Taupe of The World - Comparison Post

Hi Goddesses

Today I have a taupe comparison post for you.  I love how taupe looks on nails, but I always struggled to find the "right" one - for some reason, they tend to look darker than they should on me, possibly because of my Arctic Albino skin tone.

Anyway, those of you who have followed for a while may remember that last year I did indeed find my perfect taupe - Sally Hansen Concrete - and whilst I was thinning my stash recently, I thought it would be fun to take a looksie at how they all compare.

Your taupes -

thumb = Nails Inc Jermyn Street

index = Sally Hansen Commander In Chic

middle = China Glaze Below Deck

ring = SOPI Metro Chic

pinkie = Sally Hansen Concrete

The first thing that's immediately obvious is how Concrete is the odd one out.  It's lighter, creamier, like a very milky hot chocolate, and that's why I prefer it.

The 2nd things that's obvious, is how identical the other 4 are lol.  To be fair, they all have very slight differences, but only the sort of differences you'd notice when your hand is right in front of your nose ....

Below Deck is the darkest, by a demi shade, and also the greyest.  There's also a little bit of purple attitude going on too.  There's less warmth in this one, so if you want a cold, hard, dark taupe, this is your girl. 

Metro Chic is very similar to Below Deck, but with the purple bled out (seeing them side by side really helps you notice the purple in BD).   Again, this is a cold, grey taupe.

Commander in Chic has less intensity.  It's a couple of notches lighter and somehow has an ethereal quality to it.  This is a soft taupe, a Goldilocks taupe - not too dark or too light, too cold or too warm.   If you want a straight down the middle taupe, this is your girl.

Jermyn Street is by far the warmest and the brownest of the quartet.   It's much more hot chocolatey, and totally lacks the greyer tones of the others.   

My personal fave remains Concrete, but I really do think which one is the "best" is totally dependent on individual skin tone. 

As to which ones I know should sacrifice ...... er, yeah, get back to me on that one :)






Enjoy xx :(

Crumpet's Top 10 Polishes of All Time

Nails I Love

Hi Goddesses

I don't know about you, but I love lists.  Favourites, weirdest, funniest, I love it all.  This is the first of what's going to be quite a series, not only my Top 10 Polishes of All Time, but there will be separate features on my favourite blues, red, pinks etc as well as glitters and effects.

Each entry will also link back to it's original post, so that you can see it in all its glory or read my little ramblings lol.

I'm going to start with Part 1 of my Top 10 - and I hope this will change every month or so as a new beauty catches my eye.  To get maximum suspense out of the situation, we’re going to go in reverse order, from No 10 up to No 6 … mwahahahahahaha J

10. SALLY HANSEN – Mystic Lilac - here

My holy grail of nail varnishes is always to find the perfect lilac-grey-taupe and oh my god does Mystic Lilac deliver.  Stop the clocks, the search is over J  Mystic Lilac is amaaaaaazing.  Its beyond gorgeous.

Mystic Lilac is a greige base with some lilac / lavender applied.  There is no bright whiteness here – just a whole lotta sludge going on.  This is a dirty girl’s lilac.   A swampy lilac.  A concrete lilac.  A lilac porridge.

It’s dusty and murky in tone with just that beautiful lilac hue and then …. It has green glass flecks.  Teeny tiny itsy bitsy flecks that catch the light and turn it into an elfin masterpiece.   This is the colour the rebellious teenage elves would wear in ElfLand to match their dirty blonde hair and their grass-stained knees.

9.  OPI Planks A Lot - here

One thing you can always rely on from OPI, a super glossy crème that spreads like butter and shines like moonlight.  From the Pirates of The Caribbean collection, Planks is pretty much the perfect lilac.  Subtle, but not pale; deep, but not overly rich; colourful, but not overpowering; juicy, but not sickly. 

Every time I wear this, I stare and stare and stare at my nails.  It’s the ultimate in elegant, aloof prettiness.

8.  China Glaze – MUMMY MAY I - here

I found this totally by accident on eBay, but as I can never have enough purples, thought “what the hell” and added it to my order.   In the bottle, it is super pretty, devilish and full of voodoo.  A purplish black base, flecked with violet, on the nail this looks like blackcurrant crush, the clash of the bruised skin mixing with the sweet inner juices.

