I really appreciate your honesty even when you're anxious about sharing your opinion! I hate stans and stan culture for creating a hostile environment for honest reviews :(
That's exactly what I was thinking! I hate it when a fandom gets so overprotective that they start hindering possible development. Locking everything in a false positive echo chamber is how brands start to fall off and wither.
Yeah it stinks because I think great brands NEED to hear the honest feedback in order to continue to make amazing products! If people keep buying the "bad" stuff and are too scared to acknowledge it, then the brand will assume that product is good and keep putting it out 😬
Uggggg HT stans are unsufferable. Like, I do like the brand, but there's lots of other good indie brands too, but HT stans poop on anything that isn't HT despite never trying it 😡
This is soooooo critical but it's good. Just because a brand makes great polishes, doesn't mean they will always be like that for every release. We all gotta hit the struggle bus once in a while! Thank you for such an honest review
As someone who's new to nail polish I would like to know what's more user friendly instead of going off what's beautiful and personally this was the first set I wanted bc that's how pretty they looked on her shorts ... but if I can't achieve that bc I'm new to this not true to this I'd be out of $ & probably wouldn't repurchase only bc I had a negative experience based on my experience as a at home nail polisher lol 😅
@@bunnybangz One coat black is the most beginner friendly for sure. Dark cremes like Indigo away too. The linear holos and the crushed holos like the coffee collection are too. And ofc the toppers. But in my opinion the most beginner friendly brand isnt HT but KBShimmer
Thank you Kelli! I know this wasn’t easy for you. HT has such a cult following that someone will have ugly comments, you know that. Just ignore it and keep being honest. Between your honesty and great personality you’re the main stream & boutique nail polish queen!❤ When I told an indie swatcher she was the KM of the indie community she told me she almost cried because she was so honored. She said it was one of the best compliments she had ever received. Grab your cap before your head starts swelling!😂😂😂 Love ya kiddo!❤
I’m glad Holo Taco still gives PR without expecting swatchers to only give positive reviews. This collection is not for me, I’m happy to save my money this round.
1. It would probably be a bad look for Holo Taco/Cristine to take people off the PR list for negative reviews😅 2. What I appreciate about Cristine is that she's a mature, established adult who handles criticism responsibly. I've never seen her make petty decisions on a large scale, especially when it comes to work and her businesses. She also really values conflict resolution and harmony (she is a Libra after all🤣), and she takes criticism as a helpful trajectory and revision instead of a personal attack. At least that's what I've observed and concluded lol.
I’m a fan of Holo Taco but I really appreciate your honest review. It’s important that you call them like you see them and that’s why I’m a fan of you too!
I was just scrolling to say exactly the same. Honestly a Cristine and Holotaco stan for sure (I got up at 5am local time to buy this collection lol) but SO appreciate Kelli's honest, balanced reviews. Theres no malice, theres no unnecessary digs. Just honest open reviews that the polishes in colours and formula really didn't land.
Yes! And Simply has said before that she doesn’t want to lose sight of improving formulas just because her fan base is extremely supportive of what she does. She really values honest feedback I feel…
I feel like this was a bit of a throw away collection. The birthstone collection was so good that they probably could have ended the year on it without doing a Christmas/Winter drop.
This one seems like a January/winter collection to me, honestly. I still ordered it, because I am a (nearly) completionist of HT, but (aside from the purple and gold one, which I adore!), I don’t think I’ll wear these until after the holidays.
Yeah I agree, I almost wish they had saved this collection for January because I think it being so close after the birthstone polishes made me even more disappointed 😅
Ya I did think the darker colors were the better ones if I was to get some. Knowing how light colors like that can be shear in there way and not newer friendly. I was wondering about those. But might down line get one or both dark ones
I just got this collection in the mail today, so I haven't swatched it yet but I love the color story! It's soft, icy, ethereal feeling to me. That being said, not every collection is everyone's favorite! I appreciate your honesty!
@@thegreatplumwar7390 I'm always honest but a lot of people are sensitive about this particular brand since it was started by a big influencer 😅 even with the disclaimer I've gotten a few very angry comments lol
Thank you for being honest in your review. It would be weird if any brand never had room for improvement. Sometimes nail polish formulas just aren't easy to work with. I appreciate knowing that about any collection, because that's something that matters to me as a customer.
That is a very good point!! Brands can’t always be perfect. I feel like it was just surprising that some of these were difficult to use after how good their other crelly shimmers were 😅 (spirit fingers, alien infatuation, inkwell ect)
This is why I watch your videos. You're honest, even if you love the brand. Sometimes brands mess up, and people need to let them know. And you do it in a way that's kind, but critical.
I also felt like this was a winter into spring collection instead of a holiday collection... i would've loved some glittery ones at this time of year. Thanks for your honest review!
I just got my collection in the mail, and I’m so bummed for you! I’m wondering if you maybe got a bad batch, because my formulas weren’t gloopy or patchy at all. (I trust that yours were, though!) I honestly really love this collection, so it’s too bad that it didn’t work out for you 💓
Thank you for the honest review! I know it’s hard to be critical of a brand you love, but as a consumer I really appreciate it. One of the reasons I love your channel is that I trust that you are giving your real opinion, even when it’s less than laudatory.
I wonder if it’s a batch issue? I just got my collection in this morning and after letting them come to room temp they all have a super smooth and self leveling formula. They feel a bit runnier than I was expecting and they applied like a dream and weren’t very patchy (besides the first coat being super sheer)
I've been wondering the same thing. I'm wearing shadow lake right now and it applied like a dream, very smooth and leveled well. I've had a batch issue with another collection and the send me a new polish which was way beter.
I’m also wondering this. Mine arrived today and I haven’t found the formula to be gloopy or difficult to work with. Yes agree it’s a little sheer, but I like the way it’s built up
that's what i wondered while watching this. all the negative things she said about the formulas and application were not my experience when i got this collection so hers being a batch issue is exactly what i thought
Really appreciate you continuing to give your honest opinion despite...some...people give you shhh about it. Longtime watcher because of your integrity. Thanks Kelli!
The disclaimer 😂 so funny but so real that it's needed Edit: Thanks for your review! I ordered Phantom Call because of it. I wasn't going to get anything from this drop but it looks gorgeous on your nail
@@KelliMarissaI’m so thankful some people are still willing to give honest reviews, good or bad. It’s sad that Stan culture and the general public’s overall attitude have made it impossible to give constructive feedback/criticism these days. Thank you for this!
@@KelliMarissaI am praying you don’t get any backlash! I’m a huge supporter of HT, but I am also a huge fan of YOU and know your reviews are your honest feedback and are truly constructive criticism. Normal people can see that, so ignore those who can’t! 😊
When i saw this collection my first thought was how basic it looked. Like you said, after how amazing the birthday stone collection was, seeing something so uninspired was really disappointing. Saddier still to learn the formulas are also lacking. Im still looking forward to seeing their next collection though. Ive been a HT fan for a long time and this certainly doesnt change that. Thank you for your honest review. It is definitely appreciated.
I have not seen this video yet so I dont know about the formula but regarding the look I think it's great that HT mixes it up a little, personally I enjoy the more subtle look on most days so while I can appreciate a birthstone collection, I was so happy seeing this one because it's more my everyday kinda shades. So I think it's great that they differ so much to the last collection, because everyone has different styles and different preferences
Honestly I love a simple and elegant collection, I'm sad that this one was a disappointment 🙈 but I'm hoping the next collection will be twice as good haha! Nothing could beat those birthstone polishes this soon tbh 😅
Kellie, thank you! not everyone loves every collection or formula etc. We watch you because you are honest about not liking a polish and not gushing all over it if its not worth gushing over.
