Essie - Bazooka

Right in line with Pantone's Color of the Year for 2012, Essie Bazooka is bright and bold and, interestingly enough, very wearable when compared with other neons.  Bazooka hails from Essie's 2012 Poppy Razzi collection, as did, Action (my previous post).


Color Description: Bazooka is a bright orange translucent creme lacquer bordering on a jelly finish.  Again, it is not outlandish and can be very wearable in a fun setting.


Similar To: Bazooka reminds, in some ways of, Sinful Colors Big Daddy.  However, Big Daddy has a bit more red in it.


This Look: One coat of Starting Over After Artificials, two coats of Bazooka, and one coat of Sally Hansen's Mega Shine.


Price Point/Availability: Available now in your local drugstores and salons for a suggested retail price of $8.00.

(http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonliebigstuff/)

When trying to figure out where its name came from, I came across Bazooka bubble gum in the flavor Juicy Orange and the nail polish is the same color as the package.  Coincidence? Probably, but coincidences intrigue me.  This bubble gum was popular in the 80's and 90's. I remember Bazooka but not the Juicy Orange flavored kind.


So what do you think?  Would you wear this color?  Or, better yet, have you ever eaten Orange Juice flavored Bazooka bubble gum?

Essie - Action

Today we have Essie Action from their neon collection - Poppy Razzi, which makes me want to go to the grocery store and pick up a nice big box of Creamsicles!  Very reminiscent of  a hot summer day waiting for the ice cream truck to come my way...

Color Description: Described by Essie as a vivid and wild tangerine, Action is definitely in the citrus family.  As you can see from the picture, it's light and creamy in the bottle but a bit darker and translucent on the nail.

Similar To:  Essie says, Action isn't "your 80's neon" because it has a "new generation of fluorescent pigments" so it's unique to others that may seem similar including L.A. Colors Color Craze in Shock (see Nightly Nails swatch of Shock here) which I thought was an exact dupe - no-go!  Shock is definitely more yellow than orange.

This Look:  One coat of OPI Acrylic Nail base coat, three coats of Action (and I still have VNL - yikes!) and one coat of Nutra Nail Ultra Shine topcoat. (Side Note: I've switched up my base and topcoat. I do this occasionally when swatching and don't plan to wear a lacquer very long).

Price Point/Availability:  The Poppy Razzi collection is popping up at my local CVS and Salon locations.  You may also be able to find this at Bed, Bath and Beyond.  Retail price is $8.00.

Well, what do you thing of Essie's fluorescent offering? While it is a fun color that conjures up memories of my childhood, I think the formula could have been better (i.e. somewhat difficult application). 


It looks like they're trying out a new formula that needs a few wrinkles ironed out.  Good thing I was given this lacquer to try by a friend.  We'll see if the next one is any better - I will be reviewing Essie Bazooka next...

Essie - She's Picture Perfect (03/09/2012)

I was able to get my paws on the entire Essie Sure Shot - Resort 2012 Collection and my favorite is She's Picture Perfect. 

There's not much out on this collection other than a few write ups on the web - however, here's a more detailed description for your reading pleasure from Chic Profile.  Now onto She's Picture Perfect:

Color Description: She's Picture Perfect is a beautiful periwinkle lavendar with a pink iridescence.  The iridescent quality can only be seen in certain light and would definitely be considered a secret shimmer making this lacquer extra shiny and extra special.

Similar To:  I have absolutely nothing else like this!

This Look: One coat of Starting Over After Artificials, two coats of She's Picture Perfect and one coat of Shine & Hold topcoat.

Price Point/Availability:  This collection will be available this month at salons and other retailers that carry Essie and is generally priced between $8 - $8.50.

Have a great weekend my lovely ladies!

COMP-POST: Essie Navigate Her vs. CQ Mint Green - Part Two

Navigate Her (2 coats) ~ Mint Green (3 coats)

Well, the verdict is in and as you can see, there's no dupe here.  I would even say that if you like one, you may not like the other - that's how different they look on the hand.


The picture to the left is showing, on alternating fingers,  Essie Navigate Her (index and middle) and CQ Mint Green (middle and pinky).


Color Description: Navigate Her is a warm-tone creme that has yellow undertones and I would definitely describe it as a pistachio or celery green, whereas, Mint Green is cool-toned with more of a pastel green and is a bit lighter and airier, which I prefer.  Personally, I think Mint Green is prettier.


