It really grinds my gears!
So, in order to maybe help keep you guys from making the same mistakes that I've made, I plan to go through my stash to show you any possible dupes I may have (AND PURGE!). I will include both what I believe to be exact dupes as well as near dupes. I have come to the realization that I no longer need to have polishes that look very similar but aren't quite the same just because I think all iterations are pretty. Pretty can't trump wallet, at least, not anymore. Hah! Hopefully, you guys will benefit from my mistakes. I'll also have a poll at the end of each comparison post to see which polish you liked best. Your opinions will be a factor in my decision to keep a polish along with other factors like ease of application and cost.
My first comparison will be between Pretty & Polished Rat-a-tat and Elevation Nararsuk. I am wearing Elevation Tindur for undies, which I will review tomorrow night.
They look different in the bottles, don't they?
But look at them together.
I apologize for the crazy dry skin. Something is blooming and my eczema's flairing. :(
I purchased Rat-a-tat from Pretty & Polished during her last pre-order. I am moving away from glitter top coats in favor of jelly and creme glitters, but I thought that Rat-a-tat was just so pretty. I really wanted to give it a shot. Rat-a-tat has a clear or slightly grey tinted base with fine and large black hexes, fine and large teal hexes, and teal bars. I'm not usually a fan of bar glitters, which we'll discuss in more depth when I review Lynnderella Boy Girl Party, but the bars that Chelsea uses are so fine that they work really well in her polishes. They lay flat on the nail and spread easily, which isn't something that can be said of all bar glitters. Like most of P&P's polishes, Rat-a-tat applied very smoothly. It's best to apply it using the dab method. It isn't too thick, nor is it too thin. It's got a pretty great consistency.
Sorry for the freaking bubbles. I'm just way too impatient.
I purchased Elevation Nararsuk in Lulu's last restock. It's a new color, so it will be available for the next 2 restocks, unless she chooses to make it a recurring shade. Sadly, this was one of those rush of the moment purchases. While it's extremely gorgeous, and I'm glad I got it (it will probably be the one I keep), I had a feeling it may be a near dupe of Rat-a-tat, which I already had. It's a clear based polish with fine and large black hexes and medium teal hexes. It applied well with the dab method. All hex sizes came out easily, and I really like how sparse the coverage was. The bottle shows that the glitters are predominantly black with flashes of teal, but the teal came out easily. I'm sure I could've put more glitter on the nail, but I really liked the way it looked. It just looks clean and less cluttered.
Again, bubbles. Ugh.
If you'll look closely, you'll see that the teal is the exact same size and shade in both polishes. There are only two real differences between the two: Rat-a-tat has fine teal hexes and teal bars and Nararsuk does not. Otherwise, these two are pretty much the same. The application was the same, except Rat-a-tat has much more teal. The effect was the same. My work advisers (aka the awesome ladies I work with who will give me opinions on my polishes and manis - hi ladies!!) couldn't really tell the difference at first until I stuck my hands right in their faces, so I think that these are close enough not to have both. It is easier to get your hands on Rat-a-tat, which is still available on Etsy and Llarowe, so if you are looking to get Nararsuk, Rat-a-tat would be a great substitute!
See how similar?!
As always, you can buy Elevation Polishes from Lulu's store on the 7th of every month at 10 pm est. You can purchase Pretty and Polished from her Etsy store or Llarowe. Rat-a-tat is currently available at both stores.
*UPDATE* Lulu announced on her blog that she will no longer sell Nararsuk. Unfortunately, she doesn't have any in stock and won't be able to remake it as a custom. That means that Rat-a-tat is your best shot if you like the look of these polishes.
Well, in an effort to get my insomnia under control, I am forcing myself to get in the bed and sleep. I hope everyone has a great night!
Which polish do you like better? Rat-a-tat or Nararsuk? Why?
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