Essie Yogaga Collection Review

Last month, I received a press release from Essie's PR collection regarding one of their new fall collections, Yogaga, which was a collection of 6 "neutral" cremes with fitness-themed names.  I thought it was such an intriguing collection for fall, and I'm so happy to show it to you today.  

Before I show you swatches, there is one color in the collection, Yogaga, that I did not receive for review, but it is looks like a soft, sandy beige.  You can see the color on Essie's website.  Here are the colors I did receive...

Boxer Shorts - light periwinkle blue.  Boxer Shorts is the reason that I put the word neutral in quotations above, because while it is a calm, serene blue, it's not what I would exactly call neutral.  It is, however, a gorgeous color and it's my favorite of the collection.  This one is definitely on the blue side of periwinkle, but there is a enough purple in the base to make this one a periwinkle rather than a cornflower blue.   Also, of the 5 I swatched, Boxer Shorts had the best formula.  It did take 3 coats to reach opacity, but the coats were thin enough that there was no issue with evenness or leveling.  

Gym Dandy - medium-toned, brown taupe.  Essie calls this one a "greige" and while I definitely see brown and mushroom and taupe, I don't see much grey.  It's certainly in the same vein, but it's more brown than what comes to mind when I see the word greige.  This one is one of the more fall-ish colors in the collection.  I did have a bit of issue with the formula, as it was a tad thick, but going slow and trying to keep a thin amount on the brush helped.  3 coats.

Marathin - slightly spicy, tea rose pink.  Marathin is the one that I have shown you before, and it's a very pretty pink for cooler months.  The more I wore it, I did think it age my hands a bit, but in all honesty, that also could have been from the Julep remover which dried out my hands while I was swatching.  This one is a great pink for those of you that just like to wear neutral colors.  For example, my mom and aunt would LOVE this one.  I did have the same formula issues that I had with Gym Dandy, but they were nothing that couldn't be handled.  2 coats.

Pilates Hottie - light grey-lavender.  Now this is one that I would call a "greige", albeit a very pale one.  It's a really pretty grey/lavender hybrid, but unfortunately, it didn't look all that great on my nails.  Though, I think it would look much better on a darker skintone.  These pale greys and lavenders always have a tendency to give me a case of "dead hands".  Like the other 2 light colors I swatched, this one also had a thicker, slightly temperamental formula.  3 coats.    

Spinning Again - brick red.  In the bottle, I thought this one was going to be more brown, but on the nail, it's a fantastic brick red that just screams "FALL!".   It's also very flattering on my pale skintone. It had one of the better formulas in the collection and is my second favorite behind Boxer Shorts.

I think this is a very wearable fall collection from Essie.  It's funny because while it is a collection of neutrals, my favorites were the least neutral of the bunch.  What does that say about me?  LOL.  

The collection, including Yogaga, is currently available from Essie.com, as well as other outlets (I think I actually saw it at Target last week), and retail for $8 a bottle.

This collection was sent to me for review.  

KBShimmer Newsprint

This is 2 coats of Newsprint over 2 coats of Deborah Lippmann Stormy Weather.  

When I first saw the polishes on KBShimmer's website, Newsprint was the first one I was drawn to.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to pick it up in my first order, as Christy said she had an issue with the red bar glitter and was waiting on a replacement.  However, as soon as I saw that it had been restocked, I placed another order before I'd even received my first on.  I wanted it that much.  

Newsprint is one of the more unique indie glitters in my collection and it's easily one of my favorites.  It's a mix of red, white, black, and silver glitters in all sorts of shapes and sizes suspended in a dark grey base.  There are bars, hexes, sqaures, and microglitter.  In fact, on KBShimmer's product page for this polish, it states that 14 glitters went in to this polish.  

I had no issues with application or formula on this.  The glitters easily came out of the bottle and were dispersed well on the nail.  I think you could possibly reach opacity with this polish, but to keep from adding so many layers on my nails, which can lead to goopy-ness, I chose to layer it over Deborah Lippmann Stormy Weather.  

