Celestial Sea

The Polish:
BC: Nail-Aid - Extreme Steel Hardener
Color: Sally Hansen - Social Sea-n, two coats
Glitter: Revlon - Celestial FX, two-ish fished and dabbled coats
TC: Seche Vite

I've had Celestial FX in my stash for a few years now and only worn it once or twice. I just hate fussing with it. It looks so pretty in the bottle, but it's so difficult to apply. And it doesn't even look that great once it's on!

Social Sea-n is alright. It's a fine sheer, shimmery silvery-blue. I just never reach for it. I have things I like way better, so there's no reason to keep it.

Purge both.

Wear: Removed immediately

Coal in My Stocking

The Polish:
BC: Revlon - ColorStay Base Coat
Color: Lumina Lacquer - Coal in My Stocking, two coats
TC: Seche Vite

Coal in My Stocking is a dark grey linear holo with holo hex glitter. It wasn't quite as amazing on my nails as I wanted it to be, but it's still pretty lovely.

I had a difficult time getting the glitters on the brush, so I don't have many on. The formula in general gave me more of a struggle than expected, actually, but now I'm wondering if it has more to do with the weather than the polish itself.

Wear: Removed on Day 3 with slight lifting

Soccer Mom

The Polish:
BC: Revlon - ColorStay Base Coat
Color: Colors By Llarowe - Soccer Mom, three coats
TC: Seche Vite

Uhm.. No.. No, this isn't what I want in my life, thank you. *Immediate purge*

Soccer Mom seemed to be a nice color online, but in person, maybe it's just not right for my skin tone? I knew it was a purple-leaning blue scattered holo, but... I don't know.. it's just not working for me. The fact that it needs three coats and is STILL streaky isn't doing it any favors, either. Maybe someone who likes the color more than me can make it work for them.

Wear: Removed on Day 2 with no noticeable wear

Azucar Storm

The Polish:
BC: Revlon - ColorStay Base Coat
Color: Sinful Colors - Rain Storm, two coats
Glitter: Silly Bee's Chickadees - Azúcar, one coat
TC: Seche Vite

Eeek, I loooove it! <3 This might even be my favorite mani of 2015. Azucar is the perfect snowy glitter, and Rain Storm is the perfect evening sky blue.

Rain Storm is very nearly a one coater. I only used two coats on the left hand to make sure the pictures would turn out well. It's suuuch a nice dusty color. I'm so glad I held onto it, even through my I-hate-all-cremes phase.

And Azucar is still one of my very favorite indies. It applies so smoothly, tons of silver-white glitter in just one coat. I want to put it over all the things!

Wear: Some tip wear on Day 4, slight lifting on Day 5, but I was patient enough to keep it on until Day 6

Black and White Nail Art

Another guest nail art mani! I gave a friend free range of my nails, after only answering what colors I preferred, and this is what happened. Beautiful! Though the 3D parts were quite bothersome, as it turns out. Next time I'll know better and remember to say, "Nothing glued on, please!"

It might be a little hard to see, so that's loose iridescent flake glitter on the pinkie, striping tape stripes on the ring finger, tentacle-like freehand lines with rhinestones on the middle finger, dots on the index finger, and a penguin plus rhinestone snowflake on the thumb.

But that penguin, tho... *-* Much cute!

City Lights

The Polish:
BC: Nail-Aid - Extreme Steel Hardener
Color: Cirque - City Lights, three coats
TC: Seche Vite

Well, I've given up on having acceptable wear time, so I thought I might as well use up some other stuff I have, rather than using my good base coats. We'll see how this strengthener works for me. (That bubble on my pinkie is from the strengthener, though, so that's strike one against it.)

City Lights is a linear holo white, one of the types of polishes I just can't pass up. I knew from my recent comparison, though, that it wasn't my favorite. I had yet to do a full mani with it, so I decided to give it another shot.

Didn't quite live up to it. Part of it may be the brush. The other part may be the formula. It was acceptable, but seriously, I have other white holos that I love better. Purge.

Wear: Removed on Day 3 with minimal chips. Could have kept it on a day longer, but a friend wanted to do my nails.

Rock Candy

The Polish:
BC: None
Color: Julie G - Rock Candy, two coats
TC: None

I thought I took good pictures of this one, but none of them are entirely color accurate! So.. here are three different colors. It's actually a bit more blue-leaning in reality. In most lightings, I can't tell if it's blue or green (but it never looks teal).

I think I've decided that it's because of winter that I'm getting such reduced wear. Never more than four days. Thus, textures are a nice go-to for the middle of the week. I can slap on two coats during my lunch break and call it good! Plus, I even got FIVE days wear out of this one! Gasp!

Wear: Removed on Day 5, some chips appearing on Day 4

Summer Seas

The Polish:
BC: Revlon - ColorStay Base Coat
Color: The Polish Bar - Summer Seas, three coats
TC: Seche Vite

Alright, enough stuff I know I want to purge. Let's just get something I know I like but haven't worn much. This'll do.

