Nail Polish Review: Hey Coral polishes

I have had the pleasure to meet an up and coming polish designer from Hey Coral polishes. In fact, her store has only been open since the 13th of this month! But I tell you, the girl has potential! Her color groupings and formula are A+. Here’s a Q & A to help you get to know her a little better!

GoodWitch: What made you start making polish?
HC: well there's two, two and a half reasons. The first one is just my love for anything creative and colorful. I've been an artist in some form my whole life, whether its drawing, painting, music, sculpting or latte art. I'm a artist at heart. And the second, well I own an embarrassingly extensive nail polish collection(i almost hate that word, i feel like I'm admitting to an addiction) I have everything from the .99cent wet n wild pretties, to the Chanels and Deborah Lippmann and even a couple butter Londons that pulled me in, and of course my sleek and Barry M from across the pond. I love nail polish. But nothing disappoints me more than seeing a gorgeous color getting it home and it not living up. I bought a gorgeous green silver purple color from Sinful Colors about a year ago, it looked like the coolest mood ring. Went to paint it on, and it might as well have been clear. So I like creating what I want to see on a shelf…. and the half reason. I promised my boyfriend that for one year I would only let myself buy 5 more nail polishes. so this was my way to sneak around that promise. He's so supportive of my nail polish frankening, its adorable.

GoodWitch: What inspires you the most?

HC: Everything around me, whether its a pattern I see on a fabric in Michaels, the color pattern of a flower, music, poetry. or something I dream up in my head

GoodWitch: If someone copies one of your polishes, is that flattering or insulting?

HC: We live in a world where almost nothing is original anymore, there's 7 billion of us on this planet, almost every ideas been thought of 5 times before. Ultimately, it's flattering once in awhile, unless its a constant thing, than its a little insulting to my creative process, but I'm not gonna chase the person down by any means.

GoodWitch: What are some of the new polish trends going around that you like and what are some that you cannot stand?

HC: I can not stand those texture polishes...on myself. They look so nice on everyone else. I think because I work with coffee and I've seen the aftermath of coffee grounds jammed into a fresh manicure, that seeing those textures on myself is a little discomforting. I love color blocking, and matte glitters, I love when not every nail is the same, anything that makes it look unique, just like the person who's wearing it.

GoodWitch: Do you have anything awesome in the works for your customers?

HC: I think a lot of etsy sellers focus on chunky glitter, which is awesome I love glitter too, clearly. But what I'm really trying to perfect right now is good creme colors. Getting really solid blues, pinks, greens, oranges and reds. and it's not easy. Also a big bang theory themed collection. I dig that show.

GoodWitch: What do you do outside of the polish world?

HC: I work in a coffee shop, which is the best job for someone like me. I also draw, I'm going to school full time for a marketing degree. I'm a runner and weight lifter. Caregiver to my 88 year old grandma. As well as being the fur mother to my three dogs, Baxter my 12 year old Chihuahua mix, Norman my 7 year old Chihuahua mix, and my brand new 5 month old deaf Australian cattle dog/corgi mix Daisy.

GoodWitch: What type of base coat do you use or suggest? As well as top coat?

HC: I use Orlys bonder base coat, its like rubber, it's so weird but it really grabs the polish and keeps it intact, as well as keeping your nail safe, and I use INM's out the door top coat, I like it because it's super clear, never yellows, and dries fast. And I've never had a bottle dry out on me or get goopy and stringy

GoodWitch: Is there any nail-related ritual you can't skip when you're doing your nails?

HC: My nails are really thick, I swear they get to a certain length than just start growing over themselves, so I always file the surface of my nails lightly, first so they don't snap from the thickness, and that light texture gives the base coat something to grab onto

GoodWitch: Do you have any manicure secrets you'd share with us?

HC: Giving your nails air. My nails are really healthy because after every manicure I give them a couple days to breath, get some moisture and vitamin D back into them, that way they don't peel or crack or thin out.

 

Now… Onto the review!

The first polish I have for you is called Don’t Call Me Honey, Honey. Based on one her favorite epsiodes of the show “Community”, Don’t Call Me Honey, Honey is chock full of gold squares, hexes, and circles, and black bars, squares, circles, and hexes.

It is truly an excellent topper for a number of different polishes.

I have it on here over Zoya Purity. My ring finger is two coats by itself. The formula is good, but there is a little settling which she mentions on the listing in her Etsy shop. Since even mainstream polishes like Orly and OPI settle, it’s not that big of a deal. I just rubbed it between my hands a couple times and it was great. Drying time is almost nil and with a tc like Gelous it makes it as smooth as glass.

This polish would honestly sell like hotcakes here. The colors for the high school where my hubs went to school are black and gold. So I can already tell that this will get some use whenever I go to Fredonia!

It doesn’t clump up on the nail like a lot of different glitter toppers do and I really appreciate that. I hate clumpy glitter. Dry time is quite fast. By the time I finished my pinkie, the first nail was dried completely.

The next one I have for you is called Income Tax. She lists Income Tax as a clear base with multi size teal, lavender and white circle, square and hex shaped glitter. The base she uses is just slick as jelly and goes on fantastically.

When you think of the colors of teal, lavender and white together you don’t automatically think it’s going to be the best mix. But this turns out to be a wonderful concoction.

Two coats on my index finger and then one good coat on top of Essence’s Lets Get Lost.

It turns out fantastically. The light blue behind it makes the teal and lavender glitter pop!

Both Don’t Call me Honey, Honey and Income Tax are currently available at Hey Coral’s Etsy store for $10 for a full size bottle. You also get a surprise mini with each order.

The next two I have will be released in 2-3 weeks… And I am super excited for you to see them!

The first up is Bug Bite. A gorgeously sleek purple crème with black square glitter floating through it. It’s stunning!

This is without a topcoat. I really kinda like how it dries somewhat matte. And drying time is almost nil.

But it’s even more pretty with a good thick topcoat on top! She also wanted to stress that the blending of the colors of these two polishes could vary a little as she has been experimenting with different colored bases and she’s no longer getting the base she used in these polishes!

The next is Lagoon-Atic, a gorgeous mint crème with shimmery teal micro glitters.

This has to be my favorite. It’s so sleek and shiny and gah!!!!! Freaking GORGEOUS!!!

It’s demure and flashy all at the same time!

*sigh* soooo pretty. I’m going to be re-wearing this one soon!

So! All in all you see that this gal has some great things going on. Her formula is great, her combinations are terrific and her price isn’t too bad. Like I stated earlier, the cost of a full size bottle is $10 at her Etsy store and you get a free random mini with purchase. Not too shabby, eh? So go, show her some love and buy some of these gorgeous babies!