Claire's- Rain Drop

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head
And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed
Nothin' seems to fit
Those raindrops are fallin' on my head, they keep fallin'
---BJ Thomas "Raindrops"




Love this! I had been eying American Apparel "Mouse" for a while when I bought this, thinking it might be similarish. It's not, not at all, and I actually like it much better. This is a cool, slightly-blue-toned grey that I think would be flattering for most people. It applied well and dried at a decent rate. Only prob is it was easily imprintable, even days after, so definitely use a good topcoat. Shown above is maybe 2-3 days of wear, so you can see how every little ding or bump left a mark. As a mom of 4 year old twins, my fingers might see some heavy use, so this was unfortunate. I actually have since bought Zoya "Dove" which I much prefer and these are similar colors, if not dupes, and has superior quality, and honestly, not much difference in price. I think Claire's polish is expensive, even though they seem to always have a BOGO 1/2 off deal. I think it was 4.99 and that is just too expensive, when I can get China Glaze or Orly or Finger Paints, basically anything from Sally's, at a cheaper price for much better quality.

Report card:

Color= A (love the color, it's just fun!)
Formula= C+ (mostly good except for those naggy imprints days after, so remember, topcoat is a must for this one)
Brush= B (decidedly average)
Price= C- (just not priced right at all)

Overall= B-

Piggy Polish- Daylilly's and Music

I got rhythm,
I got music,
I got my man --
Who could ask for anything more?
---"I Got Rhythm" George and Ira Gershwin



So pretty in the bottle, a dusty minty herby looking pastel green. Unfortunately, shown is 4 coats, and as you can see, it bubbled and was just not drying correctly at that point. Not to mention, it was NOT big3 free and has a bizarre odor, triggered a migraine for me. I guess I'll stick with Revlon "Minted" but if I had my druthers, I'd prefer a more yellow-based green like this one per the bottle versus Minted's bluish-tinge which looks kinda cotton-candyesque.

And these were supposed to come with a little toe-ring but mine did not. It WAS on clearance for 1.99 at Ulta, guess I can't complain too badly. I do wish I had known it wasn't Big3 Free, but oh well.

Report card:

Color= D- (the bottle is so misleading, it just was not opaque enough at all and looked sorta vomitish until I put enough coats for opacity)
Formula= D- (runny, difficult to apply, and fumey)
Brush= C- (stiff and pokey, not good with the thin formula)
Price= D (I paid just under $2, but it's $7 usually according to a quick google, which I find sorta blah considering my experience with it- not a good investment personally)

Overall= D

PS and DON'T get me started on the name. It grammatically makes no sense. Not only is "daylilies" misspelled but there's also odd punctuation, making it possessive, but without a reference to what. It's like saying "Joe's and Crab Shack!" or "Gilligan's and Island". Just... not right.

Orly- La Playa

Hey Blue, there is a song for you
Ink on a pin
Underneath the skin
An empty space to fill in
--"Blue" by Joni Mitchell




This was a color I was "lemming" and finally found on clearance at Ulta this past January. The color is just gorgeous! It is a bright, yet also dark and dramatic blue and so glossy. However, as pretty as the color is, the quality...meh, it leaves something to be desired. You wanna guess how old the above mani is?

You probably are thinking a couple days or so. NOPE! It was just 12 hours! Yeah...you see why I am disappointed. But the color...oooh, it's so pretty. Maybe if I can find the right topcoat (I used Orly's Top to Bottom I think it was called). Either way, I love the color quite a bit, and certainly think it's worth another shot. Especially since it was basically a one-coater!

Report card:

Color= A (pretty dang beautiful)
Formula= C+ (thick, difficult to paint somewhat, and did not hold up)
Brush= B (pretty good, but not quite sturdy enough to maneuver the polish adeptly)
Price= C- (4.99 usually at most beauty supplies, not too bad if it were good quality, but it was disappointing. I at least found mine on clearance for 2.99)

Overall= B-

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+

OPI- Yodel Me on My Cell + exciting news!

I went across to Switzerland
Where all the Yodellers be
To try to learn to yodel
With my yodel-oh-ee-dee
I climbed a big high mountain
On a clear and sunny day
And met a yodellin' gal
Up in a little Swiss chalet
---Frank Ifield "She Taught Me How to Yodel"




Lovely color! It's a pretty teal with a metallic shimmer. It wasn't as opaque as I would have liked, but applied well, especially considering it was a mini, which tends to give me probs. Whenever I run out, I do believe I'd like a full-size bottle. It would make for an awesome summer pedicure.

It's rainy and dreary outside today, so this swatch from a few weeks ago is just the thing to brighten my mood.

