In Decemeber 2010, Ji put out a call to action to her beloved ReBeLs, giving them the opportunity to submit their fantasy nail polish color for the chance of seeing it come to life. After narrowing down the submissions to a final eleven, fans voted for the winners who had the opportunity to work closely with Ji as she painstakingly crafted their dream shades. Thirteen months later, Danielle, Kay-Di Kat, Neeta and Nora are seeing their visions come to life as The Fan Collection.

Formula & Application: Rescue Beauty Lounge nail polish is 4-Free (includes formaldehyde resin). The square glass bottles are thick enough to feel sturdy but thin enough to properly show off the color. The smooth brushed metal cap is easy to hold and polish with while the brush is round, of average length and on the thicker side. It’s a bit more flexible than most which makes application a breeze.

Unfortunately due to a lab error, the samples I received are not in Ji’s stellar formula so it’s hard for me to comment on the application though the pigmentation was definitely up to Ji’s strict standards. Each lacquer applied in two flawless coats with the exception of IKB:2012 which is a jelly and needed three coats to become opaque.

Halcyon: Danielle’s dream color is a soft, sage green with a pink glimmer of brilliant reflective shine, just like when the morning dew tenderly kisses a succulent plant. The beauty of succulents keeps her calm and serene.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Halcyon is exactly what I imagined it to be. A muted sage green that has a kick of mint in its undertone that feels fresh and Spring-y.  The soft pink flecks tend to disappear when you aren’t in direct light making the color somewhat chameleon-esque.

Cuprum (Cu): The metamorphic moment when the presence of ammonia meets copper (II) transforms into a radiant blue. Cuprum is Latin for copper, and the dual nature of this element is what Neeta wanted to capture in a bottle.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Cuprum is the shade I was most curious to see come to fruition. Naturally when I think of blue with copper flecks, I can’t help but envision the polish I created with Celebrity Manicurist Elle for Barielle’s All Lacquered Up collection, Falling Star. I couldn’t wait to see what Neeta’s version would look like. The electric blue base is a bit frosty but really vibrant, pictures don’t do it justice. The copper flecks are very small and more pink than I would have expected. They don’t make as much of an appearance on the nail as they do in the bottle. You really need direct light to bring them to life.

Aqua Lilly: A few years ago, I was lucky enough to visit the Kuda Huraa Island of the Maldives. The turquoise water is a crystal-clear sea green and what really had me spellbound was that it reflected a shimmery-pink hue from the shedding scales of the colorful, vivid, and exotic tropical fish. This color is Kay-Di Kat’s homage to her beloved mom, Lily, an Aquarius who swims like an enchanting mermaid. I imagine Lily swimming in this paradise with its mesmerizing water in the Island of the Maldives

Rescue Beauty Lounge Aqua Lilly is the big surprise of this collection. I have what seems like a trillion turquoise nail polishes so I wasn’t expecting to be wowed by Aqua Lilly but it totally caught me off guard. It ended up being my favorite shade of the collection. The base color is a kicked up version of butter LONDON Artful Dodger, vivid and bright with this shock of hot pink shimmer that illuminates the color is a really spectacular way. It’s a stunner that really needs to be seen in person.

IKB: 2012: A bright, vibrant, electric blue with blurple (blue-purple) in a jelly finish, hence, the creation of the most densely pigmented jelly-like finish I’ve ever made. Nora’s endless search for that Yves Klein signature blue (International Klein Blue) is finally over.

Rescue Beauty Lounge IKB:2012 is BLUE. Just in case that’s not clear… it’s REALLY REALLY BLUE. This is the most pigmented jelly polish I’ve ever seen. It’s like lightning struck RBL Dead Calm. It’s blue on steroids. Now I’ve never heard of Yves Klein before this, I’m just not that hip, but I love blue (almost) as much as green and I’ve never seen a nail color quite like this. Again, this color was really hard to capture in its true intensity. For one, the VNL (visible nail line) is nonexistent in real life. Secondly, it’s darker and even more in-your-face. I did have issues with streaks during application but I’m sure that will be resolved when the lab fixes the formula issues.

