China Glaze Awakening Collection Review, Photos, Swatches (Fall 2010)

Reviews
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China Glaze Awakening Collection
China Glaze Nail Lacquer: Zombie Zest, Mummy May I, Ick-a-bod-y

China Glaze Awakening Collection for Fall 2010

To get in you in the Halloween spirit, China Glaze’s Awakening Collection contains three spook-tacular shades–Zombie Zest (mossy green shade with gold flecks of migro glitter), Mummy May I (vampy, wine colored purple with flecks of hot pink glitter), and Ick-a-bod-y (dark green base chock full of orange glitter). Come September, expect to see the full display at Sally’s Beauty Supply Stores, while a four-piece set (which includes the three shades plus a Fast forward Top Coat) at all other beauty and nail supply outlets, stores, and e-tailers.

  • Zombie Zest is a yellow-tinged green brown base with darkened chartreuse and emerald green micro glitter. I found I needed three coats to get an opaque look. This shade felt smooth to the touch, similar to most other polishes, while the other two shades dried with a more obvious glitter feel.
  • Mummy May I is a deep black-purple base with fuchsia pink glitter. It took about two coats to go opaque, and the formula itself was on the thicker side but did not feel unmanageable. You will definitely need a thicker top coat so you don’t feel the glitter on the surface.
  • Ick-a-bod-y is a blackened brown color base with lots of bright orange and copper glitter. It is much, much more glittery than Mummy May I, which has sparse glitter. I needed two coats here, and again, it will dry gritty without a thick top coat on top.

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  • Product: 27/30
  • Value: 8/10
  • Ease of Use: 4/5
  • Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: As long as you don’t mind using a thicker top coat, Mummy May I and Ick-a-bod-y are both fun shades for Halloween. Zombie Zest is my favorite, just because it isn’t necessarily a pretty shade at first glance but looks quite lovely on.

AVAILABILITY: September 2010

China Glaze Awakening Collection
China Glaze Nail Lacquer: Zombie Zest, Mummy May I, Ick-a-bod-y

China Glaze Awakening Collection
China Glaze Nail Lacquer: Zombie Zest, Mummy May I, Ick-a-bod-y

China Glaze Awakening Collection
China Glaze Zombie Zest Nail Lacquer

China Glaze Awakening Collection
China Glaze Zombie Zest Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)

China Glaze Awakening Collection
China Glaze Zombie Zest Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)

China Glaze Awakening Collection
China Glaze Zombie Zest Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)

China Glaze Awakening Collection
China Glaze Zombie Zest Nail Lacquer (Flash)

China Glaze Awakening Collection
China Glaze Mummy May I Nail Lacquer

China Glaze Awakening Collection
China Glaze Mummy May I Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)

China Glaze Awakening Collection
China Glaze Mummy May I Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)

China Glaze Awakening Collection
China Glaze Mummy May I Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)

China Glaze Awakening Collection
China Glaze Mummy May I Nail Lacquer (Flash)

China Glaze Awakening Collection
China Glaze Ick-a-bod-y Nail Lacquer

China Glaze Awakening Collection
China Glaze Ick-a-bod-y Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)

China Glaze Awakening Collection
China Glaze Ick-a-bod-y Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)

China Glaze Awakening Collection
China Glaze Ick-a-bod-y Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)

China Glaze Awakening Collection
China Glaze Ick-a-bod-y Nail Lacquer (Flasht)

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About the Reviewer

Reviewer

Christine has normal-to-dry skin with areas of dryness (cheeks, nose, and under the eyes). She has a light-medium skintone with subtle, warmer yellow undertones. Her best foundation matches include: Tarte Rainforest of the Sea in Light-Medium Neutral (best match), Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup in Desert Beige 2N1, Giorgio Armani Maestro Glow in 4.0, Hourglass Warm Ivory Vanish Seamless Finish, Laura Mercier Candleglow Soft Luminous in Dusk, MAC NC20/NC25, Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Liquid in Y305 (140). For more matches, please read our full Foundation FAQ. For more information on our review process, please read our Review FAQ.

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80 Comments

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Comments on this post are closed.
SiaM

Wow!!! I love this colors, I guess Zombie Fest will be my substitute for Optical Illusion from SpaRitual and more accessible too =). I like them all, holiday polish is just great brings me back all good memories….

Thanks for the swatches….

Valerie

Mummy May I looks like Bad Romance (Lippmann) without the bigger glitter pieces. I may get it, since Bad Romance is $18!

