Favorite Nailpolishes

During my first two and a half years of college, I had a job in the school cafeteria that did not allow employees to paint their nails.  So for two and a half years I was restricted to toenail polish-painting only, which killed me.  When I transferred schools I got a job that was a little more flexible with nail-painting, and I went OFF.  I bought a boat-load of new nailpolishes within days of being free from nailpolish restrictions and painted my nails at least twice a week.  Now with my job as a flight attendant I'm limited to "shades of red and pink" (which I interpreted as "subdued colors"), but at least I'm still allowed to paint my nails.  Here are some of my favorite brands of nailpolish I've discovered as well as a few of my favorite shades:

1.  Revlon--These were the first nailpolishes I started buying during my nailpolish extravaganza; they have tons of different shades and now they come in different finishes as well.  I have more Revlon nailpolishes than any other brand and although they are no longer my nailpolish of choice, they are still a good drugstore buy.
Pros: Revlon is a drugstore brand, so these nailpolishes are under $5.00 each and as I said, come in a variety of finishes and colors, from sheer to matte, solid and shimmery colors, and even glittery topcoats.
Cons: The polish tends to bubble with the second coat, and they need ample time to dry; definitely not the fastest drying nailpolish.
Some of my favorite shades: Cherries In The Snow: a classic, bright magenta shade that looks good on fingers and toes.  Another good one is Frankly Scarlet, a great hot red with a golden shimmer; it's the perfect sexy red shade. 

2.  Maybelline Express Finish--These are some of my favorite nailpolishes.  The bottle doesn't lie when it says "50 Second Nail Color"; these are some of the smoothest, fastest-drying nailpolishes I've found. 
Pros: Another drugstore brand, so they are around $3-$4.00 a bottle, and they don't bubble as much as other brands.  Did I mention they dry super fast?
Cons: Maybelline doesn't have a huge selection of colors, but they do come out with "Limited Edition" shades every now and then, which are more fun than their standard range of colors.
Some of my favorite shades: *Note: All of the following shades are Limited Edition, so I'm not sure if they're available any more.  Sorry!*  Pretty in Purple is a gorgeous, dark dark shimmering purple, Minty is the perfect minty-green color, and Gray-T Glamour is an awesome, slightly shimmery purple-gray.

3.  O.P.I--  I've just recently started using O.P.I nail lacquer and I have to say, I'm pretty impressed.  They were originally only available in salons but I'm glad they're now available in Target and Ulta stores.
Pros: They dry relatively quickly and they dry smooth and hard, not feeling like you have a ton or a thick coat of polish gooped on your nails.  Plus there are boat-loads of colors to choose from and new collections come out often. 
Cons: $8.50 is a little pricey for a nailpolish, even if it is salon quality, and they only drugstore they're available in (as far as I know) is Target; otherwise, check Ulta or Sally Beauty Supply.  
Some of my favorite shades:  Cozu-Melted In The Sun is a beautiful peachy/coraly shimmery color, Meet Me on the Starferry is a mauvey-purple with gold shimmer, and Play The Peonies is a sweet, pale pale pink (almost white) shimmer.  Check out their shatter polishes too!   

4.  Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Color--  These are some of the best and some of my favorite drugstore nailpolishes.  If you ask me, they're comparable to more expensive, higher-end nailpolishes, but available in drugstores for 1/3 of the price.
Pros:  They dry super fast and come in a multitude of colors, available at drugstores for around $3.00.  They're also pretty long-lasting; mine didn't chip for days. 
Cons:  They might bubble with the second or third coat. 
Some of my favorite shades:  Caribbean Coral is a bright, fun coral color with a hint of silver shimmer, and Gunmetal is a beautiful blueish gunmetal color with a pearly finish. 

In my opinion, nailpolish is one of the most fun ways to express yourself, and I don't think you can ever have too many polishes (even if they do have to be in shades of red and pink!). 

Shine bright.