A note as from a single place,
A slender tinkling fall that made
Now drops that floated on the pool
Like pearls, and now a silver blade.
---Robert Frost "Going For Water"





This was just a dollar at Dollar General. I had high-hopes, since I have had decent luck with L.A. Colors. Unfortunately, this one sort of bombed. Shown is 5 coats and as you can see, there is still VNL. It was pretty aggravating. Also, it just wasn't as lustrous and I wanted it to be, it just looks milky. And it's too brush-strokey for layering, so this lacquer is just sort of useless to me. I have since frankened with mine and it doesn't even seem useful for that either.

Report card:

Color= C- (bleh- too frosty, too milky)
Formula= D- (wayyyyy too thin and sheer)
Brush= B (actually ok here)
Price= A+ (just a dollar, so if it sucks, you haven't wasted much)

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+

L.A. Colors- Antique Rose

A single rose can be my garden... a single friend, my world.
---Leo Buscaglia




This is L.A. Colors "Antique Rose" with Color Club "Best-Dressed List" on the ring finger as a comparison. It is a dark clayish color with an interesting golden shimmer. I actually really like it, maybe the most of all my clay-toned polishes. It has a lovely depth hanks to the shimmer. It dried quickly and lasted well, and held up just as well, if not better, than the Color Club did. It hard barely any tipwear at all after 3 days, and the CC had slightly more. And get this- it could easily be a 1 coater if you apply it well!

All that for a dollar! I won't complain!

Report card:

Color= A (very nice, to me. It's one I plan to rewear often)
Formula= A (pretty nifty, it might be slightly thick, but overall, still great)
Brush= C+ (the brush is too thin to me, it would be better if it was a bit sturdier and wider)
Price= A+ (just a dollar, so that's the best you can ask for)

Overall= A-

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!

L.A. Colors- Electrified

We gonna rock down to Electric Avenue
And then we'll take it higher
---Eddy Grant, Electric Avenue




For just one dollar, I purchased this little gem at the Dollar Tree. It's a bright, hot pink foil-type glitter. I went on fairly well and dried pretty quickly and with a nice, hardy, smooth finish. It also lasted for a while, especially considering its cheapness.

But, it's not something I will wear over and over. I'll basically only wear it on Christmas or New Year's, maybe Valentine's Day. It's just not something I think is very versatile.

Report card:

Color= C+ (It's ok, but nothing you should break your back to find)
Formula= B- (pretty average)
Brush= C+ (a wee bit flimsy for this thickish polish)
Price= A+ (just a dollar, w00t!)

Overall= B-

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-

Merry Christmas!

"Gifts I'm preparin'
For some Christmas sharin'
But I pause because
Hangin' my stockin'
I can hear a knockin'
'Zat you, Santa Claus"
---Zat You Santa Claus, Louis Armstrong








Just a couple quick pics of the holiday skittle I've had for 3 days (til tonight). First pic is my left hand. Starting at thumb and heading to pinky, I had Wet n Wild "Lust", Wet n Wild "Caribbean Frost", China Glaze "Classic Camel", Nicole by OPI "Bah Plum-Bug" with a topcoat of Wet n Wild "Blitzen", and then Wet n Wild no name "Shiver???".

On the right hand, starting at pinky: Wet n Wild "Red Red", Wet n Wild "Morbid" plus Wet n Wild "Blitzen" topcoat, Wet n Wild no name "Wild Orchid???", L.A. Colors "Electrified", and Jazz "18K Gold."

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas everyone!

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+

L.A. Colors- Megawatt

I llllloooooooovvvvvveeee this song from a show my kids watch on PBS- The Electric Company






I found this polish along with half a dozen others at Dollar Tree, a buck each, obviously, lol. I was most excited for this color. I love peachy/pinky/beigey shades, since I am fond of "lazi mani's" where I just put on a single coat of a sheer polish and call it a day. It gives a nice gloss, hint of color, and protects my nail in just a single step.

This one however didn't look right as one coat, at least, not with my stained nails. I can't remember what it was that stained them, but I think it was CG Classic Camel, and that was in September I believe? Or October? Either way, the stained portion is just now over halfway grown out. I'm sure there are ways to lighten it, but I don't know any. I already scrubbed with toothpaste and even buffed it heavily, but this orangey stain is still very visible with clear or sheer polishes.

