Emily de Molly Brick by Brick

Brick by Brick was released at the end of May/beginning of June this year by Australian indie polish maker Emily de Molly (EdM) as part of a special trio of polishes celebrating the brand's fourth anniversary. Congratulations, EdM, and many happy returns!

Creator Hayley describes this polish as "a grey-based crelly with gold to green to blue shifting shimmer." The base color is a graceful medium dove grey that is magically transformed by the color-shifting shimmers, which read predominantly as bright apple green. In comparison, the base takes on a cloudy grey-blue appearance, giving the polish an eerie quality that reminds me of the sky just before a thunderstorm, and there's a delicious visual texture to it, sort of like sueded silk, that is incredibly chic. In low light and shade, the polish displays a delicate translucent yellow-green sheen with a matching flash where light finds it. 

Application was fantastic. The consistency of Brick by Brick is fluid, light and super smooth with a thin-to-medium viscosity and a slick, self-leveling glide over the nail. This is an eminently paintable formula that is a veritable joy to work with, it actually feels like it wants nothing more than to be finessed onto your nails! Pigmentation is very good, delivering evenly opaque coverage in two coats, although if your nails have some length you may like to add a third. I used three for the photos. Cleanup is easy -- the shimmers go everywhere. though, as you'll see. Brick by Brick dries naturally in very good time to a smooth shiny finish.

Photos show three coats of Brick by Brick over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Emily de Molly Brick by Brick

Emily de Molly Brick by Brick

Emily de Molly Brick by Brick

Emily de Molly Brick by Brick

Emily de Molly Brick by Brick

Emily de Molly Brick by Brick

Emily de Molly Brick by Brick

Emily de Molly Brick by Brick

Emily de Molly Brick by Brick

Emily de Molly Brick by Brick

Emily de Molly Brick by Brick

I have to admit that I was a little iffy about this polish in the bottle. The bright green shimmers with the gray weren't grabbing me. I still wasn't feeling it after the first coat. But everything changed once I started applying the second coat. It really evolves quite magically on the nail! I am properly blown away by how sophisticated and elegant it is, and how flattering! It's got this subtle, sleek safari thing going on and reminds me of tall women in trench coats. *lol*

I like it. I like it very much.

xo,
Liz

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Under the Siege

Under the Siege was released in August 2015 by Connecticut-based indie polish maker Octopus Party Nail Lacquer (OPNL) with Go Deep as an otherwise unnamed oceanic summer duo. Inspired by epipelagic seas, the illuminated zone at the top of the water column, this is a glorious medium-dark cerulean, an opulent shade of blue-green with aspects of dark cyan. Abundant finely-milled holographic pigment suffuses the base with shifting shades of ultramarine, azure, teal and sparkling sea green, imparting a lush, dimensional look. In the sun, there's a magnificent analogously-colored prismatic display over a glistening silvery skobeloff underlay, with an inner flare of bright ultramarine edged by slender scintillating ribbons of azure, sea green and olive before shading to a deep resonant cerulean around the edges of the nail. Gorgeous!

Application was mighty fine. The consistency of Under the Siege is fluid, light and very smooth with a medium viscosity and a luxurious, self-leveling glide over the nail. Pigmentation is a little sheer on the first coat but builds easily to wearable opacity with the second. Adding a third deepens the color a skosh and gives it a denser, more dimensional look. Cleanup is easy and straightforward with almost no pigment travel and no residual staining to speak of. Nice! Under the Siege dries naturally in very good time to a smooth shiny finish. Topcoat does not inhibit the holographic properties of the polish in any way.

Photos show three coats of Under the Siege over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

OPNL Under the Siege

OPNL Under the Siege

OPNL Under the Siege

OPNL Under the Siege

OPNL Under the Siege

OPNL Under the Siege

OPNL Under the Siege

OPNL Under the Siege

OPNL Under the Siege

OPNL Under the Siege

OPNL Under the Siege

OPNL Under the Siege

Cerulean is one of my favorite blues. It is a naturally translucent shade and perfectly depicts the sunlit section of the sea. This one is particularly dazzling, and has the idealism and generosity of blue combined with the fresh energy of green. On the nail it is sunny, vibrant and clear-eyed, with a sense of grand possiblities. It seems to be asking, with a happy grin and a twinkle in its eye, so what's next?

love,
Liz

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

Tonight's Adventure was released in May this year by New Mexico-based indie polish maker Literary Lacquers as a special edition charity polish with a limited run through the end of that month. It was collaboratively designed with Debbie Wolf DeMars of Running With Lacquer in tribute to a young friend of Debbie's who suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. For every bottle purchased, creator Amy donated $5 to the International OCD Foundation, an organization dedicated to the mission to help those with OCD and related illnesses lead full and productive lives.

Inspired by the 2009 young adult novel Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern, Tonight's Adventure is officially described as a "pink-orange holographic polish with orange and copper shimmer." To my eye, the color is a medium-toned rosy guava pink that leans to rose or coral depending upon viewing circumstances. It has a fantastic, almost vertigo-inducing depth to it, provided in part by holographically-nuanced hues of raspberry, watermelon, misty baby pink and glowing translucent violet that dimensionalize the polish in ambient light. Infinitesimal metallic microflake shimmers with a coppery pink appearance create additional depth, gleaming as light travels over them and imparting a subtle coppery underlay to the look. In direct sun, there's a beautiful sparkling prismatic flare that frames a shimmering central lick of pale copper with an inner band of violet trimmed by a corona of rainbow-colored sparks, shading to watermelon around the edges of the nail. 

Application was wonderful. The consistency of Tonight's Adventure is fluid and creamy with a medium viscosity and a luxurious, buttery glide over the nail, an eminently paintable, self-leveling, user-friendly formula such as we've learned to expect from this brand. Pigmentation is evenly sheerish. Two coats will deliver wearable opacity but I think the color and holographic effects are best showcased by three. Cleanup is easy and straightforward. Tonight's Adventure dries naturally in good time to a gorgeous glossy finish. Topcoat pops the presence of the microflake shimmers and does not inhibit the holographic properties of the polish in any way.

Photos show three coats of Tonight's Adventure over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite. Please excuse the scruffy nail surrounds, stained as they are in the wake of removing yesterday's polish. Feh!

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

This lovely, feminine shade has a tropical air that makes me want a frozen fruit-flavored rum beverage with an umbrella in it, like, right now! Stawberry pineapple mojito, anyone? 

As always, a holo from Amy is more than just a holo. Her creative additions of shimmers, as with Tonight's Adventure, or microglitters make them dreamier and more magical than your average holographic lacquer... as you can see!

yum,
Liz