Emily de Molly Flatline

Emily de Molly Flatline is a light taupe grey ultra holo with strong purple overtones. To be honest, I don't really see taupe or grey, I'd call this light purple. The formula is fantastic and the holo flare is stunning. Flatline is completely opaque in two or three coats. The application is very easy and the polish dries very fast. Flatline is easy to remove and doesn't stain your nails.

For the photos in this post I've applied a thin top coat over two coats of Flatline. Some people say that you shouldn't wear a top coat with linear holographic polishes because top coats make the holographic effect weaker. I've never noticed that, my holos usually look the same after I apply my top coat. My guess is that this has something to do with the thickness of a top coat. Many people like thick top coats, they use it to get that squishy gel look. On the other hand, I prefer very thin top coats so the layer on the top of the holo polish is fine and probably doesn't affect the holo flare too much.

Emily de Molly Sintara

Emily de Molly Sintara in natural light

Emily de Molly Sintara is a dark blue creme with strong turquoise simmer. The formula was perfect, very easy to apply. The polish is opaque in two coats and fast-drying, which is always useful for a speed manicure. I suggest using a top coat to make the shimmer more prominent. Sintara doesn't stain upon removal. I'll be using it again many times, for sure.

ILNP Ferris Wheel

ILNP Ferris Wheel over Emily de Molly Crystal Crown

ILNP Ferris Wheel is a combination of color-shifting Ultra Chrome Flakies. It can be used as a top coat or solo. You'll need at least three coats of Ferris Wheel, if you want is to be completely opaque on its own. You can also use sponge to apply it, as if it were a glitter polish. I'll be using Ferris Wheel only as a top coat, I like it much better this way. Flakies in Ferris Wheel are opaque and can be worn over any color without affecting their color-shifting properties.

To be honest, I'd never buy Ferris Wheel myself. I don't use glitters or polishes heavy with flakies because usually they are pretty hard to remove, and my nails are too brittle to remain unharmed by that. I won Ferris Wheel in a weekly quiz held by our local online nail polish store. I swatched it on a display and it looked amazing. The flakies were really smooth and didn't need a top coat so I decided to give Ferris Wheel a chance. I really hope these flakies are easy to remove.

Just a quick update. I needed lots of time, wipes, and nail polish remover to get these flakies off me. Thankfully, they didn't stick to the nail plates so there was no extra damage to the nails. 

I took some macro pics of the bottle because those flakies are just so awesome!

Emily de Molly Crystal Crown

Emily de Molly Crystal Crown is a very pale grey creme holo with gold to green shifting shimmer. The formula is awesome, the application was very easy. The polish is opaque in two or three coats depending on application. Apply two thin coats, if you prefer a sheer look. I applied two coats of Crystal Crown and a top coat for the photo above. The polish dries fast and smooth on the nail.

I adore this one! I thought it to be white, even though pure white holo isn't possible. That's why I purchased Lunar Haze first and was disappointed. Don't get me wrong, Lunar Haze is very beautiful but I expected it to look like Crystal Crown looks in real life. After trying Lunar Haze out I decided that I needed Crystal Crown. And Crystal Crown is exactly the grey holo that I've wanted for a long time!

Emily de Molly Garnet Fire

Emily de Molly Garnet Fire is a dark red with copper/bronze/gold flakies. The formula was thicker than I'd like, and the application wasn't that easy for me. I even had to correct the polish on two fingers with a brush dipped in acetone, and I don't like doing that at all. I don't know, if that's because of pigment, flakies, or thickness but I would certainly try adding nail polish thinner. The color is beautiful, and I liked those flakies, surprisingly, so I'll keep trying to tame Garnet Fire. The polish is high pigmented so you can get away with just one coat. I'd suggest applying two very thin coats to minimize any mishaps. The polish dries fast and smooth on the nails, flakies do not make the surface rough. I still applied a top coat to make the color more vivid.

The pic was taken near a window with just a little hint of sunlight.

