I didn’t think I had so many greens, since it’s not a color I like on my nails. I love it in eye makeup and clothing, since I have hazel eyes, but on nails it never looks right to me somehow. But after organizing my collection, I realized I have enough to do a monochromatic color block. This took some time to do, but I really like how it turned out.

 

I started with a base of China Glaze Keep Calm Paint On, from the Avant Garden spring 2013 collection. I always forget how pretty this color is: it’s a mint, like CG’s beloved Refresh-Mint, but has a gorgeous shimmer to it. I then taped off my nails in various blocks using striping tape and applied other colors. I sealed the whole thing with Seche Vite.

 

When doing this, I thought a lot of these greens were similar, so I decided to swatch them side by side and realized they’re totally not dupes at all. CG Keep Calm has a different tone (as well as the shimmer) from essie Navigate Her, which is a more yellowish green. Zoya Josie is a lovely grass green that I wear solo, even with my dislike of green nails; it’s part of the summer 2013 Irresistible collection, and the only one from that set I had to have. Julep Fiona is a brighter, yellower, um, ogre-green. I got it in a mystery box and figured I’d keep it for art, since I think it’s way too bright for me to wear alone. a-England Dragon is just gorgeous, a hunter-green with loads of holographic shimmer. The lines in the photo are because I didn’t pay much attention and swirled my brush during application, but this applies like a one-coat dream. Meanwhile, one of Zoya‘s newest fall 2013 PixieDusts, Chita, is a bit deeper in hue, packed with silvery sparkle, and of course textured. Finally Zoya Hunter, from the fall 2013 Cashmere collection, is a smooth deep green creme. Illamasqua Rampage (found in the sale bin at Sephora in JCP), has a brighter hue and a more translucent formula.

The differences don’t show up on my camera as much as in person

Whew! That’s a lot of greens for someone who doesn’t even polish that color very often.

Next week: Dalmasca! That’s a nation in Becca’s and my favorite video game Final Fantasy XII, and we have a few themes throughout the year to celebrate our obsession with this six-year-old game. 😀