IndieSwatch 2018 Bests Announced

Indie Lovers!

I am pleased to announced the winners and runner ups.  This is the first year we are implementing the Hall of Fame as well!  If a particular category has had the same winner in 1st place for 3 years in a row, the polish or brand will go into the Hall of Fame.  It will be added to the Hall of Fame tab and will be taken out of future voting for that category.  At the very end, I have answers and comments to some of the feedback and plans going forward.

First let's look at some stats!  Total of 1667 valid voters.  A total of over 95,000 individual votes were casted.
Be sure to check out the adorable badges at the bottom that CDB Nails created for me!

And now let's get to the results!

Best Overall Indie Brand
1st:  Tonic Nail Polish (Welcome to the Hall of Fame!)
2nd: Polished For Days
3rd:  Bee's Knees Lacquer

Biggest Indie Brand Loss
1st:  Pretty Serious Cosmetics
2nd: Shinespark
3rd:  Polish My Life

Best Indie Brand New Comer
1st:  Rogue Lacquer
2nd: JReine Cosmetics
3rd:  1850 Artisan Polish

Best Non-US Based Indie Brand
1st:  Emily de Molly
2nd: Girly Bits Cosmetics (2nd year in the top 3)
3rd:  Glam Polish (2nd year in the top 3)

Best Brand That Deserves More Love
1st:  Rogue Lacquer
2nd: 1850 Artisan Polish
3rd:  Heather's Hues

Best Base Coat
1st:  Glisten and Glow - Base Coat (3rd year in the top 3)
2nd:  Cuticula
3rd:  Vapid Lacquer - All About The Base (3rd year in the top 3)

Best Shiny Top Coat
1st:  Glisten and Glow - Top Coat (Welcome to the Hall of Fame!)
2nd:  Vibrant Vinyls - Fast and Hard
3rd:  Cuticula - Timeless Top Coat

Best Scented Top Coat
1st:  Cuticula - Timeless Top Coat
2nd:  Vibrant Vinyls - Fast and Hard
3rd:  Purple Willow Apothecary - Impact Top Coat

Best Matte Top Coat
1st:  Glisten and Glow - Matte Top Coat (2nd year in the top 3)
2nd:  Quixotic Polish - Truly, Matte-ley, Deeply
3rd:  Cuticula - Cloud Cover

Best Holo Top Coat
1st:  Cupcake Polish - Icing (2nd year in the top 3)
2nd:  Nine Zero Lacquer - Flakie All The Things
3rd:  Cuticula - Sparks Fly

Best Indie Brand for Latex Nail Barrier
1st:  Cuticula - Scented Liquid Nail Tape (3rd year in the top 3)
2nd: Glisten and Glow - CTRL-ALT-DEL (2nd year in the top 3)
3rd:  Vapid Lacquer - Cat Suit (3rd year in the top 3)

Best Indie Brand for Cuticle Oil
1st:  Bliss Kiss (Welcome to the Hall of Fame!)
2nd: Glisten and Glow
3rd:  Vapid Lacquer

Best Indie Brand for Cuticle Balm
1st:  Vapid Artisan Nail Lacquer (Welcome to the Hall of Fame!)
2nd: Cuticula
3rd:  Cuter Cuticles

Best Indie Brand for Lotion
1st:  Lilly Anne's Garden
2nd:  Vapid Lacquer 
3rd:  Purple Willow Apothecary

Best Indie Brand for Mani Bombs
1st:  Vapid Lacquer
2nd: Cuter Cuticles
3rd:  Purple Willow Apothecary

Best Brand for Holographic Polish
1st:  Cupcake Polish (Welcome to the Hall of Fame!)
2nd: ILNP (3rd year in the top 3)
3rd:  Colors by Llarowe (3rd year in the top 3)

Best Brand for Glitter Toppers
1st:  KB Shimmer (Welcome to the Hall of Fame!)
2nd:  Different Dimension
3rd:  Colores de Carol

Best Brand for Glitter Bombs
1st:  Painted Polish (3rd year in the top 3)
2nd:  Different Dimension
3rd:  POP Polish

Best Brand for Glitter Crellies
1st:  KB Shimmer (Welcome to the Hall of Fame!)
2nd:  Painted Polish (3rd year in top 3)
3rd:  Noodles Nail Polish (2nd year in top 3)