Colors by Llarowe Bananas and Krispy Kremes are Better Than HBO

Colors by Llarowe Bananas and Krispy Kremes are Better Than HBO is a bright almost neon green/yellow holographic with yellow and green flame. The formula is pretty nice, and the brush wasn't as bad as in Hot Buttered Rum so the application was more or less easy. This polish dries fast and semi matte. I suggest using a top coat, if you prefer glossy polishes. Bananas and Krispy Kremes are Better Than HBO is completely opaque in two coats but it's possible to apply it in just one coat, if you nails are thin and/or short.

This color is stunning! This polish would stay in my collection, even if it stained my nails and the formula was awful. I love yellow-toned greens very much but I don't have a lot of them in my collection.

Emily de Molly From out of Nowhere

Emily de Molly From out of Nowhere is a blue/purple creme with heavy green to pink shifting shimmer. Most of the time the shimmer is green and the polish looks darker. Pics that Hayley makes herself for her polishes are the best, in my opinion. Usually they are the closest to what you can expect in real life. I wanted to somehow make that pink shift of the shimmer visible so the light conditions are a bit too harsh, I suppose. 

The formula is similar to other Emily de Molly shimmers, the application was very easy even for me, and I'm definitely not that good with shimmers. The polish has lots of shimmer but brush strokes aren't really visible, I just love this formula. The polish is completely opaque in two coats and dries fast. There is no staining but shimmer might be hesitant to leave your nail plate. Just wash your hands thoroughly and it'll be okay.

Emily de Molly Spell Check

Emily de Molly Spell Check is a dark purple holo with strong pink to gold color shifting shimmer. I haven't seen the gold shift, to be honest. No matter how I twist my hand, all I see is pink. The formula was a little bit thicker than I'd prefer but the application posed no problems. Spell Check is opaque in 1-2 coats depending on application. If you are not going to take macro pics, one coat will be enough in most cases. Spell Check dries super fast. As I was applying this polish, I had a little accident. I thought that everything would be ruined but the polish turned out to be intact, no fingerprints, no dents. Spell Check is magical, both in color and in its properties.

Press 'read more' to see other photos of Spell Check~

Cadillacquer Dream On

Cadillacquer Dream On is part of Summer 2014 Love The Music collection. It's now discontinued but you may find one in a blog sale. Dream On is a green holo with gold shimmer. The formula is similar to that of other Cadillacquer polishes I own. It's too thick for my taste plus the brush is a nightmare. Most people do like this brush, though. I suppose, my nails are just not wide enough. The polish is opaque in two coats and pretty glossy on its own. Dream On dries fast and smooth on the nail. It can be removed easily and doesn't stain your nails. The color is amazing, I adore it. The issue of thickness can be mitigated by using nail polish thinner, if you prefer thin formulas. The brush is the main issue for me. I really like Dream On so I'll try to find a spare brush that fits the bottle.

The photo on the left is taken in natural light on an extremely overcast day. This kind of lighting makes colors appear duller and bluer. The photo on the right is taken in electric lighting. Somehow it made my skin look totally weird but the color of the polish is more or less accurate for that kind of lighting. In real life the polish will probably look darker and less vibrant.

Cadillacquer Wolf Trap

Wolf Trap is a deep green holo with small white and green flakes. I can't say anything of value about the formula. I've tried Dream On, Hiraeth, and Ink before, and they were very thick. Wolf Trap also looked like it had this gooey thick formula when I swatched it on a plastic display so I've added thinner before using Wolf Trap.  And even with the added thinner the polish was much thicker than I prefer. The brush is also awful. It's just too big for my nails. Big brush plus thick formula equals a total mess for me. The polish is opaque in one or two coats depending on the application and dries pretty fast. It's relatively easy to remove the polish given that it has has lots of flakes mixed in.

To tell the truth, I sort of like Cadillacquer. I look at the pictures in the reviews and they are simply breathtaking. Unfortunately, the reality is much more bleak. Wold Trap is supposed to be a holo. I can't see the holographic flare bloggers show in their photos even with all the lights turned on. Wolf Trap doesn't look like those beautiful pictures at all. The same goes for my other 3 Cadillacquer polishes. And if you take into account my troubles with formula and brush, it'll be much better to admire Cadillacquer from afar.

