CANVAS Lacquer Tempts are Rising

Tempts are Rising was released by Canadian-based indie polish maker CANVAS Lacquer as part of the Spring Fling collection at the end of February/beginning of March 2015. I was tempted (sorry, couldn't resist) to purchase this pretty lacquer when I saw it swatched by Jenny on her wonderful blog, Lavish Layerings, here. It's a medium-dark, nicely-saturated rich berry or pinkish purple holographic polish, a full-bodied color with a sleek, feminine vibe on the nail. In indirect light it displays a rich, purpled cranberry hue with subtle rainbow twinkles from the holo pigment. In direct sun it lightens to a bright, juicy raspberry shade with a soft linear display and unexpected metallic tone-on-tone sparkles that emanate from deep within the polish.

Application was very nice. The consistency of Tempts are Rising is fluid, creamy and dense, a little thicker and more viscous than I was expecting but still eminently paintable. It has a velvety glide over the nail and excellent self-leveling properties. The creme/jelly hybrid formula leans to the creme side of the spectrum, with excellent pigmentation that very nearly allows for one coat coverage. But you'll want to do two for the added depth and richer color that the second coat brings. Cleanup is easy and straightforward with no pigment travel or residual staining. Tempts are Rising dries naturally in average time to a smooth, plump, glossy finish. Nice!

Photos show two coats of Tempts are Rising over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite, except on the ring finger nail of my left hand, which has three coats of Tempts are Rising. I had to add a third coat to that nail to paint over some flotsam that got painted into the second coat. You'll note the deeper color of that nail compared to the others -- it shows the degree of translucence in this polish's crelly formula.

CANVAS Lacquer Tempts are Rising

CANVAS Lacquer Tempts are Rising

CANVAS Lacquer Tempts are Rising

CANVAS Lacquer Tempts are Rising

CANVAS Lacquer Tempts are Rising

CANVAS Lacquer Tempts are Rising

CANVAS Lacquer Tempts are Rising

CANVAS Lacquer Tempts are Rising

CANVAS Lacquer Tempts are Rising

CANVAS Lacquer Tempts are Rising

CANVAS Lacquer Tempts are Rising

CANVAS Lacquer Tempts are Rising

CANVAS Lacquer Tempts are Rising

CANVAS Lacquer Tempts are Rising

CANVAS Lacquer Tempts are Rising

This is one of those eternally lovely shades that's appropriate year round and for any occasion or activity. One thing I love about it is that it makes my hands look dainty and pale. My skin is very pink and prone to ruddiness, as I'm sure you've noticed if you've been reading my blog for a while, and I regularly have to desaturate the red in my photos to get my pinkage under control. Didn't have to do that with Tempts are Rising.

The other thing I'll add is that while Tempts are Rising is a crelly holo with a certain amount of sparkle and translucence, it's also possesses a creamy, substantial quality that reminds me of mainstream polishes like Zoya and OPI. Fuzzy says it reminds her of the redbuds that are currently putting on a show on our place along with the flowering plums, forsythia, spirea and Korean spice viburnums. Daffodils are everywhere. In a little while, the trees will be bathed in a pale green mist of baby leaves and the wysteria that's all over the woods across the road as well as trellised next to the driveway will be blooming with its fresh sweet scent filling up the atmosphere, and it'll be full-on spring.

Huzzah!

love,
Liz

Different Dimension Aquila

Aquila was released by indie polish maker Different Dimension as part of the limited edition Shooting Stars series at the end of February 2015. Aquila is different than Lyra and Sagitta in that instead of sterling silver flakies, it contains holographic microglitters. Aquila has a blue-green linear holo base bearing multichromatic flakies in shades of blue, green and yellow with occasional flashes of orange plus superabundant hex-shaped turquoise holographic microglitters. As you can imagine, it has a ton of sparkle that just leaps out in all but the dimmest of lighting, while the multichrome flakies and holo base blend their colors in a pastiche of blues and greens in the background. On the nail it reminds me of a magical sunlit tropical sea or a scene from some lush, otherworldly mermaidian fantasy.

