Zoya- Penelope

In the pathway of the sun,
In the footsteps of the breeze,
Where the world and sky are one,
He shall ride the silver seas,
He shall cut the glittering wave.
I shall sit at home, and rock;
Rise, to heed a neighbor's knock;
Brew my tea, and snip my thread;
Bleach the linen for my bed.
They will call him brave.
-"Penelope" by Dorothy Parker




LOVE this! It's a creamy brownish pink. It is officially one of my favorite colors. It's so neutral, yet different from the average red, pink, or beige. It's just chic, minimalist, classiness.

It applied easily, dried at a decent pace, and lasted for a while. I think I wore it 5 days or so and it had nary a scuff and I only changed it because I get bored easily.

So, if you need a nice, yet different business-appropriate color, this is a winner!

Report card:

Color= A+ (it's neutral yet I swear it pops on your nails!)
Formula= A (it was just a little thick, but still so wonderful)
Brush= A (a little thin for the thickness of the polish, still excellent though)
Price= D- (it's $7 a bottle, which is expensive, but for me, this was a great investment!)

Overall= B

OPI- Ali's Big Break

I'm a girl
I'm gonna live the dream
I'm gonna live out my fantasy

Look at me
And tell me what you see
You know what I'm gonna be
---Bo and Monica "I'm Gonna Be a Star"




Not much to say here- didn't like this. It was super thick, gummy, and difficult to apply. I just wasn't a fan. I love the bright, cheery, cherry-red of the bad, but the flecks where just too thick I think? Maybe my novice-ness is just too pervasive, but I just did not apply this well. I had high hopes when I looked at it in the bottle, but once I got down to applying, that hope flew out the window. It was realllllly sheer too.

Oh well...

Report card:

Color= C+ (great in theory, but not so much reality)
Formula= C- (bad, especially a letdown since I love OPI)
Brush= A (OPI generally has good brushes, but this was a mini and sucked majorly)
Price= D- ($8, a toss-up- good if you like it, but a bigtime bummer if you don't)

Overall= C

L.A. Colors- Tease

A song just doesn't come on. I've always had to tease it out, squeeze it out.
---Dorothy Fields





Ew...this was just....ew. Shown is 4-5 coats. It took forever for opacity. By those last coats, I got lazy and disgruntled, hence the horrible paintjob. I knew I was removing it later and never wearing it again.

That's all I got to say about that!

Report card:

Color= D- (except for some slightly interesting blue flash, most unoriginal fuchsia ever)
Formula= F (5 coats! Need I say it again?)
Brush= D- (super thin and flimsy, barely usable with this polish)
Price= A+ (hey, it was a buck- a buck wasted though imo, but I'll give it an A here, generally I am happy with L.A. Colors)

Overall= D+

Comparison- Vampy Reds

Left to right: Nicole by OPI "Deeply in Love," Revlon "Raven Red," and Nic's Sticks "Do You Deliver."




Middle= Nic's Stick
Ring= Revlon
Pinky= NOPI

As you can see, the colors are all similar, yet different.

The Nic's Stick is the darkest. It almost has a purple-based tone to it. Shown is three coats for that one, since it is difficult to apply with that applicator. I love the color though, a great berry-wine red. It might have been easier to apply but my cheeky-monkey aka my son Oscar messed with it a while back and left the cap off, so it dried out. I've messed with it and nursed it back to usability, but it's frustrating, and as you can see, I have at least 2 other colors that fill the vampy-red desire and are much more easily applied.

The Revlon is a creme. Supposedly it got it's name based on the blood of a raven? Eh. It just sounds like an attempt to be gothier-than-thou to me. But, my middle name is Raven, so I had to purchase it (this was before I knew Zoya made a polish named Raven). The color is nice, and it applies decently. This is just a very average polish, in all terms. Average color, average application, average availability and price. It's just not something spectacular. But I would consider it classic. It is more bricky and opaque than the others. It does need a topcoat in my opinion, it can be prone to scuffs and tipwear more than average. Shown is 2 coats.

The Nicole by OPI polish- oh me. I love it. It's not a creme I don't think. I believe it's a jelly, or perhaps a mixture. Shown is 3 coats, but I think you can do 2 thickish coats instead. It's lovely and applies to nicely. It's a blood-red, and so dramatic. It has a slight blue tone to it and just exudes class and sexuality all in one and definitely VAMPY. It dries fairly quickly and with a cushy, glossy jelly-like finish. If you want a classic or vampy red, this is a great investment. Definitely the winner of the group.

