Cirque Coronation

NYC-based indie polish maker Cirque Colors originally released Coronation to great acclaim during the fall of 2013, in October I think, as a special, limited edition artisan collaboration set -- the polish was specially packaged and accompanied by a crown-like, lace-inspired rose-gold-plated ring by Texas jewelry designer Jeannie Vianney. It sold out almost immediately at release and also upon restock, quickly becoming of those legendary HTF (Hard To Find) polishes, avidly sought after by enthusiasts and collectors. This year Annie has surprised us all with an early Christmas gift: the resurrection of this very special polish as part of the recently released Holiday 2017 collection.

Described as "a violet jelly with multi-dimensional shimmer" on Cirque's website, the base color is a translucent vivid violet that darkens considerably to a more of a deep pigment violet with layering. Swimming within are abundant luminous colorshifting shimmers that read as a sparkling red mist through the base with a shift through copper to greenish gold as you turn your nails into the light. The shimmers give the polish a stunning, dimensional reddish glow in the center of the nail that shades to an inky purple at the sidewalls. Additional sparkle is provided by a sprinkling of holographic particles and/or possibly ultrafine holographic glitters, creating a delicate net of pinpoint prismatic sparks in the sun.

Application was great! The consistency of Coronation is fluid, dense and smooth with a medium viscosity and a plush, self-leveling glide over the nail. Pigmentation is sheer and requires three coats to build to full bottle color -- well worth the trouble! Be sure to wrap your tips carefully with each coat to avoid any excessive sheerness there. Cleanup is easy. Coronation dries naturally in good time to a smooth, slightly flat finish that wants a glossy topcoat to look its best, which also intensifies the presence and effects of the shimmers.

Photos show three coats of Coronation over basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Cirque Coronation

Cirque Coronation

Cirque Coronation

Cirque Coronation

Cirque Coronation

Cirque Coronation

Cirque Coronation

Cirque Coronation

Cirque Coronation

Coronation was ahead of its time in 2013, when many likened its look to that of Clarins 230 and Max Factor Fantasy Fire. These days, with the resurgence of Unicorn Pee polishes, it joins that genre as a beautiful example of the properties and effects of colorshifting shimmer couched in a translucent base. The sheer pigmentation of the base here allows the shimmer color to stand out particularly well, and the twinkling holographic sparkle adds glamour and panache to the rich, regal nature of the look. Utterly gorgeous!

This polish is currently sold out but will be restocked once in December. To receive a restock notification by email, visit its listing on Cirque's website and fill out the form on that page. As in the past, it is an LE or limited edition polish, so get it while the gettin's good -- I'm not sure we should count on Annie's largess to resurrect it again in the future!

love,
Liz