RGB nail color – review

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three bottles of nail polish in grey, tan and brown

RGB – Pre Fall 09 Collection – Steel, Toast and Haze

I discovered the joys of RSS feeds just about a year ago when I stumbled onto a nail design blog, and decided to subscribe to it’s feeds. I started clicking through blog rolls, and following links to nail polish websites and contests. After a few months, I wasn’t just a fan of women who were rabid over polishing and decorating their nails and discovering new brands. Soon, I became one of those women.

I didn’t start writing about my nail polish hauls or posting pics of my NOTD (nail of the day), but I did develop an immense joy in painting my toenails and fingernails. It became a hobby that I now share with my 2-year-old and 4-year-old daughters. (My oldest is asleep right now sporting a purple sparkly pedi. My toddler has toenails the color of fresh squeezed O.J.) Since no one wants to share a noxious chemical-laden hobby with their children, I was excited to try RGB Cosmetics – one of the only brands of formaldehyde, toluene, and DBP free nail polishes on the market.

I had the pleasure of trying the colors Haze and RGB10, two of the sixteen current shades in RGB’s fashionable collection. Nail polish lovers can choose shades from Ten, their mainstay collection of 10 carefully edited shades; they cover the gambit from your Goth girl friendly RGB Black (a deep dark black with just a hint of shimmer) to the ladies that lunch appropriate RGB Buff (for a natural clean look) or pick a limited edition shade from seasonal collections.

Haze (pictured – back right bottle) is from their Pre Fall ’09 collection, and it is described as a “smoky violet,” which is the perfect description. Until I checked their site, I was describing it as grey with a touch mauve. Haze graced my toes for nearly three weeks without chipping or losing its shine. (I don’t use base or topcoats.) Although the color wasn’t right for my skin tone, I couldn’t knock its longevity.

I also tested RGB 10, part of the original ten colors, a sheer blush. It took three strokes for me to get a look of color on my nails although I don’t suggest doing that. RGB 10 is designed to make your nails look natural but 100 times better. I just wanted to see if one could build color with this shade. Despite not using a topcoat nor doing a touch up, my manicure lasted 4 days without a chip even after doing a round of dish washing.

Members of our we heart this review team received the other colors from the Pre-Fall 09 collection for review, Steel (front bottle) an industrial grey and Toast (middle bottle) a modern taupe. Make sure to check the comments for their thoughts!

For now you can only purchase the polish for $14 on the RGB website, but soon it will be available in stores. It’s worth seeking out as in my nail obsessed opinion, this is definitely a five out of five star beauty product!

Rakisha Kearns-White is a mom, a wife, a librarian, and a chick seriously into well-manicured nails. Check out her thought provoking wht hosted blog, brooklynshoebabe.

Author

  • brooklynshoebabe

    Mom of two girls and married for 17 years. A librarian with a love for red carpet shows, make up blogs, romance novels, fashion days on QVC and HSN, plus-size protaganists, and pedicures.

19 Comments

  1. To be perfectly honest – Rakisha look away now! – I rarely bother with nail polish. I get a pedicure every now and then, yes – mainly as it’s such a therapeutic experience – but manicures? Forget it. I spend all day on the computer so it never seems worth the effort – by the time I’ve written an article half the polish has chipped off!

    But that’s not to say I don’t like testing out new nail products, especially when they’re free of the usual hideous chemicals (I once colored my toenails with a lovely shade of red by Clinique and my husband, sitting next to me, almost passed out from the stench – of the polish, I mean, not my feet!!)

    So bravo to RGB for coming up with such an eco (and people!)-friendly collection. I tried Toast, aka ‘modern taupe’, and was pleasantly surprised. It didn’t look particularly exciting in the bottle, but as soon as it was on my nails, my opinion changed. For a start, it went on smoothly and dried quickly. And the color! Even though I’m in my mid-to-late (not late!) 30s and perhaps not as ‘down with the kids’ as other people, I can safely say that this is a very ‘now’ shade – a trendy gray-brown that looks fabulous in winter.

    And how did it fare in the typing test? It lasted at least three days before it started chipping (which is pretty good going by my standards).

    Note: Even though it contains no formaldehyde, toluene or DBP it still smelled ‘varnishy’, but not as strong as other brands. Such as Clinique.

    Four stars from me!

