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Sunday, April 6, 2014

Pictures & Swatches: Sally Hansen Summer 2014 Limited Edition Color Destinations Passport to Rio Xtreme Wear Collection

If you've been following my coverage of the Sally Hansen Summer 2014 Limited Edition Color Destinations Collections (not to be confused with the Spring 2014 Color Vibrations collections, which I covered a few months back), then you know that these are all beach-themed displays that feature various Sally Hansen nail color lines. Here's a quick summary of the all of the Summer 2014 Color Destinations displays I've covered to date:

  • Click here for my review/swatches of the Palm Beach Jellies
  • Click here to see the Moroccan Express Insta-Dris
  • Click here to see the Bermuda Breeze Diamond Strengths 
  • Click here to see the South Beach Shores Salon Effects
  • Click here to see the Complete Salon Manicure Limited Edition Summer 2014 shades (which may or may not be part of the Color Destinations Collection)

I believe that in every post above, I mentioned that I was REALLY hoping that Sally Hansen would release an Xtreme Wear line of glitters in this collection, and guess what? THERE IS ONE!

Many, many thanks to reader Meghan (@cupcakecore on Twitter) for being the first to alert me to this collection a few days ago. I immediately went on the hunt for these as soon as Meghan told me about them, and I found them this weekend at Walgreens. So I have tons of pics from Meghan (and some I took myself) to share with you today, plus swatches of the polishes I purchased. So let's get to it:

Sally Hansen Summer 2014 Limited Edition Color Destinations
Passort to Rio Xtreme Wear Collection
(retail: $2.99 each, 0.40 oz)

This polishes in this collection contain all MATTE glitters (no sparkle) in clear bases.

There are eight shades in this display and Meghan was nice enough to share bottles shots of each:

 photo sh9-1.jpg
image credit: Meghan for Nouveau Cheap
Fiesta

 photo sh10.jpg
image credit: Meghan for Nouveau Cheap
Samba

 photo sh2.jpg
image credit: Meghan for Nouveau Cheap
Tidal Rave

 photo sh11.jpg
image credit: Meghan for Nouveau Cheap
Carnival

 photo sh13.jpg
image credit: Meghan for Nouveau Cheap
Beach Ball

 photo sh14.jpg
image credit: Meghan for Nouveau Cheap
Fruit-ta-ta

 photo sh16.jpg
image credit: Meghan for Nouveau Cheap
Splash

 photo sh5.jpg
image credit: Meghan for Nouveau Cheap
Copa-banana

Here are more pics of the display I spotted at Walgreens:

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Fiesta, Samba

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Samba, Tidal Rave

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Carnival, Beach Ball 

 photo unnamed3-1.jpg
Fruit-ta-ta, Splash, Copa-banana

And here are swatches of the four shades I purchased:

Carnival, Splash, Samba, Fruit-ta-ta

 photo 013-8.jpg
 Fruit-ta-ta

 photo 017-7.jpg

In the above photo, I thought I would do a fun glitter gradiant over Wet n Wild I Need a Refresh-Mint, but you can see that it was a complete FAIL. The clear base is SO thick and goopy that it started to bubble almost instantly, and even after wiping down my brush as best as I could, I couldn't avoid depositing lots of the clear base onto my nails when I was trying to add more glitter to my tips. I didn't even bother with clean-up in the pic above because I immediately removed this to try again:

 photo 023-2.jpg
One coat of Fruit-ta-ta over Wet n Wild I Need a Refresh-Mint
(plus top coat)

As you can see, there are still of bubbles here. I even tried to apply a quick-dry top coat, hoping it might minimize the look of the bubbles (wishful thinking) but it didn't. 

 photo 012-3.jpg
Splash

 photo 027-5.jpg
One coat of Splash over Wet n Wild Tickled Pink
(plus top coat)

Ugh. This one bubbled even more, and no amount of top coat could save it. Again, I tried so hard to wipe down my brush without removing all of the glitter, but the clear base is just so thick and goopy, while the glitter is so sparse. This combination means you will always have a lot of clear base and a very small amount of glitter on your brush at any given time. Unless of course you're able to go fishing with your brush and pick up extra glitter, in which case you'll have a flood of clear polish on your brush as well. And we all know that leads to even more bubbling (as well as polish that never dries).

