The Ultimate Fall Nail Polish Guide

Deep, rich metallic nail polishes for Autumn/Winter 2013: Coco + Lulu 'Bordeaux', Butter London 'Shag', Revlon Chroma Chameleon 'Rose Gold', Dior Vernis 'Galaxie'
Left: Coco + Lulu 'Bordeaux', Butter London 'Shag' | Right: Revlon Chroma Chameleon 'Rose Gold', Dior Vernis 'Galaxie'

Strap yourselves in, ladies, because this is going to be the most ambitious nail polish post I've done to date! I've been overwhelmed and delighted with the nail lacquer samples crossing my desk. Many are new takes on familiar favourites, but that doesn't make them any less appealing. From metallics to darks, from blues to reds and some of the prettiest nudes around, here are my top polish picks for Autumn/Winter 2013, along with a few tried-and-true favourites for comparison.

Deep, rich metallic nail polishes for Autumn/Winter 2013: Coco + Lulu 'Bordeaux', Butter London 'Shag', Revlon Chroma Chameleon 'Rose Gold', Dior Vernis 'Galaxie'

Heavy Metal

1. Coco + Lulu 'Bordeaux' ($8.50 at Chapters Indigo) is a deep burgundy with a slight metallic shimmer, and part of a new line of 3-free nail lacquers exclusive to Chapters Indigo stores. One coat is enough for complete coverage.

2. When I first bought Butter London 'Shag' ($17 at BeautyMark), I expected a dark bronze like what was in the bottle. But, once dry, I loved the unexpected finish even more: bright and coppery like a new penny. 2-3 coats are required to make this colour come alive.

3. Revlon Chroma Chameleon 'Rose Gold' actually came out for spring/summer 2013, but the gold-with-a-gleam-of-green hue would be stunning paired with fall neutrals. Definitely not a shade for wallflowers, the thin formula dries quickly and takes 2-3 coats to really shine.

4. Dior Vernis 'Galaxie' ($25 at Sephora) is a rich plum with a subtle shimmer finish and part of the limited edition Mystic Metallics collection for F/W 2013. Very sophisticated. I'm always pleasantly astonished by the pigment payoff of Dior's nail polishes too: one coat was all it took to get this saturated colour.


A Dark and Stormy Night

Creamy, dark nail polishes for Autumn/Winter 2013. Joe Fresh 'Pebble', Lise Watier 'Chic Tartan', Deborah Lippmann 'Dark Side of the Moon', Joe Fresh 'Pebble'
Left: Joe Fresh 'Pebble', Lise Watier 'Chic Tartan' | Right: Deborah Lippmann 'Dark Side of the Moon', Joe Fresh 'Pebble'
Creamy, dark nail polishes for Autumn/Winter 2013. Joe Fresh 'Pebble', Lise Watier 'Chic Tartan', Deborah Lippmann 'Dark Side of the Moon', Joe Fresh 'Pebble'

1. Lise Watier 'Chic Tartan' ($13 at London Drugs) is a smoky grey from the plaid-inspired, limited edition Tartantastique collection for A/W 2013. (Lady Macbeth would approve, I'm sure.) Like Lise Watier's other lacquers, this one comes with a light-up cap that makes application in poorly lit spaces easier.

2. Deborah Lippmann 'Dark Side of the Moon' ($20 at Murale) is creamy aubergine perfection. As with other Deborah Lippmann products, I expect this one to be chip-resistant and high-performance.

3. Joe Fresh 'Pebble' ($4) is a putty grey with surprising warmth and high shine, even sans topcoat. The first coat is a little streakier and sheerer than I'd expect from a creamy nail polish, but the second coat evened things out.


Crimson and Claret

Vampy red and deep burgundy nail polishes for Autumn/Winter 2013. Butter LONDON 'La Moss', Joe Fresh 'Cabernet' | Right: Spa Ritual 'Kiss the Cook', Layla Pro N.14
Left: Butter LONDON 'La Moss', Joe Fresh 'Cabernet' | Right: Spa Ritual 'Kiss the Cook', Layla Pro N.14
Vampy red and deep burgundy nail polishes for Autumn/Winter 2013. Butter LONDON 'La Moss', Joe Fresh 'Cabernet' | Right: Spa Ritual 'Kiss the Cook', Layla Pro N.14

1. Spa Ritual 'Kiss the Cook' has not only been one of my favourite vampy reds since I reviewed the label, it continues to impress me with its top-notch formula.