Report card:

Color= B+ (it's kinda generic in theory, but it's done right)
Formula= B+ (hits all the marks except it is more sheer than it ought to be)
Brush= A (basing it on a full-size bottle, since minis suck)
Price= D- ($8 is either good or bad, if you love or hate the polish, so it's a gamble)

Overall= B-

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=

And the exciting news is I won a giveaway! My very first actually! It was hosted by Rachel Marie's Nails. I can't wait for it to arrive in my mail box!

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+

Hard Candy- nameless purple

Roses are red
Violets are purple
Sugar is sweet
And so is maple surple




This was part of a "Limited Edition" 4-polish gift-set at Wal-Mart this year for the holidays. I snatched it up on half-price clearance, so just $5 for 4 polishes. I only wanted it for the obvious Orly "Goth" dupe, but this ended up being a pleasant surprise. The orange and magenta glitters are atrocious. If you bought this set and haven't tried those yet, take my advice and toss them. All 4 of the polishes stink. They have a bizarre burnt-plastic, heavily chemical smell, a very strange thread of unusual fumes. Not your normal polish-fume, but a truly weird one, and I instantly get a bad headache from it. Insta-migraine, what joy! Those two stain like the dickens as well, so not only double up, but TRIPLE up a base coat. They aren't very opaque either. Took me 3 coats for those to get them opaque even somewhat.

But this post is about the purple one. It's got a slight duochrome effect and is a dusky purple metallic. It has that same odd fume as the others, but it's so pretty, I am willing to experiment with topcoats to hopefully counteract it.

Shown is 2 coats, but as you can see, it probably could do with a third.

If you aren't prone to migraines, and you like purples or duochromes, it would be nice to snag this set. Otherwise, I kinda get the impression that the orange and pink were the dregs of set, where they just sorta slapped something together to get the gift set on the shelves. Whatever that chemical is, they should definitely NOT use it again. It's AWFUL!

Report card:

Color= B- (pretty nifty, but not ground-breaking)
Formula= D+ (slightly poor dry time, and somewhat sheer, yet also staining. Main detraction is the bizarro fume)
Brush= C- (it's not the best, it's obviously cheap)
Price= D+ (HC runs $5, which is too much in my opinion. I've yet to be truly impressed with them)

Overall= C-

Wet n Wild- nameless "Shiver?"

A new day is coming
People are changing
Ain't it beautiful
Crystal blue persuasion
---"Crystal Blue Persuasion" by Tommy James & the Shondelles




Another of my nameless polishes I got in a Wet n Wild gift set shortly before Christmas. It was $4 for 5 polishes, not a bad deal, and they all seem to have great quality, especially considering the price. Ultimately, I've been frankening with most of them. They aren't really groundbreaking/unique colors, but the formulas are pretty nifty.

These colors were all nameless, but I googled around and I suspect this one is Shiver, or something very similar. It's a light, chilly blue. It's got a smooth, metallic/frost finish.

Ultimately, it's not a color I really see myself using over and over, but if blues or frosts are your thing, then this might be for you.

Report card:

Color= C- (not the most imaginative)
Formula= C (decent, especially considering the price)
Brush= B- (pretty good, but could be better)
Price= A+ (5 polishes for 4 dollars in a gift set! And WNW are usually a dollar anyway)

Overall= B-

Wet n Wild- Caribbean Frost

I want to give people a taste of the Caribbean, and show them the fun side of me.
---Rihanna




This was my first recent WNW purchase since I've gotten back into polish, along with Blazed. They are nice. Maybe a smidge prone to bubbles. But for a dollar, I'll deal with it.

Caribbean Frost is a tealish green metallic. I really like it. It kinda shows brush-strokes though. But still, it's ok. For a buck, you can't hardly ask for the moon.

Report card:

Color= C- (pretty generic, everyone's got this color)
Formula= D+ (bubbly, thick, a bit unwieldy, took some time to dry)
Brush= C+ (mine is a smidge wonky)
Price= A+ (just a dollar)

Overall= C+

Zoya- Adina

Adina, Hebrew, from [adin] meaning "slender, delicate."




I took advantage of a free-shipping code from Zoya a couple weeks ago. Adina was my choice. I must say, I did a damn fantastic job of picking a color. This is just....awesome. It's almost my perfect color. I loooooove duochromes, and I loooooove purple. The green flash just makes it that much more zippy.

It was part of a spring collection I think, but I'd wear this year round. It's gorgeous, and if you don't mind walking on the wild side, colorwise, this is a great one to go with.

