Sorry for my extended absence. I took the MPRE last week and then took a mini-vacation for spring break. I’m back now so normal posting will resume. : )

I like the approach that Barielle took to Spring. Now wait, before you throw stones, let me explain. This Spring collection is not very Spring-like, it’s all work-safe variations of pinks and a sheer taupe, whereas traditional Spring colors tend to be bright. Barielle probably would have gotten fire from me for releasing a collection like this with nothing more. But, Elle and Barielle, knowing best, released the Spring and Summer collections nearly simultaneously.  Together, these collections contain something for everyone and my irrational (irrational because soon I won’t be able to wear them) desire for out of the ordinary colors is well met. (I’ll have swatches of Barielle Summer 2009 soon but Scrangie already has some excellent swatches for your viewing pleasure.)

As an aside, I’m trying a different approach to my swatching. I’m going to be using for left hand for a little while in order to get swatching done a faster. I’m sure you have all noticed that I’m really behind on the Spring collections so I’m playing catch up. The added benefit is that my left hand is no where near as yellowed as my right hand so you’ll get more accurate swatches. Bare with me as I get the kinks worked out, photographing my left hand is still very awkward.

Barielle Nauti Gal is a translucent taupe with tiny flecks of translucent glitter. It’s a great professional/work appropriate shade. I’m a little disappointed in it only because it looks opaque in the bottle. I am a huge fan of taupe so I was really excited for this color only to find that it applied sheer. I love sheers but I just can’t wear them properly anymore, my nails are just too yellow. Nauti Gal applies very well. Not a streak in sight so this would make an excellent french manicure color at 1 or 2 coats. Even though it applies sheer, it is build-able so at 3 to 4 coats you get a semi-translucent nearly opaque shade of taupe. If my nails weren’t so horrifyingly yellow, this color would be stunning. This swatch is 4 coats.

Sailor’s Delight is a somewhat muted although vivid medium pink creme, very flattering. At first glance I thought it was going to be too pink to be considered professional but on my skin-tone the color tones down and the muted-ness of the pink becomes more pronounced. I suspect it might look different on girls with lighter skin. The consistency of the polish is chalky but it applies well, this is 3 coats.

Beaches and Dreams is a very light sandy-ish creamy peach creme (a little tough to describe haha). I think it might be too stark for an ultra-conservative office but it’d be perfect any where else. I really like this color, it’s like a peachier version of Color Club Coastal Creme. It’s my favorite from this set.

Skinny Dip is a delicate muted pink nude sheer. It’s perfect for french manicures at 1 or 2 coats but the color is build-able. This swatch is 4 coats with no top coat.

Sand-al Chic is less muted than Skinny Dip and more pink. It’s also makes an excellent french manicure shade but builds well. This is 4 coats with no top coat.

And finally, Shell Shock is a slightly lighter than a traditional barbie pink. It’s sheer like Skinny Dip and Sand-al Chic but I don’t think it would make a good french manicure color because it’s a little too bright. Also I had trouble with the application. This is 4 coats. The color applies smoothly but the sheerness is such that it takes some effort to build it properly.

Whoooooops. Apparently, Joy is from the warm set and Admire is from the cool set. My apologies, I mixed up the colors while I was swatching and neglected to double check the sets before posting. Thanks to Sminkan for pointing out the discrepancy. In any case, here is the second set of colors from the Romantique collection. Like before, these are all one coaters and I didn’t use a top coat. Enjoy!

(Please take note of my side comment in the Cool Set post concerning the color accuracy of these swatches.)

China Glaze Admire is a pink metallic-y shimmer. The warm set is much more ‘feminine’ that the cool set so I figured this color belonged to the warm set.

China Glaze Delight is a metallic-y brown. Love this one. I have a soft spot for brown cremes, but every once in a while a shimmery one finds it’s way into favor as well.

China Glaze Emotion is like… metallic pink bubble gum. I’m not sure how I feel about this one. In a way, it’s unique. I think I have to wear it as a full manicure to make a final decision.

