Monday, November 7, 2016

KBShimmer Ink Again

Ink Again was released on the first of this month by Indiana-based indie polish maker KBShimmer as part of the Winter 2016 collection. Officially described as a vibrant ink blue holo, the color is a bright medium azure that lies between bleu de France and the web color royal blue in terms of tone and clarity. It really is reminiscent of the cap color on a blue Bic ballpoint! Abundant finely-milled holographic pigment gives it an especially dimensional, shimmery look in ambient light, and direct sun generates a compact linear flare predominated by an arc of sparkling azure with a corona of mixed prismatic sparks that shades to royal blue around the edges of the nail.

Application was most agreeable! The consistency of Ink Again is fluid, light and smooth with a thin-to-medium viscosity and a fluent, easy, self-leveling glide over the nail -- a great formula with the characteristic blue pigment smell. Pigmentation is very good with wearably opaque coverage in two coats. Cleanup is remarkably easy for such a brilliant shade of blue, with no pigment travel or trace staining to speak of. Ink Again dries naturally in very good time to a shade that I think is a tiny bit lighter than bottle color and smooth, slight flat finish that wants a good topcoat to look its best. Topcoat does not affect the holographic properties of the polish at all. 

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


KBShimmer Ink Again


KBShimmer Ink Again


KBShimmer Ink Again


KBShimmer Ink Again


KBShimmer Ink Again


KBShimmer Ink Again


KBShimmer Ink Again


KBShimmer Ink Again


KBShimmer Ink Again


KBShimmer Ink Again


KBShimmer Ink Again


KBShimmer Ink Again


KBShimmer Ink Again

On the light/dark spectrum, Ink Again is the middle blue of KBShimmer's Winter 2016 collection (there are three total). It's completely different -- lighter, brighter, not as complex -- from last winter's blue from the brand, Claws and Effect (which I absolutely loved), but a bright azure linear holo is certainly a staple in any blue lover's polish wardrobe and this one has the jewel-toned look that will make it eminently wearable throughout the holiday season, especially New Year's Eve. To me, it's at its most gorgeous under incandescent light, where it deepens and takes on a more violet-lean to almost an ultramarine shade. A great blue for after dark!

love,
Liz

2 comments:

  1. That's a fantastic blue - I just want to dive right in! I love it!

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    1. I usually go for murkier, more ambiguous blues but you're right, this one is gorgeous. I especially love the delicate mist of holographic pigment to the finish in ambient light.

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