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Yves Saint Laurent Pop Water Collection: New Glossy Stains and Nail Lacquers

March 19, 2015

Yves Saint Laurent Beauty and Nordstrom have an exclusive beauty release called the Pop Water Collection. It’s a release of new shades of Glossy Stains, Nail Lacquers and a new Metallic Eyeshadow Formula for spring to summer. The collection is currently available only at Nordstrom until mid-late April.

The Pop Water collection includes:

I picked up some of the items for lips and nails – all of which are fresh juicy bright colors really pretty to brighten up the mood for spring to summer. Here’s a quick look at what I ordered and have been testing this week:

First up are the new Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stains. If you’re a YSL fan you are probably already familiar with the previously released colors of the Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stains (original colors here, also rebel nudes colors here). I’ve had a couple of these over the past few years recommended highly by one of my best friends. She said these give the lips a juicy wash of color and feel really lush once you apply them. I’m not usually a fan of lip stains because they tend to look so dark on me, but I’m glad I tried these. The YSL Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stains have the right mix of gloss and stain so they are like a lipgloss but have enough pigment in them they look like a soft stain of color on the lips. At the same time they don’t look dark like traditional lip stains. The Pop Water Collection features slightly different packaging with the black YSL logo (versus the red in the older versions). It gives these a new updated edgy look.

The sponge tip is perfectly shaped to get precise application around the edges while the flat beveled parts allow you to fill in and cover the entire lip. It’s something you have to test in person to really see how well designed the applicator is.

There are two versions of the Glossy Stain this season. The Plump Up 200 is a hydrating plumper for the lips. It comes in a very pale soft pink shimmer but on the lips it’s basically clear. It is incredibly hydrating and does give the lips a pretty long-lasting shine. It makes the lips look full without making the lips tingle or go numb (huge plus for me). 

Then there are the tinted versions. All are variations of bright summery colors but still very wearable (even for neutral lip lovers) The remaining 8 colors of the Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stains are all brighter colors. 203 Eau de Corail is a warm coral peach with a hint of pink, 204 Onde Rose is a medium red rose pink, 205 Pink Rain (my favorite) is a cool-toned bright pink, 207 Juicy Peach is a warm orangey peach, 208 Wet Nude is a soft peachy color.

I really like how these apply like a semi-thick gloss to adhere well to the lips. It transforms into a smoother feeling gloss once you let it sit. It has texture which keeps the lips hydrated and soft. One swipe gives a soft tint. Adding more swipes will intensify the color.

Swatches + close ups:

Lip Swatches:

For quick reference and comparison to other YSL products, the Glossy Stains are what I wanted the Volupté Tint-In-Oils to be (which turned out to be too sheer for my liking). By comparison, the Babydoll Kiss & Blush is creamier with an opaque finish making them suitable for lips and cheeks.

Next up are the new Pop Water La Lacque Couture Nail Lacquers (four translucent shades). Although I’m a huge fan of the YSL La Lacque Couture Nail Polish formula, I picked out two of the translucent ones to test out before splurging on all four. 63 Rouge Wet is a sheer jelly red, 64 Fuchsia Rain is a sheer jelly pink. Both have a see through formula which requires 3 coats for me to get a glossy smooth finish. The result is very interesting but I’m undecided on how I feel. I tried these layered over soft pinks and they transform the colors into brighter deeper versions and add a super glossy finish. I like the high shine these have. I wish all nail polishes had a finish this shiny.

Rouge Wet with 3 coats:

Fuchsia Rain with 3 coats, it looks very similar to Rouge Wet, but this one is slightly more pink:

Here is Fuchsia Rain layered over Rouge Pablo on the right side shows how it has a lush glossy wet shiny finish (which I really love):

Click icons below to shop:

Bottom line I’m in love with the Pop Water Glossy Stains. My favorites are Pink Rain and Wet Nude. These are scented with a soft sweet grapefruit scent but it’s not too overwhelming and actually is really pleasant (at least for me). I’m undecided about the Pop Water Nail Lacquers. They are definitely unique and fun for summer and I like the high shine they offer.

