Different Dimension Retrograde

Retrograde was released by Ohio-based indie polish maker Different Dimension as part of the Cosmologically Speaking Part 2 collection for fall 2015 at the beginning of this month. This collection follows up creator Missi's fall 2014 Cosmologically Speaking [Part 1], and is comprised of a series of complex linear holos with added shimmers, flakies and microglitters. Great stuff!

Retrograde is a medium-light golden brown linear holographic polish bearing golden particulate shimmers, metallic gold flake shimmers and infinitesimal ultraholo microglitters. It is ravishingly beautiful, a rich semi-metallic tawny shade beautifully nuanced with warm tones of ochre, chestnut, copper, bronze and gold. The finely-milled holographic pigment is athletic and responsive in almost every circumstance, generating a fully prismatic flare in diaphanous shimmering shades of violet, indigo, blue, green, red, orange and yellow over a gleaming coppery brown flash. The microglitters add tiny random brightly glowing multi-colored sparks throughout, and the variably-shaped golden flakes flicker in fiery hues of copper and gold from within the depths. Just stunning! It's like some precious recovered artifact from an ancient civilization, complete with the smelting sparks and fire of its manufacture, highly polished and dazzling in its splendor. 

Application was a treat. The consistency of Retrograde is fluid, creamy and dense, with a smooth, self-leveling glide over the nail. I especially enjoyed watching those coppery flakies go on, they add so much dimensionality to this polish! Pigmentation is very good with fully opaque coverage in two coats. Between the flakies and the microglitters, clean up is not something you'll want to do a lot of, but the polish applies so easily that you probably won't have to. Just try and get to those components before they're fully adhered to skin, nail or cuticle, they become a bit stubborn otherwise. Retrograde dries naturally in good time to a silky smooth, shiny finish. Topcoat enhances the presence and effects of the components and does not diminish the holographic properties of the polish in any way.

Photos show two coats of Retrograde over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Different Dimension Retrograde

Different Dimension Retrograde

Different Dimension Retrograde

Different Dimension Retrograde

Different Dimension Retrograde

Different Dimension Retrograde

Different Dimension Retrograde

Different Dimension Retrograde

Different Dimension Retrograde

Different Dimension Retrograde

Different Dimension Retrograde

Different Dimension Retrograde

Different Dimension Retrograde

Different Dimension Retrograde

Different Dimension Retrograde

How gorgeous is that? And these photos were taken on a mostly overcast day, just imagine that prismatic flare in strong direct sun! It's fabulous at night under incandescent lighting as well, twinkling with tiny prismatic sparks and throwing out a pinkish copper flash. More golden and metallic than the usual brown holo and more dimensional and brown than the usual gold holo, the color is unique to this polish -- I've never seen another holo like it. Extremely well-crafted. The ratios of components and pigments are seamlessly incorporated into an organic, holistic creation. And it's just as magnificent in person as it appears in the pics.

There are five other fine polishes in this collection, but this one, to me, is truly special. And if you purchase from Different Dimension's big cartel shop before the end of the month, you can use discount code CPNA2015 for 30% off your total. The code expires on 31 August. 

love,
Liz