Wednesday, August 6, 2008

China Glaze Fall 2008: Rodeo Diva Collection Swatches

These are unbelievable! Out of all the fall collections this year, this one is definitely my favorite, and in my humble opinion, the best. Every single color in this collection has that WOW factor, that extra something that makes you want to stare at your hands all day. Rodeo Diva is a masterpiece, plain and simple. After a few disappointing releases, China Glaze has stepped up and really delivered a gem of a collection.


Branding Iron. Fantastic glowy burgundy, shimmery and eye-catching!!


Cowgirl Up. Shimmery, sparkly, frosty purple.



Golden Spurs in sunset lighting and in bright morning sunlight. It looks very different in both of these pictures, and the real life color is right in between the two. The first picture has a bit of a yellow cast to it, but it really shows the golden shimmer. The second picture is slightly washed out, but it shows the soft, mellow tone of the polish and the depth of the shimmer.


Gussied-Up Green. Not exactly what I was expecting, but still awesome! A dark blackened forest green with shimmer. Finally, some more green!



Lasso My Heart in sunset lighting and in bright morning sunlight. The top picture is accurate color-wise, but the second picture really shows off the frost and shimmer that didn't quite show up in the sunset lighting.



Midnight Ride. Deep, dark, black eggplant. Striking!




Prize Winning Mare in bright morning sunlight and in sunset lighting. Actually, both of the pictures are accurate color-wise, as this one seems to change a little bit in different lighting. It reminds me of Dior Gold Nugget! Shiny, sparkly metallic gold. Beautiful!


Rodeo Fanatic. Breathtaking, luminous, shimmery blue. Can you believe how hot this is?!



Red Stallion. A hot, glowy, shimmery metallic red.



Side Saddle. This one changes colors a bit. It's like the lovechild of OPI Black Tie Optional and Lancome Lizzy Jagger. It's dark brownish plum, but it's also gold and brown and maybe a touch greenish in some lights!


Wagon Trail. HOLY MOLY! It's black with deep golden shimmer. It looks olive green in some lights, but it's really a black/gold fusion. Unique and utterly fabulous.



Yee Haw. Peachy pinky golden metallic. So awesomely pretty, this picture doesn't do it justice. This color GLOWS. It's just too pretty!


Aren't these fantastic? This could be one of the best collections of ALL TIME. China Glaze did an amazing job with this collection, and I can see myself wearing all of these colors all year round. None of them are strictly "fall" colors, and there's a great variety. The only thing lacking in this collection is the formula. It's difficult to apply, runny and goopy at the same time as 3-free polishes tend to be. The colors only needed two coats, but the formula was so gooey that it took a little extra work to make them look even. They also took a bit longer to dry- usually when I'm swatching, the polish is slightly dry by the time I'm done taking the picture. With these, the polish was still completely wet after 5 or 6 minutes. Nothing I can't live with, but disappointing nonetheless.

To paraphrase: Rodeo Diva PWNS!!

44 comments:

  1. These polishes are awesome. Just received three today - GUG, PWM, and WT. I have been wearing polish for well over thirty years and this collection really does stand out as one of the best ever. I may order a few more colors.

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  2. I have 0 problems with formula so far. Actually, I thought that ChG has improved the formula!

    I dislike just 2 colors from the collection (Cowgirl and Lasso), 'cause they seem not as original as others.

    Stunning swatches! I think I have a crush on you because of your pics, and I'm as straight as it gets. Power of art, dude :)

    Have you got any new OPI yet?

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  3. Oh goodness--my wallet is seriously in trouble with all of the gorgeous polishes that are coming out this fall. Great pics

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  4. Man these are gorgeous.

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  5. Roberta S, I'm so happy you agree! I'm sure you won't regret ordering a few more.

    Masa_inn, lol thank you :) I couldn't decide if I wanted many of the OPIs, so I took a look at them and decided to order all of them >.<
    I'll have pics soon :)

    Anonymous, thank you! This fall is the best fall ever!

    Stephanie, couldn't have said it better myself :)

    Melanie, thank you so much!

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  6. Oh dear...I need more of these babies!! I have 3 on the way shortly, but you've confirmed my w/l polishes for me. Thank you for the swatches!!

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  7. Totally agree! One of the best collections EVER! Dude, you make them all look amazing! Even those who didn't interest me before! Hello gorgeous!

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  8. Wow, that's awesome! Gorgeous! Drooling all over the place here... Love practically all! But Wagon Trail must be my fave. Or Gussied up Green... or... well, YUM! Thanks for posting, Scrangie! Have you tried OPI France yet? I wasn't impressed much by the bottle pics.

