Barielle Summer Brights COMPARISONS

When Barielle released their Summer Brights collection, there were many who speculated that these were newly named past polishes. Additionally, I received a few emails about a comparison post to show the differences between these polishes and past collections. Below you will find comparisons between Barielle polishes except for Blue Capri, which I had no comparable Barielle polish.

To see the original swatches of the Summer Brights collection check out this post.

Sweet Addiction vs. Central Park (New York Style Collection)

L-R: Sweet Addition, Central Park, Sweet Addiction, Central Park

The similarities: Both are dusty, creme greens with a touch of blue, they were both easy to apply and very pigmented

The differences: Central Park is darker

Lemon Drops vs. Banana Drop vs. Sunshine

L-R: Sunshine, Banana Drop, Lemon Drops

The similarities: Well, they're all yellow...
The differences: Sunshine is a cool-toned bright yellow with shimmer, Banana Drops is a pastel creme, and Lemon Drops is a bright yelllow with a touch of warmth. Lemon Drops is the friendliest to apply (although, none of these are exceedingly difficult).


Pink Flip-Flops vs. Allie's Lace Cover Up vs. Pink Quartz

L-R: Pink Quartz, Allie's Lace Cover Up, Pink Flip-Flops

The similarities: They're all creme pinks.
The differences: Pink Quartz has a touch of orange, Allie's Lace Cover Up leans lavender, and Pink Flip-Flops has a distinct brightness reminiscent of Barbie. Allie's Lace Cover Up and Pink Flip-Flops are definitely more cool-toned than Pink Quartz. Choosing between these is a matter of preference and skin-tone.


Cosmic Kiss vs. Eli's Magic vs. Life of the Party

L-R: Life of the Party, Eli's Magic, Cosmic Kiss

The similarities: They all qualify as pigmented, easy to apply, bright pink, creme polishes.
The differences: Eli's Magic is what I would call a true bright pink. It's probably the color most think of when they think of a neutral hot pink. Life of the Party is still very vibrant but it has more coral (warm) undertones. Cosmic Kiss is the coolest of the three.


The only comparison that is not exclusively Barielle, Blue Capri vs. essie Butler Please

The similarities: Both are an on-trend bright, electric periwinkle blue. They both have a glossy creme finish.
The differences: Blue Capri is dustier and a touch darker than Butler Please. Blue Capri is a touch thicker and more pigmented, making application faster and easier.


The Verdict:
There are no duplicate polishes here! However, it is not completely necessary to own ALL of these. It's a matter of deciding which ones fit your skin-tone best.  Everyone has their own preferences so pick whichever one works best for you. Some do have better formulation than others making for easier application. If I HAD to pick I would choose: Central Park, Banana Drop (but maybe Lemon Drop), Allie's Lace Cover Up, Life of the Party, and Blue Capri.

Matte You Look

Press Samples

Today I have a comparison of two matte top coats. I received Barielle Matte-inee (I adore the name) with their spring collection, Sweet Treats. I decided to compare this higher end matte polish with a drug store brand. Take a peek at how Barielle Matte-inee and Revlon Matte Top Coat compare over a glossy polish.

L-R: Barielle Matte-inee, no top coat, Revlon Matte Top Coat

L-R: Revlon Matte Top Coat, no top coat, Barielle Matte-inee

The Verdict:
BOTH topcoats alter the finish of glossy nail polish. They also change the color of the polish ever so slightly.

• Barielle Matte-inee creates a satiny finish (which is what their product claims to do). Application was smooth and very easy. However, this product is rather pricey. This product also conditions nails and does a great job as a ridge filling polish. Would be great for guys or gals who want to condition their natural nails without a high shine polish.
• Revlon Matte Top Coat creates a matte finish. This polish was difficult to apply (maybe it was just my bottle?). It was very thick and was hard to apply evenly, which is very noticeable in the above picture. This top coat was inexpensive and easy to find, but does not claim to have any conditioning ingredients.

Revlon polishes can be purchased at many pharmacies and groceries. I paid $3.99 for my top coat.

Barielle polishes can be purchased online from their website. This matte top coat retails for $16.00.

Disclosure: The product(s) in this post were provided to me by the manufacturer or their PR company for consideration.  For more information please visit the tabs below the header.

Barielle Life of the Party Comparison

Press Samples

When I pulled out the Some Like it HOT Collection from Barielle, I thought the pink in the collection looked familiar.  In fact I thought Barielle may have either changed the name of their polish or that they had 2 of the same polishes in their line.  I quickly found Eli's Magic and after taking bottle shots, decided that they were nearly the same pink.

However, once on the nail you can tell that there is a difference between these beauties.  Eli's Magic is on the index and ring fingers and Life of the Party is on the middle and pinkie fingers.  Below the swatches are of one coat of each of these polishes.

The Verdict:
Life of the Party is definitely a hot pink that has more coral within it.  Eli's Magic is more of a bright Barbie pink.  Eli's Magic is also slightly more transparent, but both polishes had a very smooth, self-leveling formula.  I prefer Life of the Party for the summer but like Eli's Magic better for spring.  I really like both.  I feel like I probably have to check Life of the Party against my non-Barielle Polishes next because just looking at it I can think of very similar colors that I already own.  I have a soft spot for pinky-corals that lean red:)

These polishes can be found at the Barielle website and retail for $8.00.

Disclosure: The product(s) in this post were provided to me by the manufacturer or their PR company for consideration.  For more information please visit the tabs below the header.

Cult Nails Top & Base Coat

Last month, (I know I'm bad-I'm sorry I'm so behind!) I won 4 Cult Nails polishes of my choice, THE Cult Nails nail file, and the soon-to-be-released Wicked Fast & Get It On (Top & Base Coat).  Maria packed them in this adorable cupcake box!  

Since receiving this glorious package, I've fallen madly in love with both Wicked Fast and Get It On.  The base coat, Get It On, somehow makes it so I have to do fewer coats of polish for some of my favorite polishes.  It prevents cuticle drag of even the fussiest formulas and makes the polish stick.  Wicked Fast, the Cult Nails top coat, dries quickly without bubbles and leaves your manicure with a glossy shine.  These are seriously the "dream team" of top and base coats. 

Here is an experiment I did to prove to you the unparalleled quality of these polishes.  After prepping my nails as usual, I put one coat of Get It On on my middle finger (far) and one coat of another widely used base coat on my ring finger (close).  After they had completely dried, I put one (not too thin/thick) coat of a polish that usually requires 2 coats because of its streaky nature.  The difference between the Cult Nails polish and the *other brand* is unreal. 

If you are looking for an amazing base & top coat you MUST go over to http://shop.cultnails.com/ and buy this incredible duo.  Or  go to Cult Nails on facebook where you'll find out the latest Cult Nails news.  Maria is going to release these beauties any day now, so feel free to stalk her lovely shop & check out her infamous polishes!

**Update: you can buy both the top & base coat for $15 or you can by them separately for $8 each**