swatched: cult nails let’s get nekkid collection

Have you tried Cult Nails yet? If not…run, don’t walk.

I can’t say enough good things about this small indie polish line run by nail blogger turned business owner Maria Morrison. She really has something special going with her polishes. The colors are innovative and the formula is top-notch – this stuff does not chip. I love supporting a new business that happens to have an amazing product.

So, with that said, I was thrilled when the new “Let’s Get Nekkid” collection I bought on pre-sale arrived yesterday.

Cotton balls as packaging - such a cute and practical idea!

L to R: Mazo, Baker, Tulum, Toxic Seaweed, Swanbourne

The polishes in this new collection are all named after nude beaches (except for Toxic Seaweed). I won’t link you to those…

Thumb to pinky: Toxic Seaweed, Swanbourne, Tulum, Baker, Mazo

The first polish I tried was Mazo, the lightest neutral of the bunch. Mazo is a very light, sheer tan color with a subtle gold shimmer.

I used three coats, but one coat gave a nice barely-there shimmer effect, too. I think this is a good neutral for my skin tone, and the micro-shimmer makes it more exciting than a standard light nude. The formula is lovely. This will be great for when I want something on my nails, but need a break from bright blues and glitters.

Next up…Baker, a darker peachy-nude.

I don’t think Baker works for me. Like Mazo, Baker has a nice subtle shimmer to it, but the color doesn’t flatter my skin tone at all. I think it makes my skin look a bit sallow. Baker would probably work on darker or olive-toned skin. It’s not a bad polish (I used three coats to reach opacity), but it’s not for me.

Next up…the lovely Tulum.

I ADORE this one. Tulum is a milky chocolate brown with a subtle shimmer. I didn’t expect to love a dark brown polish, but oh, how I do! It has a rich finish, and I think it’s just gorgeous. This applied to opacity in two coats. I can’t wait to wear Tulum throughout the rest of the winter. I think I’m going to go put this one back on right now…

Up next…Swanbourne.

Swanbourne is a very deep brown – almost black in some light – with micro-shimmer like the rest of the collection. I really like this one, too. The shimmer brings pizazz to this dark polish, and I think the effect is stunning. I sometimes shy away from nearly-black polishes, but this will definitely be on rotation this winter. It applied like a dream in two coats.

Last but certainly not least…Toxic Seaweed!

indoor lighting

Toxic Seaweed is pretty sweet. This green-ish blue jelly is packed with gold flakies and a good amount of shimmer. It took me three coats to get this look since the first two coats were pretty sheer. Despite the three coats, it dried to a fairly-smooth finish without the dreaded sandpaper feel. This is the kind of polish that I can stare at all day. I’ll be the fool walking down the street, eyes glued to my nails. (Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll look both ways before I cross.)

natural lighting

Overall, I’m excited about this collection. I don’t love Baker for my fair, pink skin tone, but I can’t wait to wear the other four.

Join the Cult…you won’t regret it.