Crumpet's Polishes of the Year 2013 - Blue

Hi Goddesses

Today I've got my favourite blue polishes of the year for you.  I think it's been a great year for blue across ALL textures.  So, excluding my Big 4 brands, here are my Top 7 Blues of the Year.

(To go to the post, just click the polish name).

Above The Curve - Kahuna



ATC make great holos - FACT - and this dreamy Caribbean ocean of a holo is just dreamy, calming and utterly chillaxing.


Smitten Polish - Naiad



Maybe, like me, you've half been on an Aqua Lily holy grail, looking for that ethereal sky blue polish feathered with shimmer.  Look no further - Smitten's polish is pure perfection.


Smitten Polish - Sunken Galleon



Round glitter was HUGE for me this year, and this pale blue creamy polish was made for dot glitter.  Also possibly the best representation this year of a polish's name - with the pirate's treasure glistening in the ocean.


Zoya - Nyx



Zoya's PixieDusts were awesome, and this cool, wintry blue was the height of elegant sophistication.  And look at that sparkle!


Mentality Nail Polish - Brute



This matte polish is a surprise favourite.  In the bottle, it "just" looks like a blue polish.  On the nail, it's a whole smorgasbord of wonder - deep, dazzling, opaque one-coater - that's just as good matte or glossed up.  Winner.


The Polish Bar - Cobalt Blue



This is my favourite of the summer holo jellies released by The Polish Bar - deep, wicked and holo-threaded, this dark diva is just gorgeous.


Too Fancy Lacquer - Set Fire To The Rain



This may well be the best blue holo released all year - intense, glowy, almost blindingly beautiful, it doesn't get much better than this.

OPI - Can't Find My Czechbook



Ah, Czechbook.  I feel I have been searching for you my entire life!  The PERFECT turquoise - bright, light and dreamy.  A glossy creme.  Sheer beauty on the nails.  Oh, and you don't stain either.  Love you.  For-EVER.

Crumpet Reviews - Smitten Polishes - Naiad, Gumdrops and a Polka-Dotty

Hi Goddesses

I'm still alive!  Lol.   Head still hurts from the bruise, but other than that I am fine, and the radio is now safely snuggled in a drawer :)

I've got a whole smorgasbord of Smitten Polishes for you today.  I was sent these for review, and apologies that it has taken me a few weeks to get these up on the blog.  I am *almost* up to date now with reviews - phew!

So, I love Smitten Polishes.  Love them HARD.  They apply beautifully, they're colourful (but in a subtle way) and for me, they're very much the CLASSY indie.  There is something extremely elegant about their perfection.  Today we have 5 beauties to feast on.

Beautyberry Gumdrop is a gorgeous syrup of pink toned lavenderness with hidden flakes of wow.

This is super perfect for spring and summer, and at one point I was going to hold this back for a Work Wear Wednesday post.  It's subtle and classy, and a really lovely light n bright colour.

Next we have Huckleberry Gumdrop, a delightful sky blue brother to Beautyberry, again laden with irridescent flakes.

Again, this is Spring perfection.  Lovely and light, this is a perfect blue to chase rainy clouds away.   

with apologies for the curry powder on the index finger!

Now, Huckleberry has a brother called Snozzberry.   They are similar .... but different :)

Snozzberry is a couple of notches darker ... and dirtier.  There's a more teal-y quality to him and he looks grungey - but in a good way!  He has a little more intensity.

Side by side the differences are there, but they're subtle.  

Huckleberry (sky blue) is on index and ring, and grungey Snozzberry is on middle and pinky.   Personally I prefer Huckleberry, but I know a lot of my friends (especially the teal lovers) would prefer the greater complexity of Snozzberry.

Purple Polka-Dotty is from the other half of Smitten's Spring Collection and I love it :)   This is a lilac crelly laden with black speckles.

I'm wearing this au naturel on the index and middle fingers, and over OPI Planks a Lot on the ring and index, which turned out to be the perfect base.

You can see the OPI adds depth, but au naturel you have something lighter, more jellylike and probably more springlike.  I loved it both ways, but I'll tell you what I loved more - that it looked like dinosaur eggs!  Oh this polish is beyond cool.

And finally ... ah, finally .... Naiad.    Wow, this is a beauty, a masterpiece, a classic and just perfect in pretty much EVERY way.

Naiad is a teal-tinged turquoise laden with pinky violet shimmer. It is holy WOWBALLS on the nail - just sheer, sublime beauty.   I'd call it a grungey turquoise, but it seems wrong to call something so elegant "grungey".

I honestly could not love this more.  Like a lot of you, I've lusted after Aqua Lily and similar polishes, well now I'm happy.  This is just perfection.  Perfection.

Smitten Polish can be bought HERE as well as at various e-tailers.   And you can follow on Facebook HERE.  Before we go, Noelie also posted this picture of her upcoming summer polishes - I'm drooling already and I REALLY hope summer comes early lol.

These polishes were sent to me for an honest review - enjoy xx :)