Taking a break from posting, I'm finally back after weeks of intense polish perfecting training! Seeing as I have no athletic ability whatsoever, the possibilities of me becoming a world class athlete were shot out the door from a very early age. However, if nail polish application were ever to become an Olympic sport I would definitely have a chance of standing on that podium!
To be honest I used to despise polishing my fingernails when I was younger. Being a nail-biter and a perfectionist made for one dangerous mixture. Painting my nails ended up taking forever as frustration would set in whenever I would go out of the lines (don't even get me started on coloring books)! So for a task that would take a normal human being about 20 minutes would take me about an hour. So you can understand why painting my nails would cause so much grief! But as I slowly started practicing more and more, I've been able to cut my polishing time by more than half the time it used to take me.
Having more time during the summer months, I tend to change my polish colors more often. I am currently a fan of neon colors as they help to make my skin look a few shades darker! Over the past few months I've collected some new colors from various brands so I thought I'd review them to help you make decisions on which polishes to buy the next time you're at the drugstore!
I apologize for the month long hiatus. I'll attempt to do a better job of posting more regularly. But I promise the time not spent blogging didn't go to waste! During that time a new polish master has emerged. So if you think you're ready for a head-to-head matchup against me, prepare to eat my dust! Ready, set, polish!
Polish Reviews
Butter London: This brand has easily become my favorite! With a wide selection of fun colors from sheer polishes with flecks of glitter to opaque brights, I have yet to find a brand that can rival this formula. The thing I love most about these polishes is that the formula doesn't clump and you don't have to apply a crazy number of coats to get a smooth look. Plus they come in such cute containers! Created without three harmful ingredients found in some other polishes, this is one brand you can feel good about applying on your nails! Oddly enough, this brand was the first company to sell non-toxic nail polishes in the United States. Not sure if I find this fact comforting or disturbing. I give these polishes a 5/5!
Butter London Nail Lacquer in Disco Biscuit $14.00 (Nordstrom)
A bright hot pink with flecks of glitter, I am currently wearing this shade on my fingernails! This color is great alone, but if you want to amp up the glam factor, top off the look with a glittery topcoat!
Butter London Nail Lacquer in Trout Pout $14.00 (Nordstrom)
This is a great coral shade that looks great on different skin tones! I'm not sure why this photo makes the color look pink, but the larger photo provides a much more accurate sample. I've already gone through one bottle so I went out to purchase another just in case the company decides to discontinue the color. The horror!
Butter London Nail Lacquer in Toff $14.00 (Nordstrom)
A darker take on the classic dusty rose shade, I think this color would look great for the fall and winter months! Don't forget to apply topcoat!
Hardwear P.D. Quick Topcoat $18.00 (Nordstrom)
Matte Finish Shine Free Topcoat $18.00 (Nordstrom)
Speaking of topcoats, this company also creates great formulas to protect those perfectly polished nails! The Hardwear topcoat helps to protect against chips and helps to make your manicure last for days longer than some other brands. It also provides great shine in the process! If you are looking to try something a little different, apply the Matte Finish topcoat for a smooth, shine-free look! I was a little skeptical the first time I saw this but I decided to give it a try and really liked the results! I give the shiny topcoat a 5/5 and the matte topcoat a 3.5/5.
Essie: I've been a fan of Essie nail polishes for a while now but I feel like some of their colors aren't as great as the others. When you pick out these polishes, check to make sure if they are sheer or opaque. I'm personally not a fan of sheer polishes so sometimes when I pick one out that I think is opaque, I can be quite disappointed later on when I'm applying the color. However much like the Butter polishes, one coat is usually all you need for a smooth, streak-free look. I give this brand a 4/5.
Essie Nail Lacquer in Playdate $8.00 (Nordstrom)
This pretty pastel lavender shade is great for the spring and summer months! This is definitely a regular in my polish rotation.
Essie Nail Lacquer in Off the Shoulder $8.00 (Nordstrom)
This is definitely my favorite shade in the Essie collection so far. A bright pink color, this classic shade will serve you well any day of the year!
Sally Hansen Smooth and Perfect Nail Lacquer in Sorbet $5.50 (Drugstore.com)
Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Green with Envy $4.99 (Walgreens)
Sally Hansen: I was probably most disappointed with this polish out of the ones I purchased. When I picked this one, I was expecting an opaque pastel orange color but found it to be rather sheer. I had to apply about 3-4 coats to get it to the thickness I wanted and ultimately wasn't a very flattering shade. It did help to smooth any unsightly bumps I may have had on my nails, though that could have been caused by the number of coats I had to apply. I give this product a 2/5.
Maybelline: I've been looking for a mint colored polish for a while now but could never find one that I liked. I originally wanted to try the Essie one but that color has been sold out everywhere! I think the formula is great. Like the others you don't have to apply an insane number of coats which saves time and money! Unfortunately the color just didn't look right on me. But if you are looking for a similar shade, I would definitely recommend this one. I give this product a 4/5.
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