Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Krait and Barrel

Krait and Barrel was released around the end of June/beginning of July 2015 by Connecticut-based indie polish maker Octopus Party Nail Lacquer (OPNL) as part of the Summer 2015 collection. I haven't featured a black holo in a while, and the name of this polish alone is reason enough to do a post on it. I love it! Fuzzy gets every Crate and Barrel catalog known to man here, which makes it double plus good. 

So! Creator Dave describes this is a jet black linear holographic polish. While I realize that "jet black" is a figurative expression, I find it particularly apropos for this polish in a literal sense. If you've ever examined a piece of jet, you know that it is a "warm" gemstone with a soft black color. Krait and Barrel's color is very jet-like in that way, especially in bright ambient light where it glistens with finely-milled holographic pigment, which reads as antique gold through the base. Direct sun generates a perfect linear prismatic display, a compact, sparkling rainbow arc that frames a central lick of gleaming brassy gold.

Application was delicious. The consistency of Krait and Barrel is fluid, full-bodied and very smooth with a medium viscosity and a creamy, self-leveling glide over the nail, a user-friendly formula that is a pleasure to apply. Pigmentation is excellent, it's very nearly a one-coater but you'll probably want two for most evenly opaque coverage and to maximize the holographic properties. Cleanup is straightforward. Krait and Barrel dries naturally in very good time to a beautiful glossy finish. Topcoat does not interfere with the holographic effects at all. 

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

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Krait and Barrel

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Krait and Barrel

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Krait and Barrel

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Krait and Barrel

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Krait and Barrel

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Krait and Barrel

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Krait and Barrel

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Krait and Barrel

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Krait and Barrel

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Krait and Barrel

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Krait and Barrel

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Krait and Barrel

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Krait and Barrel

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Krait and Barrel

A splendid and sleek black holo! Softer and much more interesting on the nail than a straight black lacquer, with a precise and perfect linear flare in the sun. And you couldn't ask for a creamier, more eminently paintable formula. Hooray!

love,
Liz