It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

 

A tree goes up in the New York Public Library

New York City has turned into a holiday wonderland! Everywhere you turn, there are cheerful signs of the season with trees, garland, snowflakes, and lights on buildings and in stores.

A crane is needed for the Bloomberg Tower tree

The BIG tree has arrived in Rockefeller Center! Tomorrow night is the tree lighting ceremony - it will be broadcast at 7PM on NBC.

Back in early October, one of my first "Christmas is coming" encounters was when I spotted Revlon's holiday display of polishes at Bed Bath & Beyond. I chose Mistletoe, an evergreen shimmery shade with golden green glass flecks. Revlon mixed in just the right amount of blue to this green to create that familiar evergreen shade. This polish applied a bit gritty, but it wasn't anything Seche couldn't smooth over :)

Did you unpack your holiday decorations yet?

CQ Idyllic Changes Colors like the Fall Leaves

I hope you had a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving weekend! I returned to the city and found that everything has completely transitioned into the holidays. The leaves on the trees are almost all down but I do have some pictures to share of Central Park from two weeks ago, when the colors of the leaves were at their best.

I picked up a beautiful little duochrome nail polish at Rite Aide by CQ called Idyllic that reminds me very much of the fiery fall foliage. The color shift from shimmery rusty red to glowing burnt orange won me over in the bottle but even so, I took a chance picking this polish up. For $2.99, my expectations were low and I was prepared for streaky disappointment but I was pleasantly surprised that Idyllic applied smooth and even.

Bonus: the name of the color is printed on the label on the front :)

 

 

This is my first nail polish by CQ. Do you have any others to recommend?

Happy Thanksgiving

 

I hope you are having a wonderful Thanksgiving and are able to spend time with your families :) Enjoy these pictures from the 2010 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!

Getting Ready for the Thanksgiving Day Parade

Thanksgiving Eve, 2010

This afternoon, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons will be inflated on the Upper West Side at the Museum of Natural History. The event is free and open to the public, the entrance is at 79th St and Columbus Ave. For more information, check out Gothamist.

Will you be watching the parade on tv tomorrow?

Essie "Shine of the Times" - On Ice!

Have you ever ice skated outside? Feeling the crisp air and the sun shining down while you skate around is magical. There are several places in New York City to ice skate outdoors in the winter - if you have the chance, don't pass up this special experience :)

Also magical is Essie's flakie polish "Shine of the Times" from the new Luxeffects collection. As you move your hand to shift how light falls across your nails, "Shine of the Times" displays every color in the spectrum between a stunning coraly-red to a glowing cool green. I chose to layer it over "Cocktail Bling" and love how the color-morphing flakies illuminate against the subtle blue-grey.

What's different about this flakie polish from my Inglot and Nfu Oh flakies is that the pieces in "Shine of the Times" are smaller and more dense giving your nails an evenly textured glow.

One coat of "Shine of the Times" over "Cocktail Bling"


The red tones came through stronger in this picture

Essie makes beautiful pastels that would look fabulous with "Shine of the Times". I'd love to try "Shine of the Times" over Marshmallow, Lilacism, Playa del Platinum, and Mint Candy Apple. On the darker side, "Carry On" and "Limited Addiction" would also make a great team with "Shine of the Times".

I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of this color on nail polish blogs this winter and I sure am excited to see what pairings you will come up with!

Here are places in Manhattan where you can ice skate outside this winter:
Citi Pond at Bryant Park
Wollman Rink in Central Park
Rockefeller Center
Lasker Rink in Central Park

Sally Hansen "Glitz Gal" wants to be your BFF

From the new Sally Hansen "Gem Crush" collection, "Glitz Gal" and I bonded the moment I laid eyes on her. This pewtery-silver glitter is sprinkled with larger holo glitter pieces that really make this polish unlike any other. Update: China Glaze "Some Like it Haute" and Wet & Wild "Diamond in the Rough" look really, really similar! I imagine a polish packed with this much glitter and holo being enough to cause a cab to pull over for you without even needing to stick out your hand :)

Advertised as "full-cover glitter", coverage is even but not as opaque as Milani's one-coat glitters. The brush is flat and wide similar to the Nicole by OPI brushes without as sharp an angled point at the tip. To get the rich, pewter color without needing 4-5 coats, I searched my Helmer for a color that would match and chose the Butter London's metallic pewter polish "Chimney Sweep".

