Holiday 2014 Nail Polish Collections from SinfulColors

SinfulColors "24 Karat" and "Girl's Best Friend"

The holiday season is officially upon us and you know what that means--holiday collections! SinfulColors has come out with two holiday collections that are available exclusively at Walgreens. But don't hesitate because these polishes are available for a limited time for $1.99! 

The Holiday Tinsel Collection comes with six shimmery shades that will give your nails a holiday glow. Silver Rainbows is slivers of silver glitter. Spiked Ice is bold black dazzle. Pink Icicles is a bright pink confetti concoction. Cold as Ice is a classic white white shade. Tinsel Town is a wintery blue sparkle. Gold Tinsel is the gift of gold!

Sinful Colors 2014 Holiday Tinsel Collection

Sheer Lustre Glitter Top Coat is the name of SinfulColors second holiday collection! 24 Karat is a sheer glitzy golden top coat. Diamonds Are Forever is a silver confetti topper. Top Me Off is a deep purple/blue shimmer. Girl's Best Friend is a gorgeous deep purple glitter. Sapphired Up is a chic turquoise shade. Glittery in Pink is a sparkly blush top coat. 

Sinful Colors 2014 Sheer Lustre glitter Top Coat Collection

SinfulColors "24 Karat" and "Girl's Best Friend"

1. Here are the two polishes I received to review swatched for you to see. Both shades are part of the Sheer Lustre Glitter Top Coat collection, so I was a bit surprised when I realized that their finish and formulation were so different. "24 Karat" is a true top coat (and a bit hard to see in the swatches) while "Girl's Best Friend" is more of a traditional glitter polish. I like both but I see myself wearing "Girl's Best Friend" more.

Here's a better swatch of "24 Karat" on my sister's super cute Santa manicure. It isn't very noticeable on its own but it's a polish that will give any nail look a festive glow. Anyway, I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and New Year! Don't froget to check out these polishes at your local Walgreen's!

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Disclaimer: These products were sent to me for review. 

Rimmel London Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish in "Steel Grey"

Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish in "Steel Grey"

Today's installment is a bit of a loose interpretation of this month's post's Halloween theme but I hope you don't mind. Today I'm going to be talking about this grey polish from Rimmel, aptly called "Grey Steel". It's a color that would look lovely year round but as I was looking through my nail polish for "spooky" polishes, I saw this one and thought "Aha." "Steel Grey" is a beautiful cream purple grey color that was a product of the greige beauty craze that hit the market a few years ago. It's one of my roommate's favorite colors--she's used up an entire bottle--and I quickly became a fan too. 

Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish in "Steel Grey"

The more I looked at "Steel Grey" the more I realized its a fantastic option for Halloween. It's a little spooky but it doesn't scream "Trick or Treat!" If you're looking for a cool but subtle shade to wear with your Halloween costume--and you don't want to go with the obvious choice, black--I would recommend checking out "Steel Grey". It's extremely inexpensive and readily available at almost any drugstore. If you don't wear it ever again, you don't have to feel too guilty because you haven't wasted too much money, but this is one of those colors that the more you wear it, the more you like it. At least that's what I've discovered. 

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OPI "Uh-Oh Roll Down the Window" Swatch + Review

OPI "Uh-Oh Roll Down the Window" 

 Summer is all about bright, flashy, look-at-me nail polish but sometimes a girl needs a break. As we get closer and closer to fall, I'm starting to long for the darker nail polishes of the colder months. It's still August and I'm not quite ready for shades like OPI "Here Today...Aragon Tomorrow" or OPI "Lincoln Park After Dark" so I picked a nice transition color. "Uh-Oh Roll Down the Window" is a lovely medium jade green. 

OPI "Uh-Oh Roll Down the WIndow" 

The application, like every OPI nail polish I've ever used, is a dream. The formulation is thick (but not too thick), opaque in two or three coats, and it is almost guaranteed to last for at least a week when worn with a top coat. This shade was a color that I wore a lot during my freshmen year of college. When I wore it I felt sophisticated and modern--except when anyone asked what color I was wearing, then I conveniently "forgot" the name. I think we can all agree that "Uh-Oh Roll Down the Window" is probably one of the worst nail polish names in existence. I understand that the theme of the collection was a road trip around America but I don't want my nail polish to be inspired by flatulence. I'm not sure what OPI officials were thinking when they decided on this name. There must have been better options. Right?

