Nail Polish Must-Haves

I cannot honestly remember the number of times I have been asked why I spend such a ridiculous amount of money on something as pointless as nail polish.

Recently, I’ve taken to cleaning and re-organising my nail polish collection. This involves giving away and throwing out a sizeable number from my, admittedly, much too large collection. So when I looked upon my newly organised bottles I could instantly see my ‘can’t live without’ few.

Of course everyone’s taste in colour cosmetics is different, especially in something as diverse as nail polish, but it’s always interesting to read about what makes others tick, so I’ve compiled a list of my personal favourites.

Reds: Honestly, I think reds, especially classic reds, are a huge hit or miss for most people. I personally detested red nail polish until I was 19! Now, I have to say it’s the colour I reach for the most. My favourite, and probably the most famous red in the beauty world would have to be Chanel ‘Dragon’ ($39), a classic, vintage red. A blue-based red, it flatters pretty much every skin-tone and can be worn with pretty much anything.

Darks: Dark colours are hit or miss. I’ve always adored the look of dark nails (funnily enough I’m not that partial to straight-up black nails…) in nearly every shade. I’m going to cheat here and name a few. Firstly, OPI’s ‘Black Cherry Chutney’ ($19.95), a gorgeous blackened burgundy with purple and gold microshimmer, Essie’s ’Masquerade Belle’ ($18.95), a dark red crème with brown undertones and China Glaze’ ‘Lubu Heels’($18.95), fine red glitter in a black jelly base.

Chunky Glitters: Recently we’ve seen the return of chunky glitters to the fingertips of nail polish enthusiasts everywhere. Chunky glitters are perfect for dressing up outfits, adding that extra bling element that ordinary nail polishes cannot quite ever achieve and doubling up as a great accessory to boot. I don’t think anyone can look past Deborah Lippman’s ‘Happy Birthday’ for this particular category. However a more accessible version of this can be found in OPI’s recently released ‘Rainbow Connection’ ($19.95). Both are stunning, multi-sized rainbow glitter particles in a clear base.

Blues: I think my personal biases will definitely show in this category. Nearly every shade of blue manages to find its way into my collection, resulting in my ownership of a number of shades that look pretty much identical. Luckily for blue-lovers out there, blue nail polish has been quite trendy recently, with many brands churning out some exquisite blues. My favourites have to be the Chanel ‘Les Jeans’ collection, a trio of blues varying from a darker teal to a royal blue to a gorgeous shimmery sky-blue ($39 each).

Of course, I must finish this article with the standard disclaimer; there really are no rules when it comes to wearing nail polish. Match it to the seasonal trends, your clothes, your makeup or disregard all these matters when choosing a colour, it doesn’t look strange to wear a dark colour mid-summer, nor does a neutral toned outfit look wrong with a neon nail. In the end it’s the versatility and choice that really gets to us nail polish addicts. And of course the constant stream of new releases that we just have to try.

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