Polishes -OPI - Just Tea-Sing!
ebetty 2/21/2008 3:36:00 PM
I just can't think of anything wrong with this nail polish. As other reviewers have stated, it's a very sheer beige with exceptionally subtle shimmer. (And I mean *very* sheer -- after 3 coats over a clear base, the whites of my nails are still clearly visible.) The phrase "your nails but better" was created for this shade -- if you're familiar with MAC's C-Thru lipglass, Just Tea-sing is like C-Thru for your nails. It simply imparts a glassy beige sheen that's very subtle and pretty. Plus, the Pro-Wide brush makes it possible for me to get non-streaky application, which I seem unable to achieve with most other sheers.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Black Cherry Chutney
ebetty 2/11/2008 3:24:00 PM
Black Cherry Chutney, to my mind, completes a vampy trilogy for OPI -- it's kind of a hybrid between Midnight in Moscow and Who Are You Wearing?, from the Fall and Holiday 2007 collections, respectively. BCC is a vampy plum base chock-full of sparkly red shimmers, and it does look near-black on my tips after 2 thick coats. And I'm not kidding when I say "thick," because this polish was kind of a gloopy b*tch to apply. At first, it refused to lay down and left bald spots on my nails wherever I pulled the brush... but, since 3 drops of polish thinner corrected the problem, BCC still gets my vote of approval. Speaking of the brush, though, I had to trim off about 15 errant bristles with my haircutting shears before I could even use the polish. (Paging OPI Quality Control...) Again, though, a minor inconvenience. If you weren't dazzled by the aforementioned near-black vampies, don't bother with BCC either. Personally, I'm a sucker for them :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Revlon - Sheer Snowflake Pink
ebetty 1/25/2008 9:56:00 AM
Total HG for me! This might be my favorite sheer ever. As others have said, it's a translucent pale pink with just enough peach to warm it up and keep it from being too frosty-cool. There are glassy, silvery shimmers packed throughout, but I found the overall effect quite subtle - it doesn't look like your nails are covered in glitter. I'm usually a spaz with application and need at least 3 coats to even out sheer polishes, but this one applied beautifully and looked pretty with just 2 coats. It gives my nails a very sophisticated, clean look that's perfect for work. The wear on this has been great for me, as with most Revlon polishes I've tried. I will definitely, definitely repurchase this one.
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Polishes -Orly - Spice
ebetty 1/14/2008 12:56:00 PM
This is a great mani/pedi choice for dreary winter days. Spice is a deep purple shade with a ton of microshimmer that verges on fuchsia. The texture of the polish is gel-like and somewhat translucent, so it took me three coats to get full, even coverage. The finish on the nail, as violetcobra noted below, is not that of a shimmer polish -- it simply appears super-glossy and shiny, with hints of a deep velvety texture underneath. I could see this polish looking good on both warm and cool tones, since it's such a rich jewel tone. And don't let the word "fuchsia" scare you off... the base of the polish is a deep enough purple that it's not loud or clashy at all; the microshimmer just adds a touch of interest and a flash of lighter purple to the overall effect. I'm not one for loud, gaudy nail colors at all, but Spice definitely fits into my comfort zone. If you're looking for a pretty, glossy, jeweled red-violet shade, definitely check it out.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Unlisted Brand - Nailtini - Navy Grog
ebetty 1/11/2008 11:33:00 AM
This is one of those rare polishes that is actually unique in my outsized collection. Navy Grog is a deep, dark navy blue creme, but it's not so dark you'd mistake it for black (which just so happens to be the exact shade of navy I was looking for a in a polish). The formula on this is amazing -- I don't remember the last time I had such a dark creme polish apply so smoothly. It's nearly opaque in one coat, but I used two coats to even everything out. My main gripe with Navy Grog is the packaging. The tall, cylindrical bottle is easy to roll between your hands, but the stem and bristles of the brush are unreasonably long. You have to be careful to wipe excess polish off the entire stem, and the unusual length means that you have less control over the brush. This created a bit of a mess around my cuticles (though it was nothing I couldn't fix with an orange stick). This is a little more expensive than what I usually pay for nail polish, but for a gorgeous navy shade that applies so well, I think it's worth it. And Nailtini's web site has outstanding customer service, in my experience, which helps make up for the packaging gaffe. I definitely recommend this to navy blue nail polish lovers.
