Lacquer Slacker Liz: Holomaniacs

Showing posts with label Holomaniacs. Show all posts

Thursday, November 23, 2017

Contrary Polish Harvest Moon

Released earlier this month, Harvest Moon was created by Carrie of Missouri-based indie polish maker Contrary Polish as a November 2017 limited edition custom polish exclusively for members of the Holo-Maniacs Facebook group. Inspired by a photo of a huge orange moon in a dark blue-grey sky silhouetting a foresty horizon, Carrie describes it as a "deep slate blue linear holo with strong contrasting orange shimmer/microflakes."

The color is a soulful medium blue-grey along the lines of glaucous with aspects of steel blue and deep blue-grey. Abundant holographic pigment gives it a dusty, delicately-grained visual texture, dimensionalizes the color with gentle, shadowy hues of blue and grey in ambient light and lights up in exquisite tiny prismatic sparks as light travels over it. Fine orange microflake shimmers create a sparkling orange mist along the axis of light, a dainty bloom of interior illumination that adds a hint of warmth to the look. The color brightens in direct sun and takes on a denimy quality, displaying a slightly dispersed linear holographic flair predominated by azure with a corona of mixed prismatic sparkle.

Application was delicious. The consistency of Harvest Moon is fluid, light and smooth with a medium viscosity and a fluent, even, self-leveling slip over the nail, a lovely formula that is a pleasure to manipulate with Contrary's flexible, flattened-style brush. Pigmentation is very good. A touch of sheerness on the first coat built easily to evenly opaque coverage with the second on my shorties, but may need a third on longer nails. Cleanup is easy. Harvest Moon dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, shiny finish. Topcoat accentuates the presence and effects of the microflake shimmers and does not interfere with the holographic properties in any way.

Photos show two coats of Harvest Moon over basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Contrary Polish Harvest Moon

Wow, this is SO GOOD! And speaks directly to my pan-seasonal love for unusual blues, although it does have a gorgeous, rainy, autumnal quality that seems suit November particularly well. The warming effects of the orange microflake shimmers add a kind of gentled quality to an otherwise stormy color, giving it a companionable, delightfully wearable feel. I love it!

Harvest Moon is available through the end of the month by accessing the hidden listing from Carrie's post in the Holo-Maniacs Facebook group. You must be a member to see the post, so travel on over and join up!

xo,
Liz

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Nail Hoot Holo-Maniacs Custom #32

Holo-Maniacs Custom #32 was released this month by Missouri-based indie polish maker Nail Hoot as an October 2017 limited edition polish designed especially for members of the Holo-Maniacs Facebook group. Inspired by a night-time photograph of a beach pier under a round, golden moon, this polish is described as a blue linear holo with gold flakies.

The color is a medium-toned shade of azure with aspects of blue-grey and steel blue, very similar to Pantone's silver lake blue. It's absolutely packed with tiny golden flakes, which gleam brightly as light travels over them and give the polish a softly reflective, semi-metallic sort of look on the nail that has a silvery flash. The holographic effects are responsive and athletic, creating a gorgeous prismatic flush in ambient light that has that delicious, bronzy "toasted" effect. Once again it's overcast with aspirations to rain here today, but I expect the holographic flare in the sun will be of the "loose linear" or "tightly scattered" variety from all of those gold flakies, but extra sparkly because of them too.

Application was most agreeable! The consistency of Custom #32 is fluid, light and loamy with a medium viscosity and a plush, silky soft, self-leveling glide over the nail that's amenable to thin or thicker coats as preference dictates. Pigmentation is very good. Slight sheerness on the first coat builds easily to fully opaque coverage with the second. Cleanup is easy. Custom #32 dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, shiny finish. Topcoat accentuates the presence and effects of the flakies and does not alter the holographic effects in any way that I could tell.

Photos show two coats of Holo-Maniacs Custom #32 over basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite. Unfortunately, the holographic effects kind of commandeered the camera in these pics -- in person, it's quite clear that this is more than a simple, straightforward holo.

Nail Hoot Holo-Maniacs Custom #32

This is a beautiful polish. The blue has a lovely, soft, shadowy sensibility with an indeterminate semi-metallic nature that highlights neither gold nor silver but sort of a mixture of the two. The holographic properties create a silvery swath along the axis of light that deepens to a richer, sharper blue at the edges of the nail, dimensionalizing the look, which has a super-fine, all-over, glistening sparkle that's like light off water in the distance. Here's the inspiration pic that creator Brandie used to design this lacquer:

I think she did a wonderful job translating the dreaminess of that photo. Holo-Maniacs Custom #32 is available for purchase through the end of October on the Nail Hoot website.

love,
Liz

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Turtle Tootsie Polishes Turquoise Embers

Turquoise Embers was released this month by Pennsylvania-based indie polish maker Turtle Tootsie Polishes as Holo-Maniacs Custom #28 for August 2017, a limited edition polish designed especially for members of the Holo-Maniacs Facebook group. Creator Chrissy describes this as "a blue teal/turquoise holo polish with gold flakies and gold shimmer." The color is a creamy variation of light sky blue, almost the exact color of prized gem turquoise from the now-closed Sleeping Beauty mine near Globe AZ, a milky, azure-leaning shade with aspects of jordy blue and iceberg. Abundant small golden flakies dapple the finish, gleaming when light hits them just right, and holographic pigment together with fine golden shimmers give it a bit of twinkling effervescence. In the sun, there's a vestigial prismatic flare, slightly dispersed by the flakies and shimmers, predominated by bright sparks of azure and spring green.

