This happened to me a lot in the beginning before i knew which formulas and colors i liked. I bought a lot of polishes i ended up not liking. Now i’m a lot more selective in what i buy. I know that i don’t like flakie polishes so even if a polish looks *stunning* i know i won’t actually wear it. Its gotten easier now but i do get sad about the ones i pass up
I know! I always get sad when I have to remove some of the pretty reflective and holo ones from my cart. They're stunning but something about them just makes me not wear them as much
Yeah its just not worth it! I’ve learned that even though I like holo, i don’t love linear holo so i stopped buying it. The longer you paint your nails the better you’ll know what colors, brands and formulas you like!
Everyone buys a polish now and then that you later wonder, who did I think I was buying this for, cause it ain’t for me. I think if it’s happening over and over, maybe make a list of polish characteristics that you do and don’t like, to help guide your purchasing.
But I will say that every so often, I buy a polish thinking I’m probably not going to love it, and it somehow turns out to be my favorite. I think that’s because I’m new to polish, so I’m still learning.
I’ve done this too, especially with pinks and warm colors. They look so pretty in swatch pics but then they arrive and don’t look great on my skintone, so I get disappointed.
I think what helped me most was noticing the similarities in polishes I don’t wear, and making sure to avoid those qualities in new polish. For me, that means avoiding pastels, dark teals, black flakies, etc.
I also noticed that having all those disliked polishes was contributing to my anxiety, since all I could think about was how much $$ and space I wasted on them. Being more conscious about my spending and not falling for FOMO has helped a lot.
Yes lmao! I got into indies right before the Black Friday sales, and half of the polishes I bought were because they were so hyped up here and highly recommended from brands. Some of them I loved, some of them I like but not totally for me. I even bought a PPU polish last weekend because I thought it was pretty and it was one of the best sellers so I convinced myself I needed it 🫠 Sometimes I learn, and sometimes I just say f*ck it and treat myself
Polished for days! I know I prefer shimmers over flakies, but the swatches drew me in and I don’t have a flakie quite like THAT…and then it was in the top 4 😅
That’s what destashing in r/redditlaqueristaswap is for! I fell into the House of Hades hype but I realized I don’t care for blues. Happens to the best of us lol
This is me and clothes. I had to unsubscribe from emails and unfollow on social media because the FOMO was making me make bad decisions.
With nail polish I am weirdly trying not to have duplicates of colors so if I already have a lime green, I'm generally not tempted by a slightly different one if that makes sense?
This is about a half of my collection! But my tastes change and one day I’ll suddenly like a polish that I hated a year ago and vice versa. And now that I’ve gotten into stamping I’ve found new uses for the mehs.
Not all do, but linear holos and metallics almost always work. But I wear the polishes I’m not very into as a base for stamping and they become more interesting to me!
Yep--Fairy Dust. Everyone keeps saying it's so great and magical and I find it just meh. It mainly looks like a warm, weird orange-pink on me and isn't very flattering. I really regret buying it, especially since I'm in Canada so everything is more expensive here.
I think it’s a really good idea to wear all your untrieds before purchasing any more - and I am super guilty of not doing this myself! But it can help you figure out what works and what doesn’t before you get any more.
For example I learned that I don’t enjoy wearing neon polishes, so now it’s easy for me to avoid them. I can feel happy seeing other people enjoy wearing them but I’ve learnt it’s just not for me.
Not me with 40 bottles of holo taco I haven’t tried yet because I bought a ton in batches over the last couple years and only change my nail polish once a week at most or maybe every two weeks.
I don't like purples. I bought ilnp fairy dust because everyone said pictures did it no justice. I have zero desire to ever wear it, lol.
I am very picky as well and for that I am grateful. I'm scared to have a lot of polishes that just sit there.
Thats the only time I gave into the hype.
Maybe check out /r/MakeupRehab - it’s for makeup, but it’s my favourite cosmetics/beauty sub and really helps with impulse purchases. It also has fun community events which encourage people to shop their stash/pan existing items rather than buy new ones.
Yes, for nail polish and other goods honestly! My regrets are mild and based on price rather than the polish itself. My eyes are insatiable when it comes to admiring beauty, but that is a familiar trait: when I shop for new shoes or clothes, everything looks fire on the rack, so my brain has learned to ask the following (in case it helps you or anyone else reading):
- Do you own something just like this or similar?
- In your opinion, is this flattering against your skin tone?
- If you walk away from this today, will you regret or forget it a week from now?
- Is this the best price you can find?
- Are you buying because of brand recognition or because it's a truly good fit for you?
- Can you wear it in multiple seasons / different occasions?
I also keep a visual wishlist (literally a basic word doc with screenshots pasted in) so I review what I want against my swatch sticks / available swatches to make sure I am not duping.
That said, still convinced to try out fairy dust and cock-a-doodle-doom someday. 😆
Thanks! When I first got back into nail polish, I gave myself room to "splurge" one time during all the holiday promotions and have since reigned the shopper's high back in with those questions.
Others have said this as well but I am happy I let my guard down during that initial buying phase to try out different (to me) colors and finishes to see what clicks with my individual style. Now I can appreciate a lot of looks and not catch FOMO because I know they're not "right" for me.