Bottom Line: It’s hard for me to critique this collection as they are someone’s dream and I know the passion, sweat and tears that must have gone into these colors. They are all lovely and I’m sure all of them will have their own fan base. However, I know budgets are tight so if I had to choose two I would splurge on Aqua Lilly and IKB:2012.

Rescue Beauty Lounge “The Fan Collection” will launch in April 2012. Starting with this collection, RBL nail polishes will now retail for $20/ea. and are available exclusively at RescueBeauty.com. Join the RBL VIP email list to be notified of pre-sale dates.

Recently Ji announced the unfortunate but necessary price increase for her nail polishes. You can read the full story HERE. While we all hate paying more, this was something Ji has been wrestling with for a long time now. She hasn’t raised her price since founding RBL while other brands have increased every couple years. I respect that Ji hasn’t sacrificed quality in order to keep her costs down and I hope that you will too.

So now I’m going to turn the tables on you. Which Fan Collection colors are your must-haves? Did they turn out how you expected based on the original descriptions? Are you loving the blue/green overload as much as I am?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by Rescue Beauty Lounge. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

Each year Jump Back Ball has a different theme and for its 21st birthday it was, “Through The Looking Glass.” Can you think of anything more fun than an Alice In Wonderland themed ball? Being that this was my first time attending, I was ecstatic. Of course that means finding the right dress/shoes/accessories and coming up with a hair, makeup and nail concept. Oh what fun!

In the past dress shopping has been a horrifying thought. No one loves dressing room lighting but being a plus size woman has its own set of challenges.  Though thanks to my continued journey with Weight Watchers, it was a lot more fun this time around. As of this past weekend I have officially said goodbye (for good) to 50 pounds and while out shopping for JBB I bought my first dress without a “W” attached to the size in over a decade.

I stumbled across this Tadashi Shoji creation at Nordstrom Rack and I can’t believe I almost didn’t try it on. Thanks to my virtual shopping buddy Shibani, aka CLE’s Tim Gunn, she gave me the confidence to bring it home and I’m so glad she did.

The BF and I. Yes, he is wearing a mini hat. All his idea. Found on Etsy.

Shibani, me and Christina at the VIP pre-party

One of the coolest things about JBB is that some people come in black-tie and others take the theme to heart and go all out in costume. There was a woman wearing a full suit of armor, men decked out in Mad Hatter garb, and even a dude dressed in Ralphie’s pink bunny outfit from Aunt Clara (below). What’s crazy is you can’t tell who is a guest and who is a paid performer, with the exception of the stilt walker.

I was very honored when my pal Shibani named me one of her “best dressed” of the night. That’s never been me before. Personally I think her and her hubs were the best dressed couple of the night. He went all out on his Gangs of New York look; monocle, top hat and all. Plus, Shibani was rocking a gorg frock in my fave color which happened to be an infinity dress. Love the versatility.

1. Shibani and “N” 2. me and the pink bunny 3. Christina, Allison and Danielle 4. Lzone robot-ing with Seanski

It was an amazing night filled with too many cocktails, delicious food, dancing and friends. I’m already looking forward to next year.

Of course, all this leads back to nail polish. After I found the dress and black patent peep-toe heels that were actually comfortable, I created a little Man Repeller style “arm party” with graphite colored bangles and bracelets including this gem from Alexis Bittar. And I’m an idiot with dramatic makeup and hair styling so I went to the MAC counter at Nordies and had my hair guru Shannon at John Roberts create my side swept ‘do. I even got a spray tan. But what to do with my nails?

My first thought was the OPI Alice In Wonderland collection but I really wanted something vampy.  I didn’t want a creme but I also didn’t want a ton of sparkle, just something subtle that complimented the color of my dress.

That led me to Rescue Beauty Lounge Black Russian.  This mixture of plummy, almost-black creme and red micro-glitter was the perfect choice. The glitter does leave the polish with some texture but a spackle coat of Gelous before my beloved Prolana Quick & Slick was all it took.

Though after seeing this tutorial from The Beauty Department, I thought adding a heart, for The Queen of Hearts, might be fun. Then Anna from Glitter She Wrote linked me to her scotch tape version. Gah, brilliant! I don’t use scotch tape much so it didn’t even occur to me.