Emily de Molly LE 42

Emily de Molly LE 42 is a purple holo with a strong green to pink color shifting shimmer. The shimmer is quite hard to capture, sadly. You can see the green shift of the shimmer near the highlights. The formula is amazing as always. The polish is completely opaque in one thick coat or two thin ones. I prefer using thin coats to apply shimmery polishes as it reduces brush strokes. The polish doesn't stain and removes easily.

LE 42 is a limited edition polish just like LE 38. It's no longer available for purchase directly from manufacturer but you may find it in blog sales.

Celestial Cosmetics Unicorn Fields

Celestial Cosmetics Unicorn Fields is a rich green linear holo. The formula is quite good, very similar to Electric Sphere. The polish was easy to apply and dried pretty fast, too. I used two coats of Unicorn Fields for full opacity. The color is vibrant and vivid but the polish didn't stain my nails. This is the second Celestial Cosmetics nail polish I've tried, and so far I like them a lot. The formula is not absolutely perfect for me but it's very close. The brush is awesome. I have a feeling that Emily de Molly polishes have the same brush, just the cap is different. I'm looking forward to trying other Celestial polishes.

The photo above was taken on a cloudy day so the colors appear duller than they really are. Please, press 'read more' and check other pics~

Cuticle Oil

This is the first post about something other than nail polish. I chose to write about cuticle oil so the post is going to be long. What is a cuticle? Do I need to moisturize it? Should I use cuticle oil? Which oil should I use? I'll try to answer all those questions. All information in this post is taken from free online sources, you all can find it. I'll post all the relevant links for you to check the info yourself~

Emily de Molly Savvy Trinket

Emily de Molly Savvy Trinket is a purple with gold / green / blue shifting shimmer. Formula-wise the polish is just like Major Themes. The application was super easy, almost no brush strokes. I've used two coats of Savvy Trinket for all the photos in this post. The main difference from Major Themes is that the shimmer is very shifting. The colors are constantly changing, it's difficult to stop looking at your nails.

In order to show every possible shift I took lots of pictures. Press' read more' and check them out~

A-England Holy Grail (limited edition)

A-England Holy Grail is a gold shimmer polish. This is the old version of Holy Grail, you can't buy it from manufacturer directly. I have this half-used bottle and a new one I managed to find, though that one has a damaged cap. I purchased the new bottle with full intent to wear it but I have a lot of nail polish so I probably won't use it. That's why it's on my blog sale page, do check that out.

Formula-wise Holy Grail is awesome. It's one of those rare occasions when there are no brush strokes even though the polish is loaded with shimmer. It's fully opaque in two coats. The polish dries fast and smooth on the nail. Holy Grail doesn't stain your nails and is easy to remove. 

Press 'read more' to see another photo of Holy Grail~

Emily de Molly Lunar Haze

Emily de Molly Lunar Haze is a light grey holo with very slight beige undertones and orange overlay. The description on EdM store page says it also contains iridescent purple microflakes but you don't really see them. I magnified the image four times and then I did manage to discern them. The polish has a good formula and applies smoothly on the nail. It is completely opaque in two coats. I've experienced no staining when removing the polish. Overall, Lunar Haze is as good as other EdM holos.

I like this particular shade of grey very much. This grey is also definitely not boring. Even without light there is a slight holo flare plus that orange overlay looks wonderful in the shade. 

Press 'read more' for other photos~

Emily de Molly LE 38

Emily de Molly LE 38 is a bright blue/purple polish with strong red overlay. LE 38 uses the same pigment that Split Personality had. They are pretty much the same with the exception of flakes. I really like polishes with contrasting shimmer like LE 38 or The Pretender. Red shimmer makes the blue base look purple and almost metallic in certain lighting. The only downside for me is that the suspension base in LE 38 isn't able to support all this shimmer and it just sinks down to the bottom of the bottle. You have to roll the bottle gently between your palms to re-mix the contents.

