Monday, January 4, 2016

Top Shelf Lacquer Strawberry Sangria

Strawberry Sangria was released by Ohio-based indie polish maker Top Shelf Lacquer as part of the Holo'd Sangrias collection in August 2015. Creator Amy describes this as a "linear and scattered holo in a ruby jelly base." The color is absolutely delightful, a brilliant medium-dark ruby red -- which by nature has a strong pink vibe -- that is so bright and vibrant and pretty that you just want to pinch its cheek and give it a hug. The translucent jelly base bears a judicious quantity of tiny holographic microglitters, just the right amount to produce a sweet scattered sprinkling of pinpoint sparkles in bright prismatic hues with red predominating. Abundant finely-milled holographic pigment nuances the ruby base color with glowing swaths of indigo, and in direct sun there's a lovely flame-shaped flare of the same radiant indigo trimmed with a sparkling corona of bright red that floats over a gleaming semi-metallic flash of magenta before shading to a full-bodied crimson at the edges of the nail. Fabulous!

 Application was equally fabulous. The consistency of Strawberry Sangria is fluid, light and smooth, with a remarkably even, self-leveling glide over the nail. It possesses an eminently hospitable formula that is amenable to thin or thicker coats, is easily manipulated with Top Shelf's flattened flexible brush and goes right where you put it and stays there with no evidence of the gumminess or patchy opacity that can sometimes accompany jelly-based lacquers. Pigmentation is outstanding for a jelly, delivering even, wearable coverage in a single medium coat, although you'll want two for fullest opacity and bottle color and to make the most of the polish's holographic properties. Cleanup is easy and straightforward with minimal pigment travel and no residual staining to speak of. Strawberry Sangria dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, ever-so-slightly flat finish that wants a glossy topcoat to look its very best. The holographic effects do not appear to be inhibited by topcoat in any way. 

 Photos show two coats of Strawberry Sangria over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.


Top Shelf Lacquer Strawberry Sangria
Top Shelf Lacquer Strawberry Sangria
Top Shelf Lacquer Strawberry Sangria
Top Shelf Lacquer Strawberry Sangria
Top Shelf Lacquer Strawberry Sangria
Top Shelf Lacquer Strawberry Sangria
Top Shelf Lacquer Strawberry Sangria
Top Shelf Lacquer Strawberry Sangria
Top Shelf Lacquer Strawberry Sangria
Top Shelf Lacquer Strawberry Sangria
Top Shelf Lacquer Strawberry Sangria
Top Shelf Lacquer Strawberry Sangria
Top Shelf Lacquer Strawberry Sangria

 So much excellent polish-making craftsmanship in this wonderful lacquer! Superb formula and application, tasteful sparkle, prismatic display, radiant feminine color -- you could ask for nothing more! Well, you could ask but don't be surprised if I, for one, question your sanity. Unless you are simply averse to an effervescent, vivacious, high-spirited, altogether lovely ruby red. And even then! 

Lovers of red polish, take note! You want this one, it's a keeper. For sure. And actually, the entire Holo'd Sangrias collection is on sale right now, $52.50 for five full 15ml polishes and $34 for the 8ml "polish shot" size -- check it out!

 toodles,
Liz
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Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA

2 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 4, 2016 at 11:25 AM

    Another WoW polish! Your photos and application are flawless, and highlight what a beauty this polish is. The fiend Avarice is raging inside - I have to have this! That little provocateur is perched on my shoulder whispering what a happy, bright, smile-making polish this is, all the while snickering at what a pushover I am! Luckily, I've come to terms with the imp inside long ago and accept/weigh its urgings. It is then up to me to choose! LOL

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    Replies
    1. UnknownJanuary 5, 2016 at 9:21 AM

      Lara, I immediately thought of you the minute I got this one on my nails! In this case, the little provocateur is right -- happy, bright and smile-making is just exactly what this polish is all about. It'd be that way for any polish enthusiast, but for red lovers, exponentially so! I saw a comment that Mariah, the owner and mixologist of Top Shelf, made on Facebook where she said that Strawberry Sangria was one of her brand's most popular offerings. I totally get that!

      I'm a determined advociate for your purchase of Strawberry Sangria. Seriously, this polish will make make your red-polish-loving heart swell with happiness. You, of all people, deserve this!

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