PLEASE READ! So sorry i forgot 50 Shades was separated from the rest of the Declassified set, when they announced those would be retired except Sacrificial Lacquer I freaked out 😭 but it’s HERE TO STAY!!! Sorryyy 🙃🙏🏼
50 Shades of Greige is not retiring! It was separated from the rest of the Declassifieds, and is being sold in Ulta beauty stores now. So definitely sticking around!
OH omg ok that’s good to know! I completely forgot they separated it from the other declassifieds, so when they announced they were retiring except Sacrificial Lacquer I was so bummed! Ok gonna make a pinned comment 🙈
I have been a nearly exclusive holo taco purchaser for the last few years. In the beginning I loved how much Cristine showed off and explain her formulas in her live streams, and that is how I found her brand! However the honeymoon of only purchasing holo taco is quickly coming to a close because of helpful people like you who show off the polish in a more neutral less hyped “gotta get it now” atmosphere, which I appreciate! I usually wait for your swatch and comparisons before I purchase because I can get a better sense of the product and how it compares to the rest on the market with less fomo pressure. I think my biggest axe to grind with the brand, like you mentioned, is consistently balancing hype with information for collection releases. Ex: not telling general public customers how many polishes will be released, how much the individuals and collection will cost, or showing full hand swatches a few days ahead of time. She has gotten better at the this, I think if they adopted the ilnp model of teaser and reveal a week before it wouldn’t hurt their bottom line! I really like her glitter formula and I’ll probs fill in my gaps with those on black Friday, and probs throw in some of the space collection because I was reminded of those rich reds with your swatches! I still love holo taco and can’t wait to see what they come up with next year! Thank you for the video!
@@PolishedYogi highly recommend! i only have Sparkling Water, Mint Mojito, and Lavender Syrup from that collection, and all are so stunning. i think you’d love them!
It’s really interesting to notice what different brands value, since everything comes with a tradeoff. Because Cristine came up through RUclips videos often dunking on sheer or milky drugstore polishes, one of holo taco’s goals seems to be having particularly highly pigmented polishes, which is amazing when you get such high quality one coaters. But there’s a downside to that, such as weaker magnetic, increased staining, and increased thickness. I don’t care about staining because my nails are never bare, but for example, with the Lite Mode and other more sheer buildable formulas, they came out with, they had to repeatedly explain that it’s supposed to be buildable for the layered effect, because she’d kind of trained her audience that one coat is the goal. You can see that with her explaining what crellies and jellies are- explaining that sheerness isn’t a mistake. I notice other brands valuing different things, too, all of which are legitimate. Like I am a diehard fan of ilnp, but one thing they don’t do is glitters, and I suspect they made the decision that they didn’t want to have to educate their customers about how glitters can be hard to remove, or about peel off basecoats, etc. I’m totally OK with the limited edition factor with HT because otherwise they’d be coming out with new stuff way too fast and too voluminously for it to still feel special! I I wish they’d do a few bigger releases fewer times per year- you can’t get hyped for something every month. But that’s a side effect of being an influencer/streaming brand - always having to be moving forward. I don’t mean this to be overly negative! I really love HT, it’s just interesting to notice the character of different brands.
I love your comment because it's given me a lot of context. I didn't watch her vids in her youtube era, but I do watch the occasional stream. Cristine repeating that certain polishes were supposed to be applied in 3 coats confused me because she seemed almost defensive. There's only so many times that I can hear "buildable" without feeling suspicious. Her trying to untrain her audience makes so much sense. I also think I remember her being a little shocked that modest moss was a best seller when it was a green. People don't like lime greens because of undertones. Hopefully Head Hunter is also an amazing selling dark green so she stops trying to make fetch happen for so many limes. Also Cristine saying stuff like, "why is the glitter polish the bottom seller of the collection? You can use peeley base coat." Actually, no I can't. Peeling basecoat doesn't work well for me so some of them come off within 24 hours. I paint every 2-3 days so it's feels incredibly stupid to walk around with a 2 bare nails for half a day because it came off while I was at work. It just makes more sense to go with a shimmer/creme, have zero worry, and have the polish off in 2 minutes instead of soaking-off the polish. It's just very interesting seeing a brand owner communicate what their intentions are for a collection and being a consumer and feeling the opposite. And like you said, the choices are legitimate. It will be interesting to see if market data from Ulta will shift some of the brand decisions in the future. People outside her audience are very basic with colors if the sold out Essie's by my house are anything to go by.
I totally agree! And don’t think it’s overly negative at all. That was also kind of another criticism I had but wasn’t sure how to word it; how she would talk down on creams and sheers bc they’re “boring”, but then surprise surprise she releases them and suddenly they’re okay lol. But I obviously understand it’s bc the customers were asking for those, so I’m glad she did listen. I do wish I liked her sheer formulas more, i mean the only one I can think of is Milky White Shimmer but it’s a shame it wasn’t a great, self leveling formula like I expected :/ And yeah definitely agree too on wanting to see a slower release schedule! It was exhausting last year seeing them (and Mooncat AND Cirque) release every single month 🥵 I greatly appreciate how mooncats releases have been this year, where it was every other month~ and bigger collections, I’d love to see the other brands follow suit and ideally if they release on an opposite schedule lmao so we get something new every month, but it’s from someone different 🤣
Definitely, glitter with peely is more of a one-day special occasion thing for me for that reason! If I didn’t wfh I wouldn’t risk publicly popping peelies.
Yes the “boring cremes” thing- she was originally using hyperbole to say that only ever wearing cremes is boring, and to introduce people to the world of specialty finishes. But that morphed into “all cremes are boring”, which she’s had to walk back to not be treating some of her own products as unfavored children. Also cremes are great, and not just with toppers on them! Tons of Holo Taco cremes are amazing. It’s just an interesting pivot she’s had to make.
Thanks for the honest and thorough review. I want to love Holo Taco but I feel like their shades aren't unique enough to justify their price point when there are better options out there like ILNP and Painted Polish. I have a handful of Holo Taco that I got at a discount that I do enjoy but I won't go out of my way to buy any at full price.
I totally understand you & honestly agree 😅 when you’ve tried other indies it’s like a whole new world lol. But yeah I definitely there are some polishes worth grabbing, especially on sale!
I think you just unlocked why I’ve never pulled the trigger on buying HT! I wear only very muted and grey leaning shades and HT always releases brights!! At one point I was considering Featured Guest, Mint Mojito, Frost Light and Cold Slate… but these were released so far apart it was impossible to get them together in a sale.
Oh yeah they love their brights! 😅 those are some pretty shades, I definitely have considered Mint Mojito too. Frost Light was one of my favsss ugh.. I don’t remember how hectic their BF sales were but I can imagine in the early days they would sell out super fast 😅
My biggest issue with the crushed holo formula is the inconsistency. I find blushed ice and oat couture show their holo even in low lighting and really love the overall effect. I didn't find that was the case for most of the crushed shades that came after. Whatever they did with crystal mommy was 👌🏻 though. If they do more in the formula, I hope it's more similar to that. Some of my favorites are fallen flake taco, sour note, play rose, and midnight owl, and light link. Thanks for the brand review! I'll be putting secret society and head hunter on my wishlist for their BF sale 🙃
that’s such a great point!! there definitely is a difference in their crushed holo with almost every one they’ve released lol. i agree the barista shades were great, and yes almost forgot Crystal Mommy was a crushed holo formula too, but that one was even better! i def agree they should try to keep that kind of finish with the larger flakes. i wonder if she’s ever talked about why they’re so different, or if she’s gonna ignore it like the obvious change in the frosted metal formula w Silent Library lol 😅 Fallen Flake is a beauty!! oh i do love Play Rose too 🤩 you have some great favs! i think yeah Midnight Owl was my fav from the new glitters, that indigo is 🤤 super exciting you’ll be adding those to your wishlist!! can’t wait to hear what else you pick up 🙈
Shout out to a stealth favorite, Peach Tea! I got it just to try out the pastel rainbow collection, but I was so blown away. It’s similar to greige but sweeter and warmer, but so incredibly rainbowy, I’ve gotten an absolute ton of compliments on it! It really has me salivating to try the rest of the pastel rainbows, especially Sparkling Water. It doesn’t get a ton of intention, but I feel like that’s such a beginner friendly shade to introduce people to what the brand can do.
I’ve always loved that one esp for the name !! It does look cute, and I love how you described it 🥰 Sparkling Water was def one of my top picks from the pastels and only more recently have I been lusting over Mint Mojito 🤩 but I think Peach Tea would make my top 3 from the pastels!
Some of my favs: favorite sister (really shocked they’re retiring it!), glamathyst, both menchie and zyler glitter polishes, everything taco, aquafoil (bought it as soon as she said it was getting retired), and birthday brat to name a few! Also: you’re so right about the top coat! I’ve been using it for years and the super glossy one was wayyy better. I think I’m gonna try other brands top coats after I run out of HTs
i'm still heartbroken over the retired glitters too! honestly, i'd rather have that collection back than like the last 2 years of their releases... they don't seem to be doing anything particularly interesting or unique anymore, imo. i think they excel at single finishes like their linears, crushed holos (without any shimmer) and glitters (the old formula). their mixed-finish formulas often look muddy to me, idk. i wish i understood the hype for their newer collections but they just don't excite me anymore. and that's okay; it's interesting to see the brand evolve even if it doesn't cater to my exact tastes.
