Avon Petal Impressions Collection Swatches and Review

Avon Petal Impressions Collection Spring 2013

Hi everyone!

Today I have Avon's Petal Impressions Spring Collection to share with you.

A family friend has been an Avon rep for a couple of years now, so I thought I would help her business by checking out both the limited edition and permanent collections. 

I previously owned a couples of polishes from the brand and was not impressed with the formula of the cremes. Word on the street is that the company reformulated the entire Nailwear Pro+ line, so I am willing to give it a second chance.

The Petal Impressions collection is comprised of the following six shimmery pearl shades:

Inspired Iris

Painted Peony

Sweet Pea Dreams

Garden Green

Forget-Me-Not Blue

Blue Water Lilies

Price and Availability:

The colors are available for individual sale through your local Avon representative or here on Avon's website.

Each retails for $6.00 each, but are currently on sale for $3.49! Avon offers free shipping with any $30.00 purchase, but there are often free shipping with $10.00 codes which is how I ordered mine.

If you don't personally know an Avon representative near you, you can go to the online Avon "Find a Representative" page here and either search for one in your area, or you can enter my rep's information and shop through her campaign online:

My Avon Rep: Julie Pruitt, Tennessee

The Colors

Avon "Inspired Iris"

Inspired Iris is a gorgeous cool-toned, rosy pearl pink with indigo and silver micro-shimmer. It applies a bit sheer compared to the others but is opaque in three coats. 

This has the most pearl-like finish and applies just as smooth. This has the best application of the entire collection and is a perfect pearly polish without leaning too far towards a frost.

Avon "Painted Peony"

Painted Peony is a peachy coral leaning orange with golden shimmer.

It applies thicker than Inspired Iris, but goes on evenly. It's mostly opaque in two coats, but I added an extra  layer to eliminate the smallest hint of nail line that was still visible.

The golden shimmer is what makes this so beautiful. It just so flattering and complimented my skin tone completely. One of my favorite peachy corals to be released this year.

Avon "Sweet Pea Dreams"

Sweet Pea Dreams is a champagne-nude with golden shimmer. I really have mixed feelings about this. It's a beautiful color, but not on me. The warm undertones really emphasize any redness around the edges of my nails, and perhaps is just too light even for my fair skin tone. The shimmer tried to save it, but it just wasn't enough.

This was the only shade that gave me significant trouble with application. It thickens up rather quickly and brush strokes are more visible. That being said, it's easily hidden with an extra layer of top coat.

Alone it's a gorgeous concept. If you have more of an olive skin tone I think this would be extremely flattering, but more peachy pink beauties may be a bit disappointed.

Avon "Garden Green"

Garden Green is a deep forest green with silver micro-shimmer. I had a brain-lapse and forgot top coat, but I promise it has the same pearl finish as the others. It many other light situations this colors appears even darker.

It's application reminds me dead on of Zoya's Yara, which is almost the exact same color except with bright golden yellow shimmer as opposed to the shimmer. It's a one coater, thick but even with little effort..but there's something else about it that is so similiar to Yara I can't put my finger on. It's as if the micro-shimmer is so dense you can almost feel the resistance during application. It's not a negative experience, it's just...erm, unique?

Although this is a pretty basic forest green, the shimmer gives it its special something.

Avon "Forget-Me-Not Blue"

Forget-Me-Not Blue is the same situation as Garden Green, except blue. It's a cobalt-like blue with outstanding turquoise micro-shimmer. Like GG, this appears much darker depending on the light.

The turquoise shimmer is quite camera-shy, but in person it creates a perfect mermaid like palette. It's bolder than the rest of the collection and gives more of an aquatic viberather   than a floral one, but it's a great statement color.

Avon "Blue Water Lilies"

 Blue Water Lilies is a periwinkle blue with silver micro-shimmer. My absolute favorite, definitely out of this collection and possibly out of most of my recent purchases. It applies just as smooth as Inspired Iris, except it's opaque in two coats. The thickness of application is somewhere in-between Inspired Iris and Painted Peony.

I just can't stop looking at this color. It's subtle yet exciting, flattering, and versatile. It's fresh enough to fit the bill for spring and summer fashion, yet icy enough to stay appropriate during the winter holidays.

Overall

I would say Avon has stepped up to the plate, listened to customers and really improved. The formula is a thousand times better than previous shades of yesteryear and they're really making an effort  to release relevant collections that are on trend with the big dog polish brands.

The Petal Impressions set as a whole almost nailed it as a true collection, but not quite. Forget-Me-Not-Blue is just too far of a step away from a floral hue to remain consistent with the theme. Sweet Pea Dreams seconds that. It's lean too much towards a flesh tone to be reminiscent of flowers.

...Or maybe I just don't know my flowers. Not maybe...I really don't.

Individually these are great shimmery shades that are subtle enough to be appealing for any age group. The standouts for me are Blue Water Lilies and Painted Peony.

Which Petal Impression shade is your favorite? Have you tried any of Avon's polishes?

Let me know in the comments below, or as always you can share you thoughts on my facebook or twitter.

Thanks for reading!

-Melody