Tag Archives: holographic polish

First Look: a-england Ballerina

Through my social media channels, late last week I previewed the first look at a-england’s latest collection: Ballerina, inspired by the legendary dancer Margot Fonteyn and her timeless grace. This latest offering from the cult brand features four prismatic shades that speak of light & shadows, with the holographic nature representing the complexities of the dance, while the airy colours call to mind the delicate tulle found on tutus.

A full review with detailed swatches will be coming to the blog soon, but for now, enjoy the nail wheel swatches. Note that the swatch photos show the shades in direct sunlight (left) and with flash (right).

a-england ♦ Ballerina

a-england ♦ Ballerina (with flash)

a-england ♦ Fonteyn

a-england ♦ Her Rose Adagio

a-england ♦ Encore Margot

a-england ♦ Dancing with Nureyev

For those of you already familiar with the perfection that is a-england, then I don’t need to say any more. Founder & creator Adina Bodana, continues to wow us with her incredibly refined tastes and keen eye for composition, and the best part? Every collection comes with a storied pedigree, inspired from either great works of art, literature, and history … such as this lovely quartet.

Visit the a-england website to view all products. To order the Ballerina collection, send an email to hello@a-england.co.uk (soon to be available on the website as well).

*Disclosure: Product samples provided by the company/PR for my unbiased consideration

Cirque Colors – The Arcus Collection pt. 1

July 27, 2013

Having quickly risen to the ranks of one of my favourite boutique nail lacquer brands, Cirque Colors – the brainchild of Annie Pham, brings us her latest offering: ‘The Arcus Collection’. Consisting of 12 shades – 6 of them inspired by the primary colours found in a rainbow, the other 6 insanely brilliant “toppers” – these now come in the brand’s newly revamped packaging of the same square bottles, but with the logo silk-screened on top as opposed to the previous “sticker” version, with each housed in its own clearly-labelled box. The quality of Cirque Colors polishes is nothing short of superb, but it’s the original way that Annie combines colours and finishes that allows her beauties to stand out from the herd. To better appreciate this gorgeous collection, I’ve split it up into 2 parts … get ready to be spell-bound …

Cirque Colors Arcus Collection

Sanguine – where to start describing this shade? A mid-sheer tangerine/pink duo chrome hue with a gorgeous bronze-y glow seen in some lights, in a formula with a good density, albeit on the thin side, which applies in a self-levelling way and winds down to a satiny finish. Can definitely be layered over a matching solid shade for more impact. Coats applied: 3 (thin), plus top coat

Cirque Colors Arcus Collection – Sanguine

Cirque Colors Arcus Collection – Sanguine (indirect light)

Vesuvius – a molten hot raspberry hue with blueish undertones, displaying a scattered prismatic effect in a semi-sheer formula that bears an easy flow and excellent pigmentation – ending in a totally unusual and unique bright satin finish. The holographic effect is spectacular, especially in sunlight. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

Cirque Colors Arcus Collection – Vesuvius

Bejewelled – a blueberry version of ‘Vesuvius’, this hue bears an interesting paradox: while the first coat may appear somewhat sheer upon application, it becomes 100% opaque by the second layer. Stellar, vivid, intense — these are just a few of the adjectives that only begin to describe this beauty. Another shade that comes to a satin, yet super bright finish, and completely non-staining upon removal. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

Cirque Colors Arcus Collection – Bejewelled

Erda – a luxurious emerald green hue with a jewel-like intensity and depth of tone, bearing golden olive undertones and a glass-flecked shimmer within. There was an odd “bounce-back” effect upon application of the first coat, which was quickly resolved by subsequent coats. This non-staining and self-levelling formula falls a bit on the thin side as well, making it ideal to be layered over a solid base colour. Bright satiny look at the finish. Coats applied: 3 (thin), plus top coat

