This is an awesome collection name. That’s what makeup is to me – guilty pleasures 🙂 Guilty, because I’m too much into it, head over heels, actually. And pleasures, because oh, it’s so-o much pleasure, pleasures… everything.

 

The name of the collection is not the only great name here. The names of the shades themselves are… magical. They bring me right back into the holiday season. Right forward into the next year holiday season. You’ll see why.

 

That’s what good design work does. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again – makeup is not just makeup. Especially when it’s about luxury makeup. It’s a whole package – shade names included. And this package can make one happy. Or not. Well, this collection does make me happy. Don’t know about you. Now before we get to the shades, let’s talk quality here.

 

I have to say, Sally Hansen nail colour quality got to be considerably better since I used it last. In fact, I haven’t used it for a long time exactly for this reason – its quality was just not good enough for me. The holiday shade names, that I loved, made me try it again this year. It seems to me the situation has improved since. The formula has definitely changed. Or Chanel base and top coat that I always use now for my manicure helped a lot, not sure which. Probably, both. 🙂

 

Let’s look at the shades.

 

See how clever shade choice is here? The shades are mostly rich, vibrant, darker, festive, they scream holiday. We have red – holiday classic. We have snowy white. We have purples that are ever so hot this holiday season. Green that often shows up in holiday collections for obvious Christmas tree colour reasons 🙂 But this green is not elf costume green, it’s wearable. This collection is just so well put together. I’m impressed.

 

Anyway,

 

200 Winter Wonderland

 

Sheer pearly sparkly white. Very sheer. Very much so. Looks almost like French manicure.

 

I don’t like sheer. I like full coverage on my nails. I just do.

 

If you do like French though, it’s a great wintery option. You can achieve the result you want in one step without stickers, painting your nail tips and all the fuss. And it will be sparkly and shiny too.

 

Love the sparkly part. Winter wonderland indeed 🙂

 

220 Ribbon Candy

 

Raspberry pink. Or else raspberry. Metallic. Hot and bright and vibrant. With fine raspberry sparkle in it. Full coverage power in two coats. Good 🙂

 

 

It’s not exactly Christmas red, too raspberry. Which might be for the better. It’s festive though, because it’s so bright and happy.

 

And it’s shade of red. Womanly too.

 

Sweet with a little bit of a fun edgy twist. Just like Ribbon Candy.

 

250 Rum-pa-pum Plum

 

I don’t see any plum here. Although I love this name – Rum-pa-pum Plum. I see purple though. Deep deep purple.

 

Dark. Sultry.

 

Purple is no doubt the manicure shade of this holiday season. We’ve seen it in so many collections. It’s so big it’s stepping on black manicure territory almost, which is the ultimate dark shade.

 

This might be a good one to go to, if you’re fed up with blacks, but like darker manicure colours.

 

230 Jolly Jade

 

Oh, yes, this jade is pretty jolly. Given I like greens on my nails to begin with.

 

This is a smart green. It’s not too bright, not too neon, not too crazy. In fact, it’s calm and bright without being over the top.

 

It’s Christmasy without being the colour of a Christmas tree. I wouldn’t mind that either, to tell you the truth, but most people probably would.

 

This green has a touch of blue in it. Might be a fun thing to try for holidays, if neither green nor blue is you cup of tea, once holidays are over or before they start.

 

210 Rudolph Red

 

How cute is that name? How gorgeous. How Christmasy. How merry. Wow.

 

This is the kind of shade name that would make me buy the shade. Speaking about the shade 🙂 It’s darker red. I’d say, it’s on the way to being cherry, but not quite there.

 

Elegant. But bright.

 

If you usually stick to classics, when it comes to manicure, but are kind of tired of that Christmas red, go for this. You’ll like it.

 

Here’s how it’s different from Ribbon Candy, in case you were wondering 🙂 Rudolph Red is on the left here, Ribbon Candy is on the right.

 

 

 

 

 

Moving on to the next shade.

240 Deck the Halls

 

Uh-huh. Fa la la la la, la la la la. Another purple. Told you. The colour of the season. I’m already curious to see what it’s going to be next year. Before we get there though, here it is.

 

Not as dark or hot as Rum-pa-pum Plum. More vibrant and fun. Brighter. And full of purple sparkle.

 

An artsier version of purple. I, personally, would go for this purple, if I had to take my pick between the two in the collection.

 

Or – wait a minute – why not combine both in one manicure? Talk about ‘decking the halls’ 🙂

 

Let’s see Rum-pa-pum Plum (on the left) and Deck the Halls (on the right) side by side here.

 

 

 

 

 

I love this collection. Everything about it. Nail polish bottles that look like vintage perfume bottles. The names of the shades. Oh, the names! The shades proper. They are so full of life and ever so merry. But mostly I like my memories that this collection stirs so easily. My holiday memories. One of the best ones ever. It warms my heart to think about those moments. And, hey, darker brighter nail shades look cool in colder seasons, and winter is not over yet.