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Polishes -Creative Nail Design - Deep Velvet
ebetty 1/3/2008 11:21:00 AM
Deep Velvet is a vampy purple shimmer that's not too black or too blue. Be forewarned, though - in the bottle, it has some silvery shimmer veining that doesn't really translate to the nail in any way. The shimmer I see in this is wine colored, which adds a nice plummy depth and warmth to the cool violet base. The application on this was rich and smooth, which has been the case with 99% of other CND polishes I've tried (Fedora being the only exception). I got away with using just two coats, and achieved good depth of color and great coverage. No drying issues with this one, though I did use a quick-dry topcoat and CND Dry n' Shine. Overall, this is a lovely vampy purple. It's not terribly unique, and it doesn't completely wow me - but I would recommend it to a friend, for sure.
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Polishes -OPI - Big Apple Red
ebetty 12/28/2007 11:09:00 AM
Big Apple Red is a great creme-finish polish. It's a fiery red-red, with perhaps a bit more of a warm than cool cast to it. BAR is bright, but not neon-bright, and it's got a jelly-ish quality to it that enhances the glossiness of the lacquer. My bottle is a newer one, with the Pro-Wide brush, and I got great coverage with just 2 coats. No application issues whatsoever, and it dried fast with a quick-dry topcoat. So far, wear has been excellent (going on 3+ days with only the faintest hint of a chip on my thumb, and trust me -- I am not dainty with my nails). I would definitely recommend this to anyone seeking a classic, but not tame, red creme polish. It's right up there with Zoya Gia in the running for my favorite bright red creme.
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Polishes -Essie - Russian Roulette
ebetty 11/13/2007 1:24:00 PM
I've discovered that Essie makes some of my all-time favorite reds, and this is no exception. I bought Russian Roulette based on fivezero's pretty pic (below), and I was definitely not disappointed. It's a bright red creme without being neon or garish, and it applied beautifully in two coats. It has a translucent, jelly-type finish that adds to the gorgeousness of the shade. Against my cool skin tone, there also seems to be a corally tinge that keeps it from being a totally true red. The wear was great, too -- until I broke a nail in a tragic dog-walking mishap and had to scrap the whole mani. Anyway, it's a great red polish. I can't think of any dupes off the top of my head, so definitely pick one up if you're a red/creme/jelly finish fan.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Creative Nail Design - Fedora
ebetty 11/13/2007 10:40:00 AM
This polish was kind of a pain to apply. Usually, I get good coverage and application with CND, so maybe this was a bad bottle -- but the polish had a very thin consistency and didn't want to spread evenly. I had to use two pretty thick coats, and despite the use of Seche Vite quick-dry topcoat and CND Dry n' Shine, I still got sheet marks on a few nails when I went to bed (which was about 5 hours after finishing my mani). The color is lovely, though; it's a deep, vampy, blackened brown that reminds me of espresso beans. I love a good vampy brown creme, but the application issues on this one aren't worth the effort. For a good-quality vampy brown creme, I'd recommend Chanel Madness, Essie Chocolate Kisses, or OPI Oh!... to be 25 Again.
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Polishes -OPI - Who Are You Wearing?
