Alchemist Lacquers Liondragon

*Press Sample* I always love finding new talent in the indie world, so when I happened upon Alchemist Lacquer's Etsy page after she won one of my giveaways, I knew I had to try them out.  Let's check in with Christina and find out her story.

1) When did you open your line?

I opened on 18 March 2013 out of my dining room in a little apartment I share with my boyfriend and two other roommates xD

2) How did you become interested in creating your own polish line?

I've loved nail polish since I was about 10 (I'm now 22), it was the only beauty item I was ever really interested in. Late last year, I discovered indie brands of polishes existed and became very interested in learning how they did it and seeing all the different varieties. I started coming up with ideas while I was reading, looking at pictures, watching tv, etc. and I decided I had to learn how to do it and make my own brand.

3) What was your inspiration for your brand name?

I was talking with one of my friends about it and she said I was like an alchemist putting together all these color and glitter combinations and I liked it so much I stuck with it, just adding Lacquer onto the end.

Alright, let's delve into the polish, shall we?  I have taken photos in varying light sources because this polish is so subtly and surprisingly complex.  Don't let your eyes deceive you.  These photos are all of the same polish.

*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.*

Color: Brick red with flashes of pink, orange, ruby red, and hints of blue depending on the lighting.

Finish: Shimmer – a polish that shimmers in the light.

Bottle / Brush: Round bottle brush (i.e. Seche Vite) – standard width and length.  Easy to control and manipulate.

Opacity: Medium – achieves opacity at three to four coats. For best coverage, I recommend using at least three coats, which is what I've done here.

Glitter Application: N/A

Consistency: Thick – thick but is easily remedied with some polish thinner. Remember, I always find that it's better to receive a polish that is too thick than too thin. A polish that's too thin is much more difficult to work with, whereas a polish that's too thick is easy to remedy. I will say, though, that I think the thickness is owed to a bit of evaporation due to the heat down here in the south. The bottle came with a little missing from the top, so I'm betting that's why it was thicker than the other Alchemist Lacquer I have. Furthermore, I'm also pretty picky when it comes to thickness issues. Most people probably have a higher tolerance than I do, so what is thick to me may be perfectly fine for you!

Overall Ease of Application: Medium – once thinner has been added, it applies well with minimal pooling, dragging, streaking, or balding.  Spreads well without much manipulation.

Stampability: Not tested for stamping.

Dry Time: Medium – dry to the touch with minimal smudging in 3-8 minutes.

Overall Thoughts: When I received Liondragon, I thought that it was just another pretty red shimmer. Holy moly was I wrong! Once I applied this polish, it was like I had a chameleon on my fingers. In low light, it was a brick red. In sunlight, it was a vibrant red with flashes of orange, which you can see toward the cuticle in the macro shot. In dappled sunlight, it's a deep cherry red. At angles, it flashed pink. At other angles and under florescent lighting, there was a streak of blue that came out of nowhere. This is one of those polishes that you really just didn't want to take off. It's truly an amazing polish that is actually pretty unique to my collection.

If you're interested in purchasing Liondragon, you can do so at Alchemist Lacquer's store here. Also, follow her site, Facebook and Instagram for news and updates.

*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes.*