Zoya - Zara

Hi everyone! I'm trying to get back on a twice a week update schedule so here's hoping. Today's polish is one of my new favorites! Zara is a milky purple full of gorgeous golden shimmer that just glows in the light. It's a really cool combination and I fell in love with it right away. I haven't counted but I think I have more Zoyas than any other brand, simply because they make a great variety of shades and always seem to be having some sort of sale or promotion. The formula on this was good, slightly thinner than I expected. It needed 3 coats but went on really smoothly.

Click to enlarge.

And just so you all know, I haven't forgotten about the giveaway! I'm currently at 51 followers so it will be going up soon. :)

Orly - It's Not Rocket Science

Hello everyone! Today's polish is another selection from last year's  Cosmic FX collection by Orly. I've showed you one of its polishes before, Galaxy Girl. It's Not Rocket Science gets lots of points for being green, sparkly, and having a funny name. :) It's a unique green in my collection because the base color is a sort of swampy yellow-brown green but it's full of green (and possibly gold?) shimmer that sparkles like crazy. I've heard some people describe it as ugly-pretty and I guess I would agree. I've also heard that it's similar to China Glaze Zombie Zest but I don't own it to make the comparison, so have a look around on other sites if you're curious. If I recall correctly, this was two coats and applied smoothly. I was happy it only took two coats because some of these flecked/shimmery polishes can be pretty sheer and I don't always have the patience for that.

Click to enlarge.

Nicole by OPI - No Limits (Matte)

Hi everyone! Sorry for the long absence. It's been a hectic week and I haven't had a lot of time for my nails. Matte polishes like this are great for when you need to put something on in a hurry, so this is a great fit for me! Nicole by OPI came out with matte versions of some of their existing colors last year, I picked these up at Walmart. They were one of many companies jumping on the matte bandwagon. I don't know if you can still find these anywhere online, but it's worth a look. No Limits is a deep, inky navy blue full of silver shimmer. The shimmer in these mattes keeps them from looking completely flat and boring, a complaint I've heard from a lot of people about matte polish. The formula is intensely pigmented! If you're careful, you can have this completely opaque in one coat. I was slapping this on haphazardly in 5 minutes so I needed a second coat to cover up some bald spots I made. It dries lightning fast, another great thing about mattes. I was able to put this on and be working with my hands not even 5 minutes later. Mattes will eventually turn sort of satin-y as you wear them due to water and oil. I know some people use a matte topcoat to extend the life of the finish but I just let it be on its own. What do you think of matte polishes? I know they were all the rage last year and, like this year's crackle, they have their fans and detractors. I personally give them a thumbs up.

Click to enlarge.

Sinful Colors - Merlot

Hey everyone! I've got a great Fall swatch for you today. Sinful Colors' Merlot is, as its name would suggest, a deep lush red reminiscent of wine. Though I don't wear reds often, this is my favorite type: deep, slightly smoky, eye-catching without being bright. Merlot reminds me somewhat of another great red, Zoya Blair. These reds just scream Fall to me. Sinful Colors polishes can definitely be all over the board when it comes to pigmentation and formula, but I think every brand runs into that. Merlot was mostly opaque in two coats but I did a third to give it more depth. It was very smooth although slightly runny, so be prepared to spend some time doing cleanup. One of the things I like about this polish is that it reminds me of something my grandmother would wear. Her nails are the first I can remember being fascinated with. For the longest time she wore glue-on nails but now she goes to the salon for acrylics. I personally prefer natural nails but I always smile when I see the deep reds like this that she loves so much.

Click to enlarge.

Essie - Pretty Edgy

I'm back! How's everyone doing? Miss me? :) My swatch for today is a super-fun color and definitely one of my favorites. Pretty Edgy is green, green, green! It does pull ever so slightly blue on me but that may be my coloring. I think after putting on PE I've made my peace with the Essie jelly-creme formula. Sometimes it can be frustrating due to streaks, but on the whole it's smooth and is definitely the shiniest polish formula I've seen. My nails look like they're dipped in green glass. This covered nicely in 3 coats. I know it might seem a little out of place to have such a summery green in September but Summer doesn't end around here until late October, at least! Even then, I wear what I want to wear regardless of season. :)

Click to enlarge.

Quick update

Hi everyone! I just wanted to let you know that it may be a few days before I post another swatch. I just had some minor surgery and am recuperating. Hopefully I will have something to post soon. I know I update infrequently enough as it is, sorry! Thanks again to everyone who reads. I'm only 3 followers short of doing my first giveaway so if you're not already following me through Google Friend Connect, please consider doing so. :)