I still have difficulties applying cremes. This one is super pretty. Dusty grey-ish blue with shimmery (almost non-existent holo).. just my style! I can't ever get the holo to show, so I just pretend that it's not there. Still gorgeous. <3

Wear: Slight lifting on Day 3, major lifting on Day 4.

Guided By Starlight

The Polish:
BC: Revlon - ColorStay Base Coat
Color: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer - Guided by Starlight, three coats
TC: Seche Vite

Hmm.. I had been avoiding wearing this one because it's finicky. I'd managed to wear it successfully as an accent once, but mostly I just didn't want to deal with it. Since I've been trying to purge lately, I thought I'd make a final decision about it.

It IS pretty cute. Last time I tried laying it on thick, so this time I thought I'd try going the thin route. That didn't work, either, though, because it's a streaky white. Meh.

But the glitters! So many glitters! Allllll of the glitters. Stars and moons and diamonds and circles and squares and hexes and micros.. holo gold and holo silver and iridescent.. oh my goodness! I wish it was easier to deal with, but I just don't care enough. Someone who cares more can deal with it. Not me. Purge.

Wear: Removed on Day 3 with slight lifting. Hmm.. I'm not getting nearly as good wear as I normally do.. I wonder what's going on. It's not just needing to use cuticle remover because I used it just before this mani. There must be something else messing with me.

Dancing? My Pointe Exactly

The Polish:
BC: Revlon - ColorStay Base Coat
Jelly: OPI - My Pointe Exactly, one coat on either side of the glitter
Glitter: The Lady Varnishes - Catch Me Dancing, one coat between layers of jelly
TC: Seche Vite

I haven't ever been super fond of Catch Me Dancing. It just never lived up to the image I had of it. Last time I wore it, I finally got it to look alright in a pink jelly sandwich. This time I thought I'd try it in a grey sandwich, but I still don't love it. Again, it's just alright.

And I've been trying to purge lately, so it's not with a heavy heart that this one goes into the purge box. I've given it enough chances to wow me, but I'd always just rather wear something else. It's a fine polish, but I won't ever reach for it. I want to get to the point where I only own my favorite polishes, and this belongs only in a collection of good polishes.

Wear: Slight peels on Day 2, which is fair, as I haven't used a cuticle remover in a while. Removed on Day 3.

Eggnogoholic

The Polish:
BC: Revlon - ColorStay Base Coat
Color: Girly Bits - Eggnogoholic, three coats with matte before the third
Matte: China Glaze - Matte Magic, before the third coat
TC: Seche Vite

Ugh, again with this streaky mess? Okay, to be fair, it definitely looks better than the last time I wore this polish, but still, Eggnogoholic just doesn't live up to the ideal form of itself. In an attempt to counteract the steakyness, I used a matte coat before the final coat of polish to level everything out, but it only helped a little.

I COULD put this polish into purgatory and wear it again over a pure white... but I feel like two chances is all something really needs. If I don't love it, it needs to go. Ain't nobody got time fo' dat! Straight into the purge box with you.

Wear: Light lifting on Day 3, removed immediately

Cinderella

The Polish:
BC: Revlon - ColorStay Base Coat
Color: Sinful Colors - Cinderella, two coats
TC: Seche Vite

Cinderella was one of my favorite polishes a few years ago, but it's been quite a while since I wore it last. So I thought I'd see if I still love it.

It IS a pretty color, isn't it? A nice sheer, pale blue with pink shimmer. You can't tell very well from the pictures, but it IS rather streaky. It's pretty noticeable in person. I have some light blues that are nicer, not as streaky and that I like better, so my immediate thought is that I can purge Cinderella.

It WAS a little gloopy when I applied it, though. So.. you know.. maybe I want to thin it out and give it another chance? I used to have a place for polishes in purgatory, ones that I wanted to give one more chance. I'm going to continue that practice, starting with Cinderella.

Wear: Removed on Day Four with no noticeable wear

HD Lily

The Polish:
BC: CND - Stickey
Undies: Revlon - Calla Lily, two coats
Topper: Milani - HD, one coat
TC: Seche Vite

Oh my goodness, a soft palate cleanser. Thank god. After so much color, especially polishes that weren't really my thing, this was JUST what I needed. Something soft and simple and clean-feeling.

HD doesn't work as well over Calla Lily as Sugar did, nor does Calla Lily go as well under HD as
Air did, but that's okay. It's not perfect, but it's just right for right now. <3

Wear: Some slight lifting on Day 4, nothing unbearable until Day 5

Warm and Tulle

The Polish:
Treatment: OPI - Nail Envy
BC: CND - Stickey (left hand only)
Main: OPI - Warm and Fozzie, three coats
Accent: Sally Hansen - Teal Tulle, three coats (reversed on right hand)
TC: Seche Vite (over Warm and Fozzie only)

I don't know if I'm feeling this. Why do I still have VNL (visible nail line) after three coats of Warm and Fozzie? Gross. It's still nearly visible on three coats of Teal Tulle, too! Come on, guys!

This is Warm and Fozzie's second chance, so it goes directly into the purge box. Bye, Felicia.

