Friday, November 5, 2010

Ode to Black Nail Polish

I love black polish.

Defiant, confident... and it's super hot this fall.

Maybe it's the punk rocker in me that never quite disappeared after high school, but I think that there is something bold and sheek (if done correctly) about the shade that just has this incredible staying power.  Even the people of ancient China recognized that there was something special about the shade.  Jet-black nails signified royality and wealth.
Orly "Liquid Vinyl"

My favorite black polish is called "Liquid Vinyl" from Orly ($6.99 a bottle).  I usually do 2 thin coats and then a coat of Orly's "Top 2 Bottom" clean nail lacquer.  The results are beautiful and shiny, and stay that way till you take it off.  To boot, it doesn't chip the way most black polishes out there do.  I love this polish.  I have so many of Orly's colors at home I could open my own nail salon.



Revlon "Lunar"

I'm going to use this opportunity to express my sincere disappointment over a polish I purchased because it was "on sale".  Revlon's Nail Enamel in "Lunar".  The product is super cheesy.  It retails at a whopping $4.99, which is rediculous considering you could get the same results from a $.99 bottle of Wet'n Wild.  I put this on the same way I always put on my polish, 2 thin coats and a clear top coat.  First of all, the consistency is super thin and watery and had poor coverage.  When I applied the additional coat, it looked alright, but the polish just wouldn't set.  My nails stayed wet forever and when I went to bed 4 hours later, apparently it still wasn't fully dry because I woke up with blanket marks in my manicure.  The color starting chipping as soon as I started working the next day.  I was so mad I bought a cheap bottle of maybelline polish on my lunch break in an attempt to redeem my nails.  What a mess and absolute waste of money...

Black nail polish is one of those things where you get what you pay for.  If you wanna do black nails right, pay the extra couple of bucks and get a polish that looks fabulous and has staying power.

A couple of tips to keep you from looking like an angsty 13 year old:
Keep your nails short.  Black nails (or any super dark color) should be roughly the length of your finger tip.  A rounded off square tip is best.
Keep the jewelry SIMPLE.  Your nails are a bold enough accessory
Keep everthing else neutral.  Dark outfits or dramatic makeup can make you look a little vampy or like a brooding poet (unless that's the look you're going for, in that case, rock on.)

Very dark nail polish attracts attention and requires a bit of confidence. If you don't wanna be noticed, this shade isn't for you. 






1 comment:

  1. "Dark outfits or dramatic makeup can make you look a little vampy or like a brooding poet"

    Everyone needs to have that dark look at least once in a while--alas, I don't have much opportunity anymore.

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