Application: Navigate Her was almost opaque in one coat with the application being easy and pretty much flawless with little effort.  Even though I prefer the look of Mint Green, it was thin and watery and a challenge to apply.  The question is which one did I choose to wear out the door?


This Look: As you can see in the picture to the right, I chose to wear Essie's Navigate Her for the ease of application with two coats, and one coat of Nutra Nail Ultra Shine topcoat.


Price Point/Availability: I found both Navigate Her and Mint Green at Rite Aid for $2.99 and $8.00, respectively. If only CQ's application was as good as the price we would have a winner!  But as it is, it's just gonna take a little more time and forethought before applying.


Hope you enjoyed this comparison post and that it will help you in your selection process. :)

Essie - Case Study (10/9/2011)

Case Study is from Essie's Brand New Bag Fall 2011 collection which consists of a total of "six creamy rich shades reminiscent of complex colors that are a throwback to the fashions of the 1940's and 1950's". 


Well, I only purchased one from this collection and what's interesting is that Case Study changes color on different skin tones. But it's still an very nice albeit unusual color, wouldn't ya say?


Color Description:  Described by Essie as a rich caramel beige, Case Study leans more towards a grey-beige (or greige) on my brown/tan skin, however, so may reviewers have it as pulling green on them, sorry no green here.


Similar To: Nothing in my collection.


This Look: One coat of OPI Acrylic Nail Base Coat, two coats of Case Study and one coat of Shine & Hold Quick Dry top coat.


Price Point/Availability: I believe this collection has been touted as "limited edition" which means while supplies last and retails for about $8.00.


Do you have this color yet or any others from the?  What do you think?  

Essie - Tart Deco (09/30/2011)

Wow!  How gorgeous is this one and why did it take me so long to purchase it?


Color Description: A beautiful melon color that looks great on any complexion.


Similar To: This has been compared to Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Snappy Sorbet but I don't own that one so wouldn't know for sure.


This Look: Two coats of Essie Tart Deco and one coat of Out The Door topcoat.


Price Point/Availability: This can be found at CVS and other retailers and etailers.  Not at all hard to find... :)


Well, when I wore this everyone was in love with it, even the girl at the In-N-Out drive-thru - lol!  Definitely one to own.

Pink Wednesday: Essie Topless & Barefoot

I wore this last Friday to a job interview - when I find out the results I will be sure to let you know, but now on to the review.


Color Description:  Topless & Barefoot is described by Essie as a barely there soft beige pink and IMHO is the perfect pinkish nude but pulls more beige on my skin tone than pink.  I really like this color, a lot.


Similar To: This lacquer has been compared to the despeckled, non-shimmer version of Borghese Almondine and after pulling the bottles of those that I thought were close, I couldn't find an exact dupe or anything close.


This Look:  One coat of Starting Over After Artificials, two coats of Essie Topless & Barefoot and one coat of Sally Hansen Mega Shine.


Price Point/Availability:  From Essie's Spring 2011 French Affair collection, Topless & Barefoot is still readily available in select salons and online, retailing for $8.00.


Do you have this color and if so, how do you like it?  As I said earlier this will definitely get you job interview ready - a really nice neutral to have in your collection.

Essie - Turquoise & Caicos (06/26/2011)

What a weekend!  My brother had three of his five kids graduate last week (M-W-F) and asked me to help with the festivities of his graduation party on Friday.  Since he has three girls who absolutely ♥ nail polish, I set up shop, literally SET UP SHOP in the girls room with all the fixings, neons, crackles and glitters and we had a ball.

I did nails from 5p until 11p at night!  The mothers, daughters, aunties and friends were elated to have a little color in their life and I was happy to share my love of AllThingsNails!  Needless to say, after at least 20 manis I needed a mani myself.  So I came home and put on Essie's Turquoise and Caicos...


Color Description:  Essie T&C is a beautiful and serene island ocean blue.  I say "island" because you would have to imagine being somewhere tropical to truly understand this beautiful lacquer like the Blue Hole of the coral reef in Central America, Belize (San Pedro Caye).  My husband and I had the privilege of snorkeling there in 1996; it's simply amazing!

Similar To:  This is extremely similar to the OPI Pirates of the Caribbean's Mermaid Tears.  See the water correlation there, again? These are interchangeable but definitely one of them should be in your collection. Orly's Ancient Jade has been said to be a close second, as well.

