[NOTDs] Spring 2014

This post explains where I have been and my plans for the blog.  While I was away, I posted my nail-of-the-day pictures on Instagram (see also:  my new nails-only account).  This post will be a rehashing of my manicures from Spring 2014.

Julep Joy

Essie Maximillian Strasse-Her

Candy Lacquer Sugar Stars over Essie Pink-a-boo

Pop Culture Cosmetics Amour

Julep Elisa with dots of Wet n Wild Megalast Candid Affair

Julep Jennifer, with Julep Yumi over the accent nail

Maybelline Orchids Oh My!, with Pop Culture Cosmetics Spring Showers on the accent nail

Candy Lacquer Unicorn Bubbles (1 coat dabbed on) over Sinful Colors Candy Coated (2 coats)

Pop Culture Cosmetics Radiant (this one stains)

Maybelline Love Me Lavender

Unless otherwise specified, I use a basecoat, two coats of color, then a topcoat.  My favorite topcoat has always been New York Color Grand Central Station.  I don't remember what basecoat I used back in 2014:  possibly it was Zoya Anchor or OPI Natural Nail Base Coat, which I use now.

[Comparison] Essie Splash of Grenadine Dupes

Essie Splash of Grenadine is one of my favorite nail polishes.  I love the bright plum pink color.  Maybe that's why I accidentally bought two very similar polishes: Maybelline Love Me Lavender and Color Club Sweetpea.

Maybelline Love Me Lavender | Essie Splash of Grenadine | Color Club Sweetpea

Love Me Lavender (not a lavender shade) and Splash of Grenadine are nearly identical.  In some lighting, Splash of Grenadine looks a smidgen more purple.  Sweetpea is more gray and a shade darker than the other two.

Essie Splash of Grenadine (pinky & middle fingers)  with Color Club Sweetpea (ring finger) and Maybelline Love Me Lavender (index finger)

All polishes have thin consistencies and look opaque in two coats, but Color Club Sweetpea does not level out on the nail.  Splash of Grenadine wears the longest - almost a full week!  Love Me Lavender lasts a few days while Sweetpea chips within a couple days.

None of these nail polishes are available in permanent lines.  Splash of Grenadine was originally in a Summer 2010 collection.  I'm not sure if it has been moved to Essie's permanent line or not, but it can still be found online.  Sweetpea and Love Me Lavender are in Spring 2012 collections.  Essie retails for $8, Color Club retails for $8, and Maybelline retails for around $5.50.  I bought Splash of Grenadine and Sweetpea from Transdesign.com at discounted prices, and I bought Love Me Lavender at CVS.

Since Love Me Lavender and Splash of Grenadine are very nearly dupes, I recommend buying only one.  (I do not recommend Sweetpea at all.)  While Love Me Lavender costs less, it does not wear as long as Splash of Grenadine.

[Comparison] Maybelline Tangerine Tango and New York Color Peaches 'N Cream

I bought Maybelline Tangerine Tango nail polish because it is a vibrant spring orange, somewhere between a tangerine and a coral.  Unfortunately, its formula is terrible.  It is streaky and a little chalky, and its texture does not even out on my nails.  I then bought New York Color in Peaches 'N Cream, which has a far superior formula.  Peaches 'N Cream is creamy, not at all streaky, and it looks great in 1 to 2 coats.

New York Color Peaches 'N Cream | Maybelline Tangerine Tango

In the pictures, I wore two coats of Tangerine Tango on my middle and pinky fingers, and I wore two coats of Peaches 'N Cream on my pointer and ring fingers.  I wore Orly Bonder for a basecoat and no topcoat.  The two colors are identical (dupes), but as you can see, Tangerine Tango has streakiness.

New York Color Peaches 'N Cream (pointer, ring) | Maybelline Tangerine Tango (middle, pinky)

New York Color Peaches 'N Cream (pointer, ring) | Maybelline Tangerine Tango (middle, pinky)

Tangerine Tango is in Maybelline's Spring 2012 Fashion Week collection.  Peaches 'N Cream is in New York Color's Spring 2012 Sweets collection.  Both are limited edition.  Both can be found at various drugstores.  Locally, Tangerine Tango costs $5.50 (at CVS), and New York Color costs $1.99 (at RiteAid).

[Review] Maybelline Express Finish Nail Polish for Fashion Week Spring 2012

A couple weeks ago, I wandered around CVS looking for the new Maybelline Express Finish nail polishes for the Spring 2012 Fashion Week Collection.  I had given up when I spotted the display in an odd location, placed above eye level (and I'm 5'10") and pushed back on the top shelf above the beauty tools.  My local CVS places make-up displays all over the store, so if you can't find them, look all around your store.  I bought five of the six Maybelline polishes in the little display, so I have five out of the total eight limited edition polishes (two more colors are showcased on the bigger Maybelline Fashion Week displays).

[Maybelline] Love Me Lavender, Tulip Tango, Orchids Oh My!, Peachy Petal, Posy Pink

Maybelline Express Finish Nail Polish for Fashion Week Spring 2012

I bought the colors Orchids Oh My!, Tulip Tango, Love Me Lavender, Posy Pink, and Peachy Petal.  I love all of the colors on me, but I don't love all of the formulations.

[New Maybelline Polish] Love Me Lavender (pointer), Tulip Tango (middle), Peachy Petal (ring), Posy Pink (pinky), and Orchids Oh My! (thumb)

Orchids Oh My! :: This is my favorite of them all.  This polish has a medium-to-thin consistency, and looks opaque in two coats.  It's not at all streaky, and it almost looks like it has a jelly finish.  It is a gorgeous vibrant raspberry color.

Tulip Tango :: This has a similar consistency to Orchids Oh My!  It is a bright pink coral.

Love Me Lavender :: This has a similar consistency to the last two.  It is a bright medium lavender color. It looks very similar to Essie Splash of Grenadine, which I already own (whoops!).

Posy Pink :: This is one of the problem polishes.  It is very chalky and streaky.  I needed at least three coats to fix the streakiness, and even then, the texture looked uneven on my nail.  The color is a lovely light bubblegum pink which isn't too harsh against my skin.

Peachy Petal :: This suffered from the same problems as Posy Pink: chalky and streaky.  The color is a bright light pink-leaning peachy tangerine, which I think I might actually be able to pull off.  I'm a cool-tone, fair-skinned girl, and normally I look sickly in peaches or tangerines.

I do highly recommend Orchids Oh My!  Tulip Tango and Love Me Lavender are great quality polishes if you don't already have similar colors.  I don't regret buying Peachy Petal because it is a unique color, but I could do without Posy Pink.  Because these polishes are hits or misses, I haven't bothered picking up the rest of the collection.

[New Maybelline Polish] Love Me Lavender (pointer), Tulip Tango (middle), Peachy Petal (ring), Posy Pink (pinky), and Orchids Oh My! (thumb)

Overall, these polishes are great colors, but they are hits or misses with the formulations.