Scofflaw Nail Varnish Heavy Metal Sewing Circle

Like Diamond Dogs, Heavy Metal Sewing Circle was released earlier this month by Illinois-based indie polish maker Scofflaw Nail Varnish as part of the Winter 2016 collection. This is a particularly striking complex shimmer polish with a deep purpled-red burgundy jelly base bearing superabundant flecky bronze shimmers and a dusting of holographic pigment. The combination of the burgundy base with the bronze shimmers produces a fantastic burnt umber/cordovan color, a dark, sleek, burnished fusion of purple, red and brown that reminds me of fine, highly-polished cordovan leather. The glistening shimmers read variously as red, wine and bronze from within the base and create a scintillating twinkle in direct light, where there's also a scattering of bright prismatic sparkle from the holo pigment. A gleaming, near-metallic bronze flash adds a sense of meticulously-maintained opulence and an elegant, sort of statuesque vibe.

Application was fantastic. The consistency of Heavy Metal Sewing Circle is fluid, light and creamy with a thin-to-medium viscosity and a smooth, self-leveling flow over the nail. This is a user-friendly polish that likes to go on in thinner coats and is easily manipulated with Scofflaw's round flexible brush. Pigmentation is very good, rendering wearably opaque coverage in two coats. I added a third to one nail to fix an edge, and then felt compelled to add a third to the rest of my nails as well. You kind have to do that with jelly-based polishes. It created an ever-so-slightly richer, deeper, more densely opaque appearance, I thought. Cleanup is surprisingly easy -- a little bit of pigment travel but no trace staining, huzzah! Heavy Metal Sewing Circle dries naturally in very good time to a mostly smooth finish with a just a hint of discernible texture, easily smoothed by topcoat. Topcoat also enhances the presence and effects of the components, especially the beautiful bronze flash.

Photos show three coats of Heavy Metal Sewing Circle over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Scofflaw Heavy Metal Sewing Circle

Scofflaw Heavy Metal Sewing Circle

Scofflaw Heavy Metal Sewing Circle

Scofflaw Heavy Metal Sewing Circle

Scofflaw Heavy Metal Sewing Circle

Scofflaw Heavy Metal Sewing Circle

Scofflaw Heavy Metal Sewing Circle

Scofflaw Heavy Metal Sewing Circle

Scofflaw Heavy Metal Sewing Circle

Scofflaw Heavy Metal Sewing Circle

Scofflaw Heavy Metal Sewing Circle

Scofflaw Heavy Metal Sewing Circle

Heavy Metal Sewing Circle reminds me quite a bit of the now-retired Arcane Fire by Cirque, albeit with a darker, more purpled base color and bronze rather than gold shimmers. But they both have that insanely gorgeous, spangled glow where the light makes impact in a shimmering explosion of gleaming flecks before shading dramatically to sleek darkness around the edges of the nail. 

From what I remember of Arcane Fire, Heavy Metal Sewing Circle has the better formula, and I think it's the more sophisticated of the two. Just a beautifully rendered, elegant and distinctive shimmer polish!

xo,
Liz