Comparison- Light Pinks

Left to right: Borghese "Angelica Blush," Color Club "She's Sooo Glam," Nicole by OPI "Scene Stealer," Essie "Pinking Up the Pieces", and L.A. Colors "Classic Pink."

Burry swatch, apologies...




Thumb= Borghese, pointer= CC, middle= NOPI, ring= Essie, and pinky= L.A. Colors.

Obviously, the Color Club one is definiely not similar at all. I wasn't sure til I applied it how sheer it was going to be. It's not sheer at all, it's pretty dang opaque. And BRIGHT. And fun. I am using that this spring for sure.

The others were more my intention, which is to say, French mani pinks.

Borghese's "Angelica Blush" was kinda streaky and thick. I am thinking of adding some Zoya Renew to this one to thin it a bit. It's unwieldy to apply and as you can see (pictured is 3 coats), just too dang streaky. It's lovely though and is the perfect color for a French mani.

Nicole by OPI "Scene Stealer" is a pretty color. It's interesting. It's pale and a similar lavender-based pink, reminds me of a pink version of Essie "Demure Vixen," which I happen to be sporting at the moment. As pretty as the color is, I have to admit, the application is sadly lacking. It's just a bit thick, and streak enough, to make you not want to continue wearing it. Plus, it is dependent upon a thick topcoat. It has a slightly chalky finish and was fairly imprintable even 24+ hours later. But it is such a nice color, in my opinion. But not quite right for a French mani. It's too saturated a color.

Essie "Pinking Up the Pieces" is interesting. It reminds me of a smoother version of Savvy Femme Couture "French Opal Rose Frost" with less obvious bluish flash. I think it would make for an interesting French mani actually, different from the normal sheer pinks. The ever-so-slightly-noticeable blue flash is lovely. It is extremely sheer, so don't expect to apply 3 or even 4 coats and achieve opacity. Pictured is 4 coats. Nuff said. This is best enjoyed as an intentional sheer, and I think 2 coats is best for it.

The L.A. Colors "Classic Pink" came in a cheapie clearance 2 pack from the Dollar General this past fall. I was hopeful it was going to be decent for a French mani, but honestly, it was way too streaky. The little brush was not conducive to application either. I have since frankened with it. I made a very pretty color at least, I will show it later.

So, ultimately, I wasn't too impressed with any of these for a Classic French manicure. I have kept the Angelica Blush, it most suits that purpose. But I will either need to thin it out or learn better ways of applying it. Essie "Pinking Up the Pieces" is a great option if you are looking for an unusual mani. L.A. Colors "Classic Pink" is not worth purchasing. But you can franken with it just fine. :)

Enjoy!

Borghese- Angelica Blush

Baby
You're my angel
Come and save me tonight
You're my angel
Come and make it all right
---Aerosmith "Angel"



This is a polish I picked up on clearance for 2.19 at Walgreens right after Christmas. My L.A. Colors Classic Pink for french manis turned out bupkis. It was streaky and sheer, so I slated it for frankening (it now has a new life as a yummy golden-pink champagne color, which I've dubbed Aurora and I'll feature soon, or dreckly as my granny says.)

So, I picked up this color, hoping it would fill that now-empty spot. It is a mixed review. On one hand, it was thickish and somewhat streaky- at first application. Luckily, it smoothed out and took on an even glossy, milky-pink tone at 2 applications. My advice is to do the first application thin, then a moderate coat for the second application, to have even coverage and a nice, cushy finish once dry.

Ultimately, this will suit my purposes well and I am no longer in search of a sheer pink for french manis.

Report card:

Color= C+ (this is 'bout as generic as it gets, but hey, classics are classics for a reason I guess)
Formula= B- (suitably average, but would be nice if it were quite so thick)
Brush= A+ (love Borghese brushes)
Price= F (these run $8+ a Wags. If you want to spend that, buy OPI or something else)

Overall= C+

Wet n Wild- Red Red

"The lady in red is dancing with me cheek to cheek"
---Lady in Red, by Chris De Burgh






This is pure and simple, classic red. I had read some iffy reviews, so I wasn't sure if it would be a disappointment or not. Well, I lucked out- my bottle must be just fine. It applied like butter and dried very quickly with a lovely finish. I got it on clearance at Fred's, so it was 49 cents, but these normally run 99 cents to a dollar. Awesomeness! I am really a Wet n Wild fan. Occasionally I am let down, but no more so than with other polish brands in general. My main prob was that the brush was a smidge splayed. Kinda annoying but manageable.

Overall, if you want a classic red, and don' want to pay a pretty penny, this should aptly satisfy the need.

