Best of 2014 – Top 36 Nail Polishes of the Year
Best of 2014 – Top 36 Nail Polishes of the Year
This Sunday, my #NailGlossip co-hosts and I will be discussing our favorite things from 2014 and what we’re looking forward to for 2015. I hope you’ll join us on Twitter at 9pm est to share your thoughts with us. It will be so fun (and there’s giveaways)!
So, as I’m reflecting on the past year in nail color, I want to share my favorites from the past year with you. Though, let me say, narrowing down this list to just 36 was no small feat. It started at 60+ but I only wanted to include polishes that I’ve worn multiple times, didn’t want to remove and have taken up permanent residence in my collection.
Without further adieu I give you my Top 36 Nail Polishes of 2014.
My Favorite Polish of 2014
The rest of this list is not in any sort of ranking order but I had to call out the one color that has made the most impact on me in 2014, JINsoon Cool Blue.
Pantone may have called 2014 the year of Radiant Orchid but cobalt blue was clearly the winner. And even though I have a ton of bright blues, I kept going back to Cool Blue, over and over again. It was on my toes almost the entire summer and I still can’t get enough of it.
JINsoon Cool Blue
Best Blue/Green Nail Polishes of 2014
butter LONDON Airy Fairy (butter LONDON Summer 2014 – Lolly Brights)
butter LONDON Airy Fairy
Essie Chills & Thrills (Essie Neons 2014 – Too Taboo)
Essie Chills & Thrills
Essie Style Cartel (Essie Fall 2014 – Dress To Kilt)
Essie Style Cartel
Morgan Taylor Making Waves (Morgan Taylor Summer 2014 – Island Treasures)
Morgan Taylor Making Waves
Urban Decay Chaos (Urban Decay Summer 2014)
Urban Decay Chaos
Zoya Ling (Zoya Summer 2014 – Tickled)
Zoya Ling
Zoya Remy (Zoya Fall 2014 – Ignite)
Zoya Remy
JINsoon Heirloom (JINsoon Fall 2014 – Tess Giberson)
JINsoon Heirloom
butter LONDON Sozzled (butter LONDON Summer 2014 – Lolly Brights)
butter LONDON Sozzled
CND VINYLUX Lush Tropics (CND Summer 2014 – Paradise)
CND VINYLUX Lush Tropics
Sally Hansen Pique Side (Sally Hansen SM Spring 2014)
Sally Hansen Piqué Side
Sally Hansen Summerlime (Sally Hansen CSM Spring 2014 – Beach Paradise)
Sally Hansen Summerlime
Best Purple Nail Polishes of 2014
China Glaze Choo Choo Choose You (China Glaze Fall 2014 – All Aboard)
China Glaze Choo Choo Choose You
Formula X Equinox (Formula X Spring 2014 – Liquid Crystals)
Formula X for Sephora Equinox
NARS Algonquin (NARS Holiday 2014)
NARS Algonquin
OPI I Carol About You (OPI Holiday 2014 – Gwen Stefani)
OPI I Carol About You
OPI Do You Have This Color In Stock-Holm? (OPI Fall 2014 – Norway)
OPI Do You Have This Color In Stock-Holm?
JINsoon Farrago and Zoya Sansa (JINsoon Fall 2014 – Tess Giberson) (Zoya Fall 2014 – Ignite)
JINsoon Farrago and Zoya Sansa
Best Black/Grey Nail Polishes of 2014
China Glaze Meet Me Under The Stars (China Glaze Holiday 2014 – Twinkle)
China Glaze Meet Me Under The Stars
Morgan Taylor Midnight Rendezvous (Morgan Taylor Holiday 2014 – Home for the Holidays)
Morgan Taylor Midnight Rendezvous
Zoya Yuna (Zoya Fall 2014 – Ignite)
Zoya Yuna
Best Red/Coral/Pink Nail Polishes of 2014
Morgan Taylor Deck The Halls (Morgan Taylor Holiday 2014 – Home for the Holidays)
Morgan Taylor Deck The Halls
Zoya India (Zoya Fall 2014 – Ignite)
Zoya India
LVX Roux (LVX Spring 2014)
LVX Roux
Orly Hot Tropics (Orly Summer 2014 – Baked)
Orly Hot Tropics
Sally Hansen Leis-y Days (Sally Hansen CSM Spring 2014 – Beach Paradise)
Sally Hansen Leis-y Days
Best Yellow/Brown/Neutral Nail Polishes of 2014
FingerPaints Hula Aruba (FingerPaints Summer 2014 – Poolside Paradise)
FingerPaints Hula Aruba
OPI Just Can’t Cope-acabana (OPI Spring 2014 – Brazil)
OPI Just Can’t Cope-acabana
China Glaze Lug Your Designer Baggage (China Glaze Fall 2014 – All Aboard)
China Glaze Lug Your Designer Baggage
Essie Take It Outside (Essie Fall 2014 – Dress To Kilt)
Essie Take It Outside
L’Oreal Paris Doutzen’s Nude (L’Oreal Collection Privee)
L’Oreal Paris Doutzen’s Nude
Best Metallic/Glitter Nail Polishes of 2014
China Glaze I’d Melt for You and OPI Push & Shove (China Glaze Holiday 2014) and (OPI Gwen Stefani)
China Glaze I;d Melt For You and OPI Push & Shove
JINsoon Polka White (JINsoon Spring 2014)
JINsoon Polka White
Nails Inc Floral Richmond Gardens (Nails Inc Spring 2014 – Floral)
Nails Inc Floral Richmond Gardens over Zoya Ling
Zoya Muse (Zoya Summer 2014 – Bubbly)
Zoya Muse
Honorable Mention
It’s not a new color for 2014 but the new bottle and formula of the Nails Inc Nail Kale line is one of the best brand revamps of the year. Color me impressed with the brush, the weight and design of the bottle and the consistency of the lacquer. Wins all around!
