Thursday, June 28, 2012

China Glaze On Safari Collection Fall 2012 Swatches and Review

All right! First fall collection of the year! This one's from China Glaze and it's called On Safari.



China Glaze Adventure Red-y. A medium-borderline-dark blue-toned red creme. The color itself doesn't look unique, but, as far as reds go, this is one of the densest and most opaque ones I've ever used.


China Glaze Call of the Wild. Very dark burgundy-brown creme. Pretty straightforward.



China Glaze Desert Sun. China Glaze calls this one caramel, but I think it's a little too orange to be caramel. It looks to me like a light dirty orange with pink undertones. It's very strange but very cool. It dries darker than bottle color.



China Glaze Elephant Walk. A shape shifter. In some lights it looks like a cool-toned grey, while in others it looks completely green. China Glaze describes it as cool graphite grey, but I see a strong green/teal tone in it when I wear it. It has a little bit of extremely fine silver shimmer in it, but not enough to make it look frosty.


China Glaze Exotic Encounters. This is a medium teal creme. The finish is slightly dusty, not crisp and clean.


China Glaze I Herd That. This is a mixture of a few different colors of glitter, all the same size. I see mostly gold and copper but there's also a bit of holographic glitter in here as well. It's warm and sparkly and absolutely perfect. Here I'm wearing it with topcoat, but this color actually dries to a matte finish. It looks just as amazing with its natural finish; the glitter still sparkles but it looks grainy, like your nails are coated in golden sugar.

China Glaze I Herd That, no topcoat.



China Glaze I'm Not Lion. Another excellent glitter. This one shifts colors depending on how I look at it. Sometimes it looks like a light gold with a slight green tinge, sometimes it looks like light taupe with champagne and silver accents. When I look closely I can see light neutral gold glitter, silver glitter and hologram glitter, but the way they combine looks very interesting. This one seems to have more holo than I Herd That does.


China Glaze Jungle Queen. A very dusty-looking greyed-out purple with bright pink and purple shimmer. This reminds me a lot of Chanel Paradoxal. This color looks very hazy and smoky, like there's a grey film spread across the surface. But then, when you catch the light just right, you can see this bright purple flash of shimmer break through the smoky base. Very cool color.


China Glaze Kalahari Kiss. Another strange one! Is this going to be this year's Classic Camel? China Glaze calls it a light sand brown, but again, I disagree. This looks yellow to me. Sandy, dirty, a little bit beige-y, but definitely yellow more than brown.


China Glaze Man Hunt. Bright blue creme. More opaque and a bit darker than Ride the Waves.


China Glaze Prey Tell. Dark, vampy brown-tinged red. Kinda looks like dried blood.


China Glaze Purr-fect Plum. Dark berry-purple. Dries darker than bottle color.

The formula on these was good. They were thicker than I'd normally prefer, but they were also more opaque than usual. Most colors were completely opaque in one coat, only the glitters needed two. The darker shades like Call of the Wild and Prey Tell were the thickest and were harder to apply than the lighter shades. Since these are so thick, they're susceptible to bubbling unless you let each coat dry for 2-5 minutes before applying the next one. Dry time is about average.

For once I'm not really excited about the vampy colors in a fall collection. The ones in here aren't bad, but they're not unique. I have a feeling we'll see a lot of the same ones this fall, just as we've seen them every fall. I love the rest of the colors, though, especially the glitters. Very funky and interesting collection!

The China Glaze On Safari collection will be available starting in July.

(This was sent for review.)

70 comments:

  1. O.o I like Jungle Queen and the two glitters! Thx for the swatches.

    ReplyDelete
  2. There are some colours I like, but I was expecting to like it more from the promo pictures. I am a tad disappointed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Is it just me or does Desert Sun look an awful lot like OPI and Apple Pie? You're the only blogger that comes to mind when I think of that color.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm supposed to be on a no-buy, but you just made me want about 5 of these with your gorgeous swatches!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am sure you have heard this a thousand times before , but honestly your swatches are stunning! whenever I need to know how a shade looks from a china glaze collection I make my way to your page lol :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love and need call of the wild. I always wait for your swatches on these big collections to choose, so thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love 'I herd that' it looks amazing and it really does look like sugar sprinkled on your nails! I always fall for the glitters and then hate life when I cant get it off my nails!! Haha

    ReplyDelete
  8. OMG, the names. "I Hear That" made me facepalm, then "I'm Not Lion" made me facedesk. What are they, OPI?

