My Top Ten \ Number Two: OPI — No Room For The Blues

Next up is another somewhat-oldie but definitely-goody.

The year was 2009, and I was living in San Francisco at the time. My nail polish collection was pretty demure. I've mentioned before that I went through a very long phase of only buying polish in colors that I could conceivably wear as lipstick, and this lead to many pinks, reds and corals.

It was summertime (well, as summery as San Fran is ever capable of getting) and I wanted to treat myself to a new bottle of something fun. I'd heard of OPI's collaboration with Paige Premium Denim and wanted to see the colors for myself. They sounded wild!

And that's how I met No Room For The Blues. You have to believe me when I tell you that this was an incredibly daring shade, considering the state of the nail polish industry in 2009. The explosion of color you see nowadays is the result of a very recent revolution. I actually remember thinking to myself, "Oh my gosh. Can I pull this off? Could I... wear this to the office?" Thankfully, I decided yes and yes.

The following week, I debuted it at work to mixed reviews. And yet, I dared to wear it to a Friday evening happy hour at a bar in the Financial District.

Oh, the Financial District. Imagine the most buttoned-up, clean cut crowd that you can, dressed in legit suits. Half of them are heartbreakingly socially awkward. The other half are wolves. All in all, a very conservative crowd.

I was in jeans and, with my bright blue nails, I felt like a rock star. Each gesture with my blue nails showed a flippant disregard for corporate dress code. I was a loose cannon. I don't know if a manicure I've worn since has ever felt so gutsy.

Although bright blue nailz are no longer as shocking as they once were, they still look just as awesome. NRFTB is one of my favorite colors because the coverage is awesome, the consistency is so creamy and lovely, and the color itself it just bluetiful. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

And now, a gratuitous picture of a cat.

amiblue, Francesca

P.S. Missed Number One? Here you go.

P.P.S. Isn't the blue bird in this post's header gorgeous? It's a real bird! An Indigo Bunting. Special thanks to Weston.

P.P.S. I leave you with a hot A-ha track. Blue Sky, of course.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-36ijwAQUs]

Orly — Enchanted Forest

I invested in Orly's complete Once Upon A Time collection two autumns ago, and it was money well spent! Half of the six have become tried-and-true staples in my collection. Scrangie swatched them all in a great post that you can read by clicking here. This week, I'm wearing one of my faves: Enchanted Forest.

Orly's Enchanted Forest may not be brand spankin' new, but it's definitely double-take good. I've gotten so many compliments this week!

It's a deep forest green with the smallest hint of a blue-ish tinge. I feel like my nails are little pine trees. From a distance, it looks like any other dark color; very deep, possibly black. But once you're in talking range — and especially in sunlight — you'll notice your conversational partner's eyes will stray. Down. Down... no, no, not there, over there... ah, yes! Your fingernails!

Enchanted Forest is a creme polish with great coverage. It definitely requires two coats, or else you'll see brush streaks. I've never felt the need to slap on three; I think it would get too dark and it's a little on the thick side, so it just doesn't seem necessary. It's remarkably true to its color in the bottle; with Enchanted Forest, what you see is what you get.

I used my usual Essie ridge filling base coat, two coats of Orly Enchanted Forest, and one coat of my dear Sally Hansen MegaShine. Perfection! For me, this polish is a must-have. It's elegant and unexpected; one of my favorite combinations. If it's a little too dark for you, but you like the idea of a darker green, here's a great pic to inspire you from Flickr.

xxo, GLOSS

Revlon — Royal

Ha! Varnish posted on Revlon yesterday, and now so am I! What are the odds? Especially considering that...

I had never purchased a Revlon nail polish before. The selection has always seemed very limited, and the colors never looked like nail polish colors to me; it just looked like Revlon was making nail polish versions of their lipsticks. Blah.

But lately, Revlon's been stepping up its game. Recently released Revlon Royal and Revlon Starry Pink have been well-liked by nail bloggers I respect... so I figured what the hay! I spotted Revlon Royal at my neighborhood Walgreens and took a chance.

First of all, it was $6.99. Why is Revlon charging $6.99 for nail polish? I could get a nice Essie or OPI for just a bit more. I was expecting something more like... $4.50. or $4.99. However, I was geared up to try this color, and it's become somewhat HTF lately, so I shelled out some coin. 

Revlon Royal is a part of Revlon's "Top Speed" line. I haven't used a fast dry nail enamel in years, possibly over a decade, so that took a bit of getting used to. I like to take my time painting each nail, but with a fast-drying formula like this, you've got to move quickly... or else it clots. 

I used my trusty Essie ridge filling base coat, two coats of Revlon Royal, and one coat of my beloved Sally Hansen MegaShine. A top coat is a must with this polish, because it dries semi-matte. The consistency is strange... it's not a creme, but it's pretty opaque for a jelly. I took some pictures that will show you what I mean. 

The coverage is great! One coat delivered major color, and two coats was perfect. The color is very beautiful... even though it's blue — which doesn't necessarily scream "She's a lady!" — it's a sophisticated shade. I felt like my fingers were sapphires. I got a lot of compliments this week! 

It pains me to say that it chipped on the first day; a true disappointment. I don't experience chippy nail polish very often, and and when I do, I go cray cray. In my opinion, a polished nail is more put-together than a bare nail, but a chippy nail is worse than even a bare and discolored nail with ragged cuticles. Sick. I believe that you (usually) get what you pay for, and Revlon polish is just not of the same caliber as OPI or Essie. 

I would recommend this polish if you snag it on sale. As I experiment with more tape manicures, I may buy a few more Revlon Top Speed colors, since the coverage seems great and they dry so quickly; two very important components for a good tape mani! 

xxo, GLOSS