Nail Polish of the Moment: Revlon Peach Nectar

5-6 Coats of Revlon Peach Nectar.

This polish is completely a spring/summer shade but I was just in the mood for something peachy and nude. I forgot I had this color in my collection. It took about 6 coats to achieve opacity (far more than I usually put up with) but I didn’t mind. With lighter colors, sheerness is understandable. Usually when I have to apply four or more coats, it doesn't dry properly and dents but I didn't have much of an issue this time. Revlon's formula is pretty thin. I think Peach Nectar is very unexpected for this time of year and contrasts nicely with black clothing. I'm happy with it.

Now Playing: "Wonderwall" by Cat Power (Oasis Cover)

*I love this version. Cat's voice is so ethereal.

Nail Polish of the Moment: Russian Navy by OPI

Russian Navy by OPI

 

 

 

 

I was really anxious to switch up my nail polish for the start of November. For the first time in about a decade, I didn't dress up for Halloween. Since I was away in a climate that isn't very fall like, it just didn't feel the same this year. On top of that, it snowed! I hate when it snows in October but fortunately, it melted quickly. I was in the mood for something different so I picked Russian Navy out of my collection. I've had it for about a year but haven't worn it yet. It looks more purple than navy to me, so I thought it would be nice for a post-Halloween/fall look. The application was seamless and I'm pretty happy with the results.










Now Playing: "Howl" by Florence + The Machine

Nail Polish of the Moment

 

It's been a few months since I purchased a new OPI nail polish. The new collection, Across America, had a few shades that caught my eye, but A-Taupe The Space Needle was the only one I had to have. In the bottle, it almost looks like a muddy hue. Upon applying the first coat, the color was a sandy brown (darker but reminiscent of San Tan-tonio from the Texas collection) but after a second and third coat, A-Taupe The Space Needle transforms into a camouflaged, khaki, taupe. Against my very fair, cool skin, it definitely has green undertones. It's the perfect shade for fall and goes very nicely with a lot of my earth tone based wardrobe. This is somewhat similar to OPI's Over The Taupe but again, it decidedly has a green aspect to it. I really like A-Taupe The Space Needle and highly recommend it! As always, I also love the name :)

Now Playing: "My Impure Hair" by Blonde Redhead

Nail Polish of the Moment: Sew Psyched by Essie

I picked up Essie's Sew Psyched on sale at the drug store (if you haven't heard, Essie is now available in various stores). Against my fair, cool skin, it has a blue tint to it but make no mistakes, it is an army green/dark khaki hue. I like this polish. I could have gotten away with one coat but I did two for safe measures. One thing I didn't love about Sew Psyched is that it dried darker than it appeared upon first application. This presents problems if you don't apply even coats. Other than this slight annoyance, it's a good polish. I think it's better suited for fall/winter but it compliments my coloring and matches a lot of the things I wear. I would repurchase.

Style: 5/5
Quality: 4/5
Value: 4/5
Application: 4/5
Color: 5/5

FINAL VERDICT: B+
22/25 or 88%



Now Playing: "Life On Mars?" by David Bowie

Nail Polish of the Moment: Capri by Essie

2 coats of Essie Capri with OPI Base Coat and Top Coat

I saw Essie's Capri nail polish on one of my new favorite blogs, Could I Have That. The color looked like the perfect coral shade for spring & summer. I ordered it from Amazon but was disappointed when I received it in the mail. It looks practically orange in the bottle and on my nails. I already have a couple orange bottles and was hoping Capri was more of a pink/red coral. The formula is nice and was easy to work with but the color leaves a lot to be desired. I'll probably redo my nails in a few days.

Color: 3/5
Packaging Quality: 5/5
Application: 5/5
Style: 3/5
Value: 3/5

Final Verdict: 19/25
(76% or C)

Would I repurchase: No



Now Playing: "Surprise, Surprise" by Brett Dennen

Nail Polish of the Moment: Stranger Tides by OPI

Photo courtesy Google Images

OPI's Pirates of the Caribbean collection recently hit stores. There were a couple colors that I was interested in but one that I had to have. That polish was Stranger Tides- a beautiful, creme, sage green. The color of this polish instantly drew me in. I love sage green. I always want to call it mint green (maybe that's not totally off). I use this particular color to decorate with very often. To have it in a nail polish made me very excited. I have a couple colors that remind me of Stranger Tides but none that are exactly similar or even close. If you're looking for a light, pastel green hue for spring or summer, Stranger Tides is one to consider. I've wanted OPI to release this exact color for ages. I'm very happy with it and will definitely be repurchasing when I run out (hopefully it will make the permanent collection)! The application was pretty easy and only required 2 coats to achieve full opacity but I did 3 for safe measures. I highly recommend this one!