  2. Hey, Lesley. Totally agree that the colors didn’t look that impressive in the bottle but good on the fingers. It does smell varnishy or as strong as other nail products, which is great because my hubby hates the smell but appreciates the look. :-)

  3. I got

    haze

    – and I love it! It’s a gray with a purpleish tint. I got so many compliments – it’s so chice! Plus, it really wore well with a top cote and base coat….I got through about two days with NO chips, which for me is miraculous!

  4. I, too, tried Haze and think that it’f fantastic. I can’t say that it lasts longer or shines better than any other, but I love the color–it’s like no other. I get easily bored with colors that I see on every display–oh the coral, oh the blue, oh the black. Every brand looks like the one before it.
    This Haze, however, really has no kin. Purple? I don’t see it; purple sounds unnatural. I see smog (natural here in L.A.) or clay. Doesn’t sound appealing to you? Think of it as a new take on an old neutral–taupe. It looks wonderful on my toes next to silver, gold, or pewter-colored sandals or peep-toed shoes–metallics’ new best friend.
    I like the color family displayed in the photo here as well: all neutral, none predictable. Who does that?

  5. Like Lesley I don’t usually paint my finger nails because I’m on the computer all day as well. And when I do, the polish usually chips off within a few days and stays there looking chipped and gross for a few weeks because I’m lazy. However, when I do get in the mood to make my nails look pretty I go for the unusual colors, like purple, black, bright pink, and deep reds. Now that I think about it, those colors aren’t that unusual…..

    Anyway, I was happy to see a new color, I got Toast. In the bottle, it doesn’t really shout out and say “hey buy me!” but on the nail, oooo la la. It’s simple but intriguing, a quite tone but makes people turn and look. It also went on smooth and I only had to use two coats. I used a base and top coat and the polish lasted about 4 days before noticeable chipping started.

    I also used this on my toes. I painted my toe nails a deep red color and used the toast on the tips for a French Manicure look. It looks pretty cool, next time I might do the reverse. I think that would look better…

  6. I know I should probably feel bad, but I never really worried about what chemicals I put on or in my body until pretty recently. I never paid attention to the kind of chemicals that were in nail polish–I knew they had some nasty ones, but I somehow manage to forget many formulas contain ingredients like formaldehyde, as in the dead body preserver. Really. If you think about it, it’s really kind of gross and can’t possibly be healthy. It preserves dead bodies, folks. I am kinda loving that these polishes do not contain 3 of the nastier components that many nail polishes still use today.
    I hit the jackpot and got to test out Toast and Haze. Let me just say that I am a lazy nail person. I give myself a pedicure about once a month, sometimes more if I absolutely fall in love with a color, which is rare. I absolutely hate chipped polish, so I only paint my fingernails if I want to be extra sassy, which is maybe twice a month.
    When I saw Toast, I was inspired to go all out and redo my pedicure and my fingernails, too. The shade looks pretty underwhelming in the bottle, but once applied is this really unique and matte shade of not just taupe, but a warm, yet somehow cool, strangely finger-elongating shade of taupe. It’s hard to accurately describe, other than I have never seen a color quite like it before and I’m glad that I finally have. It is a perfect nail color for Fall—very flattering for the earth tones I tend to wear this season. It is officially my new favorite.
    Not to be outdone is Haze, a matte grey with a hint of blue/violet that really stands out against other shades of grey polish. This is officially my new Winter polish. It is such a grown-up and chic color. I think too many of the nail polish trends can look silly on a woman over 30 like myself, but this shade (along with the lovely Toast) really capture a modern look but don’t look like they’re trying too hard.
    Both polishes took 2 coats to achieve a full coverage look. I skipped a base coat and a top coat b/c like I said, I’m LAZY, and yet I still eeked out almost a full month on the pedicure and about 2 days on the nail polish, which like Katie, is darned near miraculous for me.
    I can’t recommend RGB polishes enough, you really need to try them for yourself :) 5 stars!

  7. I was excited to try these when they arrived. I got to test Toast and Steel. I have to say I got a ton of compliments with both of these. Toast was definitely my favorite because I’m more of a brown type of girl. These are not your run of the mill colors and definitely stand out when you wear them. The staying power was very impressive. I used a base coat and top coat and got at least 3 days without any chipping. I was most impressed by how intense the color went on with just one coat. I applied two, but thought I probably could have only used one. I would love to try out other colors from this brand. This polish is a little costly, but worth it for the longevity and the added bonus of no harmful chemicals.

