Lacquer Slacker Liz: brown

Showing posts with label brown. Show all posts

Monday, February 19, 2018

Emily de Molly Coming Around Again

Coming Around Again was released in November 2017 by Australian indie polish maker Emily de Molly as one of nine polishes for that month, all linear holos. Creator Hayley describes it simply as "a light brown strong holo," and I agree. The color is a soft, desaturated shade of rosy brown with aspects of copper that is fairly well-silvered by holographic pigment, which combines with the color to give the polish a gleaming coppery underlay. Powerfully holographic, it's in holo mode 24/7, even in shadow, with shimmering, misty swaths of pale violet and pink edged with whisper-thin ribbons of light red, yellow and pale azure washing the nail in ambient light. In the sun, there's a dazzling linear prismatic flare featuring the full retinue of rainbow colors.

Application was dreamy. The consistency of Coming Around Again is fluid, dense and very smooth with a medium viscosity and a buttery, even, self-leveling slip over the nail. Superb! Pigmentation is very good to excellent. It's close to if not wearably opaque at one coat but the addition of a second brings some extra density and presence to the color. Cleanup is easy. Coming Around Again dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, shiny finish. Topcoat does not interfere with the holographic properties in any way.

Photos show two coats of Coming Around Again over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Emily de Molly Coming Around Again

If you like coppery polishes, this rosy tan holo is right up your alley! Besides the stunning prismatic effects, the most notable aspect here is the brilliant coppery underlay, sleek and gleaming along the axis of light. With an ethereal, nude-ish sensibility on the nail, this polish makes for a pleasing, effortlessly graceful neutral look. You really can't go wrong with one of Hayley's holos!

NPR, I love the song "Coming Around Again" that Carly Simon wrote and sang for the soundtrack of the 1986 movie Heartburn, which came out right after my marriage ended. Listening to it again, I remember clearly what a drag it was putting one foot in front of the other, day after day, trying to work my way out of that awful, heartbroken, lonesome time. The sense of inevitability in the music and lyrics and Carly's soulful contralto voice made an indelible impression, encapsulating the poignancy of that moment in my life more completely than any single memory ever could.

love,
Liz

Sunday, January 21, 2018

ILNP On The Rocks

Like Rogue, On The Rocks was released this past November by Nevada-based indie polish maker ILNP as part of the Winter 2017 collections. It's part of ILNP's Ultra Metallic line of metallic-finish polishes specially formulated with ultra-thin metallic flakes, and is described as a java-brown.

The base color is a cool, taupey kind of shade, medium-dark in tone, similar to coyote brown. It is considerably lightened by superabundant, highly reflective metallic flakes in what appears to me to be silver, creating a look that is more along the lines of beaver in color, with aspects of champagne, bronze and café au lait and a brilliant foily metallic finish with tremendous sparkle. There's a sprinkling of holographic particles in there also, which are kind of lost amidst all of the reflectivity and sparkle until you get the polish into the sun. There, the piecey, foil-like visual texture of the flakes seems to smooth out a bit and a loose net of brilliant rainbow-colored sparks adorns the finish.

Interestingly, there's a surprising purple aspect to the color that comes out under LED lighting.

Application was fantastic. The consistency of On The Rocks is fluid, light and smooth with a medium viscosity and a fluent, easy, self-leveling slip over the nail that went on best for me in medium coats from a moderately-loaded brush. There is no discernible texture from the flakes, which go on flat to the nail without tumbling, stickups or protrusions over the free edge. Pigmentation is very good. Two coats nets completely even opacity and full bottle color. Cleanup frees countless tiny reflective flakes to ensconce themselves happily over the nail environs, difficult if not impossible to sweep away completely. I did my cleanup as I went along and still had sparkly nail surrounds -- best to go for as clean a manicure as possible from the outset with this one. On The Rocks dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, reflective finish.

Photos show two coats of On The Rocks over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

ILNP On The Rocks

This polish is much more stunning in person than it is in a still image -- you really need to see it on the move to appreciate the wonderful dynamics of the light play. It's a dazzling foily metallic look that just radiates elegance and glamour. The cool, metallic champagne-taupe color acts as a particularly stylish neutral, more interesting and, I think, even classier than gold or silver. I'm telling you, this polish is money! Dressy enough for black-tie but not in the least over-the-top or pretentious. Love it!

A clutch would be killer in this look, and shoes! Some graceful, pointy-toe kitten heels -- OMG!

xo,
Liz

Monday, January 15, 2018

Dreamland Sassenach

Sassenach was released in September 2016 by Missouri-based indie polish maker Dreamland Artisan Nail Lacquer as part of the Outlander collection, a quartet of polishes themed around the British-American television drama Outlander. The word sassenach (pronounced SASS-en-ack, or thereabouts) is used by the Scots to refer to the English, in particular the main character Claire, who is the inspiration for this polish.

