Out with the Old, In with the New! SquareHue January 2016 Review (and December 2015, too)

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My December was so jam-packed with events and projects, I couldn’t find the time to review my last Decades collection that pays homage to the 2010’s, so I’m just going to squeeze it in this SquareHue January 2016 review. This year the company decided to draw inspiration from amazing locales around the globe with Adventure Collection, and the first box takes us to Hike Banff!

SquareHue January 2016 Review - Hike Banff

HOW IT WORKS: For $14.99/month + Shipping & Handling, SquareHue subscribers receive a limited edition collection of 3 carefully curated season-appropriate nail polish colors. Alternatively, the company recently launched a 2-polish box variation that costs $10.99/month + Shipping & Handling. Each month has a distinct personality to suit a variety of dress needs. Quick drying “5-Free” Clean formula does not contain Formaldehyde, Toluene, DBP, Camphor or Formaldehyde Resin. Click here to subscribe.

There are a few changes to the program, and they’re all positive! First of all, a lot of subscribers weren’t too thrilled about the same ‘ole same ‘ole colors that seemed too similar to one another. SquareHue promised to be more daring in their color selections and they will really put in extra effort to make every collection unique and interesting.

SquareHue January 2016 Review - Hike Banff

Another great news: SquareHue is bringing back the hints, so the subscribers can try to guess which colors will be included in their next month’s box. I always thought this was part of the fun when this service first launched, and was sad when they did away with the guessing game. The hint for February will be posted at the bottom of the post, along with my guesses.

SquareHue Lake Louise Swatch SquareHue Lake Louise Swatch

Anyhow! The first polish from SquareHue January 2016 box is called Lake Louise, and it’s the most gorgeous frosted baby blue ever. If you think about one color that defines Disney’s Frozen, that would be it. So just for that alone, I think it’s the perfect shade for January, and even if you don’t like it, there’s a little girl out there who would love to have Elsa’s color on her tips 🙂

SquareHue Lodgepole Pine Swatch SquareHue Lodgepole Pine Swatch

The second polish in my SquareHue January 2016 box is called Lodgepole Pine, inspired by an iconic evergreen tree that you can easily spot near the ocean shore and in dry mountain forests. I’m struggling to describe this gorgeous high gloss creme, but perhaps a mix of deep emerald, duck green, and dark malachite can give you an idea? It’s absolutely beautiful: a grown-up, non-cheesy green that anyone can pull off.

squarehue-january-2016-review-swatch-02 SquareHue Johnston Canyon Swatch

Finally, the last polish from SquareHue January 2016 box is called Johnston Canyon, and it’s a one-coater peachy nude creme. The coverage is perfect, so the only reason I would ever use more than one coat is to build up the thickness of my hopelessly bendy nails. This one is perfect as a bridal color!

SquareHue December 2015 Review

And now as promised, below are the swatches of my SquareHue December 2015 polishes that I didn’t have time to even look at. My December trio included colors inspired by the current decade that we all can relate to.

squarehue-january-2016-review-swatch-011

The first polish from SquareHue December 2015 box is called Bird Fling 2010, and pays homage to none other than the Angry Birds‘ main protagonist. I was never into it, but some of my friends and family members were obsessed! This is a classic medium red with a crelly-like opacity and high gloss finish.

SquareHue Baby, Baby, Baby Swatch December 2015

The next polish from SquareHue December 2015 box is called Baby, Baby, Baby 2010, because Biebs. Can you believe it’s already been 6 years since he first debuted? This fun hue consists of silver and pink shimmer dust suspended in a royal purple creme base. A gorgeous color, indeed!

SquareHue Olympiad Swatch December 2015

The last polish from SquareHue December 2015 box is called Olympiad 2018, and it’s all about the upcoming 2018 Olympics. The shade is best described as a silver microshimmer suspended in a cool light beige base, making the final product look like white gold [or shimmering champagne, if you like that comparison better],

SquareHue February 2016, SquareHue January 2016

Here’s the hint for SquareHue February 2016 THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION: Bike Amsterdam. First of all, what a great place for inspiration! The picture above kind of makes me think we will see some kind of dark grey or maybe even gunmetal shade, and I think it would be awesome if it had a matte or leather finish. My guess for the second polish is a coffee & milk brown, just like the color of that road. I think the eggshell finish would be perfect, but most likely it will be a high gloss creme. And I really struggled with my third color pick: on one hand there’s a large teal area that might serve as an inspiration, on another hand there are many bright ivory spots my eyes are naturally drawn to. I think the last color should be a shimmer, glitter, or a holo, but which one will it be? I can’t wait for February to see if I was right about any of these!

What are your shade and finish guesses for the February collection? Which color from the January box is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!


Disclosure: This post features products received for editorial consideration and may contain affiliate or referral links. For more details about my product review policy, copyright, and information about affiliate links, please refer to Disclosures & Content Use page.

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20 Comments

  1. January 11, 2016 / 8:05 pm

    I like the blue and purple shades

    • January 29, 2016 / 8:07 pm

      That purple is perfect for you 🙂

  2. Allison @neversaydiebeauty
    January 11, 2016 / 8:05 pm

    Oh, my signif other is going skiing in Banff next month. Those definitely look like the shades I’d associate with it. And I like the 2010 choices. The white gold looks quite unique!

    • January 29, 2016 / 8:07 pm

      How exciting! I hope your significant other enjoys their trip 🙂

  3. January 11, 2016 / 8:30 pm

    That green is my favorite which I didn’t expect!

    • January 29, 2016 / 8:06 pm

      I know, right? Not a fan of greens myself, but I love that one 🙂

  4. marciaf
    January 11, 2016 / 11:27 pm

    The polishes are lovely especially Lake Louise and the Bieber one. My problem with the box is that I didn’t like all three shades each month which was a shame since the quality is great.

    • January 29, 2016 / 8:06 pm

      Indeed, the quality of their polishes is outstanding, but when you don’t love all three there’s almost no reason to subscribe. Did you know that you can now buy past collections individually without having to commit to a subscription plan?

  5. January 11, 2016 / 11:31 pm

    I’m in love with January’s box! It’s not often I love all the colors in these curated boxes, but this one is a winner. I’d be happy with all three. I’m glad they’re making the SquareHue experience more fun with the guessing game! lol

    • January 29, 2016 / 8:05 pm

      I agree, this was an amazing box and I couldn’t be happier with it.

  6. FabZilla_Kath
    January 12, 2016 / 2:27 am

    I should try this once and for all! I like all the polishes you received

    • January 29, 2016 / 8:05 pm

      Since the colors are a mystery, these boxes can be a hit and a miss. But you can buy past collections without committing to a subscription plan!

  7. January 12, 2016 / 3:01 am

    That green and that purple are both stunning polishes! I haven’t subbed to a polish box after I was bitten in the Bondi fiasco but I’m tempted by A Box, Indied.

    • January 29, 2016 / 8:04 pm

      Right? Those are my favorites, too! And eeeekkk, Bondi! I have trust issues because of them now 🙁

    • January 29, 2016 / 8:04 pm

      I agree, SquareHue never disappoints 🙂

  8. Lisa Marie Heath
    January 14, 2016 / 10:07 pm

    Wow – these are gorgeous! Lake Louise might be my favorite

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