Essie A Cut Above, $7

It’s all about pairing polishes for me lately. Whether it’s glitter tips, all-over sparkles, or the coveted flakes--I can’t get enough of it!

Essie’s Luxeffect polishes have really caught my eye, in particular A Cut Above.

Here I’m wearing A Cut Above over 3 coats of It’s In The Bag. It’s In The Bag is a super light, almost white pink that works great as a basecoat. You could definitely wear it on it’s own too, but I like having it as kind of a “canvas” for the glitter.

A Cut Above is great because it’s made with big and small round bits of glitter so it looks a lot more interesting than a standard glitter polish. I find that these mixed size glitter polishes are great for doing just your tips or if you want to achieve the ombre look.

(I was told this pairing looks like frosting and sprinkles!)

Final verdict:

Cost: Standard polish cost, about $6-8.

Color: Dark rose-gold pink flakes of glitter mixed in clear polish. Looks great over light and dark colors.

Repeat offender?: I would definitely like to own this kind of glitter polish in other colors. Dark purple or black would be pretty great!

-Mirna

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat, $9-$10

Seche Vite claims their top coat is the world's finest--and you know what? It just might be. I originally got it from my sister-in-law, who said it's the only top coat that works for Konad nail stamps (i.e., doesn't make them smear everywhere). I liked it so much I started using it all the time.

The brush is a good size, it doesn't smear my polish, dries super fast, and leaves a super glossy shine. It also has helped my nail polish stay on longer, even those cheaper polishes that don't normally last that long. With most top coats, the ends start to chip within a day or so for me. With this top coat, it's extended to 3 or 4 days. I'm serious! And I'm definitely not super careful with my nails.

One downside is the smell; it's super strong. If you're sensitive to that kind of thing, I recommend doing your nails near a fan or open window. Another slight problem is that when it does start to chip, it more peels away than chips. This means that if you start peeling one side, half or the whole layer of polish might come away with it. However, I've found that if you put on a thinner coat, that seems to help with this problem.

Final verdict
Cost: $9-$10 at most drugstores--about the same as an OPI polish. For me, it's worth it because I use it for every manicure.
Fast-drying: It really only takes a few seconds to dry, which is perfect for someone who always messes up her polish right after it's done! While you still should be careful afterward, I can attest that the oh-it's-dry-wait-no-it's-not smudges have decreased.
Long-lasting: My polish looks nicer for longer, even when the polish isn't that durable by itself.
Shiny: The resulting finish is super glossy and shiny.
Repeat offender: Love this! So far, it's the best top coat I've tried. It smells a little strong, but the result is totally worth it.

-T

OPI My Private Jet, $6-$9

OPI's My Private Jet is a gray, off-black nail polish loaded with tiny, tiny bits of glitter (and controversy). It reminds me a bit of the 212 color, except a bit on the cooler side (less coppery) and with smaller pieces of glitter.


It's a nice deep color and the glitter gives it a lot of dimension. It may be dark but it's definitely not boring. The glitter/shimmer is mostly silver, though in the sun it has some (slight) color variations. It reminds me of the sun sparkling on wet gravel or cement. A little badass, but not too dangerous! The texture, of course, is amazing, easy to apply, and dries nicely. True to OPI, it doesn't chip for days and days.

Final verdict
Cost: $6-$8 (standard for an older color, depending on where you buy it).
Color: Dark gray with small bits of silvery glitter. It's like a cooler and more refined 212.
Repeat offender: I love this color and have already painted my nails a couple times with it. It's easy to apply (read: hides mistakes) and looks great as a dark neutral. Goes great with fall colors and will definitely transition into winter.

-T

OPI's Lighten Up, You're Two Pence!, $6-9

OPI's Lighten Up, You're Two Pence! is a perfect color for October--a rich, warm, fiery, burnt orange. It has a metallic finish, small hints of shimmer, and a beautiful opaque color. I love it! Depending on the light, it can look more bright orange or more gold.

The great thing about this orange is that it's dramatic but it's warm, not neon. Totally matches those changing leaves! It would look great with purples, leopard print, browns, and dark teals. Plus, it's a great base for Halloween nail art. I think I'm gonna grab my black nail art pen and try out a jack-o-lantern! I'll def take some pics if it turns out well :)

Final verdict
Cost: $6-$9--normal OPI price.
Color: Absolutely gorgeous! The perfect autumn orange.
Texture: As always, OPI's formula is amazing. You could get away with two coats if you wanted (I used three here).
Repeat offender: I would totally buy this again. Every time the leaves change I try to find a color just like this, and I'm so glad to have found it.

-T

OPI Have You Seen My Limo?, $6-$8

Just a classic OPI to round out your week and get you ready for fall! This is probably one of the first OPIs I ever bought. The richness of the color drew me in initially. Plum, brown, and maroon mix together to give this polish a lot of depth. But, what I really love is the metallic glitter mixed in. In the sunlight, it really comes alive.