KBShimmer polishes are available on their website, and sell for $8.50 a bottle.  Please note that if you are international, KBShimmer only sells directly to US customers.  If you are outside of the US, you will need to purchase their polishes from their stockist, Harlow & Co.  KBShimmer polishes from Harlow & Co sell for $9 a bottle.  Currently Harlow & Co is out of stock on all KBShimmer polishes, but I read that there should be a restock this weekend.  

Newsprint was purchased by me.  All links within this post are not affiliate links.

Dollish Polish Toxic Avenger

So normally, I try to avoid posting swatches of polishes that are extremely hard-to-find.  I know that personally, I hate perusing blogs and seeing a polish I love and then finding out it's long-discontinued or a super rare limited-edition.  I like to be able to go and purchase something once the lemming fire has been lit.

Probably like most of you, my most recent lemmings have been for indie brands, despite my claim that I've given up on indies.  LOL.  My general rule on posting indies is that if I have the indie polish, I will post a picture of it, provided that at some point, it will be restocked.

However, I had to make an exception for this baby.  Isn't she gorgeous?

This is one coat of Dollish Polish Toxic Avenger over 2 coats of Deborah Lippmann Stormy Weather.

You may remember that my entry to last year's Rescue Beauty Lounge Fan Collection contest was an oilslick polish.  I based the entry on a picture that I took the day after Christmas, right after we had our first-in-a-million-years white Christmas.  

An oilslick polish has been my dream for years and I was inspired by the picture.  I wasn't even planning on entering the contest and then I saw that gorgeous swirly rainbow in the middle of a dirty gas station parking lot, and I couldn't help myself.  Unfortunately, for whatever reason, Ji Baek didn't feel the same as I did and my idea wasn't selected as one of the finalists.  Boo.  

After my submission was rejected, I tried to find a polish that hits all of my check boxes when it comes to my dream "oilslick".  Some have come close, but so far, I had not found a polish that has the same feeling as my inspiration picture.  In fact, I pretty much decided that it was an urban legend.. a mythical being, and given up.

Then I saw Toxic Avenger on Krystal's blog a few months ago.  Yes, it's a holographic polish, but it's so much more.  There is also a duochrome shift to it, which unfortunately, I didn't capture in my pictures, but it shifts from pink to green.  And because of the spectraflair pigment, I think this one would look holographic in a cave.  :P 

I did think that it was too light to be my perfect oilslick polish, but a base of dark grey fixed that.  I opted to layer it over my new favorite grey creme, Deborah Lippmann Stormy Weather.  Also, because I have a mini bottle (and this stuff is like liquid gold, IMO), I will probably continue to layer it when I wear it.

Unfortunately, it was a limited edition polish and I didn't know if Dollish Polish was going to ever restock it.  Then, I saw it listed as the "mystery polish" when Dolly re-opened her store last week.  I added it to my cart quick as a bunny, and I am so, so, so happy I did.  I think I could stare at my nails for a week and not get bored.  

As I mentioned, Toxic Avenger is a LE polish, and while Dolly is continually restocking her store on a relatively frequent basis, I'm not sure if Toxic Avenger will be making a come-back.  I hate showing you a polish that requires you to make deals with Rumpelstiltskin to acquire, but I just couldn't help it.  Please forgive me for any lemmings this may have created.

Dollish Polish Toxic Avenger was purchased by me.  The above links link to a post on this blog and Polish Galore and are not affiliate links. 

Happy Father's Day!

I wanted to do a special manicure for Father's Day, but I couldn't decide on what.  This idea is one that has been floating around in my brain for several months now, and I thought Father's Day was the perfect occasion for which to make it happen.  And for any other "Good Eats" nerds out there... yes, this was inspired by Alton Brown's mixer.  :P

I think it turned out perfect.  :)

This is 2 coats of Deborah Lippmann Stormy Weather, a rich, graphite grey creme, as a base.  I then applied the flames using BundleMonster plate BM12 and Konad Special Polish in red and yellow.  To create the swirled effect in the flames, I first covered the design with the yellow stamping polish and then topped that polish with drops of the red stamping polish and used the pointed end of an orange stick to mix them.  I then scraped the polish and applied the stamp as usual.  

