Hi Friends!
As I was putting away my Christmas and “get well soon” nail polish loot, I got to thinking about what some of my favorites were for 2013. You’d think for a girl like me whose collection well exceeds 100 polishes that I’d have a hard time picking favorites. Surprisingly, it wasn’t that hard. What can I say. I know what I like.
I’ll break it down for you. Let’s go.
BEST TOP COAT
Seche Vite
Without a doubt, without hesitation. I have purchased and repurchased this so many times over this year. It leaves your nails looking fabulously shiny, but the best part (and the top selling feature for me considering this baby sits at around a $6-$9 price point) is that it dries from top to bottom in approximately 3 minutes. I’m not kidding here, folks. I’ve washed dishes no more than 5 minutes after painting my nails without a single smudge. Just don’t ask me how to say it.
FAVORITE GLITTERS
Pure Ice: Beware
Essie: Beyond Cozy
These were my two most used glitters all year long. I just couldn’t get enough. Whether it was a simple manicure with a basic accent nail or more advanced with actual nail art involved, you can bet your bottom dollar that these two made the cut. Pure Ice as a whole actually has some pretty fantastic, opaque glitters. And their price point is about $1.99. You can’t beat it. While Essie generally runs you about $8 or more, I found this baby on the clearance shelf at Rite Aide for a whopping $3.
FAVORITE OVERALL BRAND
Wet n’ Wild Megalast
I’m sure this will come as no surprise to any of you. This brand just keeps knocking it out of the park with these polishes. The formula is perfect and their color selection is unbeatable. With a price tag of an impressive $1.99, you just can’t say no. If I dare say it because I mean, how can I pick a favorite part of my favorite polishes? It just doesn’t seem right the best feature of these megalast polishes is the wide, dense brush. Between the formula and the unique brush (which is rivaled only by the Nina Ultra-Pro brush) it’s a recipe for a perfect manicure every time.
REDEEMED BRAND OF 2013
essie
I might get shunned for this because I swear this brand has a cult following, but I just didn’t get it. An OPI girl myself, I’d hesitantly pulled the trigger on these $8+ polishes a few times in years past and was left disappointed every time. I found the formula to be an odd combination of goopy and streaky. I mean, how is that even possible? But the new lines (especially the fall and winter collections) just redeemed the brand as a whole for me. I was conflicted because I’d fallen in love with the fall collection online but was hesitant to give another chance to a brand I’d written off completely. I don’t know if they reformulated (I’m thinking yes) or if I’d just had some dud bottles in the past (seems a little unlikely to me) but they’re doing something right now. I wave my white flag and surrender to the craze. Call me an essie lover.
FAVORITE COLOR OF 2013
Essie: Cashmere Bathrobe
I know, I know. Leave it to me to have a polish from a brand that I’d otherwise sworn off win the entire year for me. While this polish wasn’t even released until August, and I didn’t get my hands on it until late October, this polish won the contest for most days worn on my fingernails. I just couldn’t get enough. It’s a soft dark gray with a silver micro-glitter which adds more of a textured look rather than offering an actual sparkle. It’s just, oh I swoon.
FAVORITE MANICURES
While I’m hesitant to even include this category, I feel like it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t. This year was a growing year for me in the nail art department. I tried to get myself out of my “simple mani with a basic accent nail” comfort zone and actually put a little extra effort into my manicures!
Well loves. 2013 sure was a fun year in the nail polish department. Can’t wait to see what 2014 has in store!
I read some thing about Out the Door topcoat – it's apparently nearly as good as Seche Vite and cheaper. Thoughts?
And thanks for introducing me to Wet and Wild – I do like the brushes and I need to get more but I always forget when I'm at places it's sold!
Seche Vite = sesh veet. It's French for fast/quick dry!
I'm with you 100% on the Megalast!! I LOOOOOVE it!
Oh Cashmere Bathrobe, I love you, I must hunt you down and make you minneeee. Lol! Did ya know that Megalast here is almost $4-$5!! Cuh-razy. Can't wait to go back home and stock up on my nail polishes 🙂
I've got to get my hands on the Seche Vite. I currently use Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti Chip top coat, and I loooove it. It dries in less than a minute. But with all the Seche Vite rage – I must try it!
Where can you get the Seche Vite? I've heard good things about it from other corners, as well. And I just bought some Essie polishes and am very pleasantly surprised, so it was nice to read I wasn't the only one! Great manicures, especially the one with the Essie "cashmere bathrobe" and the starburst detail. 🙂