DUPE ALERT!!! Lippmann Chain Reaction

Hi All!

This is a super fast post! (I'm actually working on like 5 posts right now, but this just got bumped up to the top!)

Alright, so I'd been lusting after Lippmann's Rock This Town trio (thanks to Scrangie's amazing swatches).  Through an amazing deal I heard from Nouveau Cheap, I scored this set at a really nice discount. Well my rock this town set came in the mail and what to my eyes should appear.... a DUPE!  FOR A DOLLAR!!!   

L.A. Colors Cactus (left) vs. Deborah Lippmann's Chain Reaction (right)

I'm not a huge fan of L.A Colors.  I own a few, but the colors always seem boring to me.  However I can't resist browsing when I see.  Last weekend I spied 3 which were too cute to pass up.  I mean, for a dollar?  It's what I call a cheap thrill.  ;-)  Cactus was one of them. 

L.A. Colors Cactus (top) vs. Deborah Lippmann's Chain Reaction (bottom)

It's not 100% perfect, but I would call it 98% there!  The difference is more apparent under flash, but to the naked eye it's minimal.  In the bottle Cactus is a smidge darker, while Chain Reaction has some random pink/blue sparkles that are missing from Cactus.

L.A. Colors Cactus (left) vs. Deborah Lippmann's Chain Reaction (right)

 Below is a comparison swatch: 2 coats of each (over a clear base coat) and no topcoat  

Deborah Lippmann's Chain Reaction (top) L.A. Colors Cactus (bottom)

To the naked (albeit polish addict's) eye Cactus is a little darker and its shimmer more bronze than Chain Reaction, which shines more gold.  The biggest difference is that Chain Reaction has a pink sparkle in it, which is totally missing in Cactus. But you can only spot that difference when the light hits them just so.  Formula-wise they're both very good too, with Cactus being a bit thicker and more pigmented than Chain Reaction. 

For comparison purposes I also swatched Nicole by OPI's For Gold Times Sake, and it's a pretty good match as well but... Remember that pink sparkle in Chain Reaction?  Well it's blue in Gold Times and a lot more obvious to me.  

Final verdict:  for $1.00 L.A Colors Cactus is a darn awesome dupe of an $18.00 limited edition polish.  But, if every last little shade and bit of sparkle is that important to you, then anything less than the original won't suffice. 

I found my L.A. Colors at Dollar General, but lot's of stores carry this brand.  So if you're interested... Happy hunting! 

Holiday love,
~*Ari