2. Layla Pro nail polish made waves at the London Drugs media preview I attended, where everyone was talking about the Italian brand's ceramic formula. N.14 is a deep, sophisticated burgundy.

3. Joe Fresh 'Cabernet' ($4) is a slightly darker classic red than Spa Ritual 'Kiss the Cook', with an impressively glossy finish that belies its meager price tag.

4. Butter LONDON 'La Moss' ($17 at BeautyMark) is such a dark burgundy that it borders on black, which means it's edgy enough to pair with this fall's moto jackets and leather-trimmed pieces.


Metallic Blues

Metallic blue nail polishes for Autumn/Winter 2013. Revlon Chroma Chameleon 'Aquamarine', Joe Fresh 'Peacock'
Left: Revlon Chroma Chameleon 'Aquamarine' | Right: Joe Fresh 'Peacock'
Metallic blue nail polishes for Autumn/Winter 2013. Revlon Chroma Chameleon 'Aquamarine', Joe Fresh 'Peacock'

1. Revlon Chroma Chameleon 'Aquamarine' goes on sheer and ghostly in one coat, and becomes a luminous blue with an eye-catching chrome effect in 2-3 coats. Like the other Chroma Chameleon shades, this colour was released for spring/summer 2013 but still seems apropos for fall.

2. Joe Fresh 'Peacock' ($4) is a lustrous metallic teal that lives up to its bird inspiration.

3. Butter LONDON 'Big Smoke' ($17 at BeautyMark) was my first introduction to Butter LONDON nail polishes. Despite how heavily I've featured Butter LONDON polishes in this post (the colours are simply irresistible), I'm still not a fan of how chip-prone the formulas can be (although a decent top coat goes a long way toward addressing that problem).


Warm Honey Nudes

Warm shades of honey nude nail polish for Autumn/Winter 2013. Dior Vernis 'Abricot', Sephora by OPI 'Nonfat Soy Half Caff', Joe Fresh 'Rose Blossom', Butter LONDON 'Hen Party'
Left: Dior Vernis 'Abricot', Sephora by OPI 'Nonfat Soy Half Caff' | Right: Joe Fresh 'Rose Blossom', Butter LONDON 'Hen Party'
Warm shades of honey nude nail polish for Autumn/Winter 2013. Dior Vernis 'Abricot', Sephora by OPI 'Nonfat Soy Half Caff', Joe Fresh 'Rose Blossom', Butter LONDON 'Hen Party'

1. As you can tell by how well used Sephora by OPI 'Nonfat Soy Half Caff' ($6) is, it's my go-to nude shade when I need a like-my-own-nails-but-better colour. It's halfway between pink and peach and flatteringly warm.

2. Dior Vernis 'Abricot' is the only nude in the bunch that goes on completely opaque in a single coat—impressive. This gold-infused peach has the same flattering warmth I love about the Sephora by OPI shade and is definitely going to be a new favourite.

3. Butter LONDON 'Hen Party' ($17 at BeautyMark) is the same warm peach as Dior 'Abricot', but that's where similarities end. This opalescent shade is infused with subtle blue shimmer and needs at least 3 coats to really pop.

4. Joe Fresh 'Rose Blossom' ($4) is very similar to the Sephora by OPI shade, but a tad lighter.


Phew! My shoddy nail polish application technique aside (c'mon, I did 5 manicures in one afternoon!), do you have a favourite colour trend or polish shade in the bunch?

6 comments

  1. Love the Revlon metallics best. I'm not much for the deep, dark shades.

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    Replies
    1. The other metallics are quite pretty too. You should give Butter LONDON 'Shag' a try!

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  2. Great post! I really want Butter London's La Moss! Such a great shade for fall! Joe Fresh have such good (and cheap!) options for fall - I love my Pebble polish! I'll have to check their selection again!

    Bold Subtlety

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  3. I'm always a fan of that champagne colored nail polish. btw I keep having reoccuring dreams of Anthony lately. like 3 times in the last month. isn't that weird!?

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