SFW Mini-Spam

Today was my last workday until August.  Woohoo!  My job's ok, but the dress code requires polish to be "conservative and simple".  It's limiting, but it's also a great excuse for buying tons of neutrals.  Gotta have variety, right?  Whenever I can, I wear something new I've swatched for a post, but that's not always possible.  That's when I reach into my SFW drawer.  Here's some of what I've found in there recently.

SpaRitual Grace is a light beige matte shimmer.

Considering how many matte topcoats I own, I try to remind myself not to buy too many matte polishes.  Grace slipped under that fence...and brought two more from the Odyssey with it!  They were on sale on 6PM.com.  I haven't worn Bravery or Gratitude yet, but if they're anything like Grace I'm sure I'll love them.  There's something relaxing about Grace and I admired it often while I wore it.  It's got a good formula, with only slight dragging.  This is two coats.

FingerPaints Sparkle Top Coat is a gold-to-green microglitter topper.

over Sally Hansen Camelflage

Glitter is probably the best way to save a botched mani.  I've been scrambling to get a bunch of posts scheduled for the time I'll be busy or away.  That's meant I haven't always had a ton of time after my swatching, stamping, etc. to get these for nails back to dress code standards before rushing off to bed.  I found last xmas' Sparkle Top Coat at Sally Beauty during their recent clearance sale and it sprang to mind when my work nails needed some fixing.  It applied smoothly and evenly.  It also covered the little flaws wonderfully, but as a topcoat it's got a major glitch.  It doesn't dry smooth.  In my book, if you need a topcoat then you're not a topcoat, right?

over Sally Hansen Camelflage - no topcoat

FingerPaints Bare No Secrets is a slightly frosty nude with gold microglitter.

Another Sally Beauty clearance sale find, Bare No Secrets is from their ALU collaboration called A Pair Affair.  It's a dud for me for two major reasons.  The color isn't flattering on me, but something else is just as troublesome.  It's got microglitter in a base that isn't sheer.  That means lumps.  Yuck.  It's the same issue I had with Color Club Apollo Star and I just can't.  I'll probably be purging it.  This is two coats.

L'Oréal Greyt Expectations is a mushroomy taupe cream.

A bargain among bargains!  I got Grey Expectations at Walgreens for just 50¢.  More accurately, I got it because it was 50¢.  It's pretty unappealing in the bottle, but I'm a clearance whore and I can't stop myself sometimes.  I'm glad I bought it though.  Turns out I love it!  What looks kinda like liquid liver in the bottle is an awesome mushroomy taupe once it's on.  Hooray for taupe!  This is two coats with a completely standard L'Oréal formula, i.e. a bit watery but not hard to work with.


I'm sooooooo excited for this vacation!  It won't be restful at all, but it'll probably be great fun...and I'm finally meeting Nichole on Saturday!!  We've been internet friends for thirteen years and blogging partners for two and just....aaaaaaahhhhh!!!  At last!!  We're also both meeting McGee and I get a day just with her too!  I can hardly contain my excitement at meeting two of my best internet friends!!  Exclamation points!!!!!