Painted Polish From London, With Love

From London, With Love was created by California-based indie polish maker Painted Polish for release as part of The Holo Hookup May 2016 collaboration box entitled From The Holo Hookup, With Love. Creator Lexi was the contributing guest polish maker for this particular box, which also includes creations from hosts Cupcake Polish, Different Dimension and Glisten & Glow. 

Officially described as a "blue gray linear holo with added holographic silver galaxy glitter," From London, With Love is a light to medium-toned silvery sapphire blue with aspects of azure and steel blue undertones, sort of along the lines of Pantone's vista blue. The holographic pigment in this polish is extremely light responsive, so much so that it is difficult to determine the true nature of the base color once it's on the nail. In almost any light, it creates a sparkling blaze of light sapphire shading to steel blue with a gleaming, semi-metallic platinum-blond underlay that is just delicious. The color brightens considerably in direct sun and generates a brilliant linear display predominated by bright azure blue. Abundant holographic microglitters dot the holographic activity with vibrant prismatic sparks, giving the polish a wonderful overt twinkle as light travels over them.

Application was wonderful. The consistency of From London, With Love is fluid, light and smooth with a medium viscosity and a creamy, self-leveling glide over the nail. This is a user-friendly polish, amenable to thin or thicker coats and remarkably easy to manipulate with Painted Polish's somewhat bushy flattened-style brush. The added microglitters presented absolutely no issues. Pigmentation is very good, with a bit of sheerness on the first coat building to wearably opaque coverage after two. I used particularly thin coats (for me, anyway) and added a third for the photos. Cleanup is easy and straightforward, even with the microglitters. From London, With Love dries naturally in good time to a smooth, slightly flat finish that wants a good topcoat to look its best. Topcoat does not inhibit the holographic properties in any way, and plays up the creamy semi-metallic underlay beautifully. 

Photos show three coats of From London, With Love over Pretty Serious Rock On treatment and Pretty Serious All Your Base basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Painted Polish From London, With Love

Painted Polish From London, With Love

Painted Polish From London, With Love

Painted Polish From London, With Love

Painted Polish From London, With Love

Painted Polish From London, With Love

Painted Polish From London, With Love

Painted Polish From London, With Love

Painted Polish From London, With Love

Painted Polish From London, With Love

Painted Polish From London, With Love

Painted Polish From London, With Love

Painted Polish From London, With Love

Painted Polish From London, With Love

This is a beautifully constructed linear holo with some subtle features that just don't lend themselves to being rendered with a still image.  I'm a little disappointed that my photos don't quite convey the intensity of the holographic light play in this polish that it displays in person, nor could they capture its sensuous reflective platinum-blond underbelly, which slides like moonlight along the axis of light.

I tend to gravitate toward darker blue holos or blues with a bit of green to them, and perhaps I take the sapphire/azure category a little for granted. It's nice to be reminded of how beautiful they are too!

love,
Liz