Swatch Comparison - OPI DS Original vs. Milani Hi-Res

Hey guys!

After my comparison of OPI DS Coronation and Milani HD, I started to think about my other DS polishes and wondered if there are any other shades from the Milani 3D Holographic Collection that are suitable alternatives to any of my other DS polishes.

The first similarities I noticed were between OPI DS Original and Milani Hi-Res so I'll be showing you that comparison today. I've also got one more OPI DS/Milani 3D comparison lined up to keep on the lookout for that.



Keep reading for the comparison!



OPI Designer Series Original, Milani Hi-Res


OPI DS Original


Milani Hi-Res


OPI DS Original, Milani Hi-Res


Milani Hi-Res, OPI DS Original

So while these are not dupes, they're definitely similar.
First of all, the base colours are almost identical - a light shimmering lilac. The differences lie in the holographic effect/particles.

The Milani 3D Holographic polishes all have bigger, chunkier pieces of silver holographic glitter pieces that the OPI DS polishes do not have, which makes the Milani polishes look a little more bling-y.

The holographic effect is very evident in both shades and although Hi-Res is one of the most holographic of the entire 3D Collection, DS Original still wins in the intensity of the holo effect. Hi-Res is more of a scattered effect with just a touch of linear holo while DS Original is very clearly linear.

One of the major differences between these two polishes is the pricing. OPI Designer Series polishes are more expensive than regular OPI polishes and will run you anywhere between $10-15. However, because DS Original has been discontinued, it'll run you even more than that from places like eBay. For example, my bottle of DS Original cost me $23 (including shipping) on eBay and it's currently the polish in my collection that I've spent the most money on.
On the other hand, the Milani 3D Holographic Collection polishes are $3.99 on the Milani website.

In the end, a choice between these will really come down to personal preference and budget. Hi-Res is a good alternative to OPI DS Original, especially considering the price difference and some people will prefer Hi-Res because it's got that extra bling-y quality. For me, DS Original has a special place in my collection and my heart so that one wins out for me.

My friend Rebecca also did a comparison of these two shades so you can check out her post for another look.

Do you have either of these? Both? Which do you prefer? Is Hi-Res similar enough to DS Original for you to cross that lemming off your list and opt for the more cost efficient option?

Read More

Review & Swatches - Nfu-Oh Holographic Series: #61

Hey guys!

Another silver holo post for you today!

Over the next couple of weeks I'll be doing a series of reviews/swatches on all 6 of the Nfu-Oh Holographic polishes. Because I've heard a lot of different things about the formula, application and wear of these polishes, I've decided to not just swatch them on nail wheels like I normally would, but to actually put them through wear tests.
Additionally, these polishes are just too special and coveted that I had to do full nail swatches for each of them.

This means that you won't be seeing any new nail art from me while I'm doing this series but I'll try to itch the nail art bug for you by uploading a few tutorials of my past designs.

At the end of the series I'll do an overall review/recommendations post for all 6 of the shades so that you'll have an easy access post for all of them.

I'll go in the proper numerical order of the shades so today I'll be starting with Nfu-Oh #61 which is a bright silver linear holographic polish.



Keep reading for swatches and the full review!
(Believe me, you're going to want to keep reading.)



(Artificial Light)


(Flash)


(Flash)


(Sunlight)


(Sunlight)


(Sunlight)
I've got a total case of lobster hands in this photo but it was too pretty and showed the rainbow effect of the holo too well so I just had to include it.


Unfortunately, I don't own the Nfu-Oh Aqua Base which is supposed to help with the application of this polish and the only retailer of Nfu-Oh products (www.fabuloustreet.com) has been out of stock of this product for a while now. Thus, everything that I have to say about the formula of these polishes might sing a different tune if I had the Aqua Base to accompany them, so please keep that in mind when you're reading my review.

The formula/application of #61 was absolutely awful. I knew beforehand that the formula of the Nfu-Oh holos is notoriously disappointing so I was extra careful and cautious in my application, but I can't say that it helped much. The first layer applies ok (not great, but ok) but when you go to add the second coat, the brush picks up patches of the first coat and clumps them together with the new layer of polish, leaving bald spots in some areas and little clumps of polish in others.

Regarding the wear of this polish, I got a much better wear time out of #61 than what I expected to get after what I have heard/read about in other reviews. I've heard some people say they don't even get a full 24 hours out of their manis with these polishes, but I got a full 4 days with only tip wear and no chips at the time of removal. In fact, a few of the photos above (the sunlight ones) are from day 3 of this mani and it still looks fresh and new. I'm honestly only removing it tonight because I want to move on to the next colour, but I think I could get another day out of #61 without any chips.

How did I manage to get a better wear time out of #61? Well, since I had heard about the short wear time, I prepared myself and used products that I thought would help to extend the life of my mani.
First, I layed down a layer of OPI Chip Skip (review to come after more testing) and then I used CND Stickey (review to come) as my base coat. I don't want to say that these products made my mani last longer without chipping because I can't be certain, but it certainly didn't hurt my mani to use them.