I passed on these because i have similar colors in mooncat. Also i have noticed the polishes seem to arrive more gummy and need thinner to work. She knocked it out of the park with the birthstone collection but everything else this year hasnt impressed me. Makes me sad but my wallet happy. Always love your honest reviews ❤
I also noticed they were similar to a LOT of Mooncat polishes.... Like I know there are only so many combinations of bases, shimmers, etc but these feel like a direct copy
The birthstone collection didn't really do it for me but I've got so much joy and wear out of the Rock Candy collection and several of the Dark Academia collection. It's very much personal taste and we're all so different ❤ These sheers tempt me because I love micro shimmer and where I live they're not super common or easy to find in shops, having to build coverage might be worth it for the shades I like.
I immediately thought of Earth to Gaia and A Midsummers Dream when I saw this collection 😂 I’m also more of a mooncat person than HT, so I figured I’m biased
I think that would have been stunning! Orly actually did a pearlized version of that last holiday season that I loved, but I think a more shimmery version would be amazing.
I didn't know I wanted that but now that you put it in my mind i desperately yearn for it 😭 That said, I really love the look of this collection, i am a sucker for any iridescent shimmer polishes. I especially love doing subtle stamping with them.
I always watch your reviews and agree with you on just about everything, especially as to how you wear your polish. I had ordered this collection prior to your review coming out and I agree with a commenter below about a bad batch. My collection came in today and it painted very smooth and leveled evenly. The only color I did 3 coats on was swan song and it really may not have needed it. I was on the fence so tried it. Thank you for all the honest reviews. I did like this collection because it was so wintery instead of the traditional red and green I already have so many of.
@ Vitamin Glow and Phantom Call are absolutely gorgeous 💖. I like Moon Lagoon a lot, but I just can’t figure out how to wear it. I just can’t imagine wearing it as a full mani, and I’m not fully happy with the skittle that I came up with 😅
When I got into Indie polishes and have been watching you in last couple years, I'm trying to figure out what is going with Holo Taco..? I haven't purchased anything from her because the polishes have been so spotty as far as formula and the complaints are terrible from chipping easily, to bad thick formulas, staining and availability. I love your swatches, and you do a fabulous job, and I would never blame you for me not purchasing. I'm glad your honest and you're not the only one. Thank You for your swatches Kelli!! I'm still staying clear of Holo Taco.
This was a rare moment for you since you always seem to find something to like about most collections. Honestly, I prefer knowing when a collection doesn’t do so well. You shared your thoughts & experience respectfully so please don’t worry. I’m with you on preferring more routines to too many risks. My favorite routine is my weekly self manicure. 💅🏻 R🍁
Thank you for the honest review. I was about to buy the full set of these, so you saved me some $$$. With them being in ulta now, I hope they aren't changing their formulas to make it easier to mass produce
Thank you for your honest review. Had I purchased those, I would have thought there was something wrong with me and my application skills. We need to be able to give honest reviews - that's what a review IS!
Genuinely appreciate an honest review because I recently bought one of their full collections as a set and it was expensiiiiiiive. would have been devastated to spend that kind of money on a mediocre product.
I watched this video out of curiosity since I was not planning on buying anything from this collection anyway. I've had a similar experience with some shimmer dense polishes from other brands where the formula was gummy and hard to work with. Personally I have not been buying from brands that don't consistently restock and that promote fomo, which is just a personal choice (or my way of coping after missing out on spirit fingers lol). And also the thermal collection from HT sold out pretty fast and I know a lot of people were disappointed at the time. I'm not sure if HT ever restocked those or if any of their other collections have been that limited, but it was enough of a turn off for me that I stopped buying from the brand. Appreciate your honesty in the video about this collection!
Wow! So happy to see the overwhelmingly supportive response in your comments! You have negative reviews so seldomly that they really stand out when you do. The only other one I can think of was for a Mooncat collection that was similar to this, and it was also “gummy” and hard to work with. I had the same thoughts as you when trying to work with colors in that collection, so I’m glad that only one shade here made it into my cart! Thanks for your honesty!
I really appreciate the honest review. This is the second review I've watched and the polishes performed the same. I'm so glad I didn't automatically buy the collection. I had issues with the Rock Candy collection so I've decided to watch reviews before I buy full collections from Halo Taco.
did you have an issue with all of the polishes in the collection? i have blue rizzler and sugar rush on my wish list and now i'm second guessing it lol
@@BrendaFOBRocks I had no issues with Blue Rizzler. It's a thicker formula but self-levels really well for me and it looks exactly as pretty as I expected. I don't have the others in that collection
@@BrendaFOBRocks no, blue rizzler was ok. My issue was with the consistency in the formula. Some of the polishes were thick and hard to work with. They didn't self level and chipped after two days. Not typical tip wear but chipping off in chunks. Sour Note was the worst for me. I wonder if it was my body chemistry or something. The polishes are so pretty though.
11:50 I was just going to say that it’s good they generally work to improve formulas based on customer feedback. Not milky white, the magnetics, and the wide thick brush are all good examples of them looking at feedback and working on things. Hopefully they’ll look to improve this formula in future restocks or in future similar formulas.
I LOVE Halo Taco polishes, but I appreciate hearing people's honest reviews, even if they aren't the best, because it shows just how different peoples views can be!
Also, if no honest experiences are shared how is the company that everyone loves so much supposed to respond if no one actually gives the correct kind of critique. As long as your respectful about it and treat every company you review the same, which is what I’ve seen over the years. I don’t see a single problem! Thank you for being brave and doing what should be expected as a reviewr ❤
I personally loved all these colors with the contrasting shimmers ❤ but everyone's taste is different. I did a winter nail art using vitamin glow as a base and swan song snowflakes, and the transparency gave a really cool effect! I didn't personally experience any gumminess luckily
Safe and boring is underrated. My big leap was red tennis shoes and I’m good through the new year on risk taking. 😊 this collection was easy to pass up. I was going to try the bday collection but it was irritating that I wasn’t able to get them. I’m not doing nail polish FOMO anymore. My experience is that polish makers dupe themselves and each other so even if I didn’t get something I can keep on the lookout for something similar if I don’t completely forget about before then. I sure do love your swatches and value your input.
Also to add onto the duping themselves, I think a lot of brands also share suppliers. I've definitely seen the same glitter, shimmer, holos etc in a few brands releasing VERY close together. I don't go for FOMO because I can probably find similar in another brand.
I got two sets for Christmas gifts. Well at least the presentation will be nice. The indie polish community is getting oversaturated with too many dupes
Holo Taco is one of the only nail polish brands I use and hopefully they take this feedback into consideration. I appreciate you sharing your opinion - you are definitely not alone in your disappointment with this launch!
Thank you for your honest review Kelly, I’m a huge fan of Holo Taco but when I saw these polishes, I was disappointed. I was expecting something magical and grand for a Holoday/winter collection, but these seem too basic for me. Also, I watch other swatchers on YT and they’re ALWAYS positive and that seems inauthentic. Maybe they don’t post the polishes they don’t like, but to *always* say positive things is annoying and quite frankly, a bit dishonest too.
this was the nicest negative review so please don’t feel you overstepped in your points you made about the formula and color story - even when you have criticisms, you are polite and honest about them. while i wasn’t looking at this collection at all, i do come to your swatch videos for several other brands before purchasing, so it’s nice to know if there was something off about a release, you would note it.
it's interesting to love a brand so much that you'd be mad at someone else's opinion on a single collection. it's a brand, not a friend. anyway, glad that you feel safe enough to be honest in your opinions! i've heard Christine loves to make a thicker polish. i've only watched 2 other reviews and one was positive and one was mixed.
I think because a lot of people jump on immediately buying just to get the collection boxes and stuff so the idea of it not being worth rushing to get it or the premium price will hurt them in personal ways that shouldn't hurt them
For the price people pay for these, I would be disappointed. It’s so cheap and easy to make holo polish, especially gel that dries and lasts a long time. Swan Song is usually sheer, Wet N Wild had this shade for years- it looks great as a French manicure.
LOVE your honesty! I know it's hard to be authentic when it's negative, but what's the point (for us) of reviewing if everything is always positive and not genuine. Thank you for your reviews!
