Miss D by Diva - Catch Up For Coffee

Really loved the cute name of this one. Diva is a cheap costume jewellery store in Australia. They occasionally have collections of nail polish. This was on sale for $3.

Well, I was surprised as it was quite nice to paint on, although the formula was really unforgiving (see the third finger - I didn't file it back and you can see how my nailbed was uneven). It was unstreaky but is on the thin side. The thumb photo shows 1 coat so it is pretty even although something this thin you'd normally need a few coats to get a good finish.

I really love this colour. It has a purple tone and so while it is a neutral, it really set off my purple winter clothes I wore this week. Definitely a cool toned coffee.

It is wearing ok, after 5 days. Not chipping but wears off at the tip. It's clinging on for dear life! Winter has made me loathe to change nail colour - it's cold to get the colour off, and shivering makes it hard to paint properly. Lol.

OPI - My Private Jet

There was one of those fire sale counters in the mall and they had OPI on half price. Old stock because most of them were from the India range. I got Private Jet (not part of the India range) and Yoga-ta get this blue. Mused over Moon over Mumbai but decided it was too much like the other whites I have.

Ok... My Private Jet. It's a dark, cool brown metallic. Chestnut. It has holographic specks. It's fantastic. Well, in an understated way. Formula was ok for this cut price colour. Holograph hard to see unless directly under light.

B Collection - Cairo

I wasn't big on any chocolate tones to start with. I did really enjoy wearing this colour though. The polish was already starting to get thick. It's a real shame - some of the B Collection polishes seem to do well, others go to glug hell quickly.

So trying to get a really nice, non draggy, non streaky 2nd coat was a challenge, but I got there in the end. It did chip easily though.

It possesses a lovely, shimmery depth though, so much looking at the nail during the time I wore it. I put on a top coat for added depth.

Clarins - Marron Glace

Marron being chestnuts in French. This is a very cool toned brown frost with golden highlights. I picked it up at a sale of various brands all tumbled into a tub. It must be fairly old, the formula is not as good as it could be anymore. I had a hard time waiting for it to dry and while typing, nudged the tip of my fingers, which you can see in the photos. Oops!

I was lazy and did two coats, you can see in one photo that there is unevenness and you can see the nail. Streaking is apparent under light, on one nail I can see I was painting diagonally. :O

But it is quite a lovely colour so I'll persevere.

Catherine Arley - 668 - toffee holographic

Welcome to my first Catherine Arley post! A while ago you would have seen how I was sent several of these by my friend in the USA. AWESOME! Catherine Arley itself is a brand from Turkey.

This was a fantastic first try. I pored over the colours and finally decided on the demure toffee colour, seeing as I still had to go to work. Application - - OMG, perfect. Perfect consistency, amazing soft brush, nil streaks. After the hassle I experienced with Make Up Store's holographic, I wondered "maybe its this kind of glitter**" but boy was I wrong. Every finger I did I was bowled over by how smooth and even it went on. I mean the bottle itself is no great shakes - it seems to have the most awful, cheap looking handle and the whole thing looks like it came out of a $2 shop.

(**I've since found as well that Sally Hansen holos were quite good - sorry Make Up Store, but your holo sucked in comparison!! The glitter just feels and drags heavy, like sand particles and seems nigh on impossible to get a good looking finish)

I should absolutely add at this point that no cosmetic company has ever given me free product to blog about, so take this as my disclaimer that I so often see on other blogs about being endorsed and whatever. I got no endorsement, no freebies and no family or friends who work in the industry. I buy all my own polishes (well aside from the ones I get for christmas!)

Anyhow! Amazing x 3000. People who saw it commented how awesome it looked. I almost feel embarrassed how effort-free it was to get a good finish. And because it looks so good, I feel the need to add a few different photos. Enjoy it just like I did!

Cutex (Quick n Go) - 510 Ice Coffee Rush

Sadly this actually had little appearance of ice coffee. It came out too pinky. So I fixed it!! A few dabs of High Heeled Wife from Chi Chi (a creme tan) was much helpful. The brush took some getting used to. It is not only flat, but curved on one edge so you have to flip it over for each side of the nail. The formula was a little streaky but the pale colour is forgiving. I've done 3 coats here.

What I really loved when I saw it was the micro shimmer through it of minty green and candy pink. On the nail it is not very apparent, so I guess for your personal joy only. I had one compliment on it, at a shop. It has worn really well, as now it is 3 days and there is minor tip wear and no chipping!

I remember the days when Cutex was a giant in the nail market in Australia. I came from the day when they had the triangular bottle with the long white skinny handle. Where have they done now? To random chemists (if lucky) and Priceline... Sad times. Cutex is now owned by cosmetic giant, Coty.

Interestingly, nail polish is still one of the domestic products largely manufactured anywhere. For example, I currently have on my desk ones that are made in Spain (this one), Brazil, USA, France and Australia. China does not yet dominate the nail polish manufacturing arena. Look at clothing or shoes for example, and you would have to be trying hard to find product made somewhere aside from China, as this is the norm. But turn to nail polish, and it is actually unusual to find Chinese made polish (exceptions are the $2 variety fashion trend stuff).

Butter - All Hail The Queen

Well straight up I've decided the Butter formula is not so great. I found it hard with this one to spread it evenly, worse than the purple one I reviewed earlier. The shade is just divine though. I read a few that said they found it ho hum, but its a very cool toned fawn. The shimmer you can see gold and dark pink, but there is also a holographic element to it. Inside its very refined, and outside in the sunlight its just perfect.

I really liked the colour, but its a let down that its hard to put on. Only 2 of my nails worked out perfectly, so I can't see this as my go-to polish ever.