‘Tis the Season for Red, Green and Gold: The China Glaze Holiday 2010 Nail Polishes

‘Tis the season, lacquer lover! Soon we’ll be hearing the Sound of Music on the tube, watching Uncle Erwin overdo the eggnog and getting packages of granny panties stuffed in our stockings from mom (yep, that has happened to me).

In the beauty world, ’tis also the season for red, green, silver and gold — like the colors in the new 16-piece China Glaze Tis the Season to Be Naughty and Nice Holiday Collection.

With so much variety among the shades (about $6 each) and textures, there should be enough here to satisfy those seasonal color cravings.

I haven’t finished testing these for durability and wear time yet, but if they’re anything like the China Glaze polishes I’ve worn before, and I see know reason to suspect otherwise, they should last about 10 days on nails with the help of a base coat (with minimal chipping).

The limited edition collection lives in beauty stores now, and like all of China Glaze’s nail polishes, these are also DBP-, toluene- and formaldehyde-free.

Swatches from left: Phat Santa, Ruby Deer, Mrs. Claus, Party Hearty

China Glaze starts the party with a couple of really fun reds. Phat Santa and Ruby Deer look almost alike in their bottles, but they come into their own on nails. Phat Santa looks a smidge darker than vibrant Ruby does to me.

Red also makes sparkly appearances in Party Hearty (green, gold and red glitter in a clear base) and Mrs. Claus (red glitter in a red tinted jelly base). If you’re a fan of Lippmann’s glitter polishes, these might be worth a peek (they’re also $6 vs. $18 for the ones from Lippmann).

Mistletoe Kisses, Jolly Holly, Peace on Earth, Little Drummer Boy

Looking at the entire collection, the green and blue shades seem likes standouts to me. Shimmery forest green Jolly Holly, shimmery olive green Peace on Earth and shimmery navy blue Little Drummer Boy are ringing my bells, and I think they’re the easiest ones to use, with a consistency that’s just right (not too thick or thin).

Oh, and I can’t forget Mistletoe Kisses or Mrs. Claus, which go together like embarrassing moments and work Christmas parties. Both are tinted jelly bases, one with green glitter and the other with red.

Snow, Naughty and Nice, Sugar Plums, Mommy Kissing Santa

Sadly, creamy white Snow isn’t one of my favorites of the bunch. I had high hopes for it, but it looks thick and uneven on my nails. It reminds me of the manicures I used to give myself with White-Out as a kid (not the brightest of my beauty ideas)!

I do like creamy reddish black Naughty and Nice. I’ve seen the color before, but it’s just as sexy and sophisticated as ever, and I can totally see it on toes paired with strappy golden sandals.

Speaking of sandals, Sugar Plums reminds me of the beach. It’s a shimmery dark eggplant with subtle gold and purple glitter, and when it dries it has a gritty texture that feels kinda like sand; it’s interesting and worth checking out for the texture alone.

We’ve seen colors like Mommy Kissing Santa before. It’s a striking shimmery burgundy, and I can totally see it gracing my nails (or a wicked fast Italian sports car).

Frosty, Cheers to You, Midnight Kiss, Jingle Bells

Last, but not least, the metallics! Warm golden Jingle Bells, cool gold Midnight Kiss, and frosty silver Cheers to You all apply evenly with lots of pigment. These are some of my favorites of the collection. 🙂

Clockwise from lower right: Frosty, Cheers to You, Midnight Kiss, Jingle Bells, Little Drummer Boy, Peace on Earth, Jolly Holly, Mistletoe Kisses

Clockwise from lower right: Snow, Naughty and Nice, Sugar Plums, Mommy Kissing Santa, Phat Santa, Ruby Deer, Mrs. Claus, Party Hearty

Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B/B+

As a holiday release, the collection isn’t breaking much ground, but the shades cover all of my favorite holiday color bases from metallics to red creams to festive glitters. At $6 apiece, they’re also great for gifting. Available at Sally Beauty Supply and online.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Hope you had a good day today. Tabs says hi from the top tier of his cat tower. 🙂 Right now I’m just relaxing on the couch and writing in my journal with my hair in a towel. Ahh…