Models Own Beetlejuice Collection Fall 2011 Swatches and Review

The Models Own Beetlejuice collection was, in my opinion, one of the most exciting collections of last year. When that first promo picture made its way onto the internet, I freaked out. OMGDUOCHROMES. I mean, look at it, it looks amazing:

I ordered the entire collection the minute it was available on the Models Own website. I eagerly awaited their arrival, opening my mailbox each day, hoping there'd be a box of Beetlejuice in there waiting for me. When they finally arrived, I was a little surprised at how different they looked from that promo picture, but despite my initial disappointment, I still ended up liking them. This is what they look like in real life:

Aqua Violet - Golden Green - Emerald Black - Pinky Brown - Purple Blue

Not too far off, but definitely lacking that bright, vibrant color seen in the promotional image. Pinky Brown was the one that surprised me the most, as it really doesn't look anything like I thought it would. Here's how they look on the nail:

Models Own Aqua Violet. This one is just as the name implies: aqua and violet. It starts with an aqua blue shimmer base, but as the angles and lighting change, the polish flashes two bold shades purple, a bright pure blue and a deeper green-blue and at an extreme angle, gold.



Models Own Emerald Black. The color shift in this one is a little hard to see because, one, it's a really dark color, and two, it doesn't actually shift very much. The only real color shift in this one is between a cool, blue-toned green and a warmer yellow-toned green, but both upon an inky black base.


Models Own Golden Green. I used flash on a couple of these because it brings out the metallic gold color in this polish, whereas the dim indoor light doesn't show the gold, but it does bring out the gorgeous blue and teal duochrome side of the polish. This one really is a beauty. The shimmer in it is so complex when you look at it closely. And it's not a duplicate of Chanel Peridot, but it's definitely in the same family.



Models Own Pinky Brown. I've posted this one before, but here it is again. It's a glass fleck finish, not a fine shimmer like the others. It has a sheer brown-ish tinted base and lots of glittering multichrome glass fleck particles. The main color I see is a deep pinkish-purple, which then shifts to copper and gold with a touch of golden green at extreme angles. I was hoping this one would be brighter and more pink!


Models Own Purple Blue. This one is also a glass fleck finish. It's a little bit Orly Space Cadet-ish, but not exactly the same. It's a murky, brownish-purple tinted base with glass fleck particles that shift between red and blue toned purple, blue, burgundy and gold. Was also hoping this one would be a little brighter and less murky/dirty looking. Still nice, but not what I expected!

The formula on these is workable, but not the best. Some of the polishes have that thick/runny texture, where it feels thick and gooey going on, but still runs and pools off the brush and on the nail. Applying thin coats of these is a must. The brushes aren't the most precise, which didn't help things in the application department. Once I got used to the runny texture, application was fine, but the dry time is long. Even with Seche Vite, I found myself denting these an hour after application. My trick for these is to apply very thin coats, wait for each coat to set (2-3 minutes) before applying the next one, and then a thin coat of quick dry topcoat 2-3 minutes after the final coat. I did three coats of each of these and all needed the third coat.

While I am disappointed that the colors weren't the same bright, lively gems seen in the promo pictures, I am still very happy that a company did an entire set of duochromes. It's no secret that I'm obsessed with multichrome/duochrome polishes and I really wish some American polish companies would start making them again. There have been a few here or there, and there are a bunch of good ones from imported brands, but it's been a long time since we've seen a whole full-on collection of dramatic duochromes like the Sally Hansen Nail Prisms.

I ordered mine directly from Models Own's website. You can get these individually for £5 (around $8 USD), or in a set of all five plus a bottle of topcoat for £20 (around $31 USD).