Comparison: Wet n Wild ColorIcon Ice Baby Glitters versus Nails Inc. Special Effects 3D Glitters

I recently ordered two more of those amazing Nails Inc. Special Effects 3D glitters. In a strange twist of fate, the very next day I learn that Wet n Wild had just released a collection of glitters, containing at least two, if not three, less than half price dupes of the Nails Inc. Special Effects (thanks for the heads up, Mimi!).

The first Walgreens I walked into had the entire Wet n Wild ColorIcon Ice Baby glitter collection. What luck! I picked up the whole collection (which I'll be reviewing soon), including the Nails Inc clones. Take a look at how close they are:

This is:
Index and ring finger: Wet n Wild ColorIcon Nail Color in Back Alley Deals
Middle and pinkie finger: Nails Inc Special Effects 3D Glitter in Bloomsbury Square
Three coats each plus topcoat.

This one is an exact match. They are indistinguishable from each other on the nail. Same color, same size glitter, same gritty texture. There is, however, one difference worth mentioning: The formula. The Wet n Wild formula is actually better than the Nails Inc. on this one. It's thinner, smoother and easier to spread, though it is still a super chunky glitter polish. Both shades would benefit from a little polish thinner.

This is:
Index and ring finger: Wet n Wild ColorIcon Nail Color in Believe Me, It's Real.
Middle and pinkie finger: Nails Inc Special Effects 3D Glitters in Connaught Square
Three coats each plus topcoat.

These two are not exact matches, but they're close enough. The only difference in these, apart from the formula, is that the base color of Connaught Square is darker. Not so different that you'd need to have both colors, but dark enough to notice that there's a difference when you look at them side by side.


I don't have the Nails Inc Special Effects glitter in Sloane Square, but I firmly suspect that this color is going to be a pretty close copy of it:

Wet n Wild ColorIcon Nail Color in Diamond In The Rough.

There's also a teal and green glitter that might look a bit like this:

Nails Inc. Special Effects 3D Glitter in Fitzroy Square.

But I didn't swatch them together. They didn't seem like dupes at first glance, but judging from the other three colors, they probably are on the nail. The Wet n Wild shade that looks similar to this is called Cost Is No Issue.

So... Nails Inc., $9.50. Wet n Wild, around $3. Plus, the Wet n Wild bottles, while they seem smaller, actually contain 0.01 fluid ounce more of polish than the Nails Inc. Take your pick. Both are good. One is just less expensive and probably limited edition.