Sunday, October 19, 2014

Picture Polish Lizzie

Lizzie was released by Australian boutique polish maker Picture Polish in March of this year. It is a "rebirth" of the now defunct Ozotic color 606, and is a soft silvery lilac shade in Picture Polish's "opulence" range. Named for the character of Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen's classic novel Pride and Prejudice, Lizzie has a sheer pastel purple base filled with scattered holographic flake shimmers that glow and sparkle discretely with a pale rainbow of colors, as well as finer holo pigments that provide a gentle linear prismatic bloom in most lights. Gold and pink especially suffuse the base with an exquisite dimensional blush of color that adds visual interest and depth to this pale, ethereal lilac shade.

Application was delicious. Lizzie has a fluid, smooth, creamy consistency with an excellent painting viscosity and an even, self-leveling flow over the nail, simply a joy to work with. Pigmentation is sheer, which is certainly an intentional aspect of its formula. Even at multiple coats, this polish retains a hint of translucence that is part and parcel of its inherently delicate character. I used three coats for this manicure and can still detect faintly visible nail line, made much less noticeable by the holographic nature of the polish and the sparkling flake shimmers. The gossamer quality of the coverage suits the nature of this diaphanous shade and is actually quite flattering on the nail. Cleanup is easy and straightforward; the flake shimmers remove easily from nail, skin and cuticle without a fuss. Lizzie dries naturally in very good time to a silky smooth, glossy finish. I felt that topcoat made the sparkle a tad more fluid and incorporated but enhanced the colors of the prismatic display. 

Photos show three coats of Lizzie over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite. It's overcast and rainy here today, so I was unable to capture the fullest holographic aspect of this polish, but the beautiful, subtle pinkish gold bloom is apparent in many of the pics.


Picture Polish Lizzie


Picture Polish Lizzie


Picture Polish Lizzie


Picture Polish Lizzie


Picture Polish Lizzie


Picture Polish Lizzie


Picture Polish Lizzie


Picture Polish Lizzie


Picture Polish Lizzie


Picture Polish Lizzie


Picture Polish Lizzie


Picture Polish Lizzie

The whisper soft color of the base is perfectly complemented by the pastel sparks from the holographic flakes, which give Lizzie the deliciously speckled look I love so much in scattered holos. It reminds me a little bit of the polishes in A-England's Ballerina collection. But the linear prismatic flair is there also, gentled in this polish to a delicately muted flame of gold, pink, pale blue and violet. Even under dim incandescent lighting it is easily seen -- I can only imagine what it would be like in direct sunlight. 

I'm ridiculously pleased to share a name with this polish -- as if I had anything to do with it's loveliness beyond wearing it for my own pleasure. A rose by any other name, ha! There is some ineffable connection in a namesake, animate or not, that elicits sweet cozy feels and a little flutter of pride, no? 

Now pardon me as I'm going to go admire Lizzie under the halogen lights in the kitchen, and perhaps snag a bowl of homemade minestrone while I'm there....

love,
Liz

4 comments:

  1. This is a very pretty shade and it's nice that it has your name too. I like that it's on the softer side but those holographic specks still make it stand out.

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    1. I had to get this one, don't you know! It's a beauty, too, with a soft warm holo flair that gives it a lovely dimensional look.

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  2. This is so beautiful on you!! It literally has your name on it! :D My brain pointed and was like "NEEDS", but then I realized... I HAVE this!! Phew, thank goodness. This was my first Picture Polish, and I was so surprised at how small the bottle is... for that price?! But I mean I couldn't resist, just LOOK AT IT, and also Jane Austen is one of my all-time best loves <3 <3

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    1. *lol* I'm envisioning your brain standing next to you, eyes rolling back and forth between the polish and your face, with a little gesticulating arm! Adorable!

      You know, I don't have many Picture Polishes compared to most folks who buy Picture Polish precisely because of the prices, but I have yet to regret even one of the polishes that I've bought. I like to ponder the scenario of having to pick one brand of polish to live with for life, and I've often thought that that brand could easily be Picture Polish. Not only are the polishes awesome, but that crew is unsurpassed in their devotion to their fans and to the nail polish community online.

      I'm glad you have Lizzie! And I also love Jane Austen, although I think maybe George Eliot is probably my favorite Victorian novelist. Maybe not, I love them all! The detail with which they describe emotion and the human thought process is delicious!

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