Manicure Monday

I finished winter term last Thursday (after writing some 4500 words in a 22-hour span, #likeaboss) and spent Friday catching up on rest, Saturday cleaning, and Sunday relaxing. As I write this on Sunday, I'm awaiting the boy's return home after more than a month in San Francisco, and I'm pretty psyched to see him (#understatement). We're going to the coast for a couple of days, and then I'm going to Portland for a couple of nights with my mother, so it may be a little bit until I'm back to a (somewhat) regular posting (and commenting) schedule. But here! Have some nail polish. It's very...green.

St. Patrick's Mani: Color Club Cactus and Cult Nails Two-Timer

My ex was (and, as far as I know, still is!) Irish-American and very into St. Patty's Day, so I have a bit of lingering resentment towards the holiday (through no fault of its own). Nevertheless, I decided to get into the holiday spirit with a very green manicure, featuring Color Club Cactus and Cult Nails Two-Timer, which I bought when it was on clearance for $3 (scoooooore). While it's kind of lumpy, and I'm not really sure why––I probably didn't give enough time between coats––it wore like iron; this photo was taken after 4 days. Which may not be all that impressive by some people's standards, but I was super thrilled! My right (dominant) hand looked almost as good, too. Cray.

NCAA Mani: Milani Hi-Tech and Color Club Kismet

I actually managed to photograph a mani before removing it and realizing I hadn't already featured the polishes on the blog! I can learn, who knew. The Ducks were playing against the Badgers (Wisconsin) on Saturday, so I decided to do more green nails to help them along. They lost, though, so I guess my nails weren't green enough. I probably should've replaced one of the greens with a yellow, damnit. Sorry, Duckies. Even though both of these polishes can be described as green holos, they are super different. Hi-Tech is sheerer, more yellow, and has a scattered holo effect, whereas Kismet (a gift from Amanda!) is more seafoam, very pigmented (I did 2 coats, but 1 probably would have sufficed with careful application), and the holo is insane. I like them both and I'm keeping them both!

Coast Mani: Sally Hansen Jaded with Deborah Lippmann Mermaid's Dream

Isn't this just AMAZING?! GAH. (Please ignore the unhappy cuticles.) I love it so much. Jaded is gorgeous, a seafoam/jade (see what they did there?) jelly. I needed 3 coats for it to be even and opaque, though others with longer nails have needed 4, but application was easy peasy and it was fast drying in spite of the number of coats. I sponged Mermaid's Dream onto the tips, and now my nails look like magical sea gems. They won't exactly match the Oregon Pacific Ocean, but the spirit is the same. And also, SO GORGEOUS. GAH.

I also wore Sally Hansen Mandarin Garnet (beautiful, subtle holo), so it wasn't just endless greenness. Though they are all very different greens! Which one is your favorite? What have you been wearing?