Described simply as a "dark brown linear holographic polish," Sassenach is a warm, resonant medium-dark brown with a subtle reddish-orange tinge and aspects of chocolate and golden brown, similar in appearance to the color russet. Abundant finely-milled holographic pigment reads as gold within the base and and gives the polish a shimmery dimensionality on the nail with a silky, delicately-grained visual texture. In the sun, there's a sparkling linear prismatic display predominated by azure, spring green and orange that frames a lick of glistening golden brown and shades to coffee at the edges of the nail.

Application was wonderful. The consistency of Sassenach is fluid and smooth with a medium viscosity and a plush, creamy, self-leveling glide over the nail. Pigmentation is very good, providing evenly opaque coverage and full bottle color in two coats. Cleanup is straightforward with a tiny bit of pigment travel but little to no residual staining. Sassenach 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 two coats of Sassenach over KBShimmer Love You Strong Time treatment and KBShimmer Fillin' Groovy basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Dreamland Sassenach

I wore this during my Christmas trip and received several unsolicited compliments on it. Brown is generally considered a neutral but this russet holo is actually quite distinctive, even showy! Not too foody, not too earthy and not in the least austere, it has a certain measured opulence to it that reminds me of fine, heavy silk. The holo pigment acts like a luminous shimmer, lighting up in a coppery-gold mist along the axis of light. Glossy and elegant on the nail, with a generous spirit. People will notice!

love,
Liz

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

ILNP Sparks May Fly

Sparks May Fly was released in November by Nevada-based indie polish maker ILNP as part of the Holiday 2017 collection, and is described as a Dijon yellow holo with golden bronze shimmer. It's an unusual, complex dark goldenrod color, a brassy yellow-brown with aspects of curry, gingerbread, caramel and bronze, warm, rich and highly decorative. Superabundant golden microflake shimmers flood it with tons of bright yellow-gold sparkle and create a polished precious metal kind of vibe. In the sun, the gold sparkle is supplemented by a field of brilliant prismatic sparks. Dazzling!

Application was fabulous. The consistency of Sparks May Fly is fluid and full-bodied with a medium viscosity and a plush, self-leveling glide over the nail, an eminently-paintable formula that is a pleasure to manipulate with ILNP's flattened-style brush. Pigmentation is very good, delivering opaque coverage in two coats. Cleanup looses gold microflake shimmers to roam freely about the nail environs, but they aren't as sticky as some. Sparks May Fly dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, shiny finish.

Photos show two coats of Sparks May Fly over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

ILNP Sparks May Fly

Some may be inclined to classify this as a "so ugly it's beautiful" kind of color. I beg to differ! It is unusual for nail polish, true, but so radiant, sumptuous and sparkly that it possesses an almost regal sensibility on the nail. I find it utterly stunning and profoundly glamorous, a gorgeous, unforgettable signature look! If you love chic, unusual colors, you simply must have this -- it will please you immensely!

love,
Liz

Monday, December 18, 2017

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Reindeer Wolfcastle

Reindeer Wolfcastle was released in November this year by Connecticut-based indie polish maker Octopus Party Nail Lacquer (OPNL) as part of the Winter 2017 collection.

Creator Dave describes this as a "blushing cinnamon linear holographic with gold and holo flakies." The base color is a dark, rich, somewhat cool-toned brown along the lines of bole. It is densely packed with overt golden flakies that warm the color, suffusing it with brightly gleaming bronze and copper flecks that give the polish a luxurious, fire-lit quality. Holographic flakies add a generous sprinkling of prismatic sparks to the look. The holographic flare in direct sun is dispersed by the gold flakes to more of a scattered type of display, with gold, bronze and copper joining rainbow colors in a field of brilliant sparkle.

Application was fantastic. The consistency of Reindeer Wolfcastle is fluid, light and smooth with a medium viscosity and a fluent, tractable, self-leveling spread over the nail. Pigmentation is very good. This is a jelly-lish kind of formula with a degree of built-in translucence. Wearably opaque coverage can be had in two medium coats, but I liked three even better. Cleanup is straightfoward. Reindeer Wolfcastle dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, shiny finish.

Photos show three coats of Reindeer Wolfcastle over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Reindeer Wolfcastle

The name of this polish kills me, it sounds so random! What's up with that, Dave? Plus, I misremembered it early on as "Rudolph Wolfenstein" for some reason (talk about random, said the kettle to the pot) and now that name is stuck in my head and I keep having to refer to my resources to make sure that I'm typing the right thing!

Cool on the outside, warm on the inside! This is a splendid winter brown, filled with gleaming metallic bits that remind me of firelight flickering over polished brass -- a cozy, opulent, epicurean kind of sensibility. Well done!

love,
Liz