But despite the horrible name (and the name is truly horrible), "Uh-Oh Roll Down the Window" has a special place in my heart and in my nail polish collection. It reminds me of my first year in college when I thought that I knew everything. 

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FTC: This polish was sent to me for review. 

My Butter London Nail Polish Collection: Photos + Reviews

My Butter London Nail Polish Collection

 I have done my Essie nail polish collection and my Julep nail polish collection. I thought it was about time I did my Butter London nail polish collection--even if it is terribly tiny. I only own five colors but I figured that five was enough to warrant a blog post. Butter London is a high end brand that can be found at Ulta or Macy's or online at Sephora.com. The glitter polishes are fantastic (the application is opaque and the polishes doesn't try out in the bottle) but I haven't noticed that Butter London polishes last longer or apply easier than nail polishes that are half the price. The only time I buy Butter London polishes is when they go on sale at Ulta. 

My Butter London Collection: "Trout Pout" and "Fruit Machine"

 "Trout Pout" was a recent purchase. It has received quite a bit of hype in the beauty community and I was hoping that it would convert me into a die hard Butter London fan. Unfortunately, I was doomed to be disappointed. "Trout Pout" is a lovely color (but easily dupe-able) and not worth the $15.00 price tag. Application was nice but comparable to OPI or Revlon or Essie. If you can only buy one Butter London polish, I wouldn't recommend that you choose this one. "Fruit Machine" was part of the recent Butter London Sweetie Shop Collection. All of the colors in that collection were drool-worthy but I finally decided on "Fruit Machine" because it was the perfect color for spring/summer. It is a blue-toned pink polish that is lovely but again, like I said with "Trout Pout", it isn't worth the full price. 

My Butter London Collection: "The Black Knight", "Henley Regatta", and "Wallis" 

 I'm not a huge fan of the cream finish polishes, but it seems that I am a bit obsessed with Butter London's glitter and foil finish polishes. "The Black Knight" was the first Butter London polish I ever bought and I was thrilled with the product. It's a semi sheer glitter (you could use it as a top coat) but it's completely opaque in three or four coats. Want easy to achieve galazy nails? Layer "The Black Knight" over OPI "My Private Jet". It looks flawless whether layered or on its own. While "The Black Knight" was my first Butter London polish, "Henley Regatta" is my most used polish. It is a beautiful  teal blue glitter polish. It's a bit hard to capture on camera but if you get the chance to see it in person, I would highly recommend it. This one is a bit harder to work with than "The Black Knight". It normally takes about five coats until I'm happy with the opacity. And finally, "Wallis". It is by far the most unique Butter London polish. It's an olive green/ golden foil polish. It is one of my most recent purchases and I don't regret buying it for a second. This is another polish that I bought on the recommendation of Allison from amarixe.com and youtube.com/amarixe. Like I've said before, she has excellent taste in nail polish and this time is no different. "Wallis" does have a problem with chipping but add a coat of your favorite top coat and that problem should be solved. 

Butter London  polishes are known for their sleek rectangular packaging but some people don't know that the black rectangle lid is only a cap. Underneath is the regular cap with the Butter London mascot printed on the top. Although I will admit that the additional rectangle lid is a bit of a nuisance, I love the little details that Butter London puts into the packaging. 

Positives

-Glitter polishes are semi-opaque (can be top coats or applied on their own)

-Glitter polishes don't dry out easily

-Cream formula is opaque and easy to apply

-Packaging is luxurious, sleek, and elegant

Negatives

-Expensive ($15.00)

In the end, I don't think that most Butter London polishes are worth the money. The cream finishes are nice but nothing special and most are colors that can be found for a cheaper price from other brands. The glitter polishes, on the other hand, are another story. They don't dry out quickly (unlike many of my chunky OPI glitter polishes) and I love how they're sheer enough to use as a top coat but opaque enough to be worn on their own. If you want to buy a Butter London polish, I would recommend checking out the glitter polishes or "Wallis". They're totally unique and worth the higher price tag. 