I can totally understand this 🥲 and yeah definitely agree that they excel in their basic/core finishes like linears. There’s some mixed formulas that I like, like Never Tide Down, but I do get what you mean about some looking muddy or flat imo. Funny enough tho I actually did like the creative vision of the newer releases more than the initial years 🙈 I felt like there were 2~ years where it was just the same 5 colors being released but in different finishes, so the more recent ish like last year and a half felt more new to me. But new as in new for HT lol
Yess appreciation for Sour Note! It’s such a perfect carefree summer color; it makes me envision tooling around a boardwalk on rollerblades in the summer listening to a Walkman (which activity I would never do irl so it’s great to summon that vibe in a nail polish!)
omgggg i love that!! i used to love rollerblading when i was younger. it also makes me think of the rollerskate emoji 🛼 and i NEED a crushed holo in this bright aqua color lol 😍
This is definitely a great video for someone like me who doesn’t yet own any HT. I’m sure everyone agrees it’s a great video. You’ve never released a bad one and you can’t be expected to own every polish of any particular brand. I’m thinking of checking them out for BF sales. Thanks so much for sharing your honest feedback and sharing your top faves! I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend!❤
I don’t own any HT polishes. I’m Rover It looks great though. It’s off putting whenever a collection is launched and sells out on day of launch. I find them a bit pricey too. Thank goodness ILNP exists and I can take my time deciding on a polish and not be pressured by FOMO. Nice to hear how receptive HT is to feedback. Thanks for sharing your favorites. I like to see what’s out there, even if I have to live vicariously through you😊
I don't own any Holo Taco...yet...so your video is very helpful. Your even handed, honest and informed comments are also much appreciated 👍 Ginger snaps is lovely, and looks great for gold toppers. Orbiter Me is fabulous, I love Electric Sweetener, 50 Shades is stunning and I will be buying it...same with Dead Petals. I'm Rover It is so beautiful, another I will buy. Thankyou Stephanie, for your time and skills swatching your collated collection, a wonderful video as always. ❤
Thank you so so much for your sweet words!! It means so much that my videos can be helpful 🫶🏼 so exciting you’re looking to snag a few!! I hope you’ll love them all 🤩✨
One of the few times I actually grabbed a backup bottle bc I could see myself needing it in the future lol it’s SO pretty and so unique to what’s on the market!!! Truly such a loss 💔
Thank you for sharing, I love your picks! It is def frustrating when HT (or any brand) discontinues a favorite, but I agree with you that Cristine definitely does not seem to be attempting intentional fomo marketing (via LE sets as well as discontinuations). I really think she genuinely tries to listen to fan feedback and that she and the team do the best they can with forecasting and all that, and they’ve generally been doing much better lately, birthday collection excepting! I do need to probably look into a base coat without that peely ingredient though, my poor nails have never peeled before in my life and I thought it was just a byproduct of doing my nails so much more the past few years. Thanks again for sharing! Prob gonna go use Peri-social now 😂
yay so glad you love them!! 😁 and yeah i do feel bad for her since she really does seem to be stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to pleasing the fans and what they can realistically do inventory wise. i do agree though they have gotten better in general, like last years anniversary & holo royalty shades took months to sell out! but it sounds like they’re gonna need a bigger warehouse lol 🙈 and there’s a spreadsheet on reddit called manipedia that has a tab all about basecoats! a few that don’t have PVB are KB’s Filling Groovy, Olive Ave Nourishing Base coat, and essie smooth-e base for example. i’ll have linked in my description box!
I love the new version of the frosted metal in silent library. It looks like if it was holo flakes it would be the perfect crushed holo vibe. I don't know if its the color like you said or it is a different formula but I really like it vs the OG super foiled look, except cheap champagne because anything rose gold. Yes. lol. Crushed holos since the baristas collx I have been obsessed with. Spyglass just didn't give me the same holo flake glow as the baristas do (Essie's old geode collx was incredible too, and still has been a favorite for years). I'm hoping for more of that finish someday. More jewel tones, heck I don't care what colors I just want it lol. Mooncat will always be my go for magnetics but creams for HT. 🤷♀️
@@PolishedYogi I ended up grabbing... Glow in the Dark, Favorite Sister, Overshadowed, Foiled Again, Red Flake Taco, and One Coat Balck. So pretty much all the retiring shades! 😅 fomo for realz
HT definitely got me into doing my nails, but I've definitely fallen out of love with them for exactly the reason you mentioned: they claim not to do FOMO marketing, but then engage in FOMO marketing practices. A lot of people were super pissed about the way birthstones was handled and Cristine made this big to do about not wanting to do FOMO marketing. The very next thing was the restock of declassified and announcing that they were retiring almost all of them so buy them now because once they're gone, they're gone. I think Cristine puts on a really good act of pretending to care but doesn't really follow through.
This is an interesting point and I can definitely see where you're coming from with it. From what I've seen of Cristine speaking about this in simply pod or her streams, I think a lot of this has to do with the expanding catalog. It's not really realistic for a boutique brand to have a catalog of hundreds and hundreds of nail polishes. She's also said that some of it has to do with pigment availability, and she cited in today's stream that they're trying to work on a restock of the birthstones bundle, but it's difficult with pigment availability and making sure each formula is the same for the restock. I think they definitely have leaned more into FOMO marketing than they used to, but I think it also has to do with those things she mentioned on streams/pod. Cristine and HT by extension are not free from criticism and that's definitely not what I'm trying to say, but I do think there's a little more nuance to the limited releases than it seems
I don't think fifty shades of greige is retiring, its just the metallic one, green frosted metal and the red flake retiring. Greige and sac lac are permanent (for now at least) Also loved your video as always🥰
Omg you’re so right!! Ugh I feel like I won’t be able to trim it from the video but I added a pinned comment so hopefully others will see 🥲 tysm though ! 🫶🏼🫶🏼
These are some of my favorite HTs : I'm Rover it, which is *stunning* next to Teal Me No Lies. Orbite Me, Never Tide Down, Scorched Earth, Existential Crisis. I missed the Julien collection so I don't have I'm Live however Mooncat's Midnight Drive is a good enough dupe, for me anyway =) I have Headhunter, Foreshadow, Secret Society in my wishlist for black friday. I miiiight get Inkwell also. I had the OG magnetic set in my destash pile, but I pulled them out so I can try them again. I will need to switch out the brushes for the wide ones . I think this is why I didn't initially enjoy the OG metallics, I much prefer the wide brushes in polishes in general. I actually like them unmagnetized. Nice metallics. Some day I will try out the different magnet techniques which are awesome but I don't currently have patience for
This is a great series. I haven’t been buying nail polish for a long time. I have only recently started using and collecting nail polish. It’s only been a couple of years for me. I found that Holo Taco has been a great starting point for me. They were not the first company I bought nail polish from, but they were the first company that I followed. As you said, they are a great starting point for the indie nail community. I am having a hard time getting excited about their new releases. I’m loving more nuanced and innovative colours and formulas. I am also more excited by ILNP as a boutique brand. I really enjoy following Cristine and I love listening to the sales analysis and anecdotes. There are some really fanatic followers and collectors on her streams. Holo Taco is growing at a daunting pace. I hope it continues to improve and keeps its personal feel.
I just ordered 50 Shades of Greige and I can’t wait to get it!! Really wish I’d gotten Menchie too as I wasn’t sure about it but it looks absolutely beautiful in your swatch!
I appreciate you sharing your opinions since I will be buying my first HT polishes this Black Friday. I've hesitated to buy for some time because of the price point and the constant FOMO. I've added some of your favorites to my shopping cart.
Loved this video. Completely agree on the criticism you stated (as well as the positives). I fully believe that FOMO marketing isn’t the goal for Cristine/Holo Taco. But I think even with the build up teases that they do (and most all brands of anything tbh) feeds into that. I was lucky enough to get the birthstone collection before it sold out and while I totally understand underestimating just how many people would shell out for all 12 shades, I also hope that this is a sign/learning for future releases that point to a higher demand the more complex a formula is. While I’d love to have an incredibly complex polish, I’d like others who want it to have the opportunity and the time to get it too. So if the polish needs to have a rarer pigment removed in order for x number of additional consumers to be able to purchase the polish, I’d be all for it.
Great Favorites list. I love watching your videos while I paint my nails, and now I'm rethinking the colors I chose, and want to use something off the list because I have a lot of these. It is hard to buy creams from Holo Taco because they have so many other finishes, BUT I love their creams.
I’ve been eyeing a couple of frosted metals for the holidays (Favourite Sister and Foiled Again) but can’t justify them at full price. I only wear red at Xmas and Valentine’s Day so I’m worried that I won’t get enough use out of them before tarnishing. I do love the few HT polishes that I have and will probably pick up a few more of the shades that I can get at Ulta where I can apply a coupon and save the shipping cost. I’m one of the people that love the crushed holo formula but not as much as I love Bluebird Lacquer’s crushed holos. Sadly Bluebird is one of those “only open a few days a month” shops and that annoys the heck out of me so it’s a trade off.
You're lucky. I'm a late Holo Taco devotee so I don't have some of the retired ones I want. Also the best ridge filler coat I have is the Apricot Base from Dior and it's totally worth the $34 as I find the pink smoothing base too thick for my stubby nails. 😅
As a relative newcomer to nail polish and the indie polish world I find it wild how much people criticize Holo Taco but none of the other boutique or larger indie brands for things like limited edition polishes or retiring colors, etc. HT got me into polish and makes up over half my collection and is pretty much my favorite for being consistently good in color and formula.
i’m glad you love them! the only other brand who does LE and retires colors as often as them is Cirque, but they’re much smaller. i think a lot of people are more understanding that smaller brands don’t have the same resources Holo Taco does, so it makes sense they can’t keep everything in stock. Mooncat only does LE for collabs, but yeah they do retire a decent amount of polishes at the beginning of the year like HT. ILNP does neither LE or retire shades so thats why they’re constantly praised. i also think a lot of people have a gripe with LE from Holo Taco bc Cristine used to talk about how LE was such a scummy marketing tactic etc. i think unfortunately Holo Taco is stuck in between wanting to release more unique finishes that indies/boutiques provide, but are limited to more simple pigment availability like mainstream brands.
Just fyi 50 Shades of Griege is not on the retiring list. I'm excited to grab some of the dark academia collection at black friday, as I didn't get any when it came out. Great to see your faves swatched from it. I hadn't thought about secret society but it looked great on you!
Cannot waitttt to see your comparisons of their new shimmers collection! They look stunning but possibly comparable to some mooncat polishes? We shall see…
Have you had any experience with their peely base coat? I am trying to finalize my purchase list before the sale & on the fence with purchasing that. Thanks for all the great videos & content - so helpful! :) Perisocial & Ginger Snatched are on my list. :) Menchie Cat Eye is one of my favorites from them - I get compliments when I wear it. I was also on the fence w/ Secret Society but will pass for now.
I've tried it but it's very much a YMMV. I've been told that it lasts longer if you're nails aren't very oily. The polish popped off in one day for me. I had zero issues with it though.
