NOTD: Deborah Lippmann Cleopatra in New York

Glitterseason is here!!! Well, it should be anyway but the weather isn't really cooperating.  It's too warm for the time of the year and today the sun was shining.  I can't help it but I'm not in the Christmas/New Year mood.  The season is just off!!  I guess migrating to Australië would be a no-go for me ;-) 

But when a colleague asked if I could bring some glitters to the office so she could do her nails for Christmas I pulled out all my glitter, golden, silver and everything in between polishes and I rediscovered this one: Cleopatra in New York by Deborah Lippmann.

To me Deborah Lippmann equals glitter.  Sure, she has 'normal' polishes in her range but I'm not one to pay more than €20 for a 'normal' polish.  But for her glitters I gladly pay up!  Her glitter polishes are just gorgeous and now that I've pulled this one out, I'm dying to put on more (and maybe even buy some more).  

Cleopatra in New York is a black polish with golden glitters.  It took me 2 coats to get full coverage but the polish (and glitters) go on easy.  You just have to play around a bit to make sure the glitters are evenly spread.  It's just a gorgeous polish and perfect for the days to come.

As much as I love the glitters, removing this is a real pain in the a**.  The easiest way and the least aggressive way for your nails according to me is the aluminium foil method.  Take a cotton disk, drench it in nail polish remover, lay it on your nail and wrap the tip of your finger in aluminium foil.  Leave it on for at least 5 minutes and you should be able to wipe off the glitter polish quite easily.  For the Deborah Lippman polishes I usually wait for about 10 minutes.  It look ridiculous I know but it works!

Where to buy:

You can buy Cleopatra in New York at feelunique.com for €24,30.

Splurge vs Steal: Deborah Lippmann Rockin’Robin vs NYC Nolita’s Lolita

Sometimes I can just smack myself in the head for buying high end, more expensive nail polish.  And this is one of those times.

A few years ago I bought Deborah Lippmann’s Rockin’Robin when it just came out and I paid €22 for at (at Parfuma in Antwerp).  I loved the polish, it’s a a minty blue with black speckles in.  It reminded me of the chocolate easter eggs Hema brings out every year.  I loved the color, wore it plenty during the spring/summer and then forgot about it.  

Last week during my lunch break I was strolling through the local drugstore (because what else is there to do during lunch break right?) and passing the NYC display I noticed this polish called Fancy Dotty in Nolita’s Lolita.  Immediately I thought of Rockin’Robin and I just had to buy it so I could compare the two.  

That’s right, I bought it so I could compare it to something that’s quite possibly the same and that I already have.  Sounds crazy?  Maybe a bit but hey, I bought it so I might as well compare them.

I paid €2,49 for the NYC polish and to be honest I love it more than I do the Deborah Lippmann polish.  The biggest reason for this is the brush. I love nail polish brushes that are a bit wider and the Deborah Lippmann one’s are quite small.

There really isn’t a big difference between the polishes quality wise, the color is a bit different though.  Nolita’s Lolita is a light blue polish were as Rockin’Robin has a bit of mint in it.  It’s not really minty green, more minty blue if you get what I mean.

from top to bottom:

DL Rockin'Robin, NYC Nolita's Lolita, DL Rockin'Robin, NYC Nolita's Lolita

Even though I hardly ever buy nail polish that costs more than 10€ (which is already expensive enough I think), I am willing to pay more if it is something special*.  I will buy Deborah Lippmann glitter polishes because those are just a-ma-zing!!  But for a ‚normal’ polish that doesn’t have a special effect of finish to it, I just don’t see any reason any more.  Drugstore polishes have come a long way and are great quality wise.  

So comparing application, quality and prices there is no doubt in my mind that you should go for NYC Nolita’s Lolita (you do realize that for the price difference you can buy 7 more different NYC polishes right?)

*one exception to this: Marc Jacobs beauty nail polishes, just because it’s Marc Jacobs :-)