milani – Adventures in Polishland

Tag: milani

2018 Nail Polish Project Pan | Nail Polish I Want to Use Up This Year

Posted on February 13, 2018May 24, 2018 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! I recently did another round of decluttering my nail polish collection, and I found a few polishes that I’ve used up quite a bit. It inspired me to do a Project Pan with some nail polish this year! If you are new to the concept of a Project Pan, it is when you pick some products in your beauty collection to focus on using for a specific period of time. My goal is to empty the polishes in this blog post by the end of the year! Let me show you the seven nail polishes I picked for my 2018 Project Pan!

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

Please note that I used a black marker to draw a line on each product so I can see my progress throughout the year.

Ruffian Nail Lacquer in Hedge Fund

One of the polishes that inspired this project is Hedge Fund, a gorgeous army green with a metallic gold shimmer. This is one of my all-time favorite nail polishes, and I’ve used about a third of the bottle already! I want to use this up because I don’t think this nail polish is vegan, and this polish is also discontinued. I will probably focus on this polish a lot during the fall.

Julep in Susie

I also have another green polish in my project, this time a mint green from Julep. Susie is one of the first Julep polishes I ever owned, and I absolutely love it. Now that I’ve owned it for almost six years (wow!), I think it’s time to finish this up once and for all. It should be easy to empty this, as the bottle is small and I’ve already used about one third of it.

Julep in Brandt

I am also including the Julep shade Brandt from the Fall 2012 Trina Turk Collection. This is a beautiful off-black nail polish, and I feel like I haven’t used it because I am saving it. However, this is such an old polish that I’m ready to enjoy what’s left of it. I might use this polish a bit this winter, but this is another one I will focus on in the fall.

Zoya in Arizona

I wanted to include a Zoya nail polish, so I went for the one mini polish I have in Arizona. This is a bright orange cream, and I think I can get a lot of use out of this in the summer. Arizona will be a bit of a challenge since it is almost full, but I think I can do it!

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics in Grandma

The next polish is also a fun and bright shade in Grandma from Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. I love this nail polish, but I also own another one in my collection that is nearly identical. Since this polish is quite old, and I’ve already used a bit of it, I decided to include it in this project.

Milani in White

Similarly, I own two bottles of white nail polish, so I’m including one of them in this project. My favorite white of all time is Fantom from the brand LVX. Thus, I’m holding onto that one and hoping to use up this white from Milani. It is going to be a challenge to empty this nail polish, but I’m hoping to wear it in combination with other polishes to get some good use out of it.

Milani in Blue Jay

Last but not least is another Milani polish in Blue Jay. I also tend to hoard blue polishes, so it’s time to use up one of them. I absolutely love this polish, but it’s from an old and discontinued collection, so it’s time for it to go. I chose this shade of blue because it is a bit more muted than many of the others in my collection, so I think that makes it more wearable for any time of year.

That wraps up my introductory post for my 2018 Nail Polish Project Pan! I’m so excited to see if I can empty these seven polishes by the end of the year. I also think this will be a great learning opportunity for me, as I get to see how much use I can get from a single bottle of nail polish. I will make sure to check in a few times throughout this year to let you know how my project is going!

Join my Project Pan by using the hashtag #PolishlandProjectPan on social media!

Disappointing Beauty Products | Fall 2016

Posted on November 21, 2016November 19, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I want to share with you some beauty products that disappointed me this fall. While it’s fun to share my favorite things with you every month, I think it’s also really helpful to share the products that didn’t quite work for me. As always, it’s worth mentioning that while I don’t like these products, that doesn’t mean they won’t work for you! We all have different skin types, hair textures, and product preferences, so I will do my best to point out when I think a product’s qualities will be effective for someone other than myself. Without further ado, let’s jump right into the disappointing beauty products!

HAIR

The Body Shop Rainforest Moisture Hair Butter [BUY]

First up is a hair butter I purchased from The Body Shop. My hair type is really strange, and it’s difficult to find products that work for me. My scalp and hair are dry, but my hair also gets oily really easily. I thought the Rainforest Moisture Hair Butter would help to keep my hair moisturized, but unfortunately it is way too heavy for my thin hair. I experimented with this product, sometimes leaving it on for two minutes and others leaving it on for the suggested five. No matter what, my hair was always left with a really weird feeling that I didn’t like. Unless you have really, really dry hair, I’m not sure this product is worth the hefty price tag.

Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo [BUY]

My hunt for the perfect drugstore dry shampoo continues. This one from Not Your Mother’s really baffles me! I used a travel size one during my trip to Los Angeles, and I really enjoyed it, so I bought the full size when I got home. For some reason, it doesn’t work for me at all anymore! Clean Freak is supposed to instantly absorb excess oils, leave no residue, and give fresh volume to the hair. What I do like is that there is no white residue left on my hair when I use this product. Unfortunately, that is the only good thing about it! It doesn’t absorb oils, and instead it weighs down my hair and makes it look worse than it did in the first place. Basically, I feel like this dry shampoo does absolutely nothing for me.

SKINCARE

The Body Shop Seaweed Pore-Cleansing Facial Exfoliator [BUY]

Next up is a facial exfoliant that I also feel is quite ineffective. When I buy a face scrub, I want it to clean my pores and remove dead skin cells from my face. At first, I really liked this Seaweed exfoliator. It leaves my face feeling really clean and soft. However, I noticed that it does not remove the dead skin cells on my face at all! I still have a lot of dry patches when I use this product. Plus, it smells really weird. I’ll probably use up this bottle, but I will not be repurchasing it. I do recommend this if you want a really gentle scrub.

MAKEUP

Milani EasyBrow Automatic Pencil [BUY]

I am always on the hunt for my perfect brow product, and unfortunately the Milani EasyBrow is not the one! I was drawn to purchase this because of the spoolie brush on the end (I’m a sucker for any brow product that includes a spoolie). While I do really enjoy the color match and staying power of this pencil, my issue is that I cannot get a precise line with it. The formula is very waxy and the pencil is soft, so getting a nicely shaped brow is difficult for me. My brows are very sparse, and I need to fill them in a lot to get my desired look. Thus, if you only need a bit of added definition, this product may work well for you.

ELF HD Lifting Concealer in Adjusting [BUY]

I’ve had my ups and downs with this color-correcting concealer from ELF. This was my first foray into color-correcting, so at first I thought this product was amazing. However, the more I use this concealer, the more I see its flaws. I purchased it to help cover the redness in my skin, but I find my skin absorbs the green pigmentation and the redness still shows through my final foundation routine. I’m glad I tested out this product, but I’m not happy with the results.

ELF Smudge Pot in Ain’t That Sweet [BUY]

I got this cream eyeshadow as a free gift with my last ELF purchase. I knew this particular shadow wouldn’t be a favorite of mine because it is a pink glittery shade, but I was excited to see what the formula was like. I’m sad to report that the formula is not well done. Not only is the shadow extremely sheer, but it gathers and clumps when I attempt to apply it. The shadow also flakes off and contains some chunky glitter. This is just not a product I can recommend to anyone!

ELF Volumizing & Defining Mascara in Jet Black [BUY]

Last but not least is my biggest disappointment of the bunch. I has such high hopes for this mascara from ELF, but it let me down. This mascara is very thick and heavy, and leaves my lashes really crispy. The worst thing, though, is this mascara gives me the uni-lash! In other words, my lashes all stick together in one bunch. That is just not okay with me. I tried to make it through the three month time period for this mascara, but I can’t do it. I’m happy to toss this now!

That wraps up all of my beauty product disappointments for the fall 2016 season. I hope you found this helpful if you were curious about any of these products. As I mentioned at the beginning, just because I don’t like these products doesn’t mean they won’t be beneficial for someone else. I still love shopping from all of these brands, but sometimes there are a few duds. Here’s to discovering the next awesome beauty product!

Have you tried any of these products? Let me know how they worked for you!

This post includes affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

My Recent Manicures | October 2016

Posted on October 12, 2016October 11, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I wanted to share with you some of the nail polishes I’ve worn lately. I’ll be completely honest when I say that I haven’t worn nail polish much at all for the past two or so years. I would swatch polish for this blog, but not wear it in real life. I just got out of the habit of painting my nails! I really wanted to start wearing nail polish again, so that’s why I spent the time going through and decluttering my collection (you can learn more about that HERE). It is now so much easier for me to find a nail polish in my stash, and I’ve been having so much fun painting my nails! Let me show you the recent manicures I’ve worn so far this October.

First up is Milani Cosmetics High Speed Fast Dry Nail Polish in the shade Rapid Orchid. I was in the mood for a dark purple nail polish, and this was what I found in my collection. I really enjoyed this line from Milani, and it turns out that it is vegan while the new Milani polishes currently in stores are not. I also find it interesting that when I was decluttering my collection, my older Milanis held up a lot better than the newer ones. Unfortunately you cannot purchase this exact polish any longer, but Zoya Casey appears to be a similar option. I wore Rapid Orchid for about a week, and even reapplied it when I found a few chips. I love this deep purple shade!

