Creator Amy describes Pumpkin Ale as a reddish shimmer with a holo finish. The color is this fabulous complex mix of red, flame and mahogany in a gently blackened base and you can see all kinds of combinations of its colors depending upon the circumstances in which it's viewed. Overall, I'd say its close to Crayola's bittersweet shimmer. It's like sunset on the Mars of my imagination. Ultrafine particulate shimmers give it a silky semi-metallic looking finish over which floats a dusting of finely-milled holographic pigment that produces a fine, sparkling linear prismatic display in direct sun. In low and indirect light, the holographic pigment pretty much flies under the radar, emitting only softly twinkling hints of its prismatic powers, which is just fine because it allows the rich gleaming base color to take the stage in its full lit-from-within glory.
Application was luscious. The consistency of Pumpkin Ale is fluid but on the thicker side, smooth and dense. I added a bit of thinner to mine at the outset to ensure a consistency that would best accommodate my application skills, but this won't be necessary if you prefer a slightly thicker polish -- which is to say, it's not THAT thick. Thinned, it had a luxurious creamy glide over the nail and very good self-leveling properties for a semi-metallic sort of polish. Medium coats ended up showing some brushstrokes so I'll try to do thinner, more even coats the next time I wear this. Pigmentation is very good, delivering opaque coverage in two medium coats although three would probably be best for thin coats, and cleanup is easy and straightforward with a tiny bit of pigment travel but no residual staining. Pumpkin Ale dries naturally in good time to a smooth satin finish that wants a glossy topcoat to look its best.
Photos show two coats of Pumpkin Ale over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.
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| Top Shelf Lacquer Pumpkin Ale |
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| Top Shelf Lacquer Pumpkin Ale |
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| Top Shelf Lacquer Pumpkin Ale |
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| Top Shelf Lacquer Pumpkin Ale |
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| Top Shelf Lacquer Pumpkin Ale |
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| Top Shelf Lacquer Pumpkin Ale |
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| Top Shelf Lacquer Pumpkin Ale |
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| Top Shelf Lacquer Pumpkin Ale |
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| Top Shelf Lacquer Pumpkin Ale |
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| Top Shelf Lacquer Pumpkin Ale |
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| Top Shelf Lacquer Pumpkin Ale |
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| Top Shelf Lacquer Pumpkin Ale |
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| Top Shelf Lacquer Pumpkin Ale |
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| Top Shelf Lacquer Pumpkin Ale |
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| Top Shelf Lacquer Pumpkin Ale |
The color is unusual, no? You could call it a burnt orange or a blackened auburn or a rusty chestnut -- there's a wealth of characterizations in there! And the appearance fluctuates constantly. Sometimes it looks very red, sometimes more brown, others more orange, but always with that lit-from-within dimensional glow that's bright where the light hits and darkens dramatically around the edges.
Wouldn't it be fantastic next to a fire?
love,
Liz
That polish is gorgeous. I love that red glow! It looks good on you!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lara! This is a unique polish, it's unlike any other orange or brown that I've tried. I don't know how Amy managed to get that fabulous rosy red in there while maintaining the orange and brown. Absolutely perfect for fall. I'm not all that big on blackened colors but I do admire this one.
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