Purple Shimmer Showdown: Best May Ever vs Kelsea

Two purples, two very different sparkles

If you're choosing between Dam Nail Polish's Best May Ever and Kelsea, the decision comes down to finish and depth. Both are purple shimmer polishes in 15ml bottles and both recommend 2-3 coats, but they create entirely different looks. Best May Ever is a light purple with a linear holographic effect and a pinkish purple/teal shifting shimmer. Kelsea is a deep purple base with shimmer that shifts gold/green/blue and a touch of holographic flakes. One leans bright and rainbow-reflective; the other is dark and moody with a charitable angle. Here's how to tell which belongs in your collection.

Best May Ever vs Kelsea at a glance

• Base color: Best May Ever is a light purple; Kelsea is a deep purple.
• Shimmer effect: Best May Ever has a linear holographic effect plus pinkish purple/teal shifting shimmer; Kelsea has shimmer that shifts gold/green/blue with a touch of holographic flakes.
• Recommended coats: Both recommend 2-3 coats.
• Size: Both are available in 15ml.
• Charity component: Kelsea is part of the Survivor Series: $2 per polish sold is donated to Sojourner Family Peace Center and thehotline.org, split 50/50 and distributed at the end of each year. Best May Ever has no stated charity component.
• Discount eligibility: Kelsea is a charity polish and is not eligible for discounts. Best May Ever has no such restriction in the supplied information.

Best May Ever: light, holographic, and shifting

• Best May Ever - Purple Holographic Shimmer Nail Polish - Polish of the Month - May 2023: Color: Purple. Type: Holographic, Shimmer. Recommended Coats: 2-3. Size: 15ml. These basics tell you it's a light purple with a linear holographic effect and a pinkish purple/teal shifting shimmer — a bright, reflective finish that reads more rainbow than metallic.

  

• Best May Ever - Purple Holographic Shimmer Nail Polish - Polish of the Month - May 2023: The May 2023 polish of the month is a light purple polish with a linear holographic effect and pinkish purple/teal shifting shimmer. The light base and holographic shimmer make it a strong choice if you want a purple that catches light with a soft, colorful glow rather than a dark, saturated look.

What the finishes mean for your nails

Best May Ever's linear holographic effect creates a rainbow-like reflection that's most visible in direct light. The pinkish purple/teal shifting shimmer adds a subtle color change as your hands move. Because the base is light purple, the overall effect is airy and bright — it won't look black or near-black in low light. Kelsea's deep purple base makes the gold/green/blue shimmer pop against a darker background, giving a richer, more dramatic shift. The holographic flakes add scattered sparkle rather than a full linear rainbow. If you prefer a polish that looks obviously purple even in dim light, Best May Ever is the safer bet; if you love a dark base with contrasting shimmer, Kelsea delivers that.

Kelsea: deep purple with a charitable twist

• Kelsea - Purple Shimmer Polish - Survivor Series: This one is a deep purple based polish with shimmer that shifts gold/green/blue and a touch of holographic flakes. Type: Shimmer, Holo. Recommended Coats: 2-3. Size: 15ml. The deep base and multicolor shimmer shift create a moodier, more complex look than Best May Ever — ideal if you want a purple that reads almost black in some lights but flashes gold and green in others.

  

• Kelsea - Purple Shimmer Polish - Survivor Series: For every polish sold, $2 will be donated to Sojourner Family Peace Center in Milwaukee, WI and thehotline.org. Donations will be divided 50/50 between the two organizations and will be distributed at the end of each year. If you like your polish purchases to support a cause, Kelsea includes a verified charitable donation — a factor Best May Ever doesn't offer.
• Kelsea - Purple Shimmer Polish - Survivor Series: Charity polishes are not eligible for discounts. Budget-conscious shoppers should note that Kelsea won't qualify for store-wide sales or promo codes, unlike Best May Ever.

How to choose between them

Pick Best May Ever if you want a light, bright purple with a strong holographic rainbow effect and a pink/teal shift. It's a great everyday shade that feels fresh and reads clearly as purple. Pick Kelsea if you prefer deep, saturated colors with a dramatic gold/green/blue shimmer and you value the charity donation. Kelsea's dark base also makes it a strong choice for evening wear or fall/winter looks. Both need 2-3 coats for full coverage, so neither is a one-coat polish. If you're new to indie shimmer, Best May Ever's lighter base is more forgiving of application streaks; Kelsea's deep base can show patches if you don't apply evenly, but the shimmer helps disguise minor flaws.