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OPI "My Private Jet" Swatch + Review

OPI "My Private Jet"

 I hope everyone is enjoying this week's nail polish theme! On Monday I published my long anticipated Top Ten Purple Nail Polish List. On Wednesday I published my Butter London Nail Polish Collection and I talked about how I liked to layer Butter London "The Black Knight" under OPI "My Private Jet". After I realized I'd never done a swatch and review for "My Private Jet" on the blog, I didn't have to think about what my Friday blog post would be about.

OPI "My Private Jet"

"My Private Jet" received a lot of attention a few years ago because it was said to be Kim Kardashian's favorite nail polish. I don't know if that's true or not but "My Private Jet" is one of my favorite nail polishes. At first glance it looks sort of like black marble but when you look at it under sunlight it glistens and shimmers--looking almost like a galaxy. To take it to another level try adding a coat of Butter London "The Black Knight" on top. It's a lovely color but it isn't something that will give you lots of compliments. It's a great color for fall/winter--with a subtle twist.

I hope that you guys liked this week's nail polish posts. I promise that next week I'll be publishing posts on a wider variety of topics. If there's anything specifically you'd like to see, please leave a your suggestions in the comments below!

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OPI "Princesses Rule!" Swatch + Review

OPI "Princesses Rule!" 

 I thought it fitting that since I talked about the first OPI nail polish yesterday (click here to see it) that I would talk about my second OPI nail polish today. I was young and there was nothing that I loved more than a bit of shimmer. For months, I wore nothing but OPI "Got a Date To-Knight" paired with "Princesses Rule!". It was my favorite nail polish combo and I thought I looked so cool. 

OPI "Princesses Rule!"

"Princesses Rule" is a unique polish. With three coats it is opaque enough to be worn on its own (that's how I'm wearing it in this post) but it also makes an excellent top coat. As I mentioned above, I love wearing it with OPI "Got a Date To-Knight" but I also love wearing it with Essie "Lady Like" (this is the combo I wore to my cousin's wedding last summer), Essie "Sand Tropez" and Julep "Jennifer". It's the perfect thing to add a little drama to an otherwise subtle manicure. I loved this color as a girl and I think that there are a lot of little girls (and their mothers) out there that would love it too. 

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OPI "Got a Date To-Knight" Swatch + Review

OPI "Got a Date To-Knight"

On Monday I talked about one of my new favorite pink products (the Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm in "Pink Wink") but for the rest of week I'm going to take a walk down memory lane. As most of you know OPI is my favorite nail polish brand. I have a rather large collection but it all started with this one polish--"Got a Date To-Knight". My mom thought I was insane to spend over eight dollars on a nail polish but she insisted that if I was going to get one I needed to buy a color that I could wear with anything. Although, at the time, I wanted something a bit brighter, I have to thank her for being so practical. 

OPI "Got a Date To-Knight"

The polish, when applied to the nails, looks very similar to the color in the bottle. It doesn't seem that way in the swatch above but that's only because the bottle is practically empty. I only have a few more manicures before it's time for the bottle to go to nail polish heaven. "Got a Date To-Knight" is cream finish polish with a semi-opaque formula. It took about four coats to get the look featured above but (maybe) because I have so many found memories of this color that I don't mind painting on an extra coat or two. "Got a Date To-Knight" is my favorite pink OPI polish. It's subtle but not too subtle. It's not too-blue or too-red. It looks young and playful and sophisticated and classic. I'm also a big fan of OPI "Strawberry Margarita" (a darker, brighter pink) and OPI "Princesses Rule!" (a shimmery pink top coat). My review for "Princesses Rule!" will go up on Friday--so keep your eyes peeled! 