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Carnival

 photo 028-6.jpg
One coat of Carnival over China Glaze Mahogany Magic
(plus top coat)


Yep, more bubbles. I don't want to repeat myself, so just read what I wrote above for Splash and you'll get the idea.

Samba

 photo 030-4.jpg
One coat of Samba over Wet n Wild Ebony Hates Chris
(plus top coat)

You might be thinking, "Finally! No bubbles!" but you would be wrong. There are tons of bubbles here, but you can't see them as well against the black polish. This one bubbled just as much as the others.

Additional thoughts:

In the bottle, these polishes looks like a million bucks. I was so excited when I saw them in person, I wanted to put all eight in my basket, run home and start playing with them immediately. But after spending NINE HOURS playing around with these, I can tell you that I was so frustrated I almost threw one against the wall. Not once was I able to apply any of the four polishes I purchased without seeing major bubbling almost instantaneously.

To make matters worse, the glitter is so sparse while the clear base is so thick and goopy. You MUST do what I like to call "the fish and dab". In other words, you have to fish around and swirl the brush in the bottle multiple times before you get enough glitter on your brush, and then you can't just brush this polish on like a regular polish--you have to dab it strategically for glitter placement. The "fish and dab" isn't a big deal for me (and probably not for you if you're a longtime glitter lover) but what makes it unbearable is when, no matter how hard you try, the base ends up so thick on your nail that it literally never dries (AND it bubbles). I left the last mani above (Samba over a black creme) on my nails for four hours, WITH a quick-dry top coat, and when I ran my finger cross my nail after four hours, it smeared off like I had just painted my nail. And for the record, I tried again without top coat and had the exact same results.

I am very rarely this frustrated with glitter polishes but, unless you have an extreme amount of patience and you're willing to work around bubbles, I would NOT recommend these polishes. This is such an incredible shame, because I was REALLY looking forward to an Xtreme Wear summer glitter collection and I felt like I won the lottery when I found these at Walgreens. I'm so sad, frustrated and disappointed, because these glitter combinations are absolutely beautiful. I really, really hope that I just got a bad batch and that, if you try them, you won't encounter ANY of the issues I described above. My fingers are crossed for you!

Thanks again, Meghan, for alerting me to this collection and for sharing pics with us--I really hope these work out for you if you end up getting any!

The products featured in this post were purchased with personal funds. For more information, click here.
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51 comments

  1. This is why I'm so hesitant to buy Xtreme wear glitters because I always try to load the glitter on and the base just bubbles!! I do wonder if it would be easier to apply them by using a sponge like you would with a gradient manicure. I've done this with thicker glitters and the base gets soaked up in the sponge and it deposits the glitter on the nail nicely and it dries faster too. Maybe that will work with these!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought about sponging, and I still might try it, but I'm honestly so frustrated after working with these all day that I think I need to give them a rest and revisit them in a week or so. If I have better luck, I'll definitely do another post! :)

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  2. I'm glad I saw thus review. It will save me some money. I love these types of matte glitters and woud've for sure bought at least 2 of these.

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    Replies
    1. I'm really hoping I just got a bad batch, but please keep me posted if you reconsider and give them a try!

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  3. Would thinning down the base work? What about applying the glitter to a sponge so it soaks up the base and then sponging it on to the nail? These are so damn pretty, but it suuuuuuuucks that they have bubbling issues. I had the same problem with their black and white glitter. Ugh.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think thinning the base might help with bubbling but I'm afraid it might make the sparseness even worse. :/

      See my comment above about trying a sponge... I think I need to walk away from these for a while, but I might try it later! Lol! :)

      Delete
  4. aww, that sucks, these are so pretty in the bottle and such a fail on the nail!

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    Replies
    1. Agreed. They are absolutely stunning in the bottle!

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  5. I was also thinking the sponge application. Bummer, because Splash and Samba are right up my alley.

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  6. I JUST saw these today. So glad I decided to pass.

