I Heart Ulta 3

Hello friends!  Long time no see.

Is everyone absolutely in love with Ulta3 nail polishes?  If you don't know, it's that super cheap brand they sell at chemists in a big white bin out the front, and the nail polishes are the best selling in Australia - hardly a surprise considering they're only $2.25!   Even compared to expensive brands, these polishes really are spectacular.  I've loved them for a long time due to the fact that they come in HEAPS of colours (you can see a great colour guide over at More Nail Polishes) and are easy to apply, quick-drying, and long-wearing. 

Because they're so popular, Ulta3 polishes sell out really quickly and can be hard to find, so it's pretty exciting to find a shop with a really good stock of them.  I discovered heaps at a chemist in Newtown (I think it was Bob's.  Or Bill's?) and brought home five, for a total cost of $11.25.

From left to right: Bo Peep, Plum Violet, Scarlet, Midnight Fever, Bouquet.

Bo Peep and Plum Violet are both great, but Scarlet, Midnight Fever and Bouquet were all disappointing.  I loved all the colours (true red, shimmery dark blue, purple with pink shimmer), but the consistency was awful and the brush on Bouquet broke the first time I used it!

The reason for the crazy variation in quality is that they recently moved productuion from Australia to China.  Bo Peep and Plum violet were both Aussie, but the other three were made in PRC.  I've heard that the PRC ones aren't as good, and evidently that's true.  Fortunately, while the newest colours are only made in China, there are still some Aussie bottles of the older colours around if you look carefully, so I'm stockpiling now.

From Blooms chemist at Westfield (in the Franklins Food Hall) I bought Red Glitter and French Pink from the clearance bin for ONE DOLLAR.  I checked Target, thinking they'd only have the new PRC polishes, but discovered Aussie Stardust and Pepper Pot polishes ($2.25).

I really like all these colours.  I wouldn't wear Red Glitter alone but it will be fun over another red polish for a festive Xmas look.  French Pink is very natural, Stardust is a little more glitzy than I'd like but nice for a change, and Pepper Pot is a lovely dark-ish red, perfect to wear with a little black dress.  All four polishes applied nicely and didn't chip or dent the way the PRC ones do, so I'm a happy chappy now.

I strongly advise all of you to start hunting down Australian made Ulta3 polishes.  You won't be sorry.

And, in EXCITING NEWS, this is my 99th post!  That means my next post (hopefully in fewer than 12 days) will be my 100th!  In celebration of this I am going to give away some Ulta3 prizes, and rather than wait, I will start the giveaway now.

So please tell me, have you used Ulta3 polishes?  Do you like them?  If not, what are your favourite nail polishes?  I am not one of those buttheads who only gives prizes to followers, so just go nuts!  (Remember to leave your name or something though.)

xx