On my ring fingers, I wanted to create an accent nail, so rather than starting with the yellow polish, I first put down the red polish and then topped it with drops of yellow.  I then sealed in the whole thing  with Sally Hansen Insta-Dri topcoat.  

I love this look.  Even Tim, who usually couldn't care less about my manicures, said this one looked "bad ass".  I hope you love this one as much I do, and for any dads reading... I hope you have a fabulous day!

Duri Keep Your Options Open Spring/Summer Collection Review - Part 2

Yesterday, I brought you the first part of this collection, and today, I have for you the 6 remaining colors, and I think I've saved the best for last...

Celebrate the Sunset - Dusty pink creme.  I was really drawn to this color.  Given the name, and the dustiness and slight purple tinge to this color, I was immediately reminded Mountbatten pink, a dusty pink used to camouflage warships at dusk (though I think this is pinker than true Mountbatten pink, that may actually have been closer to the mauve-pink below).  It's also the exact shade you will sometimes see at sunset when the sky near the horizon turns pink.  I had good coverage with the formula and was able to reach opacity in 2 coats.

How to pink a winner - dolphin-skin grey creme.  This is such a pretty grey with a lot of blue in the base.  It reminds me of Zoya Kelly and Caitlin, in that regard.  Also, in the bottle and on my nail, it is a bit bluer that it appears in my pictures.  It doesn't really scream "summer" to me, but it is a really nice color, nonetheless.  2 coats.

Keep Your Options Open - deep, vampy purple with subtle red, blue, and purple micro-shimmer.  You may be saying to yourself "oh another vampy purple", and it is a vampy purple.  However, it's the shimmer in this one that sets it apart.  The base is a jelly-ish creme and the micro-shimmer gets suspended in the base so when you move your fingers, you see sparkles of fine shimmer.  The shimmer's not exact hidden or secret, but it's not an overtly-shimmery polish, if that makes sense.  It was a little hard to capture the shimmer with my camera, but my ring finger in the top picture and my pinky finger in the bottom picture are good examples.  The formula was good and I had no issues.  2 coats.

Lazy Days - Medium-toned, dusty mauve.  When I first saw this one in the color, I thought it was going to be very "mom-ish".  Then I put it on and I fell in love with it.  It really reminds me of the long-discontinued Essie Lyford Lilac, though it's more purple than the Essie.  This one had the best formula of the lot and it was opaque in one coat, though I applied two.  

Steal the Spotlight - Bright, orange-based red with golden micro-shimmer.  I think this one is my favorite polish in this collection.  The color is warm, but is very wearable on my skintone, which can sometimes be an issue with orange-reds.  It's so bright and summery and would look fantastic with a tan.  I had no issues with the formula.  2 coats.  

The Big Score - rose champagne metallic.  This lone metallic in this collection is also the one which stumped me the most in coming up with a description.  The color is a pretty mix of mauve-pink, silver, and champagne gold, and while it's a foily-metallic, there are also large particles of silver and pink shimmer in this one.  This one is pretty unique in my collection.  The formula was good and I had no issues.  2 coats.  

I thought the previous colors from this collection were nice springy colors, but I absolutely love the colors in this second grouping.  If I had to pick favorites, I'd say Celebrate the Sunset and Steal the Spotlight, but there isn't one I don't like.  

Duri polishes are available at Duri.com and retail for $5 a bottle.

Duri Keep Your Options Open was sent to me review.  The above links like to a previous post on this blog and Duri's website and are not affiliate links.  

Duri Keep Your Options Open Spring/Summer Collection Review - Part 1

Sorry for taking a short break.  This summer break is all about trying to manage my time and at this point, I'm not doing such a good job of it.  LOL.