Best Brand for Cremes
1st:  Cirque Colors
2nd:  Glisten and Glow (3rd year in the top 3)
3rd:  Painted Polish (2nd year in top 3)

Best Brand for Multichromes
1st:  Tonic Nail Polish (3rd year in top 3, 2nd year at 1st)
2nd: POP Polish
3rd:  ILNP (3rd year in the top 3)

Best Brand for Unicorn Pee Polishes
1st:  Tonic Polish
2nd: Bee's Knees Lacquer
3rd:  The Don Deeva

Best Brand for Stamping Polishes
1st:  Painted Polish (3rd year in the top 3)
2nd:  Hit The Bottle (2nd year in top 3)
3rd:  Moonflower Polish

Best Brand for Thermal Polishes
1st:  Fancy Gloss (2nd year in the top 3)
2nd: Femme Fatale Cosmetics (3rd year in the top 3)
3rd:  Vapid Lacquer (2nd year in the top 3)

Best Brand for Shimmer Polishes
1st:  Tonic Nail Polish (2nd year at 1st!)
2nd: Emily de Molly
3rd: Pahlish

Best Brand for Flakies
1st:  Illyrian Polish
2nd:  Polished For Days
3rd:  Rogue Lacquer

Best Brand for Magnetic Polishes
1st:  Tonic Polish
2nd:  Bee's Knees Lacquer
3rd:  Quixotic Polish

Best Brand for Customs
1st:  Glisten and Glow
2nd: Rogue Lacquer
3rd:  Heather's Hues (3rd year in the top 3)

Best Turn Around Time
1st:  Polished For Days
2nd: Glisten and Glow (2nd year in the top 3)
3rd:  POP Polish

Best Brand For Punny Names
1st:  KB Shimmer (2nd year at 1st!)
2nd: Girly Bits Cosmetics (2nd year in the top 3)
3rd:  The Don Deeva (2nd year in the top 3)

Best Interaction With a Brand
1st:  Glisten and Glow (2nd year at 1st!)
2nd: Cuticula
3rd:  Tonic Polish (2nd year in the top 3)

Best Customer Service
1st:  Tonic Polish (2nd year at 1st!)
2nd: Lantern and Wren (2nd year in the top 3)
3rd:  Vapid Artisan Nail Polish (3rd year in the top 3)

Best Indie Brand for Stamping Plates
1st:  UberChic Beauty (Welcome to the Hall of Fame!)
2nd: Lantern and Wren
3rd:  Lina Nail Art Supplies (3rd year in the top 3)

Best Indie Brand for Vinyls
1st:  Twinkled T (Welcome to the Hall of Fame!)
2nd: What's Up Nails (3rd year in the top 3)
3rd:  Vibrant Vinyls 

Best Indie Brand for Decals
1st:  Twinkled T (2nd year in the top 3)
2nd: Ribbits Stickits (2nd year in the top 3)
3rd:  Green Goddess Creations (2nd year in the top 3)

Best Summer Collection
1st: POP Polish - Oil Slick Pastel Edition
2nd: Glam Polish - Mermaid Tails
3rd: Glisten and Glow - Summer Livin'
3rd: Different Dimension - Do You Believe In Magic

Best Spring Collection
1st: Cirque Colors - Desert Bloom
2nd: Different Dimension - Please Don't Stop The Music
3rd: Rogue Lacquer - Spring Punk

Best Fall Collection
1st: Tonic Polish - October/Hallowe 2018
2nd: Rogue Lacquer - Arizona Wilds
3rd: Polished For Days - Autumn Equinox

Best Winter Collection
1st: Tonic Polish - Holiday 2018
2nd: Polished For Days - 2018 Holiday 
3rd: Pahlish - Wizarding World Part 2

Best Holiday Collection
1st: Tonic Polish - Holiday 2018
2nd: Different Dimension - Trick or Treak Yo'self
3rd: Painted Polish - Holiday Harvest

Best Overall Collection
1st: Polished For Days - Polished For Days x Polished Okie Collaboration
2nd: POP Polish - Oil Slick Pastel Edition
3rd: Different Dimension - Do You Believe In Magic

Best Collaboration Box
1st:  Polish Pick Up (2nd year at 1st!)
2nd: Holo Hook Up (3rd year in the top 3)
3rd:  For The Love Of Polish Box (3rd year in the top 3)

Best Advent Calendar
1st: Nvr Enuff Polish
2nd: Glisten and Glow
3rd: Colores de Carol

