Polished For Days Kefi

Kefi was released in 2016 (I think -- someone please correct me if I'm wrong) by California-based indie polish maker Polished For Days as part of the Positive Mind collection, a series of nine polishes named for aspects of a positive mind. Pretty cool concept! The word "kefi" is a Greek expression that refers to the feeling of experiencing something positive -- joy, spirit, passion, happiness, triumph, mojo, excitement, feeling good, having fun, loving life.

Officially described as "a soft grey linear holographic," the color here is a creamy, cool, medium-dark slatey grey, a tiny bit cooler than the photos show, similar to rhythm from the Resene Color List. Abundant finely-milled holographic pigment particles read as shimmering motes of pale gold within the base, giving it a subtle interior illumination with a bit of that "lit from within" dimensionality and creating a stealthy, pre-dawn prismatic flush in ambient light. Direct sun generates a slender, steely blue holographic flare edged with mixed prismatic sparkle that frames a lick of stippled pinkish gold. 

Application was fantastic. The consistency of Kefi is fluid, light and creamy with a medium viscosity and a velvety smooth, self-leveling glide over the nail, an excellent, eminently-paintable formula that is extremely gratifying to work with. Pigmentation is very good to excellent. A tiny bit of translucence on the first coat keeps it from being a one-coater. Cleanup is easy. Kefi 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 Kefi over basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Polished For Days Kefi

Polished For Days Kefi

Polished For Days Kefi

Polished For Days Kefi

Polished For Days Kefi

Polished For Days Kefi

Polished For Days Kefi

Polished For Days Kefi

Polished For Days Kefi

 This is an exceptionally handsome polish. I adore it! There's a certain formal, tailored sense to it that reminds me of a fine wool suit, but the look is decidedly feminine: sleek, graceful and devastatingly elegant with a slightly reserved mien that only barely disguises a shimmering, elated aspect. It reminds me of that tingly, anticipatory thrill that you feel when you're perfectly made-up and dressed to nines for some wonderful party or event or occasion.

Although I've been peripherally aware of Polished For Days for a while, this is my first experience with it. I came across a post in my Facebook feed recently, went to the website and was instantly smitten with the beautiful offerings. I spent a long time admiring them. Jenna, the owner and creative force behind the brand, seems to favor sophisticated colors and interesting, composite visual textures, and something singular and ineffable about her website and the creations listed there just really clicked -- there are many polishes that I'm curious about and want to try. Check it out!

love,
Liz

Vapid Lacquer Mistrust

Mistrust was released in 2015 by Texas-based indie polish maker Vapid Lacquer and is part of the core line. It's one of Vapid's impeccable linear holos, here in a plummy medium-dark purple like purpureus. Abundant finely-milled holographic pigment gives it the delicious, delicately-grained visual texture common to holographic polishes, and dimensionalizes it with analogously-hued shades of indigo and mardi gras with an ultramarine heart and hints of red-violet in ambient light. In the sun, there's a bright, expansive linear prismatic display predominated by twin arcs of red and azure that surround a silvery lick of semi-metallic purple and shade to a resonant Byzantium purple at the sidewalls of the nail.

Application was lovely. The consistency of Mistrust is fluid, light and smooth with a medium viscosity and a fluent, silky, self-leveling slip over the nail, user-friendly and amenable to thin or thicker coats as preference dictates. Pigmentation is very good, delivering fully opaque bottle color in two coats. Cleanup is easy. Mistrust dries naturally in very good time to a glorious glossy finish. Topcoat in no way interferes with the holographic properties.

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

Vapid Lacquer Mistrust

Vapid Lacquer Mistrust

Vapid Lacquer Mistrust

Vapid Lacquer Mistrust

Vapid Lacquer Mistrust

Vapid Lacquer Mistrust

Vapid Lacquer Mistrust

Vapid Lacquer Mistrust

Vapid Lacquer Mistrust

Vapid Lacquer Mistrust

Vapid Lacquer Mistrust

Vapid Lacquer Mistrust

This is the kind of quintessential, pan-seasonal purple linear holo that I think every holo enthusiast needs in their polish wardrobe. The color is rich and vibrant, a true purple, not a violet, and the formula is top notch. It is sleek, graceful and inviting on the nail, beautifully dimensional in ambient light with a brilliant linear display in the sun. Perfection!

love,
Liz

Colors by Llarowe Emerald Illusion

Emerald Illusion was released on the first of May this year by Colorado-based indie polish maker Colors by Llarowe as the May 2017 edition of the brand's popular Polish of the Month (POTM) series. POTMs are only available from Llarowe for a 24 hour period beginning on the first of their respective months, but you can sometimes get them later from one of Llarowe's international stockists. I missed Llarowe's window for this one, as usual, and was happy to find it recently at Harlowe & Co, where it is still available.

Officially described as "a vivid teal jelly base multichrome that shifts from teal to deep blue to emerald green with emerald green shimmer," Emerald Illusion has a brilliant, saturated, medium-dark blue-green base filled with multichromatic pigment with a blue-green-purple shift spectrum as well as abundant metallic shimmers in bright malachite green. This mix results in a bevy of mobile, shifting peacock hues on the nail, ranging from a deep, bold, oceanic midnight blue with hints of indigo at its edges through all kinds of blue-greens and teals to sea green to radiant, shimmering emerald green, with a gleaming semi-metallic finish. It's pretty spectacular! In direct sun, the color reads more green or blue-green depending upon the angle at which it's viewed, shifting at the sidewalls to a deep blue and glistening with delicate net of twinkling sparkle. 

Application was amazingly good -- the formula of Emerald Illusion is about as perfect and paintable as they come. The consistency is fluid and super smooth with a medium viscosity and a fluent, even, buttery glide over the nail. Self-leveling properties are phenomenal from the get go, my ridges were completely camouflaged with the first coat. Pigmentation is very good, requiring two coats for full opacity. Cleanup is easy. Emerald Illusion dries naturally in good time to a smooth, shiny finish. 

Photos show two coats of Emerald Illusion over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Colors by Llarowe Emerald Illusion

Colors by Llarowe Emerald Illusion

Colors by Llarowe Emerald Illusion

Colors by Llarowe Emerald Illusion

Colors by Llarowe Emerald Illusion

Colors by Llarowe Emerald Illusion

Colors by Llarowe Emerald Illusion

Colors by Llarowe Emerald Illusion

Colors by Llarowe Emerald Illusion

Colors by Llarowe Emerald Illusion

Colors by Llarowe Emerald Illusion

The shifts in this multichrome are even more dramatic and showy in person than you see in the pics, and the colors are richer and cleaner and more saturated -- especially the greens, which feel a little diluted here. For a better idea of the range of colors, check out Alicia's excellent pics in her review of Emerald Illusion on Delishious Nails.

Today's the first of August, POTM day at Llarowe, and Leah Ann will be featuring another fabulous emerald shade, a holo this time. It will be available for 24 hours beginning at 12pm Mountain Time, here. Don't miss it!

love,
Liz