Anyway, today, I have for you part 1 of Duri's Spring/Summer 2012 collection.  When Duri sent out this collection, both in press releases and in samples, they broke it in to groups, Spring and Summer.  These polishes are from the "Spring" grouping and tomorrow, I will show you the "Summer" group...

Far and Away Adventures - hot, rose pink shimmer.  When I first swatched this one, I thought I wouldn't like it.  I honestly thought it was going to be a frosty mess.  However, it surprised me.  What I thought was going to be frost was actually a slight purple flash.  I really love the color, too.  I'm not sure, if I could wear it for a full manicure, but I think this would look fantastic as a summer pedicure.  The formula was fine, though I still had thin spots at 2 coats, so I applied three.  Also, while it's not a frost polish, it is apt to show brush strokes, so it's wise to go slow with this one and watch where you place your strokes.  

Necessary Luxury - light, putty grey creme.  This polish would fit nicely in the "greige" family, and is a great work-safe polish.  There is a slight lavender tone to it in the bottle, but that didn't really translate on to my nails.  Formula was fine with no issues.  3 coats.  

Off the Beaten Path - light, lilac creme.  This one is so light and airy and I think it's a perfect spring polish, though it would look just as lovely in the summer.  It's a beautiful purple with a hint of blue.  3 coats.  

Set the Mood - Milky white sheer.  The color on this one is very pretty, but I really didn't like the formula.  I can handle sheers on occasion, provided they aren't streaky (which a non-streaky sheer polish is a rare find).  This one wasn't as streaky as some I've seen, so you may be able to tame it with a sticky base coat.  I still had thin spots at 3 coats, so I'm not sure if you can reach opacity with this one.  That said, I think this would work well as a french manicure polish, provided you could control the streaks.  3 coats.  

Stay in Splendor - creamy orange creme.  This one was the color of orange creamsicles.  I think this one would look fabulous with a tan.  Formula was a little thin for me.  3 coats.  

Trust Your Instincts - light pink-lavender.  This one is the baby sister to Off the Beaten Path.  It's a super light polish, but I was able to reach opacity rather quickly.  I found the formula to be thick, yet a little runny, but it was easy to control.  2 coats.

I thought this was a really nice offering for spring.  My favorites are Off the Beaten Path, and oddly enough, Far and Away Adventures.  Be sure to check tomorrow for the second part of this collection.  

Duri polishes are available at Duri.com, as well as other online retailers and brick and mortar supply stores.  Polishes retail for $5 a bottle.

Duri Keep Your Options Open collection was sent to me for review.  The above link links to this collection on Duri's website and is not an affiliate link.

Glitter Gal Light as a Feather

Recently, Llarowe offered a "49% off one item" coupon to celebrate the owner, Leah Ann's, 49th birthday.  If you aren't familiar with Llarowe, it is an online retailer of several indie brands, as well as brands that are hard-to-find in the US, such as a-england, Ozotics, and Glitter Gal.  

As I had yet to order from Llarowe, I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to try one of these hard-to-find brands.  But which one?  I poured over the selection and was just about ready to pull the trigger on Ludurana Aurora Boreal Reluz when I realized that polish would be fairly similar to my coveted bottle of Sally Hansen Turquoise Opal, so I decided to keep looking.  That's when I saw Glitter Gal Light as a Feather.  Now, as a white holo is a part of nail polish lore, like a nail polish Big Foot, Yeti, or Unicorn, once I saw Light as a Feather, I think I got a little giddy.  I also bought it as quickly as I could.

It came the other day, and it was one of those polishes that I couldn't wait to put on my nails...

Unfortunately, it's one of those colors that I think I'm a little torn about, though I still really like it.  As you can see, it's not a true white.  On me, it's a very pale grey.  I've seen pictures of swatches on darker skintones, and it looks much more white than it does on me, so I guess that all depends on the individual.  Also, the linear holo is more pronounced in the bottle than it is on the nail (though it's still really pretty).  That said, I find it to be completely mesmerizing.  I kept staring at my nails while I swatched it.  LOL.  So while it wasn't a breathtaking white holo, it was still a beautiful polish.  I'm going to try layering with it, as well.