Two coats of Sally Hansen "Glitz Gal" over Butter London "Chimney Sweep"

I found "Glitz Gal" at Bed Bath & Beyond for $5.99. They also had "Showgirl Chic", "Cha-Ching", "Bling-tastic", and "Be-Jeweled". "Lady Luck", "Big Money" and "Razzle Dazzler" were already sold out! If you see this collection, don't hesitate to buy the polish that speaks to you :)

Have you seen the "Glitz Gal" collection in stores yet? Did any colors call your name? Hail a cab for you?

Field Trip: Joe Fresh (110 5th Avenue AKA the one with the nail polish)

Recently, the fantastically stylish and affordable clothing and accessory (including nail polish!) brand from Canada Joe Fresh opened in New York City. Last weekend I visited all three NYC locations. So far, only the 5th Ave location has polishes but all three stores are stocked full of style!

Just look at all these adorable little bottle! While there are no glitters, holos, flakies, or duochromes (no "Twilight"), Joe Fresh sure has COLOR covered.

The line up reminds me of the paint card selection at the hardware store - starting with white, every shade across the spectrum is represented ending with black.

Visit Joe Fresh in NYC at the following locations:
110 5th Avenue (between 16th and 17th St)
1055 Madison Ave (at 80th St)
215 West 34th St (between 7th and 8th Ave)

Joe Fresh nail polishes are $4 each or 3 for $10. Again, please note that right now only the 5th Ave location carries nail polish.

I wish Joe Fresh all the best in NYC and hope they are here to stay!

Now Open: Joe Fresh in NYC

It's here! The fantastically stylish and affordable clothing and accessory (including nail polish!) brand from Canada Joe Fresh has landed in NYC. At last those adorable little bottle of polish are available in the US!

Visit Joe Fresh in NYC at the following locations:

110 5th Avenue (between 16th and 17th St)
1055 Madison Ave (at 80th St)
215 West 34th St (between 7th and 8th Ave)

There are also Joe Fresh locations in the Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City, NY (on Long Island) and in the Bridgewater Commons Mall in Bridgewater, NJ.

I'm heading over to the new 34th Street store later today and can't wait to share pictures with you! Do you have any favorite Joe Fresh polishes you'd recommend?

*UPDATE: So far the only location with nail polish and cosmetics is the 110 5th Ave store.

Duri's New Twilight Inspired Polishes Want Your Love Forever

About three things I was absolutely positive.

First, Duri is a Brooklyn-based nail polish brand.

Second, there is a part of Duri, and I didn't know how dominant that part might be, that thirsts for a spot in my Helmer.

And third, I am unconditionally and irrevocably in love with Duri's new Twilight-inspired polishes.

With the movie release of "Breaking Dawn: Part 1" right around the corner, what better way to celebrate than by wearing some Twilight-inspired polishes on your nails! Brooklyn-based nail polish company Duri created three colors that beautifully capture the feeling and characters of the "Twilight" series. Seeing these three polishes together even reminds me of the book covers :)

"From Dusk Till Dawn" is the polish inspired by Bella Swan. This my favorite color of the collection and I really think it's the perfect Bella color. While Bella might not wear nail polish herself, she certainly can inspire a color. Duri describes "From Dusk Till Dawn" as "a deep and complex hue embodying Bella's inner confliction that combines dark fuchsia and a creamy texture with a semi-sheer finish". I didn't find this to be a sheer polish at all - "From Dusk Till Dawn" applied fantastic and was opaque in two coats.

What I love about "From Dusk Till Dawn" is that it transforms from a rich, brownish red to almost a berry plum depending on the lighting. I've actually been looking for this kind of nail polish color for quite some time and have accumulated many polishes I was hoping would be this shade but aren't. I giggled when I read Kari's review of this shade on her blog Once Bitten because she totally was thinking the same thing :) Congrats to Duri for creating such a complex shade!

Team Jacob will rally behind "Black Diamond". Duri describes this polish as "a black polish with a silver luster". While there is a tiny bit of silver shimmer in the bottle, it isn't outwardly noticeable on the nail, but it does contribute to the shine and depth of this polish. I used two coats of "Black Diamond" and am very pleased with how intense this black is!

Duri describes Edward Cullen's polish "Moonlight Glow" as "a glistening white with a hint of blue shimmer". Although using "Moon" in the name had me convinced this was Jacob's shade, it's fitting for Edward because of the cool, marble body author Stephanie Meyer describes him having. This polish reminds me of a very old and watery drugstore polish (that I might still have...), except that "Moonlight Glow" has a great formula and even coverage. 

Worn alone, "Moonlight Glow" is sheer, subtle and leaves your nails with a pearly blue glow. I wore three coats below.

While "Moonlight Glow" alone may be tame, adding only one coat over the polish of your choice is where this polish shines. Here is "Moonlight Glow" over "From Dusk Till Dawn" (yep, Edward + Bella). You can see here how even "Moonlight Glow" applies. This combination is excellent!

