Kokie Cosmic Dust

I have another Kokie Cosmetics polish to share with you today. This color immediately caught my eye, but I was hesitant to purchase it because it reminded me a lot of Zoya Yuna. I don't like buying dupes, but I couldn't help myself from really needing this polish either. It was just so striking in the bottle, so I took a gamble! Turns out, it was a good gamble because they're not dupes. I have a comparison below too.

Cosmic Dust

Cosmic Dust is a deep smoky grey with gold and silver glass fleck glitter.

Collection: Kokie Cosmetics Core

Color: They're not dupes and they're really not that similar either. Kokie's Cosmic Dust doesn't have the blue-tone of Zoya Yuna. Cosmic Dust also has silver and gold glass fleck glitter and it's much more intense than Yuna's. I love this color! I love how it's jam-packed with glass fleck glitter. It gives creates a lot of interest while still being a smooth polish.

Formula: This had an excellent formula. It was smooth, buttery, and easy to apply. I used 2 coats above.

Price: I paid $5.99 for this at the Christmas Tree Shop. This is also available at Bed Bath & Beyond locations that feature a Harmon cosmetics section or on the Kokie Cosmetics website.

Overall: I know on my last post on this brand, I enjoyed it but wasn't too keen on the price. I thought it was a bit too pricey for drugstore, but this polish changed my mind. This was a really well made and beautifully thought out polish. It's a definitely step up from the Sinful Colors range in innovation and formulation, so I think it does warrant the $5.99 price tag. I just wish this was available in more stores. I think this would be a brand that nail polish addicts and the general public would appreciate.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 *Golden* Paint Splatters

Happy Tuesday!

Sinful Colors Gotta Terra Cotta

As well all know the drugstore has been desperately lacking in good nail polish lately. I say lately, but it's more like that past 3 years 😖. Well, I found something interesting this past week from Sinful Colors. I found glass fleck polishes. I haven't seen true glass fleck polishes in so long. They came from the limited edition Stoned Crystal Shimmer polishes. They're not shimmers, they're glass flecks! Here is one of the few I picked up!

Gotta Terra Cotta

Gotta Terra Cotta is a dusty rosy brown with a translucent glass fleck glitter.

Collection: Sinful Colors Stoned Crystal Shimmer 2017

Color: You know why I like this color besides the glass fleck? Yep. It's a nude color. I love when nude shades like this have something special thrown into the mix. This is a great muted shade and I love all of that glass fleck glitter! 

Formula: This had a nice and easy to use formula. I used 2 coats above. 

Price: I purchased this at Walgreens for $1.99.

Overall: This really gives me hope for drugstore polish at least for Sinful Colors. This is a really unique finish to see in nail polish much less the drugstore. I love the softness of this color and appreciate the added glass flecks to liven it up a bit. You can't beat the $1.99 price either!

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Paint Splatters

Happy Friday! 

Sinful Colors Sleigh Me

It's getting harder and harder to find seasonal nail polish in the drugstore. I know I say this often, but it's the truth and it stinks! I did find Sinful Colors Holiday 2016 collection recently and out of the several offerings, there was only one that stood out to me as something different. Whomp whomp whomp. This is getting old! I would like some cool drugstore stuff again, please.

Sleigh Me

Sleigh Me is a medium plum jelly base with purple-pink glass fleck glitter.

Collection: Sinful Colors Holiday 2016

Color: This is disappointing. I do like the color of this itself. It's a pretty red-toned purple shade, but that glass fleck glitter is just drowning in that base color. It's hard to see and it really needed to be amped up to make an impact. I do feel a lot of the issues with this polish are due to the formula.

Formula: Weird formula. It seems to me like the purple pigment and base are not well mixed. They glass fleck glitter either there isn't enough of it, or it's just not well blended either. Something is just funky in the formula where nothing is combined properly. It applied well enough, but it was sheer in some spots even after 3 coats.

Price: This was $1.99 at Walgreens.

Overall: This is a polish fail to me. This had all the elements of making a unique and interesting polish, but it isn't well made. The ingredients in this polish just don't mesh together well, and it's obvious. This seems like shotty work for Sinful Colors. Despite their affordable price they're certainly capable of a better quality product.

My Rating: 1.5 out of 5 Paint Splatters

Happy Friday!