The only bummer is I practiced this a few days before the event and it turned out perfect. This is my trial below using Milani One Coat Glitter in Red Sparkle. On the actual day, of course, I messed up the heart and didn’t have time to fix it so I ended up with a glitter accent nail on my ring finger. I even tried it again on my thumb only to end up with glitter thumbs as well. Ah, best laid plans.

Despite my lack of heart, I loved how my overall look came together and the event was a blast. I equate it to adult prom and since I was very anti-prom and serious relationships and anything that deterred me from my collegiate dreams, when I was a teen, I guess this fulfilled that silly notion that everyone should experience a prom.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Black Russian retails for $18/ea and can be purchased at RescueBeauty.com. Milani One Coat Glitters are available at drugstores and mass retailers nationwide and online at MilaniCosmetics.com and CherryCulture.com. Milani nail polishes retail for$4.99/ea.

What nail color would you have selected for my Jump Back Ball look? Do you have RBL Black Russian? If not, do you plan to pick up a bottle? Outside of scotch tape and using a toothpick do you have a fool-proof way of creating nail art hearts?

Disclosure: I purchased all the items and services featured in this post. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

Keep reading for the official rules and how to enter…

Use the form below to enter. Answering the question will earn you two entries into the giveaway. Entering the giveaway using Facebook and Twitter will earn you up to an additional five entries. May the odds be ever in your favor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The approximate value of the prize is $84.00. This prize is non-transferable. There are no cash or other substitutes of prizes by winner. All Lacquered Up reserves the right to substitute similar prizes of equal or greater value in the event the above prize is unavailable for any reason. Individual, parent, or legal guardian of the winner is solely responsible for all applicable federal, state and local taxes with respect to the grand prize. Prize will be mailed to the winner’s physical mailing address. Please allow six (6) to eight (8) weeks for delivery.

By entering or accepting the prize in this contest, winner agrees to be bound by these Official Rules, Terms, and Conditions and to conform to all federal, state and local laws and regulations.

No purchase necessary to enter or win. This contest runs from February 21st, 2012 through February 27th, 2012 at 12:01AM EST.

Eligibility

This contest is open to US residents only unless prohibited by their local state. Prizes won by minors will be awarded to their parent or legal guardian on their behalf. For reference, the age of majority is 18 years old in the United States, with the exception of Alabama (19), Delaware (19), Mississippi (21), and Nebraska (19). The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.

How to Win

Two (2) winners will be selected through a random drawing from all eligible entries after contest closes. In the event that the original winners do not meet eligibility requirements or he/she forfeits the prize, the prize may be awarded to the next randomly drawn eligible participant. All entries must be received on or before February 27th, 2012 at 12:01AM EST. The winners will be notified via e-mail or message (as applicable). Winners will have 48 hours to claim prize after initial notification. If winner fails to claim within 48 hours, an alternative winner may be selected.

Even though we don’t celebrate the holiday, like most men, the BF really loves the color red, especially on nails. As you know, the official colors for today, red and pink, aren’t exactly faves of mine but I may as well indulge him, right? And Milani just happens to have perfect budget-friendly reds to get the job done.

New shades from the Milani High Speed Fast Dry and Jewel FX lines paired with a One Coat Glitter will send Cupid’s arrow straight to your lover’s heart. Or make you the envy of your BFFs when you go out to celebrate the joy of being single.

Side note: There is one thing I look forward to every VDay. My friend HisA sends out an annual email to her girlfriends on this day to share what the past year has taught her about life and love and loving herself as a woman, relationship or not. It’s an amazing gift and something I encourage all of you to do.

Formula & Application: Milani nail polishes are 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin). The bottles have a tapered, shiny plastic cap with a long, thick, round brush. The round brushes on Milani polishes are bigger than most and combined with the flexible bristles they allow for optimal coverage of the nail plate. The High Speed Fast Dry line sports a wide flat brush that is pretty dense and thick. It really holds the polish and covers the nail plate though people with narrow nail beds might find it a bit too big.

