My Favorite Nail Polishes

We're starting in the bathroom with My Favorite Things, since that's where I start my days, and chronologically, it just makes sense.

In the imaginary basket of My Favorite Things, I'd include these nail polishes...

You can see I'm a classicist when it comes to nail polish.  That's because my nails are abominably short.  Toenails, too.  They are proportionate to my my feet, I guess, which are also short.  My fingernails, however, are short because when I'm reading I pick at them mercilessly.  Any rough edge falls prey to my skilled methods.  And then I'm left with a disfigured, uneven, ugy nail.

Part of my remedy has been to wear socks if I'm sitting down.  The other part is to keep my nails painted pretty colors.  Both are sort of successful.  If my nail polish chips, that's just an invitation to pick it off.  But this is not about my issues, it is about my favorite nail polishes...

Classic Neutral
Sally Hansen Insta-Dry in Petal Pusher (04)
Just like it says, it dries fast.  Really fast.  In fact, put on two coats because that first coat dries at the speed of lightning and there's no way you'll get it on without streaking the first time around.  This is good for toes and fingers, year round.

Winter Toes
OPI in I'm Not Really a Waitress
Yes, what fashion/beauty magazine doesn't list this one in yearly "top 100 beauty products" roundups?  For good reason, I tell you.  It's everything a red polish should be - red without being cherry or maroon, deep but not goth-deep, sheen without sparkle.

Summer Toes
Rimmel London Lasting Finish Pro in Cherry Fashion
I discovered this just this summer and wore it almost nonstop.  It's perfect.  Bright, stays shiny, goes on smooth.  And it's half the price of salon polishes.  Plus, it's a close match to OPI's California Raspberry, which is another favorite that I unfortunately did not picture.

Fingernails Today
Essie in Merino Cool
Look at that.  I mean, it says trendy without being over the top, cool without trying to hard, hip without being tacky.  It's like lavendar cement.  And if you don't think that sounds nice, well, put it on your fingers and you'll think differently soon enough.

You may ask why the bottles are so full, if these are my favorite nail polishes.  I told you my nails were short!