Different Dimension Mistle-Toad

Mistle-Toad was released by indie polish maker Different Dimension as part of the Happy Holly Days collection in November 2013. I swear, I'm not trying to hustle you into the holidays -- heaven forbid! As you'll see, this polish is eminently wearable at any time of the year but especially right about now. With its rich holographic peacock coloring it fits happily into the proliferation of teal holos we've seen this fall, and its eerie glow adds a spooky little twist that augurs well for Halloween.

Missi, the owner and creative force behind Different Dimension, describes Mistle-Toad as a "pine green linear holographic polish with heavy pink shimmer that also gives a semi duochrome effect." On me it leans very blue with a bit of help in that direction from the gorgeous deep but radiant cerulean blue that predominates the prismatic display, which is visible to some extent in almost every light. If you took a deep Pacific blue and added some cool green undertones to it, that's how it reads to my eye. The pink particle shimmers are a brilliant formulary touch. Not only do they bring an ethereal pink glow to the polish as a whole, they merge spectacularly with the prismatic display, producing complementary purplish nuances. Also, they're sparkly! :) I don't think you could find a better combination of elements and colors to demonstrate the preternatural visual effects of holo pigments. Suffice to say I think Mistle-Toad is spectacular!

Application was fantastic. Mistle-Toad has a dreamy, smooth, fluid consistency with a velvety glide over the nail and excellent self-leveling properties. It will apply in thin or thicker coats, as you prefer, and is easily guided into place with Different Dimensions flexible, flattened brush. Hypnotized by the magical flow of color onto my nails, I was a tad lavish in my brush loading and ended up with a touch of pooling at my free edge. My bad! Pigmentation is excellent in this polish. Completely even and opaque coverage is easily delivered in two coats, and I suspect there are folks out there who could finesse one-coat coverage out of this polish with the proper mojo. Cleanup is easy and straightforward, although the pink shimmers do like to stick around and may need a second pass with the cleanup brush to remove completely. Mistle-Toad dries in very good time to a smooth, shiny finish. Topcoat did not diminish the holographic properties of this polish in any way.

Photos show two coats of Mistle-Toad over Seche Rebuild treatment and Pretty Serious All Your Base basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Different Dimension Mistle-Toad

Different Dimension Mistle-Toad

Different Dimension Mistle-Toad

Different Dimension Mistle-Toad

Different Dimension Mistle-Toad

Different Dimension Mistle-Toad

Different Dimension Mistle-Toad

Different Dimension Mistle-Toad

Different Dimension Mistle-Toad

Different Dimension Mistle-Toad

Different Dimension Mistle-Toad

Different Dimension Mistle-Toad

Different Dimension Mistle-Toad

Different Dimension Mistle-Toad

Different Dimension Mistle-Toad

This one's hard to pin down in one or two or even ten photos, which accounts for my including so many. I was trying really hard to get that pink to show like it does in Melissa's photo in her Happy Holly Days collection post on Polish for Melissa, here. Or in the top photo from Mistle-Toad's own big cartel listing, here.

But what did I tell you, is it not a great polish for fall?

For a tempestuous, changeable oceanic shade with an otherworldly pink glow, I find this polish incredibly soothing. There's something so satisfying about wearing a beautiful complex polish, it's empowering and grounding at the same time. I feel like I could wear this type of "shimmolo" (a combination of shimmer and holographic components -- tip of the hat to Pam at Girly Bits for coinage) polish for the rest of my life and never tire of it. 

love,
Liz