You can find the Pop Water Collection now at Nordstrom. Have you checked out this collection yet? If not are you a fan of the Glossy Stains? Which colors are your favorites? P.S. Nordstrom has Triple Points going on with gift with purchases online and instores. The online gift includes samples of Volume Effet Faux Cils Shocking Mascara (0.06 oz.), Forever Youth Liberator Serum (2 packets), Gloss Volupte in 3 shades and Touche Éclat in 3 shades with your $125 Yves Saint Laurent beauty purchase.


This post was sponsored by Nordstrom. All items purchased by me, all opinions my own. For more information refer to my disclosures.

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Dior Vernis in Rose 499, Pink 599 and Corail 899

March 12, 2015

There are three new Dior Vernis Gel Shine Nail Lacquers in Rose 499, Pink 599 and Corail 899 ($27 each for 10 ml/0.33 fl oz, made in France). These are currently available exclusively at Neiman Marcus and Dior.com – they were released with the new Rouge Dior Brilliant Lipshines (my picks swatched here).

The three new nail lacquers are fresh spring-summery colors. Each color has a stunning mix of subtle shimmers in them that give the colors depth without being frosty or too shimmery. Like most other Dior nail polishes, these have shimmer that’s more visible in the bottle but on the nails they act more like creams. Below you can see the shimmer becomes more visible depending on how light hits the bottle.

Rose 499 is the only one of the three that has a more visible shimmer with gold and rose flecks. On my nails it’s still very natural. This one is on the sheer side with a jelly finish. The color itself is very natural. If you’re looking for a soft shimmery neutral pink, this one is lovely, although for soft pinks, Lady 294 from the Kingdom of Colors Spring release is my favorite by far.

Even though it’s sheer, you can still get smooth medium coverage with two coats:

Pink 599 is a warm pink that pulls almost peachy on me. This is my favorite of the three. It’s hard to find warmer pinks that don’t look orange on my olive skin. This one has a lovely jelly finish and has enough pink to still, well look pink. Two coats shown below.

Corail 899 is a vibrant coral red. In my mind Dior can do no wrong when it comes to bright orange and coral nail polishes. This one is really beautiful with flawless rich coverage. It is however very similar to prior releases. It’s very similar to Glory 660 from spring. Corail is more orange while Glory is more pink. The new Corail is also very similar to other Chanel colors. On the nail wheel compared side by side they look almost identical from arms length. A close look will show that there are slight differences in undertone (some are more orange, others more red, some are lighter etc.). On a computer screen it may be hard to see the real difference.

Nail comparison swatches:

Dior Tra-La-La (reviewed here)
Dior Incognito (swatched here)
Chanel Ming (discontinued)
Dior Rosy Bow (discontinued)
Dior Aventure (swatches here)
Chanel Lilis (review here)
Dior Glory (swatches here)
Dior Lucky (original version)

Bottom line flawless. Each color is easy to use with a rounded chiseled brush that makes applying nail polish really easy. Those who have tried Dior’s formula know how incredibly smooth the colors are. They really are phenomenal. Lasting power is good if you use a good base and top coat. (My favorites here). If you’re a Dior nail polish fan, you may want to skip Corail because it’s very similar to other shades. Rose is nice but not a must-have for me because it’s so close to my natural skin tone but it gives a flawless soft polished look. Pink is a really fun warm spring-to-summer pink color that I find unique and wearable.

Available now at Neiman Marcus (where I bought mine) and Dior.com. Have you checked these out yet? What’s on your nails this week?

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Victoria, Victoria Beckham x Nails Inc. Duo in Bamboo White and Judo Red

February 16, 2015

Several readers have mentioned the Victoria, Victoria Beckham x Nails Inc. polishes to me over the past few months. Nails Inc. is a nail polish line that has been on my radar for quite some time but I tend to get distracted while in Sephora and usually forget to swatch and play with items in store. I ordered the Victoria, Victoria Beckham for Nails Inc. Duo Collection ($45 for 2 full-sized polishes, each 14 ml/0.47 fl oz, Made in France) online from Sephora. Both are available for purchase individually as well, but the duo is offered at a slight discount and also comes in a beautiful white box.

