Rescue Beauty Lounge in Decorous + Comparisons

Sunlight

I felt like something a little more edgy, but still polished and chic, so I pulled out Rescue Beauty Lounge in Decorous. Decorous was released with the Spring 2011 "Iconic/Ironic" collection and is still available online until it sells out. This is a taupe that doesn't lean too cool or too warm, so depending on the light it pulls different tones. It has subtle white shimmer, which gives it extra depth and is noticeable if you pay close attention in the sunlight. There is also pink and green shimmer in the Chanel-subtle shimmer vein. The formula is one of the most perfect I've ever used - it lives up to the famed Rescue Beauty Lounge formula, which I've found lacking in many of the more recently released polishes; I had to do no clean up, because the polish went exactly where I placed it. It was not too thin or thick, and it was easy to do opaque, thin coats (I did 2, but you could get away with 1 thick coat). Worn July 8 - 11, 2012.

Indoors, indirect natural light

Indirect natural light

Indoors, dim natural light

Sunlight

Sunlight

Sunlight

I own a ton of taupes, but this is unique in my stash, both in base color and because of the shimmer. Below I've compared the closest colors in my collection. If it's taupe and it's not here, it's likely significantly different from Decorous - there were many many taupes that I didn't photograph, because they didn't compare.

None of the colors in the first set are very similar to Decorous, but these are my taupe-ish browns with copper shimmer. MAC in Earthly Harmony is lighter, more grey and with barely detectable shimmer. Finger Paints in Warm He-Art-ed is more of a light khaki beige and has the most visible shimmer of the six; it is a shimmer rather than a creme with shimmer. China Glaze in Ingrid and Dior in #611 Exquis are pretty close to each other (sorry for the horrible bubbles on Ingrid - I mixed a Sally's topcoat with Zoya and it didn't work out well) - Exquis is a bit dustier and with the shimmer more integrated into the polish. Both are darker and more chocolate than Decorous (which is cocoa in comparison). Rimmel in #400 Night Life is a more purple taupe and a shimmer polish, rather than a creme with shimmer. It also has subtle red and green shimmer. The last photo of this set is least color accurate, but best shows the shimmer in these polishes.

Left to right: MAC in Earthly Harmony, Finger Paints in Warm He-Art-ed, Rescue Beauty Lounge in Decorous, China Glaze in Ingrid, Dior in #611 Exquis, Rimmel in #400 Night Life (indoors, artificial light)

Left to right: MAC in Earthly Harmony, Finger Paints in Warm He-Art-ed, Rescue Beauty Lounge in Decorous, China Glaze in Ingrid, Dior in #611 Exquis, Rimmel in #400 Night Life (indoors, indirect natural light)

Left to right: MAC in Earthly Harmony, Finger Paints in Warm He-Art-ed, Rescue Beauty Lounge in Decorous, China Glaze in Ingrid, Dior in #611 Exquis, Rimmel in #400 Night Life (indoors, indirect natural light)

Left to right: MAC in Earthly Harmony, Finger Paints in Warm He-Art-ed, Rescue Beauty Lounge in Decorous, China Glaze in Ingrid, Dior in #611 Exquis, Rimmel in #400 Night Life (indoors, indirect natural light)

Of the close warmer taupes, Chanel in Khaki Rose comes closest. Khaki Rose is a creme and is a couple shades darker.

Left to right: Rescue Beauty Lounge in Decorous, Chanel in Khaki Rose (indoors, indirect light)

Left to right: Rescue Beauty Lounge in Decorous, Chanel in Khaki Rose (indoors, indirect light)

I have quite a few similar taupes that pull cooler than Decorous. They are all cremes. Chanel in #505 Particulière is most similar, but is a bit lighter and cooler. OPI in Over the Taupe is a bit more mauve, but the same depth of color. Barielle in Putt-E-On Me is a bit lighter and more purple. SpaRitual in Sage is pretty similar to Putt-E-On Me, but a little lighter and with a bit more red. Rimmel in #270 Steel Grey is still more red and a little darker thank Sage. RGB in Haze is lighter and with the most lilac in it.

Top to bottom: RGB in Haze, Rimmel in #270 Steel Grey, SpaRitual in Sage, Barielle in Putt-E-On Me, OPI in Over the Taupe, Chanel in #505 Particulière, Rescue Beauty Lounge in Decorous (indoors, artificial light) 

Left to right: Rescue Beauty Lounge in Decorous, Chanel in #505 Particulière, OPI in Over the Taupe, Barielle in Putt-E-On Me, SpaRitual in Sage, Rimmel in #270 Steel Grey, RGB in Haze (indoors, indirect natural light)

Left to right: Rescue Beauty Lounge in Decorous, Chanel in #505 Particulière, OPI in Over the Taupe, Barielle in Putt-E-On Me, SpaRitual in Sage, Rimmel in #270 Steel Grey, RGB in Haze (indoors, indirect natural light)

I thought the following polishes were the most similar to Decorous, but they are still not very similar. Butter London in Fash Pack, a creme, is lighter and a bit more green. RGB in Toast, a creme, is still lighter and more green than Fash Pack. Diamond Cosmetics in #302 Dirty & Flirty is kind of similar, but a bit cooler and a shimmer. I included Dirty & Flirty for those who are looking for a tonally similar color with obvious shimmer

Top to bottom: Butter London in Fash Pack, RGB in Toast, Rescue Beauty Lounge in Decorous, Diamond Cosmetics in #302 Dirty & Flirty (indoors, indirect natural light) 

Left to right: Diamond Cosmetics in #302 Dirty & Flirty, Rescue Beauty Lounge in Decorous, RGB in Toast, Butter London in Fash Pack (indoors, artificial light)

Top to bottom: Butter London in Fash Pack, RGB in Toast, Rescue Beauty Lounge in Decorous, Diamond Cosmetics in #302 Dirty & Flirty (indoors, indirect natural light) 

Want to see more swatches of Decorous? Look here: Scrangie, Karla Sugar, Stuff I (S)Watched, Fashion Polish, Ommorphia Beauty Bar, and Temptalia. The RBL site has a  bottle picture that better shows off the different shimmers. Swatches and comparisons can be found at The Beauty Look Book, Sonidlo's Nail Polishes, and All Lacquered Up.

So do you love taupes as much as me? What's your favorite taupe? And do you think Decorous is worth the price?