Color: 5/5
Packaging Quality: 5/5
Application: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Value: 4.5/5

Final Verdict: A+
(24.5/25 or 98%)


Now Playing: "What Is Love" by Haddaway

Nail Polish of the Moment: Borrowed & Blue by Essie

Photo Courtesy Google Images

Essie's Spring 2011 Wedding Collection includes the perfect pale blue. I didn't have any powder, baby blues in my nail polish collection and have been looking for the ideal bottle. Borrowed & Blue fits the bill. It's easy to work with and is fully opaque in just 2 coats. Borrowed & Blue reminds me of what a baby boy's royal nursery may have looked like during the French Revolution. "Let them eat cake!" (FYI Marie Antionette never said this).

Color: 5/5
Packaging Quality: 5/5
Application: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Value: 4.5/5

Final Verdict: A+
(24.5/25 or 98%)


Now Playing: "Hearing Damage" Thom Yorke

Nail Polish of the Moment: Michievous Mint by MAC (Quite Cute collection)

I have really been feeling pastel nail polishes this season (groundbreaking, I know). Since Spring is in the air, I have been leaning towards mints, lavenders, and pale pinks. I'm looking into getting Essie's Borrowed and Blue which appears to be the perfect shade of dusty blue. But to close off April and to ring in the month of May, Michievous Mint does the trick. My brush had a couple splits which increased streakiness upon my initial application but with a bit of patience, all was well and good. With OPI's base coat and top coat, it took just 2 coats to achieve a nice opacity. The difference between the first and second coats was astonishing!



Color: 4.5/5
Packaging Quality: 4/5
Application: 4/5
Style: 5/5
Value: 3.5/5

Final Verdict: A-
(21/25 or 84% but I grade on a curve!)



Now Playing: "40 Day Dream" by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

Nail Polish of the Moment: Guy Meets Gal-veston by OPI

Photo Courtesy Google Images

Happy Easter!

After sporting a grey/taupe polish for the past week, I was ready to switch things up and go with a bright shade for Spring. Ulta was having a buy 2 get 1 free sale on OPI polishes, plus I had a coupon. So, I picked up Guy Meets Gal-veston from the Texas collection. Unbeknownst to me at the time of purchase, Guy Meets Gal-veston is actually a "sorbet" or jelly-like formula. It's meant to be semi-sheer. I typically avoid sheer polishes but because this is such a bright, fun color, I think it works. The application was easy enough and the drying time was fine. I would describe the color as a pink-coral. It's somewhat like a "lightweight" polish- perfect for spring/summer!

Final Verdict: B+




Now Playing: "Forever" by Chris Brown

Nail Polish of the Moment: Gold Digger by Models Own

I was excited to try the brand Models Own. I picked up Gold Digger from Urban Outtfitters online during its big sale a month or so ago. I also got Top Turquoise but it was back ordered. I thought the packaging was cute and something different and the color ranges were pretty nice. I didn't have any expectations on the formula but I was pleasantly surprised! Gold Digger glided on to my nails and was so easy to work with! I can't wait to try out some more polishes from the line. Gold Digger is a yellow-based gold and reminds me of the New Orleans Saints and my trip last fall. This is a great polish to have in your collection and I definitely recommend it- if for nothing else but the formula! :)

OPI Base Coat, 2 coats of Gold Digger by Models Own and OPI Top Coat


Now Playing: "Gold Digger" by Kanye West

Nail Polish of the Moment: Easy Going by Sinful Colors

Easy Going by Sinful Colors. Photo Courtesy Google Images

I had a job interview yesterday, so I needed to do a neutral polish. I chose Easy Going by Sinful Colors because it is a milky, pale pink. For $1.99 (sometimes on sale for .99 at Walgreen's) it's worth having in your collection. But I don't love this one- it's too white for my liking. I wish it were more of a french pink. The formula is also a bit tricky to work with and starts to look a little rough after a day or so. I'm still on the hunt for the perfect light pink, opaque, nail polish. If you know of one with a creme finish that will compliment very fair skin, please comment! I am going to look into Essie because they seem to have an endless amount of pale pinks in its line. Thanks :)

OPI Base Coat, 2 Coats of Easy Going by Sinful Colors w/ OPI Top Coat


Now Playing: "Home" by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

Nail Polish of the Moment: Parlez-Vous OPI?

Parlez-Vous OPI? by OPI

In keeping with my lavender/purple moment, I opted for OPI's Parlez-Vous OPI? This particular polish was a part of the France collection from a few years back. The color looks nice against my fair complexion but it's a little bit dull. I would describe it as a muted purple with grey undertones. It's a nice color but I wouldn't say it's a must have. I do like the formula. Despite not being blown away by Parlez-Vous OPI?, I'd still recommend it to someone looking for a purple that is subtle enough for work but unique enough for evenings. I used OPI's base coat, 2 coats of Parlez-Vous OPI?, and OPI's Top Coat to achieve a nice, cream finish.

