When I close my eyes and quiet my mind, I see my city self…
Even from all the way up here, 40 stories above the street below, I can hear the hustle and bustle of urban life. There’s a distant car alarm whirring like a warbler, its peal rising up through the concrete canyons to my ears. Closer, the throttle of a bus engine opens as it pulls away from a curb, and cars carry on conversations with beeps instead of words.
I’m sitting at my desk typing beneath a huge window that almost covers one entire wall of my high-rise apartment in the sky (thankfully, in a neighborhood beyond the reach of the fog). From my desk, the window looks like a large blue painting to my eye. When I get up from my chair, walk over to the window and look down…
I’m back in Novato again, standing in front of my window at home, the sounds of traffic replaced by the distant buzz of weed whackers and the unmistakable cawing of a crow (yes, we can all hear you, bird!). I look down a few feet to the familiar golden hillside of dry grass outside. A gang of wild turkeys (dayum, those things are hella ugly!) is slowly scouring the base of a tall oak tree I can almost touch, its branches rising well above the top of the condominium complex.
Ah, the charms of small-town life! 🙂
If you long for the concrete catwalks and sidewalks of your favorite gritty city, you might like the new China Glaze Metro Collection (about $5 per bottle), coming this fall.
The new 12-piece collection of polishes features a mix of mostly desaturated blue, purple, raspberry, red, burgundy, terracotta, beige, gray, green and Dijon for uptown girls and downtown darlings.
I’ve always admired the way China Glaze takes chances with greens and yellows, and there are a couple of interesting ones here. Sometimes, they can look a little too baby poo-ish/Hot Topic for me, but I think both are very refined this time.
Trendsetter, a mustard yellow, looks elegant with its gorgeous golden shimmer, and I think Westside Warrior, a creamy camo green, would have looked right at home in last year’s Chanel Khaki Collection. It seems much more expensive than $5 to me.
China Glaze Metro Collection: Product Pics
From left to right: Trendsetter, Westside Warrior, Concrete Catwalk
Street Chic, Traffic Jam and Urban-Night
Brownstone, City Siren and Lofty Ambitions
CG in the City, Midtown Magic and Skyscraper
China Glaze Metro Collection: Swatches
From left to right: Trendsetter, Westside Warrior, Concrete Catwalk
Trendsetter
Westside Warrior
Concrete Catwalk
Street Chic, Traffic Jam and Urban-Night
Street Chic
Traffic Jam
Urban-Night
Brownstone, City Siren and Lofty Ambitions
Brownstone
City Siren
Lofty Ambitions
CG in the City, Midtown Magic and Skyscraper
CG in the City
Midtown Magic
Skyscraper
I’m a little surprised (but glad) that with Metro being a symbolically city collection, China Glaze didn’t incorporate more gray, black and silver, and instead chose to go with more typical colors for fall. While the reds, burgundies, purples and raspberries in Metro aren’t particularly mind-blowing, I think they’re the timeless types of colors that never really go out of style. A layer of one of the collection’s three glitters could also give any of them a little more punch.
Metro may not push the envelope as much as something like 2008’s Text in Colour did, but I think it’s still a solid release with a couple of interesting notes.
PRICE: about $5 each
AVAILABILITY: Coming soon to Sally beauty stores, salons and also online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+
Riding on the…
Yep, I’ve been listening to Berlin’s Riding on the Metro all afternoon (big surprise). Remember that song? I used to love that video… Whenever it would play on MTV I’d stop whatever I was doing (usually beating up my little brother) and rush over to the telly to turn up the sound.
I used to think the lead singer had the coolest hair!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Wow! Trendsetter & Midtown Magic look so much better on the nail than they do in the bottle! Westside Warrior looks good too.
Yeah! Both are really interesting, right? I think Midtown Magic on toes and Trendsetter on fingers would be a fun duo.
I agree with you, Taffy! These look soooo much better on the nail than they do in the bottle.
