China Glaze Anchors Away Spring 2011 Swatches & Review – Part I
Happy Tuesday!
As you have probably already heard, China Glaze has a new twelve piece collection for spring 2011 called Anchors Away.
This collection underwhelmed me a bit, to be completely honest. There is no single color in it that made me extremely excited, most were just “nice”. I’m not sure why, but it is what it is. 
Today I have part I for ya, check them out.
Sunset Sail
Sunset Sail is a light peach with subtle silver shimmer. I thought it was going to be a lot more sheer than it wound up being, but I did use three coats. I actually like it more than I initially anticipated on me also.
White Cap
White Cap is a very pale white with lots of yellow/gold shimmer. This was ok, just too sheer for me even after three coats.
Knotty
Knotty is a light warm brown sugar type color with silvery shimmer. This one doesn’t work on my skin tone at all because it’s too orange/yellow for me. This is three coats.
Pelican Gray
Pelican Gray is a pale blueish gray with silver shimmer. This was one of my favorite ones, but it’s still not all that unique to me. This was three coats.
Sea Spray
Sea Spray is a light blue with silver/blue shimmer. Another one I liked but didn’t seem very unique. Three coats.
Below Deck
Below Deck is a dusky purple/taupe creme and it’s very pretty and interesting. I do think it’s quite similar to Sephora by OPI Metro Chic though (from what I can remember). This was two coats.
Stay tuned for part II soon!
-VV
Welcome! My name is Kelly and Vampy Varnish is a animal friendly beauty blog.
I had been very interested in all of these colors. But I am underwhelmed about your reports of sheerness. That is a shame.
Styrch´s last post…Send The Trend – Dana Gunmetal Necklace 20 Off!
Yeah, I know what you mean… They feel uninspired!
Pretty colors, but the only one that I feel like I need to get is Sea Spray
Sunset Sail and Sea Spray are my faves! I also noticed an recurring theme in all the new Spring colors- the pale shades and then the bright blues, pinks and greens. A lot of the new collections seem repetitive.
I’m loving Sea Spray!
Tenns´s last post…Swatches > China Glaze Pom Pom
I really like this collection, but it’s not on my Must Have It Now list like Zoya’s spring collection was. I am a little upset that Knotty didn’t work on you – our skin tones are pretty similar, and I had been looking forward to that one.
Sea Spray is just Essie Sag Harbor all over again. I was “meh” about this collection too, but Sea Spray was the only one that caught my eye…then I realized why. I have Sag Harbor! LOL
I did pick up Ahoy though, I have a hard time resisting ChG’s Glass Fleck polishes.
Elizabeth aka Lacquered Lizard´s last post…Chanel Black PearlHo Hum
Thanks for these!! You are right that they are not very exciting … but three if them are great replacements for some I already have and cannot find any more!! Happy to see these!
my sister picked up sea spray and ahoy from cosmoprof for me… and i was insanely disappointed in how sea spray went on it was all streaky and hard to even out i played with it for a bit and figured out how to apply it but still it isn’t the quality I normally expect from china glaze
Pretty ‘eh’, I do like Below Deck though. I’ve been wearing a lot of colors with that same tone.
I love the collection, I´ve already ordered half of it. Of these I want Sea Spray and Pelican Gray. Do you think Pelican Gray is similar to Zoya Dove? I love both but I don´t want to get duplicates. Maybe you can do a comparision?
I’ve been wanting someone to do a head to head comp of the two, but no luck yet.
White Cap and Below Deck are my favourites from the ones you’ve swatched. Gotta give it up to China Glaze for providing a diverse range of colors in one collection (even if they’re not completely original).
Mary´s last post…Funky Purple Zebra Manicure Using the Konad m57 Image Plate – Konad Nail Art Swatches
This collection didn’t do much for me either. I only liked 3 shades. I’m waiting for Tronica.
Kitty´s last post…Sinful Colors Pretty-In-Pink Collection
Sunset Sail and White Cap are pretty!
Mína´s last post…Nfu Oh 51
I’m using White Cap the same way I use CND Effects – to tweak other polishes by adjusting the overall color. For that purpose, White Cap is a good buy; it’s less expensive than Effects.
Thanks for the swatches… I want to get sea spray and pelican gray. I like the others but I’m just not feeling them!
I like Sunset Sail, Sea Spray and Below Deck. Yeah China Glaze nail polishes can be hit or miss. What is part 2?