Thank you for this honest review. HT sparked a love of indy polish for me and I will always ❤ for that. But the catch 22 is, now I know how special indy polishes can be, and I am much choosier. I only ended up with Shadow Call this release, I may lose my holo royalty status soon because I'm just bored with HT this year. While that's a me problem, I think it's unfortunate that for over $20.00 CDN you can end up with a gummy polish formula. I would encourage folks to expand beyond HT and support smaller brands!
I agree with you. I am in the Uk, so postage and taxes are around the cost of 2/3 polishes. So, if I can get the same or better for less, it makes it hard to justify buying the HT. Also, I have managed to try 4 of the rock candy collection, out of the 12. Same with a lot of other collections. Knowing that the Neons and Thermals, as well as the frosted metals have a life span, means I know I already have polishes that will change or die before I can get good use out of them.
@cauliflower8059 oh gosh I'm so glad you asked! Lol To dip your toes, ILNP. By far the most robust library of shades and finishes for pretty reasonable $$$. But from there, my favorite brands are Polished For Days, Kathleen & Co, Gardenpath Lacquer, Cuticula, Ethereal Lacquer, Emily De Molly...I'm sure others may chime in, but I find these brands in particular release the most special polishes.
I ordered the collection and am waiting to receive it. Will get back to you after I swatch the polishes. I normally love the brand and am now a little nervous, but really apppreciate your honesty.
I'd also suggest watching My Simple Little Pleasures stream on this collection. I'm not an HT stan for stans sake but it was good to see her positive experience with them too.
I just got moon lagoon and I love it, wonder if the PR packaging had bad batches because the application wasn't particulary bad for me and I'm far for being a pro at painting my nail
TFS. I’m so happy you gave an honest review. I have purchased things that were given great reviews and terrible in reality. All reviews should be your real opinion. That’s what makes you great at what you do. 💕💕
As always, I so appreciate your honesty. I have high expectations for polishes in this price point, especially for a brand that has made it into a more mainstream platform like Ulta. I can love a brand or creator but still demand that they release quality products. I think Halo Taco has made big strides in formulas, but what sucks for me is that when I start to feel like "YES, this is now a reliable brand" they seem to have a big miss quality-wise that ends that win streak. They haven't been able to maintain consistency in their quality for long enough that I feel comfortable recommending the brand to my friends and family. The worst part is these reviews come out late, and most people aren't as honest in reviews. You're only the second person to be transparent about the formula issues. So I am sad that I already spent this money but I am thankful that I didn't go ahead and buy multiples of this collection (I did like this color story). Safe and boring. I already love my safe and boring life. I no longer have mega career aspirations either. I just want to coast a while.
I was waiting for your review of it because I know of at least 1 other swatcher on here that wasn’t impressed and had issues with it being streaky & patchy. I’m glad you are being honest instead of only hyping every release even if you don’t like it/have issues with the formula. So thank you for being honest 🖤
I was very excited seeing these colors because they reminded me of the pure ice Polishes which are the first polishes I remember using myself. Wasn't able to purchase this collection but happy I saw reviews of the new formula first
I appreciate that you give solid reasons for why you don’t like a particular polish. I’ve been watching your videos for years now, and this is one of the reasons why I keep watching. I’ve also been watching Cristine for years and I know she values constructive criticism so that she can keep improving and selling excellent products. I remember when she reformulated Not Milky White and Royal-Tea Blue due to customer feedback, so I know she takes that feedback to heart and really listens. Thank you so much for your honest and constructive reviews! I know when I see a thumbnail for one of your videos that suggests a product was not good, I’m even more inclined to watch because I know you clearly give a reason.
I love Holo Taco, and I appreciate your honesty. The brand isn't perfect, so people that can't take the criticism need to chill. I've been saying for years that the formula for Glossy Taco is awful, but I still like the brand. Just not that product. I ordered Shadow Lake and Phantom Call on launch day, I'm glad to hear your thoughts on them so I know what to expect!
Can I ask why you don’t like it? It’s the first brand I ever reliably bought, and I didn’t even know I needed a top coat before that 😮 - so, as far as my limited knowledge goes, it works for me - though I do have to thin it out often throughout the bottle lifespan, which seems fine (and 2 bottles where refunded bc of some weird consistency issue, so customer service is fantastic, imo )- but I’m always looking to up my game, so I’d love to know what top coats you think are good 😊 - just *having* a top coat has changed my whole nail polish adventure 😅😊
Underglow = underwhelmed. HT's swatches are typically really true to life so when I saw how streaky the preview swatches were, I knew it would be problematic. I thought it had mooncat Twice Upon a Fairytale set vibes, but without the fun lol. I have everything HT released in the first 5 years, so I'm not hating on HT as a whole, just this collection. but I will say, the formula comparison to dollar store polish is concerning because a drop in quality is something I feared when they started selling at Ulta
New collections don't go into ulta though. But hopefully this wont be the new standard with HT and it's a one off bad/not so great collection. 😢 I'm glad I skipped this one. Reminded me too much of mooncat polishes.
Sad about this one because I think a fresh take on winter landscapes and light/shadow could be so ethereal and stunning! If the formulas had been better and the pigments and shimmer had been punched up more, this would have been a dream winter collection for me. Also Spirit Fingers is one of my favorite polishes of all time, and was drooling at the idea of more like that, perhaps white based ones too. Dang!
It's always good to be honest about polishes - you receive them in PR for your honest review, so you're doing the brand a big favor by giving them that constructive feedback that they can then use to improve their work going forward. :) It's hard to do that because a lot of people don't want to seem negative or critique something that they like, but it's good to be critical of things and look at it from an objective lens because otherwise we miss out on learning important things we would have otherwise missed. I hope your viewers can understand this and won't give you crap for being honest. ❤
I wanted to love these but they more pearlized than I thought they would be. I have some similar mooncat shimmers but they don’t show brush strokes in the same way
I really appreciate the honest review! I am a huge Holo Taco fan but was questioning buying this collection. The colors are very similar to ones I have from other brands. You helped me with my FOMO. Thank you for keeping it real!
I haven’t ordered this collection yet and am still not sure I’m going to. The box is stunning, but the polishes are just meh. I appreciate your honest reviews, especially when you don’t care for a collection. I think you just helped me make my decision 😊
I appreciate your honesty so much! I know I can always trust your reviews, and I've never been let down. Thank you for delivering awesome and consistent content! Authenticity like yours is so appreciated!
I wonder if you might’ve gotten a bad batch or I have a great one maybe. I purchased vitamin glow and cloud nine and they are exactly the same formula to me. Vitamin glow was not harder to work with like how you’ve explained. But not sure why.
I was underwhelmed by the polishes before launch day. When I saw the full video, I wasn’t excited about any of them which made me happy because I didn’t spend money. 😂 I think Cristine is excited by the shimmers that have been in a LOT of Holo Taco polishes lately. I’m not a fan of it especially when the shimmer is a different color than the polish itself. On the white one, I’ve seen multiple reviewers have issues with that one. 🤷🏻♀️ I’m not sure what they’ve said about the others specifically because it seems I zoned out while the swatched and talked. This collection just didn’t get me excited. 🤷🏻♀️I do know multiple haven’t been excited overall either. Thank you for your honest review! You’re the best!❤
I hope Cristine's "add shimmer to ALL the polishes!!!" phase ends soon. Though my bank account would rather she keep it up so I'm less interested in her polishes, lol.
They are all pretty shades but you can clearly see this formula is just not quite working the best yet. I fully appreciate your honest pros and grows observations and critiques as they help me to make informed purchase decisions.
