When Illamasqua debuted their Spring/Summer 2011 Toxic Nature Collection, ‘Bacterium’ was one of five varnishes that caught my fancy – as much for the colour, as well as the name. Described as an ashy ochre, this more resembles a pearly taupe with very fine shimmer throughout. Interestingly enough there seems to be an eerie, almost bluish glow to this shade, adding to its mystique. All swatches are with Seche Base Ridge Filling Base Coat, two coats of lacquer and Revlon Quick-Dry Top Coat.
Attempting to capture the burnished pearly glow of ‘Bacterium’ was somewhat frustrating; seen here in sunlight, it takes on a more camel toned persona but draped with a silvery looking gleam, giving the overall shade a rather warm hue.
A small shift of angles, and I began to see the luminescence I first glimpsed in the bottle, with the shimmer highlighted front & center, yet still delicately subtle.
When viewed up close, you can make out the subtle dancing glints of the understated shimmer peeking through the base shade, which adds an interesting depth of tone.
In this view taken in shaded light, ‘Bacterium’s’ pale champagne tone becomes more pronounced, lending this shade a much cooler countenance, with the ghostly blueish glow I first noticed in the bottle hovering slightly along the nail edges.
A second view in shaded light now brings out the inner tan leanings of this lacquer, making it fully a warm-toned hue, coated with a gentle pearly aura.
Seen with flash, the full shimmery effect of ‘Bacterium’ is artfully highlighted, and I can clearly pick out the hidden specks of its inner fiery glimmer.
I knew that ‘Bacterium’ reminded me of something, but it wasn’t until I pulled out CHANEL’s ‘Quartz’ (reviewed here) that I realized how absolutely close these two shades are. The bottle view shows them to be similar but with very subtle differences – once applied, I was able to fully appreciate their varying nuances so much better. The formula on both felt the same, the brushes on both were close, although the Illamasqua wand is a touch longer, and even the finish on the two was similar, with both lacquers bearing a pearly/satiny sheen (before top coat). All swatches below are index and middle fingers: ‘Bacterium’, ring and pinkie fingers: ‘Quartz’.
Seen in full sun and even viewed with the naked eye, one might be forgiven in thinking that one shade only covers my nails, but a second closer look shows how much more pronounced ‘Quartz’s’ shimmer is, compared to ‘Bacterium’s’ light overlay.
In the view above (full sunlight), once more the glimmery effect of ‘Quartz’ is more visible, as well as its slightly greyer leanings. Although ‘Quartz’ seems to bear a mild frosty appearance, any brush strokes shown here are certainly not evident to the naked eye.
Seen up close, the two seem to be almost identical, yet you can still tell that ‘Bacterium’ bears a slight yellow tone in its base, while ‘Quartz’ definitely leans more to the grey.
Surprisingly, it is this view taken in shaded light that shows both shades in their true form, and while the shimmer seems to be more densely packed in ‘Quartz’, I love the faint silvery/blue aura that ‘Bacterium’ has now taken on.
An alternate shaded light view, once more highlights how both shades appear so much warmer toned, showcasing how much ethereal-looking ‘Bacterium’ is compared to the slightly dustier tone of ‘Quartz’.
A final view of both shades taken with flash, emphasizes how alike AND different they are, with ‘Bacterium’s’ shimmer coming off as the more demure version of ‘Quartz’s’ multi-hued brilliant flecks.
Final thoughts: As with every other varnish from Illamasqua that I’ve tried to date (see sidebar for other posts), ‘Bacterium’ runs true to form: a wonderfully worry-free formula, ease of application, excellent brush and long-wearing finish. Known for their cutting edge hues, one might be surprised that a shade this ‘normal’ made it into their lineup, but what makes ‘Bacterium’ unique, is that blueish undertone; even though I wish it were more prominent, it still lends its presence to the overall colour, giving it an otherwordly effect. I love how delicate the shimmer is and I feel that this shade is neutral yet urban enough to not only be worn all year round, but to stay above all the trends as well. Who would have thought that one would actually crave ‘Bacterium’?! (the nail lacquer, not the micro-organism!)
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