March 7, 2010

Emerald Sparkle v. Emerald Sparkle

left to right: Emerald Sparkle v2.0; Good Emerald Sparkle; Emerald Sparkle v2.0; Watermelon Rind with flash

Ahhhhhh China Glaze. EK and I love you very very much. But sometimes, you do stupid things. Like release a fake version of a very popular, in-demand polish.

I'm talking about the famous Emerald Sparkle, of course. A few years back, China Glaze released this amazing polish called Emerald Sparkle and everyone went bananas over it. So, clearly, it sold out. China Glaze was amazing enough to re-release Emerald Sparkle so that hoards of fans could buy back-ups, or just buy the polish if they missed out the first time around.

However, we polish fans quickly discovered that the second release of Emerald Sparkle was not the green goddess we loved the first time. The second release of Emerald Sparkle was really like a different polish! I guess China Glaze figured out that we weren't too happy about this, because they brought back the Original, Better Emerald Sparkle for the Holiday 2009 season. Today, I have a comparison of the 2nd mediocre release of Emerald Sparkle (we'll call it Emerald Sparkle v2.0) and the good version brought back for Holiday 2009. I also included Watermelon Rind (from Summer 2009's Summer Days collection) for kicks, even though it's very obviously not the same color.

You can see in this picture, the good version of ES is a much deeper green and less blue than Release #2.

left to right: Emerald Sparkle v2.0; Original and 2009 version of Emerald Sparkle; Emerald Sparkle v2.0; Watermelon Rind with flash

Interestingly enough, the good version of ES requires three coats to be opaque, as it is really a jelly polish will suspended glitter. ES v2.0 requires only two coats, as it is your typical everyday glitter polish.

Top to bottom: Emerald Sparkle v2.0; Good Emerald Sparkle; Emerald Sparkle v2.0; Watermelon Rind with flash

Overall, I like both versions, but I like the original jelly polish the best. Sadly, the jelly polish is EK's and v2.0 is mine. LOL. Oh well, I guess I can borrow hers!
We wanted to also show you all of these mattified. No matter what version you have, Emerald Sparkle looks excellent mattified!!! (Watermelon Rind doesn't look too shabby either!!)

left to right: ES v2.0; Good ES; ES v2.0; Watermelon Rind; all with one coat KnockOut Flatte Top, with flash

Good Emerald Sparkle, plus one coat KnockOut Flatte Top, with flash

"Good" Emerald Sparkle is still available online at Head2Toe Beauty! Or you could luck out like EK and find it for $1.99, yes, I said $1.99, at your local Sally Beauty Supply.

7 comments:

Paige said...

Great comparison!

Never Enough Nails said...

Thanks gildedangel! I had no idea how different these really were until I got them next to each other!

Michèle said...

Thanks for showing these! I think I'm never going to fully understand why they would release a lesser version of something so great..

Is V2 for sure the one you'll get if you order it now?

Skulda said...

Oh yes! The "Original" Formula is much more "sparkle" and the colour is so rich! I love it, want it, need it.

Never Enough Nails said...

Michele- I know, it seems so silly, doesn't it? Just make the good one!! I believe if you order it from Head2Toe Beauty through the link in the post, it will be the 2009 release (a.k.a. the good one!!). V2.0 was from sometime in '08 I think, so I think as long as you order from the 2009 Holiday (Loves You Snow Much), you'll get the good one!

Skulda- The glitter is also different, it looks like suspended in the polish instead of just a glitter polish, if you know what I mean. So much cooler than the dumb version!

Unknown said...

Thanks for showing the comparison! It's hard to know what people are talking about w/o seeing it. :) I have the good version - yay! - as I got it from the xmas collection. Full price, of course! :) Loving the greens. My polish friend at work doesn't get my love of the greens - everything else she understands but not greens! Strange girl. ;)

Never Enough Nails said...

Gasp! She doesn't love greens!?!? I can't comprehend!
I should have picked up the $1.99 good version when EK did, but I thought to myself "I already have Emerald Sparkle, how different could they be??" Well, now we know!