The unfortunate drawback is that Zoya polish can be expensive, at 7 bucks a bottle. But hey, you almost pay that for some drug store polishes, at MUCH less quality. This polish went on like silk, dried quickly, had shininess galore, and hardly even a whiff of a fume! Seriously, I hardly smelled it at all!

To top it off, it lasted forever. I wore it on my toes for 2 weeks with 1 coat, repeat, 1 coat (although, on fingers, I did 2, just to cover up all trace of VNL). I never touched it up once. And at 2 weeks, it had NO chips. But my nails had grown out some so it was pulled away from my cuticle area, and I was ready for something else so I changed it. But it was still gorgeous.

Awesome color and formula aside, I just plain like the company. They are on Facebook and are always doing great promotions and giveaways. I hear they once did a old-bottle swap. You sent in any bottle of old polish, and they'd give you brand new Zoya polish. I don't know the logistics, but either way, can you go wrong there? I know I'd be in hog heaven if they did that again!

Report card time:

Color= A+ (unique, just awesomely awesome)
Formula= A+ (again, PERFECTION)
Brush= A (almost the best, but the handle was a smidge short for me)
Price= D- ($7 a piece, plus shipping. But, you can scope out deals, so it's not so bad)

Overall= B+

China Glaze- For Audrey

"Do you think we have a chance tonight?
As streetlights sing on Audrey’s song"
---Audrey, Start the Revolution, but Anberlin




This is a bright, peppy, zippy robin's egg blue. The formula is extremely thick, and took a little while to dry, and was smudgey/imprintable for a while. It was fun though. I just wish I could find a similar color in a much nicer formula. It was fairly opaque though. I really don't have much else to say on it. Love the color, but the formula was a let-down.

Report card:

Color= A (very fun, nice, flattering on many skin tones)
Formula= D+ (very thick, globby, took a while to dry)
Brush= A- (nice, I tend to like China Glaze brushes)
Price= D+ (it's 5.99 I think? Kinda expensive)

Overall= C+

Pure Ice- Sea Shell

She sells sea shells by the sea shore...




This is an ancient polish of mine, from high school I'd wager. I was (and still am) all about pearlescent, opalescent, duochrome awesomeness, and especially sheer polishes, so this was a love of mine. It was the birth of my love of "lazi mani's". One coat and I'm good to go, my nails are interesting and subtly fancified. I'm normally not much of a girly girl.

My mom found this amongst her polishes at their house and gave it back to me. I must have overlooked it when I packed for my new house. I decided to give it a whirl, to see if it was still worth keeping or if it had not aged well, and whether it was analogous to any other polishes I have. It doesn't appear to be, except maybe a Sally Hansen Nail Prisms "White Diamond." I'm going to do a full on comparison soon.

Sea Shell is very aptly named, as it looks like that mother-of-pearl type flash you see inside shells. It has a golden and silver flash and then a very rosy pink on another. As I wore it, I kept thinking about how it might look interesting for layering, especially wondering how it might look over a brown. I added layering it over Orly Prince Charming to the list of experiments. Kind of a cherry cordial look perhaps?

It's also very sheer, this is 3 coats, which I wanted to do only to see if it could gain full opacity. I actually prefer it sheer, as was it's original intention, for my lazi manis. I still like it for that. It is a discontinued polish but I noticed in googling for other swatches that it is in stock at ABeautifulSecret.com in case you'd like to own it. It has an interesting smell too, almost a citrusy or perfumey aroma, these might have been a scented collection? It smells unlike any of my other polishes. If I had to guess, it is not Big 3 Free. Mine does not say.

Report card:

Color= C+ (I understand that this isn't a color for everyone)
Formula= C+ (it is kinda slow-drying and was prone to scuffs and scratches for about 12 hours, which was annoying, especially since it's been my experiences that sheers should dry quickly)
Brush= B (average)
Price= B+ (I think it was $2 and that's what Pure Ice runs even now)

Overall= B-

Wet n Wild- nameless "Wild Card/Mauve Frost?"

Pink it was love at first sight
Pink when I turn out the light
Pink it´s like red but not quite
And I think everything is going to be all right
No matter what we do tonight
---"Pink" by Aerosmith




This was one of those Dollar General holiday gift set Wet n Wild polishes I got. They claim to be "Wild Shine" polishes on the bottle but list no name or number. I googled around and I think it is either "Wild Card" or "Mauve Frost" but I can't really be certain. It could be something different entirely, something discontinued or maybe even not released at all at this time.

It's frosty pink with a slight golden duochrome flash. It's a powdery pink and reminds me of a gauzy negligee. It smacks of Dynasty for some reason. It looks like the perfect color for a blouse Krystle Carrington would be rockin.