Report card:

Color= A (it's a classic for a reason)
Formula= A- (great, and cheap too!)
Brush= B- (it could've been slightly better)
Price= A+ (only one dollar!)

Overall= A-

L.A Colors- Pink-a-boo

Pinky Dinky's always thinking big.
Yessarooni Positooni
Zip Zam Zoom!
Pinky Dinky Doo
---from kids' show, "Pinky Dinky Doo"




This is a fun little color, but it's too sheer I think. It's a candy-toned classic pink. It's youthful and fun but might smack of bimbo I suppose, depending on how you are dressed. I loved it for my toes though, and it lasts well there.

The brush was a little thin on this bottle. The formula was sheer and runny, so it was streaky at first and the thin brush did not help matters. I ended up using 4 coats. It dried at a decent rate at least, and it only cost a buck.

Report card:

Color= C- (very unoriginal, albeit classic. I've seen it done better elsewhere)
Formula= D+ (very sheer, took 4 coats for some opacity, thin, runny, etc)
Brush= C- (too thin, sorta flimsy)
Price= A+ (just a dollar)

Overall= C+

L.A. Colors- Hot-blooded

Well, I'm hot blooded, check it and see
I got a fever of a hundred and three
Come on baby, do you do more than dance?
I'm hot blooded, I'm hot blooded
---"Hot Blooded" by Foreigner





I wore this color on one hand shortly before Christmas, and another color, Morbid by Wet n Wild, on the other. Hot Blooded is a blood-toned brick red. It's a lovely color but unfortunately, it was sheer. This is 4 coats, and although it isn't too visible in this picture, there was a VNL.

I won't wear it again and slated it for frankening. I have better reds to wear. It was a buck though, so I won't feel too bad about it. I needed a red for frankening anyway.

Report card:

Color= C- (pretty unoriginal)
Formula= C- (sheer, dry time was too long, kinda smudgey even after a while, etc)
Brush= B (ok, average I'd say)
Price= A+ (just a dollar at Dollar Tree)

Overall= B-

Nicole by OPI- Scene Stealer

"The scene is dull. Tell him to put more life into his dying."
---Samuel Goldwyn




I loved this color in the bottle. It is so pretty and demure and classy and fitting for all occasions. I love it. It's a light violet-toned pink. It has a very extremely faint shimmer that in my opinion was not detectable hardly at all once dry.

Now, for all my high expectations for this, considering that I have never really had a bad experience formula-wise with Nicole by OPI polishes, I must say, I am quite disappointed. It was very sheer. That I can deal with. But it was also thick and globby and streaky and dried after like...eons. And when I say dry, I mean, it was "dry" but still was easily imprinted and smudged. 48 hours later, it was STILL imprintable and smudgey. But, I love the color so much, I plan on retrying it soon. Maybe something was off that day.

Report card:

Color= A (really pretty and flattering for most people I'd say)
Formula= C (thin, sheer, took forever to dry, was smudgey forever)
Brush= C+ (too flimsy for the polish's consistency)
Price= D- (I got mine in a 2 pack for $6.99, but normally they are 7.50, which is pricy, considering you can get China Glaze or Orly for less, and OPI for similar)

Overall= C

Finger Paints- Free Form Fawn

Asleep on the moss, his head on his polished cleft
small ebony hoves,
The child of the doe, the dappled child of the deer.
---The Fawn, Edna St. Vincent Millay




I did not like this color. I thought I would. In the bottle, it looks like a conservative burgundy mauve type color, and I wanted something classic and simple. Well, ask and ye shall receive. I received the boringest, uninterestingest, blah blah blah color ever. And to boot, it made my fingers look pale, dry, and stubby. And aged. They looked like some old lady's hands. The polish was thick and made for difficult application as well, and then took a while to dry and remained very imprintable for over 24 hours, which is quickly becoming one of my biggest pet peeves.

I'll give it another whirl later maybe, it's possible I caught it on an off day or something. Maybe the planets were aligned incorrectly. But, I am not holding my breath.

Report card:

Color= C- (it is much more dull than it should be)
Formula= C- (thickity thick thick, and a slowpoke in drying)
Brush= B (average I suppose)
Price= C- (I paid 3.99 on sale at Sally Beauty, but it's normally 4.99, which I think is a rip-off when you can get nicer brands for cheaper)

Overall= C

L.A. Colors "Paradise" pink

“He that does good for good's sake seeks neither paradise nor reward, but he is sure of both in the end”
---William Penn




I love this color, seriously. It's a plummy fuschia creme. I HATE that it has no name, so I call it simply "Paradise Pink" since the package said "Paradise" on the top. It was a L.A. Colors 2 pack I found at Dollar General and half-off, when it was only a dollar to begin with. I love the color, the formula, the application, the finish, all of it. My only complaint is that it took forever to get opaque. This is 4 coats and even then, I still had a noticeable nail line in certain lights.

