Fred Meyer continues to be my source for Essence here in the States; we don't get much compared to Europe, but I did see something new in that section recently: Crystal Power nail polish. Six shades: Be Brilliant, Be Strong, Be Calm, Be Yourself, Be a Dreamer, Be Passionate.
For St. Patrick's Day, Walgreens had an Essie display with First Time and Off Tropic.
For Easter, Fred Meyer has an Essie display with a trio of mini polishes boxed for gift giving: Fiji, Blanc, Mint Candy Apple.
Last time, I shared the Essie Expressie shelftop display from Fred Meyer. Poking around at a Walgreens a couple weeks after that, I found their Expressie in the regular Essie section along the wall. This had room for more shades, though it wasn't all stocked at the time I came across it. Top row: Crop Top & Roll, Second Hand First Love, Crave the Chaos, Checked In, Buns Up, Cold Brew Crew, Mid-Day Mocha, Busy Beeline, Saffr-on the Move, Don't Hate Curate. Second row: All Things Ooo, Strong at 1%, In a Flash Sale, Bolt and Be Bold (sold out), Seize the Minute, In the Time Zone, Throw It on, Get a Mauve On, IRL, Mic Drop-It-Low. Third Row: Breaking the Bold, Misfit Right In, Not So Low-Key (sold out), Taxi Hopping, Express to Impress, Precious Cargo-go (sold out), Air Dry, Binge-Worthy, Now or Never, Always Transparent.
Walmart's Expressie line up was in the regular Essie section. Shades here: Always Transparent, Hustle 'n' Bustle, Not So Low-Key, Taxi Hopping, Get a Mauve On, Lose the Snooze, Precious Cargo-go, Don't Hate Curate, Strong at 1%, All Things Ooo, In a Flash Sale, Seize the Minute, No Time for Local, Crop Top & Roll, Second Hand First Love, Crave the Chaos, Notifications On, Party Mix & Match, Binge-Worthy, Take the Expresso.
Ulta had Expressie on the end of an aisle; if I'd known I wouldn't be back for weeks, I would have taken time to get it back in order more. There were slots for a few colors here that I hadn't seen elsewhere. Top section (both rows have same shades): Crop Top & Roll, Second Hand First Love, Crave the Chaos, Trend & Snap, Checked In, Party Mix & Match, Buns Up, Cold Brew Crew, Mid-Day Mocha, Take the Expresso, Busy Beeline, Saffr-on the Move. Middle section: Don't Hate Curate, All things Ooo, Desk Mani, Strong at 1%, In a Flash Sale, Hustle n' Bustle, Bolt and Be Bold, Seize the Minute (the red on top, the pink In the Time Zone got into one of its slots), In the Time Zone (the pink on top, I think the plum in the bottom slot is Scoot Scoot), Throw It On, Get a Mauve On (not here, that's IRL in its top slot), Scoot Scoot, IRL, Mic Drop-It-Low. Bottom section: Breaking the Bold, Misfit Right In, Notifications On (a wine red, Misfit is in its bottom slot here), Not So Low-Key, Taxi Hopping, Express to Impress, Precious Cargo-go, Don't Be Latte (Cargo-go in its bottom slot), Air Dry (a blue, Latte it its bottom slot), Lose the Snooze, Binge-Worthy (Air Dry in Its Bottom Slot), No Time for Local, Now or Never, Always Transparent.
I spotted the Essie Spring 2020 collection, Spring in Your Step, tucked into the regular nail polish section at Walgreens, not on the shelves up front. Six pastels here: Kissed By mist, Make a Splash, Can Dew Attitude, Rainwear Don't Care, Feeling Wellies, Spring in Your Step. (I later saw these shades at Walmart, in the regular Essie section, with no signage indicating what they were. At Ulta, they were in the big backlit display, with proper signage showing they were the spring collection.)
