The Hunger Games and China Glaze Capitol Colours: The Martyrs and Freedom Fighters featuring Riveting, Hook and Line, and Agro

It's a mouthful of a title, I know. But there was simply no more concise way to appropriately summarize everything that will be talked about in this post. See, this collection first started as a rumour that was fed by a company leak of photos of the actual colors. Then, there was the threat of lawsuits and even more drama. Thank goodness it was all sorted out to reveal the exact same colors that was originally leaked, albeit with different names that a quick thinking fan pointed out were a representation of each of the 12 districts as outlined in the books. And now, I am the happy owner of the entire collection with the enabling aka pre-order option of the awesome Nail Polish Canada (they even came earlier than expected, double yay!). I know there were some that were skeptical about the color choices, but I feel it did do the books justice. More on that in a bit. While I know that I probably won't wear some of the colors as often as the others, I still felt strongly about wanting the entire set because (to my knowledge) this is the first nail polish collection that's based off a book series. As a certified bibliophile and nail polish addict, this easily made the entire collection a must-have for me.

I wanted to be able to do in-depth reviews for each color in the same fashion as is my usual, but if I stuck to one color per post, that would take me months just to show you all of them! So while I'll still be doing in-depth reviews, instead, it will be with three polishes in the spotlight per post. That will make this series a 4-part one over the next couple weeks and just in time for the movie release on the 23rd (boo yah!). Now, I'm fairly certain that by now, you've seen a bajillion swatches and reviews of this much anticipated China Glaze collection. So I have to raise the bar. To set these posts apart from the flock, I'll be showcasing not just swatches and a review of the actual polishes, but as well as how it ties in with the books. I'll be picking key characters from each of the districts that the nail polishes represent and somehow, show you how they all connect. This is the part where I say beware of spoilers as I'm fairly certain there will be quite a bit. I'll be writing this with the expectation that you've read the entire series. If you haven't read any or all of them yet, read on at your own risk or simply skip the text after the district name and number in bold. Also, if you're a huge Hunger Games fan and disagree with whatever I've written, please don't flame me. Let's just talk about it in the comments, okay? Okay!

Needless to say this will be a preeeetty long post, photo heavy and with walls of text so grab a coffee, sit back and relax. All set? Here we go!

The first three pretties in this series!

Pam's Girly Bits: Stormy Skies and Street Magic helps you Sea's the Day

I'm really excited to show you a couple polishes from the Pam's first Girly Bits collection: Sea's the Day today! Pam, a fellow Canadian blogger, has really exceeded expectations with these lovelies. Really, not much intro is needed when these two can speak for themselves. First up, the packaging and after the jump, the polishes themselves!

The packaging it comes in. Very Girly (Bits)!

I love the personalized touches. Really shows the love put into these.

China Glaze Cross Iron 360

Pumpkins. Falling leaves. The one fruit Mr. J can eat boxes and boxes of. What do they have in common? You guessed it right: Orange! This is one funny color. Funny in a weird kind of way. When I think "orange" it usually brings to mind both summer AND fall which I find strange because those two almost feel like polar opposites. But maybe it's because of how one transitions into the other that allows orange to straddle both seasons.

When I got the China Glaze Haunting Collection, I have to admit that it was primarily for It's Alive. The swatches I've seen of the entire collection had me hoping they'd include one of the vampier shades in the 4pc set. So when I saw the orange shimmer alongside It's Alive...I'll be honest. It was a bit of a let down. However, on the nail, not so much.

How could I stay unhappy wearing this?

Nail Art Wednesday: Halloween Nails! Ghost, Skull, Frankenstein's Monster, Jack o' Lantern and Mummy

The title is a mouthful, I know. But because I only do nail art posts once a week and with the October Birthdays series, I couldn't do Halloween themed nail art leading up to it. Oh no! There was so much I wanted to try! I wasn't going to make it for Halloween! The solution: cram them all in one post on the first Wednesday in November and call it Halloween Nails. *toothy grin*

Beware the Claw!!!

NYC In A New York Minute in Spring Street

We, here at Polished Indulgence, believe that indulging and being polished and put together doesn't have to mean spending a lot of money. There are a lot of great alternatives to high end brands and their offerings. A high price tag doesn't necessarily mean a better quality product. Half the time, you're paying for the brand. Case in point: L'Oreal Group of Companies. Their consumer line includes Garnier, L'Oreal Paris and Maybelline New York. Each has their own niche and fairly affordable prices. Then you have their luxury brands among which include Lancome, Giorgio Armani and YSL Beaute. Ever heard of the L'Oreal Infallible Loose Eyeshadow being very similar to the Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Silk Eyeshadow? Same parent company. Now, I'm not saying they're exactly the same, but I am stressing the fact that you CAN get a similar product without breaking the bank. Huge cosmetic companies usually structure themselves so that they can appeal to both low and high price point consumers to maximize profit. So, why pay them more when you can get something similar for less?

That's exactly what NYC In A New York Minute in Spring Street is all about. It's a great cheery red orange shade that dries fast and shiny even without top coat for only a couple of bucks. How can you go wrong with that?

Just what the nail doctor ordered for dreary Fall days.