Ick-a-bod-y is the grossest name. Blech!

laura

i like how the name could be “ick! a body” or “ichibod-y” mean ichibod-esque after ichibod crane and the headless horseman. genius marketing, i think.

Melissa

I feel like the Zombie Zest one almost looks like this review you did which I cannot find. It was of these Chanel Nail Polishes, and there were 3 colors. A black, gold, and glitter-gold. You ended up layering them and that is what this reminds me of! Haha.

Lizz M.

Oh, these totally get me in the Halloween mood. Ha, but i’m always stuck in that mood.
Seriously though, I don’t even like nail polish/glittery things that much but I know I have to have these! Zombie Zest is particularly fantabulous, but i’ll be sure to be picking up all three beauty’s.

September? Perfect timing for my birthday gift 🙂

Laura

Love zombies! I will definitely be getting these!

wish they would have done something based off of Tom Savini’s work in Dawn of the Dead. That great blue/gray tinge the zombies had. Love that color..ooo maybe with some red micro glitter for blood..or something lol

Laura

Nope, but I have Lippmann Ruby Slippers which is basically like the same idea. Though have been wanting to check lubu heels and Rescue Beauty Lounge Black Russian.

Christine
Light-Medium, Neutral, slight yellow undertones. Normal-to-Dry skin. »

They’re on par with glittery polishes — not as easy as a normal polish, but I’d say it took me around 5 minutes in total to remove everything.

Ick-a-bod-y was the hardest, the other two weren’t bad at all.

Amanda

Actually, looking at the photos on the nail, Mummy May I looks like I wanted Baby Goth Girl to look. Mummy May I looks like it’s got life to it. Baby Goth Girl was just so dead looking on the nail which was a shame.. it was so pretty in the bottle.

CeeBee

Not to be a complete downer and maybe I’m missing something …but isn’t Hallowe’en over three months away?

Not that they aren’t perfect for Halllowe’en! The timing just seems a little odd to me.

Eh, but what do I know?

Mummy May I looks very much like Jordana Mystical.

carrie

All the way away in September?! Sheesh…’neways, how did you get so good at describing colors? Any tips you can share, sites etc

Christine
Light-Medium, Neutral, slight yellow undertones. Normal-to-Dry skin. »

Hi Carrie,

I really couldn’t say… it just comes in time – probably after seeing so many colors, you start to see all the nuances 🙂

Nic

I absolutely MUST have Ick-a-bod-y for Halloween! I don’t even normally like glittery polish, but it’s so perfect for the season. 🙂

Krissy

Lovely! My favorite is mummy may.
I have a question: How do you leave the space around the nail polish while applying it? I’m new to this and have no idea how to do it.

Lego

I so need Ick-a-bod-y right now! Is there anything in drugstores resembling it? If I ever get it, I’m wearing it on my nails for the whole month of October <3

Helena

I love the name of Ick-a-bod-y. Making a pun of Sleepy Hollow, hmm? Very suitable for Halloween, ha ha. But my favorite color is definitely Zombie Zest.

Elizabeth

I just picked up Night Prowl by Wet n Wild at the drugstore today… it’s totally a dupe for Mummy May I. (Has a little more glitter, but you can just layer one coat of it over regular black nail polish to get an almost identical effect.) 😀

gabyvv

OH MY GOSH I love these so much! I have been on such a neon and glitter kick with my polishes.. this feels so right for halloween I think I love the orange.. but probably Ill talk myself into all three they are so so unique!

Georgia

I bought all three and I have to say that Zombie Zest is by far my favorite in this collection. My boyfriend, who is an avid Zombie fanatic, pouted when I took it off to apply another color because he loved it so much. I thought Mummy May I was a bit too goopy for my liking and I had to apply it extra carefully to make sure the color was uniform. I hated Ick-a-bod-y until I applied a top coat, but it was a real pain to remove. The orange glitter turned silver and I was covered in it and had to go through three times as much nail polish remover to get it off. While I loved the color, I think I’ll be trading it or giving it to a friend.

Lemony

Can I ask why you put the nail polish so far above your cuticle? I’m just getting into nails and see lots of beauty bloggers doing this. Thanks!

Christine
Light-Medium, Neutral, slight yellow undertones. Normal-to-Dry skin. »

It makes it easier to remove the polish, since I am often doing 6-12 polishes back-to-back. It means less wear and tear on the cuticle.

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