Tonic Polish The Best is Yet to Come

The Best is Yet to Come was created by Lindsey of Iowa-based indie polish maker Tonic Polish for limited release by Hella Handmade Creations in March this year, with a later, unlimited pre-order in May. It's described as "a denim blue with glowing copper shimmer, iridescent particles of different sizes that shift yellow and green, and scattered holo."

This polish is one of what I've come to think of as Lindsey's "deliciously ambiguous wonders." The base color is indeed a medium-dark blue along the lines of liberty from the ISCC-NBS Dictionary of Color Names, a denimy, lapis-like shade that's quite translucent -- the better to show off the components, which combine with it to give the color a complex, dusky appearance on the nail. Numerous variously-sized, color-shifting flakies ranging from tiny to medium-large gleam in shades of flame, gold, green and even magenta from within the base as light travels over them, while finely-milled copper shimmers create a prominent coppery-pink glow along the axis of light. Abundant holographic pigment adds depth, luminosity and a delicately-grained visual texture in ambient light. As you turn your nails toward your light source, the polish glows golden-green, and in the sun there's a sparkling scattered prismatic display that frames a bold, shimmering lick of copper.

Application was great! The consistency of The Best is Yet to Come is fluid and light with a medium viscosity and a fluent glide over the nail. There's an occasional bit of flakie jostling, but by and large they settle into place without issue. Pigmentation is very good. I was happy with two medium coats on my shorties, but longer nails or thinner coats may need three. Those flakies like to stick to the nail during cleanup, but it's pretty straightforward otherwise. The Best is Yet to Come dries naturally in good time to a slightly flat finish with a bit of mostly visual texture from surface-lying flakies. Topcoat adds a becoming gloss and accentuates the presence and effects of the components. 

Photos show two coats of The Best is Yet to Come over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Tonic Polish The Best is Yet to Come

Tonic Polish The Best is Yet to Come

Tonic Polish The Best is Yet to Come

Tonic Polish The Best is Yet to Come

Tonic Polish The Best is Yet to Come

Tonic Polish The Best is Yet to Come

Tonic Polish The Best is Yet to Come

Tonic Polish The Best is Yet to Come

Tonic Polish The Best is Yet to Come

Tonic Polish The Best is Yet to Come

Tonic Polish The Best is Yet to Come

This is a complex, moody puzzle of a polish full of magical components that offer surprise and delight with every flex of the fingers. My favorite part is the bold copper shimmer. It's positively luminous on the nail, tying in to the flame-colored flakies and contrasting beautifully with the stormy blue ambiguity of base. Outstanding visual texture and light play!

love,
Liz

Lollipop Posse Lacquer What a Million Filaments

What a Million Filaments was released last month by Ohio-based indie polish maker Lollipop Posse Lacquer as part of The Sylvia Plath Quad celebrating the brand's third anniversary. It's described as "an electric purple linear holographic polish that suspends green/blue/purple color shifting micro glitters and blue iridescent flakes."

The color is a slightly heathery, rich medium purple with strong red-violet overtones, kind of like a plummy take on a Munsell purple, a garnet-like shade that's difficult to describe but immediately recognizable as purple. One of the first things you notice about this polish in the bottle are copious blue microflakes interspersed with tiny green microglitters, which have have an almost psychedelic quality against the bold purple base color. Their appearance on the nail is more subtle and scattered but no less delightful, tiny gleaming bursts of blue and green as the light catches them. Abundant holographic pigment gives the purple base a finely-grained visual texture and a heathery quality, nuancing it with hues of red-violet, violet and plum in ambient light. In the sun, there's a slightly dispersed but super sparkly linear prismatic flare predominated by arcs of azure and bright red.

Application was fantastic. The consistency of What a Million Filaments is fluid and creamy with a medium viscosity and a plush, even, self-leveling glide over the nail that is easy to control. I experienced a tiny bit of tumbling on the part of the components, but no stacking or stickups. Pigmentation is very good to excellent -- I used two coats for these photos. Cleanup was surprisingly easy. What a Million Filaments dries naturally in good time to a shiny finish that is very slightly textured, easily smoothed with topcoat. Topcoat also accentuates the presence of the components.

Photos show two coats of What a Million Filaments over KBShimmer Love You Strong Time treatment and KBShimmer Fillin' Groovy basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Lollipop Posse Lacquer What a Million Filaments

Lollipop Posse Lacquer What a Million Filaments

Lollipop Posse Lacquer What a Million Filaments

Lollipop Posse Lacquer What a Million Filaments

Lollipop Posse Lacquer What a Million Filaments

Lollipop Posse Lacquer What a Million Filaments

Lollipop Posse Lacquer What a Million Filaments

Lollipop Posse Lacquer What a Million Filaments

Lollipop Posse Lacquer What a Million Filaments

Lollipop Posse Lacquer What a Million Filaments

This is a beautifully-composed polish and very Sylvia Plath, I think. The name comes from a line in her great 1962 poem, "Lady Lazarus," and I feel that the boldly contrasting elements in the polish really do justice to the fierceness and electricity of that work. On the nail, it has a lush, plummy presence, richly colorful but not the least bit gaudy or overly flamboyant -- there's a certain confident, sophisticated sensibility to it that, to me, reflects very well upon the wearer. Love this!

