Painted Polish Blush Babe

Like Ruffles & Romance, Blush Babe was released earlier this month by California-based indie polish maker Painted Polish as part of the I Love Blush collection. Described as "a nude leaning blush ultra holo with added silver holographic glitters," this polish is like a sparkly, iridescent bronzer for your nails. 

The color is a complex, toasty tan-leaning nude, say equal parts tan and unbleached silk with champagne pink highlights, but it's so holographic and flashy that you don't really see an exact color -- more like an impression of a color. There's a prominent prismatic flush in misty hues of lavender, pink and palest azure edged with gold and a whisper-thin thread of red in ambient light, and a gleaming, highly-reflective pale coppery-gold underlay with a brilliant flash, the whole dotted with bright, twinkling prismatic sparks from the holographic glitters. Direct sun elicits a textbook linear prismatic flare featuring the full retinue of rainbow colors.

Application was fabulous. The consistency of Blush Babe is fluid, light and smooth with a thinner-to-medium viscosity and a fluent, silky, self-leveling slip over the nail that goes on naturally in thin coats from a moderately loaded brush. Pigmentation is sheerish on the first coat but will build to a wearable opacity in two with a medium second coat. I added a third for the photos. Cleanup is easy, even with the glitters. Blue Babe dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, shiny finish. Topcoat does not interfere with the holographic properties of the polish in any way.

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

Painted Polish Blush Babe

Painted Polish Blush Babe

Painted Polish Blush Babe

Painted Polish Blush Babe

Painted Polish Blush Babe

Painted Polish Blush Babe

Painted Polish Blush Babe

Painted Polish Blush Babe

Painted Polish Blush Babe

Painted Polish Blush Babe

Painted Polish Blush Babe

Painted Polish Blush Babe

This is really rather stunning! My skin tone is not the best showcase considering the native warmth of the color, but I love it anyway. Like I said, it reminds me of bronzer but for your nails, with a glamorous, beachy, bain-de-soleil kind of vibe and that delicious "toasted" quality that frames the prismatic effects. The prominence of the holo and all the sparkle and flash makes it really showy and eye-catching on the nail. Glorious!

xo,
Liz