My love for dark nail polish continued with LVX in Dahlia. This is a deep red-toned polish with a jelly formula. I did need three coats because this polish is a bit sheer, but I don’t mind that at all. I don’t own many polishes from LVX because it is a more expensive brand at $18 per bottle. However, I absolutely love this brand and its high quality shades. Dahlia is beyond stunning, and I highly recommend picking it up on the LVX website HERE.

Last but not least is Zoya in the shade Taylor. I had every intention to put on another dark nail polish today, but when I took a look inside my stash I changed my mind and went for a lighter shade. Taylor is still perfect for fall because it is a warm-toned polish in a cozy beige shade. The formula is really nice, and I layered on three coats for a perfect finish. I haven’t been wearing top coat lately, so that’s why I’m being a bit more particular with the finish of each polish. Taylor is really close to my skin tone, so I find it looks really sophisticated on my nails.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my recent manicures! I think this type of post is a fun way for me to share about my nail polish adventures, because I can tell you how I decided on wearing each polish, give you an update on the formula, etc. I hope to put one of these together once per month, or maybe once every other month, depending on how often I paint my nails. Please let me know in the comments if you enjoyed seeing my recent manicures, and also share what’s been on your nails so far this month!

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

Milani Power Lip Gloss Stain in Macaroon Review | $1.99 T.J. Maxx Find

Posted on August 26, 2016August 17, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! I recently went to my local T.J. Maxx store to pick up a bottle of dry shampoo, and decided to browse through the beauty section to see if there were any other goodies worth purchasing. I did grab some cleansing wipes from the brand Avalon Organics to try, but on the way to the checkout I spotted some Milani products! I’ve never tried the Milani Power Lip line before, and the shade Macaroon looked really pretty. It was just $1.99, so I decided to buy it as well. Let me share my thoughts on this product with you, as well as some swatches.

Milani Power Lip is a really unique lip product that is part gloss and part stain. It is designed to have a non-drying formula that is also long-lasting. I was drawn in by the gorgeous color on the packaging, and thought it would be a nice shade to wear during the day.

Probably the most interesting aspect of this product is the applicator. This is a twist-up product with a brush at the end. I wasn’t really thrilled with this applicator at first, but I must admit the brush is really soft and the application is surprisingly user friendly. My tip in using this applicator is not cranking out too much product at once. Less is more with Power Lip!

Milani really nailed the description of gloss stain with this product! The Power Lip almost feels like a liquid lipstick, because it has an opaque yet super glossy appearance. While I did notice that the Power Lip sticks to any dry patches on the lips, the formula otherwise feels quite creamy and hydrating. If you do have dry lips, simply use a lip scrub before application.

The shade Macaroon is a true pink color. It is a bit brighter than I normally wear, and I was hoping for more of a peachy-nude undertone. However, I think the shade does look quite nice on me, and I hope to step outside my comfort zone and wear this often. I definitely appreciate how comfortable the product is during wear, and how the staining properties of the formula leave a nice tint to the lips as the actual gloss wears off throughout the day.

All in all, I’m really glad I found this Milani Power Lip Gloss Stain at T.J. Maxx! I think this is a fabulous and affordable lip product, and I am excited to wear it more. Unfortunately, the Power Lip appears to be discontinued since it is no longer listed on Milani’s website. Make sure to check out your local T.J. Maxx to see if you can score any at a discounted price! Please let me know in the comments if you’ve found anything exciting at your local T.J. Maxx or discount store!

Dare to Compare | Milani Mauve Medley vs Milani Color Statement Mauving Forward

Posted on July 27, 2016July 3, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I am excited to try out two Milani nail polishes side-by-side to see if they are duplicates. I’ve noticed while decluttering my nail polish collection that many of my nail polishes from Milani are very similar in shade. This is completely understandable, as Milani revamped its entire nail polish line a few years ago. Nonetheless, I don’t need to keep polishes if they are the same shade. Let me share two mauve polishes with you and let you which I’m keeping!

First up is Milani in the shade Mauve Medley, a deep mauve that leans towards a brown shade. Mauve Medley has a good formula, but it is a bit on the streaky side. It does even out well in two opaque coats, and is very rich in pigmentation. Mauve Medley is not a nail polish shade that I reach for, but it is a beautiful polish.

Next up is Mauving Forward from Milani’s current Color Statement line. Mauving Forward is a lighter mauve shade with purple undertones. This polish has a good formula that is opaque in two coats. It applies smoothly and has a very rich pigmentation. Mauving Forward is a great neutral polish for everyday wear!