This, girls, is BEYOND magical.

7.  Sally Hansen – CONCRETE - here

Sally Hansen’s Concrete is delicious.  She’s soft, she’s feminine, she’s subtle – she’s awesome!  Concrete is a super-soft fairy-lite taupe with barely there lilac overtones.  She’s like a pastel version of one of my all-time faves, OPI’s Parlez Vous OPI.

The perfect taupe is one of my polish Holy Grails, and Concrete has just about ended it.  She’s such a perfect blend of the cool and the warm, the aloof and the luscious, the greige and the lilac.  This is one delicious babe.

6.  Zoya KELLY - here

Kelly is an amazing melodrama of a polish. A deep dark plume of darkest grey smoke with purple and bluish tinges, this colour stops traffic, and heralded the start of the recent grey / smokey colours.

Kelly is fabulous and twisted in a conventional yet unconventional way.  She’s dark, indigo-hearted and perfect for wintry nights.

So, which polishes do you think made it into my Top 5 ????  And what are your favourites ?

Enjoy :)  xx

Sally Hansen - Commander In Chic

Nails I Love

SALLY HANSEN – Commander In Chic

Hi Goddesses

Sally Hansen’s Complete Salon Manicure range is fast becoming one of my favourites.  Great colours with intense pigmentation, fabulous bottle, BIG brush (which I can now, finally, control) and more shine than a can of polish can shake a stick at.  They are fabulous all rounders, and I love them deeeeeply.

This is Commander In Chic, another purchase on my search for The Perfect Taupe, which was eventually won by another Sally Hansen, CONCRETE.  Commander In Chic is also perfect, in its own way, but a very different kind of pretty to Concrete, having none of that polish’s whimsy or etherealness.

Commander in Chic is a lovely taupe.  Think chocolate milkshake, and you’re not far off.   Not too grey, not too brown, not too smoky, this is just about Goldilocks heaven.

There’s a milkiness to this that’s quite heavenly, and it’s what gives it that perfect base.  It allows the colour to flood in, and then be bled out ever so slightly, calming it down to this pure taupe perfect storm.

Lovely polish, totally elegant, totally glam and utterly divine.  Although I’ve found perfection, I’m keeping this as a back-up J

Enjoy xxx

J

Top Tip – if you’re ever unsure what a nail colour looks like, go to Google images, which will give you plenty of contrasts and compares.

Sally Hansen - CONCRETE

Nails I Love

SALLY HANSEN - CONCRETE

Hi Goddesses

I am in love!  Holy Moly one-and-only nail polish love!  Here, ladies, is Sally Hansen Concrete.

Concrete – such an uninspiring name.  One of the most drab things in the universe that I can think of, and responsible for more ugly buildings in the UK than is possible to count.  But as a nail varnish ?  Oh.  My.  God.

Sally Hansen Concrete is delicious.  She’s soft, she’s feminine, she’s subtle – she’s awesome!  Concrete is a super-soft fairy-lite taupe with barely there lilac overtones.  She’s like a pastel version of one of my all-time faves, OPI’s Parlez Vous OPI.

The perfect taupe is one of my polish Holy Grails, and Concrete has just about ended it.  She’s such a perfect blend of the cool and the warm, the aloof and the luscious, the greige and the lilac.  This is one delicious babe.

I only put this on to test it, and now I don’t want to take it off!  Seasonally, she’s an all-rounder, taupey enough for fall, lilacy enough for summer.  She’s formal, she’s fun, she’s work, she’s a weekender.

Like all SH’s Concrete is super-glossy – you could easily go without top coat.  Wow, I am just awestruck by the beauty of this colour.  Effortless application, super shiny, and indescribably, dreamily beautiful – what more could a girl want ?

Concrete goes straight into my almost completed Top 10.  She’s a winner in every way, and pretty much damned perfect.

Enjoy J

Top Tip – if you’re ever unsure what a nail colour looks like, go to Google images, which will give you plenty of contrasts and compares.