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ALU’s 365 of Untrieds – GOSH Golden Dragon

By on April 3, 2011
in 365 of Untrieds, GOSH, Green
gosh golden dragon nail polish bottle 365 untried 365 of Untrieds is my personal challenge to weed through the polishes in the ALU stash that I’ve been wanting to try but just haven’t gotten around to.

My friend Steph is married to a Canadian so they travel across the border quite often visiting family and since she is a fellow polish fanatic she asked me a while back if there are any brands she should look for.  I immediately said GOSH.  GOSH is a drugstore brand out of Denmark that I had only read about but never seen in person.

At the time, probably a year ago, I had no clue GOSH shipped to the US and with no plans to visit Canada I asked Steph to pick me up a bottle of something “fun.”  Knowing my penchant for green polishes she brought back this beauty, Golden Dragon.


Formula & Application: GOSH nail polishes are 4-Free (including Formaldehyde Resin).  They are also a cruelty-free brand.  The bottles are round with a matte black plastic cap.  The brush is thin and round, similar to Essie’s.  I found the formula to be a bit thick and goop-y.  Considering that it felt like I was laying down a Nfu Oh holo, without the Aqua Base, I expected the finish to appear lumpy but it dried smooth and flat.  The polish itself was well pigmented going completely opaque with two thin coats.

GOSH Golden Dragon photographs terribly.  In person it is vibrant, a technicolor blue-based green with golden shimmer.  Staring at it, I am immediately transported to our last cruise, looking out on the Caribbean Sea drinking in the beauty of the deep, murky water with sun rays dancing along the waves.  In direct sunlight the green pearl and golden glints take the stage while indoors, the turquoise base dominates.  My only complaint is that when you aren’t in direct sunlight, the color falls flat.  The depth isn’t there and the polish feels a little boring.

Bottom Line: The gold veining on the bottle drew me in and because I’m a sucker for all things green, the color is a win.  I love its chameleon-esque characteristics though I wish it had a bit more personality under everyday indoor lighting.  The gold really is the star here but I hate that it only peeks its head out in the sun.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: I’m torn.  Because it’s a gift from a good friend I feel compelled to keep it but I don’t know that I would wear it again so maybe it would be happier in another home.

GOSH nail polishes are sold online at GOSHAmericas.com though Golden Dragon is not listed.  My pal Eileen from Miss Whoever You Are reported that GOSH is now being sold in Duane Reade in NYC so I’m hoping that means it’s coming to drugstores nationwide.  To locate GOSH in your country visit GOSHCosmetics.com.  GOSH nail polishes retail for $9.50/ea.

Have you tried GOSH polishes before?  Thoughts on the colors and formula?  Have you found GOSH at other US retailers?  Do they have Golden Dragon on shelves?  If you have Golden Dragon would you suggest I “stash” it or “share” it?

Disclosure: Golden Dragon was gifted to me by a friend. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

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There Are 42 Brilliant Comments

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  1. Danny says:

    OMG this is soooo pretty!!! :)

  2. I have this! and I love it – but agree with you about photographing it.I can never fully capture this gorgeous colour!

    I love the mission you’ve set yourself =)i cant wait to see more untried’s.

    /Hugs

  3. Jen says:

    I had this and used it once only. It’s a lot better in the bottle and doesn’t really translate onto the nail….

  4. nicole says:

    looks really pretty in the photo – can only imagine how gorgeous it is in real life!

  5. Taffy says:

    I live in Toronto and I have tried the brand before. I like their polishes and have no complaints about them but I’m really into their lipsticks and lip pencils. They’re long lasting and are very supple.

  6. Honi says:

    Living in Denmark i see Gosh all over the place, this color is absolutely gorgeous! If you wanna try some other ones try Purple Heart, Holographic or Ocean. Gorgeous colors!

  7. I have a couple Gosh ones and I like them, but they’re a little too expensive for how they apply and wear. But I adore Gosh Holographic and I’m wearing it atm.

