Friday, December 9, 2011

Nail Polish Hodgepodge - LA Splash, Essence, China Glaze, OCC, Misa, Revlon

This past weekend I swatched random and oft-neglected members of my nail polish gang (I literally closed my eyes and pulled a series of bottles out of my lacquer drawer, the gang's headquarters) but, being the brilliant being that I am, I didn't label which polish was which; furthermore, I seem to have misplaced the swatched bottles after I set them aside in what I thought was a safe and easily accessible place for later reference... clearly that was a fail. Consequently, a couple of the following shade names I'm not completely sure of, though I gave it my best guess. (Sometimes I feel that parts of my brain go on vacation without telling me - this is one of those times! D: )

We'll start with an easy one. I know this shade well (we're practically family) as it is one of my tried-and-true favorites - Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics' Tattoo!
Tattoo is a murky, sullied, dusty green, definitely reminiscent of the faded olde-timey monotone tattoos you sometimes see on former sailors now in their late 70s. If the color isn't enticing enough, I can tell you that the formula is very nearly perfect - what you see pictured is just one coat (!), and it is enough to give full opacity. Fabulous! You can purchase Tattoo from the OCC site for $12 (I think there's currently a sale as the company transitions to new a bottle design!).

Next I'm sure this is China Glaze's Bad Kitty, a candy pink with holographic glitter.
This was three coats and my nail line is visible (AKA this is best for layering). It's a nice little color. *crickets* Nothing else to say except that you can buy this CG shade from a number of e-tailers, including Head2ToeBeauty ($3.50).

Here's one from Misa. I think this is Wine Burgundy, a shimmery burgundy red, but I wouldn't bet my makeup stash on it.
The two coats pictured above are sufficient for full coverage. The formula is on the thin side but still quite workable. It's a pretty, glowy, classic staple, but chances are that if you've got even a modest collection you have something similar! Honestly? I'm not really sure why I have this color - I do wear red jellies, cremes, and glitters (in that exact order of frequency), but very rarely do I reach for metallics or shimmers. It's a mystery! Again, you can purchase Misa lacquers online for ~$3.75 apiece.

Next, I'm sosoSO excited to show you Essence's Irreplaceable, a beige shimmer that shifts to gold-green -
Can you believe this beauty sells for just $0.99? I can't comprehend how GORGEOUS and unique and irreplaceable (har har) Irreplaceable is! It's utter, utter love <3 This was two coats, though I now see I should have done three. The quality is exceptional for the price and I implore you to visit your local Ulta and get the lacquer AT ONCE. It's neutral and work-friendly but with a saucy little kick (and we all need a saucy kick now and again!).

And here is the mystery polish. I'm baffled as to what this could be though I know that it's Revlon and from one of the recent releases. For now I will refer to it simply as ???. Perhaps someone with a keen eye can help a girl out :)
??? is a slightly greyed-out pearl with silver microshimmer. This is two coats. While it's a pretty hue, you'll notice I had experienced significant bubbling. Boo. Does anyone have tips for avoiding the bubbles?

Here is a Marine Blue, a Glitter Gal holo that I must have taken a hundred pictures of and still failed to capture in its full splendidness -
Pretty sweet, no? I love holos, and Glitter Gal has some great ones. Us non-Aussies can find this brand online on sites such as Llarowe and Overall Beauty for a painful (but so worth it) $14 each.

Lastly this is LA Splash's Abyss, a black creme with silver glitter -
I dare say this isn't my most favorite shade. To me the density of the glitters make Abyss seem too costume-y and not chic enough for everyday wear; just a sprinkling would have done the job! I must admit, however, that looking at this polish is like looking to the paragon of the human conception of space: pure, pitch black riddled with bright pinprick stars. Existentially nihilistic (nihilistically existential?). "...if you gaze for long enough into the abyss..." :P

And that's all. Happy weekend and thanks for reading!

1 comment:

  1. Love the Essence polish!

    Thanks for entering our Tokidoki giveaway!!

    Jayme & Mendi @ Her Late Night Cravings

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