The only downside of the One Coat Glitter it that it’s kind of thick so it just of plops on the nail which doesn’t really allow for phenomenal control but glitters are pretty forgiving so any uneven brush strokes around the cuticle aren’t noticeable. Regarding the “one coat” coverage promise, Milani comes close but doesn’t quite hit the mark. The first coat definitely covers better than most glitter polishes but it’s not completely opaque. Applying two thin-medium coats will give the best results.

The High Speed Fast Dry formula really impressed me. It’s so packed with pigment that I thought the bottle was a solid color, not glass. That does make the polish a bit thicker in feel but it’s not gloppy so you can easily control it. The bottle claims a one coat application, 60 second dry time and high gloss finish. It lived up to the one coat claim and while it was mostly dry after a minute, I wouldn’t go reaching in my purse. The finish was a bit more dull than I expected but it’s nothing a top coat can’t remedy.

Milani High Speed Fast Dry Rapid Cherry is a super pigmented, blue-based red creme. As the name implies it has a maraschino cherry hue that is very true to the bottle color. Even though I don’t wear this type of shade very often, a one-coat red nail polish is pretty impressive.

Now I couldn’t let this manicure fly without a touch of glam and I’m a fan of the accent nail so I debated between Milani One Coat Glitter Red Sparkle and Jewel FX Red. Ultimately I liked the evenness of the one coat glitter. It feels a bit more chic and subtle even though it’s full coverage. Application tip: This polish eats top coat so I used a spackle coat of Gelous underneath since I don’t use thick, quick dry top coats.

Though because I just had to know what Milani Jewel FX Red would look like on my nail, I added a coat to my thumb. It’s a clear-based red glitter with big hexagonal sequins that look pretty identical to Deborah Lippmann Do Ya Think I’m Sexy. They just aren’t as dense. It’s hard to evenly place this type of glitter and that’s why Little Miss Meticulous over here prefers something more uniform like the One Coat Glitter formula.

Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a fab one coat red, jump on Rapid Cherry even if red isn’t your thing. You should also check out the rest of the High Speed Fast Dry line while you’re at it. The One Coat Glitters are totally my jam, I love them ALL, but if you prefer something more fun and carefree, the Jewel FX will do you right. They’re not ideal for full coverage as you need a lot of coats but for layering, totally party worthy.

Milani High Speed Fast Dry, Jewel FX and One Coat Glitter nail polishes are available at drugstores nationwide and online at MilaniCosmetics.com and CherryCulture.com. Milani nail polishes retail for$4.99/ea for a .5oz bottle.

Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day with your sweetie or are you anti-VDay? What colors make up your ultimate sexy red manicure? Do you plan to pick up any of these Milani shades? Who else is loving the High Speed Fast Dry line?

Disclosure: I purchased the Milani One Coat Glitter. The rest are product samples provided by Milani. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

It’s all part of my 5 year blogiversary celebration, which was delayed due to my back injury. After five years with the same look, a makeover was definitely in order. I hope you love it as much as I do.

Now on to the awards. A record number of you took the time to vote for your favorite nail products of 2011 and I can’t thank you enough. With over 4,000 responses there were some nail biters and some clear favorites that smashed the competition. Keep reading to see if your favorites came out on top.

Favorite Nail Polish Color – 2011 Release

Winner: Chanel Peridot
1st Runner Up: OPI Warm & Fozzie
2nd Runner Up: TIE – Cult Nails Clairvoyant & OPI Teenage Dream

Favorite Nail Polish Collection – 2011 Release

Winner: Zoya Smoke & Mirrors
1st Runner Up: OPI Muppets
2nd Runner Up: OPI Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Favorite 2011 Nail Trend

Winner: Flakies
1st Runner Up: Accent/Statement Nail
2nd Runner Up: Chunky Glitters

Favorite Celebrity Nail Trendsetter

Winner: Katy Perry
1st Runner Up: Zooey Deschanel
2nd Runner Up: Lauren Conrad

Favorite Nail Polish Color of All Time

Winner: China Glaze For Audrey
1st Runner Up: Deborah Lippmann Across The Universe
2nd Runner Up: China Glaze Ruby Pumps

