Are you one of those people who enjoy the holidays and can’t wait for Christmas? I’m not! I actually get annoyed by the craziness of the holidays, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy the awesome glitterfests that are presented to us. I was super excited about getting these early-ish so I spent wayyyyy too much time Sunday afternoon swatching the 12 piece China Glaze Happy Holiglaze Collection. This collection can be broken up into three main parts: the metallics/fouls—err…foils (Freudian Slip!), the fine glitters and the chunky glitters (including one textured polish). In each section, the polishes had pretty identical formulas so I won’t be discussing each polish individually but will offer my thoughts at the end of each section. Let the holiday swatchfest begin!
China Glaze All Wrapped Up
China Glaze Put A Bow On It
China Glaze This Is Tree-mendous
Out of the whole collection, these are my three favorites. I just love fine glitter even though it is a pain in the butt to remove without ending up with glitter in your arms, face, ears…etc. These were a little challenging to apply because I felt that if I didn’t stir, shake, roll the polish every time I dipped my brush into the bottle, I got a bunch of clear base with very little glitter. These glitters are just so pretty and sparkly! I applied 3 coats of glitter to make sure that I got complete coverage.
China Glaze So Blue Without You
China Glaze Mingle With Kringle
China Glaze Elfin’ Around
China Glaze Just Be-claws
China Glaze Santa Red My List
It’s no secret that I hate foils and metallic polishes. I don’t know what it is about that finish that makes me want to stab someone. In this case, I just want to stab Santa. This reminds me of a little of something that happened this weekend. My friend Lesley and I were polish shopping and we ended up at Nordstrom after our Sephora trip. I saw these really awesome Estee Lauder Metallic polishes and the following ensued:
Me: “OMG, I want them!” (Imagine me saying this both longingly and very whiney)
Lesley: “But you hate metallics…”
Me: “Oh yeah.”
And I totally walked away at this point. Why did someone have to remind me that I don’t like metallics? Why is the allure of pretty new polishes so strong? I guess that is a true hoarder reaction. Ok, now let’s get back to the foil polishes in this collection. I abhor metallics/foils. This is just my personal preference which is not going to affect what I have to say about the polishes themselves: they are nice. The colors are festive hues but aren’t just Christmas-y so I can see people getting a lot of good use out of them. In addition, the formula on these is pretty great: it’s easy to control, smooth and opaque. If you’re careful with your application, these could be one coaters, but I applied two coats for all of my swatches above. I also wanted to let you know that it is VERY important to let the first coat set and dry a few minutes before you apply a second coats—otherwise you will have a lumpy mess when you drag some of the polish off.
China Glaze Bells Will be Blinging over So Blue Without You
China Glaze Your Present Required over Mingle With Kringle
China Glaze Be Merry, Be Bright over Santa Red My List
I consider these three polishes glitter top coats. I wouldn’t really wear them on their own just because it would be kind of annoying and time consuming to push around the glitter to make sure you had complete coverage and ain’t nobody got time for that! Out of these three, I am seriously loving Your Present Required. They are all pretty, though…even the one with bar glitter (ick!).
China Glaze There’s Snow One Like You
And lastly, this is the polish I knew I would love to hate: There’s Snow One Like You. There aren’t enough words to say how horrid this polish is. Look at it: it’s lumpy and gross. Basically it looks like the Abominable Snowman took a dump on my nails. This is one of those polishes that I had to get just to satisfy my morbid curiosity so call me satisfied and horrified.
So what do I think about this collection overall? If I liked metallic/foil polishes, I think I would like this collection overall. However, being that there isn’t a single crème in this collection (the horror!) and I HATE foils, I can’t say that I like it. The three fine glitters are so pretty and sparkly so I definitely approve of those. Now, for the love of God, do not get There’s Snow One Like you unless you just want to confirm with your own eyes what an abomination this polish is. In fact, I think this is the same exact finish as those horrid Nails Inc. Beaded Polishes—they were horrid when Nails Inc. did them and it is just as horrid now. Just say no. I think this collection will be available sometime in October, but I’m not 100% sure. Unsurprisingly, this collection is up on my blog sale so check it out if you’re interested. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon!
LMAO! Snowman took a dump. Haha! That is definitely an interesting polish lol!
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You’re so diplomatic. LOL “Interesting” is a very kind word for this polish. hehehe
No cremes? What the heck! I do like Your Present Required & Be Merry, Be Bright though. Those are really lovely.
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Oh my god, “Basically it looks like the Abominable Snowman took a dump on my nails.” You kill me, that is the funniest thing I have read in weeks. Thanks for the very good laugh. 😀
“Are you one of those people who enjoy the holidays and can’t wait for Christmas?” NOPE! Sure ain’t! 😉
Let’s see…the glitters are eh, nothing to get all worked up about, and if there are application issues. fugghedaboutit.