I unfortunately haven’t tried their peely base! But like other commenters mentioned, I’ve heard it pops a little too soon 😅 I know there’s a “hack” to make it last longer like applying it over a long lasting base and not applying peely base to the edges. I tried it with UNT and it worked well, lasting 5 days! So maybe with proper prep it can last longer than 24 hrs lol. And yay for having those crems on your wishlist!! Truly so beautiful, I loveee a good creme 🤤 and totally get you being on the fence about Secret Society, maybe one day! 😝
I was just looking at their site earlier today what great timing 😂 HT is one of those brands that I don’t have a opinion on just because I don’t really care for a lot of the stuff they release, like I don’t really reach for crème’s or holo/glitter polishes? I do find it super funny how the stuff you really like from them keep getting retired though haha I wanted to grab their seasonal GITD topper and see what else I might’ve had my eye on and grab along the way but there’s just not a lot that I care for, personally besides maybe secret society, inkwell, or head hunter? I also enjoy how many different toppers they have, it rivals ilnp in that aspect I think but they’re not stuff i want so badly I’ll grab them right now either 😊
It's so interesting to hear all these different opinions! I agree with some, disagree with others (e.g. I really don't like Secret Society and Menchie Cat Eye - not because they're bad, but they look weird on my skintone. They're cool in the bottle but as soon as I put it on I want to take it off) I don't think the Glossy Taco is worth the money, nor the cremes or the basecoats. I have a few (Peri-Social, Cold Slate, Nightshade, Bring me the Teal) and the formula is beautiful, but I feel they're just too pricey for being a creme. Except for one-coat black, that one is phenomenal. And the Matte Taco is the best matte top coat I have found to date. Otherwise, I can find a good glossy top coat or a ridge filling basecoat pretty much anywhere for just a few bucks. The linear holo effect isn't my favorite, but I do own the Dark Rainbow collection. Violet Nightmares, Sunken Secrets, Lost in the woods, Dead Petals and Burnt Bridges are stunning, I just add a scattered holo taco. Some of my other favorites include Curfew Crasher, Inside Job, Crystal Skies, Inkwell and Milky white shimmer. Yeah, I didn't expect to love that last one either. I like Holo Taco the best for their specialty formulas. I just can't find those anywhere else. I have their shimmers and unicorn skins and with that and the Everything Taco I can transform any normal creme polish to something absolutely stunning.
My HT favorites are so similar to yours!!! I'm especially obsessed with I'm Rover It right now! And after this I'm really thinking I might need to get secret society too 😆
Isn’t it soooo perfect for fall?! Omg I want to cover myself in it lmao. Secret Society is super cool too!! Aside from the witchy occult vibes I get, it’s also like grungy chic 💁🏻♀️
My favs from my HT collection would be Fifty Shades of Greige, Secret Society, Dead Petals and Black Flake Taco. I really can't afford HT the same way I can ILNP or KB Shimmer so my collection is small.
Omg yeah Black Flake Taco is such a fun one too!! Esp over white, it’s INSTANT cookies n cream ice cream 😋 but yes totally hear you on that, Ilnp and KB being beautiful AND affordable makes it so easy to prioritize them !
Holo Taco is the brand that got me into nail polish after being a chronic biter. I used to buy every single release, but over the past year or two I’ve fallen out with them a bit. It just feels like they lost their uniqueness factor and started coming out with stuff that wasn’t wowing me like Mooncat or ILNP. The collections I’ve loved the most have been the LE releases, which is a shame that many of their best/most interesting polishes in recent years have been ones that people will likely never get to buy again. I’d really like to see HT push the bill on unique polishes again, and BRING BACK CHUNKY GLITTER!
My top two are mooncats nail elixir and Cuticle Buddy from ShopNBM!! I’m an affiliate with the latter but I’ve been praising them long before that happened lol my nails love their oil blend and I loveee the scents!! Tangerine orange is my fav from the core line followed by vanilla bean black currant. They recently came out with spooky seasonal ones and I love the purple candy scented one!!
I’m always surprised when people talk about the price of HT-at least in my area in the Northeast US Sally Hanson, Essie, and other “drugstore” brands that are commonly available are all going for $12+. I’d much prefer a beautiful formula every time like I get from HT than the hits and misses I get buying those drugstore brands.
(Now that I’ve finished watching the vid) we have a lot of similar faves!!! I went to ulta last night to pick up perisocial and sadly for me almost the whole HT shelf was wiped out. I ended up picking up fifty shades of greige which I love but it wasn’t on my must have list. They keep retiring my fave polishes too… and it’s changed the way I shop with them cause now I feel like I have to pick up the ones that are least popular first so I don’t miss out on them, and get the more popular ones when my budget allows. Like I HAVE pick up bottle service this Black Friday because apparently no one likes warm gold except for me and I presume it’s retiring at the end of the year
aw yeah from what i’ve seen on reddit, people’s trips to ulta are usually disappointing 😭 not surprised they’re cleared out in some stores lol. but ugh yeah i totally get what you mean about that! it makes me almost want to mention that too, like hey i really love this polish and i’m in the minority so that probably means it’ll be discontinued next year 🙃😩 Bottle Service is another great one!! i debated including it tbh. i definitely think it’ll be worth it, but i will fall to my knees if they announce that ones retiring lol 🥲
getting through a backlog of some of your vids ive missed so prepare for some sporadic but rather long comments lol. im trying to get into the habit of writing along with the videos my favorite creators make because, as a writer and artist, i loooove when people leave long, meandering comments about my work. Makes me feel appreciated ❤ Basics: pink smoothing is also my favorite! Whenever I'm too lazy to do a full mani but still want to protect my nails from breaking, water, general life nonsense, I'll pop on a coat or two with a topcoat. It's so good at neutralizing the staining i have 😅Considering the price of Glossy taco, I've been considering swapping to a different brand for that. Might try out ILNP's this upcoming black friday when I'm grabbing goodies for my friends (early birthday present, from me, to me
I stopped buying Holo Taco because of how so many are limited and how they sell out on launch (I don't like to be pressured into buying immediately) and others get retired so quickly. It's frustrating. I need to find more information on what base coats are the safest to use to avoid peeling. That said I do have some of their colors that are stunning. Menchie the Cat is one and Toe Beans and Glamthyst. I have 25 of their colors - not very many! Would love a video on different top and base coats.
I'm shocked to hear that some people dislike glossy taco! I've never tried the super because I never felt the need to buy it even when it was available, because regular glossy has never failed me. Now I'm really curious as to how exactly people judge a top coat. I thought all it needs is to seal in and dry fast, which it does for me. Aside from that, I was not shocked by anything else in this vid. I totally see why you have your faves! I also really appreciate their cremes, and I enjoy their dark linear holos as well. As far as magnetics go, I'm pretty sure the only times I've struggled are because I was painting too thin of a coat. Nothing wrong with the polish itself. Holo Taco is actually the biggest brand represented in my collection and they are what got me into nail polish. I have a lot so it's hard to pick a fave, but I think in general I love their glitters and toppers the most. And anything with multiple special things going on! (Glitter plus holo plus shimmer etc.)
I bought one bottle of each when I tried it. Super Glossy taco was faster drying and better at covering glitter so I was bummed when it was d/c. As for why not glossy taco, I noticed it gets thick fast... there was a noticeable difference in gloopiness within a few uses when mooncat lasted 3 months for me and orly's didn't get thick at all. (Although orly's had it's own issues) I'd have to air out the room in the wintertime when using HT. I didn't have to do that last year with Mooncat because it didn't smell as strong. KB Shimmer + Glisten & Glow both have toulene topcoat that runs at 8 a bottle compared to HT's $12. Cuticula also has a bit of a cult following on theirs because it can come scented and it runs at $9. Paying that price is kind of steep for a basic if you float around indie brands and know there's other options. It's not that glossy taco is bad, it's just that it's average and there's plenty of competition.
@@lulufortytwo3884 that's so interesting, my glossy taco wasn't too gloopy for over a year. I wonder what makes for such variation. I have also never noticed it smelling stronger than others. All nail polish smells bad to me
@@charlieTtea I'm with you on Glossy Taco. It serves me well. Granted I only got heavily into nail polish about a year ago, but I've tested out a handful of top coats. I actually did have the gloopy/stringy issue come up only a few months into my first bottle of Glossy Taco, but I've since learned that because I really got into polish during the colder months, and I have central heating, that warm/dry air flow was probably speeding up the evaporation of ethyl acetate and butyl acetate, more so than it would in conditions when not using forced-air vents. (I live in the PNW, so we don't have air conditioning here, so this is only an issue in winter.) Nothing that a little thinner can't fix. But then in the spring/summer I got into nail stickers, some of which are kind of thick and bulbous and jewel-like, and I was looking around for a thicker top coat to seal them down well, and someone suggested the QDTC from the Essie Gel Couture line (misnomer, not a gel polish, just quick-drying lacquer). So I tried it, liked it, thought it worked well, and used that for a few months. Then because I decided I wanted to work on using up my Glossy Taco bottle (so I can empty it and use it for mixing new polish colors!) I went back to it, and was so pleased to be reminded of how long-lasting it is! A recent manicure lasted 12 days with no chipping at all, just minimal tip wear. I only removed it because I was starting to show significant growth. So I'd say that it's very good quality. Worth 12? Maybe not, but that's why we shop sales! I also recently tried Cuticula Limitless, which interestingly has a different kind of application experience, hard to describe, the consistency is simultaneously more liquid-y feeling and also plumper. Glides right on very easily. And the scented aspect is kind of fun. I won't mess around with toluene, I prefer 5-free, so I haven't tried any of those. But yeah, sorry for the essay, but all of that is to say that Glossy Taco is pretty great. Definitely more than just average.
Oh gosh I think I would say it’s a bit more on the pink-beige side? And menchie the cat is super cute!!! I do love that glitter so much. Can’t wait for you to get those in! ✨
Another frank review, love it!! 😍Although trying to jump scare us about Fifty Shades of Greige was not cool Stefanie lmao j/k! I know it doesn't get spoken about as much because it's not a brand new collection, but the pastel linears are lovely, and Existential Crisis is still in my top 5 HT polishes of all time. 😊 Don't get me started on Crimson Void... mine definitely looks exactly like Dead Petals. 🥀
Thank you so much! And I’m sooo sorry lol!! When I heard the news about them retiring the declassifieds except sacrificial lacquer I fell to my knees 😭🤣 I completely forgot they made that one permanent a while ago lol 🙈 but yeah the pastels are definitely very pretty!! And ahh I’ve heard so many mixed reviews about Existential Crisis, similar to Double Dare where it “looks muddy” so I never pulled the trigger even though I regretted skipping it when it launched 🙈 maybe for BF lol.. and ugh nooo I’m sorry to hear that about your CV.. the website pics are so stunning 🥺🥀
My faves: Ginger Snatched, Head Hunter, Orbite Me, Electric Sweetner (😮💨😮💨😮💨), Sour Note (😮💨😮💨), 50 Shades of Greige(😮💨😮💨), Dead Petals (😮💨😮💨), I’m Rover It (😮💨😮💨😮💨), Secret Society (😮💨😮💨😮💨), Wow! Looks like I have more shopping to do!! You looked so lovely! Your wing was perfect!! The lip color is so pretty🌸
I’ve only tried one Holo Taco cream, Lowkey Blushing, and it stained my nails neon orange so intensely (through base coat!) that I’m scared to try their other creams!