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Julep "Jennifer" Nail Polish Swatch + Review

Julep "Jennifer" Nail Polish 

On Monday I finally got around to posting My Julep Nail Polish Collection! And after editing that post, I had the sudden urge to exchange my bright purple nail polish for a more subtle look. And "Jennifer" is an obvious choice--a soft pale pink (almost nude) color. As I've mentioned before, I have a love-hate relationship with "Jennifer". It was a very expensive purchase ($14.00) and I hoped that it would be the perfect polish. Let this be a lesson: a high price tag does not guarantee a better product. While I love the color, the formulation is a pain in the butt. It is extremely sheer. Don't expect a quick manicure with this color. Today when I sat down to paint my nails it took seven coats to get an opaque finish. 

Julep "Jennifer" Nail Polish

In the end, I will not be repurchasing "Jennifer" when I run out. Julep polishes are very expensive but I haven't found a difference in quality that justifies the difference in price. I don't think "Jennifer" is worth the money and I recommend looking for a less expensive polish at the drugstore. Personally, I love Essie "Fiji". It isn't as nude as "Jennifer" but it's half the price and only takes two coats to get an opaque finish. Now I call that a fantastic deal. I suggest saving some money or checking out Julep polishes that are a bit more unique (try "Jessica" or "America").

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OPI "Pamplona Purple" Swatch + Review

OPI "Pamplona Purple"

 I have a bit of a confession to make: I am a sucker for nostalgia and the color purple. "Pamplona Purple" is a color that I've had a very long and very loving relationship with. It was the color I picked out the day I got my first professional manicure with my sister and my cousin. It was also the color I picked on when I got my second professional manicure and my third. I'm nothing if not loyal. 

OPI "Pamplona Purple"

However, I find myself not reaching for this color as much I thought I would when I bought it. I've found in the couple years that I've owned this polish that it doesn't really fit into any particular season. During the summer I reach for super bright, super bold colors. During the fall/winter I reach for deep, warm colors. During the spring I want to wear pastels and neutrals. I normally only paint my nails this color when I'm feeling nostalgic.  If you like the look of the polish from the swatches, I cannot recommend it enough. Like almost every OPI polish I've ever tried, the formulation is fantastic and the lasting power is around eight days. At one point in my life I loved this color but now I feel like I've grown up and it doesn't really fit my personal tastes anymore. There will always be a part of me that loves this color. 

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In The Mood "Flirty" Nail Polish Swatch + Review

In The Mood "Flirty" Nail Polish

 Growing up did any of you have mood rings? You know, the rings with the stones that would change color based on your "mood" (a.k.a the temperature of your body)? Have any of you ever wanted a nail polish that would change color based on your "mood" (a.k.a the temperature of your body)? Well, your wish has now been granted thanks to In The Mood. In The Mood is a small company that offers ten shades that will change based on the temperature of your fingers. "Flirty" is the more subtle of the ten shades changing from a pale pink when hot and a medium bubble gum pink when cold. The swatch above is the polish at room temperature. 

In The Mood "Flirty" Nail Polish

Here is what the polish looks after a minute next to a room heater. The polish is quick to change colors. You can see where the polish is already changing colors at the edge of my nails. If only you could somehow add a topcoat that would prevent the color from changing because this would be a super simple way to get ombre nails. Unless you live in very warm climate, I doubt you would reach this end of the spectrum. 

In The Mood "Flirty" Nail Polish

Here is what the polish looks like after a minute in a bowl of ice water. As you can see the change is much more dramatic (probably because I took the room temperature photo on a rather warm summer day). The shift takes place rather quickly. "Flirty" is a lovely color that is perfect for any occasion. I don't think anyone else would notice the temperature-induced transformation but it's cool to look down throughout the day and never know what color you're will be wearing. If I were to buy a shade I would probably pick something with a more dramatic transformation like "Hyper" (coral to peach) or "Devious" (purple to pink). 

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FTC: This product was sent to me for review

China Glaze "Flip Flop Fantasy" Swatch + Review

China Glaze "Flip Flop Fantasy"

After taking a quick break from bright nail polish last week with Essie "Lady Like", I have come back to the bright side with probably one of my brightest and boldest nail polishes--China Glaze "Flip Flop Fantasy". In addition to being one of my brightest nail polishes, "Flip Flop Fantasy" is also only one of the three China Glaze polishes that I own. And I know what you're thinking. What? You? The nail polish junkie extraordinaire only owns three China Glaze polishes? How is this possible? It's possible because...and don't hate me...I really, really, really don't like China Glaze polishes. In my experience--especially when it comes to their neon or brighter shades--the formulation is really gloopy but at the same time extremely sheer. And in regards to formulation, "Flip Flop Fantasy" is no different. 