Thank you for your honesty in this review. I’ve gotten nearly every HT launch ever, but this year, I’ve been a little more picky with the polishes I’m buying. I initially had some reservations about this collection, and this just adds to my concerns. I really like Phantom Call and Vitamin Glow but now, I feel I might just get one polish from this collection. If it’s hard for you to swatch then it’s definitely gonna be tough for me. I value your opinion. Thanks again and I hope you never feel anxious to give an honest negative review. They are necessary for improvement ❤️
I appreciate the honest review Kelli~ I did buy the collection box with intent to gift 4 of the 6, then repurchase for myself later. But if these are patchy and thick, I don't want to gift them and give a bad first impression to a non-HT fan. I suppose I will layer corresponding cremes underneath to try to obscure any patchiness. hey it'll help me use up some of the pastel and don't tell cremes although I shouldn't have to do this for the HT price point. Oh well. At least I like the box.
Glad I only picked up the one (Moon Lagoon) lol. I'm an old hand at bad polish so I'm sure I'll still get a great mani out of it, but I'd certainly prefer a struggle free polish. Thank you for the honesty and glad your comments section isn't overrun with irate HT stans (yet?)...I feel like some of them have grown up and chilled out over the past couple years. At least I hope so, as I hate being in bad company.
I've had to remove a few intense ones lol but thankfully it seems like most people are being super understanding! Honestly I love HT and I loved their birthstone collection so much so hopefully people know that it's not a slight to the brand in any way 😅
The things you dislike are the things I like and that's okay 🤷♀but some of these commenters seem to think their opinions are objective fact. Lots of people love and appreciate this collection :)
I'm glad someone else is saying something. I bought 3 of the colors and was terribly disappointed in all 3. My pink goes on patchy and turned almost white as it dried. 3 coats only made it worse. The dark blue is after 3 coats, mottled and looks blotchy with patches grey and yellow looking. I have over 50 colors of Holo Taco so I'm not a newbie or a Karen. I honestly thought I got a bad batch but all 3 colors were blotchy and bad ...😢
Interesting! I only got Cloud Nine and Phantom call which according to you are the only nice formulas! So, because I didn't like the other colours, I inadvertently dodged the bad formulas. :D I am lucky, for once!
Honestly when I saw the full collection, I went back to your Orly swatches because they also looked so familiar to me!! I ended up getting Shadow Lake in my BF order anyways, so I’m excited to try it out. Thanks for the honest review!!!
I love the honest review here. I have had bad luck with holo taco chipping super fast so i no longer buy them but i was curious about this because they look so similar to some older mooncat colors. Your eye makeup is STUNNING!!!
Hey Kelli! Super appreciate the honest review. Every live swatch I’ve seen I’ve thought the formulas did not look good and took far too many coats for opacity, especially because these nail polishes are quite expensive. Definitely not worth it IMO. Your honestly and genuine thoughts are extremely appreciated by your community! 💜 Also loooove your makeup today (although it always looks great haha)
Kelli, I truly appreciate your honesty. I was very disappointed in the color story given it's the last box of the year and previous collections towards the end of the year were more holiday. I felt like these would be maybe a good spring collection but the colors looked very Maybelline from the 90's, except Phantom Call. I saw someone elses video swatches and I could see the application issues even though they weren't as straightforward as your explanations. I'm very glad I skipped this collection. I also think you may get a lot of hate because some Holo Taco fans are just too much. I've loved Cristine's videos from way before she had polish company so I understand people have a connection with her but they can get very mean unfortunately. Thank you for the fantastic video as always! :)
I got the cloud nine, shadow lake and the deeper purple and thought the formulas were fine. To be fair she did advertise them as subtle (underglow) shades and the three shades i got were not gummy or hard to use at all.
I'm glad you didn't have any issues with yours! I'm thinking there were batch inconsistencies because comments are divided 😅 hopefully they can replace any bad bottles tho!
Appreciate you so much for your honesty! Can you imagine being sensitive about respectful criticism towards a nail polish brand? Lol also have seen other reviews complain about the formula. Yeah this collection was so underwhelming to me, I've seen all of these shades and finishes except for one, in the drugstore at some point. Can't stop thinking about how awesome glitter holos would be with these shades or some other special finish. It doesn't scratch my holiday itch at all. Looking forward to ILNP's last drop op the year. I've been loving their collections this year, unique and very creative. Thanks again Kelli!
Sooo glad the only one that interested me from this was Phantom Call. Other than that one my initial reaction to this collection was that I could probably find similar shades from Mooncat and I'd probably like those more. (Honestly it kinda pushed me into putting a bunch of Mooncat shimmers I'd overlooked before on my wishlist)
REALLY appreciate an honest review. I had already decided to skip this collection as I have dupes of these colours. I think youre 100% correct that these type of sheer shimmers are commonly made by other brands. The colour story is still pretty and appropriate for winter tho. I could see folks buying this as the subtle neutral look is more professional/work appropriate.
🙄🫤 UA-cam channel Nicole Loves Nails also said same thing about the formula. She swatched all the colors and she has super duper long nails, total opposite of yours...so it's good to see variety of nails sizes. Thank you for your honesty and integrity.
I really appreciate your honesty even when you're anxious about sharing your opinion!
I hate stans and stan culture for creating a hostile environment for honest reviews :(
That's exactly what I was thinking! I hate it when a fandom gets so overprotective that they start hindering possible development. Locking everything in a false positive echo chamber is how brands start to fall off and wither.
Yeah it stinks because I think great brands NEED to hear the honest feedback in order to continue to make amazing products! If people keep buying the "bad" stuff and are too scared to acknowledge it, then the brand will assume that product is good and keep putting it out 😬
Uggggg HT stans are unsufferable. Like, I do like the brand, but there's lots of other good indie brands too, but HT stans poop on anything that isn't HT despite never trying it 😡
Agreed, I feel like HT and Mooncat are the 2 brands that I'm scared to say things about, even just in a neutral way.
@@KelliMarissa 💯
This is soooooo critical but it's good. Just because a brand makes great polishes, doesn't mean they will always be like that for every release. We all gotta hit the struggle bus once in a while! Thank you for such an honest review
As someone who's new to nail polish I would like to know what's more user friendly instead of going off what's beautiful and personally this was the first set I wanted bc that's how pretty they looked on her shorts ... but if I can't achieve that bc I'm new to this not true to this I'd be out of $ & probably wouldn't repurchase only bc I had a negative experience based on my experience as a at home nail polisher lol 😅
@@bunnybangz One coat black is the most beginner friendly for sure. Dark cremes like Indigo away too. The linear holos and the crushed holos like the coffee collection are too. And ofc the toppers. But in my opinion the most beginner friendly brand isnt HT but KBShimmer
@@Aurorya see thank you!!! I really appreciate the recommendation 🥹
@@bunnybangzI agree. KbShimmer for sure. Also, their top & basecoats are really good and way cheaper with a much bigger bottle.
Thank you Kelli! I know this wasn’t easy for you. HT has such a cult following that someone will have ugly comments, you know that. Just ignore it and keep being honest. Between your honesty and great personality you’re the main stream & boutique nail polish queen!❤
When I told an indie swatcher she was the KM of the indie community she told me she almost cried because she was so honored. She said it was one of the best compliments she had ever received. Grab your cap before your head starts swelling!😂😂😂
Love ya kiddo!❤
I’m glad Holo Taco still gives PR without expecting swatchers to only give positive reviews. This collection is not for me, I’m happy to save my money this round.
I suppose we won't know for sure until Kelly is still on the PR list next time, but I hope ao!
Yes I'm hopeful that critical reviews will be received well by the brand 😅
1. It would probably be a bad look for Holo Taco/Cristine to take people off the PR list for negative reviews😅
2. What I appreciate about Cristine is that she's a mature, established adult who handles criticism responsibly. I've never seen her make petty decisions on a large scale, especially when it comes to work and her businesses. She also really values conflict resolution and harmony (she is a Libra after all🤣), and she takes criticism as a helpful trajectory and revision instead of a personal attack.
At least that's what I've observed and concluded lol.
I’m a fan of Holo Taco but I really appreciate your honest review. It’s important that you call them like you see them and that’s why I’m a fan of you too!