  8. Medusae says:

    I live in Canada and got a bottle of Gosh’s “Green Dragon” and also “Purple Heart”.
    They both look AMAZING in the bottle. Green dragon looks like shimmery green/gold dragon scales. It’s perfectly named.
    Purple Heart in the bottle looks like a black shimmering oil slick with purple and green and gold flashes. Simply gorgeous.

    When I saw them I HAD to have them – and on sale at only $5 per bottle (at Shoppers DrugMart)!

    Sadly, the polishes do NOT look the same out of the bottle. At all.

    The Green Dragon for me was uninspired and, yes, boring :( It seemed more of a teal shimmer, less blue or gold.
    Purple Heart fared slightly better, on the nails a muted black shimmer with a light purple flash. But no ‘oil slick’ greens, golds, or anything else.

    You’re right – they appear their best in direct sunlight, but I found that they just aren’t inspiring out of the sun. :/

    I’m going to hold onto mine, however, because IN the bottle they look GORGEOUS! Bottled rainbows :)

    Thanks for the great review!

  9. Ava says:

    I can’t tell you how excited I am that you’re posting daily!!! I love love love your pics so much, and to have a new one every day is such a treat :) Your blog is the one that started my love of polish, so I’m looking forward to seeing all your new posts! Thanks for taking on this challenge so the rest of us can ogle your collection. ?

  10. Ofelia says:

    I adore Gosh! I’m super bummed out the silver holographic is discontinued! It’s pretty affordable in Canada too. Sometimes it goes on sale for about $6.

  11. Edwina says:

    U are not going to believe this. I was shopping tonight at Watsons (local drug store in HK) and found a GOSH counter, newly opened. I have never heard of the brand, but I immediately looked at the polishes yet I didn’t dare to buy one coz I use strictly 3 free brands. I’m glad to learn from you here that it’s 4 free! So tomorrow, i’m going to buy one from GOSH. can’t wait… Thx a lot!

  12. Linda says:

    I own a lot of Gosh polishes. I live in the Netherlands where it’s a drugstore brand. The best Gosh is Holograpic. Similar to Nfu Oh, love it.
    Don’t really love Golden Dragon though.

  13. Kelly says:

    I’m an American in England and Gosh is my new go to nail polish brand. It’s cheap enough and easy to get at the drug store. I love it!

  14. I think this is super pretty, if not terribly unique (at least in my stash). I can’t wear many gold polishes on their own, but I LOVE how gold combines with other colors. Especially gold and green.

  15. Kitty says:

    Not bad. Wish it was a little bit more interesting but if it happens to fall into my lap, I’ll probably keep it.

  16. Rachel says:

    I’m in Canada, so I’ve seen Gosh before. I only have one of their polishes, Gasoline, and it seems quite thin. I would personally keep Green Dragon because it’s a colour I don’t have a dupe for, but it’s your decision! :)

  17. Facoynie says:

    If you have it or could get a hand of it would you please swatch Gosh Ocean?

  18. Chris says:

    It’s terrible when polishes don’t photograph well. I may get this to see the color in person. I love greens enough to do that. :)

  19. Elaine says:

    i love greens.

  20. Jo says:

    This is beautiful!!!

  21. It’s a pretty one, GOSH can have some amazing colours but they can be very hit or miss. I’m in Europe, so they’re easily available to me but apart from a few stand-out colours, it isn’t really a brand I’d be a huge fan of. They have produced a brilliant gold flakie called Rainbow, which I believe is a dupe for Sally Hansen’s Hidden Treasure and their other gem is Holographic which is a really cool pure silver holo. If you see either of those, grab them with both hands!!

  22. SM says:

    I love Golden Dragon! I have it myself! I love GOSH polishes, because they normally are good to go with 2 coats :) And the formula is awesome!

  23. Nailtastic says:

    So pretty! I’d love to get my hands on a bottle!

