Author: GingerlyPolished

Affordable nail polish + makeup blogger

OPI ‘Summer Makes the Rules’ Summer 2023 Collection – Swatches & Review

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OPI collection reviews are always the most popular posts for this blog. They’re always topping the stats, and clearly everyone else is just as interested in the newest OPI release as I am. After all, it was a couple of random OPI bottles hidden away in the corner of a drawer that truly started my nail polish collection, so I’ll always feel an emotional connection to my “roots”.

Which makes a bad collection from OPI hurt so much more.

Sorry, I’m jumping ahead here. Let’s start off by introducing this newest collection. Yes, it’s SUMMER here in nail world. (And maybe wherever you live too, it’s FINALLY getting consistently warmer over here in the windy city). And I always dive into the new seasons with the OPI release. For Summer 2023, OPI’s release is the ‘Summer Make the Rules’ collection. As always it features 12 shades that as OPI says “let your nails be as bright, bold and carefree as you feel this summer”. We’ve got names themed around laying around the beach, lounging in the sun, and just living your best summer life.

These shades range in a rainbow of pastel, yet bright shades, from bright pinks, to corals, teals and lilacs. We have 8 cream shades and 4 shades in a frosty, pearly shimmery finish. They were a little something different to normal shimmers, and I always love something new in a collection.

As always, these are available from my favorite polishpick.com, or also at beyondpolish.com (affiliate link). Now, as I hinted to up above, the colors are just so pretty, while the formulas for a majority just … aren’t pretty. I struggled with quite a few streaky creams here, and that’s so unusual for OPI. Things lift up a touch in the back half of the set, but it was quite the journey to get there. I’ll let the individual swatch photos and videos speak for themselves now, but I wanted to make sure you were starting this post with the right expectations. Let’s dive in.

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Mooncat ‘Kaleidoscope Haze’ Collection – Swatches & Review

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Now this collection today is an example of one that was swatched up on my Instagram much earlier, but then got lost in the blog shuffle, and was just never posted here! But these shades are still available and absolutely gorgeous, so I didn’t want them to go to waste. (There will be many more of these on the way as I work through my monstrous blog backlog).

AND. Mooncat is having one of their 2 annual sales on Friday, May 5th. (If you’re reading this after that date, just look up when the lunar eclipse is, that’s when they always coordinate their sales – next one is in October). Or maybe you’re just curious about this collection and want to purchase it anyways without any sale! All great options!

So why don’t I just tell you what collection we’re talking about already? (Yes I know you can read the title). This is the ‘Kaleidoscope Haze’ collection from Mooncat! And yes, we love Mooncat around here. After trying out one to two previous collections, now I’m just hooked. I just love all of their different finishes and colors, they’re so lovely. So this specific release features 8 shades all with a jelly finish filled with iridescent flakes. It’ll be perfect for the upcoming warm weather. Just imagine wearing these in the sun while sitting next to a pool, what else could you need?

These did originally release last year, but they’re still available on the website! (The full bundle is currently sold out at the moment of writing, but the individual shades are there, and there’s been no mention of it going away, so I’m sure it’ll restock).

Now let’s get into the swatches!

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Color Club ‘Out of the Box’ Collection – Swatches & Review

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It’s been a while since I’ve showed Color Club some love on this blog! I have a couple other collections of theirs in a lost drawer, just waiting to see the light, and I’ll have to push them into my busy polish schedule so soon. I do love their polishes, and I’m always watching out for their newest releases.

Now, I’ve purchased all of my previous Color Club polishes, but this time they were so kind to send over this set to me! So let’s dive in already.

This is the ‘Out of the Box’ set, and if you can’t tell by the name and the shades involved, and the timing overall, this is inspired by everyone’s favorite childhood doll (perfect to wear to the upcoming movie release as well, I will absolutely be THERE). We’ve got 6 polishes here all in various shades of pink: 3 creams, 1 jelly glitter polish and 2 toppers. And we got a nice little range of finishes here, but don’t worry, they’re still all pink.

These are of course available on the Color Club website. So let’s get on into the swatches!