The formula is nice and thin enough so it was very easy for me to apply the polish. LE 38 is heavy with shimmer and that means brush strokes are a concern. If you are not sure about your ability to manage them, I suggest applying it in coats that are as thin as possible. I've used two coats for the photo above. The polish dries sort of matte so I suggest using a top coat, if you prefer glossy finish. LE 38 dries pretty fast but I waited extra time before applying my top coat to avoid polish shrinkage near the cuticle.

The top photo is taken in natural light. Press 'read more' to see other photos~

Colors by Llarowe Last Harvest

Last Harvest is an emerald green linear holo. The formula is pretty nice, the application was super-easy. It's also non-staining which was a relief after the Gemini Rising experience. The polish is completely opaque in two coats. You can probably get away with one thicker coat but the color won't be as vivid then.

I really liked Last Harvest. It wasn't as thick as Hot Buttered Rum so I had no issues at all. The brush in Last Harvest was also fine unlike brushes in some CbL polishes I owned. I had to de-stash those polishes without trying them out because the brush was an unmitigated disaster. I feel that the overall quality of Colors by Llarowe polishes is somewhat irregular. I adore the colors but not knowing what to expect is a big no for me. I have five CbL polishes now and I don't think this number will grow anytime soon.

My camera still objects to working properly and I'm trying to make it work. In the meantime, I'll be mostly posting just one photo per post. 

Dance Legend Aviator

Dance Legend Aviator is a blue holographic jelly from the Sparky collection that was released about a year ago. The formula was disappointing, I expected more from a jelly. The polish was very thick and tricky to apply. I think I've read about some manufacturing error resulting in caps being not tight enough. This could be it, I guess. I am also not a big fan of Dance Legend brush, it's super weird and somewhat crooked. 

For the photo above I used two thick coats of Aviator. The color looks rich and deep because the coats were extremely thick. If Aviator was as thin as other polishes from Sparky collection that I own, you'd probably get this look with three to four coats. The polish dries fast and smooth on the nail. Aviator is very pigmented but it didn't stain my nails. I really like the color and the holographic particles but I think I'm going to de-stash it.

Emily de Molly Skirting Heaven

Emily de Molly Skirting Heaven is a periwinkle blue creme with blue to purple shifting shimmer and tiny iridescent purple flakes. The formula is thicker than that of Emily de Molly holographic polishes. The application is pretty easy, though. The polish is completely opaque in two thin coats. One thicker coat can work perfectly well, too. The finish is not glossy so I suggest using a top coat for Skirting Heaven. The polish didn't stain my nails or the skin around them. Overall, this is a very good shimmery creme.

Skirting Heaven is a Facebook group exclusive, you have to be a member of Emily de Molly fan group to purchase it. If you are interested in Emily de Molly, I recommend you join this group. For me the number one reason for joining was that I could see the swatches of the new releases as soon as possible.

My camera gave up on me, all photos in this post are taken with mobile phone camera. It's not a particularly good camera but the colors are pretty accurate. Be sure to press 'read more' to see other photos~

Emily de Molly Major Themes

Emily de Molly Major Themes is a yellow gold to orange foil with hints of peach and subtle green. The color is so vivid and vibrant that my hands look dull by comparison. The formula is awesome for a foil. As a matter of fact, it's awesome even for a non-foil polish. Foil nail polishes usually contain lots of shimmer. This predictably leads to a trickier application. Brush strokes are a menace, really. But with Major Themes you get almost no brush strokes despite the abundance of shimmer. The polish is opaque in two coats and dries fast and smooth on the nail. You don't really need a top coat but I've added one for extra durability.

Press 'read more' to see other pics of Major Themes~

Zoya Harley

Zoya Harley is a light concrete gray with subtle flecks of silver, gold, and copper shimmer. This description is taken from Zoya site. It is also said that Harley's finish is metallic and the tone is warm. I would call this polish a creme though. It's also definitely not warm on me in most lighting conditions with all those lilac and blue undertones.

The formula is okay for a creme with a shimmer. I'd prefer it to be thinner but most people would find this formula easy to apply. The polish is opaque in two coats, the drying time is average for a creme. The finish is glossy but I'd still recommend using a top coat. I've experienced no staining or any issues with removing the polish.

