Author: GingerlyPolished

Affordable nail polish + makeup blogger

China Glaze ‘Serpentine’ Halloween 2023 Collection -Swatches & Review

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Each and every year, as the weather gets cooler and the days get shorter, we slowly head into my favorite season, fall and then after that, spooky season. That mystical, magical time of October, and most importantly Halloween. And every single year I sit patiently just waiting for China Glaze’s newest Halloween release.

We aren’t blessed with Halloween collections by many mainstream brands (except for a brief Essie exploration, who remembers the Blue Moon set), but China Glaze has always held up their place as the mainstream Queens of Halloween, always giving us 6 new shades without fail. These collections are usually something a little different and experimental – I mean just look at previous release Don’t Let the Dead Bite. They get a little weird, it’s always a little bold and I’m always here for it.

And this year is no different! Today we’re looking at the 2023 Halloween release, and for this season we’re inspired by our favorite ancient icon, Medusa. Who doesn’t love her and her powers of turning men into stone, I see no negatives. And that gives us ‘Serpentine’, a set of 6 sparkly and shimmery shades, all inspired by our slithering goddess. There’s a lot of deeper shimmers here, with a sort of grungy feel to them all.

As always, I bought these from my favorite, polishpick.com. They’re also available from Beyond Polish as well! (On that site, you can use my code GINGERLYPOLISHED for 10% off individual items – that’s an affiliate code so I will earn a small little amount on each purchase, as always no pressure to use it!)

Now let’s get on into these beautiful swatches already!

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Sally Hansen Insta-Dri x Sesame Street Collection – Swatches & Review

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Miss Sally Hansen will NOT be stopped, and she’s just been on a release kick lately. And I’ve gotten it into my little brain to review as many of them as I can, so now there are just various Miracle Gel and Insta-Dri bottle covering my desk. Works out for you, because there are a lot of reviews and posts on the way, so you’ll be able to peruse digitally first before deciding whether or not to grab one of these on your next Walgreens run. (They’re just always so tempting sitting in their cute little displays).

This current release we’re looking at is the collaboration with everyone’s favorite learning program, Sesame Street. There’s a lot of colors happening throughout those characters, so they’re perfect to give us a nice little fun color palette. I always get excited when Sally Hansen is releasing a new IP collaboration, as they often really commit to the theme and give us some interesting and unique finishes. (I’ll be thinking about that Crayola Glam Rock collection forever, as well as the Jelly Belly ones). So with cute characters promised, I was in.

These are from the Insta-Dri line, so they’re the 2nd tier of bottles in their lineup, both in size and price – but one that can vary wildly depending on the retailer. I’ve seen these at Target and Walgreens, and other drugstores for about $6, and they’re also available on Amazon for $9 each. There’s even this cute little set, as well as some duos from Ulta for a nice little bundle deal. They’re scattered all over, and I’m sure there are still some displays inside various stores.

There are 10 polishes total – I will say I am missing just one shade from my post. It’s called ‘Perfect Blendship’ – for Bert & Ernie – and it’s a clear base topper filled with blue, red and yellow bar glitters. But otherwise we’ll be looking at the 9 other shades – 4 creams, 2 shimmers, 2 more jelly-bar glitter shades and 1 topper.

So let’s get on into these swatches!

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Essie Fall 2023 Collection – Swatches & Review

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If you haven’t heard me say 16 times already in every post, fall is my absolute favorite season of all – it’s all my Midwestern upbringing. I love the cooler temperatures (even if it does lead to freezing winter), the changing leaves, the pumpkin everything, just the vibes. And I especially love all of the colors, both in clothing and in beauty – the olives, the mustards, and the burnt oranges, and then on the other side, with the deep and vampy shades. Now in the nail world, Orly has us covered with the mustard, the green, and the pumpkin orange in their fall release – and now Essie is here to help us all with our bold and dark sides.

For that new seasonal release from Essie, we have 6 cream shades, with 5 in deeper, vampier (read that correctly, not vampire) colors, and then 1 lighter neutral. This might be a boring set to some with all creams, but I’ll always take a rich and pigmented cream any day. I know I love the Essie formula, so as long as it was up to their normal standards, I had high hopes for this set.

These are available from BeyondPolish.com (affiliate link) and if you use the code GINGERLYPOLISHED you can get 10% off individual polishes. It is affiliated which means I get a little percentage from any sales – as always no pressure to use that code, but of course I appreciate any of y’all who have!

Now let’s get on into these gorgeous shades!

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ILNP ‘Under the Sea’ Collection – Swatches & Review

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I’ve been slowly falling more and more with ILNP with their past few collections, and just what I DON’T need – they’ve become another brand on my auto-buy list. Their 6 piece collections have had such fun color stories, and have really been capturing each of the themes they choose. (And not me discovering all of their past collections are still available on their website, and just building an enormous cart).