Sinful Colors Where Oh Werewolf?

I guess it's only Sinful Colors we can really rely on these days for drugstore nail polish. Most of their collections are repromotes or repeats, but they do throw a new shade here and there on occasion. One of the new shades I spotted in their Halloween collection recently was this Walgreens exclusive.

Where Oh Werewolf?

Where Oh Werewolf is a medium gray with a silvery glass fleck shimmer.

Collection: Sinful Colors Halloween 2016 Walgreens Exclusive

Color: This a very saturated and creamy gray base color. I love the opacity of this gray and I adore this glass fleck shimmer. It really pairs nicely with this color and gives it some interest. 

Formula: I had my doubts before I even opened this bottle. I thought this was going to be a sheer color that needed 5 coats to look right or would have to be layered. I was wrong. This is a very opaque color. The formula on this was phenomenal especially considering the price tag. I used 2 coats. 

Price: This was $1.99 at Walgreens.

Overall: This is a winning polish for me. It ticks all the boxes of great polish and the best part is the price. It's hard to find polishes with this type of shimmer and formulated so nicely for only $1.99. This could easily be a $9-$10 indie. Its polishes like these that give me hope that drugstores and mainstream brands might start to reignite themselves. I truly miss being able to shop in store for great nail polish and find them at a great price. This one is a keeper! 

My Rating: 5 out of 5 *Golden* Paint Splatters

Happy Thursday! 

Sinful Colors Nice Guise

Sinful Colors notoriously has good Halloween and holiday collections. Sinful Colors is pretty much the only brand in the drugstore these days creating interesting nail polish even that is few and far between. I was happy to spot some cool colors in their recent Halloween collection. This one caught my eye.

Nice Guise

Nice Guise is a deep blue jelly with green,blue, and gold glass fleck glitters.

Collection: Sinful Colors Halloween 2016

Color: This is an impressive color for Sinful Colors! This color is rich, deep, but still vibrant. What I was worried about was that this color being dark would look black on the nails. Nope, this is definitely blue and that sparkle pops!

Formula: This had a great formula. It was easy to use and applied nicely. I used 2 coats here.

Price: This was $1.99 at Walgreens.

Overall: Great polish by Sinful Colors! The color is great and interesting. The formula is good and it's only $1.99!

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Paint Splatters

Happy Thursday!

Throwbacks Week: Avon Honeydew Dazzle

A polish brand I don't review much, but like is Avon. I was more into Avon polishes a few years back when a friend of mine was a rep. I bought a handful and really enjoyed their offerings. This was one of the colors I bought back then and I think it's a really unique color considering it's from Avon!

Honeydew Dazzle 

Honeydew Dazzle is a pale honeydew green with clear glass fleck shimmer.

Collection: Avon Forbidden Fruits 2013

Color: I love this soft pale green shade. This is so summer for me. Greens can be kind of tricky on me, but this one is awesome. What makes the shade even better is the glass fleck shimmer added. It really adds a pretty effect that makes it look like it's glistening in the sun.

Formula: The formula on this is OK. The formula on this is a bit streaky and uneven. I used 3 coats above. It's not the worst formula I've ever used, but it's not ideal either.  You can tell in the photo despite using 3 coats it doesn't even out entirely.

Price: N/A. I don't think this one is available anymore.

Overall: Despite, the tricky formula I really love Honeydew Dazzle. I love this soft green shade and adore the glass fleck shimmer. I love me some glass fleck glitter and shimmer and I want to see more of it! This is a beautiful color that I'm happy to have.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Paint Splatters

Happy Friday!

Throwbacks Week: Milani Pink Out Loud

I desperately need to go through my Helmers and organize my stash. I haven't had an updated nail polish spreadsheet almost 2 years. It's bad. I don't know what I have and that's a problem. When going through my Helmers for this week's throwbacks. I came across this Milani polish that was one of my favorite blast from nail polish past colors.

Pink Out Loud

Pink Out Loud is a medium pink jelly with golden glass fleck glitter.

Collection: Milani Core 2010

Color: This is a color that came out around a time when brand were doing a lot of similar pinks to this. China Glaze Strawberry Fields, Zoya Meiko, and OPI Pink Me I'm Good come to mind. I love this pink. I love the jelly finish and that glass fleck shimmer. This is one of those polishes that looked pretty in the bottle, but looked stunning on the nails. 