Best Thermal Polish
1st:  Tonic Polish - River
2nd: Colores de Carol - Don't Look Behind You
3rd: Different Dimension - Presto Chango

Best Glow In The Dark Polish
1st:  KB Shimmer - Hubble'd Together
2nd: Tonic Polish - Snow Globe
3rd:  Different Dimension - Dancing and Dreaming

Best Holographic Polish
1st:  Cupcake Polish - Berry Good Looking (Welcome to the Hall of Fame!)
2nd: Vapid Lacquer - DAB
3rd:  Tonic Polish - Jinkx 


Best Jelly Based Polish
1st:  Cupcake Polish - Atomic
2nd: Painted Polish - Fierce and Facets
3rd: Noodles Nail Polish - Under The Sea

Best Glitter Topper
1st: Cupcake Polish - Diamond
2nd: Tonic Polish - Snow Globe
3rd: KB Shimmer - Clown Puke

Best Creme Polish
1st: Painted Polish - Midnight Mischief (2nd year at 1st!)
2nd: Cirque Colors - Momento Mori
3rd: Night Owl Lacquer - Olive Me Loves Olive You

Best Overall Multichrome
1st: Tonic Nail Polish - Peacock Parade (2nd year at 1st!)
2nd: POP Polish - Watermelon Bubbleslick
3rd: Glisten and Glow - Everyday I'm Rustlin'

Best Glitter Crelly
1st:  Painted Polish - Spell Squad
2nd: Different Dimension - Room Where It Happens
3rd: Dollish Polish - Expecto Patronum

Best Glitter Bomb
1st: Cupcake Polish - Mr. Mint (2nd year in the top 3)
2nd: Painted Polish - Glitter Grandmother
3rd: POP Polish - Cleopatra

Best Shimmer Polish
1st: Emily de Molly - Sea of Lies
2nd: Different Dimension - Lumus
3rd: Rogue Lacquer - Steam Punk Fantasy

Best Flakie Polish
1st: Polished For Days - Kelpie
2nd: Rogue Lacquer - Geological Wonder
3rd: Glisten and Glow - Shopping Is My Cardio

Best Unicorn Pee
1st: Colors by Llarowe - Fake Tan Man
2nd: Tonic Polish - Pepper
3rd: Lacquester - La Licorne Bleu

Best Magnetic Polish
1st: KB Shimer - Solar Flare
2nd: Baroness X - Sharks With Freaken Laser Beams
2nd: Quixotic Polish - Another Glorious Morning
3rd: Different Dimension - Alakazam

Best Solar Polish
1st: Cupcake Polish - It's Sherbet Day
2nd: The Don Deeva - Peri-dickle
3rd: Parrot Polish - Violet Summer

Best Black Polish
1st: Painted Polish - Midnight Mischief (Welcome to the Hall of Fame!)
2nd: Glisten and Glow - Little Black Dress (2nd year in the top 3)
3rd: Vapid Artisan Nail Lacquer - Pessimist (2nd year in the top 3)

Best White Polish
1st: Glisten and Glow - Wedding Gown White (2nd year in the top 3)
2nd: Fancy Gloss - Snow Queen
3rd: Vapid Artisan Nail Lacquer - Optimist (2nd year in the top 3)

Best Gray/Grey Polish
1st: Polished For Days - Gray Opal
2nd: Painted Polish - Zombie Kill of the Week
3rd: Bee's Knees - Kiss Me New Kid

Best Brown Polish
1st: KB Shimmer - Oh My Ganache (2nd year at 1st!)
2nd: Painted Polish - Boogie With The Beast (2nd year in the top 3)
3rd: Pahlish - Idris (2nd year in the top 3)
3rd: Vapid Lacquer - Brown Chicken Brown Cow

Best Red Polish
1st: Colors by Llarowe - Mighty Red Baron
2nd: Tonic Polish - Death Proof
3rd: Glisten and Glow - Mother Fire

Best Pink Polish
1st: Great Lakes Lacquer - Glass On Fire
2nd: Tonic Polish - Hot To Trot
3rd: Polished For Days - Unicorn

Best Orange Polish
1st: Different Dimension - Witch Better Have My Candy
2nd: Colores de Carol - The Scarecrow Walks At Midnight (2nd year in the top 3)
3rd: Vapid Lacquer - Oh My Gourd