And this next set is no different! This is the ‘Under the Sea’ collection from ILNP, and as soon as I saw these shades, I just needed the whole collection. (Yes of course I’m being dramatic, no one needs nail polish). As you can guess, we have the traditional 6 shade release, with shades all inspired by the sea, the water, and the magic that might be lurking underneath the surface. There are blues and greens, as well as some unexpected shades in red, purple and a perfect sandy shade.

These 6 shades all have a more jelly-like formula just filled with shimmers and glitters and flakies, all perfect for sitting by the shimmery water under the sun. They are available on the ILNP website – all of their collections stick around on their website, so it’ll be waiting for you whenever you’re looking to purchase.

Let’s get on into the swatches!

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China Glaze ‘Deserted’ Fall 2023 Collection – Swatches & Review

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MORE FALL. MORE FALL. MORE FALL.

I love fall collections, maybe most of all the seasonal releases (I’m sure you haven’t been able to tell at all). They’re just always vampy and cozy and bold and rich. There’s just a whole vibe around fall that I’m wild about. (It’s also probably just the fact that I can walk down the street without sweating finally).

So with that intro of absolute adoration, let’s dive on into another mainstream fall release.

As you can see from the title, we’re looking at China Glaze’s release. This is the ‘Deserted’ collection, and when describing this set, China Glaze says to “dance from dusk til dawn under the desert sunset with 6 desert-toned metallic and shimmer hues”. And I think the collection truly fits that theming and vibe! You can just feel the desert sunset here, from the beiges of the sand, the reds and oranges of the sunset itself, and the blues and purples of deepening sky.

As they say in the description, all 6 shades are in a metallic or shimmery finish, matching OPI’s recent Zodiac release as well. (Don’t worry, cream lovers, Orly’s and Essie’s fall releases have you covered).

I purchased these from polishpick.com! I’ve purchased from them so many times, I can vouch for super quick shipping each and every time! We love PolishPick here on this blog.

Now let’s get on into the swatches!

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OPI ‘Big Zodiac Energy’ Fall 2023 Collection – Swatches & Review

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HAPPY FALL Y’ALL. I always love a new season of nail polishes, and I have to say Fall is always my favorite for any sort of beauty. It’s always vampy, and bold and rich and I just love the shades, the oranges, the greens. And August-Septmber always kicks off the fall season in the nail world – even if the outside weather is not quite matching. (It’s supposed to get back up into the 80s here in Chicago and I NOT happy with it).

Weather aside, of course, I always love to dive into the newest seasonal releases with OPI’s collection.

This year for Fall 2023, OPI’s release is the ‘Big Zodiac Energy’ collection. It’s the traditional 12 bottle release, and as you might guess, they’re inspired by the 12 zodiac signs. Astrology is very popular, and whether or not you fully believe in it, we’re just here for fun and sparkly nail polishes. In the past I have loved any sort of collection that uses it for inspiration – they’ve usually always included rich jewel colors and sparkles and shimmer, and I’m glad to say this OPI set was no different! If you’re not a glitter lover, this set won’t be for you. We don’t have any creams in this set, it’s all shimmery goodness.

I purchased these from polishpick.com as I always do. They are also available from beyondpolish.com (and you can use my code GINGERLYPOLISHED for 10% off any individual items there. It is affiliated, so I do get a small commission, but as always no pressure to use it!).

Enough talk, let’s jump right into the swatches already!

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Orly ‘Plot Twist’ Fall 2023 Collection – Swatches & Review

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The weather has absolutely been SWINGIN’ here in Chicago and it truly cannot make up its mind. We had some little peeks of gorgeous fall weather for a week or so, and I was thriving in those 60s and low 70s. HOWEVER. Now we once again have some rampant 85 degree weather days on the horizon, THEY JUST WON’T LET GO, and I’m going to need it to stop.

But if you’re like me, and not letting that residual hot weather stop you from wearing all of the pumpkin orange and cozying up in a chair with a good mystery paperback, this release is for you.

That’s right, as you can tell by the title, we’re looking at Orly’s newest seasonal set for Fall 2023. It’s the ‘Plot Twist’ collection, but the color palette is anything but. We have 5 creams and then 1 deep shimmer, and all of these colors are going to feel familiar. They feel cozy, they feel comfortable, like an oversized sweater or the above mentioned well-read mystery book. Maybe there’s not actual twist here in colors, but we’ll act surprised anyways.

If you’re intrigued, these polishes are available as always on the Orly website as well as on Beyond Polish (though some of the shades there are sold out there).

Now let’s get on into the swatches!