Cirque Colors Arcus Collection – Erda

Helios – appropriately named after the Greek Sun God, this is a clear base that is brimming with fine gold glitter and slightly larger hexagonal prismatic glitter pieces, falling in a self-levelling manner and with an utterly brilliant (and high luxe) look to its natural finish. With so much going on, I expected it to feel rather chunky, but adding top coat makes it relatively smooth to the touch. Coats applied: 3 (thin), plus top coat

Cirque Colors Arcus Collection – Helios

Queen Majesty – a clear base loaded with purple/violet and blue fine glitter, with some of the pieces giving off a prismatic effect and an overall 3D appearance to the finished look. The epitome of majestic royalty in its über-brilliant tone & colour, this shade can easily be layered over a matching mono colour for more depth, or left as is – hypnotically beautiful! The semi-matte look at the finish, does nothing to distract from the intense sparkle. Coats applied: 3 (thin), plus top coat

Cirque Colors Arcus Collection – Queen Majesty

Last word: I”m not one to usually wax poetic over either glittery shades or super-vivid colours, as my tastes usually run towards more brooding-type hues (unless it’s white polish, which I’m currently slavering over) but I think I must have stopped and stared at every.single.one of these babies for hours – mesmerizing, I tell you! I absolutely adore how no detail is overlooked – from the font used, to the packaging, to the literature and the story behind every collection, and you can just see that each hand-mixed bottle is made with pride and love. Then there’s the formula, the colours, the finishes … don’t get me going …

The Arcus Collection is available now through the Cirque Colors website, with a full list of stockists for your convenience. Feel free to follow the brand via twitter/facebook for all upcoming news

*Disclosure: Product samples provided by the company/PR for my unbiased consideration

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a-england Briarwood, Burne-Jones Dream

July 17, 2013

When I debuted the a-england Burne-Jones Dream collection (reviewed here), there was one lacquer yet to be shown – Briarwood, but I can honestly say that in this case, the best was definitely saved for last. Describing this shade is almost impossible, as it seems to pulsate with a life all its own – much like the fabled rose bushes that guarded Sleeping Beauty and the castle’s inhabitants. At once warm & cool, vibrant & muted, edgy & elegant, this vampy hue is like none other seen before by this brand … and completes the collection just so perfectly.

a-england ♦ Briarwood (Burne-Jones Dream)

a-england Briarwood – a burgundy port wine base colour, filled with ultra-fine prismatic particles that reflect every facet of light, in a formula that literally defines perfection: completely opaque at 1 coat, self-levelling, and with just the right density of flow that it applies exactly where placed, without any pooling or running. In full sunlight, the holographic flashes are truly hypnotic and depending on the angle, may appear either at the cuticle line, the nail tips, or along the sides. Shaded light brings out another deeper, more mysterious allure to this beauty, as well as adding a unique almost “clouded-over” effect to its overall tone. Shiny at the finish, top coat enhances every single nuance to the nth degree. Coats applied: 2 (although one is actually plenty) and all swatches are with a-england’s ‘The Knight’ base coat and ‘The Shield’ top coat (both previously reviewed here).

a-england ♦ Briarwood

a-england ♦ Briarwood (in shaded light)

a-england ♦ Briarwood (with flash)

a-england ♦ Burne-Jones Dream

Last word: The five shades of a-england’s ‘Burne-Jones Dream’ collection are nothing short of spectacular, but ‘Briarwood’ is in a word: MAGICAL. Creating a unique colour in the world of nail lacquers is no easy feat, and yet somehow Adina Bodana – the brand’s creative genius & founder – has managed to do exactly that. The fact that ‘Briarwood’ also boasts a stellar formula and application, is just icing on the cake, in my opinion, and if you pick up nothing else from this collection (as IF), you absolutely NEED this shade. I’d run to order it, if I were you … fair warning!

Find more information on a-england via twitter & facebook – all products are available for purchase through the brand’s website, where you can also find a complete list of international stockists.

