Wid and Crazy Neon Shower

Full steam ahead on the Wild and Crazy train, choo choo! I just have such a soft spot in my heart for W&C and its sister brand, Sinful Colors. Funky colors, weird (and often misspelled/grammatically incorrect) names, and in W&C's case, the fact that it is no longer made. Did you know that the owners of Wet n' Wild took Mirage Cosmetics, parent company of Wild and Crazy, to court over the name — and won? (Here is an article about it.) Kinda stupid in my opinion... they don't own the word "wild"! But alas, it means that W&C is no more, and is therefore getting harder to find with time. A few beauty supply sites still have a few colors in their inventory, but aside from that, it takes some serious digging to find even one bottle of this stuff. That is, unless you ask the Sinfully Polished FB group and one of the admins kindly sends a few your way! If you aren't already a part of that group, you need to join! It's awesome!

Anyway, this is Neon Shower. It's a gorgeous old-school glass fleck (why isn't this formula common anymore??) in a fiery red shade. It depends on the light you view it in, as it sometimes veers more coral or orange, but it's a great polish regardless! This is 2 coats -- the VNL is definitely a little more apparent in person, but is not noticeable at a quick glance. 

Maybe this color is a little bit out of season at the moment, but you know what? It's a nice pick-me-up for these dreary, cold days. That being said, this would be truly fabulous in the summer! It's so sparkly and bright, and would pair beautifully with a tan.

The only thing that does not thrill me about these polishes is the wear. I've had this on for less than 24 hours, and it may not be visible in the photo, but I've already got a couple of little chips. I usually start to see substantial chipping around 2-3 days in, and particular colors have a tendency to erode and crack in a strange way. I'm just way too in love with the color selection and branding to care, though.

Well, I think that just about wraps it up for now. And until next time... PEACE! xoxo

Black Label OPI Man of La Mancha

Hey there! Long time, no write! It's been a little busy between the heavy course load of last semester and the holiday whirlwind, but my love for nail polish (specifically vintage) has been rearing its head once again!

 

A few months ago, I showed off Movin' Out from OPI's beloved and highly sought-after 2003 Holiday on Broadway collection. I come to you today with another polish from this collection, Man of La Mancha. There aren't a whole ton of swatches of it out there to begin with, and even fewer of it without a black base - I was only able to find one, and did not show off the full range of colors that the color shift is able to achieve. Not to throw those other blogs under the bus or anything - their swatches are lovely, and part of why I even bought this polish in the first place! - but I feel I've taken some fairly unique photos that I want to share. It also goes to show that while a black base may bring out the multichrome aspects of this polish, it is not necessary to get the effect! Shown here is 3 easy, fast-drying coats... that old OPI formula can either be a dream or a nightmare to work with, but in this case, it was incredibly pleasant! (I apologize in advance for my crusty cuticles!)

At a normal angle under normal lighting conditions, MoLM (as I will refer to it from here on out) is a shimmering orange-leaning coral with red/pink flash. 

At a more severe angle, it begins to take on a golden appearance.

I apologize for the awkward angle of this shot, but it was necessary to showcase the green shift!

As you can see, this polish is capable of some pretty intense color shifting! It never veers turquoise or blue as Movin' Out does (it does in the bottle, but not on the nail), but there is no doubt in my mind that Movin Out' and MoLM share the same type of multichrome pigment. It may not be evident in the photos, but it has a very distinctive glittery quality that is present in both polishes. Perhaps there is a little less of it in MoLM or the base in slightly more opaque, but it is definitely there! What a shame that this type of pigment is no longer used. I never considered myself a duo/multichrome kind of gal, but these polishes just speak to me in a way that others don't!

Unlike the other multichromes in this collection (Movin' Out and La Boheme), MoLM is easily found for about the same price as a regular retail bottle of OPI. I snagged mine off of eBay for $9.95, and I'm sure you may be able to find it even cheaper. Why people aren't after this one like La Boheme, I have no clue! 

And until next time... PEACE! xoxo