Emily de Molly Veiled Flame

Veiled Flame is dark plum creme/jelly with heavy copper shimmer. Formula wise the polish isn't too thin or too thick. It's fully opaque in two medium coats. The finish of Veiled Flame isn't glossy enough for me so I've applied a top coat. The shimmer definitely looks more prominent with a glossy top coat. Veiled Flame didn't stain my nails or fingers and the shimmer washed off nicely.

Veiled Flame has been discontinued recently which is sad because it's very beautiful with its coppery flare. Be sure to check the macro pic of this polish, the shimmer is just so awesome. I absolutely adore this kind of ragged shimmer. The macro isn't resized so you can see all the details, just hover your cursor over the pic or open it in another tab. The photo above is taken in natural lighting, and there's also a pic taken under electric lights. Press 'read more' to see them~

Picture Polish Jade

Picture Polish Jade is a jade green creme with silver shimmer. It's now a discontinued color but you can probably get one in a blog sale. The formula is adequate, it's not too thin or too thick but this is definitely not a one-coater. The first coat of Jade will be sheer and uneven, the second one will fix that. It is fairly easy to apply the polish close to the cuticle. Jade is a slow drying polish for me. I waited an hour before applying a top coat but the polish still got smudged. 

Jade looks duller without bright lights but it's still beautiful. I love greens but, overall, I found that this isn't a very suitable shade for me. Plus I don't really like creme polishes all that much so I'm going to de-stash it.

Emily de Molly Scorched Earth

Scorched Earth is a burned orange linear holographic polish with gold shimmer. The formula is nice and smooth. The polish is completely opaque in two coats. With a suitable base coat and one coat of the polish, the coverage is also even but a bit sheer. Scorched Earth dries fast and smooth on the nails. I had no issues with staining both times I wore this polish.

This color is amazing! I'm usually very wary of reddish or pinkish colors as they can make my fingers look weird. I even stopped trying to find a pink polish that will look good. The best thing about Scorched Earth is that it is between red and orange so my issue with odd skin coloration is not as strong. And the color is so bright and vivid, I adore it!

Press 'read more' to see other photos~

Lunasol EX30 Lighting Fuchsia

Lunasol is a Japanese department store brand. Lighting Fuchsia is a part of the limited collection dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the brand so it could be difficult to find this particular polish now. Lighting Fuchsia is a fuchsia creme polish with purple microshimmer. The formula is nice, it's neither thin not thick. The brush is flat and soft, which also makes it easier to apply the polish. Lighting Fuchsia is fully opaque in two coats. I'm used to holographic polishes which are really fast-drying for me but cremes tend to take more time to become completely dry. So, overall, not impressed with Lighting Fuchsia's drying speed. Additionally, the bubbles appeared even though this usually happens only to very thick polishes. These bubbles are not big or drastic but they are there, and I don't like that. On a happier note, the polish didn't stain my nails or skin. Plus, the color is beautiful and vibrant. 

Press 'read more' to check the macro pic of Lighting Fuchsia~

Emily de Molly Perfect Oasis

Perfect Oasis is a blue linear holo with purple undertones. Those purple undertones are pretty visible on the photo above. I managed to catch the bright blue side of Perfect Oasis on the macro photos that can be found, if you press the 'Read more' link. The formula is similar to other Emily de Molly holographic polishes, I adore it. The polish is completely opaque in two thin coats. It dries fast and smooth on the nail, you'll have no issues with removing it. 

The color is so stunning, I'm very sad that my camera can't capture it. The photo above is how the polish looks in the shade even though it was taken under white electric lighting. The photos turned out to be too red. The first two macro photos show what you can expect from Perfect Oasis in bright lights or in the direct sunlight. And then there's another macro shot in the natural lighting. I got carried away a bit, I guess.