Application was great! The consistency of Aquila is slightly gel-like but still fluid, and packed with components. It feels a bit more element-dense than the other two Shooting Stars I've featured, with a bit of brush splay as a result but not so much as to hinder application. It has an even, self-leveling spread over the nail with such outstanding component pay-off that it only requires two coats for completely opaque coverage. It didn't tip-wrap as nicely as I'd wish, and I had a little bit of tip pull on a couple of nails after topcoat. Cleanup is best done as you go along because those glitters become limpet-like once they've dried. Aquila dries in average time to a slightly textured finish from the microglitters and I applied a surface-smoothing coat of Nail Pattern Boldness Glitter Food before topcoating. 

Photos show two coats of Aquila over treatment and basecoat with a layer of Nail Pattern Boldness Glitter Food followed by a topcoat of Seche Vite. 

Different Dimension Aquila

Different Dimension Aquila, macro shot in the bottle

Different Dimension Aquila

Different Dimension Aquila

Different Dimension Aquila

Different Dimension Aquila

Different Dimension Aquila

Different Dimension Aquila

Different Dimension Aquila

Different Dimension Aquila

Different Dimension Aquila

Different Dimension Aquila

Different Dimension Aquila

Other reviewers have chosen Aquila as their favorite among this batch of Shooting Stars. It's the only one with microglitters, so that change in composition sets it apart. I must admit that I miss the sterling silver flake component that was part of the formulas of Lyra and Sagitta. The use of on-tone holographic microglitters provides for more color overall and a glittery rather than semi-metallic finish, but to me it distracts from the look of the multichrome flakies embedded in the holo base and the glistening, pebbly, mosaic-like beauty of that particular visual texture. I guess I'd say that Aquila has more of a sparkling sandy look.

That's not to say that Aquila isn't a gorgeous, striking polish -- it is! It's extremely sparkly, and the holo of the microglitters only adds to the flashiness of the polish's linear prismatic display in direct light. I wish I could have taken a photo to show you how bold the polish is in that state, but we're overcast and rainy here. 

Even though Aquila is no longer available from Different Dimension, I've seen a few bottles on Storenvy.com so if you have a hankering, that's a good place to look.

love,
Liz

Quick Comparison: Smitten Polish Seasonal Lattes vs Bear Pawlish Close But No Cigar

I had an email this morning from reader Candy Lover who asked if I could compare Smitten Polish Seasonal Lattes with Bear Pawlish Close But No Cigar. Based on my past post photos, I thought these two would be quite close. Turns out I was wrong!

Smitten Polish Seasonal Lattes (l), Bear Pawlish Close But No Cigar (r), bottle shot

Both of these polishes have excellent creme/jelly hybrid type formulas with fluid, smooth, creamy consistencies that are easy to work with. Pigmentation is very good in both as well, with completely even opaque coverage in two medium coats. If using very thin coats, three may be necessary as both formulas have a little bit of translucence. Cleanup is easy and straightforward for both and both dry in good time to smooth, shiny finishes. Both brands utilize a flattened flexible brush.

Photos show two coats of polish over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite. Seasonal Lattes is on my index and middle finger nails (on your left in the photos), Close But No Cigar is on my ring and pinky finger nails (on your right in the photos).

Smitten Polish Seasonal Lattes (l) vs Bear Pawlish Close But No Cigar (r)

Smitten Polish Seasonal Lattes (l) vs Bear Pawlish Close But No Cigar (r)

Smitten Polish Seasonal Lattes (l) vs Bear Pawlish Close But No Cigar (r)

Smitten Polish Seasonal Lattes (l) vs Bear Pawlish Close But No Cigar (r)

Smitten Polish Seasonal Lattes (l) vs Bear Pawlish Close But No Cigar (r)

Smitten Polish Seasonal Lattes (l) vs Bear Pawlish Close But No Cigar (r)

Smitten Polish Seasonal Lattes

Bear Pawlish Close But No Cigar

Smitten Polish Seasonal Lattes (l) vs Bear Pawlish Close But No Cigar (r)

Smitten Polish Seasonal Lattes (l) vs Bear Pawlish Close But No Cigar (r)

