The last gem of Deborah Lippmann’s Fall Collection, is none other than ‘Single Ladies’, the deepest ruby shade you will ever drape along your nails. Following in the brilliant footsteps of ‘Billionaire’ (reviewed here), ‘Brick House’ (reviewed here) and ‘Stormy Weather’ (reviewed here), this majestic hue beautifully rounds out this entire collection, in a colour that is the ultimate expression of female allure. All swatches are with Seche Base Ridge Filling Base Coat, three thin coats of lacquer and a-england ‘The Shield’ top coat (reviewed here) where indicated.
As with the other crème shades of this collection, I was struck with the incredible glossy image that is ‘Single Ladies’, as seen here without the benefit of a top coat. Viewed in full sun, this lacquer takes on all the promise of ripe and luscious pomegranate seeds, practically bursting with the promise of colour.
An addition of a layer of top coat added such an incredible depth to this true garnet hue, yet I could not help but compare it to the fascinating image of a strongly beating heart, pulsating with one’s life blood… a morbidly beautiful allegory!
When taken into more shaded light (no top coat, however), the mood seemed to shift from a living vibrancy to a more jewel rich tone, its inner fire banked, but no less brilliantly continuing to glow.
A layer of top coat and voilà….the colour I first lusted over in the bottle has come forth in all its glory! Deeply mysterious and the most decadent vampy red, ‘Single Ladies’ looks all the world like the juiciest perfectly ripe cherries, waiting to be plundered.
Changing angles slightly, but still in shaded light (no top coat), seems to bring out not only a cooler side to this shade, but I begun to see hints of burgundy-brown in its base that served to tamp down the colour somewhat, yet continued to maintain its garnet tone.
By adding a layer of top coat, it not only brought out everything that ‘Single Ladies’ has to offer, providing the most accurate depiction of this colour, but also serves to showcase its more jelly-like finish, giving it an almost lustrous pillowy semblance.
Before adding top coat, I took a picture with flash, and was surprised to note that it lightened the shade to such a degree, that it now appears like a pale red shadow of itself, but still maintaining that glassy countenance.
With flash once more, but by adding a top coat, the colour still appear lightened, yet I was mesmerized by the slick looking red vinyl appearance of this varnish, perfect for the femme fatale in all of us!
Final thoughts: What can I possibly say, that the pictures have not? ‘Single Ladies’ is the perfect accompaniment to this quartet of lacquers that Deborah Lippmann has graced us with for Fall 2011. The formula was a touch different than the others, in the sense that it paradoxically felt both slightly thicker yet applied thinly, and while the photos may show some patchiness, it is not apparent to the naked eye, becoming completely self-levelling at the finish. The brush, as with the rest, is thin and wonderfully adaptable, allowing for precision application, and the gloss….that definitely makes up for any minor shortcomings. Even removal was a marvel, as red shades are notorious for the “bloody” mess they leave behind, yet ‘Single Ladies’ cleaned up effortlessly, leaving no residue behind. The final icing on this cake, is that none of these shades are limited (yay!) and thus not only available to a select few!
The better to spotlight the more playful yet vampy side of this lacquer, I thought the following video from Youtube says it best…enjoy & laugh at will!
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