This polish is an absolute nightmare to apply. I'm not exaggerating in the slightest when I say that to get the opacity of the swatches I posted in this review I had to apply eight coats of polish. And that isn't eight thin coats. No, that is eight frustratingly gloopy coats. Oddly enough, this polish doesn't have a glossy finish but instead dries with a matte finish. It is something that is easily fixed with a quick application of a top coat but it was something that I was expecting the first time I painted it on my nails at home. If there is one good thing to be said about the formulation, I can say that this stuff dries pretty quickly. I think it might have something to do with the matte finish but the polishes quick dry time definitely helps cut down application time. Also, beware that the lasting power of this polish is extremely unimpressive. It was less than 24 hours before I started chipping on the edges and four days before it was time to redo my manicure. 

China Glaze "Flip Flop Fantasy"

But why, since I hate this formulation so much, do I keep coming back to this nail polish? Sigh. Honestly? It's because the color is so fantastic and I forget what a nightmare application is (or I somehow convince myself that I remember it being worse that it actually was). "Flip Flop Fantasy" is unlike any color I've ever seen in a nail polish. It is a true neon flamingo pink. It was really difficult to get this color to show up true to color in the swatches but in the end I think I managed to get it as close as possible. It is stunning color that will get lots of attention but if you are not in love with the color, I don't think this polish is worth the money. The application is horrible unless you have ninja nail polish applications skills...but I can't stay away. I'm sure before the summer is over I'll be rocking this polish on my nails. I can't stay away. 

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Essie "Lady Like" Swatch + Review

Essie "Lady Like"

 And my Essie obsession continues. Today I am doing an NOTD feat. the lovely Essie "Lady Like". After rocking the almost obnoxiously bright nail polish  Essie "The More The Merrier" for the past week, I felt that I needed something a bit more subdued on my nails. I've said this before and I'll say it again but Essie is the master of the neutral nail polish. If I want something natural and subtle, I will almost always turn to Essie. Lady Like is essentially a purple-brown nude. It is noticeable darker than my other favorite nude from Essie--"Sand Tropez"--but it is still a lovely nude. It would be a great color to look into if Essie "Sand Tropez" is still a little too light for your skin tone. 

Essie "Lady Like"

I first heard about this shade from the lovely and knowledgeable MissGlamorazzi on YouTube. And at first, I'm going to be honest, I wasn't that impressed with the color. It was nice but I didn't think it was something that I needed to add to my collection. But then I kept seeing it everywhere--on beauty blogs, in magazines, and from other beauty gurus on YouTube. I finally cracked and bought "Lady Like" because I thought it would compliment the dress that I'd picked out for my cousin's wedding. In the past year I've gotten so much use out of this shade. It is something that I tend to reach for when I need to look professional and polished--like interviews, award banquets, or other formal events. I also love wearing accent glitter with this polish--I recommend OPI "Princesses Rule!" or Essie "Set in Stone". In conclusion, this is a lovely nude polish that might be a better alternative for those looking to avoid the mannequin hand look that can sometimes be a happen with more traditional beige nude polishes. 

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Essie "The More the Merrier" Swatch + Review

Essie "The More the Merrier" Swatch + Review

 I think it's official. I'm having a moment of Essie obsession. Two weeks ago, in celebration of my 20th birthday, I picked up three Essie nail polishes at Target--as you can probably guess "The More the Merrier" was one of them. Click here to see the other two colors I picked up. But my obsession doesn't end there. On Friday I posted My Essie Nail Polish Collection blog post and today I'm going to review this stunning shade from one of my favorite nail polish brands.

