Comparison Thursday: Light Teal Holos

This comparison is going to be short and not very good...  Admittedly, I forgot to write down my application notes when I took these pictures, so we're going to be relying mostly on the aesthetics of these polishes...  I do have some general memory of application, but I won't be able to get into the nitty-gritty of how many coats, etc...  My bad!  But I didn't want to let this week pass without a comparison.  So, let's get this started!

I purchased these myself or they were given to me as gifts from friends.

From left to right: Liquid Lacquer Teal Tails, Monster Polish Rainbows in the Sky, China Glaze Don't Be a Luna-tic, OPI Blue Moon Lagoon, and Enchanted Polish Ocean Potion.

To be honest, there isn't a whole lot similar between them other than they're all in the basic general mint/light teal holo family.  Otherwise, they're all pretty diverse.

Teal Tails

This polish was created for my blog's 1 year birthday last year, so it's not available anywhere.  It's a medium teal with a strong green flash.  The holo is a little tighter than a scattered holo, but it's not quite linear.  Application was easy and required little cleanup.

Rainbows in the Sky

Rainbows in the Sky was created by Monster Polish for my actual birthday last year, and I'm not sure if she has anymore laying around.  It's a lovely shade of teal but leans ever so slightly grey.  RitS is more of a creme based holo, which gives it a denser look that's also more scattered than the rest.  The thick and creamy consistency makes this polish super easy to apply.

Don't Be a Luna-Tic

DBaLt is the most linear of the group with the smallest holographic particles.  Unlike many other bottles, my bottles of the China Glaze Hologlams were all very holographic.  In the bottle, they're not much to look at, but once on the nail, the prism catches the light and goes crazy.  Application for DBaLt was a pain, though, much like its older counterparts the OMG collection.  I highly recommend using an aqua base to help with application.  Otherwise, it's probably the most pigmented of the group and required the least coats.  The Hologlam collection was discontinued last year, but you can still find them around the clearance bins of your local beauty supply shop.

Blue Moon Lagoon

Blue Moon Lagoon is a super hard to find polish that, while pretty, isn't quite worth the hype.  It's closest in color to Rainbows in the Sky while being more linear.  The holographic particles are on the larger side, and it is probably the least opaque of the bunch.  Application isn't terrible, but you do have to apply several coats for opacity.  You also have to be careful of pooling and flooding your cuticles.

Ocean Potion

Honestly?  I don't really know why I put this guy in here...  It's much darker than the rest and is a true teal versus the others' minty qualities.  Application was easy, even though I only have a decant of it in a mini bottle.  This one has been long discontinued and is very very hard to find.  I am very lucky that I was able to swap a decant of one of my Enchanteds for this bad boy.  The holographic particle size is around the same as Blue Moon Lagoon, but there's more of it, which makes the rainbow a little more pronounced.

I like them all for different reasons, and I've kept them all except for the China Glaze.  I just couldn't get over that application!  So, which of these do you like best?

(PS if this post is a bit incoherent in any way, I apologize!  I'm exhausted and about to crawl directly into the bed, which, if you know me, is unheard of!  10:30 and tired is not a normal Julie behavior!)

I purchased these myself or they were given to me as gifts from friends.

Comparison Friday: Olive Green Holos

Today's comparison is all about olive green.  I'm not sure what is wrong with me, but I completely forgot to take macros of these polishes, so you'll just have to click on the photos to see them in more detail.  I'm actually missing two olive greens from this comparison, Dollish Master Chief and a custom from Nailant called Olive Snook, but they are both quite a bit lighter than these, so I thought I'd just hold off on adding them to this comparison.  Also, ignore my crazy dry skin.  I was doing a lot of swatching that day, and apparently I wasn't too Johnny-on-the-spot with my hand cream!  Anyway, let's get down to business!

*All polishes were either purchased or made by me.*

From left to right: China Glaze OMG a UFO, Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer (special edition) Light in the Darkness, Enchanted Polish All Love Garden, and Enchanted Polish March 2013.

All four are linear holographics, and they're all green.  That's where the similarities end, though.  All photos are taken in either direct sunlight or artificial sunlight.

