L.A. Colors- Phenomenon

“I want to know how God created this world. I am not interested in this or that phenomenon, in the spectrum of this or that element. I want to know His thoughts; the rest are details.”
---Albert Einstein




This was a Dollar Tree find, of course. It's a fuchsia/plum color with no shimmer. I believe it's a creme. It is not very pigmented though. What is shown is 3 coats, and as you can see, it needs another coat or two. That third coat really didn't make much of a difference at all, so I reasoned that a 4th probably wouldn't either, so I called it there.

For a buck, I guess I can't complain. Compared to Borghese "Palermo Plum," it's a decent, cheaper alternative. I prefer the little nameless L.A. Color's fuchsia I got in a 2 pack called "Paradise" so ultimately, I will probably franken with this one.

Report card:

Color= D+ (boring- everyone has a fuchsia, and most are much nicer)
Formula= D (quick-drying at least, but it's thin and not very opaque)
Brush= B- (flimsy, but mostly average)
Price= A+ (just a dollar)

Overall= C+

Revlon- Plum Night

My favorite plum
lies in wait for me
I'll be right here
longing endlessly
---"My Favorite Plum" Suzanne Vega




Again, awful swatch, sorry. But this is a pretty color. It takes 3-4 coats to ensure even coverage. It's very rich and dries fairly quickly considering. I have worn it so much I didn't want to do it again even to get it swatched. But it's pretty, take my word for it. It's a super dark plum purple that almost seems black. It's very dramatic and a "fancy" color, perfect for holiday shindigs. I like this color but I do still prefer Nicole by OPI's "Show You Care" better because it's a smidge brighter and has a delicate shimmer.

Report card:

Color= B+ (better than average, but lots of brands have similar ones, so it's sorta generic)
Formula= C+ (dries quickly and has a nice glossy finish, but takes too many coats to evenly coat the nail)
Brush= B (solidly average, like most Revlon brushes)
Price= C- (I got this as a gift, but they are 4.79 at my Walgreens, which is expensive, considering China Glaze and Finger Paints are similar in price but much nicer in quality)

Overall= C+

Nic's Sticks- Dash Into the Dark

Dashing through the snow
On a one-horse open sleigh,
Over the fields we go,
Laughing all the way;
---Jingle Bells




Dare I even share this awful swatch? This was actually my third attempt. These Nic's Sticks are so varied. It seems the metallic/frosty lacquers apply pretty well but the cremes do not. This is 4 coats. Look at the persistent baldness! And the mess! But it's a pretty color, if it could just be applied aptly. Perhaps someone with a steadier hand than I. It's like a licorice/jelly bean uber-dark plum color.

Report card:

Color= B+ (pretty fun, but it's hard to say, since I can't get true opacity)
Formula= D+ (thick, gummy, hard-to-apply, prone to unwieldy bald spots, etc)
Brush= F (this format does not work with the thick and quick-drying nature of the formula, it just globs up the brush)
Price= F (they are too expensive for the small amount of lacquer you get, even more when you consider the difficulty in application)

Overall= D+