KOTD: ChG Jitterbug with Pink and Black Leopard

Yesterday, I realized it's been months since I've done a konad, so I decided to give myself a bit of a challenge, use all the colors in the new ChG Vintage Vixen collection in konad designs, either as the base or as the stamper.  Here's the first one:

This is ChG Jitterbug as a base with Migi black as the leopard stamp from plate m57 and I used to pink striper to accent the leopard design.  I'm not too happy with the pink spots, but this is my first time doing this type of design, so I was a bit unsure of how to go about it.  I definitely plan on practicing, because I love the effect in other pics I've seen.

China Glaze Vintage Vixen Collection

I recently received China Glaze Vintage Vixen to review. I was so excited to try this collection and let me tell you… it certainly did not disappoint. Opening up the box was like Christmas for me. Each color had me oohing and aahing at the bottle, and I couldn’t wait to get them on my nails.

Here are the color descriptions from China Glaze:
Riveter Rouge – Deep red shimmer
Foxy – Burgundy frost with shimmer
Goin’ My Way – Brown frost with copper shimmer
Classic Camel – Khaki crème with gold micro glitter
Swing Baby – Taupe frost with silver micro glitter
Ingrid – “Greige” crème with copper micro glitter
Hey Doll – Rose frost with shimmer
Bogie – Plum frost with shimmer
First Class Ticket – Deep purple frost with shimmer
Midnight Mission – Navy blue frost with silver micro glitter
Emerald Fitzgerald – Turquoise green frost with shimmer
Jitterbug – Grey chrome with silver micro glitter

Classic Camel – I think of all the colors, I was actually the most excited about trying this one. I know that seems a little odd, but as beautiful as the reds, greens, and blues sounded (and looked in other swatches), the neutrals in this collection are the real stand-outs, and Classic Camel was no exception. It doesn’t photograph all that well, to be honest. It looks like a weird mustard color with gold micro glitter. However, in person, it’s gorgeous. It’s a very wearable khaki crème with lots of golden micro-shimmer. It doesn’t work all that well with my pink skintone, but I still see myself wearing this in the fall/winter. I had a bit of a wonky brush, so my application wasn't near perfect, but the formula itself seemed fine. It took 3 coats to reach opacity, but that also could be because it was hard to get the color even with the crazy brush.

Ingrid – When I hear “greige”, I immediately think of something a bit lighter. So, I was a bit surprised to see this one in person. The base is a gorgeous murky color that I’m having some difficulty in describing. It’s definitely grey, and beige, but it also has a lot of olive green thrown in the mix. It’s swampy and gorgeous. LOL. The shimmer is beautiful coppery-gold. Picture is 2 coats and there were no application issues.

Swing Baby – I know China Glaze calls this one a “taupe frost with silver micro glitter”, but IMO, this is a muted gold foil, and would fit in perfectly with Orly’s Foil FX collection. It’s a gold that actually works with my skin tone. The formula was a bit on the thinner side, but not hard to work with. Picture is 3 coats.

Goin’ My Way – is a warm, spicy, deep golden-brown frost with copper shimmer. The shimmer is not very pronounced in this polish, unlike a few others in this collection. While it’s not what I consider to be a typical frost nail polish, you will get brushstrokes with this one. They aren’t bad, however, and do work with the color and finish of this polish. This is another gorgeous fall/winter color. Picture is 2 coats and there were no application issues.

Hey Doll – For me, this is one of the more unique colors in the collection. The base is a brown-pink shimmer, and it is a bit frosty, so there will probably be brushstrokes, but like with Goin’ My Way, for this particular polish, it works. The base is beautiful, and incidentally, save for the shimmer, the same color as my bathroom shower curtain, and walls, but what makes this color so unique is the silver micro-shimmer flecks. You don’t even realize they are there in the bottle, but once you put the polish on, they are mesmerizing. The formula was a bit thin and yet thick all the same time, so I had to be sure to use 3 coats to reach opacity.

Bogie – is a grey-out, deep plum shimmer. Basically, if gunmetal grey and plum had a baby, it’d be this color. The finish on this one is very similar to Hey Doll. However, the micro shimmer, while pretty in shades of red, blue, and silver, is not nearly as pronounced as the micro shimmer in Hey Doll. This one had great application. It was almost opaque at one coat, though I had to do 2 to cover a few thin spots. BTW, for the names alone, if someone feels the need to do an Ingrid/Bogie konad, I think that would be totally awesome! I may just have to do that. LOL.