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  9. Okay, I have to drool a bit more... Rodeo Fanatic! Even Yee-Haw got my interest! I'm about to paint my nails with Who are you wearing now, an untried. I have so many untrieds! How do you have the time do you all the swatches? Do you remove color after color, not wearing them for very long?

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  10. Love love love them all!
    OH this is going to be such a expensive collection for me.
    Love your swatch pics .. they are stunning. What camera do you use?

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  11. Seriously, your blog should be called Scrangie: lemming blog. I only ordered Wagon Trail now I want about 8 more... (The only reason I dont want them all is cos I know some are too warm for me.)


    *Walks off in a sulk, muttering with hands in pockets*

    Beautiful pics, as always. ;-)

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  12. Awesome colors. I can't wait to get them.

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  13. Thanks a lot for those pics, I've been wanting to see them all at the same time so I can compare them. Some really catched my eye!

    How do you think cowgirl up compares to L.A. Girls Amethyst?
    And Lasso my Heart compared with Zoya Rea?

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  14. AWESOME!!! Thanks for these swatches, excellent as always! I've waited ages to see Gussied up green and Rodeo Fanatic :) But seeing the whole thing I can definitely see myself overspending again this month on some of the others O:)

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  15. I think China Glaze has won my vote for best collection of the fall. I love Wagon Trail and have to buy it as soon as it comes out up here in T.O.

    Thanks again for the beautiful swatches and the reviews...I just discovered your blog a few weeks ago, and I am hooked!

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  16. OMG Scrangie these are awesome - I want at least nine of them! Fabulous pictures but you are a bad, bad influence - my rate of nail polish purchasing has quadrupled since I found your blog and I had far too much to begin with...

    ;)

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  17. I want Prize Winning Mare because I bet there will be NO dupes of the name! It's so weird to think of horses when you see a nail polish. :)

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  18. WOW! They are all stunning on their own. However I only ordered 5- Branding iron, Gussied, Wagon Trail, Side Saddle and Prize Winning Mare.

    The big winner IMO is Wagon Trail! What a beauty.

    Scrangie, you are the best, not only do you swatch awesome but you listen to your readers AND you write back to us. I can only imagine how much time and effort you must put into this wonderful hobby of yours and I just wanted to let you know that you are truly appreciated!

    Thanks for all your tremendous hard work!!!

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  19. I'm so happy happy happy happy happy that I ordered all of them! :D Some looked dull and quite boring in the pictures that h2t had up, but I've obviously learned that the colors on the pictures are seldom like the color that becomes on the nail. mHmmHmm!

    They all look stunning. Except the last one. But the rest, yum yum!

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  20. Gymnastgirly, you're very welcome :)

    Sanna, awww, thank you!! :) I bet they would all look awesome on you, especially Gussied Up Green and Lasso My Heart!

    Rocketqueen, hehe thank you! :) I saw the France bottles in person but haven't tried them yet. I didn't think I was going to get very many, but after I saw them I ordered them all- I'll have pics soon :)
    As for doing the swatches- each color takes me about 5-10 minutes. I wait for good lighting, apply polish, snap about 20 pictures of each color and then immediately remove and go on to the next color :) It is time consuming, but it's worth it! And I have *tons* of untrieds... Yikes! XD

    Angela, thank you so much!! :D I use a Canon G5!

    Carla G, awww hehehe thank you :) This collection is seriously awesome, I want everyone to know that! *bounces up and down with excitement*

    Sminkjante, you will *love* them. They are gorgeous!!

    Emelie, you're welcome! I don't have L.A. Girls Amethyst, but I will go look for a picture of it and see if I can decide. As for Zoya Rea vs Lasso My Heart, they are kinda similar in texture and shade, but Rea is more flat and Lasso My Heart is richer, more colorful and has more shimmer :)

    Lina-Elvira, awww thank you! This collection is so awesome... it's worth overspending for, lol XD

    Melli, thank you! That's such a compliment, I'm glad you like my blog!

    Evie, bwahahaha! Uh oh! ;-) It could be worse, right? Nail polish is one of the least expensive things to be addicted to :)

    Shryh, lol you're right! I always think it's funny when I see that Mane And Tail shampoo at the store, too!

    Stubby, awwwwwwwww! Thank you, from the bottom of my heart! I love my readers, and while this blog is a LOT of work, it's a labor of love! I love to help and I love hearing from the people who read my blog :) Thank you sooooo much! <3


    Chaosophia, they are seriously awesome and I *know* that your gorgeous nails will make them look even better!! :)

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  21. Fantastic pics as always, Scrangie!

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  22. SiennaX, thank you, gorgeous! :D

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  23. YUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMM!
    Thanks Scrangie!!!!!!!!!