Hi Kimberlee,
The other 6 in the collection.
I just got the few I ordered in the mail today. And just as I was expecting – nothing exciting. Out of these, I got White Cap just because I couldn’t resist the shimmer, and Sea Spray because it’s supposedly a close dupe for some other polishes that I don’t have. Overall, this collection isn’t much more interesting than OPI’s Texas. At this point I’m really glad Zoya exists, it’t the only brand that keeps being inventive.
I bought Ahoy! and Below Deck. Nothing else, except for Pelican Gray, interested me. I haven’t done a comp yet, but Ahoy reminds me a lot of Zoya Gilda, but not quite as pink. I applied Below Deck last night, and it was fully opaque in two coats, though it did seem a little thick. I really like the color.
Can’t wait for Tronica. I’m planning to buy at least half the set. I usually only pick two or three colors from a collection because I’m so picky and hate duplicating colors.
I wanted Sea Spray and Pelican Gray most from this collection, but now I’m wondering how close they are to Eyeko Pastel and Rain respectively…
Van Vanity´s last post…White Cat Mani
I’m loving Below Deck and Sunset Sail so much!! Especially Sunset!
Vicky´s last post…Minty green tutorial!
I’m with you Kelly. I like the Sea spray, but nothing in this collection screams “must have” to me. Thanks for swatching them.
Straight up; I wouldn’t get Sunset Sail. On the other hand, it looks down right chic on you. I do think Below Deck will get on my desk though.
Kimberly´s last post…Stylish Blogger Award or- Self-Promotion
I actually ordered almost the whole collection (didn’t get the red creme, have enough of those already). I really wanted Sea Spray and Pelican Gray, more because I’m a sucker for those kinds of colors than because they’re so unique or anything. I think Sea Spray and Below Deck look good on you, btw.
I love below deck. I was going to get Pelican Gray but I thought it was going to be more creamy.
I think you are right about the “nice but not unique” polishes. Anyway I’d buy Below Deck immediately!
maisenzasmalto´s last post…Tagged!
I’ve been waiting for you to swatch these! I really love Below Deck, and I don’t have anything like it, so I’m certain I’ll be getting it. Can’t wait to see Part II, because there’s another one I love and I want to see if I like it as much in your swatches. Yours are always my favorite! Thanks for all you do!
MississippiMama´s last post…Review- It’s Raining Cupcakes by Lisa Schroeder
White cap would looks pretty over black
LadyLuck´s last post…Blog Tag
These are pretty colors, but not that unique IMO. Sunset Sail look the most original to me but I have a feeling that it would clash with my skintone.
I’m actually really excited for this collection! I especially like White Cap, and I think Sea Spray will be my less expensive substitute for Riva.
Zara´s last post…Wet Cement Lime Lights
Feels like you could mimic these by putting some CND Effects over the top of existing colours. I certainly either have dupes of some or have come up with these by layering already…. Nice but no cigar…
Jenni´s last post…Trasparenze Dora – the shade is Fumo smoke
I LOVE Pelican Grey and Sea Spray!! I think those are great “Trasnsition” colors from Winter to Spring! I like how they have the color of Spring but arent too bright! I may just have to go pick those up!!!
I loved all these colors (like them better than the ones in part two) except for the sheer one.
Silva´s last post…Tags!
Agree…nothing new and exciting here unfortunately, but I MUST say, you make these all look so good they have somehow become more interesting to me
Below deck is pretty it reminds me of Parlez vous opi? A favorite of mine
I’ve seen some other swatches of these around, but I usually wait till I see yours before I buy. I’m glad I did because this half of the collection seems kind of meh. I’ll probably only go for Sea Spray.
Jasmine´s last post…More Adventures In Water Marbling- Chocolate & “Teel”
I’m not at all thrilled with these. My favorite is Below Deck.
Oh well – I guess I’ll have to buy Pelican Gray and Below Deck too. I skipped those two first time around, but they look great.
Gejba´s last post…Illamasqua Throb collection- Throb- Sangers swatches
How does Sea Spray compare with Chanel Riva and Hard Candy Sky?
Hi Gina,
They are different for sure. Sea Spray is a slightly darker more grey blue and has silver shimmer as opposed to Riva and Sky which have a light blue shimmer. Riva and Sky are very close, but Sea Spray is definitely not a dupe for either.