The metallic/foils/whatever…my God, how I hate them. I really hate them. I usually don’t mind this finish, but I just DO NOT like these AT ALL. I guess it’s the colors. Although – they allowed a shopping anecdote, which brings me secret glee.
Your Present Required was my favorite in person and I still like that one the best, although I’m not completely dying over it. I actually kind of like the blue one, too. The red & purple (or is it pink?) looks a bit eh.
All I can say about that cottage cheese monstrosity is: *HURL*! That is not nail polish. It is Christmas tree flocking at best and it does not belong in a China Glaze bottle, or any other brand’s bottle, for that matter, let ALONE on anyone’s nails.
Good for you for getting through this collection so quickly! And, good for you for getting it out of your possession so quickly, LOL! 😉
OK I love polish, and as a true hoarder that means ALL polish, but geez that white mess looks disgusting. Yeah pretty much like snowman dump alright.
The only one I kinda like is treemendous …. But I can live without it. As for the snow turd you already know my thoughts.
So glad to see early swatches! Really bummed there are no cremes. Lol at the snowman dump polish. It truly is lumpy and gross. I wonder how polishes like that are ever released.
call me crazy, but I am about to say that i kinda like
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the white one! LOL
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it’s festive in a sorta ugly christmas sweater kinda way !
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I don’t see anything here that I absolutely have to have and I’m actually pretty happy about that. At least I’ll save myself some money. And I totally LOL’d at the abominable snowman dump comment; that’s totally what it looks like!
At least “Snow One Like You” doesn’t look quite as bad as the Nails, Inc one. That’s about the only nice thing I have to say about it.
“Mingle With Kringle” is calling my name, though! What a gorgeous gold.
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SO GOOD! I am glad you took one for the team and let the abominable snowman dump on your nails <3 I would be tempted to get it myself I am so morbidly fascinated, but I'm a little afraid the snowman poop is contagious and would turn the rest of me into an abominable snowlady!
Ick. *says in a snooty voice* hate ALL of them. It’s Christmas, not the 90’s! Come on China Glaze. The white one should be named “The Abominable Snowman”. Gross.
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Caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnndyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! I miss you, girl! I thought of you the other day because I was talking about a crazy cat and I thought to myself: “Well, I don’t like cats but Dante is probably cool cause he’s not a typical cat.” lol I’m glad I’m not the only one hating on this collection….
I have been creeping in the background 😉 And Dante is doing great, lol. I miss you too. Glad to see snark about this collection. China Glaze needs to know!! LOL
Candy recently posted..Im Still Painting Away!
You know there is always plenty of snark around here. 😉
Yeah… That wthe textured one is kinda…. Uhh different xD I don’t know what CG was thinking! Put a Bow on It is sooooooo pretty though! I think I’ll have to buy that one 🙂
Cynthia,
You are so adorable. I love your descriptions. A big thank you to you and everybody for the wonderul comments today. This was a fun post.
Love your description of that awful white texture. Did anyone at CG even test that?! Yuck!
Your Present required looks just like Hard Candy Party Central though. Party Central also has a near-dupe within the Hard Candy line as well I believe….
Anyway, I might be into some of the foils and those fine glitters though. Even though you hate them you always make them look good 😉
I think All Wrapped Up is the only one is even consider purchasing. What’s up with china Glaze lately?
And this white texture!? Ugh. I was actually impressed with the black texture that can out with the Monster’s Ball collection. Now… Not so much.
Lesley was ragging on the black texture one but I kinda like it. I swatched it as soon as I got it and I liked the leathery type look to it.
The white one is just…no.
How refreshing….I do not need any of these polishes…YEAH, I can save some money!
And that white…I don’t even go there…… >uch<
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The texture polish – no words, it is KAK!
Your favs are my favs and those three are the winners for me but I also like the gold foil (even though it isn’t unique) and Elfin around which I think is cute
the white textured didn’t deserve to be swatched. just sayin.
Well, I LOVE all the glitters in this collection. And both textures. yup. I said it.
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I guess I go against the grain… I got a texture polish once, the lime green one & was disappointed it didn’t seem more like margarita salt on my nails, lol… So I swore off textures altogether… But from the moment I saw There’s Snow One Like You I have been in love! I can’t wait for my fingertips to look like they’ve been dipped in sparkly snow!!!!
I bought There’s Snow One Like You in a trio that came with a free teddy bear, so I had to buy it. I actually like the swatch so I hope I have more luck with the polish. I think it’s pretty.
bahahahaha at you and Lesley that you hate metallics yet still wanted them. and that seriously is the fugliest polish ever that last one. I really like Be merry be bright
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“the Abominable Snowman took a dump on my nails”… I am now following your blog. That is possibly the best description of a nail polish I have ever come across. + I completely agree with your assessment of Christmas but you forgot the part about receiving a bunch of crap that you don’t need and spending money on similar junk. Sadness!