Nail Polish Stress Test: CVS Pop-Arazzi Surf or Turf and Head Over Teals

CVS recently came out with their own exclusive line of nail polish called Pop-Arazzi. I haven’t heard much about it. What little I have heard has been overwhelmingly negative. When I heard it was on sale for $.99 instead of the usual $2.99, there was only one thing to do – go get some for science!

I figured the polishes’ reputation was in full play when I got to CVS on the last day of the sale. I was expecting to find little more than top coats and boring colors. Instead I found a pretty good selection to work with. I was tempted to load up, but the knowledge that I was potentially buying loser polish made me hold back. I chose Surf or Turf which is a minty pastel green with a slight shimmer, and Head Over Teals. Betcha can’t guess what color that is? 

Both these polishes have a stronger smell than average. I can see where this could be a problem for some people, but after the misery that was the Walgreen’s Four Pack, I really didn’t think it was bad at all. I definitely didn’t feel like I needed to air out my apartment afterwards this time. I was able to get full coverage in two coats. One odd thing is that after they both dried, they smelled kind of like candy for a few hours. The next day the smell was completely gone though. 

Head Over Teals will stamp no problem. Surf or Turf was a bit odd. When I was testing it out on a practice wheel, it stamped quite well. 

When I tried stamping something else on myself, not so much. I threw a coat of Seche Vite on top and left it at that. 

I had no luck water marbling with these polishes.

So, how did it do?

 Pretty well all things considered. 

I noticed after it dried (but before I top coated) it had the same finish as Zoya Thea, and Republic Nail Gel Effect Monaco, two polishes that didn’t do well, so I was expecting epic fail time. I did have some noticeable chips and tip wear by the end of the day, but nothing outside the norm.

Surf or Turf Verdict: Good

This one held up pretty well. I have no regrets spending $.99 on it. Would I spend $2.99? Probably not, especially since it’s not as versatile as other polishes I’ve bought in that price range. 

Head Over Teals Verdict: Good

Like Surf or Turf, I think this is best purchased on sale, although this one has the added benefit of being good for stamping. I was also pleased that it didn't stain.