How do you organize your polish collection/swatches?
I started collecting polishes earlier this year, and just hit 31 colors this month (not including black and white). After seeing everyone on this sub talk about having swatches I figured it was about time! Between the swatch ring and the cheap top coat I bought for these, I spent <$10 and I think it was well worth it, even with a collection on the smaller side.
It’s so nice to be able to see them all lined up next to each other and have the key ring handy when I am shopping for new ones. I feel that this will help me pick out shades that will compliment my collection better and prevent dupes. I’m better able to plan manis and see which polishes go well together which opens the door a lot creatively too!
The ring came with 2 sets of numbered stickers, so I was able to number each swatch stick to a polish! This is great for me because I keep most of them in their little boxes that they come in, which makes it harder to find what I’m looking for when I go through them. Now they’re all numbered and so organized 😁
The only downside to this is that I immediately want to fill in gaps and use the rest of the 50 swatch sticks on new colors 💅
by AtlasSims
8 Comments
As far as complete product list, this is:
Swatch ring set from Amazon
Various nail colors (too many to list but I can provide polish names if anyone asks)
All top coated with Sally Hansen Insta-Dri (red bottle)
https://preview.redd.it/52ydznbp3kvf1.jpeg?width=4608&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d74d8dff1caa7863fc9f8c95f19e6db4a9863c48
Most are from OPI and Zoya. I am into gels now though and use a similar system
https://preview.redd.it/kickkqxs7kvf1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=21b64b96d4cf9107430342980f025ae64ebefeef
bought a swatch book and wrote down the names and numbers on paper. most of these polishes are holo taco and a little bit of ilnp.
https://preview.redd.it/z0wxtzr6akvf1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=24917cce9e277b89eb8ccc9851aaf77e9f597fb4
Toppers, magnetics, thermals, and then red/pink, purple, greens, blues all have their own ring. Then black and gold go on a ring and white and silver go on a ring. One ring is for colors I can’t classify because they shift too much. I have three rings I still need to sort through.
https://preview.redd.it/is2wvr03akvf1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=560e33aa355220eede51ef262a7e2cf24b56a158
This is my swatch book for bought polishes. I have 2 others like this for prototypes I’ve mixed.
Each bottle has a numbered sticker on it to match the swatch book number.
My prototype books are labeled A and B.
Bought polishes get a holographic number sticker.
A prototypes get a black sticker w white number.
B prototypes get a clear stickers w gold number.
I also have two spreadsheets, one w bought polishes brand, shade name, color, and a few checkboxes (creme, jelly, shifting, glitter, magnetic).
Prototype spreadsheet has a codename for each polish, whether me or my wife mixed it, full recipe, plus a number matching the sticker (ie #A-047, #B-112 etc).
I don’t know why I love micro-organization so much; when it comes to keeping something like a desk neat and tidy I’m horrible lol.
https://preview.redd.it/t535gff3bkvf1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1621fa81788158fdcf572d1071481f8891c2a748
RGB swatches, then drawers are by brand.
ugh, I do not need to be tempted to buy supplies to swatch the *maybe* 20 bottles of polish I have… and yet
https://preview.redd.it/6kmdptdfdkvf1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7213e742fab67c57f431dd2e30e416b78eeeaf65
I do by color and then in the drawer by number on swatch and bottle top