Haulage! All Cosmetics Wholesale — butter LONDON, Essie, & more

2015-08-222015-08-21 fivezero34 Comments

It can be really hard for me to resist a deal, especially when it’s on a product that I can’t typically get at such a good discount, so naturally, All Cosmetics Wholesale (hereafter, “ACW”) is a site I haul from once or twice a year! I’m not affiliated with the site in any way; I’ve just had good experiences with them and wanted to share my latest haul.

OK, it’s not actually my latest haul, because I ordered it in May. The problem is that ACW is based in the US and does not ship materials like nail polish internationally. What’s a nail-polish-deal-seeking girl gonna do? Have the US-based relatives bring it up, of course!

At the time ACW was offering 20% off an order, and I noticed a ton of butter LONDON and Essie nail polishes listed, so I hauled.

Bonus: at the time that I ordered, the Canadian dollar hadn’t dropped as badly yet, so overall I got some pretty sweet deals!

Hard Candy Nail Color (20th Anniversary) in Zombie

Hard Candy — Zombie (20th Anniversary Nail Color)

2015-07-032017-04-04 fivezero8 Comments

Collection: Hard Candy, Summer 2015, 20th Anniversary

This week, I’m reviewing the five Hard Candy 20th Anniversary Nail Colors I recently bought. The packaging for this collection is a throwback to the old school Hard Candy polish bottles, and it was the main reason I was keen to pick them up! The five I got are Claws Up!, Coconut, Mint, Scam (all re-releases from the original polishes), and Zombie (one of three new shades).

Today’s final Hard Candy 20th Anniversary review is for Zombie, one of the three new shades in the collection. It’s a vampy, plummy, browned-burgundy shimmer.

Hard Candy Nail Color (20th Anniversary) in Mint

Hard Candy — Mint (20th Anniversary Nail Color)

2015-07-022017-04-04 fivezero12 Comments

Collection: Hard Candy, Summer 2015, 20th Anniversary

Today’s review is for Mint, one of the five re-released shades in the collection. It’s a pale, pastel mint green with subtle shimmer.

Hard Candy Nail Color (20th Anniversary) in Claws Up!

Hard Candy — Claws Up! (20th Anniversary Nail Color)

2015-07-012017-04-04 fivezero8 Comments

Collection: Hard Candy, Summer 2015, 20th Anniversary

Today’s review is for Claws Up!, one of the five re-released shades in the collection. It’s a soft, neutral beige with subtle shimmer.

Hard Candy Nail Color (20th Anniversary) in Scam

Hard Candy — Scam (20th Anniversary Nail Color)

2015-06-302017-04-04 fivezero14 Comments

Collection: Hard Candy, Summer 2015, 20th Anniversary

Today’s review is for Scam, one of the five re-released shades in the collection. It’s a gorgeous jewel-toned purple shimmer with swirls of blue iridescence.

Hard Candy Nail Color (20th Anniversary) in Coconut

Hard Candy — Coconut (20th Anniversary Nail Color)

2015-06-292017-04-04 fivezero10 Comments

Collection: Hard Candy, Summer 2015, 20th Anniversary

I recently braved my nearest Wal-Mart and bought five of the eight 20th Anniversary Collection nail polishes released this spring by Hard Candy. The packaging for this collection is a throwback to the old school Hard Candy polish bottles, and it was the main reason I was keen to pick them up! (I am sad that I couldn’t find the last three shades, which were Sky, the color that made Hard Candy famous in the 90s, and two new shades.)

The five I bought are: Claws Up!, Coconut, Mint, Scam (all re-releases from the original polishes), and Zombie (a new shade).

Today’s review is for Coconut, one of the five shades I was able to get. Coconut is one of the five re-released shades in the collection. In the bottle, it’s a not-entirely-stark white with sparse, pink and blue iridescent shimmer.

Hard Candy Nail Color, 20th Anniversary Collection (Mint, Zombie, Claws Up!, Coconut, Scam))

Haulage! Hard Candy 20th Anniversary Collection & Comparison with Older Bottles

2015-06-182015-08-21 fivezero19 Comments

Collection: Hard Candy, Summer 2015, 20th Anniversary

Wal-Mart isn’t someplace I shop at very often. I’m not a fan of their business practices, and anyway, the nearest location is not really easy for me to get to these days. But of course, the nail polish fanatic in me just had to make a trip over to see if I could get my grubby hands on Hard Candy‘s 20th Anniversary Collection. (Hard Candy makeup is available online on Wal-Mart’s US and Canadian websites, but not this limited edition collection.)

Back in the 1990s, Hard Candy was priced like a mid-to-high end brand; for nail polish, it was positively expensive for a college student! I picked up a few of their polishes here and there via sales, eBay, and swapping. They were awesome colors, even if the formula was not actually super fantastic. Plus, they came with cute little color-coordinated rings, and Alicia Silverstone wore it, and Hard Candy was a pretty big deal.

Fast forward to the 10s and Hard Candy is now exclusively sold at Wal-Mart. Whaaaa?

To be fair, I never thought the Hard Candy makeup I tried (some eyeshadows and lip stuff) were especially good quality. It was all funky colors, glitter, cool packaging, and hype. So perhaps they have done well to re-position themselves as a low-end, mass-market brand appealing to teens.

Once they made the move to Wal-Mart, the entire line was revamped. The nail polish is currently packaged in cheap-looking little cylinders. Very boring.

But, earlier this year, Hard Candy celebrated their 20th Anniversary and dutifully released a collection of 8 polishes packaged in their original square bottles! Retailing for $4! WITH the cool little rings! And 5 of the colors are from the original collection! As a 90s girl, I say AAAAAAAAH!

So now I’m kicking myself for waiting until now to get over to Wally World. Luckily, they still had the display up, and the rings, which are (not very well-)sealed to the bottle, were all still attached. I was able to get five colors, but not Sky, which made Hard Candy hugely popular when it was worn by Alicia Silverstone on The Late Show with David Letterman. 😥