Oh thank you so much ❤ I'm grateful that people have been understanding haha!!
I was just scrolling to say exactly the same. Honestly a Cristine and Holotaco stan for sure (I got up at 5am local time to buy this collection lol) but SO appreciate Kelli's honest, balanced reviews. Theres no malice, theres no unnecessary digs. Just honest open reviews that the polishes in colours and formula really didn't land.
Yes! And Simply has said before that she doesn’t want to lose sight of improving formulas just because her fan base is extremely supportive of what she does. She really values honest feedback I feel…
I feel like this was a bit of a throw away collection. The birthstone collection was so good that they probably could have ended the year on it without doing a Christmas/Winter drop.
This one seems like a January/winter collection to me, honestly. I still ordered it, because I am a (nearly) completionist of HT, but (aside from the purple and gold one, which I adore!), I don’t think I’ll wear these until after the holidays.
Agreed.
I was waiting for either some of the birthstone collection to comeback or a small glitter release, both would have been more exciting to me
Yeah I agree, I almost wish they had saved this collection for January because I think it being so close after the birthstone polishes made me even more disappointed 😅
Ya I did think the darker colors were the better ones if I was to get some. Knowing how light colors like that can be shear in there way and not newer friendly. I was wondering about those. But might down line get one or both dark ones
I just got this collection in the mail today, so I haven't swatched it yet but I love the color story! It's soft, icy, ethereal feeling to me. That being said, not every collection is everyone's favorite! I appreciate your honesty!
not the disclaimer off bat 😂 we love an honest queen
Hahaha I don't want anyone to be surprised 😂
@@KelliMarissagiving a TW for being honest is insane
@@thegreatplumwar7390 I'm always honest but a lot of people are sensitive about this particular brand since it was started by a big influencer 😅 even with the disclaimer I've gotten a few very angry comments lol
Thank you for being honest in your review. It would be weird if any brand never had room for improvement. Sometimes nail polish formulas just aren't easy to work with. I appreciate knowing that about any collection, because that's something that matters to me as a customer.
That is a very good point!! Brands can’t always be perfect.
I feel like it was just surprising that some of these were difficult to use after how good their other crelly shimmers were 😅 (spirit fingers, alien infatuation, inkwell ect)
This is why I watch your videos. You're honest, even if you love the brand. Sometimes brands mess up, and people need to let them know. And you do it in a way that's kind, but critical.
I also felt like this was a winter into spring collection instead of a holiday collection... i would've loved some glittery ones at this time of year. Thanks for your honest review!
To me it reminded me of wintery mornings.
Good point
Yeah, this feels like a good January release.
That’s cause it’s a winter collection not a holiday collection
Agree. It's good to have alternatives for colors we like.😊
I just got my collection in the mail, and I’m so bummed for you! I’m wondering if you maybe got a bad batch, because my formulas weren’t gloopy or patchy at all. (I trust that yours were, though!)
I honestly really love this collection, so it’s too bad that it didn’t work out for you 💓
Thank you for the honest review! I know it’s hard to be critical of a brand you love, but as a consumer I really appreciate it. One of the reasons I love your channel is that I trust that you are giving your real opinion, even when it’s less than laudatory.
I wonder if it’s a batch issue? I just got my collection in this morning and after letting them come to room temp they all have a super smooth and self leveling formula. They feel a bit runnier than I was expecting and they applied like a dream and weren’t very patchy (besides the first coat being super sheer)
I've been wondering the same thing. I'm wearing shadow lake right now and it applied like a dream, very smooth and leveled well. I've had a batch issue with another collection and the send me a new polish which was way beter.
I’m also wondering this. Mine arrived today and I haven’t found the formula to be gloopy or difficult to work with. Yes agree it’s a little sheer, but I like the way it’s built up
that's what i wondered while watching this. all the negative things she said about the formulas and application were not my experience when i got this collection so hers being a batch issue is exactly what i thought
Christine got me into nail polish. Ht was my thing for about 2 years, then I started watching your reviews and my collection expanded.
Really appreciate you continuing to give your honest opinion despite...some...people give you shhh about it. Longtime watcher because of your integrity. Thanks Kelli!
The disclaimer 😂 so funny but so real that it's needed
Edit: Thanks for your review! I ordered Phantom Call because of it. I wasn't going to get anything from this drop but it looks gorgeous on your nail
Haha I just have a feeling I'm gonna get some backlash for sharing this opinion 🥲🥲
I appreciate your honest opinion instead of sugar coating it.@@KelliMarissa
@@KelliMarissaI’m so thankful some people are still willing to give honest reviews, good or bad. It’s sad that Stan culture and the general public’s overall attitude have made it impossible to give constructive feedback/criticism these days. Thank you for this!
@@KelliMarissaI am praying you don’t get any backlash! I’m a huge supporter of HT, but I am also a huge fan of YOU and know your reviews are your honest feedback and are truly constructive criticism. Normal people can see that, so ignore those who can’t! 😊
@@KelliMarissa I'm a holotaco stan. I'll jump in on your defence anytime tho tbh.
When i saw this collection my first thought was how basic it looked. Like you said, after how amazing the birthday stone collection was, seeing something so uninspired was really disappointing. Saddier still to learn the formulas are also lacking. Im still looking forward to seeing their next collection though. Ive been a HT fan for a long time and this certainly doesnt change that. Thank you for your honest review. It is definitely appreciated.
I have not seen this video yet so I dont know about the formula but regarding the look I think it's great that HT mixes it up a little, personally I enjoy the more subtle look on most days so while I can appreciate a birthstone collection, I was so happy seeing this one because it's more my everyday kinda shades. So I think it's great that they differ so much to the last collection, because everyone has different styles and different preferences
Honestly I love a simple and elegant collection, I'm sad that this one was a disappointment 🙈 but I'm hoping the next collection will be twice as good haha! Nothing could beat those birthstone polishes this soon tbh 😅
I've found recently that some of the formulas have been gummy. I thought it was just user error.
Kellie, thank you! not everyone loves every collection or formula etc. We watch you because you are honest about not liking a polish and not gushing all over it if its not worth gushing over.
As a longtime Holo Taco fan, I really appreciate your honest review. This is why I usually watch your videos before purchasing new releases.
I passed on these because i have similar colors in mooncat. Also i have noticed the polishes seem to arrive more gummy and need thinner to work. She knocked it out of the park with the birthstone collection but everything else this year hasnt impressed me. Makes me sad but my wallet happy. Always love your honest reviews ❤
I also noticed they were similar to a LOT of Mooncat polishes.... Like I know there are only so many combinations of bases, shimmers, etc but these feel like a direct copy
@@jules4742they’re from the same place… I wonder if one of the workers is being shady!
I think these pale shimmery sheers are just tough to get right tbh 🫠
The birthstone collection didn't really do it for me but I've got so much joy and wear out of the Rock Candy collection and several of the Dark Academia collection. It's very much personal taste and we're all so different ❤
These sheers tempt me because I love micro shimmer and where I live they're not super common or easy to find in shops, having to build coverage might be worth it for the shades I like.
I immediately thought of Earth to Gaia and A Midsummers Dream when I saw this collection 😂 I’m also more of a mooncat person than HT, so I figured I’m biased
Should have just done the grey based rainbow micro-shimmer collection- like spirit fingers & alien infatuation, but every other color 🌈
I think that would have been stunning! Orly actually did a pearlized version of that last holiday season that I loved, but I think a more shimmery version would be amazing.
I didn't know I wanted that but now that you put it in my mind i desperately yearn for it 😭
That said, I really love the look of this collection, i am a sucker for any iridescent shimmer polishes. I especially love doing subtle stamping with them.
Defenetly!!!! 😅😊
Spirit fingers is SUCH a popular retired polish- I’m so surprised she hasn’t done more like that.
I would LOVE this!