  8. I was super excited to try this too, I tried Haze and totally love it. I am a huge fan of nice fall muted colors and this is the perfect lilac grey. Not flashy, but sassy for sure. Subtle and I have to say kind of elegant. Makes you feel like a real fine lady :) I went a few days chip free too and with no top coat.
    These are really solid, lovely colors that have good staying power.
    I totally want to try more of their colors now.
    Especially knowing they are free from some of the harsh chemicals that so many other brands have.
    5 stars from me, and I will be buying more for sure!! I just noticed on their site they have complimentary shipping!!! More of a reason to buy more!! YAY

  9. I don’t claim to be a nail polish expert, but I do love to talk about nail polish on my own blog and I’ve done more than a few NOTD posts. So when I received RGB Steel for review, I pretty much freaked out. Gray is such a hot color for nails these days. In fact, it’s so hot that some may say that it’s already run its course and is on its way out. I beg to differ after wearing Steel. I will keep on rocking this shade until it becomes so out that it’s in again. It’s just gorgeous and so extremely versatile. I have to stop typing this and get back to staring at my nails some more. Seriously.

    PS: And it applies and wears like a dream. Awesome brush. Awesome formula. Five stars. Enough said. :)

  10. Whoa! Sorry for the late post..I was practically hijacked at work today.. (Celebrating 20 years at SCP)
    Anyway, I was happy to get this in Toast to try… The ladies of WHT know what would work for me and what won’t. I happen to like this very much and have it proudly showcased on my big bedded fingernails as I type. The color is a nice medium brownish fawnish taupe- you get the picture and puts off a nice shine as well. The other thing I like about this is there is no stinky smell when you apply it. I usually get a headache from the fumes nail enamels can put off. So, that’s worth a million bucks to me! I go and get a manicure and pedicure every month or so, and always like how nice they look when I’m done. I plan on taking this next time for my pedicure.. I would love this for Thanksgiving!

  11. I am the hit of my 9th grade class when i wear Haze – but I think it’s very classy adult, too – and that’s coming from someone who generally only wears red, pink, and French! I went 4 days without a chip and that was with no top or basecoats, either. It goes on so smoothly (great brush!) and dries very quickly. I love the look of the simple lined, square bottle, too – very chic looking. I’m totally impressed with this line. 5 stars!

  12. Haze looks gorgeous. I have Toast sitting on my dresser but I haven’t cracked it open (well, I did just get the package today). I’m afraid of the taupe. I tend to look veeeeeeeeery red in taupe. It doesn’t help that I have 9 fingernails that are the same length and one that isn’t because it broke so I’m debating chopping them all off or not.

    For those that have Toast, is it a warm taupe or a cool taupe? It’s very scary looking in the bottle.

  13. I have to be honest, I haven’t painted my nails in at least…three?…years. I accepted long ago that my finger nails just weren’t meant to don color – extra-long nail beds (thanks dad) mean that my nails look best short and clean.

    Luckily, my toes can hold their color, so that’s where RGB’s Toast went. As a lover of neutrals, I personally adore the color – I’ve been seeing shades very similar to it quite a bit this fall (I actually have a shirt that matches the polish perfectly). Obviously color is kind of a personal opinion, but I’m pro.

    I had never thought about all of the chemicals in nail polish before, but now that I am I’m quite happy that RGB doesn’t have them. It still smelled a little, but considerably less than other polishes I have used in the past. The polish wasn’t too runny and it didn’t coagulate in the bottle or on the brush. It dried quickly and didn’t chip for over a week (I’m not really sure how that measures up to other pedicures, though).

    Overall I thought this polish was a great choice. RGB impressed me, but I don’t think it was enough to convert me back into a regular polish user. I imagine that if I were a regular though, I would pick up another bottle of RGB.

  14. In the summer months I am at the nail salon every two weeks minimum for a mani/pedi. I like to have fun with colors. I’ll wear black nail polish on my finger nails and neon orange on my toes. I don’t if people are just being nice or if they really mean it when they compliment some of my bolder color choices. In the winter I get a pedi every 3-4 weeks but try to indulge in a mani every 2 weeks. I like dark, rich or warm colors in the winter and these polishes hit my mark. I received Toast to test. It reminds me of wet sidewalk cement in the bottle. On the nail it’s like coffee with a ton of cream in it. The staying power is 5 days no chips with base and top coat. I am on my keyboard at work all day so this is darn good! I think this color works best with olive or darker complections.
    I’m really looking forward to trying Steel and I’ve also got my eye on the Fall ‘9 Cognac a rich amber and Crimson blood red. I’m sad that it’s not available in stores on the East coast. $14 – free shipping may be a bit pricey but if you go to the nail salon on a weekly basis you can polish (no pun intended) off a bottle by end of season.