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Glam Polish ‘Pastel Galaxy’ Collection – Swatches & Review

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PR SAMPLE

Another month, another Glam Polish release here! Listen, they’re just making sure your every single polish want ever is covered. And I’m here to swatch up some shades so you can narrow on down that cart. (Unless you’re financially able and want to buy every collection, then who am I to stop you). We’re here together, let’s look at some pretty polishes.

Today’s collection is the ‘Pastel Galaxy’ set. It features 6 polishes in a range of soft and delicate crelly bases, aka the “pastel”. We have some orchid pinks, some mint greens, and lovely lilac purples, as well as others that compliment oh so well. They’re also all filled with holographic shimmer as well as scattered holographic hexagon glitters which gives us the “galaxy” part.

As always these are available on the Glam Polish website, both in a little bundle and individually! Enough talking, let’s get on into the swatches!

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Orly Breathable ‘Sweet Retreat’ Spring/Summer 2023 Collection – Swatches & Review

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PR SAMPLE

Being lucky enough to receive PR from a brand means I’m able to try products that I normally wouldn’t purchase on my own – I’m already trying so many other products, some shades are just outside my budget, so they were outside of the blog scope. And that includes this lovely little candy-coated and inspired set of shades from Orly!

This is the ‘Sweet Retreat’ collection, and it’s the Breathable release for Spring/Summer. It seems instead of 4 seasonal releases, the Breathable line doesn’t release as often, and just goes with 2 collections a year. And this newest release features 6 lovely cream shades, all in bright and warm colors! Perfect for the sweet candy theme.

As mentioned, this collection is within the Orly ‘Breathable’ line. For what the difference is between the Breathable line, and their regular lacquer line, Orly says “our Breathable formula is a 1-step nail color, no base or top coat needed! It prevents chipping and peeling for and is infused with Argan Oil, Pro Vitamin B5 and Vitamin C longer lasting manicures and stronger, healthier looking nails.” So you’ve got some more nourishing nail ingredients there, as well as the idea of a “1-step nail color”. With these “extra” ingredients, these retail for 50 cents more a bottle on the Orly website.

Now, I never wear my polishes more than a couple days with all of the swatching I do, so I can’t speak to any of the claims on longevity or nail health. Today, I’ll just be speaking to the formula and application of the shades themselves. Though I’m curious if anyone else has tried these for longer and can comment on the claims!

These are available on the Orly website – both in a nice little bundle or individually.

Let’s get right on into the swatches!

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Mooncat ‘Lost in a Folktale’ Collection – Swatches & Review

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Yes it’s true, I am unconditionally and irrevocably in love with Mooncat. YES, I did in fact make a Twilight reference for that, and I’m not ashamed. We all know the cultural impact that franchise had on us.

And it’s accurate, because Mooncat truly HAS stole my heart. The collections and color palettes they’ve been releasing lately have been SO COOL and so unique, and I just want them all. Especially with this mystical, forest themed set we’re looking at today, I basically had no choice. (Always a joke here, obviously we don’t NEED nail polish, and we should never go into debt for it).

So let’s look at this set of 6 beautiful shades. This is the ‘Lost in a Folktale’ collection, and as the title suggests, it gives out all of the whimsical and magical vibes of a sunny forest. We have 6 shades in a variety of finishes, from flakey, to shimmery, to magnetic. A little something for all forest moods.

These are, of course, available on the Mooncat website – both in a little discounted bundle as well as individually. These photos just speak for themselves, so let’s dive right in already! Onto the swatches!

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Sally Hansen x Peeps Insta-Dri 2023 Collection – Swatches & Review

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Y’all know I love a themed collection, an unexpected collaboration, and a weird little texture. So if any of those things have your ears pricking up, keep on reading, and this collection will be for you.

Today we’re looking at the newest release in the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri line: a collaboration with Peeps, just right in time for the Easter holidays. If y’all aren’t familiar with Peeps, they’re a marshmallow company known for releasing chick and bunny shaped sugar covered marshmallows each year in the spring time – mostly for the Easter holiday. As a child I loved eating them (as they were just pure sugar) or microwaving them so they would inflate and blow up (it’s fun, I tell you).

