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Thursday, December 19, 2013

Pointless Cafe's Best of 2013 Part 2: The Boutique Brands Top Ten



Well it's that time of year again! Time for my personal favorites of the year. And it was NOT easy this year for sure because this has been the best year for polish that I can remember...ever.

Part TWO



So here's how I've decided to break it down - this list will appear in each Best Of post and be linked as I post for easy reference.

1: Top 15 Mainstream Brand Polishes - published
2: Top 10 Boutique Brand Polishes - published
3: Highlight: Top Five Indie Brands (with my favorites from each) - published
4: Top Indie Polishes of 2013 (excluding the Highlighted Brands) - published
5: Brand of the Year (with my top 15 from this brand) - published
6: Polish of the Year - published


So let's continue with My Top 10 Boutique Polish favorites after the jump...





For those who haven't heard the term, a boutique polish brand is an "indie" brand that isn't hand-poured. It's a full-fledged mainstream brand in MY world, but it's usually one person/creative genius (or maybe a couple) who created all the shades. Basically, it's not a corporation, but an artist who uses a lab rather than doing "hand-poured." This encompasses brands like Cult Nails, Rescue Beauty Lounge, a-England, etc. Well, you'll see below.

Pointless Cafe's Top Ten Boutique Brand Polishes of 2013


Again, alphabetically because I couldn't rank them in order for love or money.

a-England Briarwood




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a-England Fated Prince




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a-England Sleeping Palace




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Glitter Gal Transfusion




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piCture pOlish Focus




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piCture pOlish Mad Magenta




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piCture pOlish Mallard




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piCture pOlish Shy Violet




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Rescue Beauty Lounge Naked Without Polish


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And one I just got this year and fell head over heels with is piCture pOlish Demeter, a collaboration shade created with Katie at Harlow & Co. - but I'm calling it a bonus - throwback to 2012. If I'd tried this one the year it came out, I'm pretty sure it would have made my Best Polish of the Year...

piCture pOlish Demeter


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Each one is linked to my post with my full swatches and review.And you see why the Boutique Brands had to have their own category, right? ♥

What do you think? Did any of these make YOUR list?

Stay tuned for the rest of the "Best Of" posts...counting down to my pick for Best Polish of the Year on December 23rd!




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14 comments :

  1. Amazing choices! And I STILL need to get Demeter!

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  2. I am speechless that mine made your top 10!! I've got no words except it looks absolutely beautiful on you!! <3

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    1. What's funny is that when I first saw the collection, I knew it would be the one I liked the least because there just aren't any pinks or nudes that go with my skin tone. And when I put it on, I was in love. I don't know how you did it, but you rocked that shade OUT!

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  3. I love the term boutique brand. Haven't heard it before. These are all lovely choices, but Mallard stole my heart.

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  4. So that's how you call them, boutique! I was totally confused trying to understand whether these are indie or not, being poured in a lab.
    I really couldn't agree more on RBL Naked Without Polish, a-England Briarwood, a-England Sleeping Palace and Picture Polish Demeter.
    I also loved Picture Polish new additions to their "holographic shimmer" family: Hope, Ocean and Lagoon. And I think that some of the newest a-Englands will become my favourites - maybe Fonteyn or Dancing with Nureyev. A great year for a-England scattered holo lovers - two amazing collections :)

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  5. Amazing nail polishes. I love them all.

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  6. Wow - all those Picture Polishes look fab! I've bought quite a few PP this year (and loved them) but none of these ones - now I think I need more, lol!

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  7. Ahh, Demeter has been on my wishlist since it came out last year, lol. I really need to just buy it already I think it's unbelievably gorgeous :)

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  8. Have you tried the Briarwood with a matte topcoat? It's bloomin' marvellous. I don't even know how to accurately describe it but maybe next time you wear it, right before you take it off try adding matte to see what you think.

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    1. I'm wearing Briarwood right now! I'll definitely try that before I take it off! ♥

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  9. Ah I like this term, glad you mentioned that. Love A England and Picture Polish (super LOVE for Shy Violet!!!)

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  10. A-England is very likely to have some polishes on my list as well.

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  11. And now I understand the absence of A-England on the indie list. I think Mallard needs to be on my nails very soon. That green with those flakes!

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