Application was really nice. The consistency of Turquoise Embers is fluid, light and smooth with a medium-to-thicker viscosity to which I added a small amount polish thinner at the outset. Slightly thinned, it was just lovely, a perfectly-paintable formula with a silky, even, self-leveling slip over the nail that goes right where you put it and stays there, simply wonderful to work with. Pigmentation is very good, delivering evenly opaque coverage in two coats. Cleanup is fairly easy with a tiny bit of stickiness on the part of the flakies. Turquoise Embers dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, shiny finish. Topcoat adds a becoming gloss and accentuates the presence of the components.

Photos show two coats of Turquoise Embers over KBShimmer Fillin' Groovy basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Turtle Tootsie Polishes Turquoise Embers

This polish reminds me of ceramic glaze for some reason. I can't quite put my finger on what makes it stand out to me, but it does -- in a good way! The formula is an absolute dream to work with, it's one of those that almost seems like it really wants your manicure to be perfect. It dries down beautifully to a thin, compact layer and the color is particularly even and opaque even though there is a bit of translucence to the formula. I don't know -- something about it just really hits the spot! An excellent polish!

The inspiration for Turquoise Embers, a macro photograph of polished gem turquoise with a gold matrix, was selected by majority voting by members of the Holo-Maniacs Facebook group. It is only available for the month of August.

love,
Liz

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Lollipop Posse Lacquer Holo-Maniacs Custom #5

Holo-Maniacs Custom #5 was released in July by Ohio-based indie polish maker Lollipop Posse Lacquer (LPL) as a limited edition polish made exclusively for members of the Holo-Maniacs Facebook group. Described as a pink linear holo with purple shimmer, the color here is a medium-dark, cool-toned hollywood cerise with aspects of raspberry and steel pink that combines with the fine purple shimmers to produce something a long the lines of Patone's fuchsia purple, only a little bit cleaner and warmer. Abundant finely milled holographic pigment generates dimensionalizing hues of violet, raspberry and misty steel pink in ambient light. The color brightens to hot pink in the sun, where there's a sparkly, slightly dispersed linear prismatic display.

Application was fantastic! Holy cow, do all LPLs apply like this? The consistency of Custom #5 is fluid and deliciously creamy with a medium viscosity and a lush, silky-smooth, self-leveling slip over the nail. It's one of those polishes that goes right where you put it and stays there -- just a superb user-friendly formula that is a delight to finesse with LPL's flattened, flexible brush. Pigmentation is also excellent, providing evenly opaque coverage in a single coat, although you'll want two for full bottle color and to maximize the holo. Cleanup was remarkably easy for such a well-pigmented, saturated shade, with almost no pigment travel or trace staining. Custom #5 dries naturally in very good time to a gorgeous glossy finish. Topcoat does not seem to affect the holographic properties of the polish in any way.

Photos show two coats of Holo-Maniacs Custom #5 over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Lollipop Posse Lacquer Holo-Maniacs Custom #5

Sometimes deep cool purply pinks can begin to look a little unnatural to me, a little too much like plastic, but the holographically-generated dimensional quality of this bold color keeps it lively. I think it will be a great pink for the cooler months of the year, when you want to wear a pink that has enough oomph to hold its own with jewel-tones and other deep, rich colors.

This is my first experience with Lollipop Posse Lacquer and I am seriously impressed! Love this polish -- the formula, the brush, the unique shade of pink, the lolly that came with the polish, everything. After I applied it I went first thing to LPL's big cartel shop and ordered more. When a polish applies as beautifully this one does, you really can't have too many in your life.

love,
Liz

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Great Lakes Lacquer Holo-Maniacs Custom #3

Holo-Maniacs Custom #3 was recently released by Michigan-based indie polish maker Great Lakes Lacquer as a limited edition polish designed especially for the Holo-Maniacs Facebook group. Only Holo-Maniacs group members may purchase from the listing in creator Mariah's etsy shop, but it's an open group that's easy to join.

Mariah describes this as a cherry red linear holo with added holographic microflakes. The color is a medium-dark saturated cerise, a cool and fiercely feminine shade of red with aspects of crimson that come to the fore in certain viewing circumstances. Holographically-generated hues of ruby, cardinal, crimson and translucent violet shade and dimensionalize the polish in ambient light, creating a lush tableau for the microflakes, which glisten in shades from pink to pale violet to electric crimson. In the sun they glow like hot embers and inject boatloads of extra sparkle into a dazzling scattered prismatic display with a vestigial linear flare overlay.

Application was most impressive! The consistency of Holo-Maniacs Custom #3 is fluid, light and smooth with a thin-to-medium viscosity and a fluent, self-leveling flow over the nail that is just lovely and very easy to work with. Pigmentation is outstanding -- this is a one-coat wonder! I added a second coat to finesse some of my lines, but this is one holo that truly acquits itself well in a single coat. Cleanup takes a bit of extra attention due to the intensely-pigmented formula. Cuidado! Holo-Maniacs Custom #3 dries naturally in very good time to a mostly smooth, shiny finish with a bit of visual texture from the microflakes, not discernible to the touch. Topcoat does not affect the holographic properties of the polish in any way.

Photos show two coats of Holo-Maniacs Custom #3 over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Great Lakes Lacquer Holo-Maniacs Custom #3

Fabulous, and even better in person! Expect attention when you wear this. Friends, family and strangers everywhere are defenseless against the sparkling potency of its splendor!

This polish has a limited run and goes away on 1 July -- SOON! You've got two days to to lay claim to a bottle, so if you like what you see, get yourself over to the Holo-Maniacs Facebook group and offer up your allegiance before heading to the Great Lakes Lacquer etsy shop!

xo,
Liz