Butter London Stroppy

Like its sister polish Chuffed, Butter London's Stroppy had a previous incarnation as a sheer violet jelly with the Jelly collection for spring 2010. Stroppy 2.0, as Michelle Mismas from All Lacquered Up calls it, was released by Butter London as part of Lolly Brights collection for summer 2014, along with Chuffed 2.0 and four other bright summery lacquers. Described by Butter London as "bright purple flaring shimmers in a gel-like base," Stroppy the Younger has a deep translucent violet jelly base bearing abundant sparkly metallic shimmers in blue, pink and purple. In bright indirect light it is a deep but vivid violet speckled with glowing foily shimmers and a duochromatic-like blue/purple flash. In direct light it takes on a semi-metallic appearance with scintillating sparks. Under incandescent lighting it has molten semi-metallic purple glow and throws a pink flash. 

Application was very nice. Stroppy 2.0 has a smooth, fluid gel-like consistency that is not sticky or goopy and has excellent self-leveling flow over the nail. I found it to apply best in medium coats, which make the best of its formula and pigmentation. Completely opaque even coverage is easily achieved in two medium to medium-thick coats. Cleanup is easy and non-staining. Stroppy sets and surface dries fairly quickly, and dries completely in good time to a smooth shiny finish.

Photos show two coats of Stroppy the Younger over Seche Rebuild treatment and Pretty Serious All Your Base basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite. 

Butter London Stroppy

Butter London Stroppy

Butter London Stroppy

Butter London Stroppy

Butter London Stroppy

Butter London Stroppy

Butter London Stroppy

Butter London Stroppy

Butter London Stroppy

Butter London Stroppy

Butter London Stroppy

I must pause for a moment and declare my affection for the name of this polish. It is such a cute word! According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English online, stroppy is defined as "bad tempered and easily offended or annoyed." There's even a noun: stroppiness! I myself am often stroppy, but the word reminds me of nothing so much as a name Australian wildlife expert and conservationist Steve Irwin would have given one of the crocodiles at his zoo. "This here's Stroppy, isn't he gorgeous! He's a bit territorial and doesn't like it when someone enters his enclosure. Let's see what happens when I try to mow the grass." Oh how I miss Steve! RIP, mate. 

Back to the polish, Stroppy is a kicky little shimmery sparkler that is flashy and full of life on the nail. For a dark color, it possesses a great deal of convivial exuberance that invites closer inspection. And of course, the closer you get to it, the more interesting it becomes. It's a charmer, for sure.

love,
Liz