Butter London in Scrumptious

Brand: Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer-Vernis

Shade: Scrumptious
(magenta purple color, glossy finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
I'm loving this shade for Feb. I feel like red is too racy (and predictable), pink is too sweet. This dark magenta color feels sophisticated. Scrumptious, indeed!

Butter London in Cool Britannia

Brand: Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer-Vernis

Shade: Cool Britannia
(blue black color, glossy finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
I'm always a fan of a dark nail. I love Butter too. And, it's nice that they make mini sizes that are less expensive than the biggies (though I generally buy them in packs, so that kinda defeats the purpose). What I didn't love was how this stained my nails REALLY badly when I took it off... Mr Clean Magic Eraser to the rescue!

Maybelline in Dust of Bronze & Mosaic Prison

Brand: Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer

Shades: Dust of Bronze & Mosaic Prison
(bronze brown color with sheer metallic and glitter finish)

Cost: $

The Scoop:
This is a pretty combo, and this brand is super cheap so splurge and get them both. Then your hands will look extra special when you ask the person sitting next to you at Thanksgiving to pass the cranberry sauce. And yes, I mean the kind from the can. We're being frugal, right?!

Butter London in Mum's the Word

Brand: Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer-Vernis

Shade: Mum's the Word
(mauve nude color, glossy finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
You know I don't love nude shades that make my fingers look like mannequin hands. So I'm not crazy about this one. But my nails are short right now. And I guess it looks clean -- if you're made of plastic.

Julep in Darby

Brand: Julep Nail Color

Shade: Darby
(dark emerald green color, shimmer finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
This shade is a good way to get into the spirit of St. Patrick's Day without looking like a leprechaun barfed on your nails. I took this pic about 5 days after painting my nails, so you see its rubbing off on the ends, but no chips.  Talk about luck!

Orly in Saturated

Brand: Orly Nail Lacquer

Shade: Saturated
(electric deep purple color, glossy finish)

Cost: $$

The Scoop:
I thought purple would be a nice switch from blue, but all it made me do is wish I was wearing blue. Know what will make me feel better? Turkey. And stuffing. And taters. That's something to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving!

Ten Over Ten in Commerce

Brand: Ten Over Ten Five-Free Nail Polish

Shade: Commerce
(ink blue color, glossy finish)

Cost: $$$$

The Scoop:
No matter how many shades I try, I always come back to navy. In honor of the NYC marathon, I went with this brand. Each color is named after a downtown NYC street. Even the salons feel like you're in someone's apartment. Expensive, but good.

Sally Hansen in Birthday Suit & Halloween Nailthins

Brand: Sally Hansen Miracle Gel

Shade: Birthday Suit & Top Coat, plus Halloween Bat Nailthins
(beige-nude color, glossy finish, black bat)

Cost: $$$ (for the polish + the gel topcoat) and $ (for the appliques)

The Scoop:
I get to do some cool stuff at work.  Tomorrow, I'll throw an elegantly spooky Halloween party. We'll be doing bat-icures for our guests, so of course I had to try it for myself. Loved Sally, liked the Nailthins, but they're a bit hard to apply and look better from afar.

Covergirl in Emerald Blaze

Brand: Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss

Shade: Emerald Blaze
(mossy green iridescent color, metallic finish)

Cost: $$

The Scoop:
I got a lot of compliments on this one -- it was green in some lights and brownish in others. A nice fall shade.

Sally Hansen in City Slicker

Brand: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Color

Shade: City Slicker
(purple color, glossy finish)

Cost: $

The Scoop:
I got this grapey shade after seeing a similar one on a colleague during a meeting.  It looked better on her.  But it did dry fast!

Sally Hansen in Beatnik

Brand: Sally Hansen Miracle Gel

Shade: Beatnik & Gel Top Coat
(royal blue color with glossy finish, and clear gel finish)

Cost: $$$ (for the polish + gel top coat)

The Scoop:
At work, we held an event for New York Fashion Week sponsored by Sally Hansen with their whole line of Miracle Gel polishes available for manis. I fell in love with this shade and ran right out to buy it. They say it lasts up to 2 weeks, I'm at 9 days with almost no chips, proving strength is always in fashion.

CND in Sugar & Spice

Brand: CND Vinylux Weekly Polish

Shade: Sugar & Spice
(bronze gold color, metallic finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
This polish is supposed to get stronger with exposure to natural light. Apparently you are also supposed to use a special topcoat (which I neglected to buy). I don't know about you, but I'm getting kinda tired of having to buy these multi step polishes because each one is a different mix. Still, I like the shade.

OPI in Peace & Love & OPI

Brand: OPI Nail Lacquer

Shade: Peace & Love & OPI
(gray, purple & green iridescent color, metallic finish)

Cost: $$

The Scoop:
This is a fun one because it's a different color in every light. The photo doesn't do it justice. Purple in sunlight, green in fluorescent light, and gray pretty much everywhere else -- it's like a mood ring for your nails!

Zoya in Neve

Brand: Zoya Professional Lacquer

Shade: Neve
(navy blue color, subtle shimmer finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
Today's my birthday and navy's my favorite nail polish shade, sooo... here's a good one to help soften the blow of turning 42. Make a wish!

Butter London in Prince's Plum

Brand: Butter London 3-Free Nail Lacquer Vernis

Shade: Prince's Plum
(deep purple shade, metallic finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
This photo doesn't do this regal shade justice.  It's purple in some lights and blue in others. I'm not totally sure I like it, but I want you to have all the facts. This one's a mini, just like the prince.

Julep in Marion

Brand: Julep Nail Color

Shade: Marion
(teal green color, silver shimmer finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
I picked this one because Marion sounds like an Irish name to me, but this isn't the quintessential green St. Patty's (Paddy's?) Day shade. And I like that it has a hit of silver mixed in for a shimmer in the light.

Avon in Deluxe Chocolate

Brand: Avon Nailwear Pro+ Nail Enamel

Shade: Deluxe Chocolate
(deep brown color, metallic finish)

Cost: $

The Scoop:
I never understand how Avon can sell their makeup so inexpensively. Here's another example where their quality is just as good as polishes 3x the price. Definitely some chocolate you won't feel guilty about.

Zoya in Toni

Brand: Zoya Professional Lacquer

Shade: Toni
(merlot red wine color, glossy finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
This is a beautiful, rich shade. I usually prefer a deeper red to a brighter one because it's more sophisticated and this one's a winner.

Avon in Midnight Green

Brand: Avon Nailwear Pro Nail Enamel

Shade: Midnight Green
(forest green color, shimmer finish)

Cost: $

The Scoop:
For the cost, Avon polishes are great. I love deep green as an alternative to my first love, navy blue. I do wish this one lasted longer -- I had to touch it up twice during the week.

Essie in Wicked

Brand: Essie Nail Lacquer

Shade: Wicked
(oxblood red shade, glossy finish)

Cost: $$

The Scoop:
Wicked was Essie's color of the month for October, so I fished this one out of the archives (see, it's so old, the logo isn't even white!).  It looks brown-ish in this picture, but it's a deep shade of red, kind of like dried blood. Perfect for Halloween, no?