My camera did not pick this color up properly at all! It's actually quite muted and not so Barney. Ignore the paint around my cuticles, haha. Laziness!



Now Playing: "Quelqu´un m´a dit" by Carla Bruni

Nail Polish of the Moment: Give Me the Moon by OPI

Give Me the Moon by OPI
I ordered this nail polish from Amazon.com but I was a bit hesitant. I find that pearlescent shades of polish can look cheap and dated. But lately, I have been on a lavender kick. I decided to go for a different finish. I'm glad I left my comfort zone because I love this nail polish! In the bottle, it looks like a flat grey or dusty lavender but on the nails, it is magical, haha. Give Me the Moon is a beautiful periwinkle with grey/blue undertones (a slight bit of microshimmer) and looks lovely against my very fair skin. For those who can actually achieve a tan, I imagine this color would look gorgeous on the toes during the summer months. It would also go great with whites or pastel outfits. I can't wait to use it again when the weather gets warmer.

OPI Base Coat with 2 Coats of Give Me the Moon by OPI
I'm a sucker for the names that OPI comes up with. I love the moon, so I had high hopes for this polish. My middle name even translates to the word moon in Greek- haha. Give Me the Moon did not disappoint and I will certainly repurchase it if I can find it when the time comes! I definitely recommend Give Me the Moon for the nails for fair skin, the toes for darker complexions or just to anyone who loves this type of formula!




Now Playing: "Babylon" (Live Version) by David Gray, "Ten Thousand Words" by The Avett Brothers

Nail Polish of the Moment: Perplex by Revlon

Side by side comparison between Revlon's Perplex and Chanel's Paradoxal

I scored Revlon's Perplex (a beautiful purple, grey hue with a slight amethyst microshimmer) at Big Lots for a dollar! It retails for around $4.99 at drugstores. It was created to mimic Chanel's much more expensive Paradoxal- $25 at department stores. While I don't love Revlon's brush and the formula can be a little bit tricky to work with, I think this was a fabulous find! I am going to try and snatch a few back-ups because Perplex is in high demand. How it ended up at Big Lots for a dollar is beyond me.

Photo curtesy Google Images via another blog. Astounding!

Because it's still February, I thought the timing for me finding this polish was perfect. It's still winter and this shade is similiar to my birthstone (Amethyst for February). I wore it to my friend's bridal shower and I couldn't stop admiring my manicure. I highly recommend this one!

Two coats of Revlon's Perplex with OPI Top Coat


Now Playing: "Penny for your Thoughts" by Bruce Clark & the Q's (One of my Mom's favorite songs of all time)

Nail Polish of the Moment: InStyle Red by OPI

In honor of Valentine's Day, I'm wearing InStyle Red (exclusive to magazine subsribers) by OPI. I really love this polish. It's a true red and best of all, you can get away with one coat- perfect if you're in a hurry. It has a beautiful cream finish and I adore the way it looks against my fair skin. LOVE!

2 coats of InStyle Red (& Top Coat) by OPI


Now Playing: "Forever" by Drake

Nail Polish of the Moment: Twinkled Pink by Revlon

Twinkled Pink by Revlon

I found this polish while shopping at Big Lots. Revlon's nail polishes usually run around $5-6 dollars a piece at the drug store but they are often on sale. I picked this one up for a dollar! And I'm glad I didn't pay more than that. I painted my nails pink this week because I wanted a cheerful color after the Super Bowl loss and because February is the month of love (I'll be painting my nails red for Valentine's Day). Well, this polish needed four coats and it dented despite fully drying. The color doesn't really suit my fair skin and the formula looks cheap. For a dollar, I'd say grab it if you're tan but it's definitely not a must have! I can't wait to switch polishes in a day or two!

Four coats of Twinkled Pink by Revlon


Now Playing: Savage Night at the Opera by Destroyer

Nail Polish of the Moment: Quarter of a Cent-Cherry by OPI

Quarter of a Cent-Cherry by OPI
My 25th birthday is tomorrow & since I didn't want to spend it painting my nails, I gave myself a manicure this morning. I fittingly chose "Quarter of a Cent-Cherry" by OPI. It's a beautiful, deep, cherry red hue. It would also look great on Valentine's Day! I can't believe I'm going to be 25 tomorrow- scary! I'm starting to feel like an "adult". But I digress. This polish really impressed me. You can get away with one coat (great for on the go) but for a perfectly, opaque finish, I went with two. I definitely recommend this one! :)

Quarter of a Cent-Cherry by OPI


Now Playing: "The Funeral" by Band of Horses (One of my favorite songs of the past decade)