Teal Tulle, on the other hand.. I was resisting wearing it because I figured it'd be tricky to work with. It's definitely not as awesome as Crystalline, but application was fine. It definitely needs at least three coats, which is unfortunate, but it's not a bad color. Think I'll keep it around for a little while longer.

Wear: Small chips on Day 3, peels on Day 4

Dashboard Dreamer

The Polish:
BC: CND - Stickey
Color: China Glaze - Dashboard Dreamer, three coats
TC: None

I was kind of looking forward to this one, but it disappointed me. Three coats and still patchy and streaky? Yuck. Ain't nobody got time fo' dat. It's a fine color, but the application is too finicky. Purge.

Wear: Removed immediately

Winter Party

The Polish:
BC: CND - Stickey
Undies: China Glaze - Dandy Lyin' Around, two coats
Glitter: Forever Polished - Winter Party, two coats
TC: None

Meh.. I just wasn't feeling this. It's just not special enough for me, and I need the real estate on my racks for things that I love. Purge.

Wear: Removed immediately

Pucci-licious Iridescents

The Polish:
BC: CND - Stickey
Undies: Color Club - Pucci-licious, two coats
Left Index: Revlon - Heavenly
Left Middle: Jordana - Lunar Lights
Left Ring: KleanColor - Take a Hint
Left Pinkie: Zoya - Monet
Right Index: Colors by Llarowe - Opals and Lace
Right Middle: Cameo Colors - Let It Snow
Right Ring: Confetti - Pink Confetti
Right Pinkie: Sally Hansen - Disco Ball
TC: Seche Vite (under the glitters and over)

Iridescent glitters are my favorite. I love how ethereal they look, and they always catch my eye. I've been collecting them for a while, and I'm pretty sure I can say that I have too many. It's time for a purge. I've swatched all eight over a neon-ish purple creme, Pucci-licious. Let's try not to cling too tightly to these, now, Holly, no matter how difficult it is. I need to get rid of some, so I have to be ruthless. It'll feel better when I'm done. It'll be nice only having a few that I absolutely adore.

And of course I would start with Heavenly. I've had Heavenly for a while.. since I first started collecting as an adult, if I recall. It has such nice squares and hexes.. it's super cute.. and unique! So I'm keeping it. >_>

Lunar Lights and Take a Hint are pretty similar. They have both larger hexes and smaller microglitter. They're nearly dupes, but Lunar Lights has a little more microglitter while Take a Hint has more larger hexes. It breaks my heart to choose between them, but if I'm honest with myself, I need to choose Take a Hint. I like the ratio of glitters better. It's just so hard to put Lunar Lights into the purge box because it's sooo super pretty in the bottle... *sigh*

Monet, on the other hand, is easy to purge. It has a pretty poor consistency. I had heard that when it came out, and that's why I didn't buy it. It came up during the local swap, however, and that's why it ended up in my hands, anyway. But it's just not as good as my other iridescent glitters, so back out it goes.

Opals and Lace and Let It Snow are similar-ish. They both have small hexes, microglitter, and these adorable matte white glitters. Let It Snow, however, only has hex whites, but Opals and Lace has a mix of tiny white squares and hexes mixed in with the larger white hexes. The latter also has some almost undetectable yellow shards floating around. It's difficult to choose between them, but need to admit it--Let It Snow smells. It has a strong odor. The brush in mine has also become stiff, so it's difficult to apply. It's a hard thing to do, but Let It Snow needs to go into the purge box... :(

Pink Confetti and Disco Ball are both only microglitter. Looking very closely, I can just barely tell that the glitter in Pink Confetti are just the tiniest bit larger than Disco Ball, so.. I guess Disco Ball... to the Franken box. *nod* I'm pretty sure I can find a Frankening use for it eventually.

Hey, maybe Lunar Lights can hang out with it in there! ... No.. I can't do it. I just can't get rid of Lunar Lights, even if it's only to the Franken box. It's too pretty in the bottle. It can hang out on the shelf some more. *hugs it*

Final Tally:
Keep: Heavenly, Lunar Lights, Take a Hint, Opals and Lace, Pink Confetti
Purge: Monet, Let It Snow
Franken: Disco Ball

Wear: Four days to lifting

Boris & Nicole

The Polish:
BC: CND - Stickey
Color: Julep - Boris & Nicole, two coats
TC: Seche Vite

Well, this color was a surprise! Not really a good one, but definitely a surprise, nevertheless. In the bottle, Boris & Nicole looks like a shimmery brown. I'm not really one for those sorts of colors, but a friend pushed it into my hands, telling me that it's the PERFECT fall color and that I HAD to have it. Well, alright then..!

So imagine my shock when the first coat applied incredibly RED. Not just reddish, like Cosmic Fates, but completely, undeniably RED. At two coats, the color deepened, and the gold shimmer added to the depth nicely.. but it's still super red...

Inside, sometimes it looks like that red-leaning brown shimmer I expected, but then I move under the light again and remember that nope, it's actually red.

Wear: Some tipwear on Day 3, chips and slight lifting on Day 4