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  24. Just got my Konad stamper and golden spurs will make a great base for leapard print, not that gold fiction didn't look great on you, but with my college loans that's way out of my price range!

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  25. Hey again...I forgot to ask how some of these colours compare to Zoya's downtown collection from last year. I guess this is another request! :) Thanks in advance Scrangie!

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  26. Gorgeous swatches, as always! Thank you for showing me that this collection is *way* better than expected! And I just want you to know, I totally agree with what "stubby no more" said... the time and effort you apply really makes your blog a standout! :)

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  27. lovely swatches as usual ! i love most the silver china glaze swatch and the Lasso at the fall collection.
    please do the konad swatches- the first one you did was great!

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  28. I ordered 8 of them and I am so excited about them I can hardly wait for them to arrive!!

    And today I ordered three Essie-fall polishes. Your fault completely. ;D

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  29. ah, soooo many polishes this fall that i "need" because of you! hehe do you know if red stallion is at all like OPI's Bastille my heart? and if lasso my heart is at all like Zoya Rea?
    Thanks!

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  30. Scrangie thanks SO much for these great pics of the whole collection. I knew I could count on you for the best pics!! I'm thinking Side Saddle and Cowgirl Up are the standouts here and I'll be ordering those two with Branding Iron soon. (I love browns!) Thanks for a kickass blog!

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  31. Diann_co, hehe you're welcome! :)

    Sheila, I know it will looks awesome! Gold Fiction is pretty, but NOT worth the price tag! I actually regret spending so much on it! Oh well, *sigh* ;-)

    Melli, good question! I see a few similarities, I'll break out my Downtowns and compare!

    Fauxfun, awwwwww! That means so much to me, thank you so much! :D You guys are the best!! <3

    Nitzan, I'm working on the Konad ones right now! I'll have them up soon :) I'm glad you liked it!!

    Sminkan, lol, I don't mind being blamed! :) I know they'll look awesome on you- I always look forward to your nail pics! (and your incredible EOTD pics!!)

    Andie, isn't this fall awesome? I don't have my OPI France polishes yet, so I'm not sure about Red Stallion, but I do know that Lasso My Heart is similar to Zoya Rea!

    Katherine, wow wow wow thank you so much! That makes me soooooo happy! I'm so thankful for my wonderful readers, I'm happy you love my blog!! :D

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  32. scrangie, can you do a comparison between Dior Gold Nugget and ChG Prize Winning Mare? Thanks in advance?

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  33. I'm so glad that I order 8 of them. I didn't order Side Sadel:(

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  34. CrazyNails, aw, it will still be there if you decide to order it! I hope these colors stick around for a loooong time because they're really fantastic!

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  35. Okay, thanks! You really are the best, Scrangie; I tried to do TWO (yes, only 2) swatches after each other yesterday and I thought THAT was hard work! Lol! Good thing we have you in the blogging world...

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  36. Rocketqueen, awwwe thank you :D It is a LOT of work, but I love posting swatches :D

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  37. I know I'm a bit late buying from the Rodeo Diva collection, but I bought 7 (I think it was 7, lol) colors the other day!

    I'm super excited to get them, this is one of the coolest collections that I've seen so far.

    How warm toned is Yee Haw? I really wanted it, but both Yee Haw and Golden Spurs seemed waaay to warm toned for me. Bah. That's ok though, I still picked up Prize Winning Mare as my gold polish :)

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  38. Tiffany, it's pretty warm-toned, but I'm quite cool and I love the way it looks on me... I wouldn't worry :D

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  39. i can't believe its taken me this long to get round commentingIi must say Scrangie i love you but damn you! since stumbling upon ur site, gazing in admiration at ur swatchs & your blimmin beautiful nails i've steadily been burning a major hole in my purse due to serious splurging! I'M OFFICALLY A NAIL POLISH ADDICT BECAUSE OF YOU LOL!honestly lately ive been ordering about 3 polishes a week since i discovered you! the guilt about my addiction hurts sooo good, ha ha!

    Do u have any colour tips for dark skinned gals about which tones might work best and what to avoid?i'd appreciate that, thanx! :)

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  40. RayRay, wow, thank you so much :D That means a lot to me!
    As for advice for dark-skinned girls, honestly, I think they look great in everything. Certain pale colors like pinks and beiges can look a little sickly, and sometimes certain browns can blend in too much, but other than they they rock every color, especially blues and oranges!

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  41. After a long time of serious lemming, I ordered 6 bottles of the Rodeo Drive. I have been wearing different colours everyday at work and without fail people comment on good it looks.

    I seriously LOVE these colours. Scrangie - you are my god!!!!!!!!

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  42. Anonymous, hahah that's awesome! Rock on!!

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