"Moonlight Glow" over "Black Diamond" creates a completely new shade. This combination looks like a glowing, metallic cobalt. "Moonlight Glow" does it's job so well here that I don't think I would have identified this manicure as a layering combo!

Duri's Twilight-themed collection is a big win - "From Dusk Till Dawn" is the color I've been searching for, "Black Diamond" is a rich black with a great formula, and "Moonlight Glow" opens the door for fantastic layering combinations. Also... I've said it before, but I really love small collections. I also love themed collections :)

Duri polishes are $5.00. I've seen Duri at Optima Beauty Supply on 22 John Street in downtown Manhattan. As Duri is a Brooklyn-based brand, I was told they are available at many Brooklyn beauty supply stores! I did a quick Google search for 'beauty supply store Brooklyn' and was SO excited with what I found... I can't wait to go exploring!

Duri polishes are used at the following salons in NYC:

Avalon
112 Christopher Street, 212-337-1966

Fifi Salon
47 West 57th Street, 212-581-6430

Gideon's Nails
1385 Broadway, 646-404-2186

Lia Schorr Skin Care
686 Lexington Avenue, 212-486-9670

Soho Sanctuary
119 Mercer Street, 212-334-5550

You can also shop online: www.duri.com. All Duri nail products are completely safe, environmentally-friendly and free from DBP, TOLUENE and FORMALDEHYDE.

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Read my disclosure policy here.

Behind the Scenes at OPI on the Today Show

OPI was featured on the Today Show last Friday! This short segment goes behind the scenes at OPI and shares how they pick those great nail polish names :) If you haven't seen this clip yet, it's GREAT. Enjoy!

Where to Find Color Club Nail Polish in New York City

Yes, Color Club nail polishes can be found in New York City! It's been my experience that Bed Bath & Beyond carries the largest selection of core polishes but they do not consistently receive the latest collections. Essentials and Essentials Plus are the best bets if you're looking for a new collection, and sometimes you might be lucky enough to come across a polish or two from an older collection you've been searching for!

Color Club nail polish is sold at the following locations in New York City:

Beauty 35 - supply is inconsistent but do check in the clearance bin
505 8th Ave (corner of 35th St and 8th Ave)

Bed Bath & Beyond
Chelsea: 620 Sixth Ave between 18th and 19th St
TriBeca: 270 Greenwich St btw Warren & Murray St
Upper East Side: 410 East 61st Street and 1st Avenue
Queens (Bulova): 72-15 25th Avenue, East Elmhurst, NY 11370
*Please note that the Lincoln Center location does not carry nail polish

CLIO Beauty Supply (Queens)
75-17 Roosevelt Avenue

Essentials Closed
123 5th Ave (between 19th and 20th St)

Essentials Plus - selection varies and is not consistently available
2259 Broadway (between 80 and 81st St)

Good Buy - not consistently available
1299 1st Ave (corner of 70th St)

Rite Aide - various

TJ Maxx - selection varies and is not consistently available
Upper East Side Bridgemarket: 407 East 59th St (on 1st Ave)
Columbus Circle: 250 West 57th St (on 8th Ave)
Upper West Side: 808 Columbus Ave (at 97th St)
Chelsea: 620 6th Ave (between 18th and 19th St)
Financial District:14 Wall Street

*Last updated 04/17/13

Where to Shop Map
What is this all about? Introducing the Where to Shop by Brand Guide

A "Cool" Polish for NYC Snow-tober

 

Last Saturday, NYC and the tri-state area received a good bit of snow. Usually the first snow of the season is marked by spotting a few lone flakes, so it came as a complete surprise when the temperature plummeted and slush actually stuck to the ground. Who would have thought that shoveling snow and salting the roads would be on the list of things to do Halloween weekend? And if you live around NYC, go ahead and say "that's nothing you should have seen it here" because I've seen pictures of the snow on the news... yikes!

 

 

I love the ad on the taxi that says "Grenada"... I want to go to there!

Maybelline "Cool Couture" is a smokey slate shade with a touch of glowing blue shimmer. "Cool Couture" actually reminds me of the blue version of Chanel "Paradoxal", if the reference helps :) My experiences with the Maybelline brush haven't been exceptional - I found the brush stiff and thin, and that it spreads out only once you're about done painting your nails (see some "vintage" - joking - swatches here). But after seeing an amazing swatch of this shade on The PolishAholic, I decided that this color is worth it.

"Cool Couture" was part of the Fall 2011 collection called "Scene on the Runway" and I found it at Rite Aide.