Smitten Polish Seasonal Lattes (l) vs Bear Pawlish Close But No Cigar (r)

Smitten Polish Seasonal Lattes (l) vs Bear Pawlish Close But No Cigar (r)

Smitten Polish Seasonal Lattes

Bear Pawlish Close But No Cigar

Smitten Polish Seasonal Lattes (l) vs Bear Pawlish Close But No Cigar (r)

As you can see, Seasonal Lattes is more of a golden brown with greenish hints (at least, to my eye) and Close But No Cigar is more of a reddish brown. Seasonal Lattes is perhaps a bit less translucent than Close But No Cigar, but it may be a trick of the back light and hand position in the photos that gives that impression. They are actually very close in terms of opacity in person. As far as holographic effects are concerned, they both contain finely milled holo pigment but Seasonal Lattes' formula has a greater degree of it than does the formula of Close But No Cigar. They are both linear holos, but the prismatic display is more athletic and overt in Seasonal Lattes and that polish has more of the subtle nuancing of the base color in bright indirect light that occurs in strong holos. Seasonal Lattes has a bronzey gold semi-metallic flash beneath the holographic flair in the sun, while Close But No Cigar has a reddish copper semi-metallic flash. In shade, silvery speckling from the holo pigment is more noticeable in Seasonal Lattes than it is in Close But No Cigar. 




Vive la différence! I hope this helps, Candy Lover, thanks for asking! It was an eye-opener for me that's for sure. 

love,
Liz

Alchemy Lacquers Lilac

Lilac is part of the core line of Philadelphia-based indie polish maker Alchemy Lacquers. Many of Rebecca's polishes are named for botanicals with homeopathic qualities, and Lilac is one of those. It is, as you'd guess from the name, a pastel purple with what I consider to be a creme/jelly hybrid formula sprinkled with tiny microglitters in shades of purple and bearing abundant beautiful pinkish gold particle shimmers. The color is slightly warmer or pinker than a lavender, very much a lilac shade. The microglitters aren't large enough to be noticed from afar, but give the polish a deliciously speckled look upon close inspection. The shimmer, while discreet, adds greatly to the depth and visual interest of this lovely polish, creating a softly glowing interior mist of golden pink along the axis of light and giving the overall look a beautiful, dewy sheen. 

Application was outstanding! This is absolutely the best application I've ever gotten from a pastel. The consistency is fluid, light and creamy with a silky smooth glide over the nail. The formula, slightly translucent without any hint of chalkiness, is quite user-friendly and self-levels like a dream. Pigmentation builds easily with wearable opacity in two coats, although I used three for the purposes of this post because MACRO. There's some sheerness on the first coat that can appear streaky, but it evens out beautifully with the second. It seems to like going on in medium coats, and that's how I generally apply polish so your mileage may vary if you use thin coats. I got a lot of satisfaction and pleasure from this application -- pastels are usually so difficult for me. Cleanup is easy and straightforward. Lilac dries naturally in good time to a satiny finish with some shine that is enhanced with a glossy topcoat.

Photos show three coats of Lilac over Seche Rebuild treatment and Pretty Serious All Your Base basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Alchemy Lacquers Lilac

Alchemy Lacquers Lilac

Alchemy Lacquers Lilac

Alchemy Lacquers Lilac

Alchemy Lacquers Lilac

Alchemy Lacquers Lilac

Alchemy Lacquers Lilac

Alchemy Lacquers Lilac

Alchemy Lacquers Lilac

Alchemy Lacquers Lilac

Alchemy Lacquers Lilac

Alchemy Lacquers Lilac

Alchemy Lacquers Lilac

Alchemy Lacquers Lilac

My photos under our greenish, overcast skies hardly do justice to this sweet little polish. It has a very smooth, clean, fresh vibe in person, more so than these pictures show. I really love this polish, it's such a great color and the application so superior to what I'm used to with pastels.

(source)

As you can see, the color is very true to the real thing. If you're looking for a pastel purple that's really special and a little unusual with a great formula, this one's for YOU! And since it's part of Rebecca's core line, there's no fear of it disappearing anytime soon. 

Wonderful polish, especially for this time of year!

love,
Liz