Here is a side-by-side look at these two polishes, with Mauve Medley on my pinky and ring fingers and Mauving Forward on my middle and pointer fingers. It is clear that these polishes are not exact dupes, and are instead quite different in shade. Yes, they are both mauve shades, but Mauve Medley is quite darker than Mauving Forward. That being said, I’ve decided to declutter both of these nail polishes. I just never reach for a mauve shade, and there is no reason to keep these if I’m not wearing them.

All in all, I’m glad I tested out these polishes together to discover that they are actually a bit different despite both being mauve shades! While Mauve Medley is no longer available for purchase, you can pick up Mauving Forward at your local drugstore or on Milani’s website HERE. Please let me know in the comments if you have a favorite mauve nail polish, or if you prefer to wear another neutral shade!

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

Dare to Compare | Comparing 4 Bright Pink Nail Polishes

Posted on July 20, 2016June 7, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! I told you in my last Dare to Compare post that my love for pink polishes is strong, and bright pink is one of my favorite shades to wear. In fact, one of my first ever Dare to Compare posts back in 2013 featured three bright pink polishes (read it HERE). Today I have four more polishes to compare with all of you. I’ll be reviewing each polish individually, and swatching them side-by-side to see the colors together.

First up is Hot Pink Rage from Milani’s Color Statement line. Hot Pink Rage has a perfect formula that is opaque in one coat! I did apply two in the photos above to see if I could achieve a richer pigmentation, but one coat is definitely all you need. Hot Pink Rage is definitely a deeper pink in shade, while still being very bright.

Next up is Raspberry Delight from Milani’s older nail polish line that is now discontinued. Raspberry Delight has a good formula, but it did get a bit streaky during application. I applied two coats for opacity, and I can see some uneven texture in the finish. This is a gorgeous pink, and a bit lighter in shade than Hot Pink Rage. Raspberry Delight does have a very subtle shimmer in the bottle, but I can’t see it on my nails at all.

Tickled Pink from Covergirl is up next, another polish I’ve owned for several years now. Tickled Pink has an amazing formula that is opaque in two coats. It applies really smoothly, and just looks amazing on my nails. I’ve had great luck with Covergirl polishes, and Tickled Pink is one of my favorites!

Last but not least is Nice Gal Peony from Priti NYC. Nice Gal Peony also has an excellent formula. It applies well and is opaque in two coats, and just so pretty! I also like that this polish is made in the USA by a smaller brand. I do take those things into consideration when buying products, because it’s always nice to support companies in my own country.

Here is a look at all four polishes together. From left to right are: Milani Color Statement in Hot Pink Rage, Milani in Raspberry Delight, Covergirl in Tickled Pink, and Priti NYC in Nice Gal Peony. It is obvious from the comparison that these polishes are not exact duplicates for one another despite being very similar. Hot Pink Rage and Tickled Pink are almost dupes, but they are slightly different. It’s so difficult for me to declutter any of these polishes, because they all have such great formulas. However, there is no need for me to keep all four, so I’m letting go of Raspberry Delight and Tickled Pink.

All in all, I’m surprised that these bright pink polishes are more different in shade than I first anticipated! Sometimes the way a polish looks in the bottle is not exactly how it dries on the nails. That is certainly the case with some of these pink shades! As always, I would love to know what bright pink polishes are your favorites. Please share in the comments!

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.

Dare to Compare | Comparing 5 Coral Nail Polishes

Posted on July 15, 2016June 6, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

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!

First 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!

Next 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.

Another 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.

The 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.

Last 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!

It’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.

Dare to Compare | Milani Color Statement Cupcake Icing vs Milani Cupid’s Touch

Posted on July 13, 2016June 4, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today’s nail polish comparison features two nail polishes from the same brand. Milani Cosmetics relaunched its nail polish line a couple years back, and understandably many of the nail polishes are quite similar from the brand’s old line. I wanted to test out two polishes that appeared very similar in the bottle. That way if you own the original polish, there is no need for you to purchase the new version. Let me show you Cupcake Icing and Cupid’s Touch both individually and side-by-side.

First up is Cupcake Icing from the Color Statement line, the range currently in drugstores. Cupcake Icing is a blue-toned pink polish and has a great formula. It applies well and it opaque in two coats. I think this shade of polish looks good on everyone no matter the skin tone. It is also work appropriate as it is just a step away from a neutral polish.

Next up is Cupid’s Touch from Milani’s older nail polish line. Cupid’s Touch is also a blue-toned pink, and has the same great formula of Cupcake Icing. I never reach for this polish, but I really like how it looks on me as I’m typing up this blog post. I’m going to have to make an effort to wear it more often!