Report card:

Color= A- (probably not everyone's cup of tea, but I personally adore it)
Formula= A- (except for the opacity problem, no complaints)
Brush= A (no complaints)
Price= A+ (definitely no complaints here, it was a buck for 2 polishes without the sale I got on it of half off. So, I paid a quarter for this bad boy)

Overall= A-

Nic's Sticks- Do You Deliver

"A library, to modify the famous metaphor of Socrates, should be the delivery room for the birth of ideas - a place where history comes to life."
---Norman Cousins




Aw shucks- I love this color. But...my naughty son got into it and left the lid off. So now it's impossible for me to accurately gauge its quality. Even with the dry brush I had to fiddle with to get to work, I think it eventually looked ok. It was so thick though, since I had to glob on a lot to work with the dried brush. So it took forever to dry and remained prone to scratches. I can't be certain what caused it, if it was Oscar's meddling, or if it was inherent to the polish in the beginning. Either way, I think my bottle is ruined. Sad, because it was a gift from a friend. I'm going to hold on to it longer and hope that the brush eventually softens, as that would make application much much much easier.

The color is a cranberry red creme, perfect for fall or winter.

Report card:

Color= B (average, lots of brands have a similar one)
Formula= C- (even with the messed up brush, the formula itself seems decent enough, just thick)
Brush= F (not counting how my son damaged it, I really can't say I like these applicators, especially for thick polishes like these. It's very hard to apply evenly)
Price= F (they are 7-8 bucks, and for the small amount you get, it's just not good)

Overall= D+

Revlon- Raven Red

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!
---"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe




Weird name, kinda makes no sense, unless you are trying to gothify it I guess? But, goofy name aside, I like this red. It's classic, and thus sorta run-of-the-mill, but in my opinion, red is always sexy and classy. This is deep and brick-toned, definitely something I'll reserve for fall and winter. It's too warm, subdued, and inviting for summer, where I prefer colors to be airy, fresh, and energetic.

The formula is decent, and so is the brush. It's expensive though- for the price, I'd rather wait for a sale at Sally Beauty and pick up a better brand.

Report card:

Color= B (solidly average)
Formula= B (ditto)
Brush= B (ditto that ditto)
Price= C- (mine was $4.79 at Walgreens, and my Wal-mart doesn't have the price listed, and I'm too lazy to walk around to a price-check station to investigate)

Overall= B-

Hard Candy- Fishnet

"I do recommend it for all girls, and boys, out there: put on a pair of fishnet stockings and find your inner sexiness!"
---Nia Vardalos




I was in need of a classic red. I saw this in a clearance bin at Walmart, with no price. But since the most expensive one there was the Nicole by OPI, at 7.50, I thought surely it didn't exceed that. I hadn't bought or even perused the Hardy Candy polishes really at that point, they just never seem like something I like. So, I bought it, guessing it was around 2 bucks or maybe a little more, which seemed reasonable for the color I wanted, a classic red.

I should have paid attention when she rang it up (along with 2 other colors Splendid and Frenzy). It was NOT on clearance, despite being in a clearance bin, with tons of other duplicates. I paid $5 for this. Ick, such a small bottle, and such a regular color, I could have gotten a LA Color one for 1 dollar! But this was very much the red I envisioned, so I decided to roll with it.

I tried it. It's ok on my toes, but it's really thin on my fingernails and takes forever to get opaque enough, plus remaining tacky and gummy. It chipped within a few hours as well. Poo. :( It's a shame, because it really is a classic red. Oh well, I used it for my first attempt at frankening last night, so it's not totally wasted.

Report card:

Color= A+ (classic red can't be beat!)
Formula= D- (nearly failing)
Brush= D+ (long and thin, not good)
Price= D- (considering how small the bottle is, this is just about the biggest nail polish rip-off I've seen.)

Overall= C-

OPI- Nice Color, Eh?

The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.
---Marcus Aurelius




Yes it is! This is another of my favorites. It's lighter than "I'm Not Really a Waitress" and "Soho Nice to Meet You" so it seems more appropriate for casual or day wear. It's a pretty strawberry red with a faint shimmer, and the finish is lovely and kinda matte.

Of course, the brush and formula are great, as it's OPI. Worth the expensive price tag in my experience, if this is a color you know you will wear.