Favorite Nail Polish Collection of All Time

Winner: China Glaze OMG
1st Runner Up: OPI Russia
2nd Runner Up: OPI Burlesque

Favorite Salon/Professional Nail Polish Brand

Winner: OPI
1st Runner Up: China Glaze
2nd Runner Up: Zoya

Favorite Drugstore/Mass Retail Nail Polish Brand

Winner: Sally Hansen
1st Runner Up: Revlon
2nd Runner Up: Nicole by OPI

Favorite Department Store/Luxury Nail Polish Brand

Winner: butter LONDON
1st Runner Up: Deborah Lippmann
2nd Runner Up: Chanel

Favorite Boutique/Indie Nail Polish Brand

Winner: A-England
1st Runner Up: Cult Nails
2nd Runner Up: Lynderella

Favorite Base Coat

Winner: Orly Bonder
1st Runner Up: OPI Original Nail Envy
2nd Runner Up: CND Stickey

Favorite Top Coat

Winner: Seche Vite
1st Runner Up: Essie Good To Go
2nd Runner Up: Sally Hansen Insta Dri

Favorite Nail Polish Remover

Winner: 100% Pure Acetone (any brand)
1st Runner Up: Zoya Remove+
2nd Runner Up: Cutex

Favorite Cuticle Product (Remover, Treatment, etc)

Winner: Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme
1st Runner Up: LUSH Lemony Flutter
2nd Runner Up: Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover

Favorite Creme Finish Nail Polish Color

Winner: China Glaze For Audrey
1st Runner Up: OPI You Don’t Know Jacques
2nd Runner Up: OPI Jade Is The New Black

Favorite Shimmer Finish Nail Polish Color

Winner: OPI Russian Navy
1st Runner Up: Zoya Charla
2nd Runner Up: Essie Smooth Sailing

Favorite Glitter Finish Nail Polish Color

Winner: Deborah Lippmann Across The Universe
1st Runner Up: China Glaze Ruby Pumps
2nd Runner Up: butter LONDON The Black Knight

Favorite Neutral Nail Polish Color

Winner: OPI You Don’t Know Jacques!
1st Runner Up: butter LONDON All Hail The Queen
2nd Runner Up: Essie Topless & Barefoot

Favorite Pink Nail Polish Color

Winner: OPI Teenage Dream
1st Runner Up: China Glaze Strawberry Fields
2nd Runner Up: OPI Sparrow Me The Drama

Favorite Red Nail Polish Color

Winner: China Glaze Ruby Pumps
1st Runner Up: OPI Vodka & Caviar
2nd Runner Up: Zoya Sooki

Favorite Blue Nail Polish Color

Winner: OPI Russian Navy
1st Runner Up: A-England Tristam
2nd Runner Up: China Glaze Sea Spray

Favorite Purple Nail Polish Color

Winner: Orly Fowl Play
1st Runner Up: OPI Ink.
2nd Runner Up: Zoya Neeka

Favorite Green Nail Polish Color

Winner: OPI Jade is the New Black
1st Runner Up: Essie Sew Psyched
2nd Runner Up: China Glaze Emerald Sparkle

Favorite Aqua/Teal Nail Polish Color

Winner: China Glaze For Audrey
1st Runner Up: Essie Turquoise & Caicos
2nd Runner Up: OPI Ski Teal We Drop

Favorite Orange/Peach Nail Polish Color

Winner: Essie Brazilliant
1st Runner Up: China Glaze Peachy Keen
2nd Runner Up: Zoya Tanzy

Favorite Brown/Amber/Rust Nail Polish Color

Winner: OPI Warm & Fozzie
1st Runner Up: OPI You Don’t Know Jacques!
2nd Runner Up: China Glaze Midtown Magic

Favorite Metallic Nail Polish Color

Winner: Chanel Peridot
1st Runner Up: OPI Designer De Better
2nd Runner Up: Chanel Graphite

Favorite Gray Nail Polish Color

Winner: OPI Skull & Glossbones
1st Runner Up: Essie Chinchilly
2nd Runner Up: Zoya Kelly

Favorite Black Nail Polish Color

Winner: OPI Black Onyx
1st Runner Up: Wet n Wild Black Creme
2nd Runner Up: China Glaze Liquid Leather

Favorite White/Cream Nail Polish Color

Winner: Essie Marshmallow
1st Runner Up: OPI Alpine Snow
2nd Runner Up: China Glaze White Cap

Congratulations to all the winners. I hope your faves were triumphant. ALU readers definitely have great taste as a lot of colors and brands that I adore got your love. Later this week I’ll be sharing my picks for the best of 2011.