  24. Sexy Sadie says:

    I love this color. The blue one, Ocean too.

  25. Aylene says:

    Recently saw Golden Dragon in the Shoppers Drug Mart in the Gosh Cosmetics Section and also in the Nail Polish section in with the other Gosh polishes. I didn’t buy it because I have enough greens that I don’t wear…but it does look lovely on your nails.

  26. this one’s pretttyyyyy! (And i’m not even a green nail polish fan!)

    In Canada Gosh cosmetics have been sold in a chain drugstore called Shoppers Drug Mart for a few years now.
    They sell limited amounts of their nail polishes though. I finally got a couple and Man! they’re pretty awesome! Pigmentation is great, like you said, and it flows great over the nail!

    Also, if you’re in the Gosh makeup section, I highly recommend their waterproof eyeliner pencils. (the wood ones, not the retractable ones.) They’re amazing! Much more waterproof than MAC waterproof eyeliners.

    Happy Sunday!

    ~Miss80Million

  27. Diane says:

    This is actually one of my favourite greens. I’d suggest you keep it for a bit, and play with it.

  28. Steph says:

    Keep it! It’s awesome! I love greens as well :)

  29. Susana says:

    I love this challenge! It’s always good to discover new polishes in your blog. Green is not very flattering on my skin, but this one looks great.

    Wonderful swatches, as usual! :)

  30. TraceyJoy76 says:

    I go gaga for GOSH, lol. I first saw GOSH on youtube. It was the holographic in silver, my mouth flew open it was so beautiful. I have been trying to get my hands on some. So glad you were able to get some. This Golden Dragon is very pretty.

  31. Silva says:

    I have this one, and I love it!

  32. Sw says:

    I have this and I love it :) I would propose frankening with it, if you don’t like it as it is.. You can really get some interesting combinations out of it, now that it has so many colors in it!

    Oh, and I’m from Denmark! hah.

  33. Lauran says:

    Just stumbled across your blog and it’s great! I live in the UK and we have GOSH in our drugstores too. The colour range is great and some of them are really unique.

    Keep up the great work :)

    Much Love,
    Lauran
    xxx

  34. Jess says:

    I have Golden Dragon, GOSH is pretty easy to get hold of here in the UK and it’s one of my favourite brands! Their Rainbow flakie(like Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure) is my most treasured polish but sadly discontinued now :(

  35. flipflopgal says:

    How does it compare to Zoya Charla/OPI Catch Me in Your Net/Orly Hailey’s Comet? Looks a little bit more green & less blue than those 3, maybe? I’m still on the lookout for the Zoya or the OPI. Did find the Orly (for $6.99, not too bad) at CVS a month ago, but tested it on 1 nail, wore it for a week, and when I removed it, yep, major staining. Knew I wouldn’t wear it, so I sadly returned it :(

  36. Andy says:

    This one is on my untried pile too – but being in the UK, GOSH isn’t so hard to come by. I will still give this one a try, but it is disappointing that the gold shimmer doesn’t come out much…

  37. Becky says:

    I have this polish too and wore it over Sally Hansen’s Glass slipper for St Patrick’s day. Much more green than blue when I did this and I loved it a lot.

  38. JDV says:

    I’ve been wanting to try GOSH for a while but haven’t been lucky enough to find any, I even tried to google online sources and came up empty- behold, there WAS a site after all! Too bad they only have 4 blah colors. I was in Finland recently and was hoping to stumble on some GOSH polish but I must’ve been looking in the wrong places, no luck. :(

    I also saw gorgeous nails on women in Russia (who dress to impress, that’s for sure!) but do you think I could figure out where the average person could buy a bottle of polish? Nope! I didn’t have the time but I was seriously wanting to get a manicure while I was there. I sigh at the untapped resources that were so close yet so far…

  39. meme says:

    Cannot believe you had a green polish in your ‘never been tried’ stash!!! I would think you could not fall asleep at nights knowing you had one you had not tried out yet!!!

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