This Look:  T&C is very sheer so I put an white base coat on of Miss Marion's Super Base, then layered three coats of T&C with a coat of my topcoat, Shine and Hold.

Price Point/Availability:  If you're looking for Turquoise & Caicos, you might be having a hard time because it's form last years Essie Resort 2010 collection, which I believe was limited edition.  You may be able to still find it as some salons and online.  You may be better off looking for OPI's Mermaid Tears, a this point, though.

Well, off to my meeting in about an hour - we'll be in Orange County today.  Hope you enjoy what's left of this beautiful weekend and talk to you soon!

Pink Wednesday: Essie - Your Hut or Mine (06/01/2011)

Incandescent Lighting

It's 11:31p (PST) as I type and I'm absolutely determined to get this in, just under the wire, for Pink Wednesdays!  I decided to try out one of the Summer 2011 Essie lacquers from their Resort Safari-inspired collection - Your Hut or Mine (YHoM).  A very feminine pink with and even more femme fatale name.


Color Description:  Best described as a honeysuckle, Your Hut or Mine is a deep and dusty reddish-pink with secret golden shimmer (seen in the last pic).  This is the type of shimmer that can only be seen in certain lighting but is so gorgeous it makes your nails look deliciously shiny. 

OTT/Natural Bulb w/ Light Box

Similar To:  Did a quick check of the stash and nothing is similar.  However, YHoM is said to be to be an extremely close match to Pantone's 2011 Color of the Year - Honeysuckle; looked for myself and it's a dead-on match.


This Look:  One coat of Starting Over After Artificials, two coats of YHoM, and one coat of Shine & Hold.

Price Point/Availability:  I picked this up at a not so local beauty supply on my way home from my San Diego trip a few weeks ago.  Hadn't even seen a swatch or a press release for this when I bought it but really liked the color.  This will retail for $8.00 and will more than likely be limited edition since it's from the Summer 2011 Resort collection.

Halogen Lighting

Thanks so much for stopping by and I can't believe I've reached 250 readers!  I was happy to get my first 25, much less 10x that much.  Let me know your thoughts and TTYS!

Fun-Friday Mani: LaRosa Crackle - Hot Purple over Essie - Status Symbol w/ OPI Silver Shatter (5/27/2011)

This weekend I will be going to the Purple One's concert so I did a funky fresh mani for the occasion and I am lovin' me some Hot Purple crackle right about now!  For an added Purple Reign effect, I added a faint layer of glitter over top; for this I used L.A. Colors Glistening Purple and then a little Silver Shatter on my tips to "ice it up" a bit - lol.

Color Description:  As mentioned in my previous review, Status Symbol, is a flamingo pink, however LaRosa Hot Purple is a shimmering dark purple that is muy, muy caliente, my friends and the crackle effect is awesome with a capital 'A'.  

Photo by Cooper Griggs (via Flickr)

L.A. Colors Glistening Purple is a very sparse magenta glitter in a clear base that will not detract from your mani, it will only enhance it; a very nice layering glitter.  As you see, the Silver Shatter didn't shatter much, but I still like the look.

Similar To:  Hot Purple isn't similar to anything that I know of - a purple crackle with hidden shimmer?  This crackle is TDF (to die for) and although the Glistening Purple glitter was a disappointment when I first swatched it alone, over a crackle is definitely the way to go with this sparse glitter, and again, I own nothing else like this.  Silver Shatter is also in a stand-alone category for the gorgeous shimmer effect it gives.

This Look:  One thin coat of Hot Purple over a 3-day old mani after surface was prepped with a nail primer, one coat of Glistening Purple, tipped with Silver Shatter and one coat of Shine & Hold top coat.

Outside during Sunset :)

Crackle Application: LaRosa crackle works best on completely dry lacquer, I mean completely dry, like an hour or so (or a day or so when creating a new look), unlike Kleancolor which works best over freshly painted nails and I'm still on the fence about OPI's crackle lacquers, they're a bit thick and inconsistent, in my book.  Of all of the crackles on the market I ♥ LaRosa the best.

Price Point/Availability: LaRosa Hot Purple crackle is retailing online for about $4.00 a bottle and I picked mine up from a beauty supply store while on vacation last week.  L.A. Colors Glistening Purple was found at the Dollar Tree and was, of course $1.00 and I purchased OPI Silver Shatter in the JC Penney Salon a few weeks ago for regular retail.  All are fairly new to the market and should be readily available online.