Report card:
Color= A- (everyone has a red, but this again is red done right)
Formula= A+ (the tops!)
Brush= A (always nice)
Price= D- (expensive, I won't lie. At about 8 bucks, you have to treat it as an investment, only buy if it's a color you know will get a lot of use)

Overall= B

Arissa- My Favorite Red

When in doubt, wear red.
---Bill Blass




This isn't the best picture. We've had nearly no sun for a while, it's been drab and wet and dreary outside. Anyway, this is a pretty color, and I think it's a jelly. This is 4 coats and I think it really needed another. It has a very slight shimmer and it also has a pink cast to it, so I don't think it's straight-up red. More of a fruit punch kind of red and more appropriate for spring or summer in my opinion. It was just 2 bucks at my local Family Dollar. They only had 3 colors, this one, a really dark red, and a purple glittery color. I bought this and the purple.

It's ok, especially considering the price, but I don't think it's anything special, and certainly not my favorite red as the name proclaims. But it's fun in its own way.

Report card:
Color= C (pretty standard, nothing to write home about)
Formula= B- (very sheer, but still a nice polish to work with, and dried fairly quickly with a pretty glossy finish, and it seemed hardy as well)
Brush= B+ (slightly better than average. I really liked the slightly rubberized-feeling handle)
Price= B+ ($2 is all. Well, it might be a good investment if you need a good red jelly to franken with, or maybe a fun glossy red for summer or spring, but I think it is likely to be overshadowed by other reds you probably already have in your collection)

Overall= B-

Borghese- Palermo Plum

This is just to say
I have eaten the plums
that were
in the icebox
---William Carlos Williams "This Is Just To Say"



I really like this color, but it would not dry. Two days later, it was still, yes STILL, gummy. And riddled with all sorts of imprints, I'm assuming it's what people mean when they say they wake up with "bed nails." They were glossy and shiny when I went to bed, and when I woke, it looked like Gil Grissom was going to be able to use them for forensics.

I dearly love Borghese brushes, but for this particular formula, which was fairly runny, it caused some slipping around and messed them up, and it was fairly staining and vaporous.

If I could find this color with a better, hardier, glossier formula, then I'd be a happy gal.

Report card:
Color= A- (I like it, but it's a classic plum, so not ground-breaking)
Formula= D (runny and never dried completely)
Brush= B (great brush, by itself, but with this runny formula, it was added bother)
Price= D- (8 bucks, although I paid 4 for mine on clearance, 8 bucks is too much for me)

Overall= C

Nicole by OPI- Deeply In Love

And so we remained till the red of the dawn began to fall through the snow gloom. I was desolate and afraid, and full of woe and terror. But when that beautiful sun began to climb the horizon life was to me again.
---Bram Stoker



This color makes me think of vampires. It's truly blood red and it's so sensual and sexy, I think it would look right at home on the fingertips of some vampy woman. It's a deep brownish red with no shimmer. It has a matte finish, and absolutely no sparkle or shimmer. It doesn't need it though, it's class and sex appeal all on its own. The formula was thin, but very opaque, and easy to manage with the nice brush.

So far, this is probably the favorite red of my collection, and I definitely will be using it again. I thought at first that it was a fallish red, but I actually think it is more appropriate for any season. It's a classic red and I think classic is always in season.

Report card:
Color= A (Red done right!)
Formula= A (tres bien!)
Brush= A- (another plus!)
Price= D- (A blemish on an otherwise nearly flawless review. This polish was a gift to me from a friend, but since these retail for 7.50 at Wal-Mart, that's an ouchy price in my opinion. However, I think it's worth it if you are looking for a gorgeous, enduring, classic red.)

Overall= B

OPI- Soho Nice To Meet You

"Destination unknown
Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby Soho"
---Rancid "Ruby Soho"



This is one of my first polishes and is very cherished. It is darker red than my favorite OPI red, I'm Not Really a Waitress. It has a delicate shimmer as well, and the formula is awesome, even with my bottle that is several years old at this point. It basically applies itself. Even though I complain about the price, for me, there really is not much better than OPI. Excellent color selections, flawless formula, great brushes, and awesomely clever names really add up to a wonderful polish.

This will continue to be the color (along with INRAW, which is actually even more awesome in my opinion) I go for when I want to feel sexy, confident, and classy.

Report card:
Color= A+ (Some people may prefer more daring or unique colors, but honestly, classics are classics for a reason)
Formula= A+ (easily applied, durable, shiny, and quick-drying, this formula hits all the marks)
Brush= A+ (just right! Makes application extremely easy)
Price= D- (8 bucks is just such a pricetag for nail polish on my budget. I do consider it a good investment though if this is a color you will wear a lot, so I can't bear to give this an F)

Overall= B+