Hey Sweet People!
This is a swatchfest with no comparison and as I assess my stash. I have 1/2 a helmer drawer of mints. Now, be aware that this is JUST cooler shades of mints. That doesn't include a dozen more warm mints or about a dozen teal/blue leaning mints. Never mind light blues. That's a lot. I love that shade. I also realize I've done very little swatching in that department, whenever I do "Green for March" I tend to grab more intense greens.
Time to change the trend.
A few things
Shall we begin? Let's!
Duri Summer in the City
Wow. Duri. Where have you been all my life? Two coats. Perhaps a touch, and just a touch, more green than this photo.
This formula beats everyone, except one, hands down. I mean hit the triple play, the trifecta, the 80 yard touchdown, well, you get my meaning.
I get Nails magazine (they emailed me and I said "You betcha!) and the ONLY place I see this advertised is in that magazine. I can't recall where I got this one, though. Might have been eBay. Hmm.
To describe the formula is to say that it is akin to Misa: self leveling, gorgeous viscosity, handles very well, needed scant clean up, and dried surprisingly fast.
No top coat here, by the way.
Orly Jealous Much?
Soft celadon green. Another win.
Three coats here, no top coat.
I really adore this one, too. Smooth, self leveling, looser and somewhat more thin than the Duri above, but not one complaint.
Another win. Not sure where I got this one either! Ugh!
Avon NailWear Pro Jade
This was purchased by me off of eBay during the whole Chanel Jade frenzy. It's two coats and a fairly nice formula. More of a jade green and a nice, dense formula that covers in almost one coat.
Not bad at all. I might even try to stamp with this one. No comment on whether it stamps, because I didn't try, but just about one coat does the job and I'm feeling' the win with that.
This is no longer on the Avon site, but it's available on eBay.
Morgan Taylor Mint Chocolate Chip
Wanted very much to like this one, but it's not a very good formula. A bit lumpy and patchy. Unlike a lot of these polishes, it didn't separate. The Duri, for example, took a lot of shaking.
This is four coats to achieve coverage and smooth it out. No top coat.
The worst part was the brush:
This was after I tried several times to smooth it out. Ugh.
The win wasn't here for sure.
I purchased this one on Nail Supply, it's weird because they only have this color and one other. I was pretty much trying this color out, but have had good luck with other MT's, but not sure if it's a win with this brush, though.
American Apparel Office
Oh dear god. This never worked out: thinned a bit, shook a lot (I was sure something settled or a pigment didn't mix after long storage or something!), and reapplied. I could NOT smooth it out. It's like the exception to the legendary American Apparel formula.
Not really sure what went wrong. It was worse before the topcoat, too, which is even more frustrating.
Four coats and a top coat. Eep.
OPI Hey! Get in Lime!
This is three coats, but needed four. I have to admit this one was a little bit of a letdown. I want to blame it on not enough shaking, but I'm feeling a bit indifferent to this one.
I have a backup (or two) of this bad boy and feel a little betrayed. I love the shade, it's subtle, lovely and similar to Orly Jealous Much.
I can see from this photo that there is some residual deeper yellow on the bottom of the bottle, so I don't know if more shaking is in order.
Still, meh. After Duri and Orly's showing, this one probably would need a base color of some sort. That is a bummer in a creme, unless I'm trying to boost the hue.
In Summary:
The good:
Duri Summer in the City
Orly Jealous Much?
Avon NailWear Pro Jade
The bad:
Morgan Taylor Mint Chocolate Chip
American Apparel Office
The indifferent:
OPI Hey! Get in Lime!
Of course formula can be different on different people, but I am getting to the point where struggling with a formula is getting to be a drag!
Thanks for reading my little nail polish journal!
This is a swatchfest with no comparison and as I assess my stash. I have 1/2 a helmer drawer of mints. Now, be aware that this is JUST cooler shades of mints. That doesn't include a dozen more warm mints or about a dozen teal/blue leaning mints. Never mind light blues. That's a lot. I love that shade. I also realize I've done very little swatching in that department, whenever I do "Green for March" I tend to grab more intense greens.
