ILNP First Class

First Class was released by boutique polish maker I Love Nail Polish (ILNP) as part of the Fall 2015 collection early this month. It belongs to ILNP's "Precious Metals" category of polishes, which carry superabundant ultra-thin metallic flakes that give them extra sparkle and a rich foily finish.

Although creator Barbra describes First Class as a bright silver holo, I think that it's more varied and complex than that. The teeming silver flakes, which I love, are indeed bright and highly reflective, but the base that carries them is deeper and richer with a slightly tarnished, smoky quality, an old silver if you will. The combination of the base color with the flakes gives the polish a variable dappled quality of the kind you see in foil polishes, with a lustrous pebbly visual texture to the finish that evokes highly-polished, hand-hammered silver. Unfortunately, we have overcast skies and rain here today so I can't give you a full description or photos of First Class' prismatic display in direct sun, but I expect that it is fully linear with a dazzling sparkle. The holographic effects do produce beautiful subtle blue and violet nuances to the polish in bright indirect light, and in low light there's a fetching scintillating sparkle from the silver flakes that travels up and down the nail.

Application was mostly quite agreeable excepting the cleanup. The consistency of First Class is fluid, light and smooth with an easy, self-leveling flow over the nail. Although dense with flakes, they are perfectly behaved and present no difficulties at all to application, no tumbling or stickups or protrusions over the free edge. Pigmentation is outstanding, thanks in part to the highly reflective nature and abundance of these flakes. With a careful hand, wearable coverage can be achieved in one coat, although I prefer two to avoid any hints of sheerness. Cleanup is somewhat frustrating, as silver flakes go everywhere! Suffice to say that you will want to apply this polish as cleanly as possible to avoid the shimmery veil of tiny rogue flakes that casts itself con brio about the nail environs at the touch of acetone. First Class dries naturally in very good time to a silky smooth, shiny finish. 

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

ILNP First Class

ILNP First Class

ILNP First Class

ILNP First Class

ILNP First Class

ILNP First Class

ILNP First Class

ILNP First Class

ILNP First Class

ILNP First Class

ILNP First Class

ILNP First Class

ILNP First Class

I love the way the holo effects turn the edge of that central pale flush of blue and violet to a subtle taupey color -- it adds to the tarnished effect and gives First Class beautiful dimensionality over the nail. And I also love the foily aspect of the finish that keeps the silver color from looking too flat and reflective. Even in very low light, there's a bright glistening quality to the finish as light plays over the silvery flakes at the surface.

This is definitely a polish for those who love to wear silver on their nails. It's a lovely variation of the straight up metallic silver holo, more wearable in my opinion, with lots of visual interest from the interaction of the holo and silver flakes. 

love,
Liz