Beauty Blog! Today's Edition: Nail Polish

I usually don't know what I'm going to blog about until I sit down at the computer to write. I guess I'm not much of a planner.

I like to fly by the seat of my pants.

But last night while changing the polish on my toes, it soon became clear what today's topic would be.

That and I checked my blog stats and Friday's make up blog got a TON of hits!
Why mess with a good thing?

Anyway, back to my toes.

I had taken off my favorite nail polish in the universe right now, Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Commander in Chic
(oh and it's soooo chic!) I love love love this color right now and it's the BEST polish...it seriously will not chip. I had it on my toes for like 3 weeks and it was still perfect. AMAZING for drug store polish!

But again, I'm sidetracked. Back to my story.

So I took off the world's best nail polish and was craving a more Fall color...something in a pretty plum perhaps. So I dug this out of my nail bag:
Cover Girl Boundless Color in Plum Pudding.
Perfect. Exactly the shade I was after. But there was a problem...
It was the clumpiest, nastiest nail polish I had ever seen. I could not get it to go on smooth to save my life.
I was so ticked off...I usually never buy Cover Girl polish (and I never will again after this) but I was so tempted by the beautiful shade of plum.
So I got to thinking...do others buy a nail polish for the color and not look at the brand like I do?

Or are you all just a bunch of O.P.I. junkies because that's what they use at the nail salon?
I'll be honest, I like O.P.I. as much as the next girl but I have tried plenty of polishes that are a LOT cheaper that won't chip. O.P.I. chips or wears off my nails all the time. But I love the clear top coat. For some reason, that works wonders with other polish brands. Strange...

Since I am easily seduced by polish hues, I have tried just about every brand you see at the drug store. So today, I'll tell you my faves.


1. Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure.
Yes, I know I have already talked about it but I can't express to you how awesome this stuff is. The brush is a triangle shape...a little strange at first but the polish doesn't clump up on it because it runs off easily. It's great stuff. And it sells for about 6 bucks...not the cheapest on the list but certainly the best.


2. Essie
I mentioned this one on Friday's blog. I just love it. I've had a bottle of Essie Polish for a long time (as long as the Cover Girl) and it is still just as perfect on the brush as the day I bought it. It's about the same price as O.P.I. (8 bucks) but worth it since it doesn't dry out and get clumpy.


3. Revlon
We all know and love it. It's still one of the best. Yes, it will eventually clump but you will get a lot of use out of it before it does. Always a favorite. And at about 4 bucks a bottle, it should be.

4. Sally Hansen Maximum Growth And Diamond Strength Nail Polishes
Yep, I've tried them both and I love them equally so they will share equal billing here. Goes on smooth, comes in a ton of colors and looks great for days...what's not to love? They sell for about the same price (4 to 5 dollars at most drug stores).

And last but certainly not least:
5. Loreal
I love this stuff. It dries super fast and stays true for days. The fact that it's number 5 doesn't mean it's the 5th best...I rank this stuff higher than most on this list (except for the complete salon manicure line but I think you already figured that out!)...the only negative is the bottle size. It's a little small but well worth the 5 dollar price tag.


Now if you have ever bought drug store nail polish, you may have seen the super cheap stuff...you know what I'm talking about. The little bottles that sell for like 1 or 2 dollars. And you probably thought "I bet that's the crappiest nail polish ever!" Well I'm here to tell you it's not.

This summer I was after 2 shades I thought would be perfect for summer: Coral and Watermelon. No major brands had anything in those shades. But I found them in the cheapies and figured for a few dollars, if they were terrible, I'd throw them out.

Boy was I surprised when they were fantastic!
The first one: Sinful Colors
I paid $1.99 for this bottle and could not believe how well it performed. I swam in both the pool and the ocean with this on my toes and it didn't budge. And the color was beautiful...a perfect coral. 2 coats topped with O.P.I. clear and you're good to go.

The second cheap top performer is: CQ
Another $1.99 find, this didn't come off till you took it off even after swimming for days on end. And it comes in a ton of shades! Love it!

Nail polish is one of those things that all women enjoy. No matter if you are a fashionista or a prairie muffin, everyone likes to look down and see pretty toes. So next time you are at the drugstore picking out a new polish, give one of these brands a try if you haven't already. And if one of your loves wasn't mentioned, post a comment. I love to read them!

Thanks for reading and Happy Tuesday!