I always watch your reviews and agree with you on just about everything, especially as to how you wear your polish. I had ordered this collection prior to your review coming out and I agree with a commenter below about a bad batch. My collection came in today and it painted very smooth and leveled evenly. The only color I did 3 coats on was swan song and it really may not have needed it. I was on the fence so tried it. Thank you for all the honest reviews. I did like this collection because it was so wintery instead of the traditional red and green I already have so many of.
It’s unfortunate because a lot of the great collections this year were limited edition but the main collection drops were disappointing
Yeah 😢 truly so frustrating!!
The Dark Academia collection was definitely not disappointing
@@taegan1831I agree this one was the most impressive drop since a while
@@taegan1831 I did enjoy that one, the shimmers were beautiful!
@@taegan1831That was the only good non-LE imo. This year was more disappointing.
Okay but Phantom Call looked absolutely gorgeous😍
I love your honesty and I know Cristine would want nothing less from a review.
Thank you for doing an honest review. I've seen other people talk about the same issues as you, but they seemed afraid to say anything constructive.
I have only swatched them so far. They worked great! I didn’t have any problems with streakiness, thickness or any of them being goopy.🎉🎉🎉🎉
I'm glad to hear that!! Which color is your fave so far?
@ Vitamin Glow and Phantom Call are absolutely gorgeous 💖. I like Moon Lagoon a lot, but I just can’t figure out how to wear it. I just can’t imagine wearing it as a full mani, and I’m not fully happy with the skittle that I came up with 😅
When I got into Indie polishes and have been watching you in last couple years, I'm trying to figure out what is going with Holo Taco..? I haven't purchased anything from her because the polishes have been so spotty as far as formula and the complaints are terrible from chipping easily, to bad thick formulas, staining and availability. I love your swatches, and you do a fabulous job, and I would never blame you for me not purchasing. I'm glad your honest and you're not the only one. Thank You for your swatches Kelli!! I'm still staying clear of Holo Taco.
This was a rare moment for you since you always seem to find something to like about most collections. Honestly, I prefer knowing when a collection doesn’t do so well. You shared your thoughts & experience respectfully so please don’t worry. I’m with you on preferring more routines to too many risks. My favorite routine is my weekly self manicure. 💅🏻 R🍁
Thank you for keeping your integrity in your reviews regardless of having to deal with a rabid fan base
Thank you for the honest review. I was about to buy the full set of these, so you saved me some $$$. With them being in ulta now, I hope they aren't changing their formulas to make it easier to mass produce
they definitely aren't, watch cristine's streams she explains
Thank you for your honest review. Had I purchased those, I would have thought there was something wrong with me and my application skills. We need to be able to give honest reviews - that's what a review IS!
Genuinely appreciate an honest review because I recently bought one of their full collections as a set and it was expensiiiiiiive. would have been devastated to spend that kind of money on a mediocre product.
I had zero desire for this collection and I’m glad I’m not alone
Same. Even the live stream bored me a little tbh but I ordered some wishlist items for Black Friday lol
@ I have some wishlist items as well
More money saved for the next collection! That's a good silver lining haha 😅
Ditto, I passed on this collection as well. 🤷♀️
@@KelliMarissahahaha exactly!
I watched this video out of curiosity since I was not planning on buying anything from this collection anyway. I've had a similar experience with some shimmer dense polishes from other brands where the formula was gummy and hard to work with. Personally I have not been buying from brands that don't consistently restock and that promote fomo, which is just a personal choice (or my way of coping after missing out on spirit fingers lol). And also the thermal collection from HT sold out pretty fast and I know a lot of people were disappointed at the time. I'm not sure if HT ever restocked those or if any of their other collections have been that limited, but it was enough of a turn off for me that I stopped buying from the brand. Appreciate your honesty in the video about this collection!
Wow! So happy to see the overwhelmingly supportive response in your comments!
You have negative reviews so seldomly that they really stand out when you do. The only other one I can think of was for a Mooncat collection that was similar to this, and it was also “gummy” and hard to work with. I had the same thoughts as you when trying to work with colors in that collection, so I’m glad that only one shade here made it into my cart! Thanks for your honesty!
Your honesty is why I always watch your videos before ordering.
Thank you for your honesty! Not every collection is going to be a home run. Your opinion is your opinion. You shouldn’t have to apologize for that.
I really appreciate the honest review. This is the second review I've watched and the polishes performed the same. I'm so glad I didn't automatically buy the collection. I had issues with the Rock Candy collection so I've decided to watch reviews before I buy full collections from Halo Taco.
did you have an issue with all of the polishes in the collection? i have blue rizzler and sugar rush on my wish list and now i'm second guessing it lol
I also got rock candy and my polishes worked fine, I wonder if it was a batch issue or if I just got lucky?
@@BrendaFOBRocks I had no issues with Blue Rizzler. It's a thicker formula but self-levels really well for me and it looks exactly as pretty as I expected. I don't have the others in that collection
@@emilyrasputin thank you! i might just risk it
@@BrendaFOBRocks no, blue rizzler was ok. My issue was with the consistency in the formula. Some of the polishes were thick and hard to work with. They didn't self level and chipped after two days. Not typical tip wear but chipping off in chunks. Sour Note was the worst for me. I wonder if it was my body chemistry or something. The polishes are so pretty though.
11:50 I was just going to say that it’s good they generally work to improve formulas based on customer feedback. Not milky white, the magnetics, and the wide thick brush are all good examples of them looking at feedback and working on things.
Hopefully they’ll look to improve this formula in future restocks or in future similar formulas.
Omg your makeup looks so prettyyyyyy. Your blend game is amazing
Oh gosh thank you so much!! 🥰🥰
I LOVE Halo Taco polishes, but I appreciate hearing people's honest reviews, even if they aren't the best, because it shows just how different peoples views can be!
Also, if no honest experiences are shared how is the company that everyone loves so much supposed to respond if no one actually gives the correct kind of critique. As long as your respectful about it and treat every company you review the same, which is what I’ve seen over the years. I don’t see a single problem! Thank you for being brave and doing what should be expected as a reviewr ❤
I personally loved all these colors with the contrasting shimmers ❤ but everyone's taste is different. I did a winter nail art using vitamin glow as a base and swan song snowflakes, and the transparency gave a really cool effect! I didn't personally experience any gumminess luckily
Safe and boring is underrated. My big leap was red tennis shoes and I’m good through the new year on risk taking. 😊 this collection was easy to pass up. I was going to try the bday collection but it was irritating that I wasn’t able to get them. I’m not doing nail polish FOMO anymore. My experience is that polish makers dupe themselves and each other so even if I didn’t get something I can keep on the lookout for something similar if I don’t completely forget about before then. I sure do love your swatches and value your input.
Also to add onto the duping themselves, I think a lot of brands also share suppliers. I've definitely seen the same glitter, shimmer, holos etc in a few brands releasing VERY close together. I don't go for FOMO because I can probably find similar in another brand.
I got two sets for Christmas gifts. Well at least the presentation will be nice. The indie polish community is getting oversaturated with too many dupes
Holo Taco is one of the only nail polish brands I use and hopefully they take this feedback into consideration. I appreciate you sharing your opinion - you are definitely not alone in your disappointment with this launch!
Thank you for your honest review Kelly, I’m a huge fan of Holo Taco but when I saw these polishes, I was disappointed. I was expecting something magical and grand for a Holoday/winter collection, but these seem too basic for me. Also, I watch other swatchers on YT and they’re ALWAYS positive and that seems inauthentic. Maybe they don’t post the polishes they don’t like, but to *always* say positive things is annoying and quite frankly, a bit dishonest too.
I've missed you! I've been extremely sick. But I'm here and READY!!!
1000%, I value your honest feedback.
It's why I love your videos.