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  7. A tip that I have read but not yet tried is to use a makeup sponge (like you would use for a gradient) to apply the glitter. Brush the glitter onto the cut side of a sponge, wait a moment to let the clear polish soak INTO the sponge, then dab the glitters onto the nail without gobs of polish. Hope that helps!

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    Replies
    1. Yep! See my comment above... I may try sponging at some point but I need to give these a rest for a while! Lol! :)

      Delete
    2. that may work, but hey, if you buy a polish shouldn't it just WORK in the first place without all the extra brain damage? I call F.A.I.L. on these. Sally Hansen, back to the drawing board!!

      Delete
    3. I agree! It should really work without the extra fuss. :( Granted, some products are so pretty they justify the extra fuss, but it's frustrating when you can't use as intended!

      Delete
  8. Ughhhhh :(
    I was so pissed off over the last SH xtreme wear glitter polish I bought (Indiglow) - I may never buy another one.
    These look so pretty in the bottles but I just don't have the patience for it. Sorry they were such a bummer for you.

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  9. they're so pretty! remind me of some of the hard candy glitters that came out recently, as well as some from ciate.
    I'll probably buy the ones i don't already have dupes for and wear them over black only so the bubbles aren't noticeable. I know it's a risk but I'm scary-obsessed with matte glitters and I'd be willing to fish and place each individual glitter with a toothpick!

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  10. Thats typical of these polishes for me but being a glitter lover i still hope to find these and purchase all of them!! Guess i will be fishing and dabbing too!! Lol glad to have a name for how i usually apply my glitters!

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  11. I reeeeally hate this new base they're using for the XW glitters. It's such a disappointment after the terrific ones last fall.

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  12. On the plus side, the brown with the multicolored glitter is really cute. Looks like a donut.

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  13. These are super pretty. Too bad about the bubbling! You can always sponge on the glitters! But I'm not sure that they're worth the work.

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    Replies
    1. Lol yep, see my comment at the top. :) I'll probably give sponging a try but not for a little while. I need to walk away from these for a bit! :)

      Delete
  14. Awww, too bad and sorry those suckas stressed you out. On the brightside you can always return them. Extra bummer is that I was looking foward to one of your primo jelly sams.

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    Replies
    1. Aaaw, thank you! I was so excited to do a jelly sammy! :( If the sponging works, I will definitely try one! xo

      Delete
  15. I'm very disappointed! I expected better from the Xtreme Wear Line!

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  16. As a fun note, carnival looks like a near perfect dupe for hard candy's pop-arazzi.

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  17. Darn, once I saw the photos of Tidal Rave I was so sure I needed it. But bubbles :(

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  18. G, your macro shots are awesome!!!! I saw these in the store the other day and my first thought was they look alot like the the Hard Candy glitters for this spring. I bought a couple of the those. No bubbling on them. Also a couple look like Miliani glitters for this spring which I bought a couple of too, and while they don't bubble they don't deposit alot of glitter. Thanks for this and I know now I shall be passing these by.

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  19. I can't understand the point of glitter that isn't sparkly, anyway. ;)

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  20. I wanted Samba until I saw the bubbling. Shame, too, because these are always priced well and Walgreens often has a sale.

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  21. This is so sad but I'm not surprised as I just purchased rock chic from the glitter mania collection and same exact thing. Clear thick goopy base very little glitter. I literally had to pour the Polish out and individually place every darn piece of glittet!!

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  22. Such a bummer about the bubbles! Thanks for the review, I would have picked up Samba and been so disappointed :(

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  23. Sent you an email a few weeks ago with photos -- the CSM shades are NOT "Destinations," they're "Color Vibrations" (as are the ballet-themed pastels).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. First off, I'm so sorry I missed your email, and I thank you for taking time to submit pics!! :)

      As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, the Color Vibrations (SPRING) collections are not to be confused with the Color Destinations (SUMMER).collections. I actually posted pics of the Spring Color Vibrations CSMs about two months ago:

      http://nouveaucheap.blogspot.com/2014/02/spotted-sally-hansen-spring-2014.html

      I hope that clears up the confusion, and thanks again for sending pics!! :)

      Delete
    2. Hi G--
      Just meant to say that the theme of the brights collection you'd posted a link to at the top of this post IS "Color Vibrations" (agreed, the Spring collection is also "Color Vibrations") -- the brights are NOT "Color Destinations" (e.g,, Bermuda, Rio, etc.). Can resend the photo of the display sign if you'd like.
      Which all makes me wonder if there's *another* CSM collection in the offing...