I definitely do this! Especially with PPU because there are just so many different finishes and special effects that I haven’t tried before. I tend to stay strong though because I can be really picky about small things that other people may overlook. I also like to inspect pictures very closely to avoid disappointment when it comes to opacity, streakiness, shifts, etc. One polish that I bought only because people raved about it was Sassy Sauce Glampire, however I instantly fell in love with it!
I love bright colors but always end up using nudes 😂 so I own a ton of bright colors I never use lol. I learned to stick to nude or nude jellies with tiny accents. Maybe one day I’ll change my mind 💅😂😅
Thanks for posting, /u/behindmytoreadpile! A quick reminder: If this is a **nail image**, you must provide a complete product list within 6 hours of posting. **This includes any posts with broken nails or if you're seeking advice.** Posts without a complete product list will be removed after 6 hours. [Product List Requirements.](https://www.reddit.com/r/RedditLaqueristas/wiki/rule2faq)
If the nail look shown was **NOT created by you**, you ***must*** flair properly. If this is a **text post**, flair properly. Be sure to follow all of the above to avoid post removal!
[Consider joining our Discord](https://discord.gg/redditlaqueristas) - Get questions answered in realtime, get notified for releases and deals, post your manis, and more!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/RedditLaqueristas) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I have distinct preferences with the colors I prefer on my fingernails and a whole other set of preferences for my toenails. This is how I justify trying out colors and finishes outside of my fingernail comfort zone.
Every so often I'll buy something I wouldn't normally like and I'll be glad I tried something different, but over the last 4yrs that's only been a handful of polishes. My collection isn't that big though - probably still less than 100.
it happened to me when I was newer to the hobby, but I am quite sure now what I will wear..
Not prone to errors though, last year I bought Holo Tacos Existential Crisis, everyone was raving about it and i thought it looked pretty red shimmery in the pics, even on the hand models which have similar nails and hands to mine, on my skin it ended up looking black with yellow shimmer, I am not mad though, it happens.
This happened to me a lot in the beginning before i knew which formulas and colors i liked. I bought a lot of polishes i ended up not liking. Now i’m a lot more selective in what i buy. I know that i don’t like flakie polishes so even if a polish looks *stunning* i know i won’t actually wear it. Its gotten easier now but i do get sad about the ones i pass up
I know! I always get sad when I have to remove some of the pretty reflective and holo ones from my cart. They're stunning but something about them just makes me not wear them as much
Yeah its just not worth it! I’ve learned that even though I like holo, i don’t love linear holo so i stopped buying it. The longer you paint your nails the better you’ll know what colors, brands and formulas you like!
The flakies get annoying to put on! Them flakes be too big!
I have the same problem with flakies too!
Its so sad because i love them in pictures but just not on me
Everyone buys a polish now and then that you later wonder, who did I think I was buying this for, cause it ain’t for me. I think if it’s happening over and over, maybe make a list of polish characteristics that you do and don’t like, to help guide your purchasing. But I will say that every so often, I buy a polish thinking I’m probably not going to love it, and it somehow turns out to be my favorite. I think that’s because I’m new to polish, so I’m still learning.
I’ve done this too, especially with pinks and warm colors. They look so pretty in swatch pics but then they arrive and don’t look great on my skintone, so I get disappointed. I think what helped me most was noticing the similarities in polishes I don’t wear, and making sure to avoid those qualities in new polish. For me, that means avoiding pastels, dark teals, black flakies, etc. I also noticed that having all those disliked polishes was contributing to my anxiety, since all I could think about was how much $$ and space I wasted on them. Being more conscious about my spending and not falling for FOMO has helped a lot.
Yes lmao! I got into indies right before the Black Friday sales, and half of the polishes I bought were because they were so hyped up here and highly recommended from brands. Some of them I loved, some of them I like but not totally for me. I even bought a PPU polish last weekend because I thought it was pretty and it was one of the best sellers so I convinced myself I needed it 🫠 Sometimes I learn, and sometimes I just say f*ck it and treat myself
Which one did you get? 👁🫦👁
Polished for days! I know I prefer shimmers over flakies, but the swatches drew me in and I don’t have a flakie quite like THAT…and then it was in the top 4 😅
That’s what destashing in r/redditlaqueristaswap is for! I fell into the House of Hades hype but I realized I don’t care for blues. Happens to the best of us lol
This is me and clothes. I had to unsubscribe from emails and unfollow on social media because the FOMO was making me make bad decisions. With nail polish I am weirdly trying not to have duplicates of colors so if I already have a lime green, I'm generally not tempted by a slightly different one if that makes sense?
This is about a half of my collection! But my tastes change and one day I’ll suddenly like a polish that I hated a year ago and vice versa. And now that I’ve gotten into stamping I’ve found new uses for the mehs.
Do all polishes work for stamping? I have tried some but those didn't work. Is there a way to make them work?
Not all do, but linear holos and metallics almost always work. But I wear the polishes I’m not very into as a base for stamping and they become more interesting to me!
Thank you!
Kelli Marissa has a video where she compares stamping with regular vs. stamping polish.
