Indie January - Daring Digits

I've always liked Daring Digits.  They have some pretty polishes and keep their prices reasonable.  That being said, I did not enjoy my experience with the Gem collex.

This collex is sheer by nature, and is supposed to provide lots of shine without the glitter removal issues.  The colors are pretty, with a scattered holo, and I didn't have any problems with removal.  What I did have a problem with was the smell.

I'm not sensitive usually, but these were the *worst* smelling polishes I have ever come across.  By the second polish, I was getting a headache.  I put peppermint essential oil under my nose to try and combat the smell.  The third and fourth polishes I actually added the peppermint oil to the polish.  It helped some.

Peridot.  I love real peridot, and this is a good color match.

I did a tape mani with Orly Enchanted Forest over it.  I love stripes, especially with a glittery holo surprise underneath.

Topaz.  This one needs layering.  Blue is a very common holo, and I have better ones that don't require layering.

Even some glitter on top (Sally Hansen Let's Dance) couldn't really save it for me.

Tourmaline.  I was most excited for this color, but by now my head was pounding, and even the peppermint oil wasn't helping.  The smell does diminish after it dries, but it doesn't go away.  If it wasn't so noxious, I would probably wear this one again, though.  It's really pretty.

I did a black funky French with a striper.  Too cute.

Amethyst.  The most holo of the bunch, a beautiful color, and probably the most pigmented.

I added a simple chevron with black and white stripers to camouflage the VNL.  I liked the result.
 

These are pretty colors, very sheer. Might be fun to experiment with layering.  If you're not sensitive to the smell, you might enjoy them.  There are lots of Indie holos out there to choose from, but Daring Digits generally has one of the best price points out there.  You can find Daring Digits on Facebook and on their website.

If you liked a polish, would you wear it no matter what?  Would a smell stop you from wanting to wear it?

ETA 5/9/2013:  Daring Digits got rid of the stinky base and reformulated these!  They are no longer headache-inducing, and they even have more holo than before.  Way to go, Daring Digits!