The formula was a little thin and was a bit streaky at one coat, though that evened out.  Also, you will want to wait a bit between coats to minimize streaking and drag.  Because of the thinness, it took 3 coats to reach opacity.

Light as a Feather comes in 2 sizes... the big 0.50 fl oz bottle (which I got) and a smaller 0.30 fl oz bottle.  Both sizes appear to be out of stock at Llarowe (link is to the big bottle), though it appears that the small bottle is currently available at Overall Beauty.  If you are in Australia, you can purchase these directly from Glitter Gal.  Also, you can check on Glitter Gal's website for other US stockists and stockists in your country (if not US or Australia, though I think both Llarowe and Overall Beauty ship internationally).  In the US, the smaller bottle is around $14 and the larger bottle is $18.

I purchased Light as a Feather myself from Llarowe.  The above links link to various product listings for this product, as well as to a stockist list for Glitter Gal and are not affiliate links.

Duri Angels and Demons

Last year, Duri released a 6 polish collection inspired by the movie "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo".  I think most of the polishes in the collection may have been repromotes, but they were new to me, so I was pretty excited.  

I loved the look of the collection and I couldn't wait to review it.  Now, part of that is probably because of the movie and the fact that Daniel Craig is my Hollywood boyfriend (:P), but also it just looked like a gorgeous collection.  Unfortunately, my life continued it's pattern of topsy-turvy and I just never got around to swatching the entire collection.

However, I am now trying to post single polish posts of polishes I wasn't able to review last year.  Today, I have for you another of the polishes in this fantastic collection, Angels and Demons...

I chose this polish because, as you may notice, I chopped my nails WAY down, and then I had a break on my pinky (isn't that always the way), and I had to go even shorter.  :\  So, I figured a darker polish was in order.  

When I put it on, I was a little surprised, though it was a good suprise.  Maybe I didn't stare at the bottle hard enough before I applied it, but for some reason, I thought this was going to be a charcoal grey base loaded with silver glitter.  It's not.  It's a gunmetal-grey foil metallic.  

I love this polish.  I had no issues with formula or application.  In fact, it applied like a dream and was completely opaque in 2 coats.  I also used a coat of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri quick-dry topcoat.

I really like Duri polishes.  I find them to be fun, inexpensive polishes and they have a wide range of colors and finishes.  You can purchase Duri polishes directly from their website and they retail for $5.  

Angels and Demons was sent to me for review.  The above link directly links to the polish pictured and is not an affiliate link.

30 Days of Blues for Autism Awareness - BB Couture for Men Impact Driver

Today is Day 25 in my "30 Days of Blues".  I'm nearing the end, and I'm so happy.  Because as much as I love blues, and as much as I love this cause, I really want to wear some other color on my nails.  LOL.  

Also, I think I may have OD'd on cobalt blues, so today, I have for you a deep grey/blue shimmer.  This is BB Couture for Men Impact Driver...

This is 3 coats of Impact Driver, which is a deep grey/blue base with multi-colored shimmer. I picked this one up awhile ago, because I had read that it was a dupe of Rescue Beauty Lounge Catherine H.  Honestly, I don't think it's a dupe, as Catherine H. is more of a Wedgwood blue, rather than a greyed-blue.  That said, it's still an amazing shade.  FYI, be sure to enlarge the pics, so you can really see the shimmer.  It's fantastic.  The formula on this one, like all BB Couture polishes, was perfect. 

The New Black - "Graffiti" Ombre Set Review

Yesterday, I showed the second of the ombre sets from The New Black, and today, I have for you the black/grey ombre set, "Graffiti".

Just to be clear, this set contains five 0.125 fl oz bottles that are intended to be used to create an ombre manicure.  Ombres are something I have grown to love, have occasionally tried, and usually failed.  These sets from The New Black basically take all the guesswork out of creating the perfect ombre manicure, and they contain a good combination of glitters, shimmers, and cremes...

I have labelled each of the polishes within the picture.  I did this one in reverse order, light to dark from thumb to pinky.  Here are the descriptions of the pictures in order from thumb to pinky...