I hope you're feeling better now!! I'm glad to see you back ❤️❤️
this was the nicest negative review so please don’t feel you overstepped in your points you made about the formula and color story - even when you have criticisms, you are polite and honest about them. while i wasn’t looking at this collection at all, i do come to your swatch videos for several other brands before purchasing, so it’s nice to know if there was something off about a release, you would note it.
it's interesting to love a brand so much that you'd be mad at someone else's opinion on a single collection. it's a brand, not a friend. anyway, glad that you feel safe enough to be honest in your opinions! i've heard Christine loves to make a thicker polish. i've only watched 2 other reviews and one was positive and one was mixed.
I think because a lot of people jump on immediately buying just to get the collection boxes and stuff so the idea of it not being worth rushing to get it or the premium price will hurt them in personal ways that shouldn't hurt them
HT is very parasocial though (but I agree it's not a good reason)
I prefer their thinner formulas but I don't think they sell it like that anymore because they sell polish-thinner as a sperate product now :/
@@ninadreams127 which is crazy overpriced for thinner!
For the price people pay for these, I would be disappointed. It’s so cheap and easy to make holo polish, especially gel that dries and lasts a long time. Swan Song is usually sheer, Wet N Wild had this shade for years- it looks great as a French manicure.
LOVE your honesty! I know it's hard to be authentic when it's negative, but what's the point (for us) of reviewing if everything is always positive and not genuine. Thank you for your reviews!
Thank you for this honest review. HT sparked a love of indy polish for me and I will always ❤ for that.
But the catch 22 is, now I know how special indy polishes can be, and I am much choosier.
I only ended up with Shadow Call this release, I may lose my holo royalty status soon because I'm just bored with HT this year. While that's a me problem, I think it's unfortunate that for over $20.00 CDN you can end up with a gummy polish formula.
I would encourage folks to expand beyond HT and support smaller brands!
Exactly my position
I agree with you. I am in the Uk, so postage and taxes are around the cost of 2/3 polishes. So, if I can get the same or better for less, it makes it hard to justify buying the HT. Also, I have managed to try 4 of the rock candy collection, out of the 12. Same with a lot of other collections. Knowing that the Neons and Thermals, as well as the frosted metals have a life span, means I know I already have polishes that will change or die before I can get good use out of them.
What other brands do you like?
@cauliflower8059 oh gosh I'm so glad you asked! Lol
To dip your toes, ILNP. By far the most robust library of shades and finishes for pretty reasonable $$$. But from there, my favorite brands are Polished For Days, Kathleen & Co, Gardenpath Lacquer, Cuticula, Ethereal Lacquer, Emily De Molly...I'm sure others may chime in, but I find these brands in particular release the most special polishes.
@imfoxhunt love these. No one mention ppu lol. Oh my, my bank hates me.
Really appreciate honest reviews! If someone always only has positive things to say, I don’t really trust their opinions. Appreciate your honesty!
I ordered the collection and am waiting to receive it. Will get back to you after I swatch the polishes. I normally love the brand and am now a little nervous, but really apppreciate your honesty.
Me too! 😬
Same here!
Same here, i hope the polish thinner will help a little
@@shannonphillips3717 Nicole Loves Nails added thinner to hers for this collection and said it really helped!
I'd also suggest watching My Simple Little Pleasures stream on this collection. I'm not an HT stan for stans sake but it was good to see her positive experience with them too.
Thank u for the honest review. Super fans might be after you later but u were so respectful and helpful
I just got moon lagoon and I love it, wonder if the PR packaging had bad batches because the application wasn't particulary bad for me and I'm far for being a pro at painting my nail
TFS. I’m so happy you gave an honest review. I have purchased things that were given great reviews and terrible in reality. All reviews should be your real opinion. That’s what makes you great at what you do. 💕💕
As always, I so appreciate your honesty. I have high expectations for polishes in this price point, especially for a brand that has made it into a more mainstream platform like Ulta. I can love a brand or creator but still demand that they release quality products. I think Halo Taco has made big strides in formulas, but what sucks for me is that when I start to feel like "YES, this is now a reliable brand" they seem to have a big miss quality-wise that ends that win streak. They haven't been able to maintain consistency in their quality for long enough that I feel comfortable recommending the brand to my friends and family. The worst part is these reviews come out late, and most people aren't as honest in reviews. You're only the second person to be transparent about the formula issues. So I am sad that I already spent this money but I am thankful that I didn't go ahead and buy multiples of this collection (I did like this color story).
Safe and boring. I already love my safe and boring life. I no longer have mega career aspirations either. I just want to coast a while.
I was waiting for your review of it because I know of at least 1 other swatcher on here that wasn’t impressed and had issues with it being streaky & patchy. I’m glad you are being honest instead of only hyping every release even if you don’t like it/have issues with the formula. So thank you for being honest 🖤
I was very excited seeing these colors because they reminded me of the pure ice Polishes which are the first polishes I remember using myself. Wasn't able to purchase this collection but happy I saw reviews of the new formula first
I appreciate that you give solid reasons for why you don’t like a particular polish. I’ve been watching your videos for years now, and this is one of the reasons why I keep watching. I’ve also been watching Cristine for years and I know she values constructive criticism so that she can keep improving and selling excellent products. I remember when she reformulated Not Milky White and Royal-Tea Blue due to customer feedback, so I know she takes that feedback to heart and really listens.
Thank you so much for your honest and constructive reviews! I know when I see a thumbnail for one of your videos that suggests a product was not good, I’m even more inclined to watch because I know you clearly give a reason.
I love Holo Taco, and I appreciate your honesty. The brand isn't perfect, so people that can't take the criticism need to chill. I've been saying for years that the formula for Glossy Taco is awful, but I still like the brand. Just not that product.
I ordered Shadow Lake and Phantom Call on launch day, I'm glad to hear your thoughts on them so I know what to expect!
Can I ask why you don’t like it? It’s the first brand I ever reliably bought, and I didn’t even know I needed a top coat before that 😮 - so, as far as my limited knowledge goes, it works for me - though I do have to thin it out often throughout the bottle lifespan, which seems fine (and 2 bottles where refunded bc of some weird consistency issue, so customer service is fantastic, imo )- but I’m always looking to up my game, so I’d love to know what top coats you think are good 😊 - just *having* a top coat has changed my whole nail polish adventure 😅😊
Underglow = underwhelmed. HT's swatches are typically really true to life so when I saw how streaky the preview swatches were, I knew it would be problematic. I thought it had mooncat Twice Upon a Fairytale set vibes, but without the fun lol. I have everything HT released in the first 5 years, so I'm not hating on HT as a whole, just this collection. but I will say, the formula comparison to dollar store polish is concerning because a drop in quality is something I feared when they started selling at Ulta
New collections don't go into ulta though. But hopefully this wont be the new standard with HT and it's a one off bad/not so great collection. 😢
I'm glad I skipped this one. Reminded me too much of mooncat polishes.
Sad about this one because I think a fresh take on winter landscapes and light/shadow could be so ethereal and stunning! If the formulas had been better and the pigments and shimmer had been punched up more, this would have been a dream winter collection for me. Also Spirit Fingers is one of my favorite polishes of all time, and was drooling at the idea of more like that, perhaps white based ones too. Dang!
I agree with this too. The idea was great but just not fully executed imo
It reminds me of a cold toned eyeshadow pallet!!! I really like the color story, it’s such a shame that the formula is causing issues….
I have the full collection and have painted each one. They all applied beautifully for me with no issues.
@heatherprice8662 Glad to hear that! Still considering a few of the shades!
It's always good to be honest about polishes - you receive them in PR for your honest review, so you're doing the brand a big favor by giving them that constructive feedback that they can then use to improve their work going forward. :) It's hard to do that because a lot of people don't want to seem negative or critique something that they like, but it's good to be critical of things and look at it from an objective lens because otherwise we miss out on learning important things we would have otherwise missed. I hope your viewers can understand this and won't give you crap for being honest. ❤
I wanted to love these but they more pearlized than I thought they would be. I have some similar mooncat shimmers but they don’t show brush strokes in the same way
Yeah these reminded me honestly of lower quality versions of polishes I've seen a million times 😢😢
I really appreciate the honest review! I am a huge Holo Taco fan but was questioning buying this collection. The colors are very similar to ones I have from other brands. You helped me with my FOMO. Thank you for keeping it real!