  15. I’m a big nail polish fan as well. Not as much as some of the nail blogs that Rakisha mentioned (Vampy Varnish is my personal fav) but enough to own a big ol’ basket full of polishes. And I always seem to end up with a bottle of the latest “it” shade. I love that you can be more adventurous with nail polish. You may not try neon orange on your lips, but on your toes it’s easy!

    RGB gets big raves from me on a bunch of levels. First, the packaging is chic, love the square bottles and minimal copy. Even the name, RGB. For the colors of the spectrum; Red, Green and Blue. Good design elements people!

    The colors touch on trends, but are really wearable and very timeless. That Neon Orange on your toes? Yeah, you probably won’t want to wear it past it’s hip prime. Steel, Haze and Toast are all colors I can see wearing again and again, despite whatever Vogue is telling me to wear. I loved all three shades, but Haze is really my favorite. Lilac grey is a great description, as is LA smog (which I may never look at in the same way again thanks to you Sherri!) It’s really stunning.

    And as the testers have noted, it wears really well too. I didn’t see my first chip for 4 days; and I’m a chip on the first day/hard on my hands kind of gal. Really easy to apply as well, coats well but with a nice thin consistency.

    VERY impressed with RBG!
    .-= stef´s last blog ..Kiehl’s Rare Earth Pore Minimizing collection =-.

  16. You know what? I just have to add something to my original review here. After using this polish three times now, I have to say that this is the LEAST messy polish I’ve ever applied to my oddly shaped nails. Seriously, my nailbeds turn sharply downward at the sides, which means that I am ALWAYS left with nail polish on the sides of my fingers when I’m done painting my nails. But there is something about the formula of RBG, combined with its kickass brush, that makes this polish just gently float down the sides of my nails but always stop short of my actual fingers. So after decades of applying nail polish to my nails and ALWAYS having to do a massive clean-up afterward, I can safely say that RBG is the only polish that I can use and not have even a spec of polish on my skin when I’m done. That alone, is worth the price of admission. I’m absolutely hooked.
    .-= nouveaucheap´s last blog ..Etsy 4 for Friday – Hostess Gifts =-.

  17. I love RBG, I lucked out and got to try Steel, and as a usual black or red polish lady, I was excited to try this smooth gray and it is so pretty, I don’t know what it is or if I’m just lucky but I went 4 days with no chips! Whoa.. OMG that’s a first ;) I love that it is void of those toxic nasty substances, I am so getting more of this line for XMAS for friends. Tons of them commented, what color is that where did you get it! so nice. 5 stars from this now total super fan!

  18. Well, it looks like we have winner here – I just added my 5 stars for a total of 13 perfect scores! It’s always so exciting to find a fab new product that exceeds all of your expectations!

    I love manicures, but in general, I keep my nails fairly short. I use a lot of sheer shades – creams and pale pinks, mostly because they are easier for me to achieve a clean home manicure. I adore the look of dark color on short nails, but I can have trouble working with dark shades. Not RGB however – as the girls mentioned, the polish has an easy consistency that covers smoothly. You have to look close to tell i did it myself!

    I was the lucky tester of RGBSlate – a metallic, gun metal grey with a hint of shimmer. I love black polish but it makes my skin look like a corpse. This color is just a shade or two lighter then black and is much more wearable. the very subtle shimmer keeps the polish from looking too flat or dull. It’s a great color – looks amazing with silver jewelry – and would be so chic and elegant for fancy evenings this holiday party season.

    I want to check out RGB10 next – it’s my light pink total go-to color and described by RGB “like a blush for your nails” and it looks so pretty!
    .-= Tyna Werner´s last blog ..Mark On Call Virtual Interior Design App for Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch =-.

  19. I really am intrigued by this brand, but I also want to add Eyeko as a good polish brand. The colors are so impossibly vivid and eye-catching. Really nice :)

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