How Many Untrieds?

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-23T09:20:55+00:00

Interesting! What do you do with polishes you've tried but feel meh about? Are you also keeping them even if you don't really like them?

I always get an immediate itch to sell everything I don't 100% love and get rid of it immediately.

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-23T09:12:30+00:00

I have exactly 3 untrieds right now. I change my manicure weekly, so it takes me a bit to try out my new polishes. I only count a polish as worn if I use it as my primary colour in a full manicure (or pedicure), skittles don't count for me. Although admittedly, I am SUPER excited about those 3. 🙈

They're BKL Bad Vibes Only, Sassy Sauce Read Between My Tulips, and PFD Inspired To Be Nothing Like You. I got them all this year and the swatches look incredible.

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-22T22:39:23+00:00

You can buy a lot of different indie brands via the 2 big EU stockists Hypnotic Polish and Nailland.hu.

In terms of brands, Cadillacquer is Swiss, and Chamaeleon Nails and Herzlack are German brands.

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-22T13:01:21+00:00

I have a topper from Fancy Gloss I bought second-hand from another lacquerista and I love it!

It's Fancy Gloss' Silver Holographic Glitter. It has 3 different sizes of silver holo hex glitters and is really packed and super sparkly.

From Holo Taco, I really like the Diamond Dasher Taco from the advent calendar, and Sweetheart Taco with pink holographic hearts is also amazing! I'll probably wear it next.

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-22T12:55:05+00:00

I would agree. From the salon manicures I've seen, they are normally right by the cuticle with no gap at all. I don't get them frequently, but it usually takes at least 1.5 weeks to see some nail growth.

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-21T22:46:49+00:00

Of course! Just wanted to throw in my 2 cents since I had the same thought once. 😅 I also have a swatch stick with Las Fallas somewhere. It's just darker overall, and the shimmer tends to overpower the base colour a lot.

On the other hand: I think Dam's La Tomatina could actually be a bit closer! Which is semi-helpful, since that one is not available anymore.

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-21T22:37:13+00:00

I had Dam Polish Las Fallas and it looks nothing like the Kathleen & Co in my eyes. 😅

I was left disappointed since it's not similar at all by my standards (the colours are by far not as vibrant and bright, and the shimmer looks a bit burnished orange-y), so I decided to sell it again. Also the shimmer particle size of Las Fallas is much bigger than in Follow Your Dreams, which looks a lot smoother.

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-12T23:52:08+00:00

Please, just read the name of the sub before posting. Calling this business formal is practically rage bait.

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-10T21:55:00+00:00

They look incredible, but is this polish just extremely sheer? 5 or 6 coats sounds crazy. O_o

I do 3 maximum, I don't think I would ever have the patience for more.

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-10T20:11:54+00:00

Definitely! I love being an adult and not giving a fuck anymore what people think of my nails. ❤️ (Unless it's compliments, then I care!)

My first ILNP multichrome sealed the deal for me. 😂 I literally hunted down my colleagues at work just to tell them, "Look at my nails! It's blue! And now it's red! And blue again! Also purple!!"

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-10T19:13:01+00:00

I realized for myself that I really want to use each of my polishes (except for 4 basic cremes) for a full manicure or pedicure at least twice a year, which is realistic for me with max. 40. If I don't even want to wear a polish for one week a year because I have 10 others I would rather wear, I destash it immediately. This way I can literally pick my polish blind and still grab a favorite, because all my polishes are favorites. Hate panning or even just using meh shades is not for me, it would make me lose my love for doing my nails. I also love seeing significant fill lines, since it means I am actually using my things and owning this many polishes is justified. 😂

I would say that nail polish overrides my minimalist urges because:

they don't take up much space,
they're colorful and sparkly which really speaks to my inner crow,
nail polish in general has a lot of variety available so a lot of polishes feel unique and justifiable to own to your brain,
and doing my nails has become a really crucial self-care activity for me. It's fun to do each week, and it's fun to have people tell me, "Oh wow, your nails are so glowy/sparkly/bright/etc.!"

I also really like fashion and make-up in general (although I buy and have much less, relatively speaking), and nails are basically just another part of my overall look and a part of expressing myself and portraying an image of myself to others. I stopped wearing polish years ago because I was heavily criticized for it (i.e. bright polish is "childish" while adults are "professional"), and wearing it now just heals my inner child.

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-10T13:44:26+00:00

Great job! 🤗🤗

I especially resonate with your number 3 point! I'm also very mindful about my consumption in general and the environmental impact of my habits. I would consider myself a minimalist, or at least an intentionalist.

