YSL La Laque Couture #38 Gris Underground, #39 Beige Gallery from Fall 2013 City Drive Collection

YSL released two limited edition nail polishes with their Fall 2013 City Drive Collection. Being very enthusiastic about the formula and packaging of my recent YSL nail polishes purchases, I have taken them in my wish list from the moment I have seen the promo pictures. Now that they are already released in US and about to hit the shelves world wide very soon, I would like to introduce you to YSL La Laque Couture #38 Gris Underground and #39 Beige Gallery.

After taking them out of their package, I had a desire to check out Gris Underground first, because it didn't appear that gray in the bottle. I was wondering how it would transfer on my nails. After applying I found out it appeared even more "periwinkle" than I thought. I can safely say that YSL #38 Gris Underground is a gorgeous muted periwinkle with creme finish. To me it really is no gray. Check it out yourself...

Oh how crazy I am about periwinkle polishes. It reminded me of Butter London Sprog, which almost gave me a heart attack after PA in Breuninger said that it was sold out forever (which turned out to be a wrong information). Anyway, this one is even more gorgeous than BL Sprog, and I think it can be worn four seasons on all occasions. It is work appropriate, yet not boring. It doesn't scream that it is there but takes over the scene silently if you know what I mean. Perfect formula, almost one coater, not thick, not thin, brush is perfect and I can't stop admiring the wide opening of the bottle, which makes application even easier. I definitely need a back-up of this color since I may never be able to find such a balance of everything combined. For me it definitely is perfection in a bottle. Can you resist it?

Now comes the second nail polish from City Drive Collection, #39 Beige Gallery. After being so enthusiastic about one shade, it is always hard to talk about the second. Although I would classify Beige Gallery as a light gray taupe leaning slightly mauve, you can come up with your own definition. It is this kind of color which is between all colors and therefore can't be defined easily. I wouldn't call it a beige though, to me it has way too little brown for this category. It reminded me of Laura Mercier's Bare Haze from their Summer Nudes Collection which I recently reviewed and was so excited about (check the review here).

I definitely love Beige Gallery, I do. But still my heart belongs to Gris Underground, which to me is a bit edgier and modern than this one. Beige Gallery had similar formula to Gris Underground. With its perfect consistency, it was a breeze to apply. This one is another color which can be worn four seasons, a rather unusual and interesting nude.

Now comes the interesting part. Going through my stash (which currently takes me over half an hour. I definitely need some improvement on this point), I pulled out some similar shades.

I got Frenzy in the mix, which is a mushroomy nude and thought it would be like one or the other, but found out it is very different, lighter and more beige (which proves Beige Gallery being not that beige). Rescue Beauty Lounge's Be Humble could resemble Gris Underground but turned out to be too lavender for that, Rescue Beauty Lounge's Forgiveness is more lila and it is also darker. Dior's Trench and Butter London's All Hail the Queen are both more brown than Beige Gallery.  Dior's Gris Trianon is a mauve gray which is close to Beige Gallery but more of a cooler gray with less of blue/periwinkle tones.

As I already suspected, YSL Beige Gallery and Laura Mercier Bare Haze are very similar. LM Bare Haze has just a little bit of Khaki touch to it and Beige Gallery appears slightly cooler but if you have one, I don't think you need the other. Butter London Sprog and YSL Gris Underground are also similar but they are not dupes. BL Sprog is a few tones darker and more blue than YSL Gris Underground.

Final thoughts: Both of the nail polish releases of YSL for Fall 2013 City Drive Collection are muted and beautiful nudes. YSL #38 Gris Underground is very unique and slightly edgier than Beige Gallery, which is my favorite. Beige Gallery is more dupable (and very similar to Laura Mercier Bare Haze) but still a modern chic shade for all year around. Formula wise, perfection, as expected from YSL polishes. Be sure to check them out, both are limited editions.