The two colors in the Victoria Beckham x Nails Inc. are called Bamboo White and Judo Red. Both are glossy lush creams that offer full opaque coverage with two coats. The first coat did not cover the nail entirely but was still relatively smooth, the pigment was just a bit streaky. Adding a second coat resulted in a rich opaque color for both shades. In addition to testing out the polishes for the first time, I also picked up the Kensington Caviar Base Coat and Kensington Caviar 45 Second Top Coat. I have been running low on my current go-to’s from Deborah Lippmann, Chanel and Rescue Beauty Lounge and since the Base/Top Coat from Nails Inc. have impressive reviews and high ratings I decided to try both.

Bamboo White is more of a powder pink on me. Even though it’s pale, it’s a stretch to call this one white. The color is quite lovely on the nails and flatters the skin tone nicely. It’s not too powdery in color like some pale pinks can be. Lasting power with the Nails Inc. Base + Top Coat was impressive. The top coat did indeed dry in 45 seconds although I did let the color dry for a couple minutes in between coats and about 5 minutes after the second coat. My manicure lasted 5 days before I started to see any tip wear. There was no flaking, chipping or peeling. The brush is on the medium to large side but slightly tapered making it easy to apply near the nail beds.

With two coats:

Judo Red is a warm orangey tomato red. On me the orange tones are visible enough that it looks like the perfect mix of orange and red. It reminds me of Chanel Holiday but with more opaque coverage and less of a jelly finish. I have this on the toes right now and it has held up really well over the past week. On the hands it’s pretty vibrant brightening color. Here it is with two coats:

I’m in the middle of working on major closet/makeup/storage reorganization so I didn’t have time to pull out polishes for comparisons. Several others have asked for my thoughts on these commenting they did not know if these were worth the purchase since the colors look so dupable. I agree with their assessment in the sense that these aren’t the most unique colors, you can definitely find others that are similar. I do think that the formula is impressive (and I have extremely high expectations when it comes to nail polish). Pale pinks are almost always hard for me to give a thumbs up to because I find the formulas streaky or colors too white in color. I did expect Bamboo White to be more of a white/cream color instead of pink – but the formula and coverage is really good so I am giving it a thumbs up.

I’ll be playing more with the Nails Inc. Base and Top Coats over the next few weeks to see how they work with other brands and give an updated review next month. So far I’m very impressed. I hope it’s compatible with other brands of polish because the wear on these manicures was crazy good.

Bottom line, if you’re looking for polished classic creams that have extremely good wear and long lasting power, the Victoria, Victoria Beckham x Nails Inc. Duo is worth a look. The formula and application are flawless. However if you’re looking for unique colors, you may want to pass.

I bought my polishes from Sephora. The collection is also available online at Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue (Saks promo online for a full-sized Brick Red polish with a $35+ order use code NAILS2 at checkout, while supplies last) and Nails Inc.
Have you tried anything from Nails Inc. before? What are your favorites?
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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer – Wine Not

January 28, 2015

Marc Jacobs Beauty recently released two new limited-edition Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquers in Wine Not and Milk ($18 each for 13 ml/0.43 oz). Today I have swatches to share of Wine Not which unfortunately looks like it’s sold out online right now. I am hoping it will be restocked soon because it’s drop dead gorgeous. (For reference, Milk is swatched here.)

Wine Not is a rich metallic berry that gives full opaque coverage with two coats. It has a mix of plum and red in it so depending on the angle the light hits it, this shade might look warm or cool. In natural light it’s a smooth metallic plum. In sunlight it glows.

With two coats you get full opaque coverage. The first coat is a bit sheer and looks dark but add a second coat and it transforms into a lovely berry with minimal visible brush strokes. I was really pleased with how smooth it went on the nail. For some reason this particular polish did seem to soak up the first layer of top coat I used (I used Chanel Laque Brilliance Extreme), I recommend you add two layers of top coat to make it shiny.

