Lacquer Slacker Liz

Saturday, February 3, 2018

Picture Polish Forget Me Not

Forget Me Not was released in August 2017 by Australian boutique polish maker Picture Polish as one of four new Collaboration shades. This polish was designed by Kate of Lacquertude, the official swatcher for Picture Polish. You can read her post about it here.

This is a medium blue jelly with PP's "scatter holographic" finish. The color is a slightly softened but still quite vibrant shade of azure along the lines of Brandeis blue, a little deeper and bolder, I think, than cornflower and a little lighter than modern royal blue. There's a certain chameleon quality to it that reminds me of what Princess Leia says to Grand Moff Tarkin in the original Star Wars (aka Episode IV): "The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers." The more you scrutinize this polish, the more changeable and elusive the color becomes. It's milky and soft up close, close to cobalt in low light and almost neon in the sun. Scattered silvery holographic flakes and particles fleck the finish and give it a blanket of dainty sparkle in direct light, where there's even a vestigial prismatic flush that travels up and down the nail as you flex your fingers.

Application was fantastic. The consistency of Forget Me Not is fluid, light and slightly fluffy with a medium viscosity and a silky, self-leveling slip over the nail, an excellent, eminently-paintable formula that goes right were you put it and stays there. Pigmentation is sheerish. Wearable opacity can be had in two medium coats if you have a very even hand, but I think that three is best to ensure most uniform coverage. Cleanup is easy. Forget Me Not dries naturally in very good time to a beautiful glossy finish.

Photos show three coats of Forget Me Not over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Picture Polish Forget Me Not

Such a happy blue! It's cheerful and overt on the nail with a bit of a "primary" quality plus a certain endearing congeniality -- it's extroverted but doesn't smack you in the eye with intensity -- very live and let live for such a vibrant color. I like it. I like it very much!

love,
Liz

Friday, February 2, 2018

Tonic Polish Endless Shrimp

Endless Shrimp was released in May 2017 by Iowa-based indie polish maker Tonic Polish as part of the Spring 2017 collection. Officially described as a "coral cream with pale green shimmer," the color is a dense, slightly muted, medium orangey-pink with strong rosy aspects and a salmony vibe, kind of like a blend of coral pink and rose pompadour. A white-based shade, it is super creamy and opaque with a bit of that rose clay quality that I love. It's awash with ultrafine particulate shimmers reminiscent of old school frosts but much more subtle and delicate, which dimensionalize the look with a luminous mist of pale silvery green along the axis of light that brightens to a silvery blue-green in the sun.

Application was delicious. The consistency of Endless Shrimp is fluid, full-bodied and creamy with a medium viscosity and a profoundly satisfying, plush, silky smooth glide over the nail that self-levels like a dream from the very first coat. Any brushstrokes you see in the shimmer pretty much melt away as the polish dries. Nice! Pigmentation is very good, opaque in two coats although I added a third for the photos (I honestly just wasn't ready want to stop, it's that good). Cleanup is easy. Endless Shrimp dries naturally in good time to a smooth, shiny finish. Topcoat accentuates the presence and effects of the shimmers.

Photos show three coats of Endless Shrimp over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Tonic Polish Endless Shrimp

This color is milkier and more subdued than I usually gravitate toward when it comes to corals, but the delicious rose clay aspect and brilliant formula won me over. And as I wore it, I couldn't help but notice how often it drew my eye with its prettiness and sweet, graceful femininity. It's a real pleasure to wear!

Lisa of Cosmetic Sanctuary mentioned in her review of the Spring 2017 collection that Lindsey would be addressing some self-leveling issues she had with Endless Shrimp, and boy did she ever! The formula is creamy perfection, and one coat completely leveled out over even my ridgiest nails. Simply outstanding for a white-based color like this!

love,
Liz

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Emily de Molly Midnight Serenade

Midnight Serenade was released in August 2017 by Australian indie polish maker Emily de Molly as one of seven new polishes for that month. Creator Hayley describes this as "a dark blue with pink/gold/green multichrome shimmer." The base color is a dark, dusky independence blue, an easy stand-in for navy. Superfine multichrome shimmers are easily visible and read most commonly as kind of a steel pink within the base, dimensionalizing the look with a luminous pink mist in the center of the nail that gives the polish there a Munsell purple look and shades to deep blue, almost violet, at the sidewalls. These shimmers are superbly shifty, morphing from pink through gold to green as you turn your nails into your light source, and brighten noticeably in direct light, where they display a fine sparkle.

Application was rich. The consistency of Midnight Serenade is fluid, dense and creamy with a medium-to-thicker viscosity to which I added polish thinner after a few nails. It has a smooth, full-bodied, self-leveling glide over the nail with a little bit of pull to it. Pigmentation is very good, netting evenly opaque coverage in two coats. Cleanup is straightfoward with a tiny bit of pigment travel but almost no trace staining. Midnight Serenade dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, matte finish that wants a glossy topcoat to look its very best.

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

Emily de Molly Midnight Serenade

The shiftiness of these multichrome shimmers is pretty awesome -- it's much more pervasive and compelling than you'd guess from my photos. This is a beautifully formulated polish. The blue is dark and rich with great coverage, yet somehow simultaneously translucent enough to allow the shimmers to feature prominently. Sorcery! On the nail the feel is sophisticated and dynamic.

Emily de Molly lacquer is 5 free, cruelty free and vegan friendly. In addition to the USA-based site, which is where I purchase, you can find all of the polishes plus a full range of stamping plates at the Australian site.

love,
Liz