Tag: surreal appeal

Dare to Compare | Comparing 5 Coral Nail Polishes

Happy Friday! Today’s nail polish comparison is going to be the biggest yet. I own five coral nail polishes that all look extremely similar in the bottle, and I just had to test them out together to see if any were dupes. Coral is the perfect shade to wear in the summertime, so I hope you’ll find these swatches helpful if you’re on the lookout for a coral shade. Let’s jump right into the individual reviews and side-by-side comparison!

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear – Coral Reef Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear – Coral ReefFirst up is Coral Reef from the Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear line. This is the most affordable polish of the bunch, and it also has one of the best formulas. Coral Reef is a bit on the watery side, but it applies smoothly and is opaque in two coats. If you’ve been following my blog since its beginning, you’ll know that I am a huge fan of the Xtreme Wear line. While some of the formulas are duds, most of them are excellent and can fit nearly any budget. Coral Reef is a great option!

Milani – Splendid Strawberry Milani – Splendid StrawberryNext up is Splendid Strawberry from Milani’s older nail polish collection that is now discontinued. Splendid Strawberry looks a bit more pink-toned in the bottle, but dries to a beautiful coral shade. This polish has a very good formula, but is again a bit on the watery side. I really like the flat brush that came in this Milani line, as it makes application easier than thicker brushes.

Milani Color Statement – Corrupted Coral Milani Color Statement – Corrupted CoralAnother polish from Milani is Corrupted Coral from its newer Color Statement line. Corrupted Coral’s formula is okay, but quite thick. I found that it dragged upon application, so make sure to let each coat dry completely before adding another layer. I also recommend thin coats as this polish can be very tacky.

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri – Peachy Breeze Sally Hansen Insta-Dri – Peachy BreezeThe next polish is Peachy Breeze from the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri line. Peachy Breeze is a go-to polish for me, and my most used coral polish for sure. The formula has gotten a bit tacky over time, but it is still easily workable. I applied two coats to achieve opacity, and as promised, this polish dried extremely quickly.

China Glaze – Surreal Appeal China Glaze – Surreal AppealLast but not least is China Glaze Surreal Appeal. This polish has a wonky formula. It is very watery, and then when it dries it becomes very uneven. I applied two coats in the photos above, and you can definitely see the uneven texture. I just don’t have much luck with the China Glaze brand!

Dare to Compare | Comparing 5 Coral Nail Polishes Dare to Compare | Comparing 5 Coral Nail PolishesIt’s time to look at all of these polishes together! I’m wearing a different polish on each finger in the photos above, and I think it is fair to say that these are all dupes for one another. I cannot tell a difference between these five shades! I can’t believe I own so many of the same polish color. That being said, I am going to declutter all but one of them. I will be keeping Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Peachy Breeze, because although the formula is not perfect, it is my favorite out of the bunch since it applies well and dries fast.

All in all, I can’t get over the fact that I had five coral nail polishes that are virtually identical in my collection! I hope you found this post helpful if you are looking to find a coral, or if you already own one of the above. Now you won’t be wondering if a polish is a dupe when nail polish shopping! Definitely let me know in the comments if you have a favorite coral shade. I would love to hear your polish picks!

Some of the products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Manicure March | China Glaze in Surreal Appeal

Happy Monday! We are in the home stretch for Manicure March, and today I’m revisiting the brand China Glaze. Earlier this month I tried Creative Fantasy, and found the formula to be quite bad. I wanted to test out another China Glaze in my collection to see how the formula compared. I love the shade of Surreal Appeal, but it’s not worth keeping if it has a bad formula. Let’s take a look at this bright nail polish!

China Glaze in Surreal Appeal China Glaze in Surreal AppealSurreal Appeal is a bright coral nail polish with a creme finish. The formula is good, but it is still a bit thicker and goopier than I would like. That being said, it’s not too challenging to work with, and I get a gorgeous finish in two opaque coats. I absolutely love the shade of Surreal Appeal. I’ve decided that I’m going to keep it in my collection for now, because I know this is a polish I will wear regularly. However, I’m going to see if I own another polish in this same color with a better formula. If I do, I will destash this one.