Swatch comparisons below show that Wine Not has a more metallic finish with a good mix of red and plum making it the perfect wine. You can definitely find similar colors but as shown below many others lack that red glow Wine Not has when you see it in sunlight.

Chanel Cosmic Violine (discontinued)
Chanel Tulipe Noire (discontinued)
Chanel Vamp (review here)
Dior Galaxie (discontinued, review)
Chanel Malice (discontinued, review)
Tom Ford Minx (discontinued)

In full sunlight it flashes more red/wine:

Marc Jacobs Beauty is gorgeous. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it will come back in stock online or eventually show up at Sephora. I’ve reached out to see if this will be restocked soon – I’ll update this post as soon as I have more information. In the meantime I hope the comparison swatches help in case you want something similar and have any of the other shades, you can shop your stash for now. Marc Jacobs Wine Not is currently exclusive online at Marc Jacobs Beauty. now available at Sephora.com.

What’s your favorite metallic plum/wine nail polish?

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Dior Vernis Kingdom of Colors – Lady and Glory Comparisons

January 26, 2015

I hope everyone had a great weekend! I was planning to upload swatch comparisons on the Dior Kingdom of Colors Spring 2015 Nail Polishes on Friday but took a few days off from blogging for a much-needed weekend break. As promised here are some comparisons for Dior Spring 2015 Vernis Gel Shine Nail Lacquers in Lady #294 and Glory #660. Both nail wheels have the same colors, just two different views for lighting:

Louboutin Madame Est Nue + Tres Decollete (swatched)
Dior Tra-La-La (review)
Dior Incognito (swatches)
Dior Lili (review)
Chanel Rose Cache (swatched)
Tom Ford Sugar Dune (discontinued, review here)
YSL Beige Leger (swatched)
Dior Star
Dior Wonderland (reviewed here)
Dior Lucky (older formula swatches, review)
Dior Pasteque (discontinued)
Chanel Tutti Frutti (review here)
Chanel Pink Tonic (reviewed here)

To me Dior Glory looks identical to my old Dior Lucky and very similar to other pinkish reds. I still love it but definitely think you can find similar colors. Dior Lady on the other hand is powder pink perfection. It’s not too dark, not too light, has full coverage and has just the right amount of cool/pink tones to make it look soft and feminine but not too pastel. I love how elegant and understated it is without being too neutral or nude.

In case you missed it, full review of Dior Lady and Glory (and the spring top coat) with swatches on the fingers here. You should be able to find the Dior Spring Collection at most counters now. I bought both of my polishes from Nordstrom. Also available online at at Neiman Marcus, Saks, Sephora, Bloomingdales and Dior.com.
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Dior Kingdom of Colors Spring 2015 – Blossoming Top Coat and Gel-Shine Nail Lacquer in Lady & Glory

January 23, 2015

Dior’s Spring 2015 collection is called the Kingdom of Colors. There are three new nail polishes with the collection including two new Gel-Shine Long Wear Nail Lacquers ($27 each) in Lady 294 and Glory 660 and a Blossoming Top Coat ($28). Every time I swatch a Dior nail polish I am always impressed by the formula. They’ve done a phenomenal job at creating an exquisite flawless finish and sometimes I don’t know why I use anything else. The two spring colors are stunning with full opaque and smooth coverage. The Top Coat has a clear base with tiny chunks of glitter particles in different shapes and sizes. It’s a really fun item to wear layered over other colors, but it’s just not me. More thoughts on this below.

First up is Lady #294. When I saw this online I suspected it might be very similar to Tra-La-La or Incognito, but it’s really quite different. When I swatched this color on the nails my first thought was “where has this color been all my life?!” It’s a stunning full coverage baby pink that has a hint of mauve and cool-tones in it. Pictures don’t do it justice – on the nails it’s a powder pink but not too powdery or pale and it’s super flattering for a clean polished look. This is definitely going on my backup list.

