(includes press samples)
For vintage nail polish collectors, there is one blog above all else: Pretty Random. Pretty Random was THE vintage nail polish blog, full of discontinued polish and peppered with Kaz’s unique humor. If I were to ever see Kaz’s collection in person, I would throw myself to the floor, Wayne’s World-style. Unfortunately, the blog is now defunct due to malware, but they still have a Facebook page and an Instagram account. Point being, Kaz is the queen of vintage nail polish.
Why do I mention a defunct blog? Because the story doesn’t end there.
In 2012, Kaz started her own independent makeup brand, Pretty Serious Cosmetics. The brand is very close with Kaz’s personality: fun and retro. She loves ‘80s hair bands, B-movies, video games, retro clothing (especially shoes), and all things glittery. Pretty Serious even has a mascot, a retro pin-up named Daphne. Daphne was created by graphic designer Leigh Young, who also designs all Pretty Serious artwork. What I like most about the brand is that it marches to its own beat, rather than jumping on every trend bandwagon.
My all-time favorite line from Pretty Serious is the Museum of Naileontology, which started in 2015. This line is every vintage polish collector’s dream, because VHTF (very hard-to-find) polishes are recreated. Vintage polish collecting can be exhausting…I have saved eBay searches dating back to 2009 that have never been pinged! If actual hunting isn’t difficult enough, the sheer cost of some of these polishes can make your head spin. The Museum of Naileontology cuts out all those difficulties.
Eye of Copernicus (two coats) is an homage to Chanel Ciel de Nuit/Night Sky. For more information on Ciel de Nuit, check out my previous post, The Great, Big Night Sky Lacquer Round-up. It is a deep navy blue jelly with fine silver glitter.
Khepri’s Amulet (two coats) is a dupe of Revlon Street Wear Hippy Dippy. It is teal green with a green/gold shifting shimmer.
The Dragon’s Curse (two coats) is inspired by OPI Crème de Menthe. Crème de Menthe is from OPI’s coveted 1989 X collection, which includes the mythical Rainforest. It is a mint green crème with a golden shimmer.
I personally own Crème de Menthe and Ciel de Nuit, so I can post comparisons for the Eye of Copernicus and The Dragon's Curse. Hippy Dippy is INCREDIBLY hard-to-find, even for a seasoned vet like myself.
Eye of Copernicus (ring and pinky fingers) vs. Chanel Ciel de Nuit (index and middle fingers)
The Dragon's Curse (ring and pinky fingers) vs. OPI Creme de Menthe (index and middle fingers)
There are some very subtle differences, such as the amount of glitter in the first comparison and a slight color variation in the second comparison. I think they're fine replicas of the originals.
The Dragon's Curse is now discontinued, but Eye of Copernicus and Khepri's Amulet are still listed on Pretty Serious's US shop. Unfortunately, only Eye of Copernicus is currently available.
I'll be back with the 4 subsequent Museum of Naileontology collections soon!