Pahlish Ghost in My Lungs

Ghost in My Lungs was released by Arkansas-based indie polish maker Pahlish as part of The Hidden Door collection earlier this month. This collection is a series of four complex holographic polishes in autumnal hues named for lyrics from Florence and the Machine, a British indie rock band lead by singer Florence Welsh that formed in London in 2007.

Creator Shannon describes this polish as a "blackened olive holographic with molten gold shimmer." It's a fantastic medium-dark smoky olive, slightly silvered by holo pigment and bearing abundant golden flake shimmers. The combination of the holographic and shimmer effects gives this polish an utterly gorgeous rich, verdigrised appearance with shifting hues of olive, steel blue and cerulean speckled by gleaming golden flecks with a golden-green semi-metallic flash overall. In direct light there's a sparkling linear prismatic flare dominated by ribbons of bright green and blue with trailing orange sparks surrounding a central lick of semi-metallic golden olive. There's a sensuous, protean quality to this beautifully-composed polish that is at once organic and luxurious, discreet and ornate. 

Application was delicious. The consistency of Ghost in My Lungs is fluid, light and loamy with an easy, self-leveling spread over the nail. The golden flake shimmers tend to splay Pahlish's flattened flexible brush somewhat, but this does not interfere with application. It's a fast-drying polish and overstroking will cause some tumbling of the flake shimmers -- I found it went on best in medium to thicker coats. Pigmentation is very good with completely even opaque coverage in two coats. Cleanup is easy and straightforward. The golden flakes are a little sticky, but not limpet-like and you won't have to chase them down. Ghost in My Lungs dries naturally in very good time to a smooth finish. Topcoat enhances the presence and effects of the shimmers and does not appear to diminish the holographic properties in any way.

Photos show two coats of Ghost in My Lungs over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Pahlish Ghost in My Lungs

Pahlish Ghost in My Lungs

Pahlish Ghost in My Lungs

Pahlish Ghost in My Lungs

Pahlish Ghost in My Lungs

Pahlish Ghost in My Lungs

Pahlish Ghost in My Lungs

Pahlish Ghost in My Lungs

Pahlish Ghost in My Lungs

Pahlish Ghost in My Lungs

Pahlish Ghost in My Lungs

Pahlish Ghost in My Lungs

Pahlish Ghost in My Lungs

Pahlish Ghost in My Lungs

Pahlish Ghost in My Lungs

Pahlish Ghost in My Lungs

Pahlish Ghost in My Lungs

Stunning, no? Shannon does these shimmer holos so well, I never tire of them. Fuzzy was quite taken with it and studied it for several moments before issuing her verdict: "Decadent!" She's right. The sumptuous nuances of blue flecked with gold and the gleaming golden green sheen are almost viscerally opulent. Such a beauty!

love,
Liz