From the promo pictures, I thought I was just going to love Westside Warrior and maybe CG in the City, but after seeing Karen’s swatches, I think I may need to get Westside Warrior, Concrete Catwalk, Street Chic, Midtown Magic, and Skyscraper!
Maybe I have too many nail polishes but none of these colors appeal to me.
Not even the yellow? I can see you rockin’ it.
yellow is a tricky color as it can look all kinds of horrible if it doesn’t suit your skin tone. And they tend to be streaky for me.
I know what you mean. I had some major issues with Chanel Mimosa…
Next time I see you I can bring it with me so you can try it! You never know.
We need to set up a day. Holla!
LOVE. LOVELOVELOVE. Gosh. I’m gonna go broke this way.
You could always get a few favorites. Which are your top three?
Lovin’ the glitters…and I STILL think Terri Nunn has the coolest hair. ; )
Yeah she does! Remember how it was blonde with black tips in the Take My Breath Away video? So frickin’ cool!
I want them alllllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do it! 😉
oh those are lovely nailpolishes!
They’re really cute. What do you think about the yellow and the green? Yes or no?
yellow and green are DEFINITE YES’s! 🙂
so is Concrete Catwalk! :=)
Love the glittery colors in this collection.
And Terri Nunn is still cool!
She totally is. I remember wanting to dye my hair blonde with black tips… I still kinda do, haha!
How’s your Thursday been? Mine’s been looooooong. I’m about to make dinner (avocado pasta) and veg out.
The day started out a little stressful but it’s much better now. My friend Mary had to have an MRI last week to see if she needs heart surgery, but I just talked to her and she just needs medication, so that’s a relief. We’re planning to go to Corte Madera Saturday and hit up the Nordstrom’s sale to celebrate!
Oh boy. I’m glad to hear your friend won’t need surgery. What a huge relief!
I might pop by the sale tomorrow… or tonight online! 🙂 What are you thinking of getting? I’m going to look at a few jackets, some boots, and some beauty things, of course.
Well, of course I’ll be checking out all the beauty specials. I’ll check out NARS, Chanel, DIOR, MAC, the usual. Other than that, we’ll see. My Mom wants a new handbag for her birthday later this month so I’ll see what they have.
So beautiful and rich! Is it terrible that I want them all?? 😡
It’s a gorgeous collection. Which color’s your fave?
Ahhh! I’m so excited for this! Nail polish is my first makeup obsession and still my favorite! 🙂
It’s a fun obsession to have. 🙂
I’m such a nail polish junkie and I probably shouldn’t buy any more polish for the rest of the year… but… I want four from this collection. Street Chic, Traffic Jam, Lofty Ambitions and Midtown Magic are calling me.
Hi Tiffany,
You won’t be disappointed by Midtown Magic when you see it in person. It’s SO pretty!
Oh I love Traffic Jam and Midtown Magic. Pretty!
Me too. They definitely put me in the mood for fall.
Midtown Magic… I love all the names of these colors!!!
Me too. Concrete Catwalk is my fave!
Trendsetter didn’t look pretty in the bottle pic. However, it looks great on your nail. Liking Skyscraper and Midtown Magic too.
I wasn’t sure about it either, but when I got a couple coats on I was like, WOW! 🙂
This collection looks GORGEOUS!
westside warrior, traffic jam, city siren are giving me the middle finger 🙁
The nail polish is great but sometimes, nothing beats 80’s music!
Skyscraper and Lofy Ambitions are going on my wishlist. 🙂
I definitely want Midtown Magic! 🙂 Looks so nice!
Trendsetter, Westside Warrior, Concrete Catwalk, Street Chic, Traffic Jam and Urban-Night are gorgeous when swatched, looks so much nicer =)
Thanks Karen..
I can’t wait for these to come out, all the swatches look great 🙂
skyscraper looks like legit the “Disney” blue color…..
I love fall! I can’t wait to start using fall colors on nails and makeup.
Westside Warrior is my favorite shade of the collection!!