Well, this should be a fun weekend!  I've never been to a Prince concert for various reasons, but today is a new day; not only has he cleaned up his act, per say, he's lowered his ticket prices to a mere $25 a seat.  If just only for curiousity's sake, I'm going and I can't wait to see what he has in store for the last weekend of his 21 Night Stand concert.  

So far he's had guests ranging from Whitney Houston to Chaka Khan and Mint Condition to Nicole Scherzinger.  I've also heard that Janelle Monae performed one night and then on another night grammy-award winning Esperanz Spalding was in full effect and you can be sure that Sheila E. will be on the drums.  So, yeah, I'm a little geeked right now...  Hope you enjoyed this look and TTYS!

Pink Wednesday: Essie - Status Symbol (05/25/2011)

Well, Wednesday is here and I'm excited to wear an untried pink!  Essie Status Symbol (SS) is from the Spring 2009 collection and is a great Spring/Summer color that can be worn on the tips and toes with ease.


Color Description:  Described by Essie as a creamy feisty hot pink, Status Symbol, by its very name, suggests that is the quintessential "mean girls" pink. It is a medium flamingo pink with a unique creme/jelly finish.  So nice!


Similar To:  SS has been compared to OPI Strawberry Margarita (clic 4 pic)  by Vee, of Milan & Vanaily and is very close to OPI Elephantastic Pink.  In certain lighting, it also reminds me of Wet n' Wild (click 4 pic) How I Met Your Magenta.  As you can see from the pics, this color can go from "party over here" to "sweet sophistication" in an instant. :)


This Look:  One coat of Starting Over After Artificials, three coats of SS and one coat of Shine and Hold topcoat.  I used three coats to even out the bald spots on my nails.  If you have patience enough for a third coat, it can really make a difference in the final look.


Price Point/Availability:   I own the mini bottle that came with Flawless, Mesmerize and One of A Kind. I picked it up on sale at Ulta over a year ago.  At any rate, Status Symbol can be purchased at various e-tailers online or may be found at select salon locations retailing for $8.00.  However, I believe this to be discontinued because it's not sold on Essie's website. 


I'm always pleased to hear from you so, by all means, leave a comment down below and as always have a well-polished Wednesday!

Oh and before I forget, this look was inspired by my all-time favorite Beanie Baby, Pinky the Flamingo.  Isn't she the cutest? 

Essie - Ruby Slippers (5/8/2011)

There's no place like home...  Essie Ruby Slippers is what I call a "special occasion" nail polish, however, it is very wearable; you wanna be anywhere but home with when you wear this.  My hubby picked this out for our anniversary and though I couldn't wear it to dinner, I put it on the first chance I got and wore it on Sunday.  I've been wearing this for three days and so far so good.


Color Description:  Ruby Slippers is a deep red jelly with medium (almost chunky) multi-colored glitter from shades of red to orangey-gold.  Depending on how many coats you apply, the glitter appears to be suspended in strawberry syrup.  If you've ever made your own strawberry shortcake from scratch, with fresh strawberries, you know exactly what I'm talking about.


Similar To:  It's different than any other red glitter I own because of the size and color of the glitter.  But, believe it or not, this is not my favorite red-jelly glitter of the bunch...  I actually preferred Wet n Wild's Extravaganza, so much so, that I bought an extra and have it in my back-up box!


This Look:  One coat of Starting Over After Artificials, three coats of Ruby Slippers, one coat of Sally Hansen NailShine Miracle and one coat of Sally Hansen Mega Shine.


Price Point/Availability:  I received this in a swap from the lovely rmcandlelight of Nails Beautiqued, however, Essie has long since discontinued Ruby Slippers. After doing a quick google search, I see that it is still being sold online at a few e-tailers.


Well, it's time for a change!  I really want to join in the Pink Wednesday craze, so I'm off to remove this and see which pink I want to wear...  Talk to you soon. :)

Essie - Meet Me At Sunset (4/27/2011)

Orange is one of the hottest trends of this Spring/Summer and Essie hit the nail on the head with Meet Me At Sunset (MMAS) from their 2011 Summer Collection: Color Me Braziliant!  


