Wheel L9: Medium Pink Cremes

1. L'Oreal Acid Watermelon (3 coats)
2. Sparitual Magnify (2)
3. Sephora Formula X Trouble Maker (3)
4. Essie Boom Boom Room (3) [almost a two-coater]
5. Barielle Smarty Pants Pink (2)
6. Orly Color Blast Lively Light Pink (3) [light being relative; I feel like all 20 of last week's pinks are lighter than this]
7. Quo by Orly unlabeled mini (2) [has code 0621313 stamped on the bottom, but Googling brought no enlightenment]
8. Finger Paints Pink Patina (2)
9. Dermelect Moxie (2)
10. Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Pretty in Hot Pink (2) [dried to satin finish; guess I should have saved this for a neon pinks wheel]
11. Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Razz-berry (2)
12. Cult Nails Falling Hard (2) [look at the gorgeous matte finish on this one; I miss Cult Nails]
13. Nicole by OPI Tink's in the Pink (2)
14. Beautifully Disney Enchanted Kiss (2) [I also miss this line; I read that it wasn't selling well because people thought it was for kids and didn't want to buy their kids makeup that cost adult makeup money]
15. LA Splash Pink Lavender (2)
16. Cult Nails Kiss My Rose Bush (2)
17. Sally Hansen Insta Dri Presto Pink (2)
18. Models Own Sloane (2) [insert rant about how I don't like two-ended polish sets yet sometimes feel compelled to buy them]
19. L'Oreal Pink Shock (2)
20. L'Oreal Lotus (2) [love these old L'Oreal bottles with the dark purple caps, reminds me of my youth]


Bottles 1 through 5:



6 through 10:



11 through 15:



16 through 20:

April Showers Bring a Display Post

I'm back, now blogging from an undisclosed location (okay, it's the lobby of a hotel, which doesn't have as fast an upload speed as the library but is a half hour closer to my house). Apparently the solution to my internet problems at home is buried under the snow somewhere—literally, that's what the tech who came to the house said, that they need to wait until the snow melts and they can get to the junction boxes to fix things that have come loose and such during the winter. Okay, then. Since there's still several feet of the white stuff piled up outside at our altitude, that could be a while, and I've got display photos piling up, too. Modest piles, anyway, since it's only been about a month since my last display post.

I was excited to come around a corner at an Ulta and see the side of a Catrice display. Alas, that feeling was short lived, as there was no nail polish in said display. First they stop getting Essence special displays and now they torture me like this. No bueno, Ulta, no bueno.



The only new thing I've seen at Sally Beauty lately are the China Glaze limited edition "pre-glued designer nails", i.e. press on fakes, in Holographic, Gold Chrome, and Silver Chrome.



Essie has a couple of displays that at first glance appear like they might be new colors, especially since one uses the word "new" right on it, but at second glance, it's clear they're new groupings of previously released shades. Walgreens has Lacquered Up, which says it's "NEW only at Walgreens", with Lacy Not Racy (originally part of the Fall 2008 collection), Lacquered Up (Spring 2009), Coming Together (Bridal 2016), Steal His Name (also Bridal 2016), Take It Outside (Fall 2014), and Don't Sweater It (Fall 2012). There's also a standalone floor display with these same shades in it but I'm too uninspired by these colors to be able to muster the energy to take a pic of that and crop it and post it. Give me novelty or give me—well, not death, lack of fresh polish colors isn't that big a deal in the grand scheme of things. I just wish they'd more clearly label these "greatest hits" types of displays for my convenience.



Repromoted pastels are in a Go Ginza drugstore display: Fiji (core color), Go Ginza (Spring 2013), Find Me An Oasis (Resort 2013), and Mint Candy Apple (Winter 2009).



Rite Aid had something actually new from Essie, the Gel Couture Bridal Collection by Monique Lhuillier. Six shades here plus the Gel Couture topcoat: Lace to the Altar, Dress Is More, Blush-Worthy, Sage You Love Me, To Have and To Gold, Berry in Love.



In other new Essie news, there's the Wild Nudes collection, which I've so far only seen at Fred Meyer. This has nine shades in it, all of which I guess are new though they all remind me of existing Essie shades, which I guess isn't surprising given they're all neutrals (not nudes, unless you know some dusty blue and grey and green): Skinny Dip, Bare With Me, Wild Nude (bottle in front here is not Wild Nude, and I'm kicking myself that I didn't notice 'til now; I must have been in a hurry or something), Without a Stitch, Mooning, Exposed, Truth or Bare, Clothing Optional, and Winning Streak.