Formula: Excellent formula that has withstood time. I used 2 coats here. 

Price: I do believe some etailers and eBay still have this color for purchase.

Overall: Pink Out Loud is the type of polish I'm happy to rediscover. I do not see polishes with finishes like this anymore and they're really beautiful. I also don't see pink nail polish that often anymore either. This is a gorgeous polish and one I'll be breaking out this summer.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 *Golden* Paint Splatters

Happy Wednesday! 

Sinful Colors Kylie Collection Slay Grey

Oy vey. I didn't realize how involved this Kylie Jenner Sinful Colors collection went. There many sub collections of mattes and other stuff, that honestly I couldn't tell you everything. I don't even know. I *think* Slay Grey is part of the Precious Metals & Crown Jewels part of the collection that is then part of the Sinful Shine Gel Tech line. Are you confused yet? So am I.

I can't say I'm a fan of Kylie Jenner or anything Kardashian/Jenner for that matter. I give kudos to this family for knowing how to rake in the dough, I bought into it buying this color. That's about where the compliments end though. Materialistic stuff, fashion, luxury just isn't my thing. I have 4 pairs of shoes, 2 handbags I rotate between, and I live in jeans and t-shirts. I'm a very simple person. Any other simple jeans and t-shirt people out there?

Back to nail polish!

Slay Grey 

Slay Grey is a soft grey with golden/green glass fleck shimmer.

Collection: Sinful Colors Sinful Shine Gel Tech Kylie King Precious Metals & Crown Jewels Collection 2016. Haha, try saying that a few times in a row.

Color: I adore Slay Grey, despite the cringey name. This is a soft neutral flattering shade with a gorgeous glass fleck shimmer. I adore this and I will give Kylie or whoever made this for Kylie credit for using a glass fleck shimmer with this. I miss glass fleck shimmers!

Formula: Excellent formula. I found this formula very smooth and so easy to apply. I used 2 coats.

Price: I believe I paid $2.99 for this at Big Lots, but I've also seen it at Walgreens.

Overall: Kylie and her Kardashian/Jenner clan can have all the money and glam, but I'm happy with this pretty nail polish. The color is stunning and I'm all about that glass fleck shimmer. The formula is on point and the price is great. Kylie just might make it as a contender in my Top 25 of 2016 polish list.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 *Golden* Paint Splatters

Happy Friday!

Third Week Throwbacks: China Glaze Strawberry Fields

It's throwbacks week. I look forward to this week every month because it gives me a chance to go back down nail polish memory lane. I end up re-discovering so many favorites of past years in nail polish. Today, I have one of my favorite nail polishes of all time to share with you. This China Glaze nail polish probably has the most use out any of my nail polish bottles. I'm about 75% through this entire bottle. It's tried and true favorite the past 7 years and it my love for it hasn't waned.

Strawberry Fields

Strawberry Fields is a medium rose pink with a golden glass fleck shimmer.

Collection: China Glaze Summer Days Summer 2009

Color: This a type of nail polish color I rarely see anymore, but it's a stunner. I love this medium shade of pink and that glass fleck shimmer is what makes this so special. I love this pink and gold combination and I love the vibrancy of this shade. Pinks don't just have to be neon, bright, or pastel, there are great in-between pinks too!

Formula: This has a nice formula. It is a bit thin, but that is probably from age. It applies easily and smoothly though and I used 3 coats.

Price: This one is still available online from various retailers int he $4-$8 range.

Overall: Strawberry Fields is one of my go-to spring and summer colors. I've had this color 7 years and it still gets love from me. It's a flattering and fun pink that is unique with that golden shimmer. This is a polish that makes me miss a lot of the polishes from yesteryear. You just don't shimmers like this anymore in the sea of holos and glitters. Shimmers need to make a comeback.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 *Golden* Paint Splatters

Happy Monday!

Pure Ice True Love's Kiss

I walked into Walmart a few weeks ago with no intent to look at their beauty section. I needed kitty litter. In all honesty as I've mentioned before I have not found anything of interest when it comes to drugstore nail polish, so I don't bother looking much. On the way to the kitty litter, which happens to be near the beauty section I came across a new display of Pure Ice polishes. The collection was called Fairytale Forest and it is a new collection for winter with 8 polishes. I stopped dead in my tracks in awe of finding such a beautiful collection these days in a store! They all were gorgeous pastel shades with beautiful glass fleck like glitters in them. I had to get them all!

