Mani Monday:

I’m a big advocate of treating yourself to a new nail polish or two once in a while, so I asked my former blog partner and fellow nail polish hoarder, Amanda, to write a guest blog post today. Read on for a Sephora Formula X Cupcakes and Cashmere review.

I’m a sucker for a good collaboration, and was thrilled when one of my favorite bloggers, Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere, collaborated with a somewhat new-to-me nail polish brand, Formula X (no longer available).

Let’s talk about the Formula X formula first. I happened upon it when I was in Sephora looking for a new color for the weekend and decided to give it a try. I’m immensely brand loyal, particularly when it comes to nail polish, so I wasn’t sure how I’d like it. I LOVED it. The brushes are fantastic and the coverage is amazing. Most of the darker shades only need one coat for it to be opaque, and the brush is small enough that I don’t make many mistakes or color “outside the lines” when I’m doing my nails. The wear is great (I got a good 5-7 days), but I really attribute that more to the topcoat (Seche Vite) than the polish.

Now on to the Sephora Formula X Cupcakes and Cashmere review:

I had to start with the reds, because reds are my favorite. I own probably 40 shades of red alone, and seriously, they all look different to me. I had high hopes for the C&C “Haute Sauce,” and it didn’t disappoint – it’s a fantastic red. Largely because I think it looks exactly like OPI’s Fashion A Bow, which I already loved.

Verdict: I’ll be keeping this one, but it’s not a necessary purchase if you already have a red you like.

Next up I tried the C&C “Peach Tea.” I compared it to Essie’s Tart Deco, which looked similar in the bottle but was very different once I got it on. Not my color. I wanted it to be slightly darker so it didn’t wash me out, but could see how it’d look nice with a tan.

Verdict: Would not have purchased this, but I’m going to try again mid-summer once I have a tan.

Finally, I tried the nudes. I compared the C&C Latte Run to OPI’s Tiramisu for Two, which is my absolute favorite nude. I was prepared to hate this one, but it was actually my favorite of the collection! The coverage is great (no need for 3-4 coats like some nudes need), and the shade is just slightly lighter than the OPI, which I liked. As my fiance says, “it doesn’t blend into your skin.”

Verdict: I love this shade, and hope the bottle never runs out. If you buy one shade from this collection, make it Latte Run.