    ReplyDelete
  9. wow the glitters are gorgeous! I wish Jungle Queen was an eyeshadow too!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love this entire collection! China Glaze has been putting out a ton of colors that really appeal to me lately! Thanks for swatching all of these :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Funny, I saw other bloggers swatch this collection and I only liked 2 of them. Now, I look at your swatches and I like so many of them! I really love the teal, mmmm! And I've gotta get I'm Not Lion - it's a gorgeous glitter and also, the first card I ever gave my fiancé said "I love you" on the front with a little cartoon lion, and inside it said "and I'm not lion!". Hehehe! :) <3

    ReplyDelete
  12. I thought these were seriously boring until I saw your swatches. The glitters look excellent...'I'm Not Lion' still amuses me every time I read it haha. Like the Elephant Walk/Jungle Queen too and that red looks gorgeous on you! Thanks for being such an encyclopaedia!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Beautiful pictures!! These are great shades and an exciting collection, but I have to say that the best part of this post are the pictures. Bright and clear. Bravo!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love the glitters!!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm with you on Kalahari Kiss, brown?! Heck no, definitely a yellow. lol

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm so happy too see your swatches. Now I know for sure which I want.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Love this collection. I feel like China Glaze always aces their collections, even though a couple of the colors have been seen and done before.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I agree I'm not all that excited about this collection, I wish desert sun was a bit darker!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I'm so happy to see your swatches! Now I know which I'm getting.

    ReplyDelete
  20. July seems so early for a collection like this, I just can't get into fall colors yet Dx I doubt I'll get any of these now but a few months down the road i'll be kicking myself!

    ReplyDelete
  21. doesn't "herd" look like a dupe of electrify from the hunger games collection?? looks the same to me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm pretty sure it's a lot closer to the discontinued FingerPaints Holly Good Times.

      Delete
    2. Nope! Different sized glitter and different colors. Different enough to own both, though I personally prefer the finer, more delicate glitter in I Herd That.

      Delete
  22. Doesn't "herd" look the same as electrify from the hunger games collection?? They look the same to me.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Desert Sun is caramel. Having made homemade caramel many, many times, I can definitely say that is the color of caramel when it's hot (if you make it homemade.) Cooled down caramel is lighter for some reason!

    The glitters are gorgeous. Definitely buying "I'm Not Lion." The other one I'll have to see how it works on my skintone!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Wow! They are coming out in July - now I get why there is been press already over them. Good swatches as always - thanks. Love to see Jungle Queen compared to Paradoxical side by side if you 'need' an idea for a posting. I am not at all excited by this collection - I feel I have dupes for the couple I like - and I am on a big no more glitters, I am over saturated with them at this point. The red here reminds me a lot of OPI's Toyland collection's Little Red Wagon - another really dense great red.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I am loving Elephant Walk and Jungle Queen! Thank you for swatching the entire collection,Scrangie :-)

    ReplyDelete
  26. I swear Scrangie's swatches will make you want to buy anything. I have seen these on several blogs, But now looking at your swatches I want several colors.

    ReplyDelete
  27. It's really weird seeing fall polish swatches in the middle of the summer, but still, some of them I'd wear right away! i really love Adventure Red-y, Elephant Walk, Exotic Encounters, Jungle Queen, Man Hunt and I'd probably want the glittery two too. Ugh, that's most of them. ><

    ReplyDelete
  28. desert sun looks like peanut butter...but in a strange way I like that :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. I wasn't to exited about this at first. But I keep seeing great swatches so a few of them will be placed on my wish list.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Kalahari Kiss reminds me of MAC Near Beth experience - are they quite similar?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think I might have answered you on Twitter, but just in case- nope, totally different types of yellow :)

      Delete
  31. There are so many nice polishes in this collection. China Glaze really hit the jackpot with this one. I think I'm gonna buy quite a lot of them, I'm especially looking forward to getting Exotic Encounters, Jungle Queen and Desert Sun on my nails. And Elephant Walk is definitely my kind of grey!

    ReplyDelete
  32. I skipped the Paradoxal craze but Jungle Queen is calling my name for some reason....

    ReplyDelete
  33. i'm not very impressed with this collection, your application is perfect, the only two I would buy are the glitters!

