OPI Retro Summer 2016 Swatches and Comparisons

I only picked up 3 polishes from this collection, but --spoiler alert-- I wish I had skipped them all :( Come on OPI, you can do formulas so much better than this!

Swatches

What's The Double Scoop

 Three kind of meh coats. It is a pretty color, but I don't see myself reaching for it much because the formula is pretty terrible. 

Sailing and Nail-ing

This is three gloopy coats. I'm so bummed on this polish because it is my favorite kind of color. 

SPF XXX

This is 3 coats. The first time I wore this polish, it applied it over a sticky base coat and the mani was a gloopy mess. When I applied it for this swatch photo I used a regular base coat and it applied so much better. But my bottle has some random black specks in it, there is a small speck on my pointer finger here, but when I wore this as a full mani there were multiple fingers with little black specks.

Comparisons

OPI What's The Double Scoop vs China Glaze Spring In My Step

OPI is on pointer and ring finger, ChG is on middle and pinky. These are definitely not dupes, but to be honest both have pretty crappy formulas. If you love this kind of color, I would recommend the ChG over the OPI just because of the color.

OPI Sailing and Nail-ing vs OPI It's A Boy vs OPI Gelato On My Mind

Sailing is on my middle and pinky fingers, Boy is on my ring finger and Gelato is on my pointer finger. These all look similar in the bottle, but clearly they aren't dupes. I love this color so I think they are all different enough to own, but formula wise Gelato is my favorite.

OPI SPF XXX vs OPI Can't Afjord Not To vs OPI Toucan Do It If You Try

SPF is on my middle and pinky fingers, Afjord is on my ring finger, and Toucan is on my pointer finger. These are all crazy close, but not exact dupes. SPF XXX has much more white in the base, Toucan is a bit more pink toned, while Afjord leans more orange than the others.

Stay Sparkly,
A

Bliss Polish Swatch Spam

Bliss Polish is a newer to me indie polish brand.  I met Yvette, the creative genius behind Bliss, through the SoCal nail meet ups and I was lucky to snatch up some of her pretties in person. I don't buy much indie polish because I prefer to see everything in person first so when we have these polish girl meet ups I splurge on all the pretty indies.

Expecto Patronum 

Cherry

Smuggle Struggle 

Icy You Staring 

All About That Base

Unfortunately this polish is no longer available in Yvette's shop, but its so freaking pretty I have to include it here. This is the polish that made me like linear holo! 

What other Bliss beauties should I add to my collection? Let me know in the comments :)

Stay Sparkly,

A

KBShimmer Eclipse Quatrefoil Nails

This is an older mani that I found buried in my drafts folder. I miss my long squares :( life and work have turned my nails in to nubbins lately. I love how chic black manis look on all nail lengths.

KBShimmer Eclipse

OPI This Gown Needs A Crown

Essie Ignite The Night

Nail Vinyls from Nails Redesigned

Stay Sparkly,

A

Chanel Sunrise Trip

Chanel is the polish line that started my obsession, so it is sad for me to post this but Chanel is changing their polish direction and I'm not loving it. They are discontinuing all Les Vernis polishes and coming out with a "gel-like" line instead... I'll reserve judgement until I try them but I'm not excited. They have also been releasing more jelly formula polishes lately which is my least favorite finish.

Here is Sunrise Trip. In all of the ads it looked like a fun, bright purple cream polish. Unfortunately it is a much darker jelly purple. While the formula is really great and glossy, I'm just not a fan. My swatch is without top coat so you can see just how glossy it is.

Pointer finger has 4 coats, middle finger has 3 coats, ring finger has 2 coats and pinky has 1. It isn't the sheerest jelly, but its a jelly none-the-less. 

What was the nail polish brand that started your obsession... I mean love... of polish?

Stay Sparkly,

A

Glitter Butterfly Wings

When I purchased the Painted Polish fall collection I immediately thought the micro glitter polishes looked like the colors of a monarch butterfly wing. I've been planning on doing this mani for months, and I'm glad I finally did it! I feel like I have sparkly, opulent jewels on my fingers. Doing this mani also renewed my love for Fireside Flannel, seriously one of the most beautiful polishes that I have.

This is Painted Polish Holo Harvest, Dreaming In Rustic, Fireside Flannel and Midnight Mischief with KBShimmer Eyes White Open.

Just for fun, here is a few shots of my glitter base before I painted the wings.

All of the Painted Polish glitters used in this mani and being retired, so if you like them now is the time to snatch them up! At publishing time they are all still available for sale at paintedpolish.com

Stay Sparkly,

A

Happy Valentine's Day!

How is it already Valentines Day?  2016 is just flying by. Here are some mani's I have done lately to get in the Valentines spirit!

Painted Polish Heartthrob Hustler

ShopKeeki Heart Water Decal

OPI Let's Be Friends

Revlon Holographic Pearls
Twinkled T Heart Vinyls

Holographic Pearls is just like China Glaze Glistening Snow. I have been hoarding my 2 bottles of Glistening Snow because it is just the most versatile, beautiful, sparkly goodness polish that I own. I'm so glad that there is a more readily available polish that gives the same opacity and sparkle.

And for the less traditional girl, some red and gold to get you in the spirit.

OPI Love Is In My Cards 

OPI Super Star Status

Twinkled T Heart Vinyls

What are you wearing on your nails this Valentine's Day? I'm in New Orleans for the weekend, so naturally I had to wear a polish from the new OPI New Orleans spring/summer collection :) Does anyone else theme their nails if they have a nail polish that represents where they are going? Just me? Haha let me know in the comments! 

Stay Sparkly,

A

Pink and Red For Valentines Day

Pink is one of my least favorite colors in life, but for some reason I don't actually hate it in nail polish. I decided to include red polishes here too, because I absolutely love red. Here are some of my favorite pink and red polishes that are perfect for Valentine's Day! If you want to see an actual review of any of these polishes, let me know in the comments :)

OPI Let's Be Friends

SeaLore Alluring Alana

Polished by KPT Wave Function

OPI Cajun Shrimp

KBShimmer Chilly Pepper

fun fact, my first car- that I had for 10 years and just had to retire at the end of 2015- was this color and named Pepper. Naturally I had to pick up this polish as an ode to my dear Pepper.

Azature Red

OPI Infinite Shine Relentless Ruby

What are your favorite pink and red polishes?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Stay Sparkly,

A