The shelf top display for this collection at Fred Meyer that had fewer slots for Feeling Wellies and Rainwear Don't Care than the other shades so there was room for Strong Start base coat, which the packaging says is new.
Also at Fred Meyer, there was an Essie display I've so far seen nowhere else: Ballet Slippers or Ballet Sneakers. This has older classic shades paired with new complementary shades, all with designs in silver on their caps (I resisted buying new bottle of colors I already have just to get the new caps, but I can't be sure I'll stay so strong if this is still there whenever I get back to Fred Meyer). Left to right: Ballet Sneakers (sold out), Ballet Slippers, Wicked Fierce, Wicked, Like a Rebel, Lady Like, Satin Slip, Angora Cardi, Below Zero, Smokin' Hot, Berry Nice (sold out), Berry Naughty.
I shared the imPress Couture Collection display at Walmart last time; I've since seen a different version at Fred Meyer. Designs here, left to right: Haute, Sassy Queen, Supreme, Lush Life, Lavish, Luxurious.
I also saw a Couture Collection display at Walgreens; there, half the slots had designs from the regular line in them, and I've no idea if it came that way or if some enterprising employee filled it with new product from the same brand when some of the couture ones sold out. Left to right: Curious Mind, Born to Flex, Ten Different Looks, Luxurious, Lavish, Luxurious.
Ten Different Looks especially caught my eye because they look like the fake nail version of jelly polish, which I don't recall seeing before. I suspect they might look odd over real nails that have any free edge but I will have to try them this summer and see.
The most interesting thing about the Kiss fake nails display I saw at Fred Meyer was the product in the right front: Glue Off, which says it'll make removing fake nails easy. We shall see.
In an early sign of summer or something, Walmart has LA Colors Nail Frill coffin shape artificial nails in neon solids: Highlight, Easy Peasy, Flames, Cosmopolitan, Fly High.
Sally Beauty had a Morgan Taylor display called Editor's Picks, and hoo boy, I don't know what these editors are editing but it sure doesn't look exciting. So many pinks and mauves. Yes, I suppose it is bridal season, and these are classic colors that should sell well, but I want more color and oddness in my life now. Maybe I'm in the minority on that, and that's fine. This collection isn't for me. Left to right: Barely Buff, Call My Blush, On Cloud Mine, Going Vogue, It's Your Mauve, I Speak Chic.
With small local chain NW Beauty out of business now and one of my Ulta stores closing (well, it moved, but to a location that's not at all convenient for me), Fred Meyer was the first place I saw OPI Mexico City. Top row: Mexico City Move-mint, Verde Nice to Meet You, Don't Tell a Sol, Suzi's Slinging Mezcal, Mural Mural on the Wall, Coral-ing your Spirit Animal. Bottom row: My Chihuahua Doesn't Bite Anymore, Viva OPI, Telenovela Me About It, Mi Casa Es Blue Casa, Mariachi Makes My Day, Hue is the Artist.
They even had a swatch plate for this one:
OPI Mexico City was at Ulta on one end of the big nail polish unit, with both Infinite Shine (left side) and regular formula (right side) represented and some previously released colors added to the mix. Top row: Primer, Gloss, Viva OPI, Telenovela Me About It (twice), Verde Nice to Meet You, Don't Tell a Sol, Natural Nail Base Coat, Top Coat, Matte Top Coat, Telenovela Me About It (twice), Verde Nice to Meet You, Don't Tell a Sol. Second row: Coral-ing Your Spirit Animal, Princesses Rule (slot was filled with Mural Mural), Mural Mural on the Wall, My Chihuahua Doesn't Bite Anymore (twice), Cozu-melted in the Sun, Barefoot in Barcelona (Spain ... Mexico ... whatever), Alpine Snow, Hue is the Artist, Mexico City Move-mint (twice), Mi Casa Es Blue Casa, Mariachi Makes My Day, Suzi's Slinging Mezcal. Third row: Alpine Snow (sold out), Hue is the Artist, Mexico City Move-mint (twice, one sold out), Mi Casa Es Blue Casa (sold out), Mariachi Makes My Day, Suzi's Slinging Mezcal, Coral-ing Your Spirit Animal, Princesses Rule, Mural Mural on the Wall (Infinite Shine bottles here ... they must have gotten a lot of that one), My Chihuahua Doesn't Bite Anymore (twice), Viva OPI, Cozu-melted in the Sun. Bottom shelf has mini kits. The Ultimate Shine one has Primer, My Chihuahua Doesn't Bite Anymore, Telenovela Me About It, Hue is the Artist, and Gloss. The regular line (in a triangular box) has Telenovela Me About It, Mural Mural on the Wall, Mexico City Move-mint, and Suzi's Slinging Mezcal. There's also a dotticure idea illustrated step-by-step on the display card near the floor.