So did you discover any new products or colors you want to try due to the survey? Are there any fan fave colors that you think were snubbed or forgotten? If you have suggestions to improve next year’s survey leave a comment or feel free to email me your ideas.

So for the 4,000+ of you who use GFC I want to make sure you have plenty of options to still follow ALU and get updates of new posts.

Bloglovin - Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AllLacqueredUpFans

Feedblitz email notifications - http://www.feedblitz.com/f?sub=210622

Google+ – https://plus.google.com/110240764910859451284

Hello Cotton - http://www.hellocotton.com/mypage/alllacqueredup

Pinterest - https://pinterest.com/alllacqueredup/

RSS for feed readers - http://feeds2.feedburner.com/AllLacqueredUp

Tumblr - http://alllacqueredup.tumblr.com/

Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/alllacqueredup

Follow one, follow all. All sources will now receive updates of new posts though each one has slightly different content outside of that.

So you can imagine my joy when I laid eyes on the Zoya True nail polish collection for Spring 2012. They couldn’t make it any more “me” if they tried. Not unless they can make an emerald green holo happen, ha!

A fresh bloom of dewy color. Inspired by the runway looks of top designers this collection features slightly muted and unexpected spring shades in six easy to wear, full-coverage creams and metallics.

I’m sure like a lot of you, I feel programmed to expect Spring to be all a flutter with sheers, pastels and brights. So much so that anytime a brand releases anything outside that color box, I get excited. The True collection certainly gives me butterflies.

Formula & Application: Zoya is a 4-Free brand (including formaldehyde resin) plus they leave out camphor, which can be an irritant. Their signature Italian glass bottles have a tapered, shiny black plastic cap that rests comfortably between the thumb and index finger while polishing. The brush is short, round and medium in girth with flexible bristles that allow for ease of control.

The Zoya formula tends to feel a bit watery and that can lead to coverage issues. For the most part I was able to get away with two thin coats but on some nails I had to throw on an extra layer to make up for dragging near my cuticle. As I shared in my Zoya Ivanka Wear Test, Zoya nail polishes wear best with the full Zoya Color Lock System or top coats that exclude Cellulose Acetate Butyrate.

Zoya Bevin is a sage green creme. There was a point in my life where I was obsessed with the color sage. I battled with the boyfriend to paint a room in our old condo sage (I lost) and ended up buying every sage colored accessory I could find instead. This version of sage is a bit more energized. Not quite as diffused as what I typically think of as sage.

Zoya Cho is the D’Artagnan to the Three Musketeers that are the Zoya Touch collection. A full coverage French vanilla with a subtle silver shimmer. If any of the neutrals in the Touch collection were too peach, pink or yellow, your inner Goldilocks will be satiated with Cho.

Zoya Farah is one of those, would you like some coffee with all that cream, kind of shades. It’s a great, work-friendly neutral that doesn’t lean so far towards yellow to make it unwearable for cooler skin tones.

Zoya Lotus is a smoked-out, deep violet sprinkled with magenta metallic flecks. It’s an edgier twsit on those smokey purples that were so popular a few years back (eg OPI Parlez Vous OPI?).

Looking at slate blue shimmer, Zoya Skylar, for the first time I couldn’t help but think, “RBL Catherine H?” They are definitely cut from the same cloth but Skylar is lighter and doesn’t have as much royal in its base. It’s more like if you mixed some butter LONDON Victoriana and a drop of white in Catherine H. The gold, blue and light pink flecks really set this one apart from its competitors.