All in all, I’m glad I found a China Glaze polish in my collection with a beautiful color and decent formula. Surreal Appeal is so bright and fun, and makes me ready for the spring weather. Coral pinks are a go to shade for me in the warmer months for sure. I would love to know in the comments what nail polish colors you reach for once springtime is here. Do you wear polishes seasonally, or just based on your mood? Please share with me!

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!

Manicure Monday | China Glaze in Surreal Appeal

Happy Manicure Monday! Today I have another polish to share with you that I swatched during my great destash project. It’s no secret that I love pink nail polish. In fact, it’s the color of polish that I have the biggest variety of in my collection. I decided it was time to pare down my pink polishes, so I carefully picked out a few that I knew I had dupes of, or whose formulas just weren’t that great. I put China Glaze in Surreal Appeal aside, and decided to swatch it. I’m so glad I did! Let me show you this beautiful polish!

China Glaze  – Surreal Appeal China Glaze  – Surreal AppealSurreal Appeal is a neon pink polish that leans towards coral. The formula is excellent, applies smoothly, and is opaque in two coats. Surreal Appeal looks amazing with my skin tone, and I can’t believe I haven’t worn this more! I think it’s been about two years since I reached for this polish, but that’s due to the sheer volume of pinks I own. It got lost amongst all the other pretty bottles!

All in all, I am loving China Glaze in Surreal Appeal. Decluttering my nail polish collection is a slow process, and difficult for someone who is a collector and blogger. That being said, it’s refreshing to get rid of polishes that I’m not in love with, because now I can focus on the truly stunning ones like Surreal Appeal. You can purchase Surreal Appeal on Amazon HERE for around $6.00. I highly recommend you pick this one up for your stash!

This post contains an affiliate link. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

What’s Under There? Part Two

Happy Monday! Today I have another edition of What’s Under There? In this series I share with you some of the nail polishes I used as the base color for glitter manicures. You can see Part One of this series HERE, and make sure to stay tuned for new installments on a regular basis! Let me show you the polishes on today’s agenda.

 

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First up is Sally Hansen Complete Manicure in Barracuda, a beautiful pastel blue. Barracuda is a great polish that is opaque in two coats. The formula is spot on, and applies with ease. I layered Rainbow Polish in Tahitian Waters over Barracuda (see that post HERE), but it is beautiful on its own as well. The Complete Salon Manicure line is one of the more expensive collections from Sally Hansen, but it often goes on sale. Keep an eye on the weekly fliers and coupon inserts in the newspaper!

 

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Next up is Surreal Appeal from China Glaze, a vibrant red orange polish that leans towards pink. Surreal Appeal is from the Cirque du Soleil collection, and is the perfect color for summer. I needed three coats of this polish, as the formula was a bit uneven in two coats alone. Otherwise, Surreal Appeal is just a fabulous polish! I layered Different Dimension in Wish You Were Here over this polish in THIS review for a manicure with even more pop. You can find Surreal Appeal at your local beauty supple store, or on Amazon HERE (it is currently just $3.05, so snag it before the price goes up!).

 

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Last but not least is Zoya Arizona, a beautiful orange creme polish. I’ve wanted Arizona for the longest time, and when I tried it for the first time I understood why. This polish has a perfect formula that is opaque in two coats. The orange color is not too bright, but just a true orange. I used it as the base color for Different Dimension’s Comfortably Numb to create the neon look seen HERE. Arizona is such a flattering polish, and can be purchase on Zoya’s website HERE for $8.

All in all, these polishes are stunning on their own as well as layered with a glitter nail polish! I find that these shades are great for the spring and summer seasons as well, and are definitely fabulous and affordable. Let me know which of the three is your favorite!

 

Some of the links above are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.