Chanel - Russian Nights

Chanel's new Russian Collection for nails is beyond fabulous. All the polishes are a black base with micro-glitter and retail for a cool 30 big ones.

I saw these on All Lacquered Up, one of my favorite blogs out there, and practically drooled on my keyboard. I admit to being enamored of the black or nearly black nail trend but haven't been willing to give it a go myself. Up until spotting this collection it has seemed like the realm of the young and trendy, which I am not.

My interest in clothes and trends outside of makeup is nearly nonexistent and my twenties have come and gone. But as I said this collection caught my fancy and had me jumping in the car to head for San Francisco and my local Chanel boutique.

Right away I spotted the little display of polishes and my intent was to pick one possibly two of the shades. No dice...I was drawn in by the loveliness of these and couldn't help myself. The micro-glitter is a fine shimmer that keeps the polishes from looking too black but the drama is all there.

Nuit de Russie (pictured) is a deep sapphire jewel and does not look like it belongs on the hands of a teenager. It has class and sophistication and would not suffer chips gladly. Feu de Russie is red with black and goes more burgundy when applied but is stunning none the less. Or de Russie has gobs of gold shimmer and is the least black of the 3.

I agree with All Lacquered Up when she writes about having a crush on Peter Phillips, Chanel's new global creative director. I mean how could you not after he gives us polish like this.

If you have ever thought about giving dark nails a whirl I highly recommend giving these a look. You can find them at Chanel.com or Chanel boutiques.

Chanel - Gold Fiction

Chanel's Fall 2008 collection has been talked about and written about a bunch. I too was swept up in the previews that showed pictures of gold lipgloss and nail polish and Facettes d'Or highlighting powder, convinced I would want every last thing.

I am just as surprised to report that after playing with the colors at Neiman Marcus yesterday I was underwhelmed with only a few noted exceptions.

Rather than harp on about how a lot of these colors have been done before and in some cases a whole lot better, I'll concentrate on what did wow me and had me whipping out my cash!

Gold Fiction nail polish in priced higher than the usual Chanel polish and while I may balk a bit at $35 for a bottle you may think nothing of the price after seeing the polish. The bottle is opaque and the color on it does not accurately represent the gorgeousness that is Gold Fiction.

Gold Fiction is a champagne beige gold tone. It is metallic but not glittery. The polish is dazzling with one hastily applied coat at the Chanel counter and knock your socks off lovely with two coats applied in the comfort of your home or nail salon. I didn't have any particular hankering for this much talked about polish but after seeing it I am converted to the church of gold polish....at least Chanel's anyway.

The other item that nabbed my attention and was a slam dunk purchase is a new shade of Aqualumiere Sheer Color Lipshine, Papeete. Papeete is a bright but sheer raspberry pink shade with violet shimmer and is a stunner on the lips. My husband caught me skulking around the counter (as you can guess this is a frequent occurrence) and even he asked what shade I had on my lips. Needless to say it too went home with me.

Check out the collection for yourself and tell me what you think of it. There is much talk of the collection to hit counters later this year. The reports all speak of a smoky eye quad that will cause a stampede at the counter.

Nars - Miami Sun Set

Hubba hubba! Now that is some color!

Nars new Miami Sun Set for $65 is pure Miami hotness. This is a limited edition you can find at Sephora online only...at least so far!

The Sundance eye duo has warm golden and terracotta shades. Capucine Lip Lacquer is pure tangerine glossiness!

The nail color is a real lust object for me....just look at that tomato red! Dovima nail polish, I heart you!

Essie Summer Collection

I love this nail color collection. It is one of the few that I am tempted to buy every last shade!

Essie's Summer Collection is all about beautiful cream colors that shout summer and really get me in the mood for warm nights and summer barbeques.

I had to really hold myself back and just purchase 2 bottles but I will probably go back for more.

On the left is Guilty Pleasures a bright pink strawberry shade and on the right is My Place Or Yours a muted rose pink that looks like it belongs on Charlotte York's nails.

Essie colors are some of my favorite out there especially when it comes to pinks and sheers, they just seem to get those right every time.

I also have my eye on Movers and Shakers and Secret Stash and since each bottle runs between $7 -$8 depending on where you go, I may just cave.

Zoya Nail Polish

One of my favorite blogs All Lacquered Up is always mentioning Zoya nail colors. I love the pictures she takes of the shades and the color choices had me hunting these bottles down. I was on a mission to lay hands on some of the new colors from the Gossip (The Hills) and Chit Chat (bloggers) collections. After much hunting I could only find one salon that carried them locally so I turned to the Zoya website to order the new stuff.

I am pleased to report that the site is easy to use and the online customer service is great. I just received my picks today and found the online colors were true to life which is always my main concern when ordering sight unseen.

From left:

LO is an edge of neon pink that is super summer ready.

Elodie is the perfect coral that balances pink and orange.

LC is a poppy red cream. This polish is red and fresh rather than looking like a fall season leftover.

Elke is a berry red with gold shimmer. Depending on the light it reads golden or berry with gold glaze....it's a winner.

Zoya polish is Big 3 Free and I have heard complaints about the wear and chipping. After consulting All Lacquered Up she suggested using Zoya's base and top coat along with their Hurry Up speed drying drops to solve the chipping/peeling issues. I can report that this polish held up well with no chipping so you might consider getting their nail system if you fall in love with the polish.

OPI Bogata Blackberry

I have a little addiction to OPI's Bogata Blackberry. This nail polish is a rich blackberry shade with hints of ruby red shimmer. It is a color most would love in fall and winter but I find myself wearing it on my toes all year round.

My best pal has become likewise addicted and try as we might to break free and pick something else...we always return to this shade.

Bogata Blackberry looks great on my whiter than white feet and equally lovely on my more olive skinned pal. I adore the stuff.

Recently my nail lady suggested that I might want to try something else since it was spring and all....I could tell she was implying I was a one trick pony nail shade picker! So at her suggestion I allowed the brightest fuchsia known to man to be painted on my paws. She insisted that this is season appropriate and I am trying hard to like it.

However the hold of this polish is strong my friends and I have to restrain myself from changing my polish to the beloved Blackberry shade. In the interests of trying new things I will be exploring new colors this summer and will report back.

Rescue Your Nails - Ji Baek

This is a great book and I loved every minute. I picked this little book up over Memorial Day weekend right after getting my own fingers and toes done and read it cover to cover.

Ji Baek, the owner of Rescue Beauty Lounge, has written a practical and easy to use reference for everything from how to mani/pedi yourself into perfection, salon etiquette and cleanliness, to picking a nail color that you will love.

While she does not give any product endorsements, other than her own brand, she gives great tips on what to look for when shopping for the best tools and even what may be hiding in your kitchen or bathroom arsenal that is just right for the job.

Rescue Your Nails answered nearly ever question I had about how to get it right when I want to do my own nails at home and reinforced my standards for what to look for at a nail salon. Ji Baek makes the point that nail salons are everywhere but they are not equal. I personally would rather pay a bit more for my nail services and get the attention to cleanliness that is important to me. One of my favorite local nail salons uses the greenest products available from polish removers to the polish itself and I really notice a difference in the look and health of my nails.

At $12.95 this is a wonderful addition to your beauty library and a fun read as well.

As a side note, some of the best products that my salon has introduced me to are Butter London, Zoya, Orly, and Spa Ritual. Zoya's Remove + is my go to polish remover because it is a mild acetone and doesn't leave my nails looking like the Sahara....it also has a pleasant lavender scent. There are many good non-acetone options out there that use fruit acids instead and are worth checking out if you are interested. No-Miss is a good place to start.