It's a fun, demure, bimbo-pink color that has it's place I think, but I just wasn't too wowed tbh. I love pink nail polish, and there are others I'd rather wear. It was kinda thick and had a tacky, gummy feel for several hours, not to mention its sheerness. But it was fun and I think would be flattering on most skin tones and nail lengths, so it is fairly versatile, if that's a color you like.

Report card:

Color= C (it's unusual, but not tantalizing)
Formula= C- (has some issues)
Brush= B- (actually not too bad considering)
Price= A+ (it was $4 for 5 polishes, so SCORE!)

Overall= B-

Finger Paints- Art You Blue?

Artists can color the sky red because they know it's blue. Those of us who aren't artists must color things the way they really are or people might think we're stupid.
---Jules Feiffer




I liked this color quite a bit on my toes. I liked it less on my fingers, but I still like it. It's a dark grey-blue, with a metallic sheen. For some reason, it looks a smidge greyer on my toes, which I like a little better. The formula is pretty good. The application and dry time are both maybe a smidge less than average, but the hardiness is pretty good. Unfortunately, after just a day, it was chipping fairly badly and they were big chunks coming off at once, not just a slow erosion. It's also fairly expensive, though I bought it during a sale at Sally Beauty. I paid 3.99 when it's normally a dollar more.

Even considering the negatives, I will definitely wear this color again- I like it well enough to.

Report card:

Color= A- (I like it a lot, even though I'd like it more if it were greyer)
Formula= B (it has some plusses and minuses, but ultimately I consider it average)
Brush= B- (pretty average, but maybe a tee tiny bit too long or narrow)
Price= C- (even tho I got mine on sale, I'm basing this on the usual price of 4.99)

Overall= B-

Revlon- Minted

"But your blood will be changed into a flower. Persephone, you were allowed to alter a woman’s body, Menthe’s, to fragrant mint: shall the transformation of my hero, of the blood of Cinyras, be grudged to me?”
---Aphrodite, said of Adonis, to Persephone




This is a fun polish. I found it a little difficult to apply, it is pretty thin. This is 4 coats, and I feel like it needed another. I loved it with the Cover Girl Nailslick's Chocolate Mint though. I saw it on another blogger's site and HAD TO HAVE IT. So I immediately scoured Ebay and got it. So I wore Revlon Minted on one hand and the Chocolate Mint on the other. A very fun mani for the growing chilly season.

The brush was great and it aided in the application, especially since it was fairly thin. This polish was a gift to me from a friend, but I do know they run around 3-5 bucks in drug stores. If you shop around, you can find them BOGO at Walgreens or other stores. I haven't ever really been too disappointed with Revlon polishes, and I think they are generally well-priced. They have a limited color palette though and I feel like they have very redundant colors. However, this is a fun color for them, very different from their usual reds, mauves, plums, and nudes.

Report card:

Color= B+ (very fun, but I guess everybody makes a mint color, so it isn't too avant garde)
Formula= C+ (thin and slow-drying, but hardy)
Brush= B+ (average to slightly above average)
Price= C (there are cheaper polishes for better or similar quality, but there are also worse ones that are more expensive.)

Overall= B-

Nic's Sticks- I'm On a Deadline

Be able to meet any deadline, even if your work is done less well than it would be if you had all the time you would have preferred.
---Marilyn vos Savant (record holder for highest IQ)




Fun color! This and the Need It Yesterday were my two favorites of the 4 Nic's Sticks a friend sent me. This is a shiny, rich, blurple type color. It has a very faint metallic sheen to it as well. Like the others, it is difficult to apply with the brush, and the formula is slightly thicker than NIY. But it's just a fun color and worth the effort to me, if you have no other color like it. It reminds me of the base color to whatever that nameless Wet and Wild polish I shared with you recently is.

Report card:

Color= B+ (fun, and more interesting than average)
Formula= C+ (sorta thick especially given the delicacy required with the application)
Brush= C- (very difficult to apply adroitly with the thickness of the polish, but even if it were smoother, it would still be difficult)
Price= F (these things are expensive in my opinion, given the little you get for the price, and the added difficulty of application)

Overall= C-

Sally Hansen- Purple Diamond

Purple haze all in my brain
lately things don't seem the same
Acting funny and i don't know why
excuse me while i kiss the sky
---Jimi Hendrix (Purple Haze)




I bought this with a ton of others at the dollar tree in 2 packs. This is "Purple Diamond" from the Nail Prisms line. It's a fun color, but not something I'd wear regularly. I'd wear it at glammy-fun events, and maybe on my toes during the summer. It's a violet-purple with pretty obvious silvery holo glitter. It applies well, or would, if it didn't have the single most piss poor brush I have ever in my life witnessed. It's like a pipe cleaner, it's so twisted and splayed outward. Serves me right, it was just 50 cents. It dried quickly and was fairly hardy and dried into a nice glossy finish.