I am wondering if yours were heated or frozen in shipping because mine wasn't hard to apply at all.
Love the honest opinion and review. Never buy polish that you haven't reviewed. Some of the colors were pretty, but I'd pass at that price.
I haven’t ordered this collection yet and am still not sure I’m going to. The box is stunning, but the polishes are just meh. I appreciate your honest reviews, especially when you don’t care for a collection. I think you just helped me make my decision 😊
I appreciate your honesty so much! I know I can always trust your reviews, and I've never been let down. Thank you for delivering awesome and consistent content! Authenticity like yours is so appreciated!
I wonder if you might’ve gotten a bad batch or I have a great one maybe. I purchased vitamin glow and cloud nine and they are exactly the same formula to me. Vitamin glow was not harder to work with like how you’ve explained. But not sure why.
I was underwhelmed by the polishes before launch day. When I saw the full video, I wasn’t excited about any of them which made me happy because I didn’t spend money. 😂
I think Cristine is excited by the shimmers that have been in a LOT of Holo Taco polishes lately. I’m not a fan of it especially when the shimmer is a different color than the polish itself.
On the white one, I’ve seen multiple reviewers have issues with that one. 🤷🏻♀️ I’m not sure what they’ve said about the others specifically because it seems I zoned out while the swatched and talked. This collection just didn’t get me excited. 🤷🏻♀️I do know multiple haven’t been excited overall either.
Thank you for your honest review! You’re the best!❤
I hope Cristine's "add shimmer to ALL the polishes!!!" phase ends soon. Though my bank account would rather she keep it up so I'm less interested in her polishes, lol.
@ same. Hahaha!
They are all pretty shades but you can clearly see this formula is just not quite working the best yet. I fully appreciate your honest pros and grows observations and critiques as they help me to make informed purchase decisions.
Thank you so much for your honesty. Brands tend to make mistakes. Your criticism is done professionally. More respect to you. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for your honesty in this review. I’ve gotten nearly every HT launch ever, but this year, I’ve been a little more picky with the polishes I’m buying. I initially had some reservations about this collection, and this just adds to my concerns. I really like Phantom Call and Vitamin Glow but now, I feel I might just get one polish from this collection. If it’s hard for you to swatch then it’s definitely gonna be tough for me. I value your opinion. Thanks again and I hope you never feel anxious to give an honest negative review. They are necessary for improvement ❤️
Thank you so much for your honesty Kelli - it’s what makes your channel so great 😊
I appreciate the honest review Kelli~ I did buy the collection box with intent to gift 4 of the 6, then repurchase for myself later. But if these are patchy and thick, I don't want to gift them and give a bad first impression to a non-HT fan. I suppose I will layer corresponding cremes underneath to try to obscure any patchiness. hey it'll help me use up some of the pastel and don't tell cremes although I shouldn't have to do this for the HT price point. Oh well. At least I like the box.
I feel like this was a fair and respectful review even if your experience wasn't so great. Simply will probably take note and work with it. 💅
Glad I only picked up the one (Moon Lagoon) lol. I'm an old hand at bad polish so I'm sure I'll still get a great mani out of it, but I'd certainly prefer a struggle free polish. Thank you for the honesty and glad your comments section isn't overrun with irate HT stans (yet?)...I feel like some of them have grown up and chilled out over the past couple years. At least I hope so, as I hate being in bad company.
I've had to remove a few intense ones lol but thankfully it seems like most people are being super understanding! Honestly I love HT and I loved their birthstone collection so much so hopefully people know that it's not a slight to the brand in any way 😅
I already have a bunch of these exact colors from moon cat so I was fine sitting this one out. Sounds like I made the right decision.
The things you dislike are the things I like and that's okay 🤷♀but some of these commenters seem to think their opinions are objective fact. Lots of people love and appreciate this collection :)
I'm glad someone else is saying something. I bought 3 of the colors and was terribly disappointed in all 3. My pink goes on patchy and turned almost white as it dried. 3 coats only made it worse. The dark blue is after 3 coats, mottled and looks blotchy with patches grey and yellow looking. I have over 50 colors of Holo Taco so I'm not a newbie or a Karen.
I honestly thought I got a bad batch but all 3 colors were blotchy and bad ...😢
Interesting! I only got Cloud Nine and Phantom call which according to you are the only nice formulas! So, because I didn't like the other colours, I inadvertently dodged the bad formulas. :D I am lucky, for once!
I only picked up Phantom Call so I breathed a sigh of relief when you said you loved it!
Honestly when I saw the full collection, I went back to your Orly swatches because they also looked so familiar to me!! I ended up getting Shadow Lake in my BF order anyways, so I’m excited to try it out. Thanks for the honest review!!!
I love the honest review here. I have had bad luck with holo taco chipping super fast so i no longer buy them but i was curious about this because they look so similar to some older mooncat colors.
Your eye makeup is STUNNING!!!
I appreciate an honest, nicely-worded review. Thank you.
Hey Kelli! Super appreciate the honest review. Every live swatch I’ve seen I’ve thought the formulas did not look good and took far too many coats for opacity, especially because these nail polishes are quite expensive. Definitely not worth it IMO. Your honestly and genuine thoughts are extremely appreciated by your community! 💜 Also loooove your makeup today (although it always looks great haha)
Kelli, I truly appreciate your honesty. I was very disappointed in the color story given it's the last box of the year and previous collections towards the end of the year were more holiday. I felt like these would be maybe a good spring collection but the colors looked very Maybelline from the 90's, except Phantom Call. I saw someone elses video swatches and I could see the application issues even though they weren't as straightforward as your explanations. I'm very glad I skipped this collection. I also think you may get a lot of hate because some Holo Taco fans are just too much. I've loved Cristine's videos from way before she had polish company so I understand people have a connection with her but they can get very mean unfortunately. Thank you for the fantastic video as always! :)
I got the cloud nine, shadow lake and the deeper purple and thought the formulas were fine. To be fair she did advertise them as subtle (underglow) shades and the three shades i got were not gummy or hard to use at all.
I'm glad you didn't have any issues with yours! I'm thinking there were batch inconsistencies because comments are divided 😅 hopefully they can replace any bad bottles tho!
I always appreciate honest reviews, it builds my trust for you!
Thank you Kelli for keeping it real, you're the best! 💜
Appreciate you so much for your honesty! Can you imagine being sensitive about respectful criticism towards a nail polish brand? Lol also have seen other reviews complain about the formula. Yeah this collection was so underwhelming to me, I've seen all of these shades and finishes except for one, in the drugstore at some point. Can't stop thinking about how awesome glitter holos would be with these shades or some other special finish. It doesn't scratch my holiday itch at all. Looking forward to ILNP's last drop op the year. I've been loving their collections this year, unique and very creative. Thanks again Kelli!
THANK YOU! I was watching swatches and thought they looked patchy and thick and thought it was just me! I feel so validated haha
I only really like 2 colours, but after the birth stones collection, I don't feel compelled to buy any in all honesty, thanks for your honesty ❤
Sooo glad the only one that interested me from this was Phantom Call. Other than that one my initial reaction to this collection was that I could probably find similar shades from Mooncat and I'd probably like those more. (Honestly it kinda pushed me into putting a bunch of Mooncat shimmers I'd overlooked before on my wishlist)
REALLY appreciate an honest review. I had already decided to skip this collection as I have dupes of these colours. I think youre 100% correct that these type of sheer shimmers are commonly made by other brands. The colour story is still pretty and appropriate for winter tho. I could see folks buying this as the subtle neutral look is more professional/work appropriate.
🙄🫤 UA-cam channel Nicole Loves Nails also said same thing about the formula. She swatched all the colors and she has super duper long nails, total opposite of yours...so it's good to see variety of nails sizes. Thank you for your honesty and integrity.