Nails Inc. Franklin's Row — Swatches & Review

Nails Inc. Franklin's Row is another polish I got while I was in NYC earlier this month. This is my first Nails Inc. polish, and I took forever picking out which color polish I would try first. I picked this shimmery pink/purple/blue duochrome because it really stands out from the other colors in the display. It looks so gorgeous in the bottle that even though I know full well that I hardly ever actually wear anything besides cremes, I found myself bringing it up the register.

I like the Nail's Inc brush. I found it had just the right fullness and flexibility for easy polish application. I did three coats, but I probably only needed two.

I bought this polish at the Sephora on 5th Ave between East 48th and 49th, which is just a block from Rockefeller Center. (Yes, I was indulging in typical tourist activities! Luckily it wasn't horribly crowded that afternoon.) If you're ever in the neighborhood, I recommend going shopping in this location. This was the Charles Scribner's Sons building and it's just gorgeous. Because it was designated as a landmark, the building is preserved outside and inside. The interior has a vaulted ceiling with fancy moldings and all sorts of other pretty details. If you're like me and you have a thing for interesting architecture, you'll enjoy seeing this place. Besides, it's full of so many makeup goodies. There's even a display completely dedicated to nail polish from various brands.

You can click either of these pictures for an enlarged version. Here's the plaque on the outside of the building which explains some of its history and architectural style.

Sephora has Nails Inc. in a lot of their stores, and also on their website for $9.50. Next time I'm going to pick out a creme. Anyone have a favorite?

Zoya Kendal — Feel Collection Winter 2011

(UPDATE: Here's my review of the entire collection, with all the swatches together.)

Do you think Zoya Kendal might be pink enough to qualify for Pink Wednesday? I can't decide if this pastel creme leans more lavender than pink. Next to Megan, it's definitely a shade pinker.

This is probably my favorite color from the collection. I thought the application was a tiny bit easier than the first four. Once again, it only needs two coats and the final result is smooth and shiny with no streaks or unevenness.

Deep Purple: OPI Siberian Nights and Zoya Mimi

OPI Siberian Nights is a very dark, vampy purple from the Fall 2007 Russian Collection. As a Russian major, that whole collection ranks among my favorites. In low lighting Siberian Nights is almost black, but in the sun you can see it's a rich, glossy plum. This is a swatch with two coats and no topcoat. The formula is very easy to work with.

I added one layer of Zoya Mimi to this swatch. Mimi was part of the Zoya Sparkle collection from Summer 2010. It's a glorious, vibrant purple glass fleck.

These pictures really don't do it justice!

OPI Tease-y Does It fits today's weather

This polish was released for last year's Burlesque holiday collection, but the color makes me think of fall. It's not officially autumn yet, but the weather today is cool and crisp. I included an excessive number of pictures because this polish is complex and changes subtly with the light.

It has magenta flecks of shimmer in a charcoal base. It also has more sparsely distributed gold flecks. It's a little thick to apply, but covers nicely in two coats. And sadly the dazzling duochrome is only visible in the bottle and does not transfer to the nail. However, it's still very sparkly under the sunlight. This polish reminds me of China Glaze Side-Saddle, but they are not identical. Side-Saddle has a little more purple/plum in its base color, and all gold shimmer.

Late Summer Sunset: nail art with purples and oranges

Today, for some reason, I was drawn to purple and orange. I made some quick nail art by alternating five colors in a slight variation on the Ruffian manicure.

On the very top is China Glaze Peachy Keen. This swatch is three coats with Seche Vite on top to smooth them out. It's a chalky and difficult color to work with, but finishing it with topcoat helps a lot.

Next is Zoya Malia, a medium lavender/lilac creme which also requires three coats and a topcoat to smooth it out. It's easier to apply than Peachy Keen, though.

Then comes OPI Cajun Shrimp. This is a classic, BRIGHT and shiny coral. It leans towards pink, but still contains plenty of orange. It's very easy to apply and only needs two coats. The first picture is most color accurate.

The deep purple is Orly Rio Nights. This is a gorgeous, shiny jelly and requires four coats. I think it's worth it.

Finally, the base color is OPI Hot & Spicy. This is a medium orange creme with a hint of pink and an almost pastel quality, though it's not pale enough to really be pastel. It also needs three coats for opacity.

So there's the purple and orange special of the day. What are some of your favorite color combinations?

Two polishes from Zoya Smoke & Mirrors Fall 2011

Two polishes from this fall's Zoya collection really grabbed me so I had to get them. Both of these are from the "Mirrors" part of the 12 piece collection.

Zoya Jem is a rich plum with a sparkling/flecked quality. It's even more beautiful in person. The golden duochrome only shows up in the bottle, unfortunately, but it's still a very complex color on the nail.

Zoya Neeka is a smokey purple with gold and slightly iridescent flecks. Another complex and interesting color. I think it's a distant cousin to Chanel Paradoxal or Essie Smokin' Hot. It's just a little less grey.

Both polishes have pretty smooth application. Neeka was slightly more difficult and needed three coats for even coverage. A more careful application would probably only require two coats.

I ordered these from their website. I've had very good luck with Zoya polishes in general. My favorite thing about them is that they never discontinue colors.