Too Fancy Lacquer Sweet Kisses

Sweet Kisses was released by Hong Kong-based indie polish maker Too Fancy Lacquer exclusively for polish etailer Nail Whisperer, located in Singapore. I'm not sure how I came across this polish, but the swatch was so ethereal and unlike any of the other Too Fancy colors in my burgeoning collection that I had to have it. I wish I could tell you that it turned out exactly like the swatch on me and worth the extra $ in shipping I paid, but some things with dubiously-reasoned beginnings just stay dubious to the end.

Officially described as a "light pink holo with gold and violet micro shimmers," Sweet Kisses is a pale pink lavender creme linear holo bearing abundant iridescent golden flake shimmers as well as what I believe to be particulate shimmers in iridescent violet. Against my pinkage, alas, this lovely creation turns out to be very nearly a mannequin hands kind of shade. It's a close match for my natural nail bed color, which I haven't seen for lo these several years thanks to the polish staining I've accumulated but I remember how it looks and it looks like this polish minus the holo and shimmery bits. The flake shimmers are medium to medium-large in size and glisten in pale shades of gold, electric violet and baby pink as the light hits them, while the particulate shimmers are more secretive, reading as a subtle violet glow. In direct sun, the finely-milled holographic pigment in Sweet Kisses  generates a barely-there linear prismatic flair in pale hues.

Application was on par with Too Fancy's dependably high quality formulations, which is to say: great! The consistency of Sweet Kisses is fluid, creamy and dense with a noticeable texture from the flake shimmers, which nevertheless go on without tumbling, stickups or free-edge protrusions and lie flat to the nail. The polish has a nicely balanced viscosity for painting, perhaps a tad thicker than I usually experience with Too Fancy but still quite user-friendly and very easy to work with, especially for a pastel shade. Self-leveling properties are very good as is pigmentation with completely even, opaque coverage in two coats. Unfortunately, my coats were a bit too generous and the flakes tended to sink a bit, leaving tiny divots in the finish. Cleanup is fairly straightforward with some stickiness on the part of the flake shimmers. Sweet Kisses dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, shiny finish with some of that divot texture from the flakes -- you can't really feel it but you can see it, even after topcoat.

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

Too Fancy Sweet Kisses

Too Fancy Sweet Kisses

Too Fancy Sweet Kisses

Too Fancy Sweet Kisses

Too Fancy Sweet Kisses

Too Fancy Sweet Kisses

Too Fancy Sweet Kisses

Too Fancy Sweet Kisses

Too Fancy Sweet Kisses

Too Fancy Sweet Kisses

Too Fancy Sweet Kisses

Too Fancy Sweet Kisses

Too Fancy Sweet Kisses

Too Fancy Sweet Kisses

I just happen to have the sort of complexion that washes out and muddies pale delicate shades like this. If I had been looking for a nude holo in the first place, perhaps I wouldn't be so disappointed. But I wasn't so I am. At least I'll not likely forget what a pale pink lavender looks like on me, which should help me avoid unfortunate purchases in the future. Especially purchases from Singapore!

love,
Liz