Review & Swatches: Colores de Carol Holiday 2013 Nail Polishes

Press Sample

In honor of Small Business Saturday, I thought it was the perfect time to show you some swatches of some polishes by indie retailer Colores de Carol. I've been a huge fan of Carolina's work for a long time now, lovingly admiring her creations both in her shop and via the swatches of various nail bloggers. But as I mentioned in my last indie polish review, I've been like a deer caught in headlights when it comes to indie polishes. Simply put, I want them all! It's been incredibly difficult for me to make up my mind when it comes to purchases, so I'm thankful that Carolina recently sent me a few of her holiday polishes for review.

You can purchase these polishes NOW via the Colores de Carol shop, and you can enter code BF20OFF for 20% off your entire order (no minimum purchase required). This code is valid now through 12/2.

Colores de Carol Nail Polishes

Rudolph's Nose, Santa's Workshop, Fall Is In The Air

(retail: $9 each)

First up, Rudolph's Nose:

two coats, no top coat

Rudolph's Nose is described as a "medium red scattered holo." To me, this shade takes on a jelly-like quality on the nails, and it's sort of a pinkish-rosy red. The scattered holo is even prettier in person.

Application is excellent--two coats for nice opacity and the formula is very easy to work with. Dry time is also good on this one (for both the first and second coats) and I'm very impressed with how shiny the finish is as well. I skipped top coat because it didn't need it.

Next up, Fall Is In The Air:

two coats, no top coat

Fall Is In The Air is described as a "shimmery brown scattered holo." To me, this is a rich, congnac brown that's loaded with shimmer and I love how the scattered holo almost looks like little bits of frost/snow on the nail. 

Application is easy and two coats builds to perfect opacity. Dry time is good on both coats, and again, you don't need top coat--this polish is quite shiny on its own.

Last but not least, Santa's Workshop:

three coats + top coat

Santa's Workshop is described as a "white crelly base with gold shimmer and red, green, and gold glitter in different sizes and various shapes." I absolutely adore this glitter polish. It's got metallic green and red circles AND squares and also gold circles too! And to top it all off, there's a lovely, sparse gold shimmer running through this polish that really gives it an extra bit of sparkle.

This one took three coats to get it to what you see above, but you could stop at two coats if you want less glitter. The white base is not streaky, thick or goopy, and I love that this gives you an instant "jelly sandwich" all on its own. In terms of finish, this one is as shiny as the others, however I applied top coat to smooth out the bumpiness caused by the glitter. Speaking of the glitter, I found that, on the first coat, I did have to "dab" the glitter on when it came to placement, but on the second and third coats, I was able to brush this polish on without having to dab. Also, no need for serious "fishing" with your brush--a couple of swirls in the bottle should pick up more than enough glitter each time.

Dry time was very good on this one (I usually expect a longer dry time with glitters but didn't require it here) and I just have to say that the wear-time on this one is excellent as well. I applied one coat on my thumb the day I got it, and it hung on like iron for over 24 hours. Usually when I apply just one coat of a glitter polish on my nail with no top or base coat, the glitter kind of starts to chip off after a few hours. This one did not budge, even when I tried to chip it off. (I would definitely recommend using the Foil Method for removal--Carolina suggests this as well.)

And because I love to "mattify all the glitters," here's what Santa's Workshop looks like topped with Sally Girl matte top coat:

three coats + matte top coat

I love this! I think that Santa's Workshop would be great for both glitter lovers and also for those who prefer a more subtle, yet festive look for the holidays. The glitter pieces are not large or chunky, so it creates a softer, more subtle "bling" on the nail.

FINAL VERDICT: If you haven't taken the plunge and purchased any indie polishes yet, I think you'll be quite happy with any of these polishes from Colores de Carol. The formula on all three is top-notch, and they all dry to an impressively shiny finish. Dry time is wonderful, and these shades are all so pretty and festive for the holidays. If you're interested, be sure to use that code I listed at the top of this post and grab these while you can, since they're only around for the holidays.

Have you tried any polishes from Colores de Carol? I'd love to know what shades you own and what you think of them!

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.Blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews. For more information, click here.