Throwback Thursday: How My Nail Polish Collection Began

I think it's safe to say I'm a nail polish junkie. It's rare (okay, impossible) to find me without my nails painted and my living space liberally covered with nail polish bottles. And this love obsession began many, many, MANY years ago. As far back as junior high (which was -- ahem -- TWENTY TWO YEARS AGO), I began collecting nail polishes in every color under the sun. And during a recent trip back to Cleveland, I actually found my old box of nail polishes! I hope you'll take a little trip down memory lane with me as I relive the good time with the very first polishes in my collection.

In high school, my best friend and I would trade nail polishes. We were always the ones trying out crazy colors -- while everyone else stuck to pinks, reds and the dreaded French manicure, we used purples, greens, blues, browns ... basically everything that's considered a must have shade today. (What can I say? We were ahead of our time.)

I especially loved the nail polishes from Afterthoughts and Old Navy. Old Navy was at its height of coolness back in the late 90's, and during every shopping trip there (which I admit were plentiful), I would find myself stocking up on the $1 mini nail polish bottles near the register. I couldn't leave the store without buying at least two! Afterthoughts also always had deals on nail polishes, and they had tons of really gorgeous, sparkly colors to choose from.

I kept all of my nail polishes in this box. I loved the floral pattern and the French phrases -- it always felt so chic.

I can't say there was really any rhyme or reason to how I organized my collection back then -- I pretty much just made sure they all fit. But I did love those miniature Old Navy polishes and kept them on the top level for easy access.

The bottom level contained a bit of a hodge podge of polishes -- mainly from Afterthoughts, Bath & Body Works, Wet 'n Wild.

A closer look at my polishes from Wet 'n Wild, CoverGirl, Old Navy and Bath & Body Works. Remember those Color Drops nail polishes from Bath & Body Works? What a cool bottle shape. And that purple sparkle from Afterthoughts was my JAM.

I really, REALLY loved CoverGirl NailSlicks during the late 90's. I couldn't get enough! And that mint green polish from Bath & Body Works was on my nails ALL. THE. TIME.

I remember my grandparents thinking that brown nail polish from The Limited was so ugly, but I just thought it was the COOLEST. (It's probably why to this day I love Chanel Haute Chocolat.) Those Old Navy mini bottles, too. I told you I couldn't get enough.

And there you have it -- my original nail polish collection! I'm really happy that I saved these, since they were such a big part of my junior high and high school experience. What's the beauty obsession you haven't been able to shake? Let me know in the comments!