      Delete
    3. Oh thank you! I'm so confused though--so there's a Color Vibrations CSM display (the ballet-themed one) AND a Color Vibrations "brights" (the one in my link at the top of this post)?? I saw the brights in another display that someone on Instagram posted pics of at Walmart and it clearly said "Summer Limited Edition" but nothing about "Color Vibrations". So yes, I would LOVE if you could resend that pic--and thank you SO much!! :)

      Delete
    4. Just resent the pix -- look for an email titled "SH CSM Color Vibrations--Resort Bright." :) (The ballet-themed polishes, shown in same photo, were apparently Color Vibrations--Pastels On Point.)

      Delete
  24. I have the exact same problem with the glitters from the Color Vibrations line - too much clear base and not enough glitter. Even careful application means about three more layers on my nails. Ugh, such a PITA!

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  25. Thanks so much for this review. I will 100% avoid this collex. Polish that bubbles like mad and never dries? Yuck!

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  26. I would probably just take them back and get my money back. Or you could try to franken them by adding glitter . With a base that thick it should take extra glitter very well, maybe some fine silver glitters.

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  27. Too bad I bought three of these yesterday before I saw this review. Boo! I guess I'll try sponging them on.

    Also, as a side note, can anyone confirm what might have been in the back right-hand corner of the display? When I saw this at Wags, the slots were empty just like in the pic you posted. My curiosity always gets me and I think to myself, "What was there that I missed out on!?" :D

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  28. Ugh when I first saw the bottle shots I was like "I NEED" but after your review I will pass. Nothing worse than sparse glitter and a bubbly base.

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  29. G have you ever tried sponging on glitters like this? When I have cool glitter mixes with thick goopy bases, I've had a lot of luck by putting the polish on a cosmetic wedge and then dabbing onto the nail. The sponge soaks up most of the base and you can get much better glitter coverage. Plus it doesn't end up being crazy thick on the nail.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! I actually responded to several comments above suggesting sponging these too, and I have done that with other polishes but not these... yet! :)

      Delete
  30. I had not seen this post before but just spotted the Passport to Rio collection at my Walgreen's and got Carnival (bogo 50%, got one for a friend too!). I was struck by how Carnival really looks like a dupe for Ciate's Comic Strip nail polish (which is always sold out when I go to Sephora!) Not sure if Ciate's has more dense glitter. Hope I can manage to get a decent application despite the thickness / low glitter density!

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  31. Oh, one thing that really has eliminated the issue of bubbly polish for me, even with thick polishes or if I'm impatient and apply one thick layer, is quick-dry polish drops! I initially tried Essie's and it was terrible, made no difference in drying time and smelled weird and would have a weird reaction with the nail polish color at times. But BELIEVE ME, Zoya's fast drops product is AMAZING! I can't do a manicure without it now, even if I am not in a rush, I just love how it prevents bubbles! Maybe give that a try if you haven't already :) I will report back how that works for me!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Thank ylu so much for this review. My friend brought me 2 of these polishes from the states to Germany and I was so excited to try them. Then came the biggest disappointment when the polish just would not dry! Ugh horrible... :( i am glas that I am not the only one with this experience

    http://heidispolish.com

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  33. I just tried "Beach Ball" in this collection. Like most XTreme wear nail polish by Sally Hansen, it stays sticky on my nails. Barely any of the glitters stuck to my nails. This nail polish in the collection does not dry for me.

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  34. just bought carnival at my Walgreen's. needless to say, I needed this article before I wasted two coats of OG pacific blue under this disaster of a polish. hold me!

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  35. Thank you for the post. I thought I was doing something wrong! I was excited to find this at Dollar Tree - and, you're right, Carnival looks amazing in the bottle - but it's a no go on my fingernails. It's goopy and takes forever to dry. Ah, well.

    ReplyDelete

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