Maybelline Color Show “Polka Dots” Glitter Nail Polish Swatches & Review
After drooling over pics of the Maybelline Color Show Polka Dots shades on the nails of some of my fave UK bloggers, the collection is finally coming to the US. Only with different names and a couple different shades.
Maybelline Color Show Polka Dots
Launching in July 2013, the Polka Dots glitters are filled with black & white multi-sized hexagonal sequins that make your nails look like they’re sprinkled with dots. Maybelline’s take on a look popularized by the indie nail polish community can be worn on their own or layered.
Formula & Application: According to the Maybelline website, Color Show nail polish is 3-Free (Formaldehyde, DBP & Toluene) but I don’t have an ingredient list to know if it contains Formaldehyde Resin or Camphor. The cylindrical glass bottles are topped with a round plastic cap that is just long enough to allow for a comfortable hold in the hand. The brush is long and round, medium in thickness, with flexible bristles that easily fan out on the nail.
The Polka Dots glitters all have a clear or semi-sheer jelly base that dries matte on the nail. It’s nice and thin so you can apply multiple layers without it becoming a gloppy mess. The glitter particles are well suspended, for the most part, but a good roll between your palms before application will help with even application. And yes, like most glitters, they are a pain to remove.
I applied three coats of polish using the Dab, Dip & Glide glitter polish application method I showed you last week.
Maybelline Blue Marks The Spot has a semi-sheer, somewhat milky, cornflower blue base filled with black and white glitter. It gives pretty good coverage with three coats though I can still see my tips.
Maybelline Blue Marks The Spot
Maybelline Clearly Spotted is the one clear-based polish in this collection. This is just pure black and white glitter in varying sizes, which makes it perfect for layering. I can picture a fun “jelly sandwich” using this with the L’Oreal Miss Candy jellies.
Maybelline Clearly Spotted
Maybelline Dotty has a tangerine orange base that is more lucite-esque than milky. A reader on Facebook called it a “Halloween” shade, and now I can’t shake it from my brain.
Maybelline Dotty
Maybelline Drops of Jade is a milky, sea-foam green that gives the most coverage of all the shades. Due to that, the glitter looks more three dimensional with some of it almost completely covered by the base.
Maybelline Drops of Jade
Maybelline Pretty in Polka is like a girly, pink lipgloss for your nails. In spite of its hot fuchsia hue, it’s the most sheer of all the colored-base shades so be prepared for VNL (visible nail lines).
Maybelline Pretty in Polka
Bottom Line: While I was REALLY hoping we’d get the UK green, Rain Forest Canopy, Drops of Jade is gorgeous and more summery. It’s definitely my favorite of the bunch. Clearly Spotted is an excellent choice if you want this type of glitter particle for layering and Blue Marks the Spot definitely comes in a close second to Drops of Jade. You all know I’m not much of a pink girl so Pretty in Polka gets a pass from me as does the “too Halloween-y,” Dotty. Though come October, I’m sure I’ll be glad I have a bottle.
Maybelline Color Show Polka Dots are limited edition and officially launching in July 2013 though I hear they are already popping up on shelves. You can find Maybelline nail polish at drugstores and mass retailers nationwide. The .23oz bottles retail for $3.99/ea.
Are you into this type of polka dot inspired glitter? Which of the Polka Dots is your favorite? Have you seen these in your area yet?
Disclosure: Samples were provided by Maybelline. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
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I’ve been waiting for swatches of these! thank you!
You’re so welcome!
Great tutorial! And I like the black and white one the best! Very splatter paint like.
Drops of Jade looks the prettiest to me! But I’d probably pass on this collection since I already own Different Dimension Social Suicide, and that is perfect for layering in jelly sandwiches. Thanks for the great swatches!
They look fantastic! I like the fact that they’re not “sparkly” glitter. And you’re right – the orange ones are very halloweeny.
Ooh, what pretty polishes! Drops of Jade is definitely my favorite, too. I’m not so sure about Clearly Spotted, though… it just seems like there are loads of extremely similar ones out there. Beautiful swatches, of course!
I really love the one in the clear base! Which is funny because there’s about a billion of those out right now but for some reason this specific one calls to me :). Thanks for the post!
oh these are nice
I just tried the black&white one (and showed it on my blog, by the way), and I loved it. Here in Europe, it’s called Chalk Dust, but it is clearly the same one.
Just found these at Walmart today (although they didn’t have the orange which I would have been all over) and they were only $2.97! I picked up the blue and the pink.
I live in the UK and have the forest green. I bought the base coat to go with it too. Did you have problems getting it off your nails? The dots wouldn’t come off easily and my finger nails are stained green!
I did get loads of compliments though!
next time try dipping each finger in polish remover or doing the tin foil 10 min method, the polish will come right off and not stain your nails- also with any blues or greens, do use a good base coat to prevent staining
What is tin foil method?
It’s where you soak a cotton ball or pad in remover, place it on the nail and wrap with tin foil. You let it sit for 10-15 minutes and remove.
Oh why didn’t we get the orange one *cry* Gorgeous swatches, I am totally loving these types of polishes just now
Awesome to see some new shades of this! Still waiting to get my hands on at least 1 (I’m from the UK) – they seem to be sold out everywhere I go!
If anyone’s dead-set on getting hold of a particular shade it might be best to order online, if they’re as popular in the US as they are here.
I like these they would look good layered over another polish. They kinda remind me of the China Glaze collection that came out that had all those glitters in it, it can’t remember the name though.
I have been having THE BEST time putting Clearly Spotted over earth tones, like OPI’s French Quarter For Your Thoughts, Revlon’s VIP, and American Apparel’s MacArthur Park is especially nice. The result is dead-on for marble. Against a nice dirty flesh tone like OPI’s My Very First Knockwurst it looks like a Jackson Pollack canvas.
I have the pink one and I think it’s really ugly, plus it was a pain to work with. I will definitely not be buying anymore from these glitters… I’ll stick to the regular maybelline polishes, some of these are quite pretty
Wow! Those really stand out – in a great way. My favorite was the blue, but I like them all. Thanks for sharing this!
Awww…these nail colors are all so pretty. Love the colors for I find them all so elegant and classy. They are perfect for any occasion or even for everyday wear.
Ooh. pretty.
If I give in and get one of these, I might just go for Clearly spotted – because of the versatility of the ‘jelly sandwich’ as you put it.
Though I also have to chime in along with some of the other comments regarding staining. Did you find that any of the polishes left a stain on your nails?
Nope, I didn’t experience any staining with them.
Looks so good! I love holo colors but I don
I really like Drops Of Jade. I saw this a week ago at Wegman’s & thought about buying it, but resisted!
Don’t resist. That one is gorgeous!
I love pretty in pink! I just can’t get the sequins off for anything when I’m ready to remove. Any tips?
They are a bit bothersome. I wish I had some magical way to get them off easily. It just takes patience and time.
I just picked up Clearly Spotted and Blue Marks the Spot… I may be going back for the rest
Nice! I just spotted a full display when I was at Rite Aid earlier. I’m glad they are easy to find. Finding seasonal collections can be chancy.
I got Jade! I really like it. I have something similar to the pink and the clear with dots. So I went for green. I love it! thanks!
Hi! I got a copy of the ingredients list for the Polka Dots Collection. It’s free of Camphor and Formaldehyde Resin. A bonus? Also free of benzophenone–also a known irritant for some people.
Excellent, thank you for sharing!
Drops of Jade needs to be in my life. So gorgeous!
I have the clearly spotted.
In order to get your nails to look like the color seen, you have to apply more then three coats, but mine are usually covered completely after the third coat.