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The Brave and the Bold, 4 Iconic Nail Polishes to lust after

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Karen Li
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Lucian Wang
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar U Toronto Contributor
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Toronto chapter.

Busy, tired, and stressed? With mid-terms taking over many collegiates’ lives at the moment, it’s no surprise that tis’ the season to let your mani-pedis slide, at least temporarily. Although there are many different ways to de-stress in preparation for that major mid-term, or even finals, only a few weeks away. Personally my favourite way to relax is to stay in with my Netflix on queue, nail polish on hand, and filled with delicious food. From my experience, painting my nails is not only relaxing, but leaves my fingers and toes ever so chic and ready to face my academic and social life head on.

As every collegiate who loves nail polish knows, you can never have enough colours in your collection. Although I, myself have in total roughly 35 bottles of polish tucked away in my vanity ready to help me de-stress anytime of the year (all the colours of the seasons/year included of course). There are some polishes that have received the ultimate cult status in the beauty world. From nail colours adorned by the Queen of England herself, and edgy grunge innovations in nail colour that inspired retro-favorites such as the Hard Candy polishes, here are 4 iconic colours worth lusting after:

“Happy Birthday” – Deborah Lippmann

One of the most recent entries into the iconic hall of fame of polishes, Deborah Lippmann’s Happy Birthday is as fun as it sounds. A relatively sheer polish with different coloured bits and bytes of glitter on top, Happy Birthday was launched in 2009 to keep the nail game fresh. According to the beauty blog Into the Gloss, Lippmann said herself that “But during the recession I started noticing people weren’t getting manicures anymore. I thought, ‘Why is nail polish so serious?’…… People used to be very safe with their nail color, especially in New York. But now, people have opened up. They’re willing to go a little crazy.” A fun and cheery addition to any collegiate’s nail wadrobe. 

“Vamp” – Chanel

Created in 1995, this signature nail polish has been the staple in every make-up addict’s wish list. Not only is it the perfect colour inspired by that edgy grunge scene of the 90s, but also it’s the most dark and brooding red we’ve ever seen. Keep in mind that this particular rouge has also inspired the edgy dark cosmetic lines that we all love and know today, esp. Urban Decay. Where else would we get our Holy Grail – the NAKED palette?  This shade of Chanel was the best-selling polish during its initial release and at one point was the fifth best-selling polish in the world! Although a bit of a splurge to add this lusty red into your nail collection, all collegiates need to treat themselves every once in a while.

“Ballet Slippers”- Essie

The perfect subtle shade of nude pink for the professional collegiate. This shade of pink is a favorite and staple of many, including the Queen of England herself! Yep, you heard me right, the Queen Elizabeth II herself will only sport this pinky nude on her regal nails. Her majesty even sent a letter requesting this particular shade, for exemplifying the timelessness of ballet slippers. A personal favorite as well, this pale pink will pass even the most discriminatory dress codes at any workplace while leaving you feeling forever chic.

“Revlon Red” – Revlon

Now this particular shade of rouge is a serious competitor for all the other shades of red on the market. The perfect blend of orange and blue, Revlon Red manages to be both cool and hot, a beauty classic in any collection. Can anyone believe that this particular shade is over 80 years old? Although there are many reds on the market to choose from, this one is definitely something to have in any collegiate’s polish collection.  There must be a reason why this particular shade of red is the one Revlon wants to make sure everyone knows is theirs.

 

 

Image Sources:

http://amayzine.com/en/2014/daily-may-essie-nail-polish-sand-tropez/

http://www.chanel.com/en_US/fragrance-beauty/Makeup-Nails-89313

http://www.deborahlippmann.com/happy-birthday

http://www.allure.com/beauty-products/makeup/2012/essie-nail-polish-ball…

http://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/beauty/products/top-20-iconic-best-make-…

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Karen Li

U Toronto

Book & Media,Visual Studies + Writing and Rhetoric. 1T6 20 something-female at the University of Toronto with a penchant for spotting the best Thai restaurant around. When she is not optimizing the perfect take-out order, she can be found writing about culture, media, and lifestyle at her blog, http://www.plasticconfetti.wordpress.com
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Lucian Wang

U Toronto

Lucian Wang is an Editor with HerCampus UToronto, after starting out as a Writer in his first year. He is currently double majoring in Political Science, along with Biodiversity and Conservation Biology. Apparently you can do that. Along with HerCampus, he is also involved with the University of Toronto Pre-Law Society as its Vice-President - a little more vice than president.  He hopes to pursue law school after he completes his undergraduate degree. He enjoys listening to music (consisting largely of an unhealthy fascination with Taylor Swift), looking damn good in a suit, and spending far too much time staring at his pet turtle. He does not enjoy walking or the beach, so long walks there are out of the question. 
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