KBShimmer Bahama Drama

Bahama Drama was released by indie polish maker KBShimmer as one of the tropics-inspired faded neons from the Summer 2015 collection last month. This is the obligatory coral shade in the series, and wow is it pretty! Christy describes it as a deep neon peach, but to me it's juicier and more vibrantly orange/salmon than what I think of as peach. Maybe nectarine? While something in me resists calling this a pastel, Bahama Drama carries off the whitened, faded neon concept beautifully, displaying a similar toothsome creamy quality to that of Leggo My Mango, only with a slightly juicier edge. Corals are quintessential summer shades, and neon corals even more so, giving the skin a certain tawny Mediterranean glamor in contrast to their fluorescence. Because it's a whitened neon, Bahama Drama's contrast is all the more striking. I imagine it would be superb as a summer pedicure, but I must confess a bias as coral generally is my absolute favorite color to see on toes (other than mine) whatever the season. So chic and feminine!

Application was an improvement over the last two colors from this series. I'd even call it kinda awesome. The consistency of Bahama Drama is similar to the other faded neons I've tried: fluid, smooth and creamy, but this one went on much more evenly and self-leveled quite well for a whitened shade. It has some pull to it, and I allowed a little bit of dry time between coats but it's really fairly robust and doesn't seem to need to be fussed over. I was able to work quickly without the urge to overstroke. Pigmentation is very good, with wearable opacity possible in two coats. I used three, though, the third to completely obliterate any hint of those pesky ridges that have had quite the party making themselves visible despite three coats of the last two polishes. Not this time! Denied! Cleanup was fairly easy with some pigment travel in the sidewalls. Fortunately I was able to avoid major swipage of my cuticles today. Bahama Drama dries naturally in very good time to a rubbery/satiny sort of finish. Topcoat smooths any residual unevenness, adds gloss and bestows a becoming plump quality to the look. 

Photos show three coats of Bahama Drama over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite. Interestingly, my camera could not reproduce this color or render anything even close to it when I tried to photograph it in direct sun. In every sun shot that I took the color came out a muddy yellow with tons of glare. Looks like I've finally encountered the resistance to true color reproduction that can rear it's unhelpful head when photographing neons. It's like the camera throws a fit and coughs up a hairball. Kinda horrifying!

KBShimmer Bahama Drama

KBShimmer Bahama Drama

KBShimmer Bahama Drama

KBShimmer Bahama Drama

KBShimmer Bahama Drama

KBShimmer Bahama Drama

KBShimmer Bahama Drama

KBShimmer Bahama Drama

KBShimmer Bahama Drama

KBShimmer Bahama Drama

KBShimmer Bahama Drama

KBShimmer Bahama Drama

Yummy! Bahama Drama and Leggo My Mango both remind me of some sort of creamy fruity desert, possibly made with Cool Whip. Bahama Drama appears to have quite a bit of punch to it until you compare to a regular neon like Girly Bits You're My Hooper Hero. Then you can really see how perfectly Christy has rendered her creative vision in this polish. Bahama Drama is still very much a neon with a neon's fluorescent quality, but it's relatively gentled and softened just as you'd imagine a faded neon should be. 

It's a toss up as to whether Bahama Drama or Leggo My Mango is my favorite of this series so far. However, I still have the pink of the collection, Lei it Again, to show you tomorrow. And of course by now I'm feeling like I may need the purple, Sarong Place Sarong Time, as well. I didn't get it during my spree because the intensity and scope of my ardor for Girly Bits Hip Hoop Hooray has all but precluded the very existence of any other neon purple. But tiny twinges of curiosity are ever so stealthily penetrating this blinkered mindset. I mean, given the radical contrast between the corals from these two collections, wouldn't it add comprehensively to the integrity of my neon experience to see how the two purples compare? Because science, amirite?

You know, I've already placed one additional order for a Summer 2015 polish that I overlooked during my spree (Alloy Matey). Yet another piecemeal purchase... just how much chagrin am I willing to bear in this pursuit? I guess I'll think about that as I visit my local Sally's this afternoon. I'm sure to pick up some perspective in addition to the remover and acetone I need. 

Yup. It's a polish enthusiast's life (assorted hashtaggery).

love,
Liz