Hare Polish Dreams Under a Microscope

Dreams Under a Microscope was released by Los Angeles-based indie polish maker Hare Polish as part of the ongoing Jackalope series of stand-alone polishes in mid-July this year. This polish has a medium-light dusky turquoise blue creme/jelly hybrid base that is stuffed with more goodies than a Christmas stocking. There are tiny square glitters in pearly white and lavender and an assortment of flakies in charcoal, copper and white as well as multichromatic flakies with a predominantly purple shift but flash magenta, blue and lime as well, plus a sprinkling of fine holographic pigment. The abundant components combine to add to the muted quality of the color, which leans ever so slightly to the azure side of the cyan/azure spectrum, and provide the polish with the deliciously speckled egg-like appearance that never ceases to charm. Soft and demure in low light and shade, Dreams Under a Microscope brings forth a delightful cornucopia of tiny sparkling bits in the sun, which twinkle like grains of quartz in a macadam road at high noon. With immense visual interest and dimensionality, each nail swims with minute bits of shape and color like miniature portraits of oceanic flotsam seen from high above. 

Application was lovely. The consistency of Dreams Under a Microscope is fluid, light and smooth. This is a thinner formula than what I usually expect from Hare and I love it! User-friendly and easily manipulated with Hare's flattened flexible brush, it has a silky slip over the nail, goes right where you put it and stays there. The components are very well-behaved and I experienced no tumbling and only a few free edge protrusions, which disappeared with a tip-wrapping swipe of the brush. Self-leveling properties are excellent. The base has a degree of built-in translucence, so opacity is achieved through multiple coats. However, I believe that those with shorter, less stained nails than mine may be completely happy with the coverage at two coats. I used three for this manicure. Cleanup is easy and straightforward provided you do it before the components have the opportunity to dry on skin or cuticle, at which point they become a little sticky. Dreams Under a Microscope dries naturally in very good time to an ever-so-slightly textured shiny finish. Two layers of topcoat would probably render a glassy finish, but I only used one. Topcoat seems to enhance the presence and effects of the components.

Photos show three coats of Dreams Under a Microscope over Pretty Serious Rock On treatment and Pretty Serious All Your Base basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Hare Polish Dreams Under a Microscope

Hare Polish Dreams Under a Microscope

Hare Polish Dreams Under a Microscope

Hare Polish Dreams Under a Microscope

Hare Polish Dreams Under a Microscope

Hare Polish Dreams Under a Microscope

Hare Polish Dreams Under a Microscope

Hare Polish Dreams Under a Microscope

Hare Polish Dreams Under a Microscope

Hare Polish Dreams Under a Microscope

Hare Polish Dreams Under a Microscope

Hare Polish Dreams Under a Microscope

Hare Polish Dreams Under a Microscope

A sweet, unusual polish with true indie soul, I am loving this gentle turquoise with its abundance of multi-colored components. It has received the full benefit of Nikole's love for rich, unexpected color combinations, only here in miniature. I read once that the common human adoration for tiny things stems from an evolutionarily-bred desire to protect and treasure their offspring, but I think there's more to it than that. Attention to detail is a natural human attribute. Miniatures provide an array of detail in a tightly bounded space, and I think limitations of size increase the visual and intellectual stimulation exponentially.

Or maybe I'm just an overly detail-oriented kind of person. Yeah, probably that. 

love,
Liz