Essie "The More the Merrier"

Essie released "The More the Merrier" in their 2013 Summer Collection. It was love at first sight. I own quite a few green nail polishes but they're all dark colors that I wear a lot in the fall and winter. "The More the Merrier" is the perfect lime green color. A few years ago I never would've picked up a color like this but recently I've been enjoying bolder nail polish colors--especially for summer. This is one of those colors that EVERYONE will notice. As an added bonus for any fellow Washington citizens this color is perfect for Seattle Seahawks or Seattle Sounders nail art. 

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My Essie Nail Polish Collection: Photos + Reviews

Happy Friday everyone! We did it! After two weeks of silence I'm back and better than ever. On Wednesday I published a post about my favorite new spring/summer Essie nail polishes. That was so well received that I thought I'd celebrate and share my Essie Nail Polish Collection. OPI is my true nail polish love but Essie is a close second. Essie has an AMAZING range of colors that only gets better and better with each collection they release. Essie colors cab be bright and bold or subtle and timeless. Essie literally has a color that will please everyone--for a semi-affordable price. What's not to love?

My Essie Nail Polish Collection

Here is a quick overview of my collection. I was able to split the shades into four categories: neutrals, brights, berries, and blue/greens. I will go through each group one by one and give each polish a quickie review (if you want to hear more about a certain color, I've linked to full reviews). I promise to try to be brief. Okay, let's get started. 

My Essie Collection: Set in Stone, Sand Tropez, Buy Me A Cameo, Lady Like, Figi

 Before Essie was known for their bold and bright polishes, they were the master of neutral polishes--especially their wide range of baby pink polishes. Starting from the left, Set in Stone is a glitter polish that I received in my Birchbox months ago. It is a beautiful color to give a manicure a little extra bling. Sand Tropez  is the only nude polish I wear. It is a great polish for a polished and subtle look--but it doesn't give me mannequin hands. The search for the perfect nude is a hard one and I highly recommend this one. Buy Me a Cameo is a shimmery dark nude. I wear this color to formal events like weddings or graduations. It's a subtle glamour. Lady Like is the purple side of nude. It is an interesting color but I don't find myself reaching for it very often. I prefer Sand Tropez or Buy Me a Cameo. And last but not least, Figi. This color is an Essie legend. Everyone loves Figi and for good reason. It is the perfect baby pink color. It does take A LOT of coats but if you're patient, the end product is stunning. 

My Essie Collection: Lilacism, Van D'Go, Tart Deco, Cute As A Button, Pansy

 Now onto the pastels and the brights. Lilacism is another Essie legend. It is the original lilac nail polish that almost all beauty bloggers own and love. In recent years almost every brand from Maybelline to OPI has released a similar shade. Lilacism is a lovely color but there are less expensive optionis out there. Van D'Go is a perfect creamsicle orange. The first time I wore it I was a little wary but the more I wore the color, the more I love it. It isn't available at drugstores but many salons like Ulta still have this limited edition polish in stock. Tart Deco, another limited edition color and another favorite. Even when I abhorred orange nail polish, I loved this one. If you are hesitant about orange nail polish, try this one. Cute As A Button has recently received a lot of attention on the blog-o-sphere and I can say that it is well deserved. Check it out the next time you're at your local drugstore. Pansy is a medium pink color. Quite honestly I forgot that I had this color in my collection. It is a nice color but nothing special. I can think of a half-dozen polishes that are very similar. 

My Essie Collection: Splash of Grenadine, No Boundaries, Watermelon, Head Mistress, Scarlet O'Hara

 Now, the berry polishes. The first up is Splash of Grenadine. As you can see from how much I've used up, this polish is well loved. It falls somewhere in between a purple and a pink. This color is perfect for spring and summer. No Boundaries is a shade that I've recently rediscovered. It doesn't look like much in the bottle but on the nails, it's exquisite. Watermelon as the name suggest this polish is the bright pink of summer's favorite fruit. It is lovely but it isn't anything terribly unique. Head Mistress is a color that has a funny story. I bought it mostly because I was looking for a great winter color. I thought it was perfect because it's very similar to the burgundy color of  Gryffindor and since McGonagall was Head Mistress after Snape, I thought it was extremely fitting. I bought Scarlet O'Hara because I'm a little bit obsessed with Gone with the Wind. I think Rhett and Scarlet's relationship is so iconic (although I think the movie is way too long to watch in one sitting). Every beauty junkie needs a nail polish named after the only woman who can pull off a dress made of curtains.

