Double Feature: Trina by Julep and Tutu Cute by Ulta

Since I had gotten sidetracked while working through both my ULTA and Julep polishes I decided to hit two birds with one manicure (and how convenient that they were both shades of purple!). On the nail Trina is a deep, almost black, purple that really comes alive in the sun. Tutu Cute is a creamy lavender that served as a perfect contrast. Per usual of ULTA polishes Tutu Cute went on smoothly and achieved perfect coverage in just one coat. The color alone is not one that I'm crazy about, but it has endless combination possibilities. Trina also went on easily and only required one coat for solid coverage. This is a color that is more up my ally, but I think it also shines in the world of combinations. 

Trina Rating: B+

Tutu Cute Rating: C

Combination Rating: A+

Wallis by Butter

As you already know, I bought this incredible color specifically for New Year's, and let me tell you that it did not disappoint. First, the butter bottle is petite and gorgeous, the square top pops off to reveal a round top for easy gripping, and the brush itself is thin and firm which provides perfect precision. Now, onto the color. In the bottle it appears to be an almost brown-gold, but on the nail it has a certain green-gold quality to it. It's a bold and unusual take on traditional gold polish, and I couldn't have asked for a better manicure to kick of the new year. The polish held up for the near week that I wore it, and the complexity of the color seemed to change constantly.

Rating: A

Holly by Zoya

Though my next color should have been Trina by Julep, I skipped ahead on my color wheel as a special Christmas treat to myself. My first experience with Zoya polish, Holly was a metallic green with breathtaking depth, and I could not have asked for a more perfect Christmas color. The Zoya brush was thin and easy to use, the polish went on thick enough for full coverage but not so thick that it would be difficult to apply, and this manicure stayed chip free for its entire duration. In order to really get into the holiday spirit I used a half moon manicure combining Holly with Glitzerland by OPI. This combination turned out to be one of my all-time favorites, and I was so sad to see this manicure go.

Rating: A+

Christina by Julep

Continuing on down the road of Julep, we have this complex metallic blood orange beauty. Though in the bottle it looks like a simple shimmery red, when painted on the nail Christina transformed into a color I just could not define. In some lights it was red, in others it was orange, and in the sunlight it truly came alive. Even though this manicure was rushed and thus a bit sloppy, I could countless compliments while sporting this on my nails. For being a color that came in a pre-grouped box, this one certainly managed to make me fall in love. 

Rating: A+

Kim by Julep

As you guys might remember, I recently enrolled in the Julep Maven program. When my first order finally arrived I was so excited to try out the colors, and Kim was first up to bat. On the nail the color becomes a dark silver, almost charcoal, metallic. This was perfect for me. I can't get enough metallic, but the classic silver metallic can sometimes appear juvenile and more often than not looks cheap. Julep's take on the color successfully avoided both pitfalls. My only complaint is that the brush is on the thicker side and therefore proved a bit unruly. Since I'd grown a little tired of just one color being on my nails I decided to spice this manicure up with a stripe of OPI's DS Magic across the top of my nail. This is a color I adore, but we'll get to that full review down the road. 

Rating: B-

Between the Sheets by Deborah Lippman

This was my first DL experience, and it could not have been more perfect. Let me start off buy saying this bottle shape and contoured top are visually incredible and my favorite by far. The brush itself is thin and easy to work with; overall the actual act of painting as refreshingly hassle free. The polish was thin but not opaque, and it remained chipped free for the entire manicure. I loved the color while I was wearing it and I'm loving it more every time I look at this picture. As you can probably tell, I am now a die-hard DL lover. 

Rating: A+

Custom Glitter Franken

Another one of my spur of the moment glitter concoctions, this combination of black, silver, and copper glitter turned out better then I'd hoped. I initially feared that the overwhelming black glitter would be too harsh, but I love the finished product. This picture shows three coats of the polish in direct sunlight. It reminds me a bit of OPI's Metallic 4 Life in the newest Nicki Manaj collection, but the glitter in mine is much more fine. 

Rating: B+

The Jungle Look by Ulta

The green is such an interesting shade. In the light, as seen in the picture, it has an almost shade or teal feel to it. Out of direct light it's much more the color of a Christmas tree. I love that it's so versatile. The coverage was great, it achieved this rich hue in just two coats, and Ulta has somehow managed to make their polishes feel ultra smooth once dry. On a side note, this picture is also evidence of my new experiment with nail length. I'm trying to let them get a little longer than I'm normally used to; we'll see how I like it. 

Rating: B

Mix & Match: Gold and Copper

After staring at my bottles of custom glitter for almost a full 24 hours, I caved and just had to try them out. I was already wearing Ulta's Gentle Ginger so the copper sparkles were a perfect fit. The polish applied easily, and the fine glitter didn't cause an uneven finish like some sparkly shades do. The mixture of copper and gold is so eye-catching, and I can't think of anything better to get me through these endless days of writing papers.

Another Day, Another Purchase

Today I got some bad news about my car (last night on my way home I noticed smoke pouring out of my engine, nbd). As per my usual, my first move was to buy myself a little pick-me-up. I have been dreaming of Deborah Lippman as of late, and I decided today was the day to take the plunge. Deborah's colors are gorgeous and unique, and the woman certainly knows her sparkles. I decided to go for colors I didn't have anything similar to already, and I ended up with these gems:

Between the Sheets

Supermodel

Along with all my purchases from this weekend, I cannot wait for these to come in. Everyone raves about the brand, and I'm excited to finally see what all the excitement is about.