Mani Monday: Wintermint Ballet

Happy Monday, lovelies! Are you all back to work/school/life as well? I'm surviving quite all right, but I bet some people I know are on the strugglebus after a long, long break. 

I wanted to start the year off with a bright, inspiring little color, and luckily my January Julep box arrived with a spunky little minty-blue called Shelly. The pictures do make it look more blue than mint, but it's one of those colors that's hard to name. Because I almost can't handle a plain, one-color mani anymore, I opted to switch out one nail with a little neutral I found at Ulta a while ago. This dove grey baby is Nails Inc's Convent Garden Ballet, from their Ballet Sheers line. The Ballet Sheers line is, as far as I can tell, only available in Ulta stores, and not anywhere online. 

I'm actually thinking of dropping my Julep subscription this month. I really need to start saving money, and the $25/month that Julep sucks up is well worth it for three full-size polishes, but I just can't spare the cash anymore. Plus, I've begun to think that Julep's formula just isn't my favorite. It applies pretty thickly, and I have small nails, so their larger brush just doesn't handle super well for me. The Nails Inc formula was pretty good, but since this color was a sheer, it took three full coats to reach opacity. I don't mind waiting on that though - the pinky-gold shimmer whisper in Convent Garden Ballet is just too gorgeous.

How are you starting the new year with your nails?
Also, major props if you are nerdy enough to recognize that ring in the top picture...

Colors: 

Minty Blue - Julep's Shelly

Dove Grey - Nails Inc.'s Convent Garden Ballet Sheer

Base & Top Coat: Seche Vite