OMG no way!! I feel like I’ve heard at least one other person say that about that shade and it’s such a shame bc I do love that color too 😭 I know staining can be an issue with the darker or more pigmented colors esp the blues. I know it’s a bit extra work, but doing a layer of a sheer between base + polish helps a lot!
Numbers wise, does HT actually have the biggest proportion of limited edition releases (Birthday Collection, Anniversary, Royalty, Seasonal releases) PLUS a pretty regular turnover rate 🤔 It certainly feels like everything I like is retired but I’d really love to know if the numbers say the same story (esp compared to Mooncat and ILNP)
Hmm I actually would say Cirque is even worse with that stuff lol. They do LE collections just because! I feel like a lot of their earlier collections this year were LE, and a month or two ago they did a sale on shades they’re discontinuing, a lot of which included shades they only launched last year!! This year is interesting for Mooncat since they released like 5 collections so far and 1 was LE (the PPG collab) plus the 20 they retired in Jan.. it feels like a lot considering how much they slowed the releases imo. No surprise ILNP is excluded from all this, the last time they launched something LE was in like 2019 and last time they retired shades was in 2021 🤣
Alien Infatuation, Not Pressed and Never Tide Down are my fav HTs. I love the new brush. I don't own a lot HTs maybe less than 20. The fomo marketing has been a big turn-off for me. The birthstone collection was a big bummer. It was gone before i got off work that day. 😔 Menchie cat eye is so cool!! I wish i'd got that one! It really does look just like cat eyes!
I’m Rover It is definitely on my wishlist!! But I probably wouldn’t get to wear it in time for this fall whenever I do purchase / receive it 🥲 Also 50 shades of greige is on my list too 😍📀🤩
aw yeah thats true you might be cutting it close, but since their BF sale starts tomorrow you mighttt have time! i think its a cozy enough shade to work in the winter too, think of it as a fireplace while having hot coco 😋 50 shades is stunning right! ✨✨
i feel like they're discontinuing a lot of frosted metals more so because they're really low sellers, the tarnishing issue is a thing but like we're still out here eating up their thermals so like i feel like if we're down for those then it's a non issue lol
I had problems which their glossy taco too 😅 too thick?? Maybe. I'm not sure but I don't use them anymore. I like holo taco creams!! They last very long on my over worked fingers haha I think fairy tale discontinue to make way for the dark academia collection.. because I'm hesitant to buy inkwell because I already have fairy tale.. I know they're not the same but I'm questioning if I need both
Yeah I remember mine would get stringy but also super bubbly too, and it wouldn’t dry down as fast!! 😖 I’m glad their creams last a long time on you! I’ve heard they last long but I’ve never done a wear test 🙈 And I can kinda see that.. but idk I think those two are sooo different where you could justify both. Inkwell to me looks black vs a very very dark brown, and the shimmer is way more subtle than what you get in Fairy Tail. But I can also understand not needing both lol
I was so so sad when they retired Full Charge, a beautiful lime green linear holographic polish from a few summers ago! I had nothing like it in my collection of over 600 polishes, and it was such a versatile shape of green…used it for everything from spring to Christmas nails and of course St. Patrick’s Day nails. I also get tired of the limited sets so close to one another and all the retired polishes just because they weren’t the best sellers. They still sold, so why not keep them a little longer. I’m not replacing a bottle every single year, so even if I do love it, I won’t be buying two per year!!!
YES that was also one of my favorites 😭😭 such a beautiful lime green ugh. I never thought to try it for Christmas but it was def a great st. paddy’s day color for me too 🍀 But yes retiring the worst selling shades sucks so much 😭 like I gettt it, but ugh. And especially when they introduce a “replacement” but it’s not as good lol will never forget retiring Frost Light for Crystal Skies 🥲 hoping some of them can be brought back in the future!
I'm surprised that you don't like Glossy Taco, it's my go-to quick dry top coat! That means there are better ones out there that I don't know about maybe. I dislike toluene though. What are your favorite top coats?
mooncat is my holy grail! i feel like it dries faster than HT and i never get bubbles with it like i would with HTs. ILNP is another great toluene free alternative!
I think they’ve been like Mooncat where they’ll have everything restocked before the sale! But once it sells out it might not restock before the sale ends. Hoping you can snag your 5 shades!! 🤞🏼
What's people's issue with limited edition...? I see a lot of comments about it here. I wish someone would explain this to me. Nothing lasts forever. Even the huge mainstream brands do one-off collections. And they retire lots of polishes. That's the nature of business. And aren't a lot of these folks in the comments fans of indies and PPU? Those options are almost strictly limited to a one-time production. Isn't that what makes them special and fun? And practically speaking, *_isn't one bottle enough?_* Can't we get many manicures out of one bottle? By the time we get down to the bottom of the bottle, isn't it time to try something else? Aren't there always dupes likely to be found, or something even slightly better? I don't know, I just don't get the mentality of fixating on something like this, and actually getting emotional about it. Best to engage in the freeing practice of letting go... Although I've only gotten heavily into nail polish for about a year, I feel like I've learned a lot, not just about different formulas and application styles and removal methods, but also about fan bases and marketing and (perhaps unreasonable) expectations that people have. Anyway, I liked seeing your picks. I have over 30 HT bottles, but only one that's in this list, and that's Fifty Shades. But I'm a big linear holo fan. I think the holo flare shows best in the lighter shades, and I have five of the original seven from the pastel rainbow set. They're probably my favorites overall, and probably Sparkling Water on top, because blue 😊 But if I were to pick a handful of other faves, they would be Blushed Ice (love the subtle holo of the crushed formula, looking forward to some jewel-toned versions), Spyglass, Menchie the Cat, Never Tide Down, and of course Everything Taco! That topper glitzes up anything, I especially love it over a pale pink or neutral jelly.
They retire the most interesting shades because they’re basically mainstream and the general population is boring. Much better indie brands out there actually being creative
Same for me I do not like the top cop, it become too tick and hard to work with. head hunter 💚, I'm rover it 🧡,silent librairie I love it so much, so classy 💙, Menchie cat we have similar taste.
So it was just SEVENTEEN MINUTES AGO that they ran out of a limited edition and are coming out with YET ANOTHER ONE on November 16th. The foolishness is baffling!❤🙄
@Polishes yogi Oh, ok! Well, I apologize for posting incorrect info! They still had to stick something in there labeled limited edition, nevertheless. Lol. Thank you for correcting me. 🤗
A lot of my HT faves were limited edition (cool cat mom, existential crisis, the thermals this summer) 🥲 I wish she made more of the exciting/complex formulas permanent!
I was contemplating on Devil’s Advocate, Head Hunter, and Fallen Flake Taco, but… these sales. I recently impulse bought some magnet balls cus my anxiety’s been increasing from what I’m seeing with my skin picking and fidgeting again. 🥹
Fallen Flake is another beauty!! but i get it, it can be hard to prioritize what sales to shop! if you’re planning on getting ILNP, maybe you can add Glory which I’ve heard people say is super similar to Fallen Flake. not only is the retail price cheaper to begin with, i’m pretty sure ILNP does 25% off vs HT doing 20% so you get some extra savings too! also- i’m so sorry your anxiety has been increasing and its causing you to fidget and pick your skin 😓 i know skin picking can be a tough habit ugh. i hope the magnetic balls help though!! 🥹🫂
PLEASE READ! So sorry i forgot 50 Shades was separated from the rest of the Declassified set, when they announced those would be retired except Sacrificial Lacquer I freaked out 😭 but it’s HERE TO STAY!!! Sorryyy 🙃🙏🏼
I believe 50 Shades is one of the polishes now at Ulta!🤩
50 Shades of Greige is not retiring! It was separated from the rest of the Declassifieds, and is being sold in Ulta beauty stores now. So definitely sticking around!
OH omg ok that’s good to know! I completely forgot they separated it from the other declassifieds, so when they announced they were retiring except Sacrificial Lacquer I was so bummed! Ok gonna make a pinned comment 🙈
I have been a nearly exclusive holo taco purchaser for the last few years. In the beginning I loved how much Cristine showed off and explain her formulas in her live streams, and that is how I found her brand! However the honeymoon of only purchasing holo taco is quickly coming to a close because of helpful people like you who show off the polish in a more neutral less hyped “gotta get it now” atmosphere, which I appreciate! I usually wait for your swatch and comparisons before I purchase because I can get a better sense of the product and how it compares to the rest on the market with less fomo pressure.
I think my biggest axe to grind with the brand, like you mentioned, is consistently balancing hype with information for collection releases. Ex: not telling general public customers how many polishes will be released, how much the individuals and collection will cost, or showing full hand swatches a few days ahead of time. She has gotten better at the this, I think if they adopted the ilnp model of teaser and reveal a week before it wouldn’t hurt their bottom line!
I really like her glitter formula and I’ll probs fill in my gaps with those on black Friday, and probs throw in some of the space collection because I was reminded of those rich reds with your swatches! I still love holo taco and can’t wait to see what they come up with next year! Thank you for the video!
for pastel linear holos, Sparkling Water is my FAVORITE. it’s like stupidly holo in the sun, even more so than the darker ones.
It’s also so calming to look at.
That’s def one I’ve been eyeing! Along with mint mojito. I’m still on the fence about grabbing them for BF, but maybe 🤣
@@PolishedYogi highly recommend! i only have Sparkling Water, Mint Mojito, and Lavender Syrup from that collection, and all are so stunning. i think you’d love them!
I have Mint Mojito, and it is STUNNING! Big mermaid vibes
how does sparkling water compare to hydropower? 🤔
It’s really interesting to notice what different brands value, since everything comes with a tradeoff. Because Cristine came up through RUclips videos often dunking on sheer or milky drugstore polishes, one of holo taco’s
goals seems to be having particularly highly pigmented polishes, which is amazing when you get such high quality one coaters. But there’s a downside to that, such as weaker magnetic, increased staining, and increased thickness. I don’t care about staining because my nails are never bare, but for example, with the Lite Mode and other more sheer buildable formulas, they came out with, they had to repeatedly explain that it’s supposed to be buildable for the layered effect, because she’d kind of trained her audience that one coat is the goal. You can see that with her explaining what crellies and jellies are- explaining that sheerness isn’t a mistake.
