Colors by Llarowe Blonde Ambition

Like Gemini Rising, Blonde Ambition was released in May 2014 by Colorado-based indie polish maker Colors by Llarowe as part of the venerable Summer 2014 collection. This one is still available on the CbL website, where creator Leah Ann describes it as a "light nude taupe strong linear holo." It's an ash blonde or light beigey ecru color with honied, bronzey overtones, similar to a light French beige. Superabundant ultrafine holographic pigment gives it a lightly silvered quality, a luminous, silky, semi-metallic finish and phenomenal prismatic effects. In natural ambient light, it is swathed in shimmering, nacreous hues: lavender, pale pink, lemony gold and misty azure. Direct sun generates a dazzling, delineated holographic flare replete with arcs in every rainbow color that frames a glistening lick of semi-metallic palomino gold and shades to a gentle taupe at the sidewalls of the nail.

Application was delicious. The consistency of Blonde Ambition is fluid, full-bodied and very smooth with a medium-to-thicker viscosity to which I added polish thinner at the outset. Thinned, it had a creamy, even, self-leveling glide over the nail that was a joy to work with. Pigmentation is excellent, in my opinion. It is slightly sheer at one coat but goes on so evenly that it could easily be worn that way -- it looks terrific! Two coats delivers completely opaque coverage. I used three to ensure a totally smooth surface as my nail ridges create a somewhat faceted appearance with semi-metallic finishes. Cleanup is easy. Blonde Ambition dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, shiny finish. Topcoat does not in any way inhibit the holographic properties of this polish. 

Photos show three coats of Blonde Ambition over KBShimmer Love You Strong Time treatment and KBShimmer Fillin' Groovy basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite. 

Colors by Llarowe Blonde Ambition

Colors by Llarowe Blonde Ambition

Colors by Llarowe Blonde Ambition

Colors by Llarowe Blonde Ambition

Colors by Llarowe Blonde Ambition

Colors by Llarowe Blonde Ambition

Colors by Llarowe Blonde Ambition

Colors by Llarowe Blonde Ambition

Colors by Llarowe Blonde Ambition

Colors by Llarowe Blonde Ambition

Colors by Llarowe Blonde Ambition

Colors by Llarowe Blonde Ambition

Colors by Llarowe Blonde Ambition

Colors by Llarowe Blonde Ambition

Such a fabulous holo! The pale neutral color of the base allows for a pristine display of holographic effects, which are responsive even in very low light. It's as glorious as can be! The neutral base also gives this polish a stealthy, office-appropriate, shimmering platinum champagne color when it's not exposed to the sun. 

I won't be posting for the next several days as I'll be up in Charlottesville VA for my beloved nephew's high school graduation and a quick visit with my sis and her family. He'll have a regular retinue of fans ready to scream their heads off and embarrass the heck out of him at the ceremony, which takes place at the John Paul Jones Arena. In my day, it was called University Hall. Site of many youthful adventures!

Anyway, I should be back and posting again by Saturday, 10 June. I just received my order of A-England's new four-polish collection, Sargent's Vision, from Color4Nails -- something to look forward to!

love,
Liz