 I have the pink one of this bunch to share with you today called True Love's Kiss.

True Love's Kiss

True Love's Kiss is a pale pink with a golden iridescent glass fleck shimmer.

Collection: Pure Ice Fairytale Forest Winter 2015

Color: This is a beautiful soft pink. I say this often, but there is a severe lack of beautiful and original pinks in nail polish these days. True Love's Kiss is beautiful and unique. I love this soft shade of pink, but we all know it's this beautiful golden iridescent shimmer that gives it the wow factor. This color is stunning.

Formula: I'd say for $1.97 nail polish this formula is pretty good. It's not great or out of this world, but it is good. The first 2 coats are bit streaky and patchy, but it is opaque on a 3rd coat. This isn't a sheer pink it is opaque and meant to be.

Price: $1.97 each at Walmart. Polishes that are unique these days at $1.97 are unheard of.

Overall: I'm extremely happy about discovering this collection and this color. This is a stunning pink with an extraordinary shimmer added to it. It stands out as unique in a sea of hum-drum mainstream and drugstore nail polishes these days. The formula for the price point is good, it's not perfect, but I can honestly let that aspect go. It's great polish and I think us oldsters in nail polish world and newbies to polish will equally love this one.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Paint Splatters

Happy Monday!

Throwback Thursday: Zoya Milla

It's time for Throwback Thursday! I have one of the first Zoya polishes I ever owned to share with you today. I believe I bought this one during a sale when I first started getting into nail polish. I actually have no idea what collection this one came with, or if it even came with a collection at all. I think this color is just that old in nail polish years.

Milla

Milla is a soft red jelly base with a red/pink and silver glass fleck glitter.

Collection: Unknown

Color: This is a perfect color for summer. It reminds me of a cherry slushie or something of the sort. This has that perfect combination of a jelly and glass fleck glitter/shimmer from nail polish history past. I love polishes like this and Milla is so rich and juicy.

Formula: The formula on this is easy to use, but a bit sheer. I needed 3 coats for full coverage.

Price: This one has been discontinued by Zoya, but you can still find it on etailers in the $7-$8 range.

Overall: Milla is a great blast from the past polish. I love the squishy and jelly look of this color and the glass fleck glitter has me yearning for more.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Paint Splatters

Happy Thursday!

Third Week Throwbacks: China Glaze No Way Jose

This throwback comes with a backstory. A backstory I still feel guilty and shameful about. China Glaze No Way Jose was my biggest nail polish wishlist item for a long time. It's from a 2006 collection, and I saw it on a few blogs when I started blogging in 2010. This polish was long gone polish history though. It was impossible to find.

In 2011, near my birthday, I happened to come across it on eBay. It was the first bottle I had seen after searching for 2 years. I was determined to get that bottle of polish. I bid on it. I was outbid. I kept bidding. I won the auction at $36. I felt like I won the lottery. The next day something really depressing happened. The same seller I won that auction from, put up 10+ bottles of No Way Jose with starting bids of $10. There was only one bottle listed at the time I bid. No other bottle since mine has sold for probably over $15. The same seller still has more bottles of No Way Jose. That is the most I've ever spent on a bottle of nail polish and ever will.

 Was it worth the $36 dollars...?

No Way Jose

No Way Jose is a soft lilac with a soft glass fleck shimmer/glitter.

Collection: China Glaze Tequila Toes Collection 2006

Color: This color isn't entirely what I had expected. I wish it was more pigmented and bit more blue toned. That's not to say it's not pretty. It's a beautiful color and that glass fleck glitter is stunning. It's just with my skin tone this color doesn't really stand out and blends in with the pinky tones of my skin.

Formula: This formula is sheer, but buildable. I used 4 coat above. This applied easily.

Price: The same seller I bought it from for $36, 4 years ago has it now for $8.95 "Buy It Now" on eBay.

