Essie in Roarrrrange

Brand: Essie Nail Lacquer

Shade: Roarrrrange
(reddish orange color, glossy finish)

Cost: $$

The Scoop:
I kinda love this one -- it's like Cinco de Mayo in a bottle. It's easy to find a good margarita.  It's hard to find a good orange. Wear this one to your next fiesta.

Ulta in Sun of a Gun

Brand: Ulta Professional Nail Lacquer

Shade: Sun of a Gun
(rich orange color, glossy finish)

Cost: $$

The Scoop:
I don't typically love Ulta polishes.  But we have some big meetings for work in LA this week, and our color is orange, so this shade was perfect.

OPI in I Eat Mainely Lobster

Brand: OPI Nail Lacquer

Shade: I Eat Mainely Lobster
(coral orange color, glossy finish)

Cost: $$

The Scoop:
This shade is a clambake in a bottle (and is more neon IRL than it looks here). It's bright and sunny and you won't get sand in your suit. Only thing is it wasn't shiny enough for me out of the bottle so plan on a topcoat. Think of it as sunscreen!

Sally Hansen in Crushed

Brand: Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Color

Shade: Crushed
(traffic cone orange color, metallic finish)

Cost: $$

The Scoop:
Summer has unofficially started, so it's time to show those pasty fingers and toes the sun! Only a bright color will do. Though, as much as I love Sally, this might not be the one. If it wasn't metallic, it could be great. But it is. So it's just kind of...cheap.  Color me crushed.

Butter London in Kerfuffle

Brand: Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer-Vernis

Shade: Kerfuffle
(pale peach color, glossy finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
I just love this name. It says troublemaker -- like causing a commotion, but in a lighthearted kind of way. What I don't like is this shade. It's just not me. It makes me think of perms and power suits in the 80's. But the name is pretty great!

Sally Hansen in Fiery Island

Brand: Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure

Shade: Fiery Island
(coral orange color, glossy finish)

Cost: $$

The Scoop:
This is a great shade to celebrate the last days of summer.  It went on my fingers AND toes.

Nails Inc in Kensington Square

Brand: Nails Inc Gel Effect Polish

Shade: Kensington Square
(neon orange color, glossy finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:
I'm trying a bunch of at home gel polishes, and when I ordered this, it looked more red than orange. It is, in fact, like a traffic cone. It was pretty shiny, though, went on in just 1 step, stayed put the whole week, and was relatively easy to remove. So, a winner!

Next Shade: Nailtini in Vintage Fizz

Wet N Wild in Sunny Side Up

Brand: Wet N Wild, Wild Shine Nail Color

 

Shade: Sunny Side Up

(bright orange color, glossy finish)

 

Cost: $

 

The Scoop:
The winter in New York was really horrible, so now that the weather is starting to get a little nicer, I'm pulling out the bright shades.  This cheerful one lived up to its promise, it was definitely shiny without a top coat.

 

Next Shade: Deborah Lippmann in Rolling in the Deep

Revlon in Bubble & Charmed

Brand: Revlon Top Speed Fast Dry Nail Enamel

Shades: Bubble & Charmed

(hot pink color with glossy finish, bright orange color with shimmer finish)

Cost: $

The Scoop:

Our company sales conference was this week, so I chose these shades to show some team spirit on my fingertips.  Plus, it was in Scottsdale, AZ so this seemed like the kind of color you should wear when palm trees are involved. It went on thick with the first coat, but dried pretty quickly, as the name would indicate. Overall, the perfect look for this occasion.

Next Shade: Avon in Dozen Roses

Sephora in Grapefruit

Brand: Sephora Scented Nail Polish

Shade: Grapefruit

(neon coral color with glossy finish, and sheer gold color with micro-glitter finish)

Cost: $$

The Scoop:

This is one loud color.  I'm not sure why they call this scented.  It doesn't smell like anything but nail polish.  And I really dislike these 2-sided bottles -- they're top-heavy when you're painting your nails, you have to be so careful that you don't spill.  I will say, I like the glitter shade but overall, not really a fan.

Next Shade: Victoria's Secret in Steel the Scene

Ruffian in Fox Hunt

 

Brand: Ruffian Nail Lacquer Crowdsourced Collection

 

Shade: Fox Hunt

(bright orange, metallic finish)

 

Cost: $$$

 

The Scoop:
You can call off the hunt, my search for the perfect orange is over.  This came in my last Birchbox -- Ruffian is their exclusive runway-inspired line.  I love it when they stick a little nail polish in there for me.  That, and chocolate.  They know me so well...

 

Next Shade: Sonia Kashuk in Sugar Rush

Holiday Nail Looks & Video How-To's

(Note: This is a sponsored post for SheKnows Experts Among Us, the nails are all my own.)

To celebrate the launch of the new beauty counters at Kohl's in almost 300 stores, I've created 3 video manicure tutorials -- perfect for the holidays. 

 

Brand: Amanda Knight Colour Couture Get the Look Nail Art Set

Shades: Coral & Gold Glitter

(coral orange color with glossy finish, gold with glitter finish)

Cost: $$$

Check out this video how-to:
 

 

Brand: Amanda Knight Colour Couture Get the Look Nail Art Set

Shades: Purple & Multicolor Beads

(electric purple color with metallic finish, pastel caviar pearls with textured finish)

 

Cost: $$$

Check out this video how to:
 

 

Brand: Amanda Knight Colour Couture Get the Look Nail Art Set

Shades: Silver & Blue Glitter

(silver color with metallic finish, royal blue loose glitter)

Cost: $$$

Check out this video how-to:
 

 

Avon in Saturn & Gold Glimmer

Brand: Avon Cosmic Nail Enamel & Mosaic Effects Top Coat

Shades: Saturn & Gold Glimmer

(terracotta color with shimmer finish & gold metallic color with crackle finish)

Cost: $

The Scoop:

It's kind of crazy to me how inexpensive Avon cosmetics are, and their nail polishes are no exception.  Both of these were good quality, and the orange shade had beautiful shimmery flecks in sunlight.  A really great value! 

Next Week's Shade: Clinique in Black Honey

China Glaze in Riveting & Luxe and Lush

Brand: China Glaze Hunger Games Collection

Shades: Riveting & Luxe and Lush

(fiery orange color with shimmer finish and iridescent foil flakes with clear finish)

 

Cost: $$

 

The Scoop:

This is a pretty loud one, but since summer just started, I went with it.  This picture doesn't quite do it justice, it's a beautiful 3-dimensional shade that embodies the Girl on Fire.  Cinna would be proud.  The icy foil flakes are cool too and would work well as a topper over any color.

 

Next Week's Shade: GAP in Red, White & Blue

Nails Inc. in York

Brand: Nails Inc. Feathers Collection (Limited Edition)

Shade: York

(peachy orange and white color, textured finish)

Cost: $$$

The Scoop:

This one isn't really a polish so much as short, thin particles suspended in gel, but isn't the bottle pretty?  It looks like spring.  It's definitely a conversation starter (2 cashiers at Fairway stopped to look at my nails), but it's not really for everyday wear.  Use about 3 coats for full coverage, file off the loose pieces (application is a bit clumpy and rough to the touch), then add a topcoat to protect the "feather" particles. 

Next Week's Shade: Tom Ford in Bitter Bitch

Essie in Meet Me at Sunset

 

Brand: Essie Nail Lacquer

Shade: Meet Me at Sunset
(tomato orange color, glossy finish)

Cost: $$

 

The Scoop:
Universally flattering, my go-to shade for a bright pop of color, resists chipping

 

Next Week's Shade:

China Glaze Hunger Games Collection in Stone Cold