My Essie Collection: Wrapped in Rubies, Mojito Madness, Turquoise & Caicos, Borrowed & Blue, Dive Bar

And last but not least, the blue greens. The first polish, Wrapped in Rubies, is a gift from my aunt. I'd been lusting after this color for months before she was kind enough to give it to me. It is a lovely duo-chrome red/gold nail polish. It is a color that I love to wear in the fall and winter because it will go with everything. Mojito Madness is the only true green that I own and I love it. It looks wonderful in the spring and I especially love accenting my ring finger with a white and green chevron design. It looks so chic and modern. A lot of women are hesitant to wear green nail polish. So if you're rocking this color during the summer, you won't have to worry about someone matching you. Turquoise & Caicos is another one of those Essie legends. When it was released it was ALL OVER YouTube and beauty blogs. You know why? Because at the time there was nothing like it. Even now, I can't think of any dupes. This color is bold and perfect for the beach. Borrowed & Blue was released ages ago in one of Essie's bridal collections. I don't know if I would ever wear blue nail polish to my wedding but I have no problem wearing it everywhere. I've used almost the entire bottle and I don't think this color is available anymore. Sigh. It really is something special. I picked up  Dive Bar after I saw Amarixe's blog post about this nail polish ages ago. It looked so good on her. And I've learned that this girl knows a thing or two about nail polish. Whenever she recommends a nail polish I know I can trust her opinion. 

My Essie Nail Polish Collection

My Essie Nail Polish Collection

And that was my Essie Nail Polish Collection! I did recently buy three shades from the Essie 2013 Spring and Summer Collections but I decided not to include them because they threw off my organizing system. But you can click here to check them out! I hope you enjoyed this. Leave a comment below if you want to me do a similar post with my OPI or Julep or Sephora by OPI polishes.

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New Spring/Summer Essie Nail Polishes: Favorites + Photos

New Spring + Summer Essie Nail Polishes

In celebration of the end of the school year (and the 20th anniversary of my being alive) I decided that it was time to pick up some nail polishes that would be perfect for the next three months of heat, snow cones, and relaxation. Essie always has the best collections available at the drugstore. I always see them at Target or when I'm flipping through a magazine and I know that I have to have them all. Unfortunately my budget can't handle all buying all ten shades released from Essie in their 2013 Resort and Summer Collections--not to mention all the drool-worthy shades in the Neon Collection. So I picked up three colors. 

New Spring/Summer Essie Nail Polishes: In the Cab-ana, Naughty Nautical, and The More the Merrier

New Spring + Summer Essie Nail Polishes: The More the Merrier, Naughty Nautical, and In the Cab-ana

I think my nail polish choices are reflecting my subconscious desire to go to the beach. Wouldn't you agree? The first color I picked up was the light blue cream polish called "In the Cab-ana". I heard so many fantastic things about this polish from bloggers and beauty YouTubers that it would have been impossible for me not to look at it during my next Target run. Spoiler alert: It's a stunning color. You should check it out on your next Target run too. I don't think you'll be disappointed. "In the Cab-ana" was the only color I picked up from the 2013 Resort Collection. The other colors were nice but I felt that I had similar colors in my collection already. 

The next color I picked up was the bright lime green cream polish called "The More the Merrier". It is like nothing I have in my collection (and considering how large my nail polish collection is--that's pretty impressive). I have a few green polishes but they're all dark forest greens. Perfect for fall but for summer I wanted something a bit more daring. In the pictures the color is showing up a bit yellow but in real life I guarantee that it is a true lime green--this would be perfect for any Seattle Seahawks or Seattle Sounders fans out there. Unfortunately it was a gloopy application. And finally, the last color I bought--a medium seaform polish with silver glitter called "Naughty Nautical". This is the only color that I haven't worn and so I can't speak to the consistency of the product but from what I've seen it's a gorgeous color but the glitter isn't that obvious unless you look very, very closely. Which is kind of a bummer. These two shades were both recently released in Essie's 2013 Summer Collection. 

