Colors by Llarowe Independence Day

Independence Day was released by Colorado-based indie polish maker Colors by Llarowe as part of the Summer 2015 collection. I've been admiring this polish from a distance ever since it came out -- why did it take me so long to get it? Rhetorical question. I've got it now! This is a bold, well-saturated medium-dark sapphire blue creme/jelly hybrid bearing superabundant infinitesimal holographic microglitters. Such a gorgeous, vibrant blue -- when I was little and created loose leaf picture stories about horses (always horses), this was the sort of color I always used for the night sky. The microglitters in this polish are so minute that their effects are very like those in scattered-type holos. They provide gentle dimensional shading to the base and generate a scintillating prismatic sparkle throughout. The sparkle is a perfect complement to the dazzling blue of the base. It's like the starry night sky of my childhood imagination.

Application was a pleasure. The consistency of Independence Day is fluid, light and ever-so-slightly grainy from the microglitters. It has an effortless, self-leveling flow over the nail and is easily manipulated with CbL's flattened flexible brush. Pigmentation is very good with completely even opaque coverage in two coats. Cleanup is fairly straightforward with a bit of stickiness on the part of the microglitters and a touch of pigment travel but no significant residual staining, unusual for a such a saturated blue. Independence Day dries naturally in very good time to a finely-textured matte finish that is actually extremely attractive. But the color is brighter, the sparkles more readily apparent with a glossy topcoat. 

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

Colors by Llarowe Independence Day

Colors by Llarowe Independence Day

Colors by Llarowe Independence Day

Colors by Llarowe Independence Day

Colors by Llarowe Independence Day

Colors by Llarowe Independence Day

Colors by Llarowe Independence Day

Colors by Llarowe Independence Day

Colors by Llarowe Independence Day

Colors by Llarowe Independence Day

Colors by Llarowe Independence Day

Colors by Llarowe Independence Day

Colors by Llarowe Independence Day

Such a wonderful blue!

Today is overcast, so unfortunately my photos don't show the prismatic sparks but if you'd like to see just how sparkly this puppy can be, take a look at Deborah's stunning photos in her review of this polish on Love Varnish, here.

If you love blue for your nails or are looking for a great go-to medium-dark blue, you won't find a better one than Independence Day. It's bright and bold in natural light and under low incandescent lighting deepens to an inscrutable near navy, but never looks black. You can wear it au naturel for a casual denimy look or gloss it up with topcoat. The formula is excellent. It's got the perfect amount of sparkle. 

What's not to love? 

xo,
Liz