I notice other brands valuing different things, too, all of which are legitimate. Like I am a diehard fan of ilnp, but one thing they don’t do is glitters, and I suspect they made the decision that they didn’t want to have to educate their customers about how glitters can be hard to remove, or about peel off basecoats, etc.
I’m totally OK with the limited edition factor with HT because otherwise they’d be coming out with new stuff way too fast and too voluminously for it to still feel special! I I wish they’d do a few bigger releases fewer times per year- you can’t get hyped for something every month. But that’s a side effect of being an influencer/streaming brand - always having to be moving forward.
I don’t mean this to be overly negative! I really love HT, it’s just interesting to notice the character of different brands.
I love your comment because it's given me a lot of context. I didn't watch her vids in her youtube era, but I do watch the occasional stream. Cristine repeating that certain polishes were supposed to be applied in 3 coats confused me because she seemed almost defensive. There's only so many times that I can hear "buildable" without feeling suspicious. Her trying to untrain her audience makes so much sense.
I also think I remember her being a little shocked that modest moss was a best seller when it was a green. People don't like lime greens because of undertones. Hopefully Head Hunter is also an amazing selling dark green so she stops trying to make fetch happen for so many limes.
Also Cristine saying stuff like, "why is the glitter polish the bottom seller of the collection? You can use peeley base coat." Actually, no I can't. Peeling basecoat doesn't work well for me so some of them come off within 24 hours. I paint every 2-3 days so it's feels incredibly stupid to walk around with a 2 bare nails for half a day because it came off while I was at work. It just makes more sense to go with a shimmer/creme, have zero worry, and have the polish off in 2 minutes instead of soaking-off the polish.
It's just very interesting seeing a brand owner communicate what their intentions are for a collection and being a consumer and feeling the opposite. And like you said, the choices are legitimate.
It will be interesting to see if market data from Ulta will shift some of the brand decisions in the future. People outside her audience are very basic with colors if the sold out Essie's by my house are anything to go by.
I totally agree! And don’t think it’s overly negative at all. That was also kind of another criticism I had but wasn’t sure how to word it; how she would talk down on creams and sheers bc they’re “boring”, but then surprise surprise she releases them and suddenly they’re okay lol. But I obviously understand it’s bc the customers were asking for those, so I’m glad she did listen. I do wish I liked her sheer formulas more, i mean the only one I can think of is Milky White Shimmer but it’s a shame it wasn’t a great, self leveling formula like I expected :/
And yeah definitely agree too on wanting to see a slower release schedule! It was exhausting last year seeing them (and Mooncat AND Cirque) release every single month 🥵 I greatly appreciate how mooncats releases have been this year, where it was every other month~ and bigger collections, I’d love to see the other brands follow suit and ideally if they release on an opposite schedule lmao so we get something new every month, but it’s from someone different 🤣
Definitely, glitter with peely is more of a one-day special occasion thing for me for that reason! If I didn’t wfh I wouldn’t risk publicly popping peelies.
Yes the “boring cremes” thing- she was originally using hyperbole to say that only ever wearing cremes is boring, and to introduce people to the world of specialty finishes. But that morphed into “all cremes are boring”, which she’s had to walk back to not be treating some of her own products as unfavored children. Also cremes are great, and not just with toppers on them! Tons of Holo Taco cremes are amazing. It’s just an interesting pivot she’s had to make.
I love these type of video you make on your favorite of brands and being honest about the up and downs of brands, very refreshing :)
Thank you so much! 🥰🥰
Thanks for the honest and thorough review. I want to love Holo Taco but I feel like their shades aren't unique enough to justify their price point when there are better options out there like ILNP and Painted Polish. I have a handful of Holo Taco that I got at a discount that I do enjoy but I won't go out of my way to buy any at full price.
I totally understand you & honestly agree 😅 when you’ve tried other indies it’s like a whole new world lol. But yeah I definitely there are some polishes worth grabbing, especially on sale!
I think you just unlocked why I’ve never pulled the trigger on buying HT! I wear only very muted and grey leaning shades and HT always releases brights!! At one point I was considering Featured Guest, Mint Mojito, Frost Light and Cold Slate… but these were released so far apart it was impossible to get them together in a sale.
Oh yeah they love their brights! 😅 those are some pretty shades, I definitely have considered Mint Mojito too. Frost Light was one of my favsss ugh.. I don’t remember how hectic their BF sales were but I can imagine in the early days they would sell out super fast 😅
My biggest issue with the crushed holo formula is the inconsistency. I find blushed ice and oat couture show their holo even in low lighting and really love the overall effect. I didn't find that was the case for most of the crushed shades that came after. Whatever they did with crystal mommy was 👌🏻 though. If they do more in the formula, I hope it's more similar to that.
Some of my favorites are fallen flake taco, sour note, play rose, and midnight owl, and light link.
Thanks for the brand review! I'll be putting secret society and head hunter on my wishlist for their BF sale 🙃
that’s such a great point!! there definitely is a difference in their crushed holo with almost every one they’ve released lol. i agree the barista shades were great, and yes almost forgot Crystal Mommy was a crushed holo formula too, but that one was even better! i def agree they should try to keep that kind of finish with the larger flakes. i wonder if she’s ever talked about why they’re so different, or if she’s gonna ignore it like the obvious change in the frosted metal formula w Silent Library lol 😅
Fallen Flake is a beauty!! oh i do love Play Rose too 🤩 you have some great favs! i think yeah Midnight Owl was my fav from the new glitters, that indigo is 🤤
super exciting you’ll be adding those to your wishlist!! can’t wait to hear what else you pick up 🙈
My favorite finishes were the original and holiday glitters.
Saaaame!! 😭 I’m glad Menchie & Zyler are still around at least.
Shout out to a stealth favorite, Peach Tea! I got it just to try out the pastel rainbow collection, but I was so blown away. It’s similar to greige but sweeter and warmer, but so incredibly rainbowy, I’ve gotten an absolute ton of compliments on it! It really has me salivating to try the rest of the pastel rainbows, especially Sparkling Water. It doesn’t get a ton of intention, but I feel like that’s such a beginner friendly shade to introduce people to what the brand can do.
I’ve always loved that one esp for the name !! It does look cute, and I love how you described it 🥰 Sparkling Water was def one of my top picks from the pastels and only more recently have I been lusting over Mint Mojito 🤩 but I think Peach Tea would make my top 3 from the pastels!
I love this series!! It’s super helpful. I really hope you continue doing them 🙂
Thanks so much! I do have a few more videos planned for this series :)
Some of my favs: favorite sister (really shocked they’re retiring it!), glamathyst, both menchie and zyler glitter polishes, everything taco, aquafoil (bought it as soon as she said it was getting retired), and birthday brat to name a few!
Also: you’re so right about the top coat! I’ve been using it for years and the super glossy one was wayyy better. I think I’m gonna try other brands top coats after I run out of HTs
i'm still heartbroken over the retired glitters too! honestly, i'd rather have that collection back than like the last 2 years of their releases... they don't seem to be doing anything particularly interesting or unique anymore, imo. i think they excel at single finishes like their linears, crushed holos (without any shimmer) and glitters (the old formula). their mixed-finish formulas often look muddy to me, idk. i wish i understood the hype for their newer collections but they just don't excite me anymore. and that's okay; it's interesting to see the brand evolve even if it doesn't cater to my exact tastes.
I can totally understand this 🥲 and yeah definitely agree that they excel in their basic/core finishes like linears. There’s some mixed formulas that I like, like Never Tide Down, but I do get what you mean about some looking muddy or flat imo. Funny enough tho I actually did like the creative vision of the newer releases more than the initial years 🙈 I felt like there were 2~ years where it was just the same 5 colors being released but in different finishes, so the more recent ish like last year and a half felt more new to me. But new as in new for HT lol
Yess appreciation for Sour Note! It’s such a perfect carefree summer color; it makes me envision tooling around a boardwalk on rollerblades in the summer listening to a Walkman (which activity I would never do irl so it’s great to summon that vibe in a nail polish!)
omgggg i love that!! i used to love rollerblading when i was younger. it also makes me think of the rollerskate emoji 🛼 and i NEED a crushed holo in this bright aqua color lol 😍
You need to get Lost in The Woods! It's such a beautiful dark green holo. You'll love it!
I’m excited to pick it up this BF!! 😁
I have Sunken Secrets and I love it! So dark blue with a rainbow shimmer on it. So pretty
This is definitely a great video for someone like me who doesn’t yet own any HT. I’m sure everyone agrees it’s a great video. You’ve never released a bad one and you can’t be expected to own every polish of any particular brand. I’m thinking of checking them out for BF sales. Thanks so much for sharing your honest feedback and sharing your top faves! I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend!❤
I don’t own any HT polishes. I’m Rover It looks great though. It’s off putting whenever a collection is launched and sells out on day of launch. I find them a bit pricey too. Thank goodness ILNP exists and I can take my time deciding on a polish and not be pressured by FOMO. Nice to hear how receptive HT is to feedback. Thanks for sharing your favorites. I like to see what’s out there, even if I have to live vicariously through you😊
I don't own any Holo Taco...yet...so your video is very helpful. Your even handed, honest and informed comments are also much appreciated 👍
Ginger snaps is lovely, and looks great for gold toppers.
Orbiter Me is fabulous, I love Electric Sweetener, 50 Shades is stunning and I will be buying it...same with Dead Petals.
I'm Rover It is so beautiful, another I will buy.
Thankyou Stephanie, for your time and skills swatching your collated collection, a wonderful video as always. ❤
Thank you so so much for your sweet words!! It means so much that my videos can be helpful 🫶🏼 so exciting you’re looking to snag a few!! I hope you’ll love them all 🤩✨
yes omg Fairy Tail from the magnetics was DEVASTATING i loooove a good neutral magnetic omg
One of the few times I actually grabbed a backup bottle bc I could see myself needing it in the future lol it’s SO pretty and so unique to what’s on the market!!! Truly such a loss 💔
Thank you for sharing, I love your picks! It is def frustrating when HT (or any brand) discontinues a favorite, but I agree with you that Cristine definitely does not seem to be attempting intentional fomo marketing (via LE sets as well as discontinuations). I really think she genuinely tries to listen to fan feedback and that she and the team do the best they can with forecasting and all that, and they’ve generally been doing much better lately, birthday collection excepting!
I do need to probably look into a base coat without that peely ingredient though, my poor nails have never peeled before in my life and I thought it was just a byproduct of doing my nails so much more the past few years.
