Cirque Arcane Fire

Is it just me or are shorter nails really more difficult to apply polish to than longer ones? A few days ago I took some of the length off of my nails and ever since I've regressed into a hunching sweaty mouth-breathing anxiety-ridden nail painter. Don't even get me started on my shaky hands. It's just me? Really?

My singular *finger quotes* polish purchase this month got turned into a semi-massive haul thanks to a holiday coupon code from Cirque Colors. Cirque is a bijoux indie polish maker owned and run by Annie Pham of Brooklyn, NY. Annie uses unique pigments and raw materials to produce lacquers of high quality in diverse colors and finishes that transcend offerings from mainstream polish makers. Her creations are well-known by polish enthusiasts for their originality, beauty and artisinal quality.

I have been hankering after Cirque polishes from the minute I first learning of their existence and have spent many an hour drooling lingering over the offerings on Cirque's website and filling and subsequently emptying my shopping cart. When I received a holiday promotion email from Cirque following Thanksgiving it emboldened me to make the big pounce and pick up a whole mess o' Cirque lacquers.

Arcane Fire was recently released by Cirque as part of Annie's Alchemy collection. This is a gorgeous deep purpled ruby jelly polish containing iridescent gold shimmers. From a distance, Arcane Fire appears to be a dark red with a subtle bronzy glow to it, but as you draw closer the individual golden sparks of shimmer become distinct and light up the claret color of the polish, giving it a twinkling lit from within look. And believe me, people will want to draw closer when you're wearing this polish. It has an especially alluring quality to it that catches the eye and invites scrutiny.

My latest skills regression aside, application was wonderful. Arcane Fire has a smooth liquid consistency with only a skosh of a jelly's typical stickiness. Pigmentation is excellent for a jelly polish with maximum richness of color and coverage in two coats. Cirque's bottles are beautiful: small and rectangular with a contemporary, sensual outward curvature to the sides, stepped shoulders, smooth polished black tops and Cirque's handsome calligraphic initial C logo screened onto the bottle front. They are a pleasure to handle and work with and it is clear that Annie takes great care with her packaging designs. Did I mention that all of her polishes come boxed in beautiful black matte boxes with a clear-coated calligraphic initial C on the front? Lovely!

Arcane Fire dries naturally in very good time (but not so quickly as to interfere with application if you are a slow painter like I am) to a smooth flat finish that loves a nice topcoat to focus the color and boost the effect of the shimmers.

Photos show two medium coats of Arcane Fire over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Poshe. 

Cirque Arcane Fire

Cirque Arcane Fire

Cirque Arcane Fire

Cirque Arcane Fire

Cirque Arcane Fire

Cirque Arcane Fire

Cirque Arcane Fire

Cirque Arcane Fire

Cirque Arcane Fire

Cirque Arcane Fire

Cirque Arcane Fire

Cirque Arcane Fire

Cirque Arcane Fire

Cirque Arcane Fire

Cirque Arcane Fire

Cirque Arcane Fire

Cirque Arcane Fire

Cirque Arcane Fire

I know, right?! Seriously stunning, this beauty has a lithe almost raw kind of glamour. It is not overly ornate but with its rich glowing color and splendid iridescent golden shimmers it does have a monied luxurious feel. There's mystery and intrigue here too, and a sense of excitement. Arcane Fire seems prepared for anything.

It's perfect for this time of year, too. I received complements on it from my pharmacy clerk when I picked up a prescription today, which delighted me to no end as you can imagine. 

Love it!

xoxo,
Aunt Liz