*Disclosure: Product samples provided by the company/PR for my unbiased consideration

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China Glaze – Hologlam Collection 2013 pt. 1

June 25, 2013

Disclosure: Press samples

CG Hologlam pt. 1 opener

This Spring, China Glaze released a collection of 12 holographic-type lacquers, the ‘Hologlam Collection’, in a broad range of colours and with varying intensities in their prismatic finishes, but even if you’re a “colour purist” like I tend to be, there’s no denying the almost magnetic pull of these polishes. I’ve broken the collection down into 2 parts – the warmer group, as shown here today, with the cooler group to follow. While some of these shades tended to be more vibrant than others, they all shared the following characteristics:

medium thick formula that bears an odd elasticity to it — almost a spring-back effect
very fast drying
non-staining with an easy removal

Application tips:

ridge-filling base coat applied first will ensure a smoother surface to work on
load enough polish on your brush to deposit a full coat per nail
the “3-stroke” method works the best (ie: 1 swipe down the middle, then 1 swipe down either side of that)
do not fuss with the first coat too much, in order to avoid potential bald spots
wait a minimum of 2 minutes between coats, to eliminate any lumps from forming
top coat optional; while I always apply a top coat for extra protection, I found that it dulled the effect on these lacquers

China Glaze – Hologlam Collection 2013 pt. 1

Get Outta My Space – lilac hue, both warm & cool leaning and with some grey undertones, gentle linear prismatic effect. Coats applied: 2, no top coat

China Glaze – Get Outta My Space

Not In This Galaxy – warm rose hue with visible orange tints in the base, bearing a slightly scattered prismatic effect. Coats applied: 2, no top coat

China Glaze – Not In This Galaxy

Astro-Hot – pink/lavender hue that can lean both warm & cool, bearing a stronger linear prismatic effect. Coats applied: 2, no top coat

China Glaze – Astro-Hot

Infrared – magenta hue with hints of red in the base, strongly pigmented and bearing a scattered prismatic effect. Coats applied: 2, no top coat

China Glaze – Infrared

OMG a UFO – olive green hue with gold reflects, bearing a more diffused linear prismatic effect. Coats applied: 2, no top coat

China Glaze – OMG a UFO

When Stars Collide – plum/burgundy base hue with the deepest pigmentation of the group, bearing a strong linear effect seen in sunlight. Coats applied: 2, no top coat

China Glaze – When Stars Collide

Last word: If you’re looking to add a little pizzazz to your nails, but don’t want the headaches (ie: removal issues) associated with glitter lacquer, then the prismatic finish of China Glaze’s Hologlam Collection may be just what you need. With the exception of ‘When Stars Collide’, I found the holographic effect to be more on the subdued side with this group, definitely making these shades more work-place friendly than party/clubbing — a definite plus in that respect. Once you’ve “nailed” down the proper application method, you’ll find the results pay off – and a great way to ease yourself into the world of polish holographics.

You can follow China Glaze via their website, twitter or facebook for all updates.

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a-england Burne-Jones Dream

June 7, 2013

From the day a-england lacquers burst onto the nail polish landscape (and our beauty consciousness), each collection has been feverishly anticipated, and with good reason, as the ‘Burne-Jones Dream’ proves; merging complex and lusciously rich colours with her love of art, founder and creator Adina Bodana has once again brought us “wearable history” in the form of 5 decadent nail varnish shades, based on the story of the ‘Sleeping Beauty’, as interpreted by one of her favourite pre-Raphaelite artists.

The four paintings of The Briar Rose series created by Sir Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898) which were 30 years in the making and finally completed in 1890, were inspired by the beloved fairy tale of the Sleeping Beauty, and focus on one pivotal scene in the story – where the prince battles the obstacles of the enchanted garden to finally gaze upon the face of the slumbering princess. His good friend William Morris created 4 verses of prose to be read in conjunction with each painting, thus taking the viewer seamlessly from one panel to the next and adding a new dimension to the entire experience. Deliberately omitting the final scene where the princess awakes, leaves us with a lingering sense of anticipation — but we can certainly fill in the blanks as intended.