Thanks again for sharing! Prob gonna go use Peri-social now 😂
yay so glad you love them!! 😁 and yeah i do feel bad for her since she really does seem to be stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to pleasing the fans and what they can realistically do inventory wise. i do agree though they have gotten better in general, like last years anniversary & holo royalty shades took months to sell out! but it sounds like they’re gonna need a bigger warehouse lol 🙈
and there’s a spreadsheet on reddit called manipedia that has a tab all about basecoats! a few that don’t have PVB are KB’s Filling Groovy, Olive Ave Nourishing Base coat, and essie smooth-e base for example. i’ll have linked in my description box!
@ aahh Queen thank you so much for the base coat info!! 💖
I love the new version of the frosted metal in silent library. It looks like if it was holo flakes it would be the perfect crushed holo vibe. I don't know if its the color like you said or it is a different formula but I really like it vs the OG super foiled look, except cheap champagne because anything rose gold. Yes. lol.
Crushed holos since the baristas collx I have been obsessed with. Spyglass just didn't give me the same holo flake glow as the baristas do (Essie's old geode collx was incredible too, and still has been a favorite for years). I'm hoping for more of that finish someday. More jewel tones, heck I don't care what colors
I just want it lol.
Mooncat will always be my go for magnetics but creams for HT. 🤷♀️
my biggest regret was not picking up their Christmas glitter collection last year 😭
I’m so sorry you missed out on those 😭😭
Thanks for this video! Gives me more ideas on what I wanna grab next! My holo taco polish collection keeps growing and growing! ❤
You’re so welcome!! Would love to know what you end up grabbing 😁
@@PolishedYogi I ended up grabbing... Glow in the Dark, Favorite Sister, Overshadowed, Foiled Again, Red Flake Taco, and One Coat Balck. So pretty much all the retiring shades! 😅 fomo for realz
HT definitely got me into doing my nails, but I've definitely fallen out of love with them for exactly the reason you mentioned: they claim not to do FOMO marketing, but then engage in FOMO marketing practices. A lot of people were super pissed about the way birthstones was handled and Cristine made this big to do about not wanting to do FOMO marketing. The very next thing was the restock of declassified and announcing that they were retiring almost all of them so buy them now because once they're gone, they're gone. I think Cristine puts on a really good act of pretending to care but doesn't really follow through.
This is an interesting point and I can definitely see where you're coming from with it. From what I've seen of Cristine speaking about this in simply pod or her streams, I think a lot of this has to do with the expanding catalog. It's not really realistic for a boutique brand to have a catalog of hundreds and hundreds of nail polishes. She's also said that some of it has to do with pigment availability, and she cited in today's stream that they're trying to work on a restock of the birthstones bundle, but it's difficult with pigment availability and making sure each formula is the same for the restock. I think they definitely have leaned more into FOMO marketing than they used to, but I think it also has to do with those things she mentioned on streams/pod. Cristine and HT by extension are not free from criticism and that's definitely not what I'm trying to say, but I do think there's a little more nuance to the limited releases than it seems
Their crushed holo is glorious. Just bought the lighter shades of the coffee collection cause my bottles are half gone. Never running out Yum
I don't think fifty shades of greige is retiring, its just the metallic one, green frosted metal and the red flake retiring. Greige and sac lac are permanent (for now at least) Also loved your video as always🥰
Omg you’re so right!! Ugh I feel like I won’t be able to trim it from the video but I added a pinned comment so hopefully others will see 🥲 tysm though ! 🫶🏼🫶🏼
I got dead petals as a freebie polish a few months ago and I love it.
Yay!! Love when you can snag a great freebie!
These are some of my favorite HTs : I'm Rover it, which is *stunning* next to Teal Me No Lies. Orbite Me, Never Tide Down, Scorched Earth, Existential Crisis. I missed the Julien collection so I don't have I'm Live however Mooncat's Midnight Drive is a good enough dupe, for me anyway =)
I have Headhunter, Foreshadow, Secret Society in my wishlist for black friday. I miiiight get Inkwell also.
I had the OG magnetic set in my destash pile, but I pulled them out so I can try them again. I will need to switch out the brushes for the wide ones . I think this is why I didn't initially enjoy the OG metallics, I much prefer the wide brushes in polishes in general. I actually like them unmagnetized. Nice metallics. Some day I will try out the different magnet techniques which are awesome but I don't currently have patience for
This is a great series. I haven’t been buying nail polish for a long time. I have only recently started using and collecting nail polish. It’s only been a couple of years for me. I found that Holo Taco has been a great starting point for me. They were not the first company I bought nail polish from, but they were the first company that I followed. As you said, they are a great starting point for the indie nail community. I am having a hard time getting excited about their new releases. I’m loving more nuanced and innovative colours and formulas. I am also more excited by ILNP as a boutique brand. I really enjoy following Cristine and I love listening to the sales analysis and anecdotes. There are some really fanatic followers and collectors on her streams. Holo Taco is growing at a daunting pace. I hope it continues to improve and keeps its personal feel.
I just ordered 50 Shades of Greige and I can’t wait to get it!! Really wish I’d gotten Menchie too as I wasn’t sure about it but it looks absolutely beautiful in your swatch!
Yayy exciting!! And yeah I totally get you being on the fence about Menchie, hopefully you can snag it for BF 🤩
I wore 50SOG for the first time recently, and I love it. Pretty enough on it's own without toppers 😄
I've started to avoid large brands whose marketing revolves around FOMO. Also at this price point it should be perfect.
I hear you! 😓
I appreciate you sharing your opinions since I will be buying my first HT polishes this Black Friday. I've hesitated to buy for some time because of the price point and the constant FOMO. I've added some of your favorites to my shopping cart.
Black Friday is definitely the best time to try them! Which ones did you pick up? ☺️
Loved this video. Completely agree on the criticism you stated (as well as the positives). I fully believe that FOMO marketing isn’t the goal for Cristine/Holo Taco. But I think even with the build up teases that they do (and most all brands of anything tbh) feeds into that.
I was lucky enough to get the birthstone collection before it sold out and while I totally understand underestimating just how many people would shell out for all 12 shades, I also hope that this is a sign/learning for future releases that point to a higher demand the more complex a formula is.
While I’d love to have an incredibly complex polish, I’d like others who want it to have the opportunity and the time to get it too. So if the polish needs to have a rarer pigment removed in order for x number of additional consumers to be able to purchase the polish, I’d be all for it.
ALSO IT IS A CRIME THAT THEY DISCONTINUED FULL CHARGE
Great Favorites list. I love watching your videos while I paint my nails, and now I'm rethinking the colors I chose, and want to use something off the list because I have a lot of these. It is hard to buy creams from Holo Taco because they have so many other finishes, BUT I love their creams.
I’ve been eyeing a couple of frosted metals for the holidays (Favourite Sister and Foiled Again) but can’t justify them at full price. I only wear red at Xmas and Valentine’s Day so I’m worried that I won’t get enough use out of them before tarnishing. I do love the few HT polishes that I have and will probably pick up a few more of the shades that I can get at Ulta where I can apply a coupon and save the shipping cost. I’m one of the people that love the crushed holo formula but not as much as I love Bluebird Lacquer’s crushed holos. Sadly Bluebird is one of those “only open a few days a month” shops and that annoys the heck out of me so it’s a trade off.
Thanks for your warning about the pink base coat
You're lucky. I'm a late Holo Taco devotee so I don't have some of the retired ones I want. Also the best ridge filler coat I have is the Apricot Base from Dior and it's totally worth the $34 as I find the pink smoothing base too thick for my stubby nails. 😅
omg thats a pricey base coat! but i’m glad that it works so well for you, i totally get justifying that!
You are looking fantastic today! Would you mind sharing your lipstick color? 🌻🌻
Aw thank you so much!! I unfortunately don’t remember/can’t see the name, it’s a lipstick from Ciate London in their Wonderwand line though!
As a relative newcomer to nail polish and the indie polish world I find it wild how much people criticize Holo Taco but none of the other boutique or larger indie brands for things like limited edition polishes or retiring colors, etc. HT got me into polish and makes up over half my collection and is pretty much my favorite for being consistently good in color and formula.
i’m glad you love them! the only other brand who does LE and retires colors as often as them is Cirque, but they’re much smaller. i think a lot of people are more understanding that smaller brands don’t have the same resources Holo Taco does, so it makes sense they can’t keep everything in stock. Mooncat only does LE for collabs, but yeah they do retire a decent amount of polishes at the beginning of the year like HT. ILNP does neither LE or retire shades so thats why they’re constantly praised. i also think a lot of people have a gripe with LE from Holo Taco bc Cristine used to talk about how LE was such a scummy marketing tactic etc. i think unfortunately Holo Taco is stuck in between wanting to release more unique finishes that indies/boutiques provide, but are limited to more simple pigment availability like mainstream brands.
Just fyi 50 Shades of Griege is not on the retiring list. I'm excited to grab some of the dark academia collection at black friday, as I didn't get any when it came out. Great to see your faves swatched from it. I hadn't thought about secret society but it looked great on you!
Cannot waitttt to see your comparisons of their new shimmers collection! They look stunning but possibly comparable to some mooncat polishes? We shall see…
i’m can’t wait to share!! 👀
I love their crushed holo formula!
Same!! I hope they give us more even tho a lot of people hate it lol 🥲
Have you had any experience with their peely base coat? I am trying to finalize my purchase list before the sale & on the fence with purchasing that. Thanks for all the great videos & content - so helpful! :)
Perisocial & Ginger Snatched are on my list. :) Menchie Cat Eye is one of my favorites from them - I get compliments when I wear it. I was also on the fence w/ Secret Society but will pass for now.
I've tried it but it's very much a YMMV. I've been told that it lasts longer if you're nails aren't very oily. The polish popped off in one day for me. I had zero issues with it though.
Peely base coat makes all my polish pop off my nails before the end of the day. It's TOO good at peeling imo! 🤣
I unfortunately haven’t tried their peely base! But like other commenters mentioned, I’ve heard it pops a little too soon 😅 I know there’s a “hack” to make it last longer like applying it over a long lasting base and not applying peely base to the edges. I tried it with UNT and it worked well, lasting 5 days! So maybe with proper prep it can last longer than 24 hrs lol.