xo,
Liz

Emily de Molly LE 95

LE (Limited Edition) 95 was released in April this year by Australian indie polish maker Emily de Molly, one of four LEs released that month. It's described as "a dark grey holo with subtle gold and copper shimmer and flakes." The color is indeed a silky dark grey with gentle blue and purple undertones, similar to gunmetal. It has the finely-grained visual texture that you see in holographic polishes, with a dimensional blue-violet heart in ambient light. Tiny gleaming microflake shimmers are clearly visible on close inspection -- their reflectivity gives them a silvery look against the dark grey and I think they impart a transparent silvery sheen to the look of the polish on the nail. In the sun, there's a gorgeous fully-linear prismatic display predominated by azure.

Application was lovely. The consistency of LE 95 is fluid, light and smooth with the thin-to-medium viscosity that I love and a buttery, self-leveling slip over the nail. Pigmentation is very good, delivering evenly opaque coverage in two coats. The shimmers like to stick to the nail, but cleanup is otherwise straightforward. LE 95 dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, shiny finish. Topcoat does not interfere with the holographic effects in any way.

Photos show two coats of LE 95 over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Emily de Molly LE 95

Emily de Molly LE 95

Emily de Molly LE 95

Emily de Molly LE 95

Emily de Molly LE 95

Emily de Molly LE 95

Emily de Molly LE 95

Emily de Molly LE 95

Emily de Molly LE 95

If you like dark greys, this is a beautiful one, elegant and sleek on the nail with a touch of indie flavor from the scattered gleaming microflake shimmers and the transparent silvery sheen they seem to generate.

As you can see, I'm back to shorties again following a bad break on my swatching hand at the end of last month. *sad star!* Seems as though I had, like, YEARS (not entirely true, but it feels like it in retrospect) of continuously long nails until last fall. Since then, every two or three months I'll get one of those below-the-nail-line breaks/tears on that left hand. For some reason, I find it more difficult to paint and photograph nail polish with shorties. Luckily, my polish enthusiasm does not diminish with the length of my nails.

Continued apologies for the sporadic posting. Fuzzy has been in rehab following her 15 May knee replacement surgery and will be coming home tomorrow. She's walking well with a walker but is not allowed to drive until the beginning of July. She'll need some extra support around the house and I'll be running all of her errands and ferrying her to physical therapy several times a week, so I anticipate that you still won't be seeing very much of me here during June. I miss posting -- my days feel a little discombobulated without it.

love,
Liz

Girly Bits No Fawkes Given

As of April this year, Hella Handmade Creations (HHC), formerly Hella Holo Customs, has upped its game in a big way. There is now a dedicated Hella Handmade Creations online store, where artisanal offerings by indie polish makers will be available for pre-order for a week-long window each month. You no longer need to be a member of HHC to purchase, and there will be handmade products other than nail polish available. Featured makers sign up for a series of monthly offerings centered around a theme of their choosing. Find out more about scheduled online store openings, featured makers and what products will be offered by joining HHC on Facebook!

No Fawkes Given was created by Pam of Canadian Indie Polish maker Girly Bits exclusively for the April 2018 HHC online pop-up, which ran from 14-21 April. Pam chose Harry Potter as her HHC product theme, and this polish was inspired by Fawkes the phoenix, Albus Dumbledore's animal companion, proxy, messenger and defender. It is described as "a bright red scattered holo with a golden/copper shimmer, and a slight sprinkling of gold holo microglitter."

The base color is a medium-dark crimson that is warmed by the golden/copper shimmers to more of a dense, cedary vermilion or chili red appearance with aspects of copper, flame and persimmon. It is bold, complex and intensely fiery on the nail, where finely-milled holographic pigment nuances it with hues of crimson, rust and fire brick and creates a subtle sparkly flush of orange and gold in ambient light, complemented by twinkling red, orange and gold sparks from the microglitters. In the sun, the look is blanketed with brilliant scattered prismatic sparkle in every rainbow color.

Application was most agreeable! The consistency of No Fawkes Given is fluid and surprisingly light with a medium viscosity and a fluent, smooth, self-leveling glide over the nail, a wonderful, eminently-paintable formula that is a pleasure to work with. Pigmentation is very good, netting completely even, opaque coverage in two coats. Cleanup is straightforward with a skosh of pigment travel and a little bit of shimmer and glitter stickiness. No Fawkes Given dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, shiny finish.

