*Post contains both purchased polishes and PR samples*
Happy New Year's, everyone! I think it's fair to say that this year has collectively been the most challenging one we've ever experienced. I don't think there's many people who will argue with me that we'll be glad to see the tail end of 2020.
One thing that hasn't sucked about 2020 has been the polish that has been released. From old favourite brands to new to me brands to brand new brands there have been some really amazing polishes released.
I didn't put these polish in any order. They are the ones that I purchased or was sent as a product review in 2020 and just that was hard enough to do without adding them in a specific order.
Without further ado....
Femme Fatale Crystal Citadel (October 2020 PPU)
Described as a sheer, blue-toned iris purple with a pink flash that shifts to a soft golden green and a soft holo finish. This polish is so delicate while making an impression at the same time.
Femme Fatale is becoming one of those brands that I make a point of buying from in PPU each month because I feel like they are always gorgeous. Plus, FF's branding is simply perfection and I always feel extra classy when using them.
Treo Lacquer Malfurion
Malfurion is a tri-coloured thermal that goes from clear when warm to a cornflower blue in transition to a violet purple when cold with iridescent glitter that flash yellow and gold and tiny green microglitters. It sounds like a lot but the result is so worth it.
Treo Lacquer is a new Canadian indie brand that has really impressed me this year. I have been around the indie polish community for about 8 years now so it's nice to see a brand take it's time, learn the community, and offer a product from the start that is quality.
Bluebird Lacquer The Ryan King (November 2020 PPU)
The Ryan King is a a deep hunter green sparkly mega holo. Okay, so at first glance I was like "oh, nice green, but I'll probably pass because I don't wear much green" but when I saw how it had skyrocketed to the best seller for the month of PPU I had been waiting for (The Red Carpet), my FOMO got the best of me and I grabbed a bottle. Friends....the hype is real.
Bluebird Lacquer is a brand that has quickly gone from just on my radar to me watching closely for when new releases will happen. My polish budget is much tighter than it used to be so I don't just buy all the things anymore. After this brand's winning 'Centaur of Attention' and 'Left of Centaur', I am confident that I will like the quality of what is offered.
LynB Designs Lei'd Back (June 2020 PPU)
Lei'd Back is described as a peach when warm to grey blue to purple when cold tri-thermal polish with red-green-gold shifting shimmer, pink-gold shifting flakes, and pink-copper-orange shifting flakes.
It was super reactive and I love the very big contrast in colours from warm to cold. LynB Designs is a brand that I feel often gets overlooked but she makes some really great polish.
Top Shelf Lacquer Long Lost City of Atlantis (April 2020 PPU)
Long Lost City of Atlantis is a beige creme base with green-gold shifting UCC flakes and a gold-green shifting shimmer. As you can see in the photos, it's the perfect nude with my colour of skin.
It's no secret that Top Shelf Lacquer is one of my favourite brands. I have 90% of what Amy has made over the years and I always have loved her formula and colours. This polish is by far the most unique one I bought in 2020 and I feel sad that it didn't really get the love it deserves.
JReine Rainbow Kingdom (October 2020 PPU)
JReine Rainbow Kingdom (October 2020 PPU)
Rainbow Kingdom is described as an explosion of fuchsia, orange and green micro flakes with an intense holo sparkle.
The shift on this one is insane. It's smooth as butter and has a wow factor that's hard to describe.
Fair Maiden Polish Mindfreak (July 2020 PPU Rewind)
So, I'm kinda cheating with this one BUT I foolishly skipped this polish during its original release so I'm counting it.
Mindfreak is the perfect fall polish. Orange jelly, leaf like flakes, and amazing syrup formula. I am so glad I finally bought this.
My Indie Polish Halloween 2020 *PRESS SAMPLE*
Halloween 2020 is an orange when warm, brown when cold thermal filled with gold glass fleck.
I love how unique My Indie Polish is with her thermal polishes. When I'm looking for a thermal that reacts quickly to my body temperature and I won't see in a few places, this is where I turn.
Great Lakes Lacquer Bubblegum (FTLOF Box October 2020)
Everyone has their go-to brands for certain kinds of polishes and I always turn to Great Lakes Lacquer for polishes that are flakie filled in a cruelly base. These polishes always remind me of leaves in water.
GLL doesn't make a ton of pink polishes. But when she does, she always gets them right. I saw a teaser of more of these pastel flake cruelly polishes to come and I'm excited.
Femme Fatale Sugar Cubes (May 2020 PPU)
Sugar Cubes is described as a pale indigo base packed with pink/gold/green shifting shimmer, matte white glitters, and holographic sparkle. I'm not usually drawn toward purple but if 2020 did a lie detector test on me, it'd say I was lying.
Sugar Cubes is the polish I used after the birth of my son and I finally had an hour to focus on myself so it holds a sentimental place for me.
Vapid Lacquer You Lost the Substance by Grasping at the Shadows (October 2020 PPU)
You Lost the Substance by Grasping at the Shadows is a tri-thermal that goes from pale grey blue when warm to a denim blue to a blurple when cold with magnetic ultra chrome shifting flakes.
I had no idea that the flakes in this polish were magnetic! I loved it so much as it was that now I am very excited to go back and try it again knowing this information.
Cadillacquer Charlie (May 2020 PPU)
Charlie is a light purple to mauve to eggplant tri-thermal with pink-orange-gold flakes.
It mostly stayed in it's medium and cold states on me and I didn't get that pale purple very easily, which is okay by me. I adore these crelly bases with the flakes and thermals are my jam so adding this one to my list of top polishes was a no brainer.
Treo Lacquer Succubus (September 2020 PPU)
Succubus is a charcoal holographic when cool and a light lavender holographic when warm. It has tiny holographic microglitters that dry with a texture so I used a nice thick coat of top coat to smooth that right out.
This is the second polish from Treo Lacquer that ended up on my Top of 2020 Polish list. I love love love how delicate this one is, how easy it was to apply, and how catching it was in person. I am marking Treo Lacquer as my 'brand to watch' for 2021.
What are your thoughts? Do you agree with any of my choices? Think I missed something glaring? I'd love to hear from you!
I wish you all a happy, healthy, and hopefully less socially distant 2021 <3