Walgreens had another of their semi-random displays of OPI show up around Valentine's Day. This one had these shades: Pink-ing of You, Throw Me a Kiss, Ring Bare-er, Got Myself into a Jam-balaya, Sweet Heart, Chiffon'd of You, Engage-ment to Be, Sweet Heart. I guess it's bridal, with a touch of New Orleans?
I noticed what seems to be a new Pueen stamping kit at Walmart. This has a plate labelled "Nail Party 02", as opposed to "Nail Party 01" that was in the starter kit that was in Walmart stores before.
At Fred Meyer, I saw this Revlon display, and it appeared to actually have some new colors in it. Polishes here (in back behind the lipsticks): Vivacious, Cherries in the Snow, Vixen, Fearless, Revlon Red, Velvet Ruby, Pure Pearl, Hypnotic, Gray Suede, Velvet Rosé, Blue Velour, Gold Touch. The shade numbers on Velvet Ruby, Velvet Rosé, Blue Velour, and Gold Touch (001 through 004) lead me to believe these may be new/possibly limited edition. The caps on those bottles are also satin black rather than shiny black plastic. After searching online, I found on Revlon's Twitter that these are limited edition, called Velour Effects, and are designed to have a fabric-inspired finish. I could not find any mention of them on the Revlon website, which seems very odd (though the search function there leaves something to be desired—a search for "limited edition" yields zero results, though if I click on collections and into one of the makeup ones, they're clearly labeled as limited edition). Maybe Fred Meyer put the display out early (and if so, many thanks, as that meant I saw and bought them before social distancing).
There was also a less interesting Revlon display at Fred Meyer, Bloom in Spring Color, with four core nail polish shades in with the makeup: Romantique, Sheer Petal, Pure Pearl, and Desirable.
I didn't see the Salon Perfect Be My Galentine display until a few days before Valentine's. It had false lashes, mini polish sets, and fake nails. I thought about not sharing these so long after the fact, but it's been so long since I saw a Salon Perfect seasonal display, I just had to include it for the historical record if nothing else.
Shades in top set, top to bottom: Under the Tuscan Sun, All That Glitters is Gold, Heart Strings. Bottom set: She's a Star, Pucker'n Peach, Pink Powerhouse. Nail designs are #BFF and You Rock.
Top polish set: Shimmer Down, Trés Chic, Finders Keepers. Bottom set: You Go Girl, Lipstick It to 'Em, She's the Boss. Fake nails: Best Gals, You're Beautiful.
Sets below are repeats. In nails, Hello Gorgeous is not a repeat but the other two slots are.
The most mysterious display I saw in this latest round was a Sally Hansen Insta Dri one that was missing its display card and just shoved onto a not very spacious shelf at one of the Fred Meyer stores I frequent when I'm down in the big city. It looks like another collaboration with Jelly Belly for Easter, with a few colors held over from the previous one plus some core colors in the display. Until I see a proper display, I can't be sure. But since who knows when or if that might happen, I'm sharing this one now. These new Jelly Belly shades aren't on the Sally Hansen website. Why the big brands can't make better websites, I do not know. Bottom section in front: Green Apple (re-release), Piña Colada, Birthday Cake, Jewel Bubble Gum, Cotton Candy, Jewel Very Cherry, Tutti-Frutti (re-release). Back section: Island Punch (re-release), Shooting Star (core), Hail Cherry (core), Heather Hustle (core), White on Time (core), Clearly Quick (core). The boxed set in back left has Jewel Very Cherry and Tutti-Frutti.