At Fred Meyer, I saw a sidekick full of MUAH Instant Mani by Kiss products, which I'd never heard of, probably because they appear to be aimed at a customer decades younger than I am. At first the name made me think of Makeup Alley (MUA) but then I saw all the lip prints on the display and realized they were going for the blowing a kiss noise, which I personally spell "mwah" but whatever, it's their trademark.



Top row had two styles of metallic temporary tattoos (which aren't nail related other than I guess you could put them on your hands or feet close to your nails) and the first of four polish and embellishment kits. This particular kit is called The Favorites.



Next row has the other three polish and embellishment kits: Cutie Pie, What's Trending, and Festive Flair.



The next two rows have fake nail sets, each with their own hair tie. Names of these (starting top left): Color Pop, Wild Thing, Glitterati, Sweet Treats, French Twist, and What's Trending.



At the bottom are a Nail Art Party Kit, which has a set of fake nails and a bunch of nail art stickers, and a pedicure set.



Fred Meyer had a display for the L.A. Colors Color Last line, which promise up to 10 day wear with two coats of color and one of the line's topcoat. Left to right: Crystal Top Coat, Vows, Mission, Soul Mate, Always, Virtue, Truth, and Peace.



This Look display was notable for a couple reasons: first, it was at Rite Aid, a place I don't recall seeing the brand before (Fred Meyer often has it, and some Walgreens have had it in the past), and second, the text is about how easy it is to duplicate the nail art in the photo, except the photo has a red ladybug and the display has a pink polish, no red to be seen. Left to right: Rose, White, Strengthening Base Coat, Matte Black.



I was happy to see something fresh at Walgreens: the LuxePop brand that had the neons out last fall has a Festival Chic collection out now. There are eight shades priced at $3.99 each: Acoustic Guitar, Fringe Vest, Floral Halo, Music Fest, Hitch a Ride, Mood Ring, 1960s Vinyl, and Barefoot in Bell-Bottoms.



Sally Hansen has several displays out that are just groupings of core colors, most of which I pass by without documenting because I crave new stuff, but I did stop at the Color Therapy Luminous Nudes display because it was just so calming to look at. Front row: Well Well Well, Therapewter, Steely Serene, Mud Mask, Chai on Life. Back row: Blushed Petal, Powder Room, Re-Nude, Rosy Quartz, Sheer Nirvana.



There are some new shades of Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in a Festival Floral display, where they're packaged in sets with the Miracle Gel topcoat. I've seen this at Walgreens around here. Top row (new shades): Lilac Insomniac, Make Me Mauve, Aqua Chakra. Bottom row (core shades): Birthday Suit, Pink Cadillaquer, and Pretty Piggy.



And here's something I feel like we haven't seen in a while from Sally Hansen: limited edition colors. These are in the Complete Salon Manicure line, a neutral collection called Beachside Bride. Top row: Devil Wears Nada (x2), Luna Pearl (x2), Meant Taupe Be, Nude It Was You. Bottom row: Icing on the Cake (x2), Make a Toast (x2), Freedom of Peach, You Glow Girl.



At Rite Aid (and then later at Fred Meyer), I finally found a SinfulColors display that had almost all of the shades of the Stoned Crystal Shimmer polishes, including the elusive green I'd not run across in my travels earlier this year. This Desert Divas display (featuring same photo as on the Spring Trippin' display that Walgreens had earlier with a different color assortment) has these shades, left to right (all new this year): Clay Me, Just Deserts, Desert Reign, Gotta Terra Cotta, Namaste the Night, Thera-pewter, Super Cooper (the one I hadn't seen before), and Tealing Power.



The only place I've seen the SinfulColors Chic Chicas display is Fred Meyer. Colors here: Clear Coat (not part of this collection per SinfulColors website), Yolo Yellow, Let's Playa (new), Outta Space, Gogo Girl (also not part of this collection, Rojo Your Boat (new), Vibrant Vida (new), Cash Out.



And I know Kandee Johnson collection is old news by now, but I came across this corner display of SinfulShine at a Walgreens that had at least one shade I hadn't seen in person before (it also had a bunch of random colors that were not from the Kandee Johnson collection). I'm enjoying these corner displays while I can, as I've seen some stores are remodeling and this spot in the layout is gone afterwards. Top row: Dripping in Pearls (x3), Mardi Gras, Diamond in the Raw, Too Cool for Pool, Heart of Gold (x3). Second row: Come Hither, Rock Kandee, Kandee Pink, Tutu Thrill, Blueberry Hot Rod (x3), top coat. Third row: All the Rage (x2), Spoonfull of Sugar (x3), Diamond in the Raw, Most Sinful (x2), top coat. Fourth row: Mermaid Tale (x3), Kiss Goodnight (x3), Urban Magic (x2), top coat). Fifth row: Digital Dreams (x3), Pinksicle (x3), Shine Annie (x2), Picante. Bottom row: Flip Tease (x6), Tutu Thrill (x2).



