KBShimmer Run It's the Coppers

Note: the true name of this polish is "Run! It's the Coppers!" but for the purposes of this post I'm using an unpunctuated version.

Run It's the Coppers was released by indie polish maker KBShimmer as part of the Early Summer 2014 collection in May. It is a metallic copper linear holographic polish. The color is your basic new penny copper sans the pink that is often prevalent in that shade. So I guess it's more like a not necessarily new but definitely uncirculated penny copper (haha). It has a certain creamy quality to it due to the concentration of holo pigments, which takes the edge off the mirror reflectivity that is common to metallics and substitutes a lustrous reflective gleam instead. Very nice! It's still metallic enough to show some brushstrokes, but the holographic payoff of this polish is so intense and omnipresent that you'll be hard pressed to notice them.

Application was awesome! The consistency of Run It's the Coppers is fluid, creamy and dense, with smooth even flow over the nail. This is as user-friendly and wonderful to work with as I've learned to expect from KBShimmer, and it just glides on like fine heavy silk. Pigmentation is very good, with opaque even coverage in two coats, although I did three because that's what Christy recommends. The difference between two and three is an added richness of color and fuller dimensionality of the prismatic display. Being a metallic, you do have to watch your brushstrokes and placement at the cuticle, but the polish makes this sort of thing easy to do. Cleanup is a snap. Run It's the Coppers dries naturally in very good time to a smooth shiny finish.

Photos show three coats of Run It's The Coppers over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Glisten and Glow HK Girl.

KBShimmer Run It's the Coppers

KBShimmer Run It's the Coppers

KBShimmer Run It's the Coppers

KBShimmer Run It's the Coppers

KBShimmer Run It's the Coppers

KBShimmer Run It's the Coppers

KBShimmer Run It's the Coppers

KBShimmer Run It's the Coppers

KBShimmer Run It's the Coppers

KBShimmer Run It's the Coppers

KBShimmer Run It's the Coppers

We're having a hazy, humid, grey sky day today, with occasional weak burn throughs of direct sun so I couldn't photograph this beauty in it's fullest glory, but even weak direct sunlight is enough to kindle the holo blaze to a high flame.

KBShimmer Run It's the Coppers

KBShimmer Run It's the Coppers

KBShimmer Run It's the Coppers

KBShimmer Run It's the Coppers

KBShimmer Run It's the Coppers

KBShimmer Run It's the Coppers

So yeah, it's a holo from holo heaven and just as gorgeous and prismatic as it can be! In the sun, the definition and dimensionality of the pronounced flame-shaped holographic display is simply astounding and rivals that of any dark color linear holo in my opinion. Just splendid! Even Fuzzy, who mostly just nods agreeably whenever I start up about prismatic blah blah blah exhibited astonishment at the qualities of this linear pup, "Oh! Oh, look what it's doing!" Indeed!

love,
Liz

Barielle Polished Princess

Polished Princess was released by Barielle as part of the All Lacquered Up collection for fall 2009, a collaborative effort between Barielle and Michelle Mismas of the venerable polish blog All Lacquered Up. If you would like to read her post featuring Polished Princess, you can find it here.

This polish is a vibrant medium golden green shimmer. It has a slightly swampy yellow-green base with warm mossy olive undertones to it containing superabundant finely milled golden shimmer, which gives it a bit of a frosty creme rinse character although it does not show brushstrokes as much as a typical frost does. The golden shimmer throws sparks of bright spring green, aqua and coppery orange through the strata of polish and has a scintillating sparkle in the sun. In shade and indirect light, this polish has a striking golden green glow.

Application was quite satisfactory. Polished Princess has a fluid, smooth, slightly oily consistency with a nice density for painting. It has excellent even, self-leveling flow over the nail and is easy to control and manipulate. I had no problems with running, pooling, patching or any other sort of unruly polish behavior. Pigmentation could be better, though. Polished Princess was quite sheer and fugly-looking on the first coat. After the second, there were still sheerish areas and visible nail line in a few places and to be honest I almost decided to take it off right then. But then with the third coat I got fully opaque coverage and the true character of this strange green shimmer suddenly coalesced for me. However well it applies, this polish really doesn't come together unless you get to that point. Cleanup was easy and straightforward. Polished Princess sets and surface dries in fairly good time but the polish underneath takes longer than average to dry completely. The natural finish is smooth and shiny. 

