** This post was written by Fiona. She no longer blogs for Swatch And Learn. However, Mary still continues to blog and will be happy to reply to your comment. **

There was a time when I wanted to hide myself. It was a self-esteem issue: I didn’t like people looking at me and seeing my flaws. I liked playing with makeup back then, too, but the colors I chose were always very subtle and neutral. The same goes with nail polishes. Even the finish – somehow in my head, I thought that mattes were less attention-grabbing than high-gloss finishes.

I’ve slowly broken out of that shell and embraced myself, even if it’s just a little. The makeup that I’m choosing is more brilliant. The colors that scream look-at-me-I’m-here were ones I used to shy away from, but now I’m not afraid of them anymore.

Still, my soft spot for matte nail polishes remains. And if you follow Swatch And Learn, you’d know that that blue is my favorite color. So… how could I resist L.A. Girl Matte Sky Blue? Well, I couldn’t, and I’m glad I didn’t.

L.A. Girl Matte Sky Blue Swatches & Pictures

Claims: TRUSTED

√ Glides on velvety smooth
√ Super-flat finish

Key Notes

• Name: L.A. Girl Matte Sky Blue
• Amount: 0.47fl oz or 14ml
• What I Paid: $2.80 USD
• Price Per Unit: $5.98/fl oz or $0.20/ml
• Colors Available: White, Coral, Turquoise, Pink, Indigo, Plum, Alpine Green, Black, Baby Pink, Orange, Lilac, Rose, Raspberry, Red, Blue Twilight
• Where to Buy: LA Girl, Cherry Culture, nail salons, some Forever 21 stores

LA Girl Matte Sky Blue Review

Color

LA Girl Matte Sky Blue looks like, well, the sky. The blue is clear and beautiful. But there is a tinge of dustiness to it, almost as if there are a few overcast clouds in the sky – not many, but just a couple to dim the bright sunshine. I think this adds interest to an otherwise bright-and-happy blue. Love!

Matte-ness & Finish

It’s really cool to watch LA Girl Sky Blue Matte dry. You actually do see it go from shiny and glossy to matte and smooth. However, as I wear my manicure into the 4th day, I noticed that my nails have gained some glossiness. This is probably because of the hand lotion I put on my fingers throughout the day and the polish has soaked it up.

The thing that I didn’t like is that Sky Blue emphasizes ridges and imperfections on the nails – as you can see in my swatches. So if you want a perfect manicure, make sure to wear a ridge filler first!

Opacity

Ah. After the first coat on the first nail, I was really excited. I thought I could get away with just one coat – that’s how opaque it seems! But no, you really do need two coats with L.A. Girl Sky Blue Matte. After it dries, there are see-through spots. The second coat gives it complete coverage.

Application & Consistency

Really smooth. Really easy. Really awesome. Applying Matte Sky Blue by LA Girl is a breeze. No special application tips needed. I used medium-thick coats, and it didn’t go on streaky or blotchy at all. Dries fairy quickly as well.

Durability

Matte Sky Blue by L.A. Girl lasts decently well, considering you’re not wearing a top coat to protect it. I see slight tip wear by the 3rd day, without any chipping.

Pros  Toluene-, formaldehyde- & DBP-free Brand is cruelty-free Goes on smoothly Dries quickly Beautiful blue color Lasts fairly long without a top coat Affordable

Cons  Polish emphasizes ridges & unevenness of nails

Final Verdict: 9.2/10

This color has a lot going for it, and I think it’s definitely suitable for the hot summer weather. It’s very refreshing. But don’t let the sunny color deter you from wearing it in the winter. Nail polishes are meant to be worn any time of the year!

For other polishes and makeup I purchased on my Cherry Culture mega haul, please see this post.

Do you have a go-to color that you wear for summer or winter? What do you think of matte colors? Or do you prefer high-beam glossiness?