A couple of people have asked about OCC polishes... which was great, because I've been wanting to try them out for a long, long time. Or what seems like a long, long time.
What's wonderful about running this blog is that I get to pretend like readers expressing interest in certain polishes is a good reason to BUY those certain polishes. I mean, I have a shopping list a mile long now. It's only about one or two inches longer than what it would've been if I didn't ask around to see what polishes people wanted to see... but I feel so much more justified buying stuff off of it when I know other people are curious too. So now that the BB Couture for Men giveaway contest is over (winner has been contacted and has 48 hours to respond), please feel free to use the reader request comment box on the sidebar at any time to ask about certain brands or polishes. No guarantees obviously... but I'm, like, the biggest pushover on earth.
First impressions on OCC polishes: I'm in love with these cremes (as far as I know they only have one non-creme, which I didn't get)... but only with the darker colors, which are super easy to apply, were very nicely pigmented and mostly could have been left with two coats. The lighter colors, in general, required more coats and were a little harder to control: fab polishes still but maybe not for $8 + shipping. I'm trying NOT to put in another order right at this very moment (for both polishes and Lip Tars because the Lip Tars look like awesomeness in a tube).
I already showed off Swamp Thing in two other posts -- variations on Swamp Thing &comparisons with MAC Dry Martini -- so I'll refrain from posting it again.
OCC Traffic
Three coats, still some VNL. One of the easiest bright yellow polishes I've tried... by no means the easiest polish, of all colors, overall, ever. Warmer than Illamasqua Wayward, cooler than OPI The "It" Color: it's in between those two in terms of the 'temperature' of the color. Still I love this bright yellow to pieces. I prefer it to Illamasqua Wayward in terms of application... and price: $8 vs. $14. I may buy a lot of polishes but that doesn't mean I don't pay close attention to price. :P
OCC Inky
GORGEOUS super dark navy blue that leans a little bit greener than most other navy blues I have. And it doesn't look black indoors, which is what seems to happen to a lot of dark navy blues. Two coats, creme-y perfection. I love this one. Love.
OCC Grandma
Bright pink. Not nearly as neon as it appears in this photo; it leans more coral. Something happens with my camera with reds and pinks: they just don't capture well. I'm working on it. Any tips? I seem to recall this one being a little more watery than the other OCCs I've tried but still incredibly pigmented.
OCC Fondue
A delicious dark brown with a slight burgundy undertone. I mean, there's no doubt that this is a dark brown but in some lights, I swear, it takes on just the slightest bit of a burgundy. I never liked brown polishes too much but am starting to really hanker after 'em. This one just clinches it. It's so rich... like fondue. Two coats here, silky smooth formula; would've been made deeper with a third coat, probably.
OCC Petty Beige
Very pretty light brown color that leans pink on me. It was very easy to apply and was surprisingly pigmented. But it's one of those nude colors that makes my fingernails look like extensions of my fingers... and I don't like that effect. At all. (I'm tanned and very yellow, if that helps anyone at all.) It looks nice enough in this close-up photograph but my hand looked weird. Makes me sad because this is a REALLY nice polish!
OCC Blackboard
They aren't kidding when they say blackboard! It's like the Platonic form of a new blackboard on the first day of school (appropriate enough since the day after Labor Day is often the first day of school, isn't it?). So rich, so pigmented, and it practically applied itself. Greener and creme-r than the Tony Moly OC10 (which was slightly more blue and much more like a jelly) but they are pretty close. Also very close to Orly Enchanted Forest (which is slightly more green and much more creme). Of those three, I prefer OCC Blackboard for ease of application: both the Tony Moly and Orly are great polishes but the OCC beats 'em both.
In summary... I WANT MORE (only a couple like Wasabi, Dangerous and Uber). And Lip Tars (probably NSFW, Conquest and Fondue... and all the rest of them too, but I figure I'll get the most mileage out of those three: a red, a beige and a brown).
For those starting school again, happy beginning of the school year! For those thinking of graduate school (or even college, since there must be some high schoolers who read this blog): if you need any advice, ideas, whatnot on the application process, feel free to ask us any questions. Most of us either have been through that mill (or are actively going through it)! Personally, I love yapping about choosing and applying to schools so... I will answer all questions pertaining to this. :D (Again, I'm the biggest pushover EVER.)