Photos show three coats of Polished Princess over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite, which helped substantially with the dry time. I wouldn't try wearing this polish without a quick dry topcoat.

Barielle Polished Princess

Barielle Polished Princess

Barielle Polished Princess

Barielle Polished Princess

Barielle Polished Princess

Barielle Polished Princess

Barielle Polished Princess

Barielle Polished Princess

Barielle Polished Princess

As I was swatching this all I could think about was the story about the princess who kissed a frog that turned into a prince. Metaphors aside, if the genders were reversed and a prince kissed a frog that turned into a princess, this is the nail polish she'd be wearing. Can't you just see it? 

I have to admit that I was prepared not to like this polish even though it's been on my wishlist for the longest time. As I began applying it, I thought: what was I thinking? But after that third coat, it all comes together and you have a lively, chic glowing green polish with an air of casual elegance to it that is completely unexpected. It really does look fabulous on the nail, unusual and lithe and athletic somehow. Like if I gave it something to do it would get done tout suite, and done well at that.

I think I'll keep this one on for a while and let it grow on me some more!

love,
Liz

KBShimmer Stark Raven Mad

Stark Raven Mad was released by indie polish maker KBShimmer as part of the Early Summer 2014 collection this past May. This may be the best polish name ever! I've always love the phrase "stark raving mad" and the play on words to reflect the color of the polish is just too cool.

Christy, the owner and creative force behind KBShimmer, calls this linear holographic lacquer a deep charcoal, but I think she's done better than that by getting holographic pigments into a polish that is a true rich black without compromising the color. These are finely milled, small particle size holo pigments that you can see and that produce a linear flair in direct light, but you also see that the base is black. It's so black it almost swallows the prismatic display, but observe carefully and you will see it produce a beautiful silvery/golden sheen in indirect light that floats over the black like a fairy mist. 

Application was fantastic. The consistency of Stark Raven Mad is fluid, creamy and dense with a smoothness that allows it to just glide over the nail. No pooling, no running, just a perfect viscosity for painting! Pigmentation is very good, with deep rich color and full opacity in two medium coats. It's an excellent self-leveler also, and managed to completely camouflage my furrowed nails. Cleanup is easy and non-staining. Stark Raven Mad dries naturally in good time to a rich glossy finish.

Photos show two coats of Stark Raven Mad over Seche Rebuild treatment and Pretty Serious All Your Base basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite. I managed to get only one bubble in my topcoat with this manicure, see if you can spot it in the photos....

KBShimmer Stark Raven Mad

KBShimmer Stark Raven Mad

KBShimmer Stark Raven Mad

KBShimmer Stark Raven Mad

KBShimmer Stark Raven Mad

KBShimmer Stark Raven Mad

KBShimmer Stark Raven Mad

KBShimmer Stark Raven Mad

KBShimmer Stark Raven Mad

KBShimmer Stark Raven Mad

See what I mean about the sheen? It gives Stark Raven Mad such a magical feel, because you can clearly see that the base itself is a deep rich black. The holo pigments seem almost to project their tiny points of light over the polish, creating a shimmery veil that changes from silver to gold depending upon the light. Sometimes you can see the prismatic colors in it too, as in the macro shot, but they don't affect the appearance of the base the way they do in most linear holos. This polish just has a preternatural air to it.

I did manage to take a few direct sun photos that turned out well enough to include. Mostly the prismatic display in this polish is a bright tracing of rainbow particles, but if you have the polish angled just right you get this:

KBShimmer Stark Raven Mad

KBShimmer Stark Raven Mad

KBShimmer Stark Raven Mad

KBShimmer Stark Raven Mad

Look at how bright and distinct the colors are! Fabulousness. I've wanted a black holo for a long time and I'm so glad I chose to get this one. Christy really did a brilliant job with the formulation of this one, the way it conjures up light from the blackness is polish sorcery! I don't often wear black polishes, but I love this one!

I really need to get out of this Negative Nancy box I've pigeonholed myself into when it comes to black polishes, especially glitters. If it has a black base, I shy away. If a polish like Stark Raven Mad, which is so unquestionably black, can make me feel like I've got dark fairy nails, then there must be glitters that produce a corresponding magical sense as well, no? Christy has a few black based glitters in the shop, maybe I should start with one of them. Or if you have a favorite black based glitter that you think I should try, let me know, ok? My aesthetic needs expanding!

love,
Liz