NYC In A New York Minute in Spring Street

We, here at Polished Indulgence, believe that indulging and being polished and put together doesn't have to mean spending a lot of money. There are a lot of great alternatives to high end brands and their offerings. A high price tag doesn't necessarily mean a better quality product. Half the time, you're paying for the brand. Case in point: L'Oreal Group of Companies. Their consumer line includes Garnier, L'Oreal Paris and Maybelline New York. Each has their own niche and fairly affordable prices. Then you have their luxury brands among which include Lancome, Giorgio Armani and YSL Beaute. Ever heard of the L'Oreal Infallible Loose Eyeshadow being very similar to the Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Silk Eyeshadow? Same parent company. Now, I'm not saying they're exactly the same, but I am stressing the fact that you CAN get a similar product without breaking the bank. Huge cosmetic companies usually structure themselves so that they can appeal to both low and high price point consumers to maximize profit. So, why pay them more when you can get something similar for less?

That's exactly what NYC In A New York Minute in Spring Street is all about. It's a great cheery red orange shade that dries fast and shiny even without top coat for only a couple of bucks. How can you go wrong with that?

Just what the nail doctor ordered for dreary Fall days.

The Quick Take

Brand/Name: NYC In A New York Color Minute Spring Street
Color: Bright dark orange (close to but not quite red)

Finish: Creme
Price: $1.99 CDN for 9.9mL
Seen at: Wal-Mart, Rexall, Well.ca (limited colors though)
Note(s): Fast Drying


The Fun Facts

True to color bottle shot.
You read it right. It says "With Minerals". Calcium, magnesium and iron, to be exact.

Label at the back.

Good sized brush with a plastic handle.

This is a bright, in your face shade of red leaning orange. The formula is an opaque creme and it's fairly easy to apply with the brush. I love how the brush fans out as you apply the polish so you get maximum coverage in one swipe. But it's not so pliable that it's hard to control in tight spots. The consistency of the polish is more on the watery side of the spectrum. Not so watery though that it floods your cuticles. It can do that only if you're not careful or if you have too much polish on the brush. 

***All nail swatches were done with Nail Tek II Foundation Base Coat and two coats of NYC In A New York Minute in Spring Street unless stated.

Natural light/No top coat/No flash

See how shiny it is by itself?

Natural light/No top coat/Flash
The flash pics show the truest color as in real life.

Sunlight/No top coat/No Flash
Yeah, that's WITHOUT top coat. Impressive, no?

This polish actually applied opaque in one coat. I just did two for good measure as I'm wont to. Since you're using less coats, I'm fairly certain you can do a manicure in a New York minute without sacrificing opacity. Did I mention it dried fast? By the time I had finished painting my entire hand, my pinky was already dry to the touch. Definitely lives up to its fast drying claims.

Natural light/Half with top coat and half without/No flash
Holding its own in shine factor!

Natural light/Half with top coat and half without/Flash

Top coat just makes everything better..?

I was curious to see how the glossy finish you end up with stacks up to a finish with top coat so I painted two nails with top coat and left two nails as is. The finish without top coat isn't as shiny but it's nothing to sneer at either.

Natural light/Top coat/No Flash
High shine all around.

Natural light/Top coat/Flash
Hammie says: It reminds me of traffic cones. (Oh shush, Hammie!)

Sunlight/Top coat/No Flash
Hammie says: How about..a pumpkin? (Yes, more season appropriate, but not quite!)

Top coat definitely amped up the shine and the brightness of the color. I guess Hammie's not too far off with that comment about traffic cones as it's definitely a traffic-stopping color!

The Low Down

As far as similar colors go, the closest I can think of that would be in the same color range and finish is China Glaze How Street It Is from the Kicks 2009 Collection. That might be a bit tricky to find though. At any rate, I think this color holds up its own. It dries to a fairly glossy finish even without top coat, opaque in 2 coats or less and dries fast. Don't forget that it has minerals that are supposed to make your nails stronger. On the website, it also says that it contains UV filters to prevent color fading. I haven't used it for prolonged periods in the sun so I can't make any comment about that claim. But even without it, I'm pretty sold on the quality of nail polish I can get for my hard earned $1.99 CDN. The lower price tag does come with less product: 9.9mL. But compare that to the larger Orly bottles of 18mL for $7 CDN. For that price, you can get triple the amount of Spring Street! Still a steal! This is definitely something I reach for on days I could use a pop of color or when I want my nails done pronto. Or just to remind me that Fall is knocking on my door.

Hammie's still convinced that the red orange reminds him of construction. But he is impressed that this $1.99 CDN wonder excels along with its more pricey cousins. He scores Spring Street:

 10 Hammie Points!

Are you a fan of bright colors? Orange always reminds me of Fall. Noticed any changing leaves yet? Would you get this polish if it was priced more than $1.99 CDN?