ebetty 11/8/2007 10:20:00 AM
This is a tough little color to describe! In the bottle, it looks like a super-vampy purple shimmer. Swatched on white paper, it looks like deep, true navy infused with red/magenta shimmers. On the nail, it looks like a violet-tinged cobalt creme in low light; under brighter lights, the shimmer pops and it looks like a lively, vampy violet. Any way I look at it, I absolutely love this one! I've had a weakness for navy nail polishes since I was a wee thing, and I'm quite fond of reds and violets, too. And I may have lucked out and gotten a bottle from a "good" batch, but the application was incredibly easy with this. It was near-opaque in one coat, with no streaks or other issues. I did two coats for maximum opacity, and it looks just dreamy. I'm so in love with it that I bought a backup bottle, which is bordlerline crazy for a broad with as much nail polish as me, but that just shows the depths of my enthusiasm. My one caveat is that you should try to get your hands on this one IRL if you can; others might not be as wowed as I was. Meanwhile, I thought I didn't need it after seing other people's pics, but then when I saw it at Trade Secret... yikes.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Kris Kringle Makes Me Tingle
ebetty 11/5/2007 2:57:00 PM
Karrieleigh did a good job of describing the color -- OPI calls it a "brown shimmer," but there's a bit more to it than that. The base is a thin medium brown, and it's loaded with tons of microglittery goodness that sparkles plum and rose. (KL's gorgeous picture below is very true to life.) I think the base color is intentionally thin in order to allow the glitter to show through; as a result, this one is a mandatory 3-coater for full opacity. Anyway, my immediate reaction is that this is like a plummy version of FingerPaints Festive Claret, or like the missing link from Zoya's Magique collection (Ivy and Anastasia's love child, maybe?). I usually look best in cooler tones, but I'm pale and yellow-ish enough to pull off some warmer shades, too. This definitely falls in the latter category, though it's dark/plummy enough after 3 coats that some cool-toned ladies could probably get away with it. Anyway, the good news is that my 3 coats dried very quickly with Seche Vite, so don't let the thin-ness deter you if you like the shade. It is unique, and it's a lovely blend of complementary, autumnal colors. My one caveat is that this may be a bit too sparkly for some; it's not over-the-top blingy, but it's definitely louder than what I'm used to on my fingertips. That alone might relegate this polish to pedi-only status for some. Meanwhile, I love it, but don't listen to me... I am a polish libertine.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Midnight in Moscow
ebetty 10/5/2007 2:05:00 PM
I've had this polish for a while, but I was afraid to do a mani with it because I assumed I'd be disappointed by the results (I previously wore a similar shade, Sally Hansen Glossy, and found it totally flat and boring). But now that I have this on, I LOVE it. Seriously, I was contemplating a backup bottle within minutes of finishing the mani. As other reviewers have noted, it's an off-black with tons of red shimmer. However, where Glossy's shimmer kinda disappeared on me, MiM's shimmer gives the loveliest, subtle red flash (with the caveat that I don't think I would appreciate its delicate beauty as much if it were on my toes, which are just so far away and hard to ogle). It's not quite as burgundy/raisin as Orly's Take Him to the Cleaners, which I am also devoted to - MiM is definitely blacker and redder, if that makes sense. Anyway, application was good; I'm usually a 3-coater, but 2 generous coats did the trick with this one. And the finish is glossy and shiny and red-flash-y... yep, it's love.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Essie - Handle with Flair
ebetty 10/4/2007 9:48:00 AM
Dramaqueenie2 already described the color perfectly - a deep, warm carnelian red. I usually look better in cooler tones, but this one is rich and jewel-y enough that I think it could flatter a wide range of skin tones. Application was decent; semi-streaky but no major problems. I did 3 coats to even everything out. Overall, a beautiful, autumnal creme red. Gorgeous and classy!
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Polishes -Essie - Material Girl
ebetty 9/28/2007 1:30:00 PM
This polish is nothing new in the world of vampy cremes, but I like to think of it as Essie's apology for Clutch Me if You Can -- a similar shade from their Fall 2006 collection that was a streak-tastic mess to apply. I pitched my bottle of CMIYC recently, so I can't compare how close they are, but Material Girl is a blackened red-violet. The first coat goes on a sheer fuschia, and the color builds from there (I did need 3 coats for full coverage, but I'm a habitual 3-coater anyway). Application was not the best ever, but at least rates an "average"; and it's actually "spectacular" compared directly to its predecessor shade. It's more red than Sole Mate, and more purple than Wicked, and if you're as obsessive about nail polish as I am you WILL need all 3! This polish gets high marks from me simply because I love the color, even if it's not unique, and because I love Essie polish. They tend to have the glossiest finish and the most durable wear on me (day 2 and not even a hint of chips or edgewear, which is nice).
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Nicole - Berry Sweet
ebetty 6/18/2007 12:31:00 PM
This is a jelly-textured strawberry red polish with shimmer. I can't quite put my finger on the color of the shimmer; it almost reminds me of the glass flecks in China Glaze's summer polishes, because it just adds a bit of a sparkly glow to the finish. In fact, this polish is a brighter, truer red than China Glaze Red-Curl-Grl, which leans more pink on my skintone. The application on this was very easy, thanks to the gel-like texture of the formula. Despite its translucence, I got good coverage in just two coats. I picked this up for around $6.75 at Meijer - more than I usually pay for nail polish, but I couldn't resist this color! So far, wear has been solid, and the polish still has a nice glossy finish after a couple days.
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