Bright Silver Glitter in a Clear Base - when I first saw this one, I wasn't impressed, and I then I put it on my nails and I was practically blinded by it.  It looks like a frickin' Miss America tiara on your nails.  It would be very hard to reach opacity, though, as it's not quite thick enough.  I used 4 coats on the above swatch, and I still had bald spots.

Bright Silver - pretty standard silver metallic, though this one is verrrry bright.  It almost looks polished.  Formula was fine and took 2 coats to reach opacity.

Medium Grey with Blue, Purple, and Pink Shimmer - this one is where it get's interesting.  This polish is fantastic.  The shimmer stands out in this one and is quite the contrast with the grey base color.  2 coats.

Black Jelly with Gold and Silver Glitter - okay, remember in yesterday's post when I wished The New Black would sell a few of their polishes separately, in larger bottles?  Well this polish would be at the top of the list.  I cannot tell you how amazing this polish is.  It's not a traditional jelly, in that you can reach opacity, but it's also not a creme.  It is jam-packed with glitter, but it's not gritty.  Formula was great.  2 coats.

Jet Black Creme - this is a nice black creme.  It was completely opaque in 2 coats and I had no formula issues.

I like this set.  I really like the way it goes from a deep, jet black to a bright, super-sparkly silver glitter.  But the stars of the show, in my opinion, are the grey and the black jelly.

And because I could... here is a picture of the Black Jelly with Gold and Silver Glitter used as a full mani...

I am completely in love with it.  

Again these polishes come in a set.  For your reference, here is a PR shot of the full set...

These sets retail for $22 and are available online and at major department stores.  Best news... The New Black is now available at Sephora.com.  

This set was sent to me for review.  The picture of the 5 pc set was sent to me by The New Black's PR.  

Today's Nails - Zoya Megan

Okay I am sorry for being a broken record, but I'm addicted to glitter tips and I just can't stop.  :) 

This is 3 coats of Zoya Megan topped with 2 coats of Sally Hansen Ice Queen on the tips.   Zoya Megan is a light, opaque grey-ed lavender.  In my house, it's very grey and then when I get it in full sun, that's when the lavender comes out.  Compared to Zoya's previous Megan (which I didn't hate... click here for post), this new Megan is fantastic.  I even pretend that it was named after me.  :P   

I didn't have any application issues, but I did have to use a third coat to reach total opacity, but that's probably because I'm a barbarian and don't use a basecoat.  LOL.  That said, I was completely amazed that this type of color could look so saturated.  Usually, pale colors have a tendency to look washed out or watered down, no matter if they are sheer or not.  

Zoya Megan is from their 2011 Winter Feel collection.  Zoyas are available from zoya.com and from other retailers and online sources.  If you are interested in this grey Megan, be sure that you are purchasing ZP593 rather than the old milky cream Megan which was ZP362.  The older version of Megan is no longer available on Zoya's website, but I have seen bottles floating around eBay.  

Additionally, as I mentioned above, I'm addicted to glittery tips.  I had this bottle of Sally Hansen Ice Queen hanging out on my makeup desk for weeks.  My plan was to use it on a purple, such as Zoya Malia, but either I don't have Malia or it's MIA (I really need to reorganize and create a new spreadsheet).  So while it's not a bright purple, I thought Megan was the perfect base for Ice Queen.  Ice Queen has purple, blue, and silver glitter (of different sizes) in a clear base.  Just for fun, here's a bottle pic...

Isn't she pretty?  And dirt cheap, too.  This bottle was $1.97(!!!).  You do have to work with it a little bit to get the glitter to do what you want it to do, but that's pretty typical for this type of glitter.

Happy Friday and I hope you guys like this one.  FYI... the Blogger Round Up will be next Friday, so be sure to reply in the latest round up post if you are interested.  I will also post a reminder post early next week.  