Glory #660 is a vibrant pink red with a tinge of coral. This has more of a slight jelly finish but still gives complete and full coverage on the nails with two coats. I have lots of other colors similar to this one, but I still think it’s perfect. That being said if you have a lot of warm pink/corals you may want to shop your stash and skip this one.

The Eclosion Top Coat is a party in a bottle. It’s a soft mix of pastel greens, yellow and white glitter particles in different shapes and sizes. The base is clear and the density of the glitters is on the medium side. As with many glitters that are suspended in a clear base, application can require some extra work to get it on the nail evenly. I swatched it below on top of both of the spring shades with two coats. It looks like I’m wearing a sprinkles cupcake on my fingers which is fun, but too much for my conservative makeup wearing/loving self.

I’ll have swatch comparisons loaded later this weekend (I’ll update this post). I’m still trying to find out where a couple of the shades I want to compare are. In the meantime I recommend you check out Color Me Loud’s post and comparison swatches.

Both Lady and Glory are stunning polishes for spring and year round. I would say if you have a lot of brighter summery shades, you may find Glory dupe-able or too similar to what you own. As for Lady, it think it’s absolutely perfect. After testing the top coat for a few days and wearing it around, I tried to see if it would grow on me. It’s so fun and pretty in the bottle I keep trying to love it and see how I can pull it off. I can’t help but feel it’s too trendy for me.

I bought my Dior Polishes at Nordstrom. Also available at Neiman Marcus, Saks, Sephora, Bloomingdales and all Dior counters.
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Chanel Collection Rêverie Parisienne Le Vernis in Tenderly, Paradisio and Désirio for Spring 2015

December 18, 2014

This week we are seeing the first signs of spring beauty. Chanel is first to release spring with their stunning Collection Rêverie Parisienne. I have the three new Spring 2015 Le Vernis ($27 each) shades to share with you in Tenderly 641, Paradisio 645 and Désirio 643. All three shades are incredibly beautiful and I’m completely in love. They are listed as limited-edition.

Paradisio 645 is a pale silvery green. It is a metallic shade with brush strokes that are slightly visible. This one has a slight jelly finish making it semi-sheer. There is a slight hint of tiny silver micro sparkles in it making me think of fairy dust when I apply this. Two coats applies smoothly. For more coverage a third coat makes the color more even and more visible. In the bottle it looks more green while on the nails it turns into a silvery champagne with a slight hint of green.

Tenderly 641 is a soft dusty purple. It’s also a semi-sheer color and for me this one is a three-coater. The jelly finish does give it a lush cushy look and with three coats you get a very glossy purple. There is a lightness to the color that makes it more spring-like compared to other purples like Chanel Paradoxal or Marc Jacobs Beauty Julia. However it’s not a pastel lilac which makes it more grown up looking.

Désirio 643 is a cool-toned fuchsia pink plum. It flashes hints of violet and blue but on the nails the shimmer isn’t visible. With a camera flash this one looks a lot brighter and turns pinkish. On the nails it’s more of a deeper mauve pink. 

Swatches with two views:

Here are some comparisons I pulled out to swatch:

NARS Disco Inferno (discontinued)
Dior Waterlily (discontinued)
Rescue Beauty Lounge Liberty (discontinued)
Chanel Skyline (discontinued, swatched here)
Tom Ford Black Sugar (discontinued, reviewed here)
Chanel Pulsion (discontinued)
Dior Front Row (reviewed here)

Quick peek from my Instagram:

I spotted the spring collection in store last weekend and it just launched online at Nordstrom and Chanel.com. I suspect it should be hitting all other counters in the US very soon (spring is usually released the week before Christmas). First thoughts are very good. I was underwhelmed by the Chanel holiday releases but the spring collection speaks to my heart. It’s very spring-like and feminine without being too pink or too pastel. I think it’s just perfect.

More from Chanel Spring 2015:

I hope to have the other items swatched and reviewed as soon as possible. Have you checked out the spring collection yet? What’s on your wish list?

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