Nails Inc NailKale
Clearly blues ruled my nail world this year and interesting finishes overpowered cremes but it’s a pretty well rounded mix.
Now I want to hear from you. Which of these nail polishes would make your list? Tell me your fave 2014 colors that I overlooked.
Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for the brands featured. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
Great picks! There all very nice.
Great choices indeed!!! They are all so very pretty nail colors. No wonder why you have picked them.
Thanks Jessica! Glad you like my selections.
Chanel Sweet Star, Mirabella, Secret. RBL Bicicletta, KB Shimmer Low and Be Bold.
Sweet Star is one I want!!!
Lot’s of nice polishes. I think I have to start thininkg of the ones I want to present on my list.
I love creating Amazon wishlists or Pinterest boards of the things I want for my family. That way you never forget.
Morgan Taylor just made the deadline! They’re so gorgeous. I’m excited to see that I own a few colors on your list! The SH summer shades Leis-y Days and Summerlime were even avail at a discount store this month (SQUEE)! I found myself wearing Milani Blue Zoom more often than JS Cool Blue but I always save my pricier bottles for nice occasions.
That’s quite a score on the SH. I know a lot of people were having trouble finding them in stores, period. Blue Zoom is a great color. It’s a shame Milani discontinued it and the Fast Dry line.
wow i must have been subscribing to you for over a year now! love your year end reviews. always make a list:)
Aww, thanks Kel. Glad you’re still coming back.
This list is amazing! Thanks for sharing! I might do my own list too. One of my faves this year, probably overall fave was NYFW by Cirque colors. Close to your Cool Blue, but a bit darker. Blues Rule!!! Xo
They do rule and that Cirque color is gorgeous!
Definitely Orly Mirrorball and the I Love Nail Polish Summer, Fall and Flakies collections, especially Supernova, Black Orchid and Iconic! Then Orly Tropical Pop, The entire Finger Paints Poolside collection, Finger Paints Ball Gown Glamour, SinfulShine Prosecco. Did I say Orly Mirrorball (stunner)? LOL!
Oh, have to specifically add ILNP Summer Stargazing and Michael Kors Curtain Call as well. Gorgeous blues!
Thanks for the recs!
Ha, I think you said Mirrorball but I’m not sure
I know a lot of people love that one, I just haven’t gotten my hands on it
When I read this entry, I was delighted to see Zoya Yuna among your favorites, as that was one of mine. I am determined to obtain at least three others you’ve featured here.
Fun, let me know which ones you pick up.
The first nail polish that came to mind when I asked myself that question is Sinful Colors Let’s Talk. I fell in love with the color, the application and I got tons of compliments on it!
I don’t have that one. Thanks for the suggestion. I love Sinful Colors but they put out SO many collections with a lot of repeats so it’s hard to know what’s new, you know?
I tried it on one nail but I didn’t purchase it. I went and got it the next day because I couldn’t stop looking at my nail.
That was my first Sinful Colors nail polish because most of them look like “regular” nail polish and I seem to like the “different” nail colours.
The blues you chose are simply incredible. I LOVE the look of Butter’s “Airy Fairy,” in particular. //// Since you mention Pantone’s color of the year for 2014, I wonder what you think of their choice of Marsala for 2015′s color of the year. I am not a fan, to be truthful.
I think, like 2014, we’ll see another color dominate instead of the Pantone shade. It feels very 90s, like the matte browned red lipstick everyone on 90210 wore.
Not usually a fan of teals, but I LOVE OPI’s AmazON / AmazOFF. And your top pick, JINsoon Cool Blue, well, that it just gorgeous. I purchased your Nailbox Trendbox just to get that!
I totally agree with almost all of these! There were some really great shades this year.
Hi! Pretty picks! I like the cool blue too. You included a couple of my favorites but my absolute favorite was Essie Sittin’ Pretty. It’s a lovely light orchid shade from the Spring collection.
A beautiful rainbow of colors! Love the blues. My favorites: London Butter Airy Fairy and Zoya Muse
I am completely obsessed with ORLY “Mirrorball” right now. It looks too good to be true, like it’s a foil or a sticker! I can’t believe that color came out of a bottle on its own. I’m only sad it’s the winter and I can’t see the beautiful full effect outside; I can’t wait for summer!
And while it’s not new (I don’t think?), I also love my new Dermalect Instant Nail Thickener Top Coat that I bought with a coupon at Christmas. When I smacked two nails and chipped them, you could barely see the chip until 3 days later. Every other nail still looked brand-new. They were just beginning to show a little tip wear that final day a week later. When I went to take it off, I was amazed to see that I’d smacked my fingers so hard that I’d broken both nails, not just chipped them! The Dermalect held everything together! It was amazing stuff!!
I really need to get my hands on Mirrorball before it’s gone for good. Everyone loves it so much. And thanks for sharing your love of that Dermelect top coat. I can’t believe it held your nails together after breaking. I’ll have to give it a try.
This list just reminded me how much I loved the Zoya Fall 2014 – Ignite collection when you first told us about it. While I don’t have any yet, I’ve realized I need at least one! All the colours look lovely, so I don’t know how I’ll choose…
It is seriously one of their best collections ever. I could have put them all on the list.
I don’t mean to be rude, but really I’m sick of blues. Few corals, no liliacs, no orange, too much glitter, although I do enjoy my share of glitter. No sand? my favorite color for years now, specially the muted Opi, fit for use year round. But, your choice, I respect it. For the most, I love the blog!
Hi Susana! Thanks for respecting my point of view. I get that not everyone will agree with my sense of color. These are just the ones I loved the most in 2014.