The Unique Appeal of Nail Polish

The three products I'm most likely to use if hurried are mascara, lip balm/gloss and moisturizer (with SPF, gotta watch those sun rays). I'm not in the market for new moisturizer because I like the Aveeno stuff I've used the past several months and its four ounce pump lasts a surprisingly long time. Though I like trying new mascaras - just picked up my first clear one -I'm largely satisfied with my main tube, Maybelline's Full 'N Soft. Plus I usually stick to either black/brown or just plain black mascara so there's not much need for drastic experimentation.

Lip gloss...now we're talking. In the back of my mind I'm always on the lookout for new lippies that are smoother, more moisturizing and better colored than what I have. If it's a better price, well, that's even more tempting! But I'll usually buy three or four products within a few weeks and then stay satisfied with my rotation for a while.

Tonight though, I realized my biggest 'vulnerability' is nail polish. I actually purchase it quite infrequently. Most of my polishes were collected over the last five to eight years, many of them my mother's castoffs or clearance items from a now-defunct drugstore. Yet whenever I see a rainbow of inexpensive, attractive polishes I just want to go look, to open the bottle tops and sample. I love that with nail polish I can quickly and subtly go from prim and proper to rebellious and free spirited.

Most of my other makeup is within the similar color families to which I'm naturally drawn. Since I'm just trying to break the habit of applying eyeshadow with my fingers it's really for the best I that move in baby steps. (So what if navy blue is my most daring eyeliner shade??) Nail polish, on the other hand (no pun intended, heh), is something I really enjoy playing with. It is also straightfoward and easy to apply. Yes, it takes effort to make it look really good but it's still more simple to do at home than contouring your face. And as I mentioned before, it's fairly subtle. I think this is what I like best. People will quickly notice a wild haircut, facial piercings or sparkly neon pigments on your lids. They have to look a bit more closely for the nail color.

Plus, the nail polish I'm wearing that day will probably mean something you won't know about -- you can just wonder why I picked a certain red or deep, dark green or pretty pink. Usually I pick my polish for a certain mood. (Is that weird?!) Rarely to match an outift, but sometimes an event, like a muted neutral pink for a job interview or a rich magenta for a weekend out.

Which brings me to my purchase tonight --Sinful Colors "Forget Now." It's a medium pink with pink sparkles in it...very sassy. A reviewer on Makeup Alley said it is difficult to get opaque so I might layer it over another pink, we'll see. I will post pics once I do the manicure. So far it looks good. :)