Overall, it's not a color I see myself wearing frequently. But, if you love purples and holos, I guess it would be a good investment.

Report card time:

Color= C+ (it's different I guess, but not versatile, and not my style)
Formula= B+ (definitely somewhat better than average)
Brush= F (the absolute worst of all my brushes)
Price= A+ (can't beat a buck, especially for a 2 pack!)

Overall= B-

Wet n Wild- nameless "Wild Orchid?"

A rare and fragrant orchid
her bud unfolding silently in the still night
casting her glow on all who take time to notice
---Woods-Orchid, poem by Philip A. Thomas



This unusual polish is why I bought this $4 set at Dollar General last month. It came with 5 polishes, which claim to be Wet N Wild "Wild Shine" polishes. None have names. There is one dark orange with gold glitter, 1 frosty blue which I think is "Shiver" or "Rain Check", 1 frosty pink, which I think is "Wild Card", 2 identical bottles of a metallic silvery grey, which I think are "Metallica" and then this one, which is a blurple with tons of mostly red glitter. In the bottle, the red glitter is basically all I see. Once applied, a few more colors show up- gold, silver, maybe even green or blue? Hard to tell. It takes at least 4 coats to be somewhat opaque and it has a gritty finish, but it's very unique. I kinda like it. It might be fun for a holiday or themed mani maybe even for layering or a 4th of July skittle?

I WISH WISH WISH WISH WISH they had included names or at least numbers to cross-reference, but nay not so. It looks very similar to Wild Orchid, but I've compared the bottle to pics of it online and they look different. This is more purple too than I think Wild Orchid is, aside from the different glitter compositions. But they are very similar. Maybe a color they intend to release later, or perhaps one from a long time ago? Maybe a pre-Wild Orchid experiment? Who knows? This and the orange one have me confuzzled as to their identity. If you have any clues, please share! I'm thinking it may be one of their Craze polishes, Inferno?

Anyway, report card:

Color= A- (pretty unique, in my opinion)
Formula= C- (meh, it's a jelly, so I know it's going to be sheer, but it's just weird)
Brush= D- (crappy thin, unwieldy handle plus a blah brush, makes for difficult application)
Price= A+ ($4 for 5 polishes, so is a win for me!)

Overall= C+

Arissa- Rockin Amethyst

Rock is so much fun. That's what it's all about - filling up the chest cavities and empty kneecaps and elbows.
---Jimi Hendrix




Fun color! This is a dark, true purple and is laden with rich purple glitter. It's not quite holo in effect in my opinion, but it's close and very glam. I feel like I oughta go to an Alice Cooper concert with this polish. It is indeed a "rockin" polish.

I think it applied easily and dried fairly well, and the rubberized handle made application even easier. I didn't wear it long, out of boredom, but it "felt" like it was hardy, if a bit heavy on my nails. This is 3 coats, so it took some time to make it truly opaque. I think it is likely a jelly, but for a jelly, it isn't too sheer. It would probably be pretty layered over a bright red I think? Also, I think this is mostly a polish for winter wear or for special events (Alice Cooper here I come!). It's just pretty "cold" looking on my hands.

I bought this for just 2 bucks at Family Dollar, so that's pretty awesome as well.

Report Card:

Color= B- (not the most unique, but it's fun)
Formula= B (pretty spot on average)
Brush= A- (better than average for sure)
Price= B+ (2 dollars, w00t!)

Overall= B

Nic's Sticks- Need it Yesterday

But I'd trade all of my tomorrows for one single yesterday
To be holding Bobby's body next to mine.
---Me and Bobby McGee




This is just a fun color. And it ends up very glossy and smooth. It is hardy and so vibrant! It's a bright electric purple with some faint metallic sheen.

Now, I won't lie- the application with these sticks are tricky. And some of the formulas are even more difficult. For this one however, I found it fairly smooth and easily applied. It was fairly self-correcting also. Unfortunately, it took a while to dry. But if you are patient, you will have some very bright, very fun, lovely nails.

Report card:
Color= A (unique in my opinion, and very fun)
Formula= B (tricky with the stick-applicator, and slow-drying, but worth the effort)
Brush= C- (not really loving these quite yet, they tend to get somewhat globby and there's some drag, so there should be at least 3 coats)
Price= F (for the price, you could invest in something less tricky to apply and with more for the money)

Overall= C