Time to change the trend.
A few things
- Only one has a top coat, and I will mention that fact.
- All are not twiddled with to get my skin tone close to correct, but for some reason it was like "holy cats, all my shots are turning out!" Very little tweaking, though some shades pull cooler than they are.
- All shot indoors under my Ott light. No flash.
Shall we begin? Let's!
Duri Summer in the City
Wow. Duri. Where have you been all my life? Two coats. Perhaps a touch, and just a touch, more green than this photo.
This formula beats everyone, except one, hands down. I mean hit the triple play, the trifecta, the 80 yard touchdown, well, you get my meaning.
I get Nails magazine (they emailed me and I said "You betcha!) and the ONLY place I see this advertised is in that magazine. I can't recall where I got this one, though. Might have been eBay. Hmm.
To describe the formula is to say that it is akin to Misa: self leveling, gorgeous viscosity, handles very well, needed scant clean up, and dried surprisingly fast.
No top coat here, by the way.
Orly Jealous Much?
Soft celadon green. Another win.
Three coats here, no top coat.
I really adore this one, too. Smooth, self leveling, looser and somewhat more thin than the Duri above, but not one complaint.
Another win. Not sure where I got this one either! Ugh!
Avon NailWear Pro Jade
This was purchased by me off of eBay during the whole Chanel Jade frenzy. It's two coats and a fairly nice formula. More of a jade green and a nice, dense formula that covers in almost one coat.
Not bad at all. I might even try to stamp with this one. No comment on whether it stamps, because I didn't try, but just about one coat does the job and I'm feeling' the win with that.
This is no longer on the Avon site, but it's available on eBay.
Morgan Taylor Mint Chocolate Chip
Wanted very much to like this one, but it's not a very good formula. A bit lumpy and patchy. Unlike a lot of these polishes, it didn't separate. The Duri, for example, took a lot of shaking.
This is four coats to achieve coverage and smooth it out. No top coat.
The worst part was the brush:
This was after I tried several times to smooth it out. Ugh.
The win wasn't here for sure.
I purchased this one on Nail Supply, it's weird because they only have this color and one other. I was pretty much trying this color out, but have had good luck with other MT's, but not sure if it's a win with this brush, though.
American Apparel Office
Oh dear god. This never worked out: thinned a bit, shook a lot (I was sure something settled or a pigment didn't mix after long storage or something!), and reapplied. I could NOT smooth it out. It's like the exception to the legendary American Apparel formula.
Not really sure what went wrong. It was worse before the topcoat, too, which is even more frustrating.
Four coats and a top coat. Eep.
OPI Hey! Get in Lime!
This is three coats, but needed four. I have to admit this one was a little bit of a letdown. I want to blame it on not enough shaking, but I'm feeling a bit indifferent to this one.
I have a backup (or two) of this bad boy and feel a little betrayed. I love the shade, it's subtle, lovely and similar to Orly Jealous Much.
I can see from this photo that there is some residual deeper yellow on the bottom of the bottle, so I don't know if more shaking is in order.
Still, meh. After Duri and Orly's showing, this one probably would need a base color of some sort. That is a bummer in a creme, unless I'm trying to boost the hue.
In Summary:
The good:
Duri Summer in the City
Orly Jealous Much?
Avon NailWear Pro Jade
The bad:
Morgan Taylor Mint Chocolate Chip
American Apparel Office
The indifferent:
OPI Hey! Get in Lime!
Of course formula can be different on different people, but I am getting to the point where struggling with a formula is getting to be a drag!
Thanks for reading my little nail polish journal!
Do you have a FAVORITE cool mint polish? Inquiring minds....
ReplyDeleteDuri was the real win. Loved the color AND the finish!
ReplyDelete:D