Overall: Was it worth $36? Definitely not. It's a pretty polish, but knowing that seller was just testing the waters  and really had the entire world's stock on No Way Jose to make a chunk off cash on me leaves me bitter. I know better now for sure, and realizing the color clashed with my skin tone leaves me very disappointed and unimpressed. Again, not a bad polish, but I'm just bitter.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Paint Splatters

Happy Friday!

Throwback Thursday: Milani Beach Front

I am really enjoying Throwback Thursday posts. It's really helping me to rediscover so many older nail polishes that I haven't been giving a lot of love. It's also helping rediscover some real gems when it comes to nail polish. Some of the polishes of yesteryear are pretty spectacular. This next one is a Milani I had completely forgotten about.

Beach Front

Beach Front is a baby blue creme packed with a micro silvery glass fleck glitter.

Collection: Milani Spring 2012

Color: I'm wearing this color right now. This is a perfect spring blue. The color is vibrant and saturated. No, as a creme this wouldn't be original, but add that glass fleck glitter and it's one of kind.

Formula: This formula was good and applied well. It was just the slightest bit thick, but I did not have any real trouble.

Price: Fear not, you can still purchase this one. A search online will get you many different results from eBay or Amazon in the $5-$8 range.

Overall: I'm so happy I rediscovered Beach Front. This a beautiful blue springtime polish, and probably one of my favorites from Milani! I think this is one many would like in their collection.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Paint Splatters

Happy Thursday!

LeChat Dare to Wear: Royal Crystal

I have another LeChat Dare to Wear polish to share with you today. I was immensely impressed with Honeysuckle, and I have to say this brand is continuing to impress me. It's just unfortunate this brand doesn't get any buzz, it's deserving!

Royal Crystal

Royal Crystal is a medium violet with a fine golden-pink glass fleck glitter.

Collection: LeChat Dare to Wear Mermaid Treasures Collection Summer 2014

Color: If you're curious, check out Vampy Varnish's swatch of Spoiled Are Mermaid's Real? for comparison. This was my initial instinct prior to purchasing Royal Crystal. I was consider they'd be dupes. They're not. I think Royal Crystal is better. Royal Crystal has a more red-toned and vibrant purple base and the glass fleck glitter is much finer and smooth. I love this shade of purple. I felt the Spoiled nail polish color was a bit too dull and blue-toned for my tastes.

Formula: Excellent formula. I am absolutely loving LeChat's formulas. They're apply so evenly and smooth with no effort whatsoever.. I used 3 thin coats above.

Price: I paid $3.25 for this on Head2ToeBeauty.

Overall: Royal Crystal is a beautiful color. I love the glass fleck glitter in this. Glass fleck glitter is something I feel the nail polish world is very much deprived of these days! Bring them back! The color of this is vibrant and the glitter gives it a stunning finish. Love!

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Paint Splatters

Happy Monday!

Sinful Colors Zest of Times

I feel like the past month I've been catching up on nail polish. I have barely purchased any nail polish this first part of the year. It hasn't been because I haven't wanted to, it's just I had not got around to it. I've probably purchased 30 bottles the past month, and I'm still not caught up on spring collections. They'll have to wait until my wallet is a little fuller though! I did pick up this newer Sinful Colors pretty in that little haul.

Zest of Times over Sinful Colors Cream Pink

Zest of Times is a sheer hot pink jelly base with a sparkling pinky-purple glass fleck shimmer.

Collection. Sinful Colors Citrus Twist Spring 2015

Color: I love the vibrancy and sparkle of Zest of Times. I think it's a great summery sparkle shade, I just wish it wasn't so sheer.

Formula: This is sheer, It is meant to be layered, but I wish it had an option of building it up easily on its own. I've seen other bloggers do it and say it takes 4 to 4+ coats. I didn't find this build up opaquely on my nail, and the more coats I added the more fussy the formula got. The formula started to get thick and drag and smudge on the nail. Not nice. That being said, this layered looks great. I can't entirely fault this polish since it is a layering one.

Price: I paid $2 for this at Walgreens.

Overall: I do like Zest of the Times for it's color, and I think it looks great layered over a base. It has excellent sparkle that isn't subtle at all. My only complaint is more of a personal one. I do wish I could wear this one on its own easily in 3 coats. I love seeing glass fleck glitter/shimmers on the market again, and this would of been nice if it could be worn by itself.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 

Happy Monday!