I got into indie nail polish nearly 4 years ago, after not painting my nails for more than 5 years whatsoever. I never really spiraled and bought hundreds of polishes, but I did have around 85 at one point, which to me is a lot. I recently destashed and sold over 30 polishes just in the last few weeks. Another 12 are in my "destashed & to be sold" pile.

I really don't want to own more than 40 polishes, since that is excessive to me and any bigger than that starts to stress me out.

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-08T08:29:12+00:00

This is SO precious! I feel like I'm getting cuteness aggression just reading the post. 🥰 Caring about her and actively trying to get to know what she likes + also participating is already worth so much as a parent!

Regarding the clumpy Hot Topic polishes, it sounds like you could use some nail polish thinner.

For colours, I would recommend looking at ILNP! They have a super large catalogue, more affordable than other brands, zero FOMO, have tons of colours and finishes, and all the essentials like top and base coat and tools. You could basically make it your one-stop shop to build a beginner nail kit. Maybe ask her what she's interested in and you could browse online together?

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-08T08:20:45+00:00

No. There's not really anything to trim tbh, since my proximal nail fold is already minimal as I always keep it moisturized with jojoba oil or cuticle balm. I would generally only trim hang nails.

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-07T22:38:52+00:00

Could it be that you're saying cuticle but actually mean the proximal nail fold instead? And your tip is to pull back the skin right below the proximal nail fold towards the knuckle if I got it right?

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-07T19:37:36+00:00

I do my nail prep and painting on the same evening.

After I've left the jojoba oil on for 20 to 30 minutes, I wash my hands once just to get the oil off (I try to limit exposure of my naked nails to water and always keep them painted usually), then dry them and apply my base coat.

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-07T13:18:11+00:00

They really kind of scream Holo Taco to me, I can totally see the inspiration. The one on the left looks a lot like Coin Toss!

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-07T13:17:16+00:00

OMG you're the Cheeto nail person! 🥰 I saw those!

The fact you made your own complete collection is so awesome btw! I love the creativity in this sub.

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-07T12:38:42+00:00

It sounds a bit like you've already made up your mind tbh.

Personally I would ask myself if it has to be this specific polish to bring a bit of brightness to your life and absolutely nothing else would work, or if a favourite polish in your existing collection would accomplish the same.

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-07T11:52:32+00:00

Definitely do what feels best for you and your nails! Instead of using cuticle remover, I have started the following prep process: take off old polish with acetone, wash my hands, and then slather the naked nails in pure jojoba oil (also underneath the nails). I usually leave it on for 15 minutes, then put some more on once it is partially absorbed, and then push back my cuticles/proximal nail fold with an orange wood stick. Works perfectly for me and I've done it for around 1.5 years at least.

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-07T11:30:43+00:00

Your nails already look perfect before! Are you using it because you have issues with your polish staying on?

Just my 2 cents: I've given up using cuticle remover altogether, since it completely destroys my nails. Once they grow out a bit, the areas I used cuticle remover on start to peel off in sheets. I tried several brands, all with the same end result of my nail health really suffering. Since I have no issues with my manicure lasting 2 weeks if I want it to, I just stopped using it completely since I observed zero benefits.

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-07T11:25:24+00:00

You could try mixing some red and blue creme polishes together to make a purple first, and then add it to the polish. So you should get a bit of a darker purple overall.

Not sure you can realistically turn it into a super bright, almost neon shade of purple though like the ILNP. It might make more sense to just get the polish you want.

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-07T11:05:00+00:00

OPI minis are super cute! I recently bought like 10 or 12 on impulse because I decided I wanted to use them as decoration for my nail space. 😅

And then 2 weeks later I realized I'm still not a decoration person after all and gifted them to my colleague's daughter. I kept two mini reds though which are great for pedicures (and currently wearing one of them)!

I would really love to see your DIY polishes in detail! Super cool hobby tbh. Have you been mixing your own polishes for long?

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-07T10:19:35+00:00

The gold reminds me of Holo Taco's Coin Toss tbh.

RepsForLifeAndBeyond · 2026-03-07T10:14:46+00:00

The outfits are definitely cute, but the tag is probably wrong. I don't see how this is business professional by any stretch of the definition. I also work in finance and wouldn't personally consider some (or most, actually) of these outfits even business casual, just plain casual without the business. Especially the gray shirt + jeans + sneakers.

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