Color Description:  Essie describes MMAS an "intense flamigo citrine", I say, google "safety orange" and you'll get its overall feel.  But don't feel as if you have to play it safe and pass this one by, it's definitely a wearable orange.


Similar To:  I compared a few orange-reds from my collection here and the bottom line was that MMAS has the most vivid orange hue of them all!  These are all close: OPI - Big Hair Big Nails, Essie - Meet Me At Sunset, OPI - Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It, Borghese - Castello Cherry and Love & Beauty - Coral.


This Look:  One coat of Starting Over After Artificials, two coats of MMAS (definitely could've used a third) and on coat of Sally Hansen Mega Shine.


Price Point/Availability:  Essie retails for $8 at some drugstores and select salon locations.  I really like the fact that CVS is now selling these and I can use my ExtraBucks to purchase them.


Now orange you glad you can be fabulous for as little as $8?  Nail polish is just a little way to introduce trends into your wardrobe and I'm all for that.  Let me know which Summer Essie's you're picking up this season.  Stay well-polished and TTYS!

Q&D - Essie Meet Me At Sunset Comps

We've all been noticing Essie's 2011 Summer Collection: Color Me Braziliant pop up in various drugstores.  Well, while out and about today I picked up two: Meet Me At Sunset (index finger) and Smooth Sailing (the periwinkle shimmer).  

First up we have quick and dirty swatches to  compare Meet Me At Sunset (MMAS) with other similar colors.  As you see I love orange-red cremes but MMAS is a stand out!  


In this pic from thumb to pinky, you have: 

• OPI - Big Hair Big Nails (thumb), 
• Essie - Meet Me At Sunset (index), 
• OPI - Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It (middle), 
• Borghese - Castello Cherry (ring) and 
• Love & Beauty - Coral (pinky)

Now for the bottle pics (in the same order as above) you will see how close they appear.  Please note, though, that none are dead-on dupes, due to their slight nuances.  I can't really pick a favorite but I do know that I will enjoy wearing each and every one of these this season!

I will say this, however, Essie MMAS has the most vivid orange hue and will be my next mani;  for a complete review of this check back a little later.  Hope this helps you make your decision on purchasing the new Summer Essie Meet Me At Sunset (or not) and if you have any questions on where these can be purchased please let me know.

Essie Little Brown Dress (F/W 2010 Collection)

lighting: light box (true color)

I've had this gorgeous nail lacquer, Essie Little Brown Dress, for a while and I'm wearing it today because I purchased OPI Suzi Loves Cowboys and thought, "I must wear the old before I wear the new!"

lighting:  incandescent lamp

Color Description:  Little Brown Dress is a rich chocolate shade and has the perfect name because if it were any darker it would be called Little Black Dress. :)  This deep brown's application was awesome and to be so dark, I didn't have a problem with it flooding my cuticle area or being difficult to clean up.


Similar To:  Very similar, if not an exact match for Revlon's Hot For Chocolate and as mentioned above, close but not a dupe for OPI Suzi Loves Cowboys, which is a bit lighter than Little Brown Dress.

lighting:  halogen light

This Look:  Base coat is Color Club's Stuck On You, with two coats of Little Black Dress and a new top coat I'm trying out from a local beauty supply called Z Super Fast Dry.  It dried in seconds (yay!), is super shiny (yay!), but we'll see about longevity/lasting wear of this top coat in a few days. EDIT: This topcoat is not very long wearing and scratches easily - boooo!


Price Point/Availability: Essie Little Brown Dress can be found online and in some retailers for $8.00.


Well, it's getting late and I'm super tired so I'm going to say goodnight to all of you well-polished ladies.  Please let me know your thoughts. :)

So Psyched about Essie "Sew Psyched"! (09/21/2010)

Handbag: Junior Drake -  Gaga

Today's NOTD was inspired by a handbag I picked up this weeked!  If you've never heard of Junior Drake handbags, you should definitely google it!  Anyway, went to their "Warehouse Sample Sale" and picked up this olive green beauty!

Essie - Sew Psyched

Well, I was excited to put on Essie Sew Psyched only to be "psyched out" because of the secret shimmer.  I use a professional nail lamp when I apply my polish and I was able to see it right away, but in normal light it's very difficult to see.  This shimmer makes the polish extra shiny on the nail and it's gorgeous!   

Here's what they look like together: 

Thanks for stopping by and please, by all means, have a well-polished day!