LLPT's Best Of 2013!! Mainstream Polishes

*contains press samples

HI everybody!!  It's that time of year again, New Year's is imminent and Best Of compilations abound.  My list loving self has been eating all this up with a spoon, both checking out my fellow bloggers' choices and compiling my own selections.

It's been a pretty freaking fantastic year for a lot of reasons but narrowing my choices down to a top 15 ended up being a fairly easy task once I thought about the ones Ive reached for the most and the ones that have truly wowed me.  So, let's jump right in (and please enjoy the continuing evolution of my nails; it seems inconsistency is my signature), in order of release.

OY-Another Polish Joke, the shimmery gold topper from spring's Euro Centrale collection that I put all over everything, lol.  It's shown here with other Euro Centrale colors.

 OPI Eurso Euro, another Euro Cetrale shade.  I fell in complete and utter love with the dark yet bright royal shade and glossy creme finish.  It was also my Christmas polish :)

Butter London Molly Coddled, from the spring Sweetie Shop collection, is the prettiest, creamiest pinky lavender to ever grace my nails.  I could not get enough of this one this spring.

 OPI Don't Burst My Bubble from the Oz, The Great and Powerful Softshades collection.  A delicate blushed white jelly, soft, clean, sheer, ridiculously pretty, and unique from all my loves in last spring's NYC Ballet collection.

 OPI Tiffany Case, from summer's Bond Girls Liquid Sand collection.  OPI pretty much knocked it out of the park for spring and summer.  This collection hooked me on textures, too.

  China Glaze Strap On Your Moonboots.  ChG's summer holo collection was highly anticipated and then pretty disappointing for a lot of people who were expecting something a little more eye searing.  But a holo doesn't need to look like the Eye of Sauron to be freakin' awesome and this one is certainly strong enough, and that gorgeous indigo base... not to mention the name, lol.  It reminds me of Napoleon Dynamite's big dance scene.  But maybe that's just me...

Zoya Josie, from summer's Stunning collection.  It's like jadeite for your nails.

Butter London Wellies, from the fall Colour Clash collection.  I was looooving my discordant greens this year and the unexpectedness of this bright chartreuse for fall captured my lil heart.  By the by, this looks really cool with OY- Another Polish Joke on top ;D

Zoya Maria Luisa, from fall's Satin collection.  I feel like I really embraced the special effects toppers this year and this gold cellophane flakie looks remarkable over each and every creme in the counterpart Cashmere collection this year.  If you only bought one polish from Zoya's 18-polish offering this fall, Maria Luisa should have been it.  LOVE.  Shown here over said cremes.

This year introduced me to a new brand I fell head over heels for, LVX, Latin for light, if you want to know.  Their fall collection was hands down my favorite of the entire year (which is saying a lot), boasting six gorgeous cremes in shades that all spoke to my classic-loving heart.  Viridis in particular blew me away...

...as did the Rioja-colored Dahlia.

I decided I was going to pay some attention to a brand I'd previously not had much interest in and it was a good year to do so, especially towards the end.  Essie Sable Collar, from fall's Shearling, Darling collection, is beautiful, unique, and full of glamorous imagery.

...and speaking of Essie, they took texture up a notch with their holiday collection!  Belugaria is much maligned and the most temperamental polish to ever grace my nails.  The formula is difficult, it chips within hours, it gets caught up on hair, clothes, jewelry, what have you.  It's completely polarizing.  I knew I had to have it the minute I saw the first swatches appear and despite its MANY difficulties, it did not disappoint.

Revlon China Flower, from the new Parfumerie core line collection, is the prettiest shade of coral red and the scent is wonderfully delicate and pleasing-- a spicy, slightly sweet and demure floral that won't compete with whatever perfume or creme you're wearing.  And did I mention the color?  It's a must-have for any of my fellow red nail polish afficionados.

Butter London Bramble, from the holiday Illusionists collection.  This collection reintroduced two staples and launched three special effects toppers and one gorgeous new creme.  In all the glitz and sparkle that holiday collections are known for, the cool, deep violet-indigo Bramble stood out as simple, elegant, and dramatic, all on its own.

 

And finally (though this makes it 16), Zoya's beautiful brand of holo, Payton and Dream, from this winter's Zenith collection.  They're jelly based and scattered, and the two coats to make them opaque also gives them incredible depth.  Those of us in need of a constant holo fix can wear these beauties during the cold and stormy months and feel satisfied.  These two are almost as fun to look at in their bottles as they are to wear ;)

And there you have it, part one of my Best Of 2013!  Thank you for reading and have an awesome Friday! ♥♥♥

*contains press samples