Zoya Tru is a grape-y shimmer packed with reddish bronze micro-shimmer. Zoya is calling this an “orchid” shade but I always think of orchids as having more pink to their base color than this. It actually matches a sweater I bought recently in a color named “The Grape Cape” so there you have it.

Bottom Line: Even though I don’t pull out the neutrals that often, there isn’t a color in this collection I would label as a “pass” or one I plan to pass on to friends. If I just HAD to pick a top three, they would be Skylar, Bevin and Lotus.

Zoya True for Spring 2012 is on sale now. Zoya nail polishes are available online at Zoya.com and at salons nationwide including ULTA. Visit the Zoya Salon Locator for a retailer near you. Zoya nail polishes retail for$8/ea for a .5oz bottle. Don’t forget, you can try before you buy with the Zoya Color Spoon program.

Are these colors ringing TRUE to you? Which ones will make it into your spring nail wardrobe? What if you had to pick just ONE?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by Zoya. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

Between the drama over whether the collection would even come out, the name changes from a character driven theme to a “Capitol” driven theme, that still represents the Districts more than the Capitol, to the debate over whether a book about a dystopian society where children fight to the death for their District’s survival should even be associated with nail polish, every nail lover has been talking about this collection.

All of that aside, it’s the colors alone that drew the majority of us in. Wanting to own a piece of a favorite book series is definitely a part of it but we wouldn’t be rabid to get our hands on the lacquers unless the colors made our pulses race. And that’s exactly what mine did when the collection landed on my doorstep. Let’s dive into the world of Panem, shall we?

Formula & Application: China Glaze is a 3-Free brand with a round brush that is both medium in length and firmness with enough give to allow for ease of control. The cap is slightly tapered and made of smooth plastic that is comfortable to hold.

The diversity of the finishes in this collection makes it hard to generalize the application as being just one thing. Overall the cremes are thin and workable. The metallics and matte are a bit on the goopy side and take some finesse to apply smoothly. The shimmer, foil and jelly polishes were all a dream to work with. I will comment on any application issues below but all polishes are shown with two coats with the exception of the glitter, Electrify.

China Glaze Agro (District 11 – Agriculture) Is a metallic olive green with flecks of gold. The base isn’t overly warm which makes it very wearable though peeps with uber cool tones may have a hard time pulling it off. Due to the metallic finish, brush strokes are an issue and the formula is kind of clumpy so apply very thin layers. Application tip: Apply to the sides first (strokes 1 & 2) then finish in the middle to blend and smooth the surface.

China Glaze Dress Me Up (District 8 – Textiles) is the color that was originally named for Primrose and given its dusty rose color, that would have been a great fit. It’s creamy with a soft, delicate nature, just like Prim.

China Glaze Electrify (District 5 – Power) is a clear-based packed with yellow gold and red glitter. The gold is the more prevalent color though the photo doesn’t show that. Unfortunately shooting in macro pulls apart the colors that your eye will naturally blend together. The overall effect looks like gold foil peppered with red sparkles.  Thanks to the density of the glitter, you can get decent coverage without a ton of coats. I am showing you one, two and three coats of color.

China Glaze Fast Track (District 6 – Transportation) is a cool beige packed with gold micro-flecks. It has a similar finish as Knotty from Anchors Away except the base is cooler and more opaque and the flecks are gold instead of silver. It’s a great twist on your average neutral. I was honestly expecting this one to be pretty sheer so I was pleasantly surprised to find that it gives great coverage.

China Glaze Foie Gras (District 10 – Livestock) is a dark, moody mauve creme. I’m calling it Below Deck After Dark. It’s a member of that whole taupe-y purple family that Chanel Particuliere and SOPI Metro Chic belong to.

China Glaze Harvest Moon (District 9 – Grain) is a burnt copper foil metallic. It had the autumnal, fall feeling that represents the idea of a bountiful harvest really well. Unlike the other metallics in this collection, because it’s a foil, it applies smooth as butter and it packed with pigment.

China Glaze Hook and Line (District 4 – Fishing) is a muddied, pewter metallic. There’s a bit of taupe to its underbelly that makes me think of a fish hook that has a thin layer layer of dried dirt from years of use. It’s definitely unusual. It had the same application issues so see above for my tip to getting a smooth finish.

