Julep Lineup: Acacia, Adeline, Adrian, Ainsley

All two coats.

• Acacia (Wonder Maven - Wonder Maven, September 2016) is a teal metallic. It shows some brush-strokes but it’s not horribly bad. It’s a really pretty color; most other teal metallics (like China Glaze’s Don’t Teal My Vibe) are a lot more green than this.
• Adeline (It Girl - Endless Summer, August 2016) is a pink with fine gold glitter. The glitter shows up a lot better in real life than in the picture, although it’s not in your face. This one’s really pretty!
• Adrian (Boho Glam - Midsummer Light, June 2016) is a yellow creme. This is actually quite nice, it could probably use a third coat but it’s formula was a dream for a yellow.
• Ainsley (Classic with a Twist - Cozy in Love, February 2017) is a dove gray with gold shimmer. The gold shimmer shows up a little better in real life than in the pictures, but again it’s not super blingy. This is a really interesting neutral, but between the cool base and the gold shimmer I don’t really know who this is made for.

Holiday 2017 Comparisons - Orly Faux Pearl (Darlings of Defiance) - Part 1

From left to right: Ainsley (Cozy in Love, February 2017), Mixtaupe (As If, Autumn 2017), Tatum (Naturel 3, Spring 2017), McKenna (Sophisticates, Autumn 2017), Throne-in’ Shade (Street Regal, Autumn 2017), Faux Pearl, Erin (Spa Essentials), Tip Toe Through the Tulips (Spring Reveries, Spring 2014), Glimmer, Earth Angel (Painted Desert Sephora Exclusive, Summer 2015)

Faux Pearl is a lot like Erin in concept, just not in execution. They’re both nude shimmers, but Erin is sheer and Faux Pearl is opaque, Erin has a warm base but silver shimmer and Faux Pearl has a cool base with gold shimmer. McKenna is also in the same neighborhood, but it’s all cool with silver shimmer.

Holiday 2017 Comparisons - Essie Social-Lights (Ring in the Bling) - Part 1

From left to right: Ainsley (Cozy in Love, February 2017), Monique (Lighten Up, March 2016), Beth (Sophisticates, Autumn 2017), Fashion Faceoff (Gala Bolds, Summer 2017), Harley (Twist, Spring 2009), Social-Lights, Don’t Take Yosemite For Granite (California Dreaming, Summer 2017), On the Wild Side (Wild at Heart, Autumn 2009), Kiss My Glass (Autumn Nights, Autumn 2013), Haute & Heavy (Street Regal, Autumn 2017)

Social-Lights is the only thing here with that luscious gold shimmer in it. Harley has a similar base color but the shimmer’s not even close.

Holiday 2017 Comparisons - OPI Snow Glad I Met You (Love OPI XOXO) - Part 1

From left to right: Christinna, Sweet Souffle (Summer 2017), Lara (Spring To It, March 2017), Sin-derella (Happily Never After, Autumn 2017), Silken Quartz (Velvet Dream, Autumn 2017), Ainsley (Cozy in Love, February 2017), Snow Glad I Met You, Fashion Faceoff (Gala Bolds, Summer 2017), Wow (Star Power, Autumn 2017), Chroma Cool (Summer 2017)

Ainsley is the closest thing to Snow Glad, but it’s a different style, being a crème with shimmer instead of a true metallic.

Holiday 2017 Comparisons - OPI Gift of Gold Never Gets Old (Love OPI XOXO) - Part 1

From left to right: Ainsley (Cozy in Love, February 2017), Silken Quartz (Velvet Dream, Autumn 2017), Best Ponies Forever (My Little Pony, Summer 2017), High Standards (Summer Reign, Summer 2017), Gift of Gold Never Gets Old, Gal (Sophisticates, Autumn 2017), Truth is Gold (Street Regal, Autumn 2017), Star Studded (Gala Bolds, Summer 2017), Accent Piece (Street Regal, Autumn 2017)

I threw in Gal because I thought it pulled out the green tone of Gift of Gold, although the finish is quite different. The golds from China Glaze are all too true a gold and everything else is way different.

Autumn 2017 Comparisons - Zoya Beth (Sophisticates) - Part 1

From left to right: Ainsley (Cozy in Love, February 2017), Magical (Romantique, Spring 2009), To Have & To Gold (Bridal 2017), Beth, Sweet Carmel Sunday (California Dreaming, Summer 2017), Goldie But Goodie (Autumn Nights, Autumn 2013), Glimmer (?)

I was surprised how close Beth was to To Have & To Gold. Beth is a little less foily and a little less bronze but they’re closer than I would have thought. Ainsley seems to have been made with a similar idea in mind but the colors are different; the base is lighter and the shimmer more gold. It’s not a true metallic like Magical or Sweet Carmel Sunday, Goldie But Goodie is way too gold, and Glimmer is a whole other thing entirely.

Autumn 2017 Comparisons - Zoya McKenna (Sophisticates) - Part 1

From left to right: Christinna (?), Sweet Souffle (S’il Vous Play, Summer 2017), Ainsley (Cozy in Love, February 2017), Erin (Spa Essentials), Mckenna, Shay (Touch, Winter 2011), Girly (Core)

McKenna seems like the long lost fourth Touch polish, of which I only have Shay. Shay is noticeably peachier, but I imagine Minka from the same set would be pretty close. Erin’s of the same family but the shimmer is different. The three on the left are too light and Girly is too sparkly.

Summer 2017 Comparisons - Essie Fashion Faceoff (Gala Bolds)

Hey, why didn’t I include Hook and Line in my It’s A-Boat Time comparisons?

From left to right: Cords (Retro Diva, Autumn 2009), Hook and Line (Colours from the Capitol/Hunger Games, Spring 2012), It’s A-Boat Time (Spring Fling, Spring 2017), Gossip Over Gimlets (Autumn Nights, Autumn 2013), Ainsley (Cozy in Love, February 2017), My Silk Tie (50 Shades of Grey, Spring 2015), Fashion Faceoff, Dorothy (Luminous Lights, Holiday 2016), Closing Night (Ballet Nudes, Spring 2017), Moon Rendezvous (Romantic Rapture, Spring 2013), On the Wild Side (Wild at Heart, Autumn 2009). Bottom: Seraphina (Zenith, Holiday 2013)

Fashion Faceoff’s closest living relative is My Silk Tie, but the finish of that one is a straight metallic while Fashion Faceoff has a shimmer/glitter to it.