Press ' read more' to see other photos~

Colors by Llarowe Hot Buttered Rum

Hot Buttered Rum is a nude scattered glow holo with golden yellow flame. The formula was extremely thick. Maybe, I was just unlucky because I've seen reviews mentioning three thin coats. Well, with Hot Buttered Rum that I received you won't be able to manage that. The application was hell. The brush was bigger than my nails with all the polish stuck in it. One coat is more than enough because the polish is just so thick. It's also pretty lumpy and doesn't even out. Orly Sec'n Dry, the top coat I use, helped a lot because of its hard brush that sort of goes through the upper layer of the polish and forces it apart. This can be annoying with jellies like last week's Gothic Veil but with metallic or thick polishes it can be an amazing tool.

The polish took a very long time to become completely dry. That is also because of its thickness. Not a very flattering color for me also. In the white electric lights as seen on the left photo it looks nice but in a darker or warmer environment it looks dirty. This whole polish is so frustrating. I own a total of seven different CbL polishes, I've tried two of them so far. I think I'm done with this brand, it's obviously not a very good choice for me. I'll review the other five polishes, of course.

The photo in the right is a macro that I've taken with my phone and a clip-on lens. I do not have a DSLR camera, so I couldn't take those beautiful close-up photos where you can see all the glitters. The camera I have is very simple, it just doesn't do that. Thankfully, you can buy a set of clip-on lenses for your phone that more or less work. I'm pretty happy with this first macro tryout~

Dance Legend Gothic Veil

Gothic Veil is black jelly with holographic flakies that is a part of the Wow Prism series. I adore almost every Wow Prism polish. The formula is very thin, I just love it. For me it is very easy to apply the polish close to the cuticle. If you are not so sure about formulas that are this thin, you should try to apply your first coat as thin as possible. Thus you'll minimize the probability of staining the cuticle. The polish is opaque in two thin coats or in one thick coat. I've tried applying Gothic Veil in one coat for my right hand, and it worked perfectly. But, again, I don't advise you to try it, unless you are sure that you can manage it with this thin formula.

The polish dries fast and smooth on the nail. It does contain holo flakies but they are not glitter-like. The are easy to remove and don't stick to your nails. Perfectly safe to use. Be sure to completely dry the polish before applying any top coat or apply it very gently. I rushed it and you can see on the photos how the top coat brush made the polish uneven.

The left photo was taken with a camera, the right one was taken with a mobile phone. White balance is a nightmare~

Emily de Molly Viridescent

Viridescent is a light green linear holo with golden sheen. The formula is a bit thicker than usual but that's expected because Viridescent is a creme polish and not a jelly. For a pastel creme, it is very easy to apply. It's completely opaque in two thin coats. The holo isn't exactly strong. Most of the time I don't really see the holographic effect. In my opinion, it looks more like shimmer. In the direct sunlight or under bright electric light you, of course, will see the linear holo. The polish didn't stain and was easy to remove.

The left photo is taken under electric lights. The right one is taken in the shade.

Colors by Llarowe Gemini Rising

Gemini Rising is a very bright green linear holo. The color is stunning, amazing, gorgeous, and all those other similar adjectives you can find with the help of thesaurus. Definitely the best green color in my collection. The formula is thick but manageable and it is possible to apply this polish in just one coat. I've applied two coats for extra saturation. I wore this polish for a week, and nothing happened to it at all. I mean, literally nothing, it stayed where it was. That's an impressive durability for a holographic polish.

So where's the catch? Gemini Rising stains like hell. The stains are bright yellow and they stay with you. I've tried a nail polish remover without acetone, then the polish remover with acetone. I've tried citric acid. I've tried toothpaste just for the sake of it. Awful. My nails are yellow on their own because I always use colored nail polish. But never have I ever gotten such vivid stains.

The Colors by Llarowe brush is another point worth mentioning. As for me, it's even more terrifying that those lemony stains. The brush is gigantic, and my nails are pretty small and curved. The brush in Gemini Rising was more or less okay, but in my other CbL... well, I wouldn't call it a brush. Witch's broom, that's what it was. Perfectly round brush with a diameter of more than a half cm. That's bigger than my thumb nail!

As usual, press 'read more' for more photos~

Emily de Molly Land of Confusion

Emily de Molly Land of Confusion is a light green strong linear holo. The formula is great, I've applied the polish in two coats. The polish dries fast and smooth on the nail. I've experienced no staining. 

