Nubar Fall 2009 Modern Matte Collection

Nubar has given us two matte options for this fall- first, Nubar V For Men (which acts as a matte topcoat) and now a set of four matte polishes. I'm not really one to care about trends, but wow, the matte trend is huge this year.


Avant-Garde. A unique russet. Unique russet is the manufacturer's description and I'd say it fits this shade quite well. It's a reddish, brownish, coppery type of color that just screams fall. It has a ton of shimmer that looks awesome matte as well as glossy.


Contempo. A classic red. This is a bright, glamourous red shimmer. It has kind of a retro-glam Old Hollywood look to it. It's a very noticeable color. The rich shimmer in it is accented by gold particles.


Prevail. A spectacular purple. This is a really gorgeous shade. It's a deep, dark brownish purple. Purple with touches of gold. Very dramatic.


Vital. A deep wine. It's described as wine, but it's really quite purple. I'd say it's a little more reddish in real life. This is also a shimmer like the other shades in this collection.


I mentioned that they looked as good glossy as they do matte... Here's proof!

Avant-Garde.

Contempo.

Prevail.

Vital.

Don't these look fantastic with a glossy topcoat? If you're not crazy about mattes but still like the color, you have options! Take these for example. They dry matte, but if you want glossy, just add a topcoat like Nubar Diamont Shine. If you change your mind and want to go back to matte, just add a coat of Nubar V For Men. Or you can go partially matte, partially glossy by doing a french tip with either matte or shiny topcoat, or using matte or shiny topcoat to Konad a design on top.

The formula on these is great. Smooth, even-textured, easy to control, not too thick. I didn't have a single problem with the formula. These mattes are much more forgiving than the other mattes released so far this year. The reason for this is that they don't dry as fast. With other mattes, they start to dry as you are applying them. These stay wet during application which allows room for error. The drying time is still super fast, totally dry within about five minutes, but you have a little more time to work with them, which is to your advantage.

These mattes aren't quite as matte as some of the others. They are still matte- not a hint of gloss- by they are more smooth and satiny. They don't really have that chalky ultra-matte look. I know not everyone likes the super-matte look, so these would suit your taste if you want matte but not ultra-matte. These are really the entry-level mattes- perfect for someone who wants to try out the matte trend but doesn't have any experience with matte polish.

Overall, I really like these. They're easy to work with and apply yet they still dry quickly. I'm not totally enthusiastic about the shade selection- while I do like them, they are rather tame and traditional- red, copper, dark purple, wine. I suppose that's not really much of an issue because Nubar also offers a matte topcoat so I can mattify any shade I want. You should see Nubar V on top of Nubar Greener... spectacular. I'll post a picture when I do my Nubar V review, you'll love it.

Nubar's Modern Matte collection can be purchased directly from Nubar's website. They're currently sold as a set for $24.95, but I'm sure they'll be available separately in the future. You can always email customer service to find out for sure.