For this comparison, I used:
Pure Ice French Kiss
Dior Electric Blue
Nails Inc. Baker Street
Nails Inc. Tudor Way
RBL IKB: 2012
 |
| Blue Comparison |
There are two very close matches among those five. Can you see them? Can you pick out which is which?
 |
| Blue Comparison |
Okay, FINE, I'll tell you which is which. Tudor Way was easy, but how did you do on the others?
 |
| Blue Comparison |
 |
| Blue Comparison |
 |
| Blue Comparison |
 |
| Blue Comparison |
So, as you can see, Dior Electric Blue and Nails Inc. Baker Street are very similar. I don't really have a favorite between the two. Both had extraordinary formulas. Very smooth, easy application. The Dior is the tiniest bit brighter in person and is just slightly less opaque. Dior is $23 and Nails Inc. ranges from $9.50 to $14.
I am sure you also noticed how close Pure Ice French Kiss and RBL IKB: 2012 are. I DO happen to have a favorite between these two. The Pure Ice formula is infinitely better than RBL's formula. Yes, I said it. I'm sorry, but I have to be honest or else what's the point? I absolutely hated the RBL formula. It was gloopy and not even slightly self-leveling. Pure Ice was smooth and easy. Is the color 100% identical? No, but I'd say it's "almost" identical. Pure Ice is $1.98 and RBL is $20. Doesn't compute. If it's a polish I love, I'll gladly shell out the $$ for it, but NOT for a label only.
Here's a close-up of RBL IKB: 2012 - trying to show how lumpy it was. And I'm no amateur when it comes to polishing my own nails. Even "quick and dirty" I can get a good result. Some formulas have different characteristics and I adjust accordingly when I can, i.e. two thin coats, don't over-manipulate, etc. to avoid issues. This one just simply wasn't cooperating.
What do you think? Do you have any of these? Do you like the comparison posts?
If you enjoyed this post, please take a second to "like" it! Thanks!
.
made for a nice almost ombre mani!
ReplyDeleteEXCELLENT POST! I missed out on IKB and am looking forward to picking up the Pure Ice!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE comparison posts! They save me money...usually. LOL I still really want Electric Blue and Baker Street. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteThank you for killing my RBL lemming, I *am* a bit of an amateur when it comes to painting my nails, and I do not have the patience to wrangle a difficult polish. I will content myself with Revlon Royal which is quite nice. I really like your comparison swatches, very useful.
ReplyDeleteAwesome comparison post!!! I freaking love blue, and I think I just may have to get Tudor Way... very TARDIS. :D
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this post! I loved the way the RBL looked, but I'm so glad that I have French Kiss (the first polish my boyfriend bought me <3) especially now that I know how similar the two are color-wise.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU!!!
ReplyDeleteI love comparison posts - I ordered Baker street a couple of days ago - nice to know it's a dupe for a Dior! May go looking for that Pure Ice color now. Too funny that it's a better formula than a polish 10x the price.
ReplyDeleteYES! I've been waiting for a comparison posts with blues like this. Thank you! The only problem is now I need Tudor Way along with Baker St. You're helping me put together my birthday Sephora list! :P
ReplyDeleteAwesome post! I missed out on IKB as well, and it bums me out even with that Pure Ice dupe. There's a lot of energy and inspiration behind the RBLs that other polishes just don't have and I feel like buying those is like buying art as much as it is possible in the polish world. Colorwise, I have heard that Revlon Royal is actually a truer, less dusty blue than IKB, but I've never seen those side by side.
ReplyDeleteI have almost picked up this Pure Ice blue about a dozen times & keep passing it up. Not sure I will be able to now!
ReplyDeleteI always love comparison post!! Thanks for sharing..Now I really wish we have Nails Inc. here!!
ReplyDeleteI like comparison posts! :) I was lusting after the Rescue Beauty Lounge IK Blue because it looked like such a vivid blue in peoples posts... I can see the Pure ICE is a bit duller but still a nice color.
ReplyDeleteI would pick up the Nails Inc Baker Street over Dior.
For some reason I thought Dior polish wasn't cruelty free...
comparisons with good analysis are VERY helpful. I also love Baker Street and think Revlon Royal should have been included but perhaps its not as close to IKB as I have been led to believe. I just can't see buying a polish known for its amazing formula and then choosing a color where the formula has been widely criticized. On the other hand I'm 2 for 2 in finding the formula not as wonderful as A. England but I do think some of the colors are sufficiently unique to ARGUABLY justify the price. Thanks for your posts. Always worth reading considering the pointless nature of this entire topic.
ReplyDeletei prefer with Nails Inc. Tudor Way
ReplyDeletefind me♥
Twitter // Blog // Facebook
Awesome awesome comparison post!! I wish I will be able to do something like that when I grow up!!! ♥
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to say that at this point, I own none of these. I am secretly wishing that Baker Street will be in my Nails inc lucky dip, but I still don't know.
And my favorites in this post, after reading your review is by far baker Street and French Kiss.
oh, btw - I recognized them all in the first photo ;-)
Great compariosn post. Love these shades, but Baker Street is my favorite :)
ReplyDeleteWow, I love blues so I had to read this post..surprised I don't own any of these yet. i am going to look for that Pure Ice French Kiss ( a blue kiss??!) because it's so pretty. Thank you for the honest evaluation of RBL . Have not shelled out for these spendy numbers yet, and don't plan to now!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant comparison post. I'm in love with baker street, I definitely need it in my collection :)
ReplyDeleteI love all the colors and especially the much cheaper dupes!
ReplyDeleteBoston Princess
I love all of the blue nail polish! It's my favorite color :) New follower.
ReplyDeleteCierra @ Sugar & Spice
I love that you were honest about preferring Pure Ice! Let's face it, we all need to stretch our dollars as far as we can these days and if I can get a good or better polish for $18 cheaper...more polishes for me! Thanks for taking the time to do this. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post!! Two others that come to mind, that are two I have and love, are Revlon Royal and Essie Mesmerize. :)
ReplyDeleteAh thank you! I think you've saved me from having to track down a bottle of Baker Street as I have Dior Electric Blue and they look almost identical from your pics. I compared EB to a cheapie drug store polish I found here called Ulta3 Blue Marlin - it looks very similar to IBK in your pics (I did a post earlier this week comparing EB, BM and Illamasqua Force). If you're interested I'd be happy to send you a bottle of BM as I'd love to see it compared to IBK (which I don't own). You can contact me via my blog (link in blogger profile) or am LacquerCF on twitter. Interesting your comments re IBK formula. Have tried a couple of other RBLs very recently and found them to be lovely but perhaps it's not a bad thing I missed the boat on IBK.
ReplyDeleteWow, great comparisons!
ReplyDeleteGreat comparison post! I've been on the hunt for a nice royal blue, and RBL was definitely up there. I think I like the RBL color the best, but I'm disappointed to hear it doesn't have a great formula. Looks like I'll be getting French Kiss instead. ^^
ReplyDelete