Turns out, Sally Beauty Supply carries all of Orly! Who knew? And there was a Sally’s less than a mile away from my apartment. I wanted it NOW! Luckily, Google had revealed more key information… Problem was, I needed Hot Shot right away. I saw Hot Shot for sale on Amazon a great place to find fantastic deals on polish. In retrospect, it’s ridiculous that I didn’t think of the obvious solution sooner: dahhh, just had to Google it, boss. I needed to find a place that had the entire collection! Oddly, Orly can be a tough brand to find! Drugstores carry about a dozen bottles, but none of the colors you typically see there are very cool. I spent weeks - literally, weeks - stopping by random beauty supply stores in Los Angeles, praying and hoping that they would have Hot Shot.
I loved nail polish, but I was not immersed in the world as I am now. I thought about going back to the salon for a fresh coat, but I realized that wasn’t the answer. I wore that mani until it was hideously chipped. When I chose Orly Hot Shot for a manicure back in 2010, I had no idea how addicted I would become. Love red polish but want to kick it up a notch? Look no further than Orly Hot Shot. **Side note, when I first moved to Los Angeles, I used to tell strangers in bars that I wrote the names for nail polish colors. When in doubt, “If you wouldn’t wear the color on your lips, don’t wear it on your fingertips.” Help me!ĭespite my occasional betrayal, I still come running back to my pinks and reds like a schoolgirl who’s dramatically run away from home. I’ve made it through 2 bottles of this perfect polish (I may have stolen an extra from a coworker once I discovered its magic) and now I’m scraping the bottom of my last Essie bottle.
Brighter than my other reds, and oh-so-stunning. It’s like a blood orange-flavored candy.Īnd for the finale, the perfect red that now eludes me… As part of a promotional offer for TNT’s “The Closer,” Essie released a “Closer” red polish that rocked my socks off. This is a great one to break up my standard pinks and reds because it offers up some hints of orange. I’m so drawn to this color in fact that I accidentally purchased a duplicate bottle. I can’t help loving neon pink and Orly’s Passion Fruit does not disappoint. This red is a bit brighter than The Thrill of Brazil, which I’m interpreting as being a bit more playful.Ī very fun and rich pink, I feel like any eight-year-old girl would automatically select this shade.Īh, a neon. This is a classic red, not so brazen as to shock your co-workers, but still spicy enough for a night out. After a mere 20 years away from Texas, I had finally broken through my Southern style barrier.Įditor’s Note: Charlotte’s idea of a wild time, from left gold glitter, Essie Lapis of Luxury, OPI Lincoln Park After Dark, Essie Nice is Nice.įrancesca is of course delighted at my sudden turn, frequently remarking on my more daring choices, but still there is a soft spot for those vibrant reds and flirtatious pinks, so I wanted to share some of my go-to shades. One day I was bold enough to wear Essie’s Lapis of Luxury with one finger sporting shimmering gold flecks, which naturally garnered the attention of my polish pusher pal. Only over the past few years I’ve been known to don an OPI Lincoln Park After Dark or even Essie’s Nice is Nice. Having been friends with Francesca for some time now, she’s often attempted to push me outside of my palette comfort zone. Regardless, I primarily pick my nail polish colors by one motto “If you wouldn’t wear the color on your lips, don’t wear it on your fingertips.” Granted, many modern Southern gals are much more adventurous but, after witnessing the look on my aunt’s face when my cousin’s wife wore a shimmering bronze polish, I learned at nine years old that there were limitations. I’m not sure if I subconsciously picked up this Southern fashion rule from my grandmother or just created it by osmosis of my family’s conservative style.