Mentality Sparkplug

Sparkplug is one of indie polish maker Mentality's vast line of matte polishes. This one called to me from the moment I first saw it and I'm thrilled to have it at last! Sparkplug is a gorgeous medium auburn polish with bountiful gold and silver shimmers. The color is a perfect medium copper with a slightly tarnished or antiqued look, speckled with the gold and silver shimmers that give it some sweet visual texture as well as a lovely all-over russet glow.

Application was interesting. The consistency of Mentality's mattes is thick but fluid. It applies easily and stays where you put it. These polishes surface dry fairly quickly, but not so fast that you don't have time to finish a nail. Still, it helps if you're speedy and accurate. Well, I imagine it would. I'm neither speedy nor very accurate so I had a few applications issues but all were of my own making. I found that Sparkplug, like the other Mentality mattes that I've experimented with so far, is a forgiving polish once you let it surface dry. Then you can go back with a small bead of polish on the brush and fix a line or patch a spot where the brush didn't lay polish down. This polish will show brushmarks if you have too much polish on the brush when you apply. 

Pigmentation is fantastic with complete opacity in one coat. My nail ridges would have perhaps been less noticeable with two, but I was so happy with the coverage I left it at one. Sparkplug dries naturally in fairly good time to a smooth matte finish. Though the surface dries swiftly, the polish below remains wet for a bit longer and is very vulnerable to smudging. 

Photos show one coat of Sparkplug over treatment and basecoat without topcoat. This is the natural finish of the polish.

Mentality Sparkplug

Mentality Sparkplug

Mentality Sparkplug

Mentality Sparkplug

Mentality Sparkplug

Mentality Sparkplug

Mentality Sparkplug

Mentality Sparkplug

Adding a layer of topcoat really amps up the shimmery glow. I love it glossy! I used one coat of Seche Vite over the matte manicure for the photos below.

Mentality Sparkplug with glossy topcoat

Mentality Sparkplug with glossy topcoat

Mentality Sparkplug with glossy topcoat

Mentality Sparkplug with glossy topcoat

Mentality Sparkplug with glossy topcoat

Mentality Sparkplug with glossy topcoat

Mentality Sparkplug with glossy topcoat

Mentality Sparkplug with glossy topcoat

Mentality Sparkplug with glossy topcoat

What a great color, no? Mentality describes it as a burnt orange and I suppose it is but the color is so rich and dimensional that to me it comes off as a beautiful shimmering copper. I have nothing like it in my collection. It's a perfect tonal mix of deep orange, black and grey. Despite being quintessentially autumnal, it is light enough on the nail to be flattering all year round. Not feeling the gold or silver? Try this coppery shimmerfest! I imagine it would be beautiful with any of your tarnished, weathered precious metal colors, and would be lovely with antiqued metal jewelry.

This one goes right to treasured status!

love,
Liz