China Glaze Magical is a sort of pinky-taupe metallic. Scrangie hated it, I love it. This is one is borderline work appropriate, if you can get away with slightly out of the ordinary work polish.

China Glaze Passion is an antique gold. This one is my absolute favorite from this collection. It’s very wearable. In my opinion, it’s not too yellow. I’m always looking for the perfect gold for when I finally try the MAC Antiquitease mani I’ve been meaning to do – I think Passion is it.

Finally, China Glaze Poetic is a… uh… bronze-y pink/peach? It’s a strange color. I’m not sure how I feel about it.

Alright, I have to post faster if we’re going to get through all 20 polishes in a timely manner. I present to you, #18 Sephora by OPI (affectionately dubbed ‘$OPI’) Metro Chic:

Bet you guys didn’t see that one coming. I do love this color, but it’s on this list because of the impact it had when it hit the market. Metro Chic was a polish phenomenon. I have hopes that Metro Chic will have revolutionary implications. Is the existence of Metro Chic an indication that the nail polish industry is going to become more innovative? That is my hope. So many people pursued this polish in a ridiculous frenzy, it proves, once again, that there is a viable market for out-of-the-ordinary colors. (Although, the frenzy was probably exacerbated by scalpers buying available bottles to flip them on ebay.) There is such a thing as innovation in this industry and it seems like polish companies often forget that. Consumers are obviously hungry for something different, it’s time that something different is given to us! In any case, it’s a fairly rare occurrence when the general population frenzies over a shade. Nail polish collectors frenzy constantly but it’s extraordinary to see a color that is so universally appealing that it actually moves non-collectors into action. That is why Metro Chic is on this list.

Usually, when I post an NOTD, I give you guys the run down on the color, the application, the wear, and other miscellaneous information regarding the color, brand, whatever. Today, I’m not going to do that. Sephora by OPI Metro Chic is a great color, it’s unique, it applies well, blah blah. We all know that already from the countless blog posts, magazine articles, and consumer raves about this color.

What I want to strongly express to you guys in this post is that this color has NOT been discontinued yet. If you wait, you might not even have to wait very long, you *WILL* be able to buy it from sephora.com. I’m not a fan of Sephora.com but buying this color from them for the normal retail price is infinitely better than buying from the scum of the earth, dirty rotten scoundrel, shyster of an ebay seller who is trying to get a whopping $55 for this color! For that matter, don’t buy Metro Chic from any of the other ebay sellers who are selling these for windfall, albeit more reasonable, profits. What’s happening here is a perfect example of what I was complaining about before. Colors like Zulu, at least at this point, are being sold by people who picked up bottles and rather sell them for mad cash instead of keep them. Metro Chic, on the other hand, gets sold out almost immediately when it gets stocked on Sephora. I guarantee you that is happening, not because everyone wants this color so badly that hundreds of girls stalk sephora everyday, but because ebay scalpers, responding to the hype this color has gotten, stalk sephora everyday, buy up the colors, then flip them on ebay for windfall profits. This isn’t the pull of supply and demand, folks, it’s purely artificially increased demand.

This will only stop (or at least occur less frequently) if we, as consumers, force it to stop by refusing to encourage this behavior with our purchases.  If you want it bad enough to spend a cent above retail for this color just check sephora everyday. Metro Chic has come back into stock since I got mine last month at least 3 times and it usually doesn’t sell out for at least 2 or 3 days. If you need instant gratification stay on top of the sales associates at your local sephora – or join a nail polish community whose members do custom purchases. I have countless hard to find polishes that were especially purchased for me in other states, even other countries, in order to avoid the nail polish black market. And keep in mind, this color is not discontinued yet. OPI and Sephora could very possibly still make the decision to make this color part of the core line which is something that I would personally love to see and strongly encourage them to do.

We need to send a message that gouging is not okay and the best way to do that is to take a stand with this color and leave these ebay sellers holding their 20+ unscalpable bottles of Metro Chic.