For a long time, as a kid, this was my favorite color:

And I still like it an awful lot, but ever since I was about 15 I’ve been all about something more like this:

(those pics stolen from the lovely Jess Ivey, aka neonbruises.tumblr.com)

It’s somewhat irrelevant to use makeup shots as illustrations, since I almost never wear makeup. I love these sorts of pictures, though. Anyway, in that second color vein (so vascular), I am and have been in utter love with MAC’s Vintage Vamp nail polish. Yes, I realize that sounds ridiculous. I feel increasingly silly shelling out for it as time passes since the price keeps going up and up…from a dealable $9 to a borderline $11 and, now, $18. EIGHTEEN DOLLARS FOR FREAKIN’ NAIL POLISH?!?!

But I can’t find this precise color in any other brand. I think I’ve spent at least $40 in the last year trying other, cheaper similar colors in vain (not vascular).

It’s just so beautiful. If True Blood were a nail polish, it would be Vintage Vamp.