I suppose, you could you apply more coats to make Land of Confusion appear brighter and more saturated. As for two pretty thin coats, the color is subtle. Maybe, that's the difference between batches. Emily de Molly polishes are hand-mixed and most swatches I've seen are of the version from 2-3 years ago, while I've bought mine a month ago. Or, maybe, the pigment faded. To be honest, I like that vivid old version better, there's no way I could ever get that color with my version of Land of Confusion.

Press 'read more' for other photos~

A-England Dragon

A-England Dragon is medium green scattered holo. This shade of green is simply gorgeous! The formula is awesome, it's super-easy to apply Dragon in just one coat. The polish is fast-drying and smooth. I've experienced no staining or any difficulty with removing the polish in all three years of owning Dragon.

Dragon is one of oldest and most treasured polishes in my collection. The shade of green is stunning! It's soft, not too light or too dark, with the occasional golden holo flash. I have one word for it, perfection. Press 'read more' to see two more photos~

Picture Polish Escapades

Picture Polish Escapades is a dark teal jelly with holographic particles. As for me, it look more blue than green. Usually it look almost black, to be honest. The formula is similar to that of other Picture Polish holos. It dries fast and smooth on the nail, it doesn't stain, it's opaque in two coats, all the usual stuff. It makes my hands lighter to the extent that my camera struggles with taking a picture. You can probably see that. On the photo Escapades looks as I see it in 'real life' while my skin looks, for the lack of better word, weird. Escapades is a beautiful polish, especially if you manage to apply it in one coat.

A-England Fotheringhay Castle

Fotheringhay Castle is an olive-green scattered holo with gold shimmer. The formula is great, it's not as thick as some other A-England polishes. Fotheringhay Castle is very nearly a one coater. Use a bit thicker coat to apply it in just one coat. The polish dries fast and smooth on the nail. It's pretty glossy on its own, the swatches show the real finish without the top coat. The polish doesn't leave stains on nail plates or skin.

I love almost all greens, this one is definitely one of my favorites. The color looks good with my skin tone. Press 'read more' to see two more photos~

A-England Order of the Garter

Order of the Garter is a bright blue polish with with aqua blue shimmer. The formula is very thin and watery so I can't really tell if this is meant to be creme or jelly. I'd opt for jelly, in any case. I like these watery formulas and I find it easy to apply even extremely thin polishes. You'd probably need 2-3 coats for this polish to be opaque. I've used 3 thin coats, and the polish has dried pretty fast. I've had no issues with removing or staining.

This polish is lovely! Most photos show it to be a bit dull. Maybe, there is difference in pigments between different batches. Three years ago I got a display with Order of the Garter applied as a promo from an online store. It was dull and boring, to be honest. But I do collect A-England polishes so a year ago I bought Order of the Garter during a sale. The polish in my bottle was bright and so very beautiful! It looks totally electric under direct sunlight. Amazing, really!

Dance Legend Wazowski

Dance Legend Wazowski is a metallic multichrome shifting between green, gold, and blue. It is a part of the Chameleon Collection that was released in 2013. One coat is enough for this polish to be completely opaque. For the photos above I've applied two coats but that's just because my nails don't fare well with metallic polishes. 

The formula is nice, it should have been very easy to apply this polish. However, the brush in my bottle was cut in a diagonal line so it was a bit tricky to apply it smoothly near the cuticle. The main shift is between green and gold. To be honest, I've only seen Wazowski turn blue in the bottle. Multichromes depend greatly on the shape of your nails, my nails aren't enough for blue color to show, obviously. Nonetheless, Wazowski is just simply stunning!

Emily de Molly Mind Powers

Mind Powers is a medium blue linear holo with lots of green shimmer. The amount of shimmer is enough to make the polish almost metallic. That's why I'd suggest paying attention to the brush strokes. I'd recommend applying two thin coats of Mind Powers to reduce them. You could probably manage to apply this polish in one thick coat but it would be harder to get rid of those brush strokes. The formula is good, the polish dries fast and smooth. It looks glossy enough even without a top coat. I've had no issues with removing this polish or staining but I've heard of people having problems with the stains. So just in case, use a good base coat.

