Nail Polish Dilemma

23 February 2010 // Filed under Posts + Reviews

Over the last year I have been experimenting with different brands and colors of nail polish, each brand producing a predictable pattern of characteristics throughout colors and lines. And like most of my experiments quality correlates directly with economic value.

OPI

I came upon this brand accidentally while browsing Target aisles, having only previously bought Sally Hansen. When it rang up at the counter I was astounded by the price, but after using it the price made entire sense. The brush is broad and flexible, making for easy application of almost the full nail in one stroke. It also dries incredibly fast so you don't have to worry about smudging your job while painting the other nail. I also adore the recently themed lines, like Hong Kong and Collecion de Espana.

Value: $8.50
Favorite Color Name: I'm a Princess, you're not!

Sally Hansen

This was one of the first polishes I attempted and given my limited experience with using polish this was a perfect beginner brand, both for quality and price. The brush contains fewer bristle which makes for a thinner stroke. The viscosity of the polish is where my major issue with the brand lies, as it is not thick enough for one application and the uneven application of the first layer creates an uneven color when applying a second. The lines of products, like "Anti-Fungal" and "Strength & Grow" make me question the clientele.

Value: $4.99
Favorite Color Name: Shrimply Devine Creme

Revlon, Cover Girl, L'Oreal

I have consolidated all of these brands because my experience with them is about the same. The brushes are somewhere between the thickness of OPI and Sally Hansen, taking about 2-3 strokes to complete a nail. The polishes require only one application but tend to be more viscous, making for a gloppy application and noticeably thick appearance. The lack in color variety is the primary disappointment, having a line of red tones but not much besides.

Value: $2.99-4.99
Favorite Color Name: Black Lingerie (Revlon), Purplexed (Cover Girl)

2010-02-23  ::  admin