Mega Watt is a peach-toned beige with very faint gold and silver fine-grade shimmer. First coat, I expected it to be sheer. Second coat, it looked hardly even a smidge more opaque than the first, or even really like I had anything on to begin with. Third coat, same story, although it did finally get at least noticably darker "peach" tone, though still very very sheer. Fourth coat, more peachiness, hardly any more opaque. It really needs more than 4 coats, but I stopped there, since I felt like it was an exercise in futility. My staining continue to show through at 4 coats, and that's not good. They looked like 50 year old chain-smoking divorcee, or maybe Patty and Selma's nails (The Simpsons). If I can get rid of this staining, I will revisit this polish, but it will take a while yet, about another 2-3 months I'm thinking.

Report card:

Color= D- (good in theory, but they made it too thin)
Formula= B+ (it was actually nice, quick-drying, hardy, nice finish, etc)
Brush= B (average)
Price= A+ (can't beat an A!)

Overall= B-

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-

L.A. Colors- French Cream

French Cream:

* 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
* 1 cup powdered sugar
* 1 cup whipping cream
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 1 lemon, zested and juiced
* Pineapple juice

Directions

Soften cream cheese and then whip with powdered sugar. Whip cream and sugar together until it forms soft peaks. Combine beaten cream cheese, whipped cream, lemon juice and zest; continue to beat, adding just enough pineapple juice to achieve desired consistency. Serve with fresh fruit tray or fruit salad.
---Paula Deen, Food Network




French SCREAM is more like it, because that's what it made me want to do when I put it on there, and not in a "OMG, it's the Beatles!" kinda way but a go-ahead-and-commit-me-I-am-losing-my-mind kinda way. Super thick, streaky, globby mess. Dried fast though, but sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. This was one of those moments. It dried nearly as fast as I drew it from the bottle, and eventually the brush, which was already sub-par to begin with, started to glob up. I couldn't get the streaks out either. The pic is with 2 coats, and the more I added, the worse it got.

At least I only paid a $1 for it. But hey, I coulda bought tons of better things for that buck.

Report card
Color= D- (next to falling, it's sorta pukey looking, but it's sheer enough and serves the purpose for a sheer, traditional mani)
Formula= F (streaks, globs, and fugliness)
Brush= C+ (obviously less than average, but was doable)
Price= B (I can't in good conscience put an A, even though it was a buck, since it was such a horrible buy, I'd rather have my dollar back)

Overall= D+

L.A. Colors- Topaz

"I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul."
-Pablo Neruda "XVII"

---



I found this for a buck, yes, a BUCK, at one of my favorite stores, Dollar General. What a great investment! It's got shine, long-lasting power, quick-dry time, lovely color, easy application, etc etc. They have an assortment of colors available, so I think I will try those out sometime too, but I want to swatch my current reds first, so I don't double up.

As I applied this for the first coat, it was very sheer, and I was somewhat disappointed, I was afraid it would stay that way. On the plus side, I decided it would be a nice "lazy manicure" with just one coat, to add some simple glitz. When I applied the second coat, I was surprised at how opaque it became. I still had some nail line showing though, so I added a third for good measure. Normally I am 2 coats and that is it, but since this had a great drying time, I was ok with another coat. In certain lights, there still were some angles that showed the nail line, but eh, I thought it looked great anyway.

It is a gorgeous color, pretty spot on for a topaz tone, with a fine array of gold, bronze, and silver shimmer. Additionally, the metallic sheen made it resemble rose gold to me. I LOVE rose gold, so I really enjoyed this effect. In addition to the nice color, the quality of the formula was excellent. It applied so easily, the brush was not hard to use, and it lasted forever. After 3 days it was still as if I had just applied it. My nails grow fast, so the new growth was too visible and I was ready for a new polish anyway, but I am certain it would have lasted for days and days more.

The report card for this color:
Color= A (I love the color personally, but I realize it might not be unique per se, but I do think it would be flattering for most people, so it's a solid A)
Formula= A+ (I've never had better, honestly)
Brush= B (solidly average)
Price= A+ (I think without being clearance, $1 is pretty much the best you can hope for with a polish)

Overall= A-