I’m not even going to try to create suspense- these nail polishes are absolutely amazing! As I was trying them out, I couldn’t believe my eyes… these lacquers beat out some luxurious brands that are 10x the price tag!  Maybelline recently launched this brand new line of 40 nail polishes in their new Color Show collection (ten of which belong to three separate collections; denims, metallics and shredded textures).  Each polish retails for less than $3 at Walmart (and will soon be available at mass drugstores for less than $4 each).  I haven’t been this excited about a drugstore line since the Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters.

The Polishes

Each polish comes in a cylindrical tube bottle with the labels on top of the lids instead of on the bottom (this is actually so helpful for those who store their nail polishes in a drawer like me- I can see all the names without having to pick them up)! The line is packed with bold, fashion-forward shades which I do love, but I really would have liked to see some more pastels and neutrals; hopefully Maybelline will launch more shades in the future.  They vary in texture and opacity, but for the most part I was able to get amazing coverage in just 1-2 coats (only one polish took 3 coats).  They also dry incredibly fast!  I use gel nails which really enhances the wear of the nail polishes, but I asked around on Twitter and most of my fellow bloggers agree that about 4 days of chip-free wear is the norm, which is typical of regular polish.  I love the patent leather shine they leave and really the only thing I’d switch? I wish they would have opted for magnetic polish instead of shatter/crackle polish, which I think is quickly becoming a dated look.

I’m totally impressed with these affordable, trendy nail polishes and I’m absolutely going to be running out to Wal-Mart as soon as I can to buy the rest of the gorgeous shades.  I’ll try to do a swatch gallery once I have them all!  I’ll go through each of the shades individually because they do vary in texture, opacity and thickness.

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquers

Coral Crush

This shade is definitely one of my favourites.  It is a little bit thicker in texture, and two coats left me with gorgeous, full-coverage color.  The polish is a peachy coral, one of the more summery shades, but it’s still something that I would wear year round because it’s a pretty shade.

RATING: A

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Coral Crush

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Coral Crush

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Coral Crush

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Coral Crush

Fuchsia Fever

This polish was quite surprising, as it dried to a semi-matte finish.  It dried very fast, and I think that they probably should have indicated that it is a matte polish and not a glossy one, just because that’s something that the consumer should know when buying it.  I particularly like the finish of it, but it was also one of the most sheer shades, requiring three coats for an opaque finish.

RATING: B+

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Fuchsia Fever

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Fuchsia Fever

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Fuchsia Fever

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Fuchsia Fever

Keep Up The Flame

I’m such a sucker for red nail polish.  Even though I really don’t wear it that often, it will always be a stunning classic shade for me.  This red is a little more bright and vibrant than most reds I own, and it’s an excellent formula.  Not too thick, but still opaque enough that two coats leaves it looking fabulous. The high shine finish is amazing too.

RATING: A

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Keep Up The Flame

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Keep Up The Flame

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Keep Up The Flame

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Keep Up The Flame

Impeccable Greys

I definitely don’t own any deep, cold grey nail polishes like this one, so I was excited to see a new one in the mixture. It’s definitely more of a fashion-forward shade that I think will be super hot this fall.  It’s an almost-black with a gorgeous shiny finish.  It does require 2-3 coats because you don’t want any transparency with deep shades like this.

RATING: A-

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Impeccable Greys

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Impeccable Greys

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Impeccable Greys

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Impeccable Greys

Onyx Rush

Black nails may be a little too harsh for some people, but I think that everyone needs to have a good, glossy black nail polish in their collection, and at this price point? You can’t go wrong.  Super opaque and slightly more thick, this black is definitely one of my favourites.  While I do prefer to pair blacks with some sort of nail art, this one looks so chic all on its own…like a pair of patent leather stilettos!

RATING: A-

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Onyx Rush

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Onyx Rush

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Onyx Rush

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Onyx Rush

Bold Gold

This shade comes from the separate “Metallics” collection. It’s been a long time since I sported metallic nails, but oh. my. goodness. this shade is gorgeous! One coat is definitely full coverage (but I always do two out of habit)… the formula is a bit thicker, and unfortunately it can be a tad streaky, but I attribute that to the actual metallic pigments rather than the polish itself (plus, its much smoother than other metallics I’ve tried).

RATING: A

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Bold Gold

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Bold Gold

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Bold Gold

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Bold Gold

Styled Out

This shade comes from the separate “Denims” collection. This deep blue with a silver sparkle may not look to special in the bottle, but it really does resemble dark wash jeans on the nails! I love it!  It’s a nice texture and the coverage is amazing!

RATING: A

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Styled Out

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Styled Out

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Styled Out

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Styled Out

Silver Stunner

This shade comes from the “Shredded” collection, which essentially are crackle/shatter polish top coats to give a textured effect. I’m not a fan of these types of nail polishes anymore, I think the trend has burned out already… so I would have liked to see some magnetic or flakie polishes instead.  It works well, but the formula is super thick so it’s a bit of a pain to apply thinly (the thinner you apply it, the more crackles you get).

RATING: B+

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Silver Stunner

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Silver Stunner

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Silver Stunner

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in Silver Stunner (Over Coral Crush)

Summary

• Price: $2.96 CAD (Will be $3.99 CAD at mass drugstores later this month)
• Availability: Walmart and coming soon to drugstores
• Overall: I haven’t been this excited for a new line of drugstore products for a long time! Amazing quality, opacity, texture and variety…all for an incredibly affordable price. These vibrant shades offer about 4 days of chip-free wear. I would have liked to see some more soft shades or neutrals, and I would have skipped on the “Shredded” collection for something more current. My favorite shades are Coral Crush, Bold Gold and Keep Up The Flame.
• Rating: A for the collection as a whole (products rated individually above)