I can see this as a color I'd wear through fall and winter. It can look fancy when worn with a nice dress, artsy with a warm sweater, and kinda dangerous when paired with leather and studs. It's a versatile color, and even though it's pretty dramatic, I think it would work really nice with a lot of skin tones.

Final verdict
Cost: $6-$8 (it's an old color so it's slightly reduced in price).
Depth: This is definitely not a flat color. The different shades of purple and brown shine in different lighting, and the metallic shimmer is awesome.
Texture: Like all OPIs, this is really easy to put on. Even after having it for a few years, it still works like new.
Repeat offender: I can see this lasting a long time. I try new things all the time so I probably won't buy it again, but that doesn't mean I don't love it!

-T

Milani Neon in Rad Purple, $5

I had been eyeing Milano's Neon nail polish in Rad Purple for a while now. It just looked so intensely purple. In the bottle it looks opaque and vivid, an intense shade of a plum color that's usually so dark.

(It was difficult for me to get an accurate picture of this shade, so I did my best. I manipulated the pic below to get it as close to the real color as possible. Actually, the color on the site is pretty close to the bottle. My camera did a good job with the polish on my nails, though.)

Honestly, I was a bit disappointed. The polish is very thin, which often happens with bright colors. I put on probably 4 coats here (I got impatient and started putting them on thicker and thicker) and I feel like I can still see through it. At first it dried quickly, but the more I put on the gooier it got (probably because, um, I put it on so thick). This meant that while it looked dry, it got smudged and nicked easily.

The color on my nails also doesn't exactly match what's in the bottle. I wanted a really grape-y, pure purple. What I got instead is a more of a fuchsia. Still a pretty color, but not what I expected. In the pic above, the ring basically matches the color of the bottle. You can see around the top of the bottle how light it actually looks--this is more like it actually looks on your nails.

Final verdict
Cost: $5.
Texture: Really thin. It dries quickly at first, but takes a lot of coats, so it gets gooey.
Color: The color is pretty--like a pinky fuchsia--but not what I expected at all.
Repeat offender?: No, I wouldn't buy this again. I might actually return it. The color's pretty, but the texture bothered me and I was really bummed that it doesn't look like the bottle!

-T

OPI Start to Finish Base & Top Coat, around $10

As you know, a good base coat and top coat can help keep your nail polish looking nice for a while. I decided to try OPI's Start to Finish because it's 2-in-1: base and top coat. I love the convenience of just having the one bottle. Plus, they have this one which is Formaldehyde Free--that's always good, right?

This stuff smells a little strong but is really easy to use. OPI's amazing brush shape means that you need only one to two quick strokes to get it across your whole nail. It sweeps over your nail completely and fills in the ridges, drying quickly and cleanly. Just a couple of minutes and you're ready to put on your polish, or go out with clean, natural-looking nails.

It works nice as a top coat, too, and I've noticed that is it good at keeping my nail polish from chipping. It adds a nice glossiness that some colors lack.

Final verdict
Cost: Around $10, depending on where you buy it.
Convenience: It's nice to have the first and last steps in one bottle. The brush is wide and it dries quickly, so I'm done in no time.
Lasts: It does help in keeping my nail polish on longer.
Repeat offender: I'd buy this again. It is a little more expensive than a bottle of nail polish from OPI, but I use it with every manicure. My favorite part is that it dries quickly and evenly--perfect for my messy, impatient self!

Next week we're going to take a break from reviewing new products and instead re-post some of our faves. Have a great weekend!
-T

OPI Catch Me in Your Net, $9

OPI's Catch Me in Your Net is part of their Summer Flutter collection. I think it appeals to all those girls out there who dream of being mermaids. I mean, who doesn't? You get to swim around all day, look awesome, toy with fishermen, chill with dolphins, whatevs. Of course, you're going to need a glittery, sparkly blue-green nail polish to match your tail, right?

From the minute I saw this color, I knew I had to have it. When I put it on my nail, I literally said, "OMG." It's so full of sparkles! And the aqua color is just perfect. This picture makes it look a lot lighter than the bottle, but it's actually a pretty close match. This is just 2 coats, no base or top coat, so maybe it would look darker with another coat. (It also looks different in different lighting, as a lot of OPIs do. The above shot is in the shade.)

(Here's a shot in direct sunlight.)
I think it goes well with my tokidoki calendar and my octopus ring. :) I can see myself putting this on in the middle of January, just to remember what the beach is like. Here you can see its more greener tones.

Love it with my mom's treasure chest necklace!
Photo inspired my Mirna! :)

Final verdict
Cost: $9 full-price (cheaper elsewhere).
Color: Beautiful! The perfect shade of aqua. Be warned: It might make you yearn for ocean waves . . .
Texture: Like all OPIs, this one is smooth and easy to put on. There is a ton of color in just one brush stroke, so you only really need two coats.
Sparkles: The intense amount of gold and green sparkles really give the aqua a lot of depth.
Repeat offender: If you can't tell, I'm in love. I highly recommend it.

-T