Julep Oscar Collection Review

A few days ago, in honor of the Academy Awards, I showed you Julep Viola topped with Julep Oscar.  I received these 2 polishes in my Julep Maven box for February.  I also received the other polishes, as well as Viola and Oscar, to review.

 Elizabeth - Deep purple with multicolored shimmer.  This one reminded me of a darker, blackened version of Grape...Set...Match from OPI's Serena Williams collection.  The shimmer in this amazing.  Formula was perfect.  2 coats.

Glenn - red foil.  In the bottle and on the nail, this one was more true-red, than berry red, as shown in the picture.  That said, it's still a gorgeous color.  This one had the best formula of the 7 in the collection, and though it's a red, it's probably my favorite.  It really reminded me of OPI's Red Like Roses or Never Lon-Done Shopping (both favorites of mine and both long-discontinued).  This will look fantastic around the holidays. 2 coats, but it was opaque at 1.

Marisa - deep blue shimmer.  Julep's website and PR information called this one a "cobalt blue".  However, IMO, it's more of a very deep cerulean blue, as it does lean a bit green.  It almost reminds me of bluer Zoya Charla (and all the dupes), though it's much darker, and doesn't have the foily finish.  Y'all know me and my sparkly blues, so it will come as no surprise when I say I love this one.  2 coats.

Meryl - medium true grey.  I'm calling this a medium grey, but it's definitely on the lighter side of medium.  It's also not a taupe or a "greige", but a true grey.  I was kind of afraid it would wash me out or give me lobster hands, but it looked fine with my skin.  This collection is full of deep rich colors, so, at first, this grey creme seemed a bit out of place.  And I still wish they'd gone with something more vibrant for Meryl Streep, though when you think of it this matches her hair in "The Devil Wears Prada", so maybe they were right on the money.  LOL.  The formula on this one was thin, but very manageable, and was opaque in 2 coats.

Oscar - bright gold glitter.  As I mentioned in my earlier review, this can be worn as either a top coat or on it's own.  This is 3 coats of Oscar, so it is possible to reach opacity without having to apply a gazillion coats.  This is gorgeous, but somewhat distracting, and I'm not sure how this would be a practical look unless, of course, you were going to a party at Puff Daddy's house, but nonetheless, it's a beautiful glitter.  Application was super easy.  3 coats.  

Rachel - Deep copper shimmer.  This one reminded me of another copper by Julep, Zoe, though this one was much more wearable for me.  Rather than looking like a new penny, it looked like an old penny, only shiny (if that makes sense).  It also had that beautiful effect of looking blackened around the edges, kind of like a copper version of China Glaze Thunderbird.  The application on this was fantastic.  It was a little brushstrokey, as you can see in the pictures, but in all honesty, without the macro, the strokes weren't noticeable at all.  2 coats.  

Viola - deep browned purple.  As I mentioned in my previous post, this is a fantastic vampy color that I think looks amazing on shorter nails.  I also think this one is a bit unique in the fact that there is a good amount of brown in the base, so it's not a straight-up vampy purple.  Also, unlike a lot of other colors like it this one does not look muddy without topcoat.  I find that a lot of vampies can look muddy or dull until you layer them with TC, but that did not happen with this one and that gives it a major thumbs-up from me.  Additionally, I wanted to mention that in my previous review, I stated that I had a hard time with the application because the polish was very thick.  However, with the bottle that I received with this collection, rather than the one in my Maven box, I had none of the application problems I had before.  It applied very well, and in fact, was a lot like Meryl in that formula was a little on the thin side.  So perhaps I just received a bum bottle in my Maven box.  2 coats.  

As I previously mentioned, I am a HUGE fan of the movies and the Oscars, so I love this collection.  Glenn, Marisa, and Elizabeth were the definite standouts for me, though there wasn't a dud in the bunch.  Julep polishes are available on their website.  They are a little on the pricey side at $14 a bottle, though I recommend following them on Twitter and FB because they are often running discounts and specials.  You can also sign up to be a Julep Maven and receive a selection of polishes and other products for $19.99 and they often have codes to get your first Maven box greatly reduced.

These were sent to me for review