China Glaze Avant Garden for Spring 2013 Swatches & Review
China Glaze Avant Garden is the new collection for spring 2013 and features twelve shades.
This collection is obviously inspired by all the soft and bright shades of all the blooming flowers this time of year. Ok well technically it’s not “this time of year” because it’s still winter! Close enough. 
There are some really interesting unique shades here, and some maybe we’ve seen before. The formula in general for these was good. Some were just two coats, some three.
Dandy Lyin’ Around
Dandy Lyin’ Around is a shimmery white. This one was a bit streaky and sheer at first. I used three coats here.
Keep Calm, Paint On
Keep Calm, Paint On is a pale sea-foam green shimmer. Great, unique shade, but it gave me a bit of the lobster hand thing. This one was also a bit uneven, but after three thin coats it looks pretty perfect.
Tart-y For The Party
Tart-y For The Party is a medium lavender creme. It’s bright, not pastel, which I like. Nice shade, maybe not unique. This was just two coats.
Fade Into Hue
Fade Into Hue is a soft periwinkle creme. This is a thin somewhat sheer formula, and even after three coats I did have some streaky areas where my pesky ridges are. ARGH THESE RIDGES! Anyway, pretty shade!
Pink-ie Promise
Pink-ie Promise is a soft pink with pink shimmer. Nice shade, it covered nicely in two coats.
Life Is Rosy
Life Is Rosy is a medium rose pink creme. Good formula, covered really well with two coats.
Mimosa’s Before Mani’s
Mimosa’s Before Mani’s is a medium coral with nice warm gold/yellow shimmer. This is my favorite one in the collection. It’s just a lovely base shade with great shimmer, and it covered perfectly in two coats.
Passion For Petals
Passion For Petals is a bright pink/red creme. It covered decently in two coats, not my favorite shade though.
Snap My Dragon
Snap My Dragon is a bright reddish/pink with pink shimmer. Gorgeous shade! It’s glowing and covered in two coats. Great buttery smooth formula.
Budding Romance
Budding Romance is a medium mossy green creme. This is a pretty sheer and watery formula but builds up nicely in three coats.
Sunday Funday
Sunday Funday is a bright sky blue creme. Gorgeous shade, but I did have some minor streaking issues. This was two coats.
Fancy Pants
Fancy Pants is a medium blurple with pink and blue shimmer. It leans more towards purple than blue. Remember when I said Mimosa’s Before Mani’s was my favorite shade? I lied. This one is! That one is a close second though. This was buttery and awesome in two coats.
Overall: I like that there was a variety of shades and no boring predictable pastels or a million reds and pinks. Some of these colors are definitely unusual and unique, which is great. A few had some streaky issues, but nothing so bad I wouldn’t wear them.
Availability: Online, in stores in March.
Pricing: $7.00.
What do you think about Avant Garden? What will you be picking up from the collection?
-Kelly
Note: China Glaze is cruelty free.
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Ummm I will take all of these beautiful colors.. please and thanks.
So perfect spring colors too.. I wish they would make their collections smaller so it would be easier to just order the entire lot.. The only one I am not digging is the green, a little to mossy and yucky for me.
I like all the ones with shimmer, especially the second one and the green and bright blue!
I seriously want to entire collection. My favorite is Life Is Rosy.
Angela @ The Unprofessional Beauty Blog´s last post…Chinese New Year Makeup Tutorial Part 2 – An Elegant Look That Brings Good Fortune All Year Long
I thought these were incredibly boring when I first saw the promo photos. Yours are the first swatches I’ve seen, and they’re much prettier and more interesting than I expected — but I still don’t see anything I feel like I need to have.
Emi at Project Swatch´s last post…Sinful Colors Swatches
Okay, I think I’ll be forced to buy Mimosas before Mani’s and Fancy Pants – these two are my favorites. I’m not crazy about purple shades at all…but I’m feeling this one.
love this collection! I can’t pick my favorite from Fancy Pants and Mimosa’s before manis! and I like snap my dragon and keep calm, paint on too. Have to keep my eye out for these.
I am for sure going to pick up Fancy Pants. What a beautiful color it is!!
GAH I LOVE Keep Calm, Paint On!
Sonya´s last post…Sugarpill Cosmetics Heartbreaker Palette – Review, Photos, Swatches
I NEED all of them except for Life Is Rosy. Just not my type of shade. Beautiful swatches Kelly!
Jasmine´s last post…Jetmax 3-Drawer Storage Cube Review
What pretty colors!
Olivia´s last post…NOTD: Orly Coachella Dweller (Hope & Freedom Fest)
I’ve got my eye on Keep Calm, Paint On – such a fitting name!
Mimosas Before Manis is my absolute favorite! It looks like the perfect orange/coral color. I also love Dandy Lyin’ Around and Keep Calm, Paint On – they both look like pretty soft shades with a twist. And of course I need Fancy Pants! Nice collection, CG. And nice swatches =)
Kelsey K´s last post…Zoya Zara Swatch and Review
I actually like this whole collection, because it seems perfect for spring and is a nice mix between shimmers and cremes. I love Mimosa’s Before Manis and Fancy Pants the most!
Cat´s last post…Nostalgic Lacquer Take On Me
Yeah, I’m really digging the brighter colors in this collection. I was and am certain that I NEED Mimosas Before Manis, Snap my Dragon, and Sunday Funday. I really wanted to love Passion for Petals, but the swatches don’t move me.
Alexis´s last post…Skittles! Marbled and Stamped
Omg! I feel like I want them all!
LOVE Keep Calm, Paint On
Catherine (@bcrueltyfree)´s last post…Eye-Catchers of Winter 2013 – Part 2
Nice swatches! I’ll definitely be picking up some of these!
TikiBarbie´s last post…OPI "Can’t Let Go"
Nothing I need from this collection. Redo colors/collection that come out every spring/summer. It wont be long till the neon’s come out . -_- *blah*
Still not too sure about this collection…I am more a vibrant colours kind of gal….. BUT i like (and orderd) Fancy Pants, Sunday Funday, Mimosa’s Before Mani’s and Snap my Dragon (I just had to…with THAT name…heh)! Can’t wait to get swatching
Very nice swatches and pics: really got a feel for the collection.
I have been a long time reader of your blog and I just wanted to stop in and say how much I just love your swatches!
I love the one that you said is your favorite one as well, but it reminds me enough of one of the more recent Cult Nails polishes (not a dupe, but the “feeling” of it is close) so I think I’m gonna be able to pass on this whole collection!
Fancy Pants is calling my name. 1 out 12, I’m really lucky this time
QueenMiSeRy´s last post…The Rainbow Ladies: Green – Orly Meet Me Under The Mistletoe
The first polish that caught my eye was Sunday Funday. What a lovely blue! I’m also loving Passion for Petals, as I’m a red kind of gal; and, Mimosas Before Manis — not just for the gorgeous color; but, also, for the great name! And, there is just something oddly enticing about Budding Romance. That green seems to almost be lit from within! But, I don’t think it would work as well on my complexion as it does on yours.
Eh… mostly boring to me, with the exception of your two favorites. I love those, as well!!
Budding Romance and Fancy Pants are my two favourites from the collection based on your amazing swatches!
I just love those kind of mossy greens – can’t get enough of them. And the shimmer in Fancy Pants really adds that “POW” Factor!
Swatch And Learn´s last post…Smorgasbord Sundays: I Have the Map of London…on My Umbrella
Fade Into Hue is my favorite so far, the rest are in my untrieds but oh yeah, I picked them all up!