Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Crypsis

From blog and Octosquad Facebook posts about it, I'm wanting to say that Crypsis was released sometime in June 2015 by Connecticut-based indie polish maker Octopus Party Nail Lacquer (OPNL). If I'm wrong, help a girl out! This polish became a fan favorite almost immediately and creator Dave responded with several restocks throughout the following year, culminating in a final restock at the beginning of this month. Buoyed as it has been by the happy sighs and gasps of delight from OPNL aficionados everywhere, as well as an ongoing parade of gorgeous photos posted on Facebook, I could not resist it.

Crypsis is a medium-toned, semi-translucent smoky amethyst linear holo, heavily silvered from superabundant holographic pigment that gives it a delicate sparkle in bright ambient light, with added purple/blue/green color-shifting pigment. Powerful holographic effects enhance the subtly shifting "bruise" colors to create a certain cloudy, mysterious quality and a rich, versatile palette. The look reminds me of the shadowy, indistinct purpled hues of a mountain skyline and of the dark lavender greys that my mother used to dimensionalize her early Impressionist-style paintings. Direct sun engenders a magnificent linear prismatic display with a sparkling flare of rainbow colors floating above a glistening underlay of silvery lavender grey and shading to deep smoky amethyst at the edges of the nail. 

Application was fantastic. The consistency of Crypsis is fluid, light and ultrasmooth with a medium viscosity and a silky, self-leveling slip over the nail that is a pleasure to finesse with OPNL's round flexible brush. Pigmentation is slightly sheer on the first coat but builds quickly to evenly opaque coverage with the second. Cleanup is easy. Crypsis dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, shiny finish. Topcoat does not inhibit the holographic effects in any way. 

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

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Crypsis

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Crypsis

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Crypsis

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Crypsis

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Crypsis

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Crypsis

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Crypsis

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Crypsis

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Crypsis

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Crypsis

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Crypsis

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Crypsis

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Crypsis

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Crypsis

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Crypsis

The green shifts are the subtlest of all and my camera did not pick them up, but they are there, adding extra color and richness to the prismatic bloom in indirect light. Crypsis is luxuriously slinky and sleek on the nail, like fine heavy silk. Under incandescent light, the semi-metallic underlay brightens and emits a nice flash along the axis of light. Not only do you have the marvelous holographic effects for day, but a great evening look as well! 

This is a beautifully formulated creation where the components feel exceptionally well-balanced, working well together to produce a complex look that adapts gracefully to varying circumstances without losing its underlying smoky, mysterious quality. Gorgeous! 

ttfn,
Liz