Alright, today we’ll be resuming The Top 20 Polishes of All time countdown. For a recap of the colors so far check out the Top 2o (2008) category.

Number 13 is China Glaze For Audrey. I wore For Audrey last Halloween. I was dressed as Marie Antoinette and the costume was a similar shade of blue. This color was released in 2007 as a Limited Edition polish in honor of Audrey Hepburn. Fittingly, For Audrey is a nearly true Tiffany Blue. A true match is unlikely because, apparently, Tiffany & Co. holds a color trademark on their famous blue.

The minute I saw the promotion for this color I simply had to have it. Now… I’m going to impart some information that many of you may find shocking. I don’t particularly care for Audrey Hepburn. I’ve only seen portions of Breakfast at Tiffany’s and didn’t really care for the film either. And… I really, really dislike Tiffany & Co. jewelry. My point is that I love this unique color for the actual color and not for anything that China Glaze intended for it to represent. There is just something extraordinary about For Audrey. It will always have a special place in my collection (even though it does absolutely nothing for my skin tone).

I’m following the unloved OPI The “It” Color with the ridiculously loved China Glaze Ruby Pumps. I actually surprised myself by deciding to put this on the list. I resisted buying this color for eons. Everyone constantly raved about it and I just didn’t see what the big deal was all about. I hate to say this, but I even had a little bit of disdain for this color because it was so popular. China Glaze Ruby Pumps is like the Da Vinci Code of the nail polish world. It’s the same reason I don’t own OPI I’m Not Really A Waitress. In any case, I did not fully understand or appreciate how disgustingly gorgeous this color is until I purchased a bottle. I got it inadvertently because I really wanted China Glaze Emerald Sparkle and Ruby Pumps came in the set. I found that pictures simply don’t do it justice which is part of the reason why I wasn’t able to understand all the raves.

Ruby Pumps is stunning, plain and simple. The bright red glitter under the jelly red base has a complexity that just does not translate well into photographs. If you’ve been fighting the Ruby Pumps lemming like I once did, stop it. Get a bottle right now. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

I drool all over myself when I find a truly unique color. It’s a pretty rare occurrence, but every once in a while it happens. I know many of you will be surprised to see this color on the list. It wasn’t popular with the masses, probably because it’s very ‘out there’ but that’s why I love it.

This truly gorgeous dirty mustard yellow reminds me of run ways and high fashion. In a perfect world, colors like this would be staples for everyone. Until then, I’ll keep drooling for these rarities.

As a meaningless side note, I tend to associate certain polishes with whatever was going on in my life the day I wore it. I wore The “It” Color while studying for finals last spring, specifically I was studying Criminal Procedure Police Practices. I remember constantly staring down at my nails which significantly hampered my study efforts. You can read the original post on this color here.

Some girls will trample innocent people to get their hands on Chanel Le Vernis. Me? Um… not so much. Chanel is overrated. 99.5% of their colors are boring and the wear is not exceptional for the price tag. Excluding the amazing but impossible-to-find Chanel Holographic (which wasn’t released in the U.S. because why would they ever release something actually worth buying in the U.S.), I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Chanel that made me jump out of my seat… until I saw Chanel Kaleidoscope.

Kaleidoscope is the quintessential non-glitter ultra-bling polish. It’s like ultra-bling all grown up. The blinginess is more subtle indoors, it becomes a mirrored greenish platinum in indirect lighting. If you only ever buy one Chanel, it has to be this one.

Of course, this color was ‘Limited Edition’ as per Chanel’s modus operandi of creating articifical hype for their polish -insert eye roll- so sadly, it’s probably no longer available in stores. If you want it, you’ll either have to turn to evilbay scalpers and shell out absurd amounts of money for it or  you can settle for one of the very worthy alternatives.

Lilacs and lavenders always look horrible on me but I wear them anyway. I just love lilacs and I always will. Of all the lilacs I’ve accumulated in my effort to find one that does not make me look undead, Orly Bon Bon comes out on top as my favorite.

My original review of this color explains my love for Bon Bon extensively. Since I can’t possibly give a better explanation for why this color is so deserving of being on this list, I’ll leave you with a brief quote from my original post (but I recommend reading the whole thing if you are not convinced.)

“[To] my astonishment, I found that [Orly Bon Bon is] actually a really gorgeous, ethereal color. Honestly, I could not stop staring down at my mani, that’s how other-worldly it looked on my nails. If angels wore nail polish, this would be their go-to shade.”

Alright, I have to post faster if we’re going to get through all 20 polishes in a timely manner. I present to you, #18 Sephora by OPI (affectionately dubbed ‘$OPI’) Metro Chic:

Bet you guys didn’t see that one coming. I do love this color, but it’s on this list because of the impact it had when it hit the market. Metro Chic was a polish phenomenon. I have hopes that Metro Chic will have revolutionary implications. Is the existence of Metro Chic an indication that the nail polish industry is going to become more innovative? That is my hope. So many people pursued this polish in a ridiculous frenzy, it proves, once again, that there is a viable market for out-of-the-ordinary colors. (Although, the frenzy was probably exacerbated by scalpers buying available bottles to flip them on ebay.) There is such a thing as innovation in this industry and it seems like polish companies often forget that. Consumers are obviously hungry for something different, it’s time that something different is given to us! In any case, it’s a fairly rare occurrence when the general population frenzies over a shade. Nail polish collectors frenzy constantly but it’s extraordinary to see a color that is so universally appealing that it actually moves non-collectors into action. That is why Metro Chic is on this list.