Riveter Rouge – After swatching about half of the collection, this color was a breath of fresh air. It’s definitely the brightest color in the collection, and if you are a lover of red shimmers, it’s a must. The red shimmer base leans slightly pink, but it’s most certainly a red. Like Hey Doll, it’s the micro shimmer that sets this one apart. It’s pink, gold, and silver. It’s a very sexy color, and I have a feeling my sister (who stole my Ruby Pumps) is going to be eyeing this one as well. I may have to hide it. LOL. While this is a fall collection, this is one that is wearable now. It would look amazing as a summer pedi color. I had no application issues. This one was perfect at 2 coats, though I applied 3 for some reason.

Foxy – is the second of the 2 reds in this collection, and while China Glaze describes it as burgundy, it seems more coppery to me than a traditional burgundy. The shimmer is gold and in some lights, I think I see green shimmer, too, though that could be my mind playing tricks on me. This color makes me want to jump into fall. I had no application issues. Picture is 2 coats.

Jitterbug –  Like Swing Baby, this one would fit in perfectly with the Orly Foil FXs. The color on this one is so unique. It’s a slightly-blue, gunmetal grey foil with silver shimmer. Also like Swing Baby, the formula was thin. I had to use 3 coats to reach opacity. The application was very smooth.

Midnight Mission – this is another one that I was very excited to try. And, the color did not disappoint. It’s a gorgeous, deep blue, glass-flecked shimmer. That said, as fantastic as the color was, the application was the most troublesome of all the polishes in the collection. The formula was very thick, so thin coats may be the way to go. You could also add some thinner to it. However, if you are a blue lover, don’t let the thickness of the formula dissuade you; while the formula is irksome, the color more than makes up for it. Picture is 2 coats.

Emerald Fitzgerald – is the green counterpart to BB Couture Blue Bahama’s blue. It’s a teal green shimmer, and as it’s labeled as a “frost” by China Glaze, there is a bit of brushstrokeyness to it. But again, it’s not much and it only adds to the finish of the polish. This one had a great formula. No issues and picture is 2 coats.

First Class Ticket – Don’t let my picture fool you. This is as blue IRL. Instead, it’s a gorgeous deep purple shimmer which could be included with the likes of Essie Viva La Vespa, Essie Sexy Divide, and the new BB Couture Huckleberry Martini. However, it’s the shimmer in this one that makes it unique. It’s a beautiful bright blue and definitely stands out in this polish. Again, it’s labeled as a frost, but there were no brushstrokes in this one. The formula was a bit on the thicker side, but nowhere near as thick as Midnight Mission. Application was fine and picture is 2 coats.



So it should come to no surprise to you when I say I love, love, love this collection. It’s a great combination of reds, neutrals, darks, and different finishes, and it is very invocative of fall. China Glaze really knocked out of the park, IMO. There were a couple of formulas that were iffy, Midnight Mission is the main one that comes to mind. Also several of these were labeled as “frost”, though they aren’t your traditional-make-everyone’s-hands-look-like-you-are-95 frosts, and any brushstrokes you get simply add to the finish of the polish. And while I have my favorites, Ingrid, Riveter Rouge, Jitterbug, and Midnight Mission (for color only), there isn’t a single one I wouldn’t recommend.

China Glaze Vintage Vixen is due to hit US retailers in July.

These were sent to me for review.

OPI Hong Kong Collection

I recently had the chance to review OPI's Spring 2010 Hong Kong collection.  I swatched these polishes while I was struggling with my new camera, so some of the shots are good and some are not so much.  I meant to re-do these, but I wanted to go on and post this collection while it was still relevent.  If anyone wants me to reswatch something so you can see it a little better, please ask.  I also swatched some on my rarely-seen right hand as I had a nail I was babying (it's since been chopped off). 

Hot & Spicy – Unlike most orange-based corals, this one actually worked with my skintone, and I rather like this one on, unlike say, ChG High Hopes. If you were like me and High Hopes didn’t work for you, check out Hot & Spicy. They are similar colors (hopefully comp pic to come soon), but Hot & Spicy is about 2 shades lighter, a little less bright, and a lot more compatible with pink-based skin. Pic is 3 coats and I didn’t have any application issues, other than a wonky brush.

Bling Dynasty – Gold is one of those impossible colors for me. I keep trying to find the perfect one, and I’ll think I’ve found it, only for it to not work with my skin, just like all the others. This one is a bit of an exception, because I do like it on me. This one is definitely more mustard than a straight-up metallic gold. It almost looks like they took the tone of grainy mustard, made it metallic, and threw in some pink and green shimmer. Even though I do like it, it’s not the most wearable of colors for me. I would probably be more apt to wear it in the winter. However, I think this would look amazing with a tan. Pic is 2 coats and there were no application issues.