There are lots of shimmer in the polish but it's pretty hard to capture it in a photo. You need good lighting for taking pictures, and as soon as you have that all you get is a strong linear holo. Press 'read more' for other photos~

Emily de Molly Cool, Calm and Collected

Cool, Calm and Collected is an aqua blue linear holo. The polish dries smooth on the nail and is opaque in 2-3 coats depending on the application. The formula is fantastic! It's very easy to apply this polish, it dries fast, the finish is pretty glossy on its own. I've added a top coat for durability but it hasn't changed the appearance of the polish. I've had no issues with removing the polish or staining. 

The color is very beautiful. When there is enough light, the holo simply lights up. The overall effect is stunning! Like water under the sun, maybe. The holo is pretty strong in the direct lights. I'm so glad that I managed to find a bottle of Cool, Calm and Collected now that it's discontinued. 

For more photos press 'read more' below~

Emily de Molly The Pretender

Emily de Molly The Pretender is a purple jelly with duo-chrome shimmer shifting from green to gold. The polish dries smooth on the nail, the finish is semi-matte. I've used two coats of The Pretender and a top coat for my swatches. The formula is great and thin enough for me, it was super-easy to apply the polish. The Pretender dries fast but you may want to wait longer before applying a top coat as it can make the polish shrink. I've had no issues with removing the polish. 

The green shimmer is overpowering, it makes the purple base look dusty at all times. I've tried looking at it in the direct sunlight, in the shade, in white and yellow electrical lights. It's all the same green shimmer. Sometimes at extreme angles you do see it shift to gold or, surprisingly, violet, but most of the time it is green. I like this effect so much! I find it unusual and captivating. There are lots of green shimmer in The Pretender so be careful with brush strokes. It is better to apply this polish in just a few strokes. 

The photo above was taken in the shade, the photo below was taken in white electric lights.

A-England Incense Burner

Incense Burner is a violet-based brown with lots of multi-chrome shimmer shifting between brown, purple, gold, and green. The formula is thick and highly pigmented, I really don't like that. It took a bit of effort to apply it cleanly and close to the cuticle. I don't like correcting the manicure after I've dried the polish, so it's a must for me that a polish allows application without any troubles. This is definitely not the case here. I will, of course, give Incense Burner another chance after adding lots of thinner. 

Incense Burner can be fully opaque in just one thicker coat but it would be harder to apply it without getting some of it on the cuticles. I chose to apply two thinner coats in order not to bother with cleaning up. It dries up pretty fast and is as durable as many other A-England polishes. I've had no issues with removing it.

I've seen some very beautiful swatches of this polish so I was disappointed with the way it looked on me. Most of the time it's just plain brown. With lights on, or in the sunlight, I can see the purple shimmer shifting to green sometimes. And that's all. The polish is still very good-looking but those swatches with extremely bright shimmer are misleading, in my opinion.

UPD. I used Incense Burner as an accent for my mani so I was able to do take some macro pics. Press 'read more' to see them~

Picture Polish Autumn

Picture Polish Autumn is a reddish orange holographic jelly. Many people compare this color to pumpkin, I personally think of red orange juice. The formula is similar to other holos by Picture Polish, you can expect pretty much the same characteristics. I've used two coats and a top coat. I haven't experienced any troubles with application or removal of this polish. It also didn't stain my fingers or nails but I would recommend using a base coat for such a shade just in case. 

The tips of my fingers are red and that's the reason I prefer green polishes. I never expected an orange polish to look this good. I was really surprised by Autumn! It doesn't really make my skin look whiter or less red but it doesn't make it redder. Definitely a keeper!

Sorry, just one photo today. Apparently, my camera can't handle this bright orange color so mostly I got either blue hands or red hands but nothing in between. With no way to adjust white balance manually this is the best photo I've managed to take. This is more or less true to the way I see it in real life. It will look redder in warmer lighting.