Long after I'd given up hope of seeing the SinfulColors Liquid Chrome display (you may remember I shared an online friend's photo of the one she saw in Pennsylvania in my December 2019 display post), it showed up at my nearest Fred Meyer (an hour and a half away). Left to right (nothing new except Liquid Chrome kit on the far right): Spice, Wine Not, Prosecco, Shimmarine, Tutu Thrill, Poison Apple, Plumberry, Top Coat, Liquid Chrome kit with Chromatic Fanatic Base Coat, Di$co Baby Liquid Chrome color, and Mirror Shine Top Coat.
Thanks the to Sinfully Polished Facebook group, I knew to look at Walmart stores for the exclusive eighth Sporty Brights shade (I shared the shelf top display with seven shades plus top coat from Fred Meyer last time.) And I found it, in a display called Fearless Colors, which seems to be a mish mash of a lot of things, including one row for the Sporty Brights (which looked a lot better after I got done rearranging it).
Left to right: Rubber Top Coat, Trainers, Fit Chick, Warning, Shoot & Swishhh, Double Time, Fitspo, Werk Out, Track Star (the exclusive eighth color).
On a later visit to that Walmart, they'd filled the top row of the display with Sinful's new line, Quick Bliss, which has cherry oil and supposedly dries faster than the regular line. Left to right: Bite, Ice Ice Cherry (light pink, sold out), Cherry Chaser, Hit the Spot, Flushed, Climaxx, Juicy, Blackcherry, Sweet Cheeks.
At a different Walmart in a display that had no card on the top at all, I found the Quick Bliss without the green but with the light pink that was missing from the above display. Lot of pinks here, too, but at least they gave us a green and safety yellow.
Apparently SinfulColors Claws artificial nails aren't just a seasonal thing (I remember we got a few sets in the Halloween display). I noticed these sets in the regular fake nails section at Walmart. Hadn't seen this packaging before, with a section at the bottom showing the sizes in a way that it's easy to hold up to one's hand and see how they'll look. I don't have names for these designs; there's a black with pearls and red jewels, a clear with fun glitter, white with gold chains, and navy/forest/berry with gold chains. The Sinful website is no help whatsoever.
The summer collection of Ulta brand polish was already in the display (that awful backlit monstrosity) before spring arrived. It's called Summer Escapes and has some limited edition colors and some core: Extra Whip, Summer Sangria (LE), Vintage Violet, Tipsy Mermaid (LE), Cloud Nine, Island Breeze (LE), Mint Mojito (LE).
Things I will be looking for when I next go out to somewhere other than the grocery store include a SinfulColors collection of six scented crelly glitters called Sweet & Salty that some ladies on the Facebook group have been finding (it's out of stock on the Walmart website but whether that's temporary it's not clear). My closest Walmart seems to have discontinued SinfulColors; if they hadn't, I might have been tempted to try grocery shopping there so I could run over to the beauty section and see what I could see, but maybe not ... based on the posts on the local Facebook groups, it's a mess over there, more so than some of the other stores still open in town. I'll also bee keeping an eye out for something called Revlon X Ashley Graham ColorStay Gel Envy that I saw when trying to find out about the Velvet Effects; the colors don't look too exciting but the caps have a lace design on them (and the look of the brand has also been updated from what I remember), so I want at least one for my nail polish museum (note: there is no museum except in my head).
I hope all of you reading are getting through this pandemic as well as you can. It's a tough time; please be kind to yourself.