And yay for having those crems on your wishlist!! Truly so beautiful, I loveee a good creme 🤤 and totally get you being on the fence about Secret Society, maybe one day! 😝
I was just looking at their site earlier today what great timing 😂
HT is one of those brands that I don’t have a opinion on just because I don’t really care for a lot of the stuff they release, like I don’t really reach for crème’s or holo/glitter polishes? I do find it super funny how the stuff you really like from them keep getting retired though haha
I wanted to grab their seasonal GITD topper and see what else I might’ve had my eye on and grab along the way but there’s just not a lot that I care for, personally besides maybe secret society, inkwell, or head hunter? I also enjoy how many different toppers they have, it rivals ilnp in that aspect I think but they’re not stuff i want so badly I’ll grab them right now either 😊
It's so interesting to hear all these different opinions! I agree with some, disagree with others (e.g. I really don't like Secret Society and Menchie Cat Eye - not because they're bad, but they look weird on my skintone. They're cool in the bottle but as soon as I put it on I want to take it off)
I don't think the Glossy Taco is worth the money, nor the cremes or the basecoats. I have a few (Peri-Social, Cold Slate, Nightshade, Bring me the Teal) and the formula is beautiful, but I feel they're just too pricey for being a creme. Except for one-coat black, that one is phenomenal. And the Matte Taco is the best matte top coat I have found to date. Otherwise, I can find a good glossy top coat or a ridge filling basecoat pretty much anywhere for just a few bucks.
The linear holo effect isn't my favorite, but I do own the Dark Rainbow collection. Violet Nightmares, Sunken Secrets, Lost in the woods, Dead Petals and Burnt Bridges are stunning, I just add a scattered holo taco.
Some of my other favorites include Curfew Crasher, Inside Job, Crystal Skies, Inkwell and Milky white shimmer. Yeah, I didn't expect to love that last one either.
I like Holo Taco the best for their specialty formulas. I just can't find those anywhere else. I have their shimmers and unicorn skins and with that and the Everything Taco I can transform any normal creme polish to something absolutely stunning.
I will probably pick up some of the ice cream shades during the sale. I am definitely excited by the teasers for the new collection 👀
the ice cream bundle is soo pretty!! i know a lot of people thought it was boring but i loved it 🙈 and yess i can’t wait to share!! 👀
Thank you for your video! I was hoping to hear about your favorited tacos if you had any, since they have so much of them and usually in stock :)
so glad you enjoyed!! 😁🫶🏼
i have a lot of the earlier holo taco collections (play rose is my fave), none of the recent ones. love your picks!
Play Rosé is such a great one too!! A classic for sure ✨
My HT favorites are so similar to yours!!! I'm especially obsessed with I'm Rover It right now! And after this I'm really thinking I might need to get secret society too 😆
Isn’t it soooo perfect for fall?! Omg I want to cover myself in it lmao. Secret Society is super cool too!! Aside from the witchy occult vibes I get, it’s also like grungy chic 💁🏻♀️
My favs from my HT collection would be Fifty Shades of Greige, Secret Society, Dead Petals and Black Flake Taco. I really can't afford HT the same way I can ILNP or KB Shimmer so my collection is small.
Omg yeah Black Flake Taco is such a fun one too!! Esp over white, it’s INSTANT cookies n cream ice cream 😋 but yes totally hear you on that, Ilnp and KB being beautiful AND affordable makes it so easy to prioritize them !
Holo Taco is the brand that got me into nail polish after being a chronic biter. I used to buy every single release, but over the past year or two I’ve fallen out with them a bit. It just feels like they lost their uniqueness factor and started coming out with stuff that wasn’t wowing me like Mooncat or ILNP. The collections I’ve loved the most have been the LE releases, which is a shame that many of their best/most interesting polishes in recent years have been ones that people will likely never get to buy again. I’d really like to see HT push the bill on unique polishes again, and BRING BACK CHUNKY GLITTER!
Would love to know what your favorite cuticle oil is 🙏
My top two are mooncats nail elixir and Cuticle Buddy from ShopNBM!! I’m an affiliate with the latter but I’ve been praising them long before that happened lol my nails love their oil blend and I loveee the scents!! Tangerine orange is my fav from the core line followed by vanilla bean black currant. They recently came out with spooky seasonal ones and I love the purple candy scented one!!
@ thank you so much for replying!!
I’m always surprised when people talk about the price of HT-at least in my area in the Northeast US Sally Hanson, Essie, and other “drugstore” brands that are commonly available are all going for $12+. I’d much prefer a beautiful formula every time like I get from HT than the hits and misses I get buying those drugstore brands.
Lost in the Woods is my go to green for this time of year! It is so beautiful! 😊
It always looks so beautiful in all the photos I see! 🤩
(Now that I’ve finished watching the vid) we have a lot of similar faves!!! I went to ulta last night to pick up perisocial and sadly for me almost the whole HT shelf was wiped out. I ended up picking up fifty shades of greige which I love but it wasn’t on my must have list. They keep retiring my fave polishes too… and it’s changed the way I shop with them cause now I feel like I have to pick up the ones that are least popular first so I don’t miss out on them, and get the more popular ones when my budget allows. Like I HAVE pick up bottle service this Black Friday because apparently no one likes warm gold except for me and I presume it’s retiring at the end of the year
aw yeah from what i’ve seen on reddit, people’s trips to ulta are usually disappointing 😭 not surprised they’re cleared out in some stores lol.
but ugh yeah i totally get what you mean about that! it makes me almost want to mention that too, like hey i really love this polish and i’m in the minority so that probably means it’ll be discontinued next year 🙃😩 Bottle Service is another great one!! i debated including it tbh. i definitely think it’ll be worth it, but i will fall to my knees if they announce that ones retiring lol 🥲
Thanks once again for your honesty and great swatching.😍
aw of course, thank you for watching! 🤗
getting through a backlog of some of your vids ive missed so prepare for some sporadic but rather long comments lol. im trying to get into the habit of writing along with the videos my favorite creators make because, as a writer and artist, i loooove when people leave long, meandering comments about my work. Makes me feel appreciated ❤
Basics: pink smoothing is also my favorite! Whenever I'm too lazy to do a full mani but still want to protect my nails from breaking, water, general life nonsense, I'll pop on a coat or two with a topcoat. It's so good at neutralizing the staining i have 😅Considering the price of Glossy taco, I've been considering swapping to a different brand for that. Might try out ILNP's this upcoming black friday when I'm grabbing goodies for my friends (early birthday present, from me, to me
I stopped buying Holo Taco because of how so many are limited and how they sell out on launch (I don't like to be pressured into buying immediately) and others get retired so quickly. It's frustrating. I need to find more information on what base coats are the safest to use to avoid peeling. That said I do have some of their colors that are stunning. Menchie the Cat is one and Toe Beans and Glamthyst. I have 25 of their colors - not very many! Would love a video on different top and base coats.
I'm shocked to hear that some people dislike glossy taco! I've never tried the super because I never felt the need to buy it even when it was available, because regular glossy has never failed me. Now I'm really curious as to how exactly people judge a top coat. I thought all it needs is to seal in and dry fast, which it does for me.
Aside from that, I was not shocked by anything else in this vid. I totally see why you have your faves! I also really appreciate their cremes, and I enjoy their dark linear holos as well. As far as magnetics go, I'm pretty sure the only times I've struggled are because I was painting too thin of a coat. Nothing wrong with the polish itself.
Holo Taco is actually the biggest brand represented in my collection and they are what got me into nail polish. I have a lot so it's hard to pick a fave, but I think in general I love their glitters and toppers the most. And anything with multiple special things going on! (Glitter plus holo plus shimmer etc.)
I bought one bottle of each when I tried it. Super Glossy taco was faster drying and better at covering glitter so I was bummed when it was d/c.
As for why not glossy taco, I noticed it gets thick fast... there was a noticeable difference in gloopiness within a few uses when mooncat lasted 3 months for me and orly's didn't get thick at all. (Although orly's had it's own issues) I'd have to air out the room in the wintertime when using HT. I didn't have to do that last year with Mooncat because it didn't smell as strong.
KB Shimmer + Glisten & Glow both have toulene topcoat that runs at 8 a bottle compared to HT's $12. Cuticula also has a bit of a cult following on theirs because it can come scented and it runs at $9. Paying that price is kind of steep for a basic if you float around indie brands and know there's other options.
It's not that glossy taco is bad, it's just that it's average and there's plenty of competition.
@@lulufortytwo3884 that's so interesting, my glossy taco wasn't too gloopy for over a year. I wonder what makes for such variation. I have also never noticed it smelling stronger than others. All nail polish smells bad to me
@@charlieTtea I'm with you on Glossy Taco. It serves me well. Granted I only got heavily into nail polish about a year ago, but I've tested out a handful of top coats. I actually did have the gloopy/stringy issue come up only a few months into my first bottle of Glossy Taco, but I've since learned that because I really got into polish during the colder months, and I have central heating, that warm/dry air flow was probably speeding up the evaporation of ethyl acetate and butyl acetate, more so than it would in conditions when not using forced-air vents. (I live in the PNW, so we don't have air conditioning here, so this is only an issue in winter.) Nothing that a little thinner can't fix. But then in the spring/summer I got into nail stickers, some of which are kind of thick and bulbous and jewel-like, and I was looking around for a thicker top coat to seal them down well, and someone suggested the QDTC from the Essie Gel Couture line (misnomer, not a gel polish, just quick-drying lacquer). So I tried it, liked it, thought it worked well, and used that for a few months. Then because I decided I wanted to work on using up my Glossy Taco bottle (so I can empty it and use it for mixing new polish colors!) I went back to it, and was so pleased to be reminded of how long-lasting it is! A recent manicure lasted 12 days with no chipping at all, just minimal tip wear. I only removed it because I was starting to show significant growth. So I'd say that it's very good quality. Worth 12? Maybe not, but that's why we shop sales! I also recently tried Cuticula Limitless, which interestingly has a different kind of application experience, hard to describe, the consistency is simultaneously more liquid-y feeling and also plumper. Glides right on very easily. And the scented aspect is kind of fun. I won't mess around with toluene, I prefer 5-free, so I haven't tried any of those. But yeah, sorry for the essay, but all of that is to say that Glossy Taco is pretty great. Definitely more than just average.
Is 50 Shades of Greige a pink-beige or a yellow-beige?
I still have Menchie The Cat on my wish list, and now I've added Secret Society!
Oh gosh I think I would say it’s a bit more on the pink-beige side? And menchie the cat is super cute!!! I do love that glitter so much. Can’t wait for you to get those in! ✨
Are you sure fifty shades of greige is retiring? Because they are selling that one at ulta now!
I didn’t realize that one was in ulta!! I totally forgot they made that permanent 🥲 I made a pinned comment so hopefully everyone will see that!!
