Nine Zero Croatoan

Croatoan was released earlier this month by Michigan-based indie polish maker Nine Zero Lacquer as part of the Men of Letters collection, a series of polishes inspired by a specific group of characters from the American fantasy horror television series Supernatural. 

Creator Jess describes Croatoan as a dark red linear holo. It's a slightly subdued, rusty hue with burgundy undertones and lively aspects of copper -- a beautiful, rich variation of Indian red with a shimmery, semi-metallic appearance. The holographic effects are responsive and athletic, creating a dusty, dimensional demi-flare in ambient light. The color brightens in the sun, where there's a super sparkly, fully-linear prismatic display that frames a central lick of silvery reddish-pink and shades to a vivid burgundy around the edges of the nail. The metallic underlay transforms to a sumptuous copper color under incandescent light, with a brilliant coppery flash.

Application was great! The consistency of Croatoan is fluid, full-bodied and smooth with a medium viscosity and a creamy, self-leveling glide over the nail. It sets up fairly quickly and went on best for me in medium coats from a well-loaded brush. Pigmentation is very good, delivering evenly opaque coverage in two coats. Due to collisions and other bumbling, I needed a third for this manicure, but it didn't significantly change the appearance or depth of color. Cleanup is easy. Croatoan dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, slightly flat finish that loves a glossy topcoat, which deepens and brightens the color slightly but does not affect the holographic properties in any way. 

Photos show three coats of Croatoan over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Nine Zero Lacquer Croatoan

Nine Zero Lacquer Croatoan

Nine Zero Lacquer Croatoan

Nine Zero Lacquer Croatoan

Nine Zero Lacquer Croatoan

Nine Zero Lacquer Croatoan

Nine Zero Lacquer Croatoan

Nine Zero Lacquer Croatoan

Nine Zero Lacquer Croatoan

Nine Zero Lacquer Croatoan

Nine Zero Lacquer Croatoan

Nine Zero Lacquer Croatoan

Nine Zero Lacquer Croatoan

Nine Zero Lacquer Croatoan

This polish is so perfect for fall I can hardly stand it! It reminds me of turning leaves and tawny apples and the long oblique rays of the sun at the end of a short fall afternoon. Sleek and shimmery on the nail, this is the gracefully subdued, quintessentially autumnal rusty red that you've been looking for. Grab it!

love,
Liz