I Love Nail Polish Contraband

Contraband from indie polish maker I Love Nail Polish (aka ILNP) is part of ILNP's Rich Effects line of polishes, which combine combine deep color with complementary effect components. Contraband is a dark and seductive violet purple jelly filled with shimmer-like flakey micro particles in royal purple, red and electric blue that sparkle brightly in direct light and add depth and visual texture to the deep well-pigmented violet base. The color is inky but vivid and not easily mistaken for black, even in low light.

Application was dreamy. The consistency of this polish is fluid but dense with a slightly oily texture and lays down smoothly on the nail. Pigmentation is fantastic -- Contraband can easily provide completely opaque coverage in one coat if applied with appropriate mojo. To me it felt like the kind of polish that doesn't want to go on in thin coats, which is well and good as far as I'm concerned since my skills are oriented toward medium to medium thick coats generally. It is self-levelling to a point, but begins to dry on the nail, gets its back up and may even pull a patch or two if you dawdle. Contraband dries naturally in average time to a shiny finish, which likes a topcoat for perfecting evenness over the nail and eliciting a rich glossy finish.

Photos show two coats of Contraband over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Poshe.

ILNP Contraband

ILNP Contraband

ILNP Contraband

ILNP Contraband

ILNP Contraband

ILNP Contraband

ILNP Contraband

ILNP Contraband

ILNP Contraband

ILNP Contraband

ILNP Contraband

ILNP Contraband

The halogens don't show off the rich dark purple of this beautifully crafted polish as well as I would like, but they do show it's lively sparkle. 

As far as my personal feelings go, I'm of two minds about Contraband. A part of me is inclined to feel that it may be inscrutably dark. But another part of me says that though it may be dark, it has a gorgeous and sophisticated look on the nail, sleekly flashing reflections of purple with the glowing components sparkling from within. It's got glamour, that's for sure.  

Contraband is completely non-staining upon removal, always a plus.

love,
Liz