Illyrian Polish A Dragon Is Not A Slave

A Dragon Is Not A Slave was released by Texas-based indie polish maker Illyrian Polish as part of the Winter Is Coming collection, a series of polishes inspired by the American fantasy drama television series Game of Thrones. Creator Vanessa describes this polish as having "a murky green base with scattered holo, gold flakes and purple iridescent flakes," but it's much more than the sum of its parts. The base color is a translucent medium-toned green silvered by holographic pigment and dappled with superabundant golden and iridescent purple flakes to create a sleek, complex and slightly ominous reptilian shade. It has a spectacular jewel-encrusted appearance that shimmers with color and sparkles like crazy in the sun. In indirect light, there's a rich silvery sheen to the finish, glistening with tiny flashes of light from the flakes that are interspersed with colorful pinpoint sparks from the holographic pigment.

Application was impressive. The consistency of A Dragon Is Not A Slave is fluid with a bit of bulk to it, not surprising considering the abundance of components it carries. It has a medium-to-thick viscosity that is dense with flakes but not sticky or gummy. This is one of those polishes where application is as much a matter of gently spreading the polish over the nail as it is simply painting it on. It is easy to control, however, and goes on smoothly with a minimum of unruliness on the part of the flakes -- no tumbling or stacking but some attempts to protrude at the free edge. I added a bit of polish thinner to my bottle and gave it a good shake between coats to ensure a fluent consistency. 

Pigmentation is sheer -- the green base color is translucent and the reflectivity of the components provides a large part of the coverage. I needed three coats for an opacity that I was happy with, but those with shorter nails will probably require only two. Cleanup was much easier than I expected, with only a tiny bit of stickiness on the part of the flakes. A Dragon Is Not A Slave dries naturally in very good time to a silky smooth finish. Topcoat does not appear to affect the holographic properties at all and intensifies the presence and effects of the flakes. 

Photos show three coats of A Dragon Is Not A Slave over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Illyrian Polish A Dragon Is Not A Slave

Illyrian Polish A Dragon Is Not A Slave

Illyrian Polish A Dragon Is Not A Slave

Illyrian Polish A Dragon Is Not A Slave

Illyrian Polish A Dragon Is Not A Slave

Illyrian Polish A Dragon Is Not A Slave

Illyrian Polish A Dragon Is Not A Slave

Illyrian Polish A Dragon Is Not A Slave

Illyrian Polish A Dragon Is Not A Slave

Illyrian Polish A Dragon Is Not A Slave

Illyrian Polish A Dragon Is Not A Slave

Illyrian Polish A Dragon Is Not A Slave

Illyrian Polish A Dragon Is Not A Slave

Illyrian Polish A Dragon Is Not A Slave

Illyrian Polish A Dragon Is Not A Slave

The dynamic light play of this polish is not something a still image can capture and my photos don't do it proper justice, so you're going to have to trust me when I tell you that this is an amazing composition and a terrific embodiment of its name -- zaldrīzes buzdari iksos daor, a dragon is not a slave -- a perfect Game of Thrones polish with all the visual richness and brilliant detail of the series. I especially love the iridescent purple flakes! 

ttfn,
Liz