These days, I'm really demanding when it comes to nail lacquers. I've tried so many throughout the years that I want any new colors to entice me, to feel like a revelation. A pretty polish isn't all that hard to come by, but one that makes you stop and stare? One that makes people stop you in the streets and offer you a compliment? That's a challenge — and that's what I'm looking for. Whether it's Zoya's Posh color (a cranberry red from its Matte Velvet collection) or Chanel's Jade polish (which unleashed a frenzy among polish junkies, who were vying to buy a bottle for over $100 on Ebay), I want my polish to sing (and in a Maxwell-like falsetto, at that). As you can see, I set the bar pretty high, so when I'm trying a new polish, there's always that mixed bag of excitement and apprehension.
But, since I've been really pleased with Motives Cosmetics' mineral eye shadows, I assumed I'd be just as enthused with the brand's new Nail Candy collection, which consists of 18 shades ranging from scarlet red to sunset orange and creamy eggshell. I was sent press samples of three shades: I Believe in UFOS, an iridescent fuchsia; First Kiss, a pearly bubblegum pink; and I'm A Vamp, a dark blackberry purple. The polishes are free of ftoluene, formaldehyde,and dibutyl phthalate (DBP)-free, and they're billed as "long-lasting" and "chip-resistant." Saying these polishes are chip-proof would be quite the overstatement, but they do last longer than most enamels I've tried. I wash my hands about a million times a day (the result of cleaning up after a messy toddler) and the life span of most polishes tends to be about 3-4 days, but these Motives Nail Candy shades lasted almost double that time frame.
My only problem with these nail polishes (and, to be clear, I can only speak to the three that I tried) were the actual colors, which aimed for daring but fell right on top of tacky. The biggest travesty was I Believe in UFOs, a fuchsia color so iridescent that its color shimmered like an oi puddle in the sun. The problem? The color reminds me of a pink taffeta bridesmaid dress — the kind that makes you shudder and beg to be released from your bridal party duties. First Kiss, meanwhile, is a lighter version of the pink you'd find in a piece of Bubblicious gum. Its pearly shimmer makes it look even worse, since it takes the enamel from uninspired to prom gown-esque — it actually makes me think of the dress Andy (Molly Ringwald) wore to her senior prom in Pretty in Pink. The only shade out of the three that I could see myself sporting on a regular basis is I'm A Vamp, a very dark purple shade with reddish brown undertones. Because it's such a deep shade, its sheen makes it appear more glamorous, giving it a nice metallic finish.
I'd be curious to try some of the other polishes in the line, given how much my reaction to I'm A Vamp diverged from my reaction to the First Kiss and I Believe in UFOs hues. Hopefully, as the collection is further refined and tweaked, I'll bring you some more exuberant reviews but, for now, I'd recommend sticking to your vamp side and steering clear of the aforementioned pink shades.
Below, I included a few pics so you can see what the shades look like on my nails. Feel free to share your thoughts— just keep it nice and clean!
I Believe in UFOs
First Kiss
I'm A Vamp
Motives Cosmetics Nail Candy in "I Believe in UFOs," "First Kiss," and "I'm a Vamp," $5.25 each. Visit motivescosmetics.com
