Sometimes, nothin’ beats playing with nail polish, especially when you’re having a less-than-idilic day.

You know how it goes… Some days are just better than others, and today was not one of my better days. Couldn’t write to save my life, but things did start looking up when I started seeing L’Oreal’s Nail Color Riche line on my nails ($5.99 each, available now in dozens of shades).

You know what they say — when all else fails, swatch.

Here are pics of a baker’s dozen of them, a sampling of 13 of the new spring shades in the Color Riche line. Of these, Safari Chic is probably my fave (I’m wearing it on my toes right now), but dark blue After Hours, metallic teal VIP Status and He Red My Mind are serious contenders.

I’m wearing three coats here, which seems to be the sweet spot, at least for me. A few of the lighter colors apply a little streaky.

Other than that, I like the formula. It’s a little thick, and still very smooth, and after almost two weeks on my toes (with a base and top coat), Safari Chic looks as good as new.

After Hours

Grecian Goddess

Safari Chic

Haute Couture Red

He Red My Mind

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L’Oreal Infallible 8 HR Le Gloss in Glistening Berry

Now, when a gloss makes a Herculean claim and says that it lasts eight hours, that’s gonna attract some attention, and the first question many people are probably going to have is, “Does it actually last eight hours?”

Let’s find out. The new L’Oreal Infallible 8 HR Le Glosses (about $10 each) are so confident in their stamina that they advertise it right on the tube.

Overlooking the possibility for a moment, however remote, that L’Oreal had something other than wear time in mind when they emblazoned these tubes (like eight home runs, eight happy remoras, or eight hungry rabbits), I tried two of the 20 shades available now at drugstores.

The first thing I noticed about Glistening Berry and Pink Topaz was how the texture changed on my lips over time. Both glosses started out feeling thin and smooth but thickened within the first few minutes into a thick, sticky film.

I took that as a positive sign, since sticky glosses tend to last longer for me than glosses with thin textures and consistencies.

And texture wasn’t the only change I noticed. These glosses also start out with a lot of pigment and high shine, but they settle down to a soft, sheer sheen over the first 15 minutes. Long term, I think it makes them more wearable and less intimidating, which I like.

As for the way I think they taste and smell, it’s a little strange… Like minty grape juice — or a magic, wear-time enhancing potion, perhaps? — but it dissipates after about 10 minutes.

Then there’s the million-dollar question: how long do these actually last on lips?

Glistening Berry on the left and Pink Topaz on the right

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Depending on how ravenous I am at any given moment, I’m enjoying this trend of makeup that looks good enough to eat. Like the new L’Oreal Magic Smooth Soufflé Blushes ($12.99 each). If I didn’t know better…I’d think they were dessert!

Available in four potted shades that look like mousse (the kind you order after dinner) in their serving platters/pots, they feel firm and dense when I tap them with a finger, and yet feel smooth, dry and something like silicone when I get them on my cheeks.

I’ve been wearing two of the four shades this week — Celestial, a cool matte pink, and Angelic, a light matte peach — and both produce a faint flush of very natural-looking cheek color, especially in pics.

Celestial (left) and Angelic (right)

Swatches of Angelic (left) and Celestial (right)

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Pink lips get a lot of from me 365 days a year, but on Valentine’s Day I usually pay them extra attention.

And that’s because I usually spend more time than I’d care to admit trying to figure out which particular pink to wear out to dinner with El Hub.

What do you think? Which of the following 14 pink lipsticks, balms and glosses do you like best? These are some of the shades that frequently catch my eye.

Yes, I busted a Tabs this morning and tried on every single one…

There’s a pretty wide range represented here, from splurge-worthy brands like Chanel and YSL, to budget-friendlier brands like Soap & Glory and L’Oreal.

Oh, and if your favorite pink lip isn’t listed here, let me know what it is in the comments. Inquiring minds want to know.

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture in Fuchsia Dore, $32

Soap and Glory A Great Kisser in Chocolate Cherry, about $8

MAC Kissable Lipcolour in Woo Me, $18

MAC Lipsticks from the left in Quick Sizzle, Innocence Beware and Naughty Saute, $14.50 each

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