Before I jump into these China Glaze Summer Neons, I wanted to let you know that The Beauty Loser is NOT going away. I just need a break for a couple weeks. I’ve been struggling, which you know. I need to figure out how to make losing weight a priority again, and how to MEAN it when I say, I’m going to make it happen. Until then, I’m tired of every week talking about losing and gaining the same 3 lbs. I will be back, because I have more to go in my journey, but I need a couple weeks to figure out how to get this derailed train back on track. Thanks in the meantime for your support all these months, and I look forward to celebrating and sharing with you again soon!!!
I love neon polishes, but I was on the fence about getting any of the China Glaze Summer Neon collection. I felt like the collection China Glaze put out in 2010, Poolside, and the neons I already own, were enough for me. Plus, I didn’t want 12 more neons that needed a white base coat in order to pop.
Being the polish fanatic that I am, however, I ended up with the entire collection! You guys now how that goes, right?
Here’s my swatches!
Splish Splash:
Splish Splash is a gorgeous, bright blue with blue shimmer. I actually used it as a base with Windestine Swimming with the Sharks (I’ll be posting this separately another time!):
Hang-Ten Toes:
Hang-Ten Toes is a bright pink with pink shimmer. I wore this one with purple striping tape, which was a total disaster. The ends – even those that were perfectly clipped to the length and shape of my nail – kept peeling up.
Under the Boardwalk:
Under the Boardwalk is a vibrant purple neon that dried to a vinyl-like finish.
Flirty Tankini:
Flirty Tankini is a pink with a coral touch, and a pink shimmer. Not necessarily neon, but definitely beautiful for summer!
Orange You Hot?:
Orange You Hot? is an orange popsicle with subtle orangey-pink shimmer. I love how this – and all these shimmery neons – look in the shade, too.
Ride the Waves:
Ride the Waves is like a royal blue jelly. This is two coats. Ride the Waves is the lone jelly, and the lone sheer, polish in this bunch.
Pink Plumeria:
Pink Plumeria is a light, bright pink with a golden pink shimmer. It’s light, but this one is opaque and will stand out on tanned summer skin!
Sun-Kissed:
Sun-Kissed is a highlighter yelow that hints at green in its shimmer. This was the thickest of all the polish formulas. NOW we’re talking. This kind of eye-searing highlighter yellow is what I’m OBSESSED with this summer! Seriously – check out my summer purse (Steven by Steve Madden, purchased at Nordstrom):
Love’s a Beach:
Love’s a Beach ws just not coming out for me in regular swatch photos so I took this one to show you how bright it is:
Love’s a Beach is a neon hot pink with pink shimmer!
Beach Cruise-R:
Beach Cruise-R reminds me a lot of Under the Boardwalk in the color of the purple, but it’s got a pink shimmer to it. Most of the pink shimmer settled onto the bottom of my bottle and I spent several minutes trying to mix my polish.
Surfin’ for Boys:
Surfin’ for Boys is a gorgeous pink orange with pink shimmer. It’s so bright – I love this one!
I’m With the Lifeguard:
I’m With the Lifeguard is an eye-searing (how many times have I used this term in my post…by now it could be a drinking game…) fluorescent green shimmer! It was a bit thick and strokey in application but I may not have given it enough time in between the two coats I used.
Color Thoughts
What I love about the colors in the Summer Neons collection is that with the exception of two – a jelly and a creme – these are all shimmers! They are bright, and they are fun. They totally scream the pool and the beach.
The downside in this color scheme is that there were an awful lot of pinks. What about a neon red with a purple shimmer? That would be amazing. Or even a golden or pink shimmer. I don’t know. The pinks are pretty, but there were a bunch.
Dupe Talk
There are a lot of neons out there from which you could search for a possible dupe. Color Club has some gorgeous shades, and Orly came out with a few this summer as well. Even China Glaze has done amazing neons in the past.
Application Issues
The only polishes that I had real issues with were Sun-Kissed and I’m With the Lifeguard. They were a bit thicker, and I have to be careful of brush strokes and pulling from the cuticles.
I was thrilled that in order to make these pop, I didn’t have to put a coat of white down first. They stand on their own. I might try Ride the Waves over white, but I kinda like the muted jelly by itself.
Additional Information
These polishes are available at Sally’s, although only six of them are being carried. I picked up my first six there, and bought the other six from Trans Design. On Trans Design they were $2.99 a piece but I don’t remember what I paid at Sally’s – definitely more!
So what do you think of this neon collection? Have you purchased any? Are you getting into neons yet this summer?!