China Glaze Luxe & Lush (District 1 – Luxury) is the FLAKIE top coat. I know all you flakie fans have been freaking over this and since we’re in the midst of a giant flakie movement I’m sure this color will sell fast. In the bottle you can see flecks of fiery orange, blue and a lilac leaning pink in a milky base. I thought it would pair well with Dress Me Up but I wanted to show you other options so I included a black (ChG Liquid Leather) and pale blue (ChG Sea Spray). I think I expected it to explode over black but it kind of fizzled out like an expired firecracker. I love it over the other two though.

China Glaze Mahogany Magic (District 7 – Lumber) is a rich, yellow-based, brown creme. While it’s meant to have a woody feel, I look at it and see a horse mane. Can’t get that out of my mind. Undoubtedly this will rock on warmer/olive skin tones but on me, it feels wrong. Clearly I can’t wear colors this yellow.

China Glaze Riveting (District 3 – Technology) is a jelly-fied gem. A sister to two classic China Glaze jellies, Orange Marmalade and Orange-Pacific this color has one thing going for it the others lack, pigment. It’s magical. Two coats and it’s on! LOVE!

China Glaze Stone Cold (District 2 – Masonry) surprised me as I wasn’t expecting to see a matte in this collection but it makes total sense to have this graphite glitter dry with a matte finish. It’s so asphalt-esque I can’t stand it. Though very similar to Nubar Matte Midnight. Like most mattes, the formula is a bit thick and goopy so use thin coats and workly quickly since mattes dry fast.

With a top coat the silver sparkles come alive and it resembles graphite. I prefer this look over the flat matte.

China Glaze Smoke & Ashes (District 12 – Mining) is the color I’ve been looking forward to most and it does not disappoint. The love child of Blk-Bila-Bong and Glittering Garland, it has the inky base and blue micro-flecks that made BBB a star. Mix in the emerald fleck from GG and we have a rising star on our hands. It’s so much better in person, trust!

Bottom Line: Even though the association with the Districts is not something that is advertised in association with this collection (I read it on this blog) overall I feel the colors do a great job of representing The Hunger Games. Are there some dupeable shades, no doubt. But are there some legen (wait for it)… DARY must-haves? Abso-frickin-lutely. Smoke & Ashes, Riveting, Luxe & Lush, Agro and Fast Track and Harvest Moon are all keepers. If your budget allows, consider Electrify and Dress Me Up. I know I’m known for my aversion to pinks but there’s something about DMU that attracts me. Plus is looks fab under Luxe & Lush.

The China Glaze Capitol Colours collection releases mid-March 2012 at salons and beauty supply stores nationwide including Sally Beauty and ULTA. Online shoppers can head to Head2ToeBeauty.com, TransDesign.com and ULTA.com. China Glaze nail polishes retail for $3-6.50/ea, depending on the retailer, for a .5oz bottle.

Alright so spill… which colors will make your short list to buy? Which one will you wear to see The Hunger Games? Which colors exceeded your expectations based on previews? Which ones fell short?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for China Glaze. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

It’s the China Glaze Capitol Colours from The Hunger Games Nail Polish Collection and I’m DYING with excitement. As I sit here with the ultimate Hunger Games multi-colored mani, I wanted to give a peek as to what you can expect to see.

I’m about to start swatching so let this be your amuse bouche. Oh and if you haven’t set aside money for Smoke & Ashes & Agro, get on it! Because they’re utterly gorgeous. Stay tuned.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for China Glaze. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

Over 1000 of you participated in the nomination round to determine the nail polish colors and products you’ll be voting on. This is the biggest turnout to date and a huge thank you goes out to all of you who helped with the process.

This year I am very happy to see some new brands, like A-England, make the list. And of course it’s always great to see that some of my tried and true favorites haven’t been replaced by the new, hot thing.

If you can’t view the voting box above, CLICK HERE, to take the survey.

You have from now through Friday February 10th at Midnight EST to cast your vote. Winners will be announced on Monday February 13th.