That's it for displays for now. I've got some travel coming up next month so hope to do some geographically diverse nail polish hunting then.

In Which I Make Excuses

This is not a proper blog post. There will be no proper blog posts for at least a day or so, because, in addition to my ongoing laptop issues (which may be resolved once I get Mr. K to help me take apart my machine and install the new part I ordered for it), our internet connection has been extra wonky. Download speeds are okay, but upload speed is pretty much nonexistent. I can't add files to my Dropbox; I can't upload them to my image host. A nail blog without pictures is a sad thing indeed. The tech support for our service provider agrees there is an issue and has reported it to the utility company, which up here is just a handful of folks who will get to fixing things when they can. Fingers crossed that's soon, or I may have to set up shop in town; the library has pretty fast wifi, but they won't let me eat there, and I have to wear pants, both of which make it a poor alternative to blogging from home.

Wheel K9: Pink Cremes

My stash unpacking and organizing has reached a point where I've got the bulk of my creme polishes accessible, so I've started sorting the ones that haven't previously made an appearance on Nail Wheel Wednesday into groups of twenty. First up, pink cremes, because it's almost spring here, and because despite my best efforts (okay, my best efforts interspersed with moments of "I must have the whole collection" weakness), I keep accumulating them in excess.




1. NYX Naked Pink (3 coats)
2. Studio M Blushing Rose (3)
3. Cover Girl Outlast Pink-finity (3)
4. Studio M Bubble Gum (3)
5. OPI Suzi Shops & Island Hops (3)
6. Jenna Hipp Damage Control (3)
7. Studio M Endless (3)
8. SinfulColors Pink Smart (3) [almost a two-coater]
9. OPI I Think in Pink (3) [my having this & #10 are a sign that my dislike of "pinkwashing" is not as strong as my love of nail polish]
10. OPI Pinking of You (3) [almost a two-coater]
11. Wet Paint Call the Chauffeur (2)
12. Finger Paints Springtime Bloom (2)
13. Sally Hansen Insta Dri Pink Blink (2)
14. Sephora Formula X Brazen (2)
15. Butter London Fruit Machine (2)
16. Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Peach Babe (2)
17. Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure AflorableTea (2)
18. Tea Beauty Lavender Sugar (2) [I only recall one collection of this brand showing up in stores; wonder why]
19. Oh My GOSH Candyfloss (2)
20. Ciate Fun Fair (2)

Bottles 1 through 5:



6 through 10:


11 through 15:



16 through 20:



In the past, I haven't done closeups for creme wheels, since there's no detail to the finish, but I've decided to start doing them since it may be helpful to see closer shots for comparing one shade to another. They do sometimes all blend together visually when there are 20 of them in the same photo as for the full wheel.

More Sally Hansen Color Therapy

Sometime after I got and swatched and liked my first two shades of Sally Hansen Color Therapy, I happened upon another sale at Rite Aid and bought four more colors: Reflection Pool, Soothing Sapphire, Haute Stone, and Bamboost.



Reflection Pool is a blue shimmer that shows some shift to purple and gold in the bottle.



I used three coats for my swatch; I probably could have two if I'd done them just slightly thicker. There's a hint of brushstrokey-ness here but also tiny sparkles in the shimmer to distract from that. The purple shift does show up, subtlely, at some angles. I never caught any gold showing on the nail like it does in the bottle.







Due to the hint of duochrome in Reflection Pool, I had to try it over a black base. I left my index finger as it for comparison purposes, then redid my other digits to do a black creme topped with one coat of Reflection Pool. I liked the effect, though the dark base didn't seem to enhance the shift overly much.





Here's the combination in direct low light:



Bamboost is a greyed green (or maybe greened grey) creme, just the sort of "differently pretty" shade I like. Two coats was plenty for full coverage and shine.



Haute Stone is a cool-toned brown with a subtle pinkish copper shimmer.



This was also a two-coater; it dried darker than I expected, and the shimmer was hidden.



In direct low light, the shimmer did peek out some:



For fun, I dotted Reflection Pool on Haute Stone then added clear topcoat. I liked the subtle color shift in the dots as I moved my fingers around.





Soothing Sapphire is a deep blue shimmer.



Again, two coats were ample. This reminds me of OPI Yoga-ta Get This Blue, one of my all time favorites.





One last look at Soothing Sapphire in direct low light; so pretty:



As with the first two I purchased from this line, I'm happy with all of these, though do wish the subtle shimmer would show more on Haute Stone.