Jade is the New Black – This is one of the 2 colors of this collection I owned prior to being sent this to review (with Suzi Says Feng Shui being the other). I loved it before and I love it now. It’s a medium-toned, green cream, which reminds me of Misa DSM’s darker, less dusty cousin. This is one of the stand-outs from this collection. Pic is 2 coats and I had no issues with application.

Suzi Says Feng Shui – Ah. If you have read my little blog for any length of time, you know that I love blue polishes, especially medium-toned blue crèmes, like this one. And this one has to be one of my favorites. In my collection, this one is very similar to another recent OPI, Ogre-the-Top Blue. However, this one is a bit darker and a bit dustier. Hopefully, I will get a comp pic for you soon. Pic is 2 coats and there were no issues.

Red My Fortune Cookie – What would an OPI collection be without a red? Like it or not, you have to admit if there is one thing OPI does well, it’s their reds. This one is no exception. In fact, it’s risen to be one of top reds in my collection. This one reminded me of about 3 different things. At first, I wanted to say that it’s a very retro red, and it is. But, due to the extremely glossy finish, it’s very reminiscent of red Chinese lacquer.  Pic is 3 coats and I had VNLs at 2.  No app issues.

A Good Man-darin is Hard to Find – Perhaps I’m overthinking the name, but Man-darin, to me, other than simply being a pun, would indicate an orange; more specifically, the color of mandarin oranges. This color technically is an orange, but it’s more of a red-orange. In fact, if you were to open up a box of 64 Crayolas and find orange-red it would look like this. I love the color. Normally, orange based reds (or red based oranges) look like crap on me. My skin is just too pale and they look too stark. However, this one is perfect. The finish, like Red My Fortune Cookie, is very glossy. Pic is 2 coats, and there were no app issues.

Dim Sum Plum – I know this kind of color has been making the rounds with the various manufacturers/collections, but for some reason, I don’t own any. In fact, the only color in my collection that I think would come close would maybe be OPI Miami Beet, but it’s much darker. There may be an untried from OPI Spain, but I can’t think of it off the top. DSP is a medium-toned, slight dusty berry/plum shade (though I think it’s more berry than plum). Either way, it’s beautiful, if a little non-original. Pic is 2 coats and again, no app issues.

Meet Me on the Star Ferry – I’m not sure how I feel about this color. It’s a slightly deepened, dusty plum metallic shimmer (I think this one is much more plummy than DSP). It has the same pink and green shimmer as Bling Dynasty. It’s a very pretty color, but for some reason, it wasn’t hitting any high notes with me. I think I’m going to have to wear it as a full mani before I can decide. 2 coats/no app issues.  UPDATE - I did wear this as a full mani after I wrote this but before I posted and I did like it better for a full mani.

Panda-monium Pink – This is another shade that’s becoming more and more popular right now among np manufacturers. Both ChG and CC have similar shades in recent collections. It’s a milky baby pink with that leans slightly lavender. It’s very pretty in the bottle and it looks nice on the nail, but the application was a pain. It took 3 coats to reach opacity and due to the streakiness, it was a little hard to deal with, but nothing unmanageable if you like the color.

Chop-Sticking to My Story – According to my husband, this was the best name of the bunch. Unfortunately, I just wasn’t excited about this color. In the bottle, it looked to be of the OPI and Apple Pie/Ginger Bells variety that looked like crap on almost everyone. But on the nail… it’s so pretty. Sure, it’s not very spring/summery, but it’s unique shade of nutmeg brown with a bit of red thrown in. I don’t know how much I’d wear it now, but I will certainly wear it in the fall. This one was opaque at one coat, though I did 2 and there were no issues.

Pearl of Wisdom – There is no better way to describe this one other than mother of pearl. It’s a pink/white duochrome with a slight green flash. It also has tons of multi-color micro-shimmer. It’s a beautiful color, but it’s extremely sheer and there is no way, other than wearing it over white, that it will reach opacity. Pic is 3 coats and I could have done more. No app issues.

Lucky Lucky Lavender – Though it doesn’t show in the picture, this one is definitely more mauve than lavender. It’s the darker version of Panda-monium Pink. Unlike PP this one had no application issues and was opaque in 2 coats.

All in all, I like this collection.  Jade is the New Black and Suzi Says Feng Shui are favorites, as was Hot & Spicy and Chop-sticking to my Story (total surprise).

I know OPI is becoming scarce at etailers, especially for discounted prices, but you can still find them at (until they are gone) at TD and on eBay.  Of course, you can also find them for retail prices at brick and mortar stores and online.

These were sent to me for review