Letting Go Of Half My Nail Polish Collection

The minimizing journey continues! In my attempt at decluttering the things in my home that no longer serve me, I decided to take another long, hard look at my nail polish collection. I went through it quite vigorously in October 2016, when I got rid of half my nailpolishes for the first time. I filmed the process on my Dutch channel back then so if you’re interested, you can watch the video here:

It is in Dutch but you can still see what I’m keeping and what I’m getting rid of.

Anyways, I went though my nailpolish only once after that and I certainly haven’t done a big clearout like this in a while. I have, however, changed my relationship with nail polish quite a bit. This past summer I stopped wearing it altogether for a few months, and it’s only been over the past couple of weeks that I’ve started wearing nail polish more regularly again. Going through those polish-free months has made me realise that I’m not willing to put a lot of effort into maintaining my nails anymore. If a nail polish is gloopy, takes too many layers to have good coverage (and consequently too much time to dry), doesn’t look good with my skin colour, or is a colour that I just don’t like, I don’t want to have it around any more. Ideally I’d like to have a small collection of polishes that look good with my skin and most of my wardrobe, fit most occasions and seasons, and are hassle-free to apply, wear and remove. Last week Robbert asked whether I had any nail polishes I’d be willing to donate towards a game he was playing with the kids at scouting, and it took no effort at all to pick out three polishes I could part with straight away. This got me thinking and really put me in the mood to go though my collection and cut it in half again. Let’s take a look at what I’m left with!

Nudes

Keep

Essie Mademoiselle – Catrice Same Seine But Different- Essie Lady Like – Madam Glam Sandman

I feel like a good nude is as hard to find as a good foundation. There’s so much that goes into it in regards to undertones, lightness, saturation… These four might not be nudes on somebody else at all (in fact Sandman is outright lilac), but on me they look like they simply belong on my hand. They don’t stand out much at all, but just help give my nails that groomed, polished look. Love them! Lady Like is my favourite out of all of these.

Give Away

Look by Bipa Snow – S-he Style Zone 433 – Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Birthday Suit – Sephora City Amazon

The first two I’m getting rid of because they’re frosty, and I just never reach for frosty colours. Plus, light coloured frosts like these tend to require lots of layers to get to full coverage so they don’t meet the criteria to stay. Sally Hansen Birthday Suit was my favourite for a long time, but it’s so used up that whatever’s left now is just a gloopy mess. I tried to wear it a few days ago and it required so many thick coats that it took forever to dry, I damaged it, and had to take it all back off again. It has to go! City Amazon is simply expired.

Pinks

Keep

Essie In Stitches – Catrice Karl Says Très Chic – Sinful Colors Glass Pink – Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Throwing Shade

Behold two more of my ultimate favourites: Essie In Stitches and Catrice Karl Says Très Chic. These, along with Essie Lady Like, are the colours I reach for most often and the ones I get the most compliments on.
I know I just said I was getting rid of my frosted nail polishes, but here is one exception. I’m keepig Glass Pink because it’s just so… lovely! I haven’t worn in it a very long time though so if I end up not reaching for it or it turns out to be too low coverage, I’m going to let go of it after all.

Give Away

Essie DJ Play That Song – Catrice Neo Geisha – Madam Glam Hot Date – Madam Glam Happy Birthday

Ha! The “keeps” are a gallery of muted pinks, but behold here a range of bright colours. Not all of these are technically pink, but it’s the category that suited them best. Anyways, the bright purple I never reach for as it’s just not a colour I’m very drawn to personally. The two pinks are simply too bright for me (especially the neon Hot Date), and the lilac is too similar to the pinks and nudes I’m keeping, but not one I’ll reach for over them.

Corals

Keep

Madam Glam Sangria Addict – Catrice Catch Of The Day

I kept these two because I feel like they might be nice for summer, but I do have to say especially Sangria Addict is in the danger zone. I’ve kept it for now because it looks nice in the bottle, but if I don’t end up wearing it within the next year it’s going. Catch Of The Day is a colour that looks really nice and fresh on me, but it’s on the borderline of what I find too bright. I’ll have to see whether I end up reaching for these when spring and summer come around.

Reds

Keep

Madam Glam Endless Passion – Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Dig Fig – Catrice Marilyn & Me – Madam Glam All Redy

Ah, reds are my weakness! A very specific shade too, as you can tell, haha! All of these are just different enough that I feel like I can justify keeping them, though. Endless Passion is the only dark red I’ve kept, Dig Fig is a staple (someone once commented “you know it’s autumn when Loepsie starts wearing Dig Fig!”), Marilyn & Me is my only polish with glitter/shimmers, and All Redy is a beautiful classic red.

Give Away

OPI Brisbane Bronze – Catrice Fred Said Red

Birsbane Bronze is a beautiful colour, but it just doesn’t look right on me. I have an olive undertone and anything too warm looks off… Plus, it’s metallic and that’s not my taste any more. Fred Said Red is a bit more of an orange red and again, a touch too warm for me. I don’t pick it over the other reds.

Miscellaneous

Keep

Catrice Black To The Routes – OPI Yodel Me On My Cell – Madam Glam Sea, Swing & Sun – Etos Go Holland Go Orange – Sephora Fusion

A black nail polish is a must have in my opinion, if only for its uses outside of adorning nails. All the others, to be honest, are getting a last chance here. Yodel Me On My Cell is sentimental to me as it’s one of the first pricier beauty purchases I made as a teenager, and I still think it’s absolutely gorgeous. Can’t say I wear it, though. Sea, Swing & Sun I’m keeping for the same reasons as the coral above: I think it’ll be fun to wear in the warmer months, but I’m not sure I will. The bright orange I’m keeping only to have something to wear on Kingsday and if the Dutch team ever makes it to the world cup again, haha! As for Fusion, I think it’s gorgeous in the bottle but I haven’t worn it in so long I’m not sure about the state of it. I want to try that one one more time and then I’ll make a permanent decision.

Give Away

MNY 761 – Madam Glam Heart Stone – Wet n Wild I Need A Refresh-Mint – Khroma Beauty Lapis – La Femme Beauty 2

For the first four I can just say: these colours are a pain to remove. They show chips really easily because they’re so dark, they don’t go with many outfits, and I just don’t like them enough to be willing to go through the trouble they take to look good. The last one is a very sentimental item to me: I got it as a birthday present from my best friend in primary school when I turned 11 or 12. That’s how old this is, haha! I kept it for so long because it exactly matches one of the corsets I often used to wear to fantasy events. I don’t frequent those as much anymore though, and I can’t imagine this nail polish is still very safe to use. It’s finally time to say goodbye.

OPI In True Stefani Fashion – Mysterious Korean glitter trio

Ah, glitter. I somehow feel like I’m getting too old to rock glittery nail polish, and just don’t really feel comfortable in it any more. The silver OPI glitter is gorgeous though and I might’ve kept it if it hasn’t gone gloopy. The trio on the right I got in a press package, unfortunately I don’t remember the brand and the writing is all in Korean. I don’t use them enough to justify keeping them, and don’t think I will in the future.

So here we are! My collection currently consists of 19 nail polishes, and I do expect this number will drop even further as time goes by and I notice I never reach for certain nail polishes, or they turn out to be too much of a hassle after all.
I love how this collection reflects the colours I like best and wear the most: nudes, light pinks and reds. A few colours thrown in just for fun, to change things up. I’m very happy with the progress I’ve made!