OPI "Alcatraz.... ROCKS"

Top Coat on index and ring fingers

I was really excited to try this polish from the OPI Fall 2013 San Francisco collection. It's one of their 'Liquid Sand' textured polishes. I'd never tried a liquid sand polish before, but the swatches of this one were so pretty that I couldn't resist! 

"Alcatraz...ROCKS" is a medium navy jelly that is just FULL of sparkle - gold, purple, even a little green. It is almost hypnotic. You aren't supposed to add a top coat to this, but I did anyway. It wasn't really as 'matte' as advertised, the sparkle was SUPER prominent and the texture wasn't as gritty as anticipated (I guess I was expecting sand paper! This was very fine). I did use one coat of Seche Vite top coat, and the color became darker and deeper. There is literally TONS of sparkle on this color. It's unlike anything I've ever tried. Really a dizzying color. A+ : totally unique, gorgeous color, easy-peasy application. 

Close-up of the shimmer

Top coat on index and ring fingers. Ignore the messy application, it cleaned up easily, I swear! 

Butter London "Victoriana"

Oy. Where do I start with this one. I picked up this shade at my local Ulta because of all the rave reviews their polishes get, this one in particular getting a LOT of attention. I love teals, I love glitter, how could this not be a winner?

Somehow, this shade totally falls flat for me. It reminds me of this horrible pair of blue jeans I had in middle school that had this awesomely horrific glitter sprayed all over them, that left a trail of sparkles like pixie dust wherever I went. Don't judge, it was the '90's. Anyway, this nail polish reminds me of them. I couldn't even get through a day wearing this. It applied beautifully, and removal was a breeze despite the large silver glitter, but this color just doesn't work for me AT ALL. B+ : awesome formula, but I can't stand this color, despite the hype it got.

Also, HOW ON EARTH did this company find it appropriate to describe this color as "A textured twinkling vintage pale blue nail lacquer. Things reminiscent of the Victorian era, such as corsets, top hats and Syphilis. " -- syphilis? Really??

Essie "Naughty Nautical"

With flash!

I am really beginning to have an obsession with mint/teal shades. Although I have only a small stash, the majority are greens and blues! :)

Naughty Nautical has been touted as the 'must have' shade from Essie's summer collection - and I can see why. A nice bold teal creme, could be a one-coater if you are more careful than I am. Added OPI "Tiara" to the tip of my ring finger (my first tiny foray into nail art!) - love the way it turned out. A nice bit of sparkle to break up the boldness of the color. Got many many compliments on this. A+. 

Without flash!

Essie "Borrowed and Blue"

So ignore my horrific cuticles and just bathe in the glorious glow that is this nail polish. If you are careful this is a nice opaque creme one-coater. If you are sloppy like me it is one sticky mess, requiring a thick second coat and a long drying time. The color is actually a very pretty, delicate blue that is almost white. Very nicely pigmented. A-, just for the stickiness. 

A England "Lady of Shallot"

So I know I said I was going to post a coral, but HOLY CRAP - I was having a craving for a navy polish. Do you ever have a color craving? Like, 'oh man, wouldn't a dark sparkly navy be just divine??' or 'Hey, I could really use a hit of turquoise today?' I was totally dying for a navy polish, and one with sparkle that would still be work-place appropriate. 

And I am new to the Nail Polish World, I know, but I've been doing my research online and saw how everyone was raving about A England polishes. To top it off, the designer Adina just so darn creative and clever with her names and colors! She describes this one as  "a captive and ethereally beautiful sapphire heart, shrouded in a blackened curse." Isn't that just the most poetic thing you've ever heard? Of course I was hooked. 

I wish my photos really captured how absolutely gorgeous this was. The best way I can describe this is "the sophisticated woman's black polish." In the harsh fluorescent light of my work environment, this is a dark, sexy inky navy blue, almost black. In the sunshine it is captivating. It's black without being goth, darkly colorful without being vampy. Just spectacular. It flashes with deep blue sparkles, like sparkles of stars reflecting in the ocean. (Is my poetic description as image-evoking as Adina's??)

I thought a dark polish like this would take me back to my not-so-flattering goth teen days (black lipstick anyone?), but this is just so grown-up! This isn't a goth/vamp dark polish, this is a 'holy shit I'm wearing sapphires on my finger nails - I must be a friggin princess' kind of color. I am so enamored.

So this collection is entitled 'Gothic Beauties,' and there are four more polishes that sparkle with red, green, purple, and silver sparkles. I may have to have each and every one of them. I am shamelessly going to refer you to Ommorphia Beauty Bar - and show you a picture of her 'Lady of Shallot' swatch and admit my own humble shortfallings with photography (perhaps my next hobby!). (But look at this photo! Look at it!! How amazing is this polish?!)

Did I mention this was a gloriously thick polish, completely opaque in 2 coats, and dried completely in UNDER 2 MINUTES? A++ in my book. 

Go out and buy this. RIGHT NOW. Do it. You will thank me for it, I promise. 

Essie Turquoise and Caicos

Oh Essie, how you torment me so! You give me the most beautiful color, a milky turquoise that looks more blue or green depending on the light. Essie describes it as "frolic in the sublime waters of this flirty polish. Vibrant, tropical aqua nail color refreshes mind, body and fashion wardrobe."It is the most gorgeous color. Ever. Seriously, I would wear this forever. You really shouldn't judge this color by the bottle, it is so vibrant in real life! 

The chip-resistance can't be beat .... but the application! Oh, the application.

It takes 3 coats to be opaque, and hours to dry in between each coat.

Ain't nobody got time for that. (Sorry for the terrible swatch shot below, check out this website for a more true-to-life picture!)

Even when I thought it had dried, FINALLY, I was wrong. Even with a quick-dry top coat. This stuff smudges and smears for almost half a day before finally hardening. Once it does, this stuff is like concrete. It doesn't chip, even after a week at my job, where I am quite hard on my hands. I am almost afraid to see how much work it will take to get it off... but the color is so incredible, I'm holding out as long as possible. I've been reading through some other swatch blogs, and it seems that a lot of people have had trouble with this formula. If y'all have any tips or tricks to make polish dry faster, I'd LOVE to hear them!

After searching the internet for possible duplicates (the colors is THAT good and the formula THAT bad - I would totally spring for another polish), I found a site that compared it to China Glaze - For Audrey and Essie - Greenport and Barry M - Mint Green. Close, but no cigar. Maybe it is worth dealing with this formula for this color.

I've been to Turks and Caicos before, on a vacation by myself. I'd just finished a particularly grueling year at work, and had a week of vacation. My SO couldn't get the time off, so I rewarded myself with a week in paradise, catching up on my reading, getting a tan, walking the entire 7 miles of the gorgeous Grace Bay daily. Just hearing the name of this polish instantly transports me back to the most delicate white sand beaches, calm clear turquoise waters, perfect temperatures, and absolute relaxation.

You should really go, dear readers. And polish your fingers with this delightful color before you do (you'll have hours to let it dry on the plane ride!)   ;)

Here are two photos I took while there, just to give you an idea... The one on the left is taken at sunset, the one below in the early morning. Grace Bay is the most incredible place on the planet. Definitely a worthy namesake for this color!