Photos show two coats of No Fawkes Given over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Girly Bits No Fawkes Given

Girly Bits No Fawkes Given

Girly Bits No Fawkes Given

Girly Bits No Fawkes Given

Girly Bits No Fawkes Given

Girly Bits No Fawkes Given

Girly Bits No Fawkes Given

Girly Bits No Fawkes Given

Cue the heart emoji! First, a round of applause for the name of this polish -- so clever and funny! If that alone isn't enough to generate heartfelt appreciation, the look does it with gusto -- an unconventional rusty red radiating all kinds of lively sparkle and shimmer, absolutely gorgeous! With its holographic effects, shimmers and microglitters, it's a complex, multifaceted extravaganza of fiery goodness. As perfect as it could possibly be!

love,
Liz

A-England Puck A Fairy

Pardon my absence! Fuzzy's surgery went very well. The crippled, arthritic knee was replaced without complications and she has a good start on the road to recovery -- they had her up and walking with a walker the day after! She has a lot of pain, perhaps more than she expected, and she's a little cranky because of it but they're giving her meds to help. I'm proud of how determined she is! On Monday she'll be going to short-term rehab for two weeks.

Back to nail polish! Today I have yet another A-England from the Shakespeare's Fairies collection for you: Puck A Fairy, described by Adina as a vivid peacock blue-green with additional iridescent glimmer. The color is a strikingly bright, clean, medium-toned variation of blue-green along the lines of aqua cerulean, a little brighter/less dusky than a true cerulean with a lush, tropical vibe. It has the finely-grained visual texture common to holographic polishes, and a dimensional prismatic bloom of gold and azure with hints of indigo travels up and down the center of the nail in ambient light, shading to a deeper blue-green at the edges. In bright direct light, there's a sparkling scattered holographic display predominated by brilliant hues of azure, spring green and gold.

Application was fantastic. The consistency of Puck is fluid, light and smooth with a medium viscosity and an even, buttery, self-leveling slip over the nail, a gorgeous, eminently-paintable formula that is on par with the best from the brand. Pigmentation is very good, delivering evenly opaque coverage and full bottle color in two coats. Cleanup is surprisingly easy for this kind of color, with just a tiny bit of pigment travel but no trace staining to speak of. Puck dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, shiny finish. Topcoat seems only to enhance the holographically-generated dimensionality of the polish on the nail.

Photos show two coats of Puck A Fairy over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

A-England Puck A Fairy

A-England Puck A Fairy

A-England Puck A Fairy

A-England Puck A Fairy

A-England Puck A Fairy

A-England Puck A Fairy

A-England Puck A Fairy

A-England Puck A Fairy

Fabulous! It's almost too intense and lush to be called a pool blue but it's definitely of that ilk, kind of like a "bionic pool blue" or a "pool blue to the nth" or something. This sort of bold, bright color is unsual to see from A-England, so all the more welcome by lovers of such shades (ahem!) when we do. Energetic and showy on the nail -- an excellent summer bright and gorgeous scattered holo as only Adina can do. Love!

xo,
Liz

Picture Polish Blossom

Like Cactus and Heaven, Blossom was released in March this year by Australian boutique polish maker Picture Polish as part of the Spring Autumn 2018 collection. This is yet another Collaboration shade, created with Paulina of Paulina's Passions, according to her design. You can view her post about Blossom here.

Officially described as a "shifting soft baby pink to lilac" jelly with pink glass fleck shimmers and PP's signature mix of holographic flakes, the color is a cool-toned, pastel tint of pink that's similar to a desaturated version of Pantone's Fairy Tale, milky and delicate. It has gentle lilac undertones that seem to assert themselves more or less depending on viewing circumstances. Subtle, scattered flecks in an ever-so-slightly brighter tone of pink glisten as light travels over them, and fine holographic flakes sparkle in hues of silver, pale gold and pastel pink and azure in the sun.

Application was a pleasure. The consistency of Blossom is fluid, light and creamy with a medium consistency and a fluent, easy glide over the nail, a lovely formula that's really more of a crelly than a jelly and self-levels beautifully for a pastel. It is semi-translucent by design and a tiny bit of streakiness, mostly ridge-related, built steadily to evenly opaque coverage in three coats for me, although I think it's also beautiful at two with a touch of visible nail line. Cleanup is straightforward with a bit of stickiness on the part of the pink glass flecks. Blossom dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, shiny finish.

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

Picture Polish Blossom

Picture Polish Blossom

Picture Polish Blossom

Picture Polish Blossom

Picture Polish Blossom

Picture Polish Blossom

Picture Polish Blossom

Picture Polish Blossom

I haven't always been a fan of pastels, but this one really is so pretty and the formula exceptionally user-friendly. The cool, pale, milky pink is clean and graceful on the nail and not stark like I was expecting, a more subtle, grownup pastel shade that feels particularly flattering on the nail.

I picked this polish for today knowing that I will be wearing it for a while as Fuzzy is going in for knee replacement surgery tomorrow and I'll be staying with her in the hospital until they send her off to rehab at the end of the week. It's delicate and unobtrusive with a certain serene sensibility to it that I think will make it a good companion before and after the surgery, for me and maybe for Fuzzy as well.

love,
Liz