New Spring + Summer Essie Nail Polishes: The More the Merrier, Naughty Nautical, and In the Cab-ana

New Spring + Summer Essie Nail Polishes: The More the Merrier, Naughty Nautical, and In the Cab-ana

 There are seven more colors that Essie released in their Spring and Summer 2013 Collections but these were the shades that I felt were the most unique. I'm also lusting after "Sunday Funday", "The Girls Out There", and "Rock the Boat" from the Summer 2013 Collection. Summer is long from over, so I might end up picking up a few more colors. You never know. Which nail polishes are you wearing this summer? Leave a comment below! 

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OPI "Hot & Spicy" Swatch + Review

OPI "Hot & Spicy"

This color and I have had a love-hate relationship in the past. When I first bought it I hated this color--there was nothing wrong with the formulation but I was convinced that the color looked horrible with my skin tone.  I wore it a few times but in the end I was not impressed with this color and it ended up getting lost in my collection. I don't know what happened between two summers ago and now but I have completed a complete 180. I am now obsessed with this color. I wouldn't wear it during the fall or winter months but something about this great weather we've been  having has drawn me to this color. It is such a fun and bright shade. Orange nail polish is the perfect way to get ready for summer. I never would've said this two years ago--but I guess that goes to show you how people can change. 

Sally Hansen "Yellow Kitty" Swatch + Review

Sally Hansen "Yellow Kitty"

It is almost impossible to get a great yellow nail polish. I thought I had found the perfect yellow nail polish when MissGlamorazzi raved about this color in a few of her videos. "Yellow Kitty" is a nice color but it's a bit too bright and I was looking for a more pastel yellow--like Revlon Buttercup. I have tried to wear this color three times since I first bought it but the color is requires so many coats to become opaque that it has always ended badly. It took four or five coats to get the swatch above--and even then I ended up ruining my nails because it took too long to dry even with a fast-dry top coat (so I ended the night wearing another spring-appropriate color, Essie "No Boundaries"). "Yellow Kitty" is a hard shade to find and if you happen to stumble across this color, I would suggest that you pass. The formulation and opacity is unimpressive and the color is not for everyone.

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Essie "No Boundaries" Swatch + Review

Essie "No Boundaries"

As the weather has been getting warmer, my nail polish choices have been getting brighter. "No Boundaries" is one of my favorite Essie polishes. It is so bold and bright. I love to give this color as a gift because it looks great with almost any skin tone and it tends to be a hard color to find if you don't know where to look. I have had the most success at Ulta (because they seem to have almost every Essie polish imaginable). And as much as I hate the Essie brushes (they're too thin and difficult to work with), I will admit that Essie has the best range of colors for spring and summer. There is simply no competition. So if you are looking for some great colors to wear in celebration of the oncoming summer months, I would recommend checking out the wide range of colors Essie has to offer (including this one).

Butter London "Fruit Machine" Swatch + Review

Butter London "Fruit Machine"

Another nail polish post? Shocker...I know. But today I'm mixing it up and chose to wear Butter London "Fruit Machine". I'm normally not a fan of pink anything (blame it on the fact that my sister was obsessed with the color pink from birth and I wanted to be different) but when I saw this color at Ulta, I knew I wanted it. To be honest, I wanted all of the colors from Spring 2013 collection but I managed to control my impulses. I love the color but I am extremely disappointed with the formulation. It was a mildly gloopy application and only required two coats. But what I found most frustrating about this polish (which cost $15.00) was the hugely unimpressive lasting power. My sister and I both painted ours nails this color on Saturday afternoon and by Saturday night, my sister's manicure had already chipped. I thought maybe it was a fluke but by Sunday night, my manicure had already begun to chip on three nails. 

I'd never tried a cream finish Butter London polish before and I will admit that my experience with "Fruit Machine" has decreased my enthusiasm for Butter London polishes. I had assumed that Butter London's higher price tag correlated to higher quality. I am disappointed but I am not yet making sweeping judgement about the Butter London polishes. I will give them another chance. Despite the horrible lasting power, I am excited that Butter London is a 3 free company (meaning none of the polishes contain formaldehyde, toluene, or DBP).