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Sally Hansen Miracle Gel ‘Totally 90s’ Collection – Swatches & Review

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Listen, somehow I’ve ended up with a large amount of newer Sally Hansen releases, all sitting on my desk, just staring at me, waiting to be swatched up. I can’t fully explain it, there’s just something about seeing a set of their Miracle Gel bottles all lined up, in a beautiful new color story, I just want them all. And then on the other side they’ll have cute little collaborations from their Insta-Dri line. And then suddenly, with all of these different lines all concurrently releasing new collections, I end up with just a pile of new Sally Hansen polishes. It’s a problem.

Now, I can’t just let them go to waste, I can’t just let them collect dust, unreviewed – they need to have their PURPOSE. (I’m making this all more poetic than ‘I’ve spent money on these, I should get content out of them’). So this is all to say there’s going to be a lot of Sally Hansen reviews coming up later. I know you’re curious as you glance at those polishes sitting on their little displays as you browse in Walgreens. I know you want to know, “are those any good?, are they worth the $12?”

So I bought them so you don’t have to, time to TALK ABOUT THEM.

We’re starting out this stream of Sally Hansen reviews with the newest release in the Miracle Gel line. The Miracle Gel line is their most expensive, with the larger bottles, and they just look the fanciest. With any of these “gel” lacquer lines, you don’t need a lamp or to cure it at all – but they’re not going to wear long term like gel. I fully ignore the Gel claims and just treat them like regular lacquer, which they are.

This particular release is called the ‘Totally 90s’ collection, and with that we have 8 shades in a rainbow of creams and shimmers, all inspired by the bright colors of the previous decades. I was so excited for those colors right away, so I had to see what we were working with.

You can find these at Sally Beauty (for a discount!) as well as at Walgreens and other drugstores.

Alright they’ve been waiting long enough, let’s look at the swatches!

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Glam Polish ‘Life in Plastic’ Collection – Swatches & Review

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You THOUGHT we were done with all of the Barbie collaborations but you’re WRONG. There’s MORE. (I say this with only swatching one other Barbie polish collection before this – see it here with my OPI x Barbie collection review). But we all know there’s been endless marketing and products from this movie release, and I for one, fully accept and endorse our pink overlords.

Listen, I know it seems like such an overload of Barbie and pink marketing, but it’s just CUTE. Women (and men and non-binary friends) everywhere are celebrating unabashedly loving pink once again, and I’m always here to support that. As someone who had an entirely pink bedroom as a child (I’m talking pink carpet, walls, curtains and bed spread) of course, I love it, and let it continue for so long. (We need to have more themed dress ups for movies, I’m just saying).

And of course, never ones to miss out on a pop culture themed collection opportunity, Glam Polish had to get in on the action and release their own Barbie nail polish collection. Though this collection doesn’t feature that traditional Barbie pink cream, we still have that essential Barbie color palette – with bright pinks, yellows and blues – just in a little different formula and finish.

We have 6 shades, 5 of which are crelly glitter mixes and 1 clear base glitter topper. As always these are available from the Glam Polish website! So let’s get into the swatches already! Let’s go, Barbie!

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OPI x Barbie the Movie Collection – Swatches & Review

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Have you all heard of a little movie that’s out right now? A little movie called Barbie? I’m sure you haven’t seen anything about it at all.

Listen, if you’re sick of it by now, if you’re haunted by all the versions of the lyrics “I’m a Barbie girl in a Barbie world”, if you see pink in every single waking moment – I’m sorry to say look away now, there’s another Barbie collaboration we’re looking at today.

That’s right, MORE BARBIE, BRING IT ON. In all seriousness though, I do love all of these releases. I love the resurgence of Barbie as well as wearing pink for adults. I’m so happy and pleased, and come on, if it makes you happy and isn’t hurting anyone, what more can we ask for. (I get it can seem like a lot, but we’re living in Hot Barbie Summer right now, in an age of 2 original Blockbusters dominating at theaters, at sold out shows at 10am, and as an avid moviegoer I couldn’t want anything more).

So yes, let’s look at this newest Barbie collaboration. This is a new release from OPI celebrating, of course, the Barbie movie. We have 9 gorgeous shades, in some obvious tones of pink, as well as some blue and yellow and lots of glitter and sparkle. These shades all come with a special cap, with the OPI logo and Barbie the Movie printed on it. So you’ll never forget where these came from. I will say it’s not directly printed on the caps, but instead is a separate plastic wrap – not my favorite but I do love a themed package.

All of these shades are available from polishpick.com as well as from Beyond Polish (as always I have an affiliate link and code – GINGERLYPOLISHED – with Beyond Polish that gives you a 10% discount on individual items. I do make a small commission from each sale – but no pressure to use and purchase as always).

So alright, let’s get on into the swatches now! Let’s go Barbie. (I had to).

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