Elevation Polish Mamostong Kangri

Mamostong Kangri was released by Minnesota-based indie polish maker Elevation Polish as part of the Exotic India collection in December 2015. It is officially described as a soft periwinkle/blue/purple with platinum flake shimmers and platinum microshimmers, and I agree. There's a gentle dusky quality to the periwinkle color that's especially apparent in low light and shade, while in the sun it brightens considerably, to the point where I wondered whether it actually qualified as a pastel. Wikipedia says yes, and although it looks to have a bit of grey in there it does behave like a white-based polish, so I'm satisfied that it is -- feel free to disagree! The base is somewhat crelly-like, with enough translucence to allow you to see the components beneath the surface. In bright ambient light, the platinum flakes emit a silvery gleam as light travels over them and in the sun they read with a very pale pinkish tint from within, giving the polish a delicate visual texture on close inspection that reminds me of the high cloudy puffs of a mackerel sky. 

Application was angsty, but not prohibitively so. The consistency of Mamostong Kangri is fluid, light and creamy with a medium viscosity and a smooth, if streaky, glide over the nail. It went on best for me in medium coats from a well-loaded brush drawing the side of the fanned-out brush carefully all the way down the nail, which kept flake tumbling to a minimum. Self-leveling properties are ok and pigmentation is good. The first coat was streaky in the way of white-based polishes but I believe that folks with a lighter touch than mine may be able to get wearable coverage with a very even second coat. I needed three and the smoothing power of Seche Vite to achieve opaque coverage that was acceptably even, and I can still detect certain areas of unevenness, hopefully unnoticeable to anyone else. Cleanup was easy and straightforward. Mamostong Kangri dries naturally in very good time to a beautiful glossy finish.

Photos show three coats of Mamostong Kangri over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Elevation Polish Mamostong Kangri

Elevation Polish Mamostong Kangri

Elevation Polish Mamostong Kangri

Elevation Polish Mamostong Kangri

Elevation Polish Mamostong Kangri

Elevation Polish Mamostong Kangri

Elevation Polish Mamostong Kangri

Elevation Polish Mamostong Kangri

Elevation Polish Mamostong Kangri

Elevation Polish Mamostong Kangri

Elevation Polish Mamostong Kangri

This polish is named for Mamostong Kangri, the tallest peak in the remote Rimo Muztagh subrange of the great Karakoram mountain range, which extends from the Himalayas through northwest India, China and Pakistan.

Mamostong Kangri, elevation 24,659ft/7517m, located in the territory of Kashmir. It is India's fifth highest peak and ranked 48th in the list of the world's highest peaks. Bordered on three sides by glaciers, it is also known as the Mountain of a Thousand Devils, and is so remote that until 1984 there were no photographs of it. (source)

This photograph from the International Space Station shows the central Karakoram, the highest concentration of 8000m (26,247ft) mountains on earth. Click to enlarge! (source)

Back to the polish -- I love this delicate, lacy periwinkle shade with it's snowy clouds of tiny platinum flakes. It has a precious, gem-like sense to it that is entrancing and contemplative -- you just want to gaze at it and note each gleaming flake. It seems ironic that it should be named for such a formidable, mysterious mountain, as I find it exquisitely serene. 

Lovely!

ttyl,
Liz