Sally Hansen has collaborated with other candy brands before for their Insta-Dri line, such as Jelly Belly for jellybean themed polish, so honestly this collection and set made sense in my opinion. We have 7 shades here, 6 full color textured shades, and 1 topper. They all have the Peeps logo printed right onto the cap, and they’re named after the different shaped and colored marshmallow creatures they release. 6 of these shades also dry with a textured finish, just like a sugar coated marshmallow. I always love when a brand commits to a theme and of course, so I was very excited when I started seeing promo for them. (And I’m even more excited to see what they continue with in the future).

These are available from Ulta (although always beware their terrible polish shipping), or other drugstores like Walgreens and Walmart. Let’s get on into the swatches!

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Zoya ‘Daydreaming’ Spring 2023 Collection – Swatches & Review

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We have our next Spring collection review here, and this set will most likely be the one that’ll have you looking at the color palette and going “spring?”

That’s right, this is the ‘Daydreaming’ set, and it’s Zoya’s release for Spring. It features 6 shades all with a more sheer jelly base and gorgeous multicolor speckled shimmer. We’ve got a deeper blue, some purples, a ruby red and some coppers here, breaking us out of the normal pastels and soft candy shades we normally see for the season. Now, I’m never here to let “out of season” stop me from wearing any color I’m feeling, but of course I understand if these aren’t quite giving you the spring feelings. NO MATTER WHAT, we’re reviewing these shades today and you can’t stop me!!

I purchased these in a little bundle off of Zoya’s website, which came with their wide brushes as well. (It’s Zoya’s annual Earth month sale going on now, so you can grab these for 50% off through April 30, even without donating any old polish). These are also available on the Beyond Polish website for quite a lovely discount as well – and I added my little affiliate code down at the bottom of this post if you were interested.

Alright let’s just get right into these swatches!

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Glam Polish – ‘Songbird’ Trio 2023 – Swatches & Review

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PR SAMPLE

Glam Polish is always up to something, and releasing some new shades, and this month is no different! But this time all I have is a cute little trio to show you! Easy enough to digest, huh. (Well, okay, they did also release an 8 piece collection at the same time inspired by Daisy Jones & The Six, so there’s that too. But we’re only talking about the trio, there’s only 3 polishes here.)

This is the ‘Songbird’ trio, and each shade is named after a different very famous and popular song by the well known American band Fleetwood Mac. Each of the 3 shades is a crelly base just jam packed with various metallic flakes for a gorgeous shifty and unique look.

Of course, these are available on the Glam Polish website for purchase now! Now, there’s only 3 polishes to talk about this time, and I don’t want to spend more time on the intro than the actual post, so let’s just get on into the swatches already!

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Essie ‘Feel the Fizzle’ Spring 2023 Collection – Swatches & Review

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AFFILIATE CODE/LINK

We’re continuing with the spring collections, and this one just might be the most Spring™ of them all. It just slaps you in the face with the most Spring colors you could imagine. It fills your mind with chirping birds, blooming flowers, warm sun on your face – okay I’m done. So yes, it’s very spring, yes.

And I’m talking about the newest seasonal release from Essie. This is the ‘Feel the Fizzle’ collection for Spring 2023, and it features 5 saturated spring cream shades, and 1 iridescent topper. Super gorgeous, and just imagine those skittle manicures you can wear with these.

I purchased this lovely little set from Beyond Polish (exciting, this is now an affiliate link! Which means if you click on that and purchase through it, I’ll receive a little commission. You can use GINGERLYPOLISHED for 10% off your order as well – on regular priced items, not the bundle, but no pressure either way! You can just go to Beyond Polish’s website on its own. I wouldn’t link to any websites I don’t use and trust and love myself). Beyond Polish does also have an Essie bundle that gives you a little discount as well if you’re not comfortable using my code! (Essie releases far too much to pay full price amirite).

Alright enough talking about how Spring it is, and let me just show you! Into the swatches!

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