Here is a look at Cupcake Icing and Cupid’s Touch side-by-side. Can you tell a difference between the polishes? I can’t! It appears that Milani rebottled Cupid’s Touch for its newer nail polish line. That is completely understandable, as a relaunch will inevitably include some older polishes. I do find it interesting that the polish name was changed, but perhaps that was a marketing technique. Whatever the reason, it is not necessary to purchase Cupcake Icing if you already own Cupid’s Touch. I will be decluttering one of these polishes, and I think I’ll keep Cupid’s Touch since it can’t be purchased any longer.

All in all, I hope you found this post helpful whether you were looking for a dupe of Cupid’s Touch or you simply enjoy comparisons! Let me know in the comments how you feel about rebottled nail polishes. In this case the rebottling makes sense to me, because Milani revamped its entire nail polish line. I would also love to know if you own a blue-toned pink polish and if you wear it often.

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

Dare to Compare | Milani Popping Pink vs Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fuchsia Flare

Posted on July 8, 2016June 3, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! I am so excited for today’s Dare to Compare post because I’m sharing two of my favorite pink nail polishes. Pink polishes are definitely one of my most owned in my collection. I think it’s because bright pink looks great on me, and it goes with almost everything. Even though I wear it quite often, there is no reason for me to hoard multiple bottles of the same color. Thus, it’s time to test out Milani Popping Pink and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fuchsia Flare together to see if it’s necessary to own both.

First up is Milani in the shade Popping Pink, a bright pink polish with peachy undertones. Popping Pink has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. It can be a bit streaky, but it evens out well. Popping Pink is a discontinued nail polish, so that always makes it difficult to declutter a polish. When I know I can never but it again, I always feel the need to keep it!

Next up is Fuchsia Flare from the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Collection. Fuchsia Flare is one of my most worn nail polishes for sure. The formula can be a bit streaky, but it is opaque in two coats and dries insanely quickly. In fact, I once applied this mere minutes before I had to meet a friend, and it didn’t smudge or ding once on my subway trip. Fuchsia Flare is my old faithful!

Here are the polishes side-by-side, with Popping Pink on my pinky and ring fingers and Fuchsia Flare on my middle and pointer fingers. It is very difficult to see any difference between the polishes in the photos, but in person Popping Pink is just slightly more peach-toned than Fuchsia Flare. Nonetheless, these polishes are nearly identical and there is no reason for me to own both! While I love both these polishes, I am going to declutter Popping Pink. I am sold by Fuchsia Flare’s quick dry formula!

All in all, I’m glad I tested out these polishes together to discover a near dupe for all of you! I know Popping Pink is discontinued, but you might still be able to find Fuchsia Flare at your local drugstore. Definitely let me know in the comments what your favorite bright pink nail polish is! I am always happy to learn your nail polish loves both here and on social media.

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

Dare to Compare | Milani Vivid Violet vs Milani Purple Martin

Posted on June 15, 2016May 10, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today’s nail polish comparison is going to be an interesting one because we are looking at two polishes from the same brand. I own two Milani polishes from past limited edition collections, and I noticed that they look quite similar in the bottle. I thought this would be a good opportunity to try them both and see if they are exact duplicates. Let me show you these polishes individually and side-by-side.

First up is Vivid Violet from the Gold Label collection released in January 2014. Vivid Violet has a great formula that applies smoothly and is opaque in two coats. I love this purple shade, because it’s somewhere between a true purple and a pastel.

Next up is Purple Martin from the Fantastical Plumage collection that was released in August 2013. Purple Martin has the same great formula of Vivid Violet, and applies smoothly in two coats. I love how this shade of purple looks with my skin tone!

Here is a look at Vivid Violet and Purple Martin side-by-side. Can you tell the difference between these polishes? I certainly cannot! These appear to be the exact same polish. In fact, I’m pretty sure Vivid Violet is just Purple Martin rebottled. I think this is very interesting, especially considering both of these are Milani polishes from limited edition collections. On the one hand, this is great that if you missed a limited edition polish, it becomes available again. However, I also feel disappointed that we don’t always get new and exciting polishes in every release.

All in all, I’m glad I tested out these polishes to find out about exact duplicates. I’m going to be keeping Purple Martin in my collection, since I really love the Fantastical Plumage collection as a whole. I definitely want to hear from you in the comments. Do you think brands should rebottle nail polishes and pass them off as different shades? I fully recognize that it’s not possible to constantly come out with unique shades, but I would like some transparency. I’m sure this is something that happens all the time, but goes unnoticed because most of us don’t own every polish from a brand. Share your thoughts with me on this topic, as I think we can have a great discussion!

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