Lacquer Slacker Liz

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Nail Hoot Holo-Maniacs Custom #32

Holo-Maniacs Custom #32 was released this month by Missouri-based indie polish maker Nail Hoot as an October 2017 limited edition polish designed especially for members of the Holo-Maniacs Facebook group. Inspired by a night-time photograph of a beach pier under a round, golden moon, this polish is described as a blue linear holo with gold flakies.

The color is a medium-toned shade of azure with aspects of blue-grey and steel blue, very similar to Pantone's silver lake blue. It's absolutely packed with tiny golden flakes, which gleam brightly as light travels over them and give the polish a softly reflective, semi-metallic sort of look on the nail that has a silvery flash. The holographic effects are responsive and athletic, creating a gorgeous prismatic flush in ambient light that has that delicious, bronzy "toasted" effect. Once again it's overcast with aspirations to rain here today, but I expect the holographic flare in the sun will be of the "loose linear" or "tightly scattered" variety from all of those gold flakies, but extra sparkly because of them too.

Application was most agreeable! The consistency of Custom #32 is fluid, light and loamy with a medium viscosity and a plush, silky soft, self-leveling glide over the nail that's amenable to thin or thicker coats as preference dictates. Pigmentation is very good. Slight sheerness on the first coat builds easily to fully opaque coverage with the second. Cleanup is easy. Custom #32 dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, shiny finish. Topcoat accentuates the presence and effects of the flakies and does not alter the holographic effects in any way that I could tell.

Photos show two coats of Holo-Maniacs Custom #32 over basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite. Unfortunately, the holographic effects kind of commandeered the camera in these pics -- in person, it's quite clear that this is more than a simple, straightforward holo.

Nail Hoot Holo-Maniacs Custom #32

This is a beautiful polish. The blue has a lovely, soft, shadowy sensibility with an indeterminate semi-metallic nature that highlights neither gold nor silver but sort of a mixture of the two. The holographic properties create a silvery swath along the axis of light that deepens to a richer, sharper blue at the edges of the nail, dimensionalizing the look, which has a super-fine, all-over, glistening sparkle that's like light off water in the distance. Here's the inspiration pic that creator Brandie used to design this lacquer:

I think she did a wonderful job translating the dreaminess of that photo. Holo-Maniacs Custom #32 is available for purchase through the end of October on the Nail Hoot website.

love,
Liz

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Different Dimension Basic Witch

Basic Witch was released at the beginning of this month by Indiana-based indie polish maker Different Dimension as part of the Creepin' It Real Trio for Halloween 2017. Officially described as a "black linear holographic polish with added silver flakies and holographic microflakies," the color on the nail is a rich, robust onyx that is only very slightly silvered by abundant finely-milled holographic pigment. It has the delicately-grained visual texture common to holographic polishes, here further speckled by tiny silvery holographic microflakes and small, scattered silver flakies that gleam as light travels over them. There's an understated, slightly dispersed, dimensionalizing bloom of subdued prismatic color in ambient light with a subtle bronze cast to it. We're overcast and raining here today, but in photos I've seen this polish displays a bright, sparkly linear prismatic flare in the sun.

Application was lovely. The consistency of Basic Witch is fluid, light and smooth with a medium viscosity and an even, creamy, self-leveling glide over the nail. All of the flakies go on smoothly and lay flat, no stickups or protrusions. Pigmentation is very good, delivering completely even opacity and full, rich color in two coats. Cleanup is straightforward. Basic Witch dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, shiny finish. Topcoat does not appear to inhibit the holographic properties in any way.

Photos show two coats of Basic Witch over basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Different Dimension Basic Witch

A beautiful black linear holo with added visual interest and light play from the flakies, which also give it a bit of twinkling prismatic sparkle in certain circumstances. The color retains it's rich blackness in spite of the holo pigment, not off-black or charcoal, and the formula is first-rate, a total pleasure to work with. The quality is exactly what I've learned to expect from this venerable indie brand, and I can only appreciate it all the more for being so very consistent. Love!

xo,
Liz

Monday, October 23, 2017

Vapid Lacquer Apparition

Like Vampires Don't Sparkle, Apparition is a long-standing Halloween shade from Texas-based indie polish maker Vapid Lacquer, originally released in 2014.

Described as a light grey creme/jelly hybrid bearing three sizes of silver holographic glitters as well as colorshifting shimmers, the color is a smooth, semi-translucent Gainsboro grey with a very subtle pink-lavender glow that is blanketed with a net of delicate silver glitters that twinkle in pasteled prismatic hues in ambient light. They brighten to full-on rainbow sparkle in the sun, where the colorshifting shimmers reveal themselves as a mist of tiny, glistening lavender and pink microflakes along the axis of light.

Application was wonderful. The consistency of Apparition is fluid, light and creamy with a medium viscosity and an easy, biddable, self-leveling slip over the nail, a delightful formula that goes on incredibly fluently and evenly for a white-based shade. Pigmentation is very good, slightly sheer on the first coat but building easily to wearably opaque coverage with the second. Cleanup is straightforward with a bit of stickiness on the part of the glitters. Apparition dries naturally in very good time to a shiny finish with just the tiniest bit of discernible texture, easily smooth with topcoat.

Photos show two coats of Apparition over basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Vapid Lacquer Apparition

I am biased to love this delicious little grey twinkler because of the formula, which is simply superb. How can you not love a polish that actually feels like it wants your manicure to be perfect? It's beautifully-constructed as well, all the elements are in perfect proportion. If you've missed this one in the past, make a mental note to pick it up next year -- it's the kind of polish that just makes you feel really happy and fortunate to be a polish enthusiast.

love,
Liz