My Top Ten \ Number Five: Orly — Hot Shot

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Love red polish but want to kick it up a notch? Look no further than Orly Hot Shot. Neon red.

When I chose Orly Hot Shot for a manicure back in 2010,  I had no idea how addicted I would become. I wore that mani until it was hideously chipped. I thought about going back to the salon for a fresh coat, but I realized that wasn't the answer. I needed a bottle of my own.

Like I said, this was 2010. I loved nail polish, but I was not immersed in the world as I am now. I spent weeks — literally, weeks — stopping by random beauty supply stores in Los Angeles, praying and hoping that they would have Hot Shot. I left empty-handed every single time. What can I say? Total noob.

Oddly, Orly can be a tough brand to find! Drugstores carry about a dozen bottles, but none of the colors you typically see there are very cool. I needed to find a place that had the entire collection!

In retrospect, it's ridiculous that I didn't think of the obvious solution sooner: dahhh, just had to Google it, boss. I saw Hot Shot for sale on Amazon; a great place to find fantastic deals on polish. Problem was, I needed Hot Shot right away. I wanted it NOW! Luckily, Google had revealed more key information...

Turns out, Sally Beauty Supply carries all of Orly! Who knew? And there was a Sally's less than a mile away from my apartment. At the time, I was really, really sick with some sort of vile summer influenza. I was unshowered, feverish, disgusting... but obsessed. Walking like an extra from the Thriller video, I stumbled to the bathroom, made an honest attempt to brush my hair and teeth, and careened my way to Sally's.

I bought three bottles.

So why is Orly Hot Shot so awesome? The neon red is great because it's a less obvious neon color choice. I loved the neon pinks that were so popular this summer, but there's something about neon red that's a little more indie, a little more sophisticated... a little less Barbie.

The coverage is so-so; it has an almost jelly transparency, so I do about three coats. On this post, I painted my nails white prior to putting on neon and it really made all of my colors pop, though they also looked a bit lighter than usual. I have yet to do that with Orly Hot Shot on all 10 fingers but, when I do, I'll be sure to share! Like most neons, Orly Hot Shot dries semi-matte, so be sure you put on a nice shiny top coat.

ineedmyneon, Francesca

P.S. Missed the first few? No prob.