Another frank review, love it!! 😍Although trying to jump scare us about Fifty Shades of Greige was not cool Stefanie lmao j/k! I know it doesn't get spoken about as much because it's not a brand new collection, but the pastel linears are lovely, and Existential Crisis is still in my top 5 HT polishes of all time. 😊 Don't get me started on Crimson Void... mine definitely looks exactly like Dead Petals. 🥀
Thank you so much! And I’m sooo sorry lol!! When I heard the news about them retiring the declassifieds except sacrificial lacquer I fell to my knees 😭🤣 I completely forgot they made that one permanent a while ago lol 🙈 but yeah the pastels are definitely very pretty!! And ahh I’ve heard so many mixed reviews about Existential Crisis, similar to Double Dare where it “looks muddy” so I never pulled the trigger even though I regretted skipping it when it launched 🙈 maybe for BF lol.. and ugh nooo I’m sorry to hear that about your CV.. the website pics are so stunning 🥺🥀
My faves:
Ginger Snatched,
Head Hunter,
Orbite Me,
Electric Sweetner (😮💨😮💨😮💨),
Sour Note (😮💨😮💨),
50 Shades of Greige(😮💨😮💨),
Dead Petals (😮💨😮💨),
I’m Rover It (😮💨😮💨😮💨),
Secret Society (😮💨😮💨😮💨),
Wow! Looks like I have more shopping to do!!
You looked so lovely! Your wing was perfect!! The lip color is so pretty🌸
Thank you friend!! So glad you love those shades, I’m surprised you even liked the Cremes too hehe 😍
I’m so sad I missed the glitter holiday collection too! Like I got into glitters right before she announced it, I was so sad😢
Aw I’m so sorry you missed out on those!! 🥺💔
Thanks for sharing! I don’t own any of their polishes, but I do see some that are really pretty so I may have to check them out at some point in time.
Sour note I bought the collection just for that color. They have the best greens
I just got to the point of no peeling so I’m scared to use the pink base coat 😮
I’ve only tried one Holo Taco cream, Lowkey Blushing, and it stained my nails neon orange so intensely (through base coat!) that I’m scared to try their other creams!
OMG no way!! I feel like I’ve heard at least one other person say that about that shade and it’s such a shame bc I do love that color too 😭 I know staining can be an issue with the darker or more pigmented colors esp the blues. I know it’s a bit extra work, but doing a layer of a sheer between base + polish helps a lot!
I just remembered that Orbite Me reminded me of the color of Dr Pepper 😂😂😂
Omg honestly I love that lol 😝
Numbers wise, does HT actually have the biggest proportion of limited edition releases (Birthday Collection, Anniversary, Royalty, Seasonal releases) PLUS a pretty regular turnover rate 🤔
It certainly feels like everything I like is retired but I’d really love to know if the numbers say the same story (esp compared to Mooncat and ILNP)
Hmm I actually would say Cirque is even worse with that stuff lol. They do LE collections just because! I feel like a lot of their earlier collections this year were LE, and a month or two ago they did a sale on shades they’re discontinuing, a lot of which included shades they only launched last year!!
This year is interesting for Mooncat since they released like 5 collections so far and 1 was LE (the PPG collab) plus the 20 they retired in Jan.. it feels like a lot considering how much they slowed the releases imo.
No surprise ILNP is excluded from all this, the last time they launched something LE was in like 2019 and last time they retired shades was in 2021 🤣
The dark rainbow collection i think is my favorite from HT lol
It’s so gorgeous!!
Alien Infatuation, Not Pressed and Never Tide Down are my fav HTs. I love the new brush. I don't own a lot HTs maybe less than 20. The fomo marketing has been a big turn-off for me. The birthstone collection was a big bummer. It was gone before i got off work that day. 😔 Menchie cat eye is so cool!! I wish i'd got that one! It really does look just like cat eyes!
I’m Rover It is definitely on my wishlist!! But I probably wouldn’t get to wear it in time for this fall whenever I do purchase / receive it 🥲 Also 50 shades of greige is on my list too 😍📀🤩
aw yeah thats true you might be cutting it close, but since their BF sale starts tomorrow you mighttt have time! i think its a cozy enough shade to work in the winter too, think of it as a fireplace while having hot coco 😋 50 shades is stunning right! ✨✨
i feel like they're discontinuing a lot of frosted metals more so because they're really low sellers, the tarnishing issue is a thing but like we're still out here eating up their thermals so like i feel like if we're down for those then it's a non issue lol
I had problems which their glossy taco too 😅 too thick?? Maybe. I'm not sure but I don't use them anymore.
I like holo taco creams!! They last very long on my over worked fingers haha
I think fairy tale discontinue to make way for the dark academia collection.. because I'm hesitant to buy inkwell because I already have fairy tale.. I know they're not the same but I'm questioning if I need both
Yeah I remember mine would get stringy but also super bubbly too, and it wouldn’t dry down as fast!! 😖
I’m glad their creams last a long time on you! I’ve heard they last long but I’ve never done a wear test 🙈
And I can kinda see that.. but idk I think those two are sooo different where you could justify both. Inkwell to me looks black vs a very very dark brown, and the shimmer is way more subtle than what you get in Fairy Tail. But I can also understand not needing both lol
I just bought dead petals! Thanks for showing it. It's stunning ❤
So glad you love that one too!! 😄
I really want 59 Sades If Grayish now that im seeing it 💯! 🥰Tfs ❤
I was so so sad when they retired Full Charge, a beautiful lime green linear holographic polish from a few summers ago! I had nothing like it in my collection of over 600 polishes, and it was such a versatile shape of green…used it for everything from spring to Christmas nails and of course St. Patrick’s Day nails.
I also get tired of the limited sets so close to one another and all the retired polishes just because they weren’t the best sellers. They still sold, so why not keep them a little longer. I’m not replacing a bottle every single year, so even if I do love it, I won’t be buying two per year!!!
YES that was also one of my favorites 😭😭 such a beautiful lime green ugh. I never thought to try it for Christmas but it was def a great st. paddy’s day color for me too 🍀
But yes retiring the worst selling shades sucks so much 😭 like I gettt it, but ugh. And especially when they introduce a “replacement” but it’s not as good lol will never forget retiring Frost Light for Crystal Skies 🥲 hoping some of them can be brought back in the future!
I'm surprised that you don't like Glossy Taco, it's my go-to quick dry top coat! That means there are better ones out there that I don't know about maybe. I dislike toluene though. What are your favorite top coats?
mooncat is my holy grail! i feel like it dries faster than HT and i never get bubbles with it like i would with HTs. ILNP is another great toluene free alternative!
Thank you @@PolishedYogi💜 I'll definitely give them a try!
Here's hoping that the 5 shades I want from them aren't sold out by the time the sale comes around 🙏
I think they’ve been like Mooncat where they’ll have everything restocked before the sale! But once it sells out it might not restock before the sale ends. Hoping you can snag your 5 shades!! 🤞🏼
What's people's issue with limited edition...? I see a lot of comments about it here. I wish someone would explain this to me. Nothing lasts forever. Even the huge mainstream brands do one-off collections. And they retire lots of polishes. That's the nature of business. And aren't a lot of these folks in the comments fans of indies and PPU? Those options are almost strictly limited to a one-time production. Isn't that what makes them special and fun? And practically speaking, *_isn't one bottle enough?_* Can't we get many manicures out of one bottle? By the time we get down to the bottom of the bottle, isn't it time to try something else? Aren't there always dupes likely to be found, or something even slightly better? I don't know, I just don't get the mentality of fixating on something like this, and actually getting emotional about it. Best to engage in the freeing practice of letting go...
Although I've only gotten heavily into nail polish for about a year, I feel like I've learned a lot, not just about different formulas and application styles and removal methods, but also about fan bases and marketing and (perhaps unreasonable) expectations that people have.
Anyway, I liked seeing your picks. I have over 30 HT bottles, but only one that's in this list, and that's Fifty Shades. But I'm a big linear holo fan. I think the holo flare shows best in the lighter shades, and I have five of the original seven from the pastel rainbow set. They're probably my favorites overall, and probably Sparkling Water on top, because blue 😊 But if I were to pick a handful of other faves, they would be Blushed Ice (love the subtle holo of the crushed formula, looking forward to some jewel-toned versions), Spyglass, Menchie the Cat, Never Tide Down, and of course Everything Taco! That topper glitzes up anything, I especially love it over a pale pink or neutral jelly.
I completely agree! I don't get why HT is singled out for these "issues"
If you're a Holo Royalty member and you have enough points, Fifty Shades of Griege is a freebie (with a purchase).
Omg exciting!!
They retire the most interesting shades because they’re basically mainstream and the general population is boring. Much better indie brands out there actually being creative
It’s not the formula it’s the brush in my experience
Same for me I do not like the top cop, it become too tick and hard to work with. head hunter 💚, I'm rover it 🧡,silent librairie I love it so much, so classy 💙, Menchie cat we have similar taste.
Love that we have so many favorites in common!! 🥰✨
me and all the homies hate Oh My Gourd. I WANT TO LOVE YOU but why...why are you a 3 coater?
i wonder if its just something to do with the color being a bitch to formulate, similar to dark reds always being a little crelly like?? 🤔
So it was just SEVENTEEN MINUTES AGO that they ran out of a limited edition and are coming out with YET ANOTHER ONE on November 16th. The foolishness is baffling!❤🙄
the new collection isn’t LE, only the box is! the shades are here to stay thankfully 🙏🏼 i did the same tho when first reading that lol
@Polishes yogi Oh, ok! Well, I apologize for posting incorrect info! They still had to stick something in there labeled limited edition, nevertheless. Lol. Thank you for correcting me. 🤗
A lot of my HT faves were limited edition (cool cat mom, existential crisis, the thermals this summer) 🥲 I wish she made more of the exciting/complex formulas permanent!
ugh same here!! 😩 its a shame she can’t keep those around
I was contemplating on Devil’s Advocate, Head Hunter, and Fallen Flake Taco, but… these sales. I recently impulse bought some magnet balls cus my anxiety’s been increasing from what I’m seeing with my skin picking and fidgeting again. 🥹
Fallen Flake is another beauty!! but i get it, it can be hard to prioritize what sales to shop! if you’re planning on getting ILNP, maybe you can add Glory which I’ve heard people say is super similar to Fallen Flake. not only is the retail price cheaper to begin with, i’m pretty sure ILNP does 25% off vs HT doing 20% so you get some extra savings too!
also- i’m so sorry your anxiety has been increasing and its causing you to fidget and pick your skin 😓 i know skin picking can be a tough habit ugh. i hope the magnetic balls help though!! 🥹🫂
@@PolishedYogi thank you for your kind wishes and for this alternative as a suggestion! 🥹