Mentality Cloudy

Cloudy by indie polish maker Mentality is part of their Greyscale Matte collection. Mentality describes it as "a medium dark grey matte nail polish with gold accent flecks." If charcoal and wet cement had a baby, it would be this. Matte, it has a blackened look. A shiny topcoat helps the shimmering golden flecks stand out.

Application was lovely. Cloudy has the thick but fluid consistency that is characteristic of Mentality. I've taken to adding a few squirts of polish thinner to my Mentality polishes before I apply them, it just makes it easier for me to get closer to the edges with accuracy. I know lots of folks wouldn't square with adding thinner to a new polish and they probably have much more application finesse than I do. In any case, it doesn't hurt the polish and makes my manicure go a little more smoothly. 

That said, Cloudy, like the other Mentality mattes I've tried, is amazingly amenable to being patched, as when your line isn't as straight as it could be or there's a nick or dent. Wait until the surface has dried, use a bead of polish on the brush and a light touch. Lightly brush out the edges of the patch and voilà -- it disappears as it dries and no one but you will be the wiser.

Pigmentation of Cloudy is excellent with complete opacity in one coat. Two coats would probably have helped minimize my nail ridges, but I stuck with one to be consistent with my other Mentality matte posts and to show you just how well-pigmented this polish is. Cloudy surface-dries very quickly and forms its soft matte finish as it does. The body of the polish dries naturally in very good time, less than five minutes. If you wear it matte, it will develop a satiny shine with wear over time and as lotions and whatnot are applied. Cloudy does not show brushstrokes (the lines you see in the photos are my prodigious nail ridges).

Photos show one coat of Cloudy over treatment and basecoat with no topcoat.

Mentality Cloudy

Mentality Cloudy

Mentality Cloudy

Mentality Cloudy

Mentality Cloudy

Mentality Cloudy

Mentality Cloudy

Mentality Cloudy

And here it is with a topcoat of Seche Vite:

Mentality Cloudy with glossy topcoat

Mentality Cloudy with glossy topcoat

Mentality Cloudy with glossy topcoat

Mentality Cloudy with glossy topcoat

Mentality Cloudy with glossy topcoat

Mentality Cloudy with glossy topcoat

Mentality Cloudy with glossy topcoat

Mentality Cloudy with glossy topcoat

This is an interesting polish in a very classy, very neutral color. The gold flecks are a genius upscale accent. When the polish is matte, they look like they're glowing from beneath the surface but when topcoated it's almost like they're floating above it. I usually prefer silver to gold with grey but I'm finding the combo in Cloudy to be quite rich and compelling. There's a tension between the cool and the warm that catches and holds your attention.

These Mentality polishes are giving me a new appreciation for gold, and I gotta say it's surprises me to be feeling as affectionate toward it as I have been. Teach me another new trick, Mentality!

love,
Liz