishes wear a week on me and chipping is very rare).

The Glossover

LE
product

Strap On Your Moon Boots

B
The holographic effect is very subtle and only visible under really bright sunlight. It applied well, and the polish as a whole had good color coverage.

Product

7.5/10

Pigmentation

9/10

Texture

9/10

Longevity

8/10

Application

4.5/5

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Wednesday, March 13th, 2013

China Glaze Keep Calm, Paint On Nail Lacquer
China Glaze Keep Calm, Paint On Nail Lacquer

China Glaze Keep Calm, Paint On Nail Lacquer ($8.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is described as a “sea foam green.” It’s a pale, sea foam green (or aqua green, if you prefer) with very fine white micro-shimmer. Butter London Fiver is the closest shade I have to this, but Fiver is a cream finish (no shimmer) and a touch lighter. MAC In the Limelight is bluer, darker, and a cream.

The formula was slightly on the thicker side but still rather manageable, so it wasn’t troublesome to work with when I applied it. Keep Calm, Paint On was full opaque in color after two medium coats of polish. Despite its pale coloring, I didn’t have issues with streaking, which tends to be something that pastels are prone to.  It applied fairly evenly and smoothly, and it didn’t bubble or pool along the edges.  The drying time seemed a bit faster than the average polish with this color.  I usually get a week of wear with minor tip wear but no chipping with China Glaze’s formula.

The Glossover

LE
product

Keep Calm, Paint On

A-
I didn't have a lot of sea foam-hued polishes in my stash, so it was more unique to me. It applied better than many pastels, too, which was nice!

Product

9/10

Pigmentation

10/10

Texture

9/10

Longevity

9/10

Application

4.5/5

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Wednesday, March 6th, 2013


3…2…1…Blast off! Take your summer manicure out of this world with China Glaze® Hologlam, an all new12-piece collection of shimmering holographic nail lacquers. China Glaze® established itself as the leader in holographic nail lacquer with the 2007 OMG! collection, one of the most popular collections in the brands’ history. Fueled by that success and back by popular demand, China Glaze® Hologlam uses reflective, holographic particles to capture light and transform nails into amazing, ever-changing visual effects. With a strong linear finish whether indoor or shining bright in the sun, China Glaze® Hologlam bends and changes, creating an illuminated three-dimensional, traveling color effect across the nail.

  • Get Outta My Space Powdered violet
  • Astro-Hot Soft, baby pink
  • Infra-Red Warm, magenta pink
  • When Stars Collide Warm maroon
  • Not In This Galaxy Bright, warm coral
  • OMG A UFO Warm, moss green
  • Don’t Be A Luna-Tic Turquoise aqua
  • Sci-Fly By Light, silver blue
  • Take A Trek Cool, denim blue
  • Strap On Your Moonboots Midnight sky blue
  • Galactic Gray Warm, gunmetal
  • Cosmic Dust Silver metal

Availability: The China Glaze® Hologlam collection will be available in April 2013 at fine salons and beauty supply stores nationwide with an SRP of $14.

Sunday, January 27th, 2013

Spring is here and China Glaze® is blossoming with vibrant color with its new collection, Avant Garden. The delectable palette flows between soft hues and vibrant pops of color, offering an unconventional bouquet of cheerful and vivid shades. Take a stroll down the China Glaze® path, passing a bubbling brook of light and bright blues. Take in the view of the mossy green meadow and stop to enjoy the fragrant flowers of soft pink and white. Let Avant Garden take you away to a playful, romantic field of color and innovation this Spring.

  • Budding Romance Moss green
  • Sunday Funday Bright blue
  • Fancy Pants Indigo with pink and purple shimmer
  • Snap My Dragon Bright red with pink shimmer
  • Passion for Petals Bright salmon-pink
  • Mimosas Before Manis Coral with a light wash of shimmer
  • Life is Rosy Blushed mauve
  • Pink-ie Promise Iridescent baby pink
  • Tart-y for the Party Light lavender creme
  • Fade Into Hue Periwinkle creme
  • Keep Calm, Paint On Sea foam green
  • Dandy Lyin’ Around Shimmery vanilla icing

Availability: March 2013. Individual shades retail for $7; 6-piece collections retail for $42.

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Monday, January 14th, 2013

China Glaze Creative Fantasy Nail Lacquer
China Glaze Creative Fantasy Nail Lacquer

A Creative Fantasy in Purple Jelly

China Glaze Creative Fantasy Nail Lacquer ($3.25 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is described as a “grape neon.” It’s a brightened, medium-dark purple with red undertones and jelly finish. I was very surprised that I wasn’t able to find anything that was really close in color, but in particular, nothing that was close in color and in texture within the purple polishes I’ve reviewed previously. Illamasqua Jo’mina (much, much lighter, more of a lavender) and Illamasqua Poke (closer in color but has shimmer and no jelly texture/finish) were the only shades that came close to the same tone of the color.

I applied two coats, and the color coverage was semi-opaque; there was visible nail line and some translucency across the entire nail–pretty much the kind of translucency you’d expect (and what tends to define) a jelly finish.  It did have an interesting finish when dried down, as it wasn’t fully matte, but it wasn’t really glossy; I’d fully recommend a top coat to get this to look like a jelly if desired.  My biggest gripe with this was that it was very streaky, even after two coats. It didn’t level or help itself while it was drying, unfortunately, which left a part-streaky, part-marbled look in the end.  The consistency was on the thinner side but not watery.  I tend to get seven days of wear with minor tip wear but no chipping with China Glaze’s polish Continue reading →

Saturday, January 12th, 2013

China Glaze Bend Over Backwards Nail Lacquer
China Glaze Bend Over Backwards Nail Lacquer

This Polish is on Fire!

China Glaze Bend Over Backwards Nail Lacquer ($8.00 MSRP for 0.50 fl. oz.) is described as a “pepper red shimmer.” It’s a rich, molten orange-red with fine red shimmer running through it. The finish is almost metallic but very… fluid. Cult Nails Annalicious has more gold shimmer but is very close–perhaps a litle less orange-toned. Milani Melt With U has larger shimmer. Essie Braziliant is more orange, less shimmery.

The finish is interesting, because you can almost see brush strokes, but it’s so reflective and naturally glossy that it almost just looks reflective. I’d describe it as having very subtle brush strokes in places that were fairly easy to control and get to look straight. Bend Over Backwards has full, opaque color coverage after two coats but was mostly opaque after one. The consistency wasn’t too thick or too thin, so it applied evenly and fluidly across the nail without bubbling, streaking, or pooling along the edges. I typically get seven days of wear with minor tip wear but no chipping with China Glaze’s polishes.

The Glossover

LE
product

Bend Over Backwards

A
I love how much depth this shade has--the effect of the shimmer and brightness of the shade really make it look like molten fire; like it's glowing.

Product

9.5/10

Pigmentation

10/10

Texture

9.5/10

Longevity

9/10

Application

4.5/5

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