Swatchalicious Mania!!!!

 Ok, so I had all these polishes just waiting to be tried out.  I spent all of Sunday swatching these cheapies....all kinds of random brands needing to be tested.  Pretty much every color got a quick 3 coats, no base & no top coat for these. Only problem with "swatching", you can't actually test the polish's wear time, so who knows how long the lacquer formula lasts. But without further adieu, lets get on with it :)

 Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear: "Mint Sorbet"

(natural sunset lighting, indoors) This is a great milky pastel with a touch of light green. It is applies opaque easily with just 2 coats. I liked the quality of the polish, especially for $2.  Good brush & good application. Great Spring color & affordable.

new Wet n Wild Fastdry: "Teal Of Fortune"

(natural sunset lighting, indoors) another polish available at Wal-Mart for less than $1.50 per bottle...these pics don't do it justice because the teal-green & gold shimmery flecks weren't really picked up by the camera.  Its surprisingly AWESOME! good formula, nice wide brush & fantastic glitter!

Revlon: #089 "Sunshine Sparkle"

This is a lovely pastel yellow that has super-fine silver shimmer mixed in.  It is a fun color to get you ready for Spring...this picture makes it look more 'yellow' than it really is. It is a more pale milky on.

Revlon ColorStay: #220 "Rain Forest"

(left, artificial warm lighting. right, fluorescent lighting) Here's one of the 2 polishes from this swatch that I won't be able to stop raving about.  First of all, Revlon's new ColorStay polishes have a phenomenal formula..the brush is wide & full.  You just can't beat this deal, this quality for less than $5!!!! I am now in love with this color.  An intense emerald green jelly mixed with fine gold flecks that reflect the deep green. I HIGHLY recommend this polish, any color from this ColorStay line really.  Incredible!  

Sally Hansen Diamond Strength: "Black Tie"

I've seen this color swatched before & decided I had to have it.  It's an almost-black cream base but get a duo-chrome effect with some blue-teal-pink iridescent shimmer blended in.  It's a truly fabulous polish...great quality lacquer...good brush...great contoured handle...more than worth the $3

Revlon: #230 "Popular"

A soft pink milky base filled with small round pieces of glitter & larger hexagonal silver glitter.  It layers really nicely.  This is a very feminine glitzy pink & of course worth the $4

Revlon: #441 "Radiant"

Another fabulous glitter by Revlon! (I'm still waiting to own 'Facets of Fuchsia' & 'Whimsical'.  This is a clear jelly base, completely packed with small round blue-turquoise glitter pieces, mixed with larger blue-turquoise & silver hexagonal pieces.  The silver pieces give this glitter a nice extra pop!

Pure ICE: "Purple Reign"

(Natural sunset lighting, indoors) Ok I am going to just RAVE about this bottle of polish!!!! You don't even know. Of course the photos don't do it justice & display its total beauty.  I had no expectations for this $1.97 bottle of polish from Wal-Mart.  The brush was a little thin, but what a diamond in the rough...a total treasure.  This gem is a beautiful earth-toned purple mixed with the finest rose-gold shimmer.  It was opaque after 2 coats.  Its truly gorgeous...my new favorite polish as of now! What a MUST-BUY! :)

Nicōle by OPI: "Count On Me"

This is an EXTREMELY sheer polish...more meant for layering than for wear on its own.  In the bottle, it looks like it would maybe apply after opaque.  But below on the left is 4 coats & its still very sheer.  Don't be discouraged tho, it may be sheer but its densely packed with a complex iridescent shimmer that gives a duo chrome effect.  In some light/angles, it shines a sunset pink...sometimes gives off a brilliant blue-teal hue...and other times an extraordinary blue-purple.  I wanted to try to make the most of this chromatic shimmer by layering it over something opaque.  Below right, I layered "Count On Me" over my new favorite Pure Ice "Purple Reign"...given, this covers up 'Purple Reign's' glamorous rose-gold shimmer.  Anyways, I think every polish blogging girl needs "Count On Me"($7) as an essential layering piece in her repertoire! I bet it would look good over any purple or a black creme! :)