Is it really much of a surprise we’re seeing countless shades of gray for Fall ’12? The book that launched many fantasies is now taking over the beauty world, and while there are bound to be more than 50 out there (I have never seen so many gray palettes in my life), I’m pleased by the plethora. Lucky for me, gray is one of my favorite colors. One of the reasons being it has so many variations.

I recently received two different gray polishes – one from NARS, another from Deborah Lippmann. At first glance, they appear to be very similar, but once applied, two different shades present themselves. So it’s really impossible to compare! NARS’ Storm Bird ($18) is a softer and kinder gray, a gorgeous neutral shade for most skin tones, that they describe as a shade of “shark.” Others will demand something harder, and Deborah Lippmann for Narciso Rodriguez’s Stormy Weather ($16) is a take-no-prisoners dark granite. It’s destined to appeal to snobs who crave drama without living it. The pair dreamed it up while envisioning something with “power and intensity.” What about you: what shade of gray are you?