Now, onto the good aspects of this polish.
It's GORGEOUS! Seriously, I've caught myself just staring at my nails so many times over the last 4 days. It's so beautifully prismatic, especially in the sunlight. Even in the shade you get a more subtle but still noticeable linear holo that catches your eye.

Also, the Nfu-Oh bottle design is stunning. It looks great in photos and it has become my new favourite bottle to hold to take nail photos (my prior fave to hold were Zoya bottles).

Overall, despite the formula/application, I would definitely recommend this polish. It's so beautiful and special and I love having these bottles in my collection. Furthermore, the Nfu-Oh Aqua Base is supposed to help with the application of these polishes so the problems I had might be easy to solve with the right product.

Nfu-Oh polishes are sold by this online retailer and they will run you $12.50 US or $13.82 CAD. Unfortunately, #61 is currently out of stock but #'s 62-66 are still available and you'll be seeing swatches/reviews of those from me in the near future.

What do you guys think about Nfu-Oh #61?

Read More

Swatch Comparison - OPI DS Coronoation vs. Milani HD

Hey guys!

While swatching all of the DS polishes I own, I noticed that the scattered silver holographic polish DS Coronations looked very similar to Milani HD from the 3D Holographic Collection.

I've already reviewed and swatched the Milani collection (check it out here) but I thought it would be useful to swatch these shades side-by-side to determine if they are dupes.



Keep reading for the comparison!



OPI Designer Series Coronation, Milani HD


OPI DS Coronation


Milani HD


OPI DS Coronation, Milani HD


OPI DS Coronation, Milani HD


Milani HD, OPI DS Coronation

As you can see, these aren't total dupes but they're super close. The only difference in the actual polishes is that HD has bigger holographic particles which make it more prismatic and more holographic looking than DS Coronation. Besides that, the base colours are almost identical with DS Coronation having just a touch more grey than Milani HD.

Additionally, there is a significant price difference in these two polishes. OPI Designer Series polishes are more expensive than regular OPI polishes and will run you anywhere between $10-15. On the other hand, the Milani 3D Holographic Collection polishes are $3.99 on the Milani website.

In the end, if you have either one of these, I wouldn't say that you need to run out and get the other one. However, if you don't have either and you're in the market for a scattered silver holo, I'd recommend Milani HD over OPI DS Coronation. The chunkier pieces of holo make HD a little more special than DS Coronation in my opinion and the price is much more wallet friendly.

Do you have either of these? Both? Which do you prefer?

Read More

Swatch Spam - OPI DS Polishes: Part 2

Hey!

I think you should all be super proud of me today! As you all know, I have been checking my beauty supply store for the OPI Nice Stems Collection for a couple of weeks now and they still don't have it in. Well, I got news last night night that one of the salons in my area has both the Nice Stems Collection AND the Miss Universe Collection, which I wasn't expecting to even start looking for for another couple of weeks.

The dilemma for me was that I get professional pricing at the supply store that doesn't have these collections, but not at the salon which has both collections. So, I had to decide which was going to win - my wallet or my impatience? I finally decided that it would be better if I just waited for the professional store to get the collections in and save myself some money. Yay for willpower!

Anyways, that's not the point of this post at all, I promise.
Today I'm going to be showing you the rest of my OPI DS polishes that weren't included in this post a couple of days ago.
These last 4 shades includes my favourites out of all the ones I own, so enjoy!



Keep reading for the swatches!



OPI Designer Series: Original, Desire, Extravagance, Passion


OPI DS Original (medium lavender scattered and linear holo)
This is currently my all-time favourite polish in my entire collection and it's also the most expensive polish in my collection. I did a full review of this when I first got it so I won't go into too much detail here and you can just check out that post.


OPI DS Desire (rich, deep gold linear holo)
This is another of my favourites that has somehow managed to go overlooked in my stash. The holo is really strong and although this looks good on my skin tone, I bet this will look spectacular on darker skin tones.


OPI DS Extravagance (rich raspberry-purple scattered holo)
This shade is SO luxurious looking I can't get over it. The scattered holo is one of the strongest I've ever seen - the particles just light up within the deep base.


OPI DS Passion (medium rosy pink linear holo)
This one is similar to DS Chiffon from my first post but has a more mauve base and a slightly stronger holo effect. I like both of them a lot but I prefer Passion just little bit more because of the little teeny bit of purple in the base.


Original, Desire, Extravagance, Passion


Original, Desire


Extravagance, Passion


Passion, Extravagance, Desire, Original


Passion, Extravagance


Desire, Original

Which of all 9 shades is your favourite?
Oh and by the way, I haven't forgotten about my part 2 Deborah Lippmann swatch spam post - it's coming soon.

Read More

Swatch Spam - OPI DS Polishes: Part 1

Hey!

After looking through my untried stash that I posted for you yesterday, I noticed that I've already swatched most of them for you guys and the majority of them are just waiting to be swatched on my own wheels. So, I've made it a mission to finish swatching all of my untrieds for you and then I can move onto swatching them on my wheels.

