When news came out earlier this year that drugstore giant Maybelline was coming out with a completely modernized nail polish line, it had the budget beauty enthusiasts buzzing with excitement. Another option for the low end of the price scale? Praise the nail polish gods! But I was a bit more reticent. I wanted to see just how good the line was before getting all excited. When it finally rolled out at my local Wal-Mart, I was blown away. They sure weren't kidding about that update! Gone were the old lady colors. This was a rainbow mix of various trendy finishes that not even a finicky nail polish collector can scoff at. But my conservative side prevailed and I ended up with only two colors in my shopping cart. Predictably, this was one of them:
How could I resist a shimmery blue??
The Quick Take
Brand/Name: Maybelline Color Show Denim Dash
Color: Medium blue (If my monitor is color accurate, it's closest to Yale Blue)
Formula: Medium blue with chunky silver shimmer
Finish: Satin/semi-matte
Price: $3.99 CDN for 7mL
Seen at: Wal-Mart, Shoppers Drug Mart, Rexall, Loblaws, and most probably any of your local drugstores that carry Maybelline.
Note(s): I honestly am not sure what the price is. I bought this a while back and can't remember the actual price so the one up there is an approximation based on the US pricing. I'll update this post when I go check sometime this weekend. Also, Denim Dash is part of the Denims series in the line. There's at least one other (if I'm not mistaken) in the series but I passed on it.
The Fun Facts
Token bottle shot.
Yep, I had to rotate it because the blasted bottle refused to be photographed right side up.
Your standard floppy brush.
Isn't that chunky shimmer just awesome?
I own a load of blues and I have to say I haven't seen one quite like this. It's a creamy medium blue with chunky silver shimmer suspended in it. The best part? The shimmer *actually* shows up on the nail! The pigmented blue doesn't overpower the shimmer at all. In fact, it helps it stand out more in contrast. The finish was also a fun surprise. I fully expected it to dry shiny but it was more of a satin to almost matte sort of texture. I think it was a great choice as the reflective shimmer tends to stand out even more against the flat finish!
***All nail swatches were done with Essie Feed Me Hydrating Base Coat and two coats of Maybelline Color Show Denim Dash unless stated.
So...I got a little too click happy with the camera; it's true dry finish is the one on the pinky.
Love the contrast between the flat finish and the shimmery bits!
I have to admit, it does have that denim sort of look. Quite appropriate.
As you might have noticed, the bottle is reminiscent of the Joe Fresh/Colour Alike/Catrice/Models Own/Cult Nails rounded bottle and cap. In scale, it's exactly the same in size to the Colour Alike bottle. Strangely enough, it has less product clocking in at 7mL compared to Colour Alike's 8mL. (If you're wondering, Colour Alike is a Polish nail polish brand that I was fortunate enough to have thanks to the ever so awesome and generous Marta of Chit Chat Nails.) That being said, the brushes are all somewhat similar to each other. I normally dislike clunky brush handles but this one is a smaller diameter so that I can forgive. The bristles are all nice and even, fanning out easily when need be. If there's anything at all that I'd take exception to, it's the formula. I had high hopes with this one. I blame it on the rave reviews I've been reading that may have raised my standards higher than usual. Now, don't get me wrong. This wasn't bad. It's just not what I expected. The formula was nicely pigmented and a very plausible one coater (I did two, anyway, in my swatches more out of habit than need). That in itself is complete and utter win material. The problem was consistency. I expected this one to apply like butter. It didn't. It was more like (much thinner) smooth peanut butter, if that makes any sense. Suffice to say, it was thicker than I would have liked. Despite that, it applied well and evened out upon drying. I'd also like to note that dry time was fairly quick at about 4-6 minutes for it to be dry to the touch.
Adding top coat hid the shimmer some. :(
Hammie says: But look how it sparkles in bright light!
Hammie says: Have I picked a favorite blue? This might be a strong contender.
Top coat completely transforms Denim Dash. It's almost like it comes alive, especially in brighter lighting situations. The only downside is adding the shine tends to place the innate shimmer in the backseat.
The Lowdown
As far as duplicates are concerned, I couldn't find any in my stash. The closest I could find was Ulta Blue Streak (or Essie Mesmerize, which I hear, is a very close shade to Blue Streak) and even that was pretty far compared to the medium blue base of Denim Dash. Never mind the fact that it's a plain creme without any of Denim Dash's chunky silver shimmer. Luckily, it's readily available at your favorite drugstore and for a relatively affordable price. I only say relatively as $3.99 is still quite a bit to pay for 7mL of product, especially compared to the $1.49 for 5mL of Essence polishes. Nonetheless, it's still a good deal and for the intense pigmentation and (unusually) unique shade, this one is definitely a keeper.
Hammie is delighted with the new(-ish) Maybelline Color Show nail polish line and intends to partake in a few more. This pretty medium blue satisfies his sparkle criteria (which I suspect consists of 90% of his points system) and the one coater nature of this drugstore polish makes for an impressive statement. He rationalizes that the price point could have been lower but seeing as you'll probably end up using less product, it's a good enough deal, especially for a unique color. However, the thicker than expected consistency is a huge no-no in his book. His total score for Denim Dash?
Sorry about the much later than usual post. I promised one post a day this week and I figured better late than never, right? It was a busy day for me; I had to help out with my sick niece who was fussy and moody. Thankfully, her fever seems to have subsided so here's to hoping she's finally kicked that nasty virus in its terrible behind! Hope your Tuesday was good! Have you tried any of the Maybelline Color Show nail polishes? Or do you shy away from drugstore polishes (If you do, don't! You're missing out on some gems, trust!)? Have you ever been disappointed in a nail polish that you found was over-hyped?