Best Yellow Polish
1st: Tonic Nail Polish - Lemon and Cream (2nd year at 1st!)
2nd:  Painted Polish - Bell of the Ballroom
3rd: Bee's Knees Lacquer - Thunderbird Feather

Best Green Polish
1st: Tonic Polish - Jolly Holly
2nd: Painted Polish - Electric Emerald
3rd: Pahlish - Swiss Army Sonic

Best Blue Polish
1st: Polished For Days - Kelpie
2nd: Tonic Polish - Winter's Night
3rd: Painted Polish - Savage in Sapphire

Best Purple Polish
1st: Cupcake Polish - Berry Good Looking (Welcome to the Hall of Fame!)
2nd: Painted Polish - Fierce in Facets
3rd: Glisten and Glow - Flip Flops and Fireworks

Best Gold Polish
1st: Polished For Days - Seraphine
2nd: Pahlish - Golden Snidget
3rd: Glisten and Glow - Jack Frost and Jingle Bells

Best Silver Polish
1st: Tonic Polish - Jinkx
2nd: Glisten and Glow - Sea Turtle Sonata
3rd: Vapid Lacquer - HFNY18

Best Indie Brand for Non-Polish Products
1st:  Vapid Lacquer (3rd year in the top 3, 2nd year at 1st)
2nd: Lilly Anne's Garden
3rd:  Purple Willow Apothecary

Best Indie Brand for Wax
1st:  Vapid Lacquer (2nd year at 1st)
2nd: Night Owl Lacquer(2nd year in the top 3)
3rd:  Wildflower Lacquer

Best Indie Stockist
1st:  Color 4 Nails (Welcome to the Hall of Fame!)
2nd: Lanter and Wren (2nd year in the top 3)
3rd:  Girly Bits Cosmetics

Best Brand Fan Facebook Group
1st:  Vapid Lacquer - Vapicorns (Welcome to the Hall of Fame!)
2nd: Polished For Days - Polished For Days Peeps
3rd:  Tonic Nail Polish - Tonic Nail Polish (2nd year in the top 3)

Best Non-Brand Facebook Group 
1st: Polish Pick Up Pack (2nd year at 1st)
2nd: Acetone Alley (3rd year in the top 3)
3rd: Nail Stamping Sisterhood

Best Event
1st: Polish Con (2nd year at 1st)
2nd: The Indie Shop (2nd year in the top 3)
3rd: Indies to the Rescue

Best Thing That Happened This Year
1st: Community Helping Each Other
2nd: Polish Pick Up Expanding
3rd: Flakies

If you find an error, please send an email to indieswatch@gmail.com.


Thanks, 

Badges for the makers! (or bloggers if you would like to use during a post about a specific brand)  Thanks again to Cheyenne of CDB Nails for your creative brilliance

Frequently asked questions/feedback:

• Why can't you limit nominations to just the current year?  This would require a lot of extra work on top of what is already done for the IndieSwatch Bests.  The Hall of Fame was an answer to limit repeat winners.  
• Who is IndieSwatch?  A fellow indie lover and supporter of small business.  I am a blogger/swatcher and friends to many a maker.  Most don't know I am IndieSwatch and would like to keep it that way.  I don't want "special treatment."
• Is this rigged?  The nominations are released on the IG page and shared in plenty of Facebook Groups.  If it were rigged this year and previous years some brands would have won and others would not (I'm human, I have my favorites too).
• Theme Days! This is what I have so far: Monday - magnetics, Tuesday - all 4 finger art, Thursday - thermals, Sunday - swatches
• Interviews!  Live interviews!  This might be difficult if I want to maintain my anonymity.  I'd prefer not to have to wear a mask and suck helium to disguise my voice and face.  :)
• Collaborations/Weekly brand features?  I'm down!  Who wants to sign up?  Looking for brands that want to possibly do % off codes, create a polish with IndieSwatch followers, write up a blog post, share a story, etc.  indieswatch@gmail.com
• Blogger Features?  I'm down!  Who wants to sign up? Looking for bloggers that want to write up a review or comparison of any of the tops.  Preferably new swatches, your shopping experience with brands of the week, etc.  Send me a proposal and we can make it work!  indieswatch@gmail.com  (Just make sure you are following me on Instagram)
• Monthly prompts? I'm down!  I'll post something on Instagram to solicit ideas.
• Giveaways?  Yes!