    ReplyDelete
  34. When I saw the first promo pictures of this collection, I wasn't really impressed. After seeing your swatches I might be getting I'm not Lion and Exotic Encounters. The rest simply isn't very special to me. I love the colors though.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Wow, I love so many of these!! Definitley getting the glitters, the teal, and Elephant Walk. I'm also intrigued by the red.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Wow these look gorgeous! I'd love to know how Kalahari Kiss compares to Lemon Fizz from Up & Away though. I have Lemon Fizz but Kalahari Kiss looks so awesome! Are they too dupe-ish? :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not really close enough to compare; Lemon Fizz is a bright, clean pastel, Kalahari Kiss is murky and dirty dijon mustard yellow :)

      Delete
  37. Hhhm, not as excited as I hoped to be, I like Jungle Queen a lot, Desert Sun too, but it's one of those polishes which either suit me or look really bad :) I'm Not Lion reminds me of a less holo version of A England's Princess Sabra...love that colour. Thanks for the swatches!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Do You Know if I Herd That may be dupe-ish to FingerPaints Holly Good Times? I just want to save myself the $$ if they're pretty close. Despite having a such a large stash, I try to avoid dupes as much as possible, lol. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not a dupe, but similar. I Herd That has smaller glitter, isn't as dark (more light gold and copper than deep gold and red) and has holo glitter in it. I think you may be happy with it as a replacement for the Finger Paints even if they're not exactly the same!

      Delete
  39. Hi there, some of these colors I like very much! I was wondering if "I'm Not Lion" has a matte finish, like the one with gold glitter. If it is, I'm definitely getting it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It does, but it's not as matte as I Herd That. Slightly more sheen to it.

      Delete
    2. Thank you for taking the time to answer <3 I love your blog.

      Delete
  40. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  41. i am so jealous of you... all the colors! i, too, am wondering about im not lion, because i really like the matte look of i herd that, but im more of a silver girl. im really glad i came across this to see jungle queen... i wouldnt have liked it otherwise! as always, beautiful swatches, best on the web!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Desert Sun looks like butterscotch ganache to me. If I had that color, I'd have to stop myself from trying to lick my nails. I ain't even sorry. XD That color looks delicious to me.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Oh how I just love your swatches and pictures, they always look so perfect!
    These colours are nice and if I'd run into this collection I'd probably buy some of the darker colours but they don;t really scream my name, if you know what I mean.

    ReplyDelete
  44. What top coat did you use over I Herd That?

    ReplyDelete
  45. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Why is it when I see other bloggers swatch colors I think, "Eh," but when I see your swatches I'm all "I want!" LOL, you are bad for my wallet. (p.s. Don't stop.)

    ReplyDelete
  47. How does I'm not lion compare to China Glaze's Medallion? (Aside from the matte part)

    ReplyDelete
  48. I have to agree with everyone's comments here, your swatches are the best on the web! I'd seen a couple ones prior to yours and was so happy I didn't feel like I needed any of them. Now I *need* at least 2 of them and have a want for 2 more. I would also love to see a side by side comparison of Chanel Paradoxal and Jungle Queen. Btw, I am loving this new nail length!

    ReplyDelete
  49. Whoa. I want "I Herd That" and "I'm Not Lion" SO bad! Gorgeous glitters. :D

    ReplyDelete
  50. I've seen this collection in person, and it really inspired me. The theme is perfect, and the names are so much fun! (I ended up buying Jungle Queen and Exotic Encounters a while ago.)

    I'm looking forward to trying out more of the shades, especially after seeing your lovely swatches! :)

    ReplyDelete
  51. I thought I'd be all excited over this collection, but I'm not.

    ReplyDelete
  52. I had myself convinced I didn`t need any of these polishes until this post... Now theres atleast 3 that I don't think I can live without.. my poor wallet :(

    ReplyDelete
  53. May I ask that what brand of the topcoat you use for the China Glaze I Herd That? The color on you nails are just so so pretty....

    ReplyDelete
  54. May I ask that what brand of topcoat you use for China Glaze I Herd That? THe color in you nails are just so so pretty...

    ReplyDelete
  55. How does Man Hunt compare with Bermuda Breakaway? (I tried to google it but it doesn't seem anyone did that comparison yet.)

    ReplyDelete
  56. How does Man Hunt compare with Bermuda Breakaway? (I tried to google it but it doesn't seem anyone did that comparison yet.)

    ReplyDelete
  57. seems like...they should have waiting to released this until september when everyone is bit by the fall bug. What i didnt care about during the summer, i'm seeing now in peoples swatches and feeling bad i didnt pick it up!

    ReplyDelete
  58. Is kalahari Kiss close to Lemon Fizz???

    ReplyDelete
  59. These swatches are so amazing :) You're my go to swatcher when I want to purchase some polishes! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete

Please be respectful. Refrain from using my comments for unsolicited advertising. If you would like me to check out your blog or product, please email me. Thank you!