There were 2 OPI Designer Series polishes in my untrieds that I haven't swatched for you or on my wheels so I decided that I'll do those first, along with the rest of my DS polishes. I own 9 altogether so I'm breaking this post up into 2 separate posts and today I'll be showing you 5 of my 9 OPI DS polishes.



Keep reading for the swatches!



OPI Designer Series: Reflection, Coronation, Classic, Mystery, Chiffon


OPI DS Reflection (bright coral-pink scattered holo)
This is a gorgeous, eye-catching shade of coral-pink and even if it didn't have the added bonus of scattered holo, I'd still love it. It's also a one-coater which adds to it's awesomeness.


OPI DS Coronation (bright silver scattered holo)
I always love silver holos - whether scattered or linear because I think they show the rainbow effect of holographic particles the best and this one is no exception, as you'll see in my swatches below.


OPI DS Classic (light nude scattered holo)
This was my first time swatching this one and I really like it. It can be used as an office environment appropriate shade while still being trendy.


OPI DS Mystery (deep inky purple jelly with small gold flakies)
I think this is a DS shade that is definitely under appreciated, but I like it a lot. It's got flakies - which polish addicts usually go crazy over - but I think they can tend to get lost in the deep base, which might be why it's often overlooked. However, when the light hits this and the flakies are made visible, it's stunning.


OPI DS Chiffon (delicate pink linear holo)
Here's another work appropriate yet trendy shade. The linear holographic effect is not totally BAM IN YOUR FACE HOLO but it's definitely there and it's really pretty.


Reflection, Coronation, Classic, Mystery, Chiffon


Reflection, Coronation, Classic


Classic, Mystery, Chiffon


Chiffon, Mystery, Classic, Coronation, Reflection


Chiffon, Mystery, Classic


Classic, Coronation, Reflection


Which of these shades is your favourite?
And stay tuned for part 2 of the OPI DS swatch spam!

Read More

My Current Project - "Untrieds" Drawer

Hey!

I thought that tonight I would show you guys my current project as well as give you a sneak peak into my nail polish collection (and I promise you there is a full collection post coming asap).

This is my "Untrieds" drawer where I hold all of my recent nail polish purchases until I swatch them for you and on my own nail wheels. Usually I swatch polishes for you within the first couple of days of getting them but for my own wheels, I typically have a swatching marathon once every couple of weeks, but this varies depending on how many I've acquired, really.
However, I've neglected my own wheels lately and it's left me with quite a large drawer of untrieds, or unswatched if you prefer.



Keep reading for more photos and a full list of the polishes you see above.




So what do you see here?

At the back of the drawer are my newly acquired Nfu-Oh Holographic polishes (I mentioned these in this haul post and #61 and #65 arrived today).

In front of those we have the Orly Happy Go Lucky Collection as well as 4 colours from last year's Orly Sweet Collection which Sally's recently started carrying as open stock.

Continuing down the left side we have a slew of OPI polishes including the Katy Perry Collection, the Texas Collection, the Blue-Hued Shatters, the OPI Serena Williams Glam Slam! England duos, OPI Red and White Shatter from the Glam Slam France duos, and a few OPI DS Series polishes including Original, Classic and Reflection.

Moving over the right side of the drawer, we have a number of China Glaze polishes in the front including the Crackle Metals Collection, the original Crackle Collection and 5 shades from the Tronica Collection (as mentioned in this haul post).

Behind the China Glaze polishes we have 2 Revlon colours - Royal and Perplex.

And last but not least, at the back of the drawer on the right hand side, we have a number of Essie polishes including the Resort 2011 Collection, the Braziliant Collection as well as a few open stock colours that I've accumulated.


So that's it for my untrieds drawer! I think a swatching marathon is way overdue.
Did you guys keep an "untrieds" drawer? Has it gotten as out of hand as mine has?

Read More

Haul - Holographic Polishes

Hey!

Since the Canada Post strike ended, I have anxiously been awaiting the arrival of a number of packages and even though I'm still waiting on 8 more packages (!!!), I thought I would show you guys a few of the things that have already arrived.


Nfu-Oh Holographics: #62, #63, #64, #66
I'm still waiting on #61 and #65 which I ordered separate from these so hopefully that order will be arriving soon and then I'll be able to do swatches of all of these lovelies for you.


China Glaze Tronica Polishes: Laser Lime, Gamer Glam, Cyberspace, 3D Fantasy, Hologram
I didn't swatch/review the Tronica Collection when it first released because through a series of unfortunate incidents, of which I won't go into detail about, I wasn't able to get my hands on all 12 of the shades. But recently, through a series of transactions and blog sales, I was finally able to complete my collection. So you'll be seeing a review/swatch post of this collection very soon.

Look out for more detailed posts about these polishes in the near future!
And cross your fingers for me that the rest of my packages come this week! As an added incentive, one of the packages that's on it's way might be something for you guys. ;)

Read More