Il Était Un Vernis Dahlia

Dahlia was released in March 2015 by France-based boutique polish maker Il Était Un Vernis as part of the Végétal collection for spring last year. Described as a "deep holographic purple with copper and blue micro glitters," the color belongs to that category somewhat disphemistically described as "blurple" by many polish enthusiasts, actually part of the indigo family. Dahlia alternately reads as more blue or more violet depending upon the circumstances in which it's viewed. It seems to lean more toward blue on me, and to my eye appears as something along the lines of zaffre or a deep iris. It's a glorious, rich shade bearing copious infinitesimal metallic microglitters in electric blue and pinkish copper, which give it a lovely delicate sparkle in the sun. The holographic effects are subtle, serving mostly to give the polish dimensionality and depth on the nail. 

Application was a pleasure. The consistency of Dahlia is fluid, light and smooth with a thin-to-medium viscosity and a silky, self-leveling slip over the nail. The microglitters are so tiny and well-behaved that you wouldn't even notice them during application but for their bright twinkle, especially the bright blue ones -- so pretty, swimming in that deep indigo base! Pigmentation is very good with completely even opaque coverage delivered in two thin coats. Cleanup is easy and straightforward with just a skosh of pigment travel but almost no trace staining. Dahlia dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, shiny finish. 

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

Il Était Un Vernis Dahlia

Il Était Un Vernis Dahlia

Il Était Un Vernis Dahlia

Il Était Un Vernis Dahlia

Il Était Un Vernis Dahlia

Il Était Un Vernis Dahlia, showing its violet side

Il Était Un Vernis Dahlia

Il Était Un Vernis Dahlia

Il Était Un Vernis Dahlia

Il Était Un Vernis Dahlia

Il Était Un Vernis Dahlia

Il Était Un Vernis Dahlia

You can see just how tiny the microglitters are. It's interesting that when the base color leans blue, as it does in most of my photos, I tend to notice the electric blue microglitters but when it leans violet, my eye sees more of the pinkish coppery ones. They add a sweet dusty speckled look to this polish that I love -- all the more in direct light where they come alive in a blanket of sweetly twinkling sparks.

Here in my office under incandescent lamplight, Dahlia has a magical midnight violet tone with a pinkish glow and tons of holographically-nuanced, lit-from-within depth. It puts me mind of taking the dog out late on a clear moonless night in early spring (as it is here now), when the air is still chilly but has that intimate earthy damp smell of growing things and the breeze bears traces of ineffable gossamer sweetness from advance bloomers like Asian honeysuckle bush and daffodil and who knows what. Dahlia has that same sort of springtime freshness and exhiliaration to it. 

From the online reviews of this collection that I've read, it's a fan favorite and I can see why. The brilliant, protean color and irresistible twinkle make this lively shade a treat for the eyes and a pleasure to wear. 

ttyl,
Liz