*Please note that the 5th shade, Briarwood, is not shown – but is coming soon.

Edward Burne-Jones (1833 – 1898)

Burne-Jones in front of his Star of Bethlehem – 1890 (source)

a-england ♦ Burne-Jones Dream

The Briar Rose: The Prince Entering the Briar Wood, Edward Burne-Jones (1869), source

The fateful slumber floats and flows
About the tangle of the rose.
But lo the fated hand and heart
To rend the slumberous curse apart

Fated Prince “The tempered steel of a hero’s blade” – this shade is a quasi-sheer grey base with a dark olive undertone that mysteriously becomes completely opaque by the second coat. The tightly bound prismatic particles fall in a more scattered than linear pattern, and refract beautifully when light hits them. Superb flow and application to the formula, laying down completely self-levelling and coming to a natural shiny finish. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

a-england ♦ Fated Prince

The Briar Rose: The Council Chamber, Edward Burne-Jones (1872-1892) source

The threat of war, the hope of peace
The Kingdom’s peril and increase.
Sleep on, and bide the latter day
When fate shall take her chains away

Sleeping Palace “An unnatural twilight has fallen upon the land” – this shade bears a prune base with hints of copper in the undertones, and filled with an abundance of prismatic particles that come vividly to life in direct light. The outstanding formula almost makes this a 1-coater, as it falls with perfect coverage from the start, but does wind up closer to a satin finish. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

a-england ♦ Sleeping Palace

The Briar Rose: The Garden Court, Edward Burne-Jones (1890), source

The maiden pleasance of the land
Knoweth no stir of voice or hand,
No cup the sleeping waters fill,
The restless shuttle lieth still

Briar Rose/Sleeping Beauty “Her lips a ruby glow of life while she lays lost in time” – a complex shade that is a true paradox; what appears as a rather milky and faded cranberry hue in dimmer lighting, comes to brilliant crimson life when full sun hits it, as well as casting out a subtle prismatic presence. Perfect flow, coverage and density to the formula, as well as a glossy natural finish. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

a-england ♦ Briar Rose/Sleeping Beauty

The Briar Rose: The Rose Bower, Edward Burne-Jones (1893), source

Here lies the hoarded love the key
To all the treasure that shall be.
Come, fated hand, the gift to take
And smite the sleeping world awake

a-england – Rose Bower “Asleep in a bed of roses, her beauty still calls true” – a lustrous and true dark rose shade that holds an incredible luminosity albeit with the mildest prismatic effect of the four. The formula seemed the thickest of the group as well, but applies in a very easy manner and you barely need more than 1 coat for full coverage. Bonus: absolutely no staining left behind upon removal. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

a-england ♦ Rose Bower

Sleeping Beauty by Edward Burne-Jones (1871), source

*This painting was created many years earlier by Sir Edward Burne-Jones, and not part of The Briar Rose series

Last word: Even were I not a fan of a-engand Lacquers (which we all know I totally am), I would still fall helplessly & madly in love with this new collection; apart from the stunningly gorgeous as well as season-transcending colours of each, the story of the Sleeping Beauty has always struck a chord in me from the time I was a little girl – the overt romanticism of the tale also holds ominous undertones and speaks to the duality of human nature. The shades themselves perfectly capture every moment of the fable, from their names to their colours, while the formula is in the a-england inimitable style: superb.

Briar Rose, Aurora, Sleeping Beauty … a rose by any other name definitely still smells as sweet, especially when interpreted by a-england, be it with this sublime collection of lacquers or Adina’s new Roses line of jewelry (reviewed here).

The collection is available now – check the a-england website for stockists, and feel free to follow via twitter/facebook for all updates

*Many thanks to Nikki and the amazing folks at Nail Polish Canada for their tireless help in getting this collection to me, despite all obstacles!
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