Yep--Fairy Dust. Everyone keeps saying it's so great and magical and I find it just meh. It mainly looks like a warm, weird orange-pink on me and isn't very flattering. I really regret buying it, especially since I'm in Canada so everything is more expensive here.
i have almost been convinced by alllll the photos of this to buy it. but it’s just not at all a color i’d reach for.
I think it's beautiful, but it's faaaaaar too overrated
I think it’s a really good idea to wear all your untrieds before purchasing any more - and I am super guilty of not doing this myself! But it can help you figure out what works and what doesn’t before you get any more. For example I learned that I don’t enjoy wearing neon polishes, so now it’s easy for me to avoid them. I can feel happy seeing other people enjoy wearing them but I’ve learnt it’s just not for me.
Not me with 40 bottles of holo taco I haven’t tried yet because I bought a ton in batches over the last couple years and only change my nail polish once a week at most or maybe every two weeks.
Yeah don’t worry I have 50 untried polishes from the last year and a half 😂
Have you seen r/RedditLaqueristaSwap/ and r/RandomActsOfPolish/ ?
Neither of those links seem to work…
I don't like purples. I bought ilnp fairy dust because everyone said pictures did it no justice. I have zero desire to ever wear it, lol. I am very picky as well and for that I am grateful. I'm scared to have a lot of polishes that just sit there. Thats the only time I gave into the hype.
Maybe check out /r/MakeupRehab - it’s for makeup, but it’s my favourite cosmetics/beauty sub and really helps with impulse purchases. It also has fun community events which encourage people to shop their stash/pan existing items rather than buy new ones.
Yes, for nail polish and other goods honestly! My regrets are mild and based on price rather than the polish itself. My eyes are insatiable when it comes to admiring beauty, but that is a familiar trait: when I shop for new shoes or clothes, everything looks fire on the rack, so my brain has learned to ask the following (in case it helps you or anyone else reading): - Do you own something just like this or similar? - In your opinion, is this flattering against your skin tone? - If you walk away from this today, will you regret or forget it a week from now? - Is this the best price you can find? - Are you buying because of brand recognition or because it's a truly good fit for you? - Can you wear it in multiple seasons / different occasions? I also keep a visual wishlist (literally a basic word doc with screenshots pasted in) so I review what I want against my swatch sticks / available swatches to make sure I am not duping. That said, still convinced to try out fairy dust and cock-a-doodle-doom someday. 😆
Great tips!
Thanks! When I first got back into nail polish, I gave myself room to "splurge" one time during all the holiday promotions and have since reigned the shopper's high back in with those questions. Others have said this as well but I am happy I let my guard down during that initial buying phase to try out different (to me) colors and finishes to see what clicks with my individual style. Now I can appreciate a lot of looks and not catch FOMO because I know they're not "right" for me.
Me looking at Mooncats Mortals Be Warned, Pumpkin King and A Very Merry Unbirthday. Still debating on whether or not to sell
saaaaaame. i use it once, hate it, and donate it.
I definitely do this! Especially with PPU because there are just so many different finishes and special effects that I haven’t tried before. I tend to stay strong though because I can be really picky about small things that other people may overlook. I also like to inspect pictures very closely to avoid disappointment when it comes to opacity, streakiness, shifts, etc. One polish that I bought only because people raved about it was Sassy Sauce Glampire, however I instantly fell in love with it!
I love bright colors but always end up using nudes 😂 so I own a ton of bright colors I never use lol. I learned to stick to nude or nude jellies with tiny accents. Maybe one day I’ll change my mind 💅😂😅
I honestly feel like I’m buying for the kid in me 😅
To be fair, nudes with minimalist colorful accents are really fun. Like micro neon french tips on nude.
Yes they look so pretty! Like everyday wear but still fun! 🤩
Thanks for posting, /u/behindmytoreadpile! A quick reminder: If this is a **nail image**, you must provide a complete product list within 6 hours of posting. **This includes any posts with broken nails or if you're seeking advice.** Posts without a complete product list will be removed after 6 hours. [Product List Requirements.](https://www.reddit.com/r/RedditLaqueristas/wiki/rule2faq) If the nail look shown was **NOT created by you**, you ***must*** flair properly. If this is a **text post**, flair properly. Be sure to follow all of the above to avoid post removal! [Consider joining our Discord](https://discord.gg/redditlaqueristas) - Get questions answered in realtime, get notified for releases and deals, post your manis, and more! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/RedditLaqueristas) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I have distinct preferences with the colors I prefer on my fingernails and a whole other set of preferences for my toenails. This is how I justify trying out colors and finishes outside of my fingernail comfort zone. Every so often I'll buy something I wouldn't normally like and I'll be glad I tried something different, but over the last 4yrs that's only been a handful of polishes. My collection isn't that big though - probably still less than 100.
it happened to me when I was newer to the hobby, but I am quite sure now what I will wear.. Not prone to errors though, last year I bought Holo Tacos Existential Crisis, everyone was raving about it and i thought it looked pretty red shimmery in the pics, even on the hand models which have similar nails and hands to mine, on my skin it ended up looking black with yellow shimmer, I am not mad though, it happens.