OMG a UFO
UFO is a true olive green linear holo.  The holographic pigment is much smaller than in the others, which is usually a pretty good indicator that it's going to have a tricky application.  And I wasn't wrong.  I needed to use my Aqua Base in order to make application bearable.  The tendency to drag and bald is high, so you'll need to be quick and accurate with your application.  This was two coats with one coat of KBShimmer Clearly on Top.  UFO is a member of the China Glaze Hologlam collection, which came out last year.  My bottle happens to be quite holographic, as you can see, but there are apparently some dud bottles out there.  You can often still find these in beauty supply stores, but they're also all over the place on blog sales, and usually for much cheaper than brand new bottles.

Light in the Darkness
LitD was a special edition polish I created for Depression Awareness week.  It is an olive green based polish with a gold to teal shift.  The holographic pigment is linear and strong without obscuring the shift.  Application was easy, and this is two coats topped with KBShimmer Clearly on Top.  Sadly, this polish is not available for purchase, but I wanted to throw it into the fray as well.  You can purchase other Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquers at my store here.  Follow me on Facebook or via my newsletter for news and updates on releases and restocks.

All Love Garden
ALG is also a true olive green based polish with a gold flash.  The holographic arc is prominent, but you can tell that the size of pigment is on the larger side making ALG a bit on the scattered side.  Application was nice, and this is three coats with one coat of KBShimmer Clearly on Top.  Dry time was a tad long, but not horrible.  I probably could've done two coats, but I wanted to make sure it was nice and opaque in my photos.  This polish is an exclusive made just for Mei Mei's Signatures, which is currently having flash restocks, so make sure you're looking at her page frequently until she gives the all sold out announcement!

March 2013
March is less olive and leans more blue than yellow.  I think forest green is a more accurate description than olive.  Like with ALG, it's on the vampy side versus the bright UFO.  It is probably the least linear of the group, but it is still pretty vibrant in low lighting.  Application was easy in three coats with one coat of KBShimmer Clearly on Top.  March was a limited edition monthly polish that was sold, guess when?, last March only.  It's a pretty rare one to find, and almost rarer to find swatches and reviews of online.  However, if you're looking for other EPs, you can follow Chelsea on Facebook and Instagram for news and information on restocks and releases at her store here.

So, there you have it!  What are your thoughts?  Which is your favorite?  For me, they're all just different enough that I don't really have a favorite.

Comparison Thursday: Bright Pink Holos

Happy new year to everyone!!  I hope that everyone had a very happy and safe holiday!  I had a blast hanging out with some old friends and meeting new ones at my old college stomping grounds.  It was so much fun!  So, this first post of the new year is getting back to one of my favorite series on the blog - the Comparison Thursday series!  Tonight, we're going to take a look at a few bright pink holos, some that are easy to find and others that are either limited editions or long discontinued.  Shall we?

 China Glaze QT, China Glaze Infra Red, Avon Starburst, and Liquid Lacquer Danger is my Middle Name

First and foremost, the similarity: all four polishes are practically the exact same shade of bright pink.  And that's pretty much where the similarities between the four end.  As you can see, QT and Infra Red are both tightly linear while Starburst and DimMN are scattered.  Let's take a closer look.

QT

QT is a lovely bright pink polish from the China Glaze OMG collection that was released in the spring of 2008 and has since been discontinued.  The holographic prism is tight and crisp in even low lighting.  Application, however, is a bit of a pain.  I used my Nfu Oh Aqua Base in order to aid with application, but it was still a bit difficult to work with.  It dragged, balded, and clumped.  While the end result is quite pretty, it's definitely one of those handle with care holos.  I'm planning to hold onto it because of its sheer difficulty to find, but, honestly, there are other holos that are the same color that have better application, that are easier to find, and that aren't as expensive.  You can occasionally find a bottle of QT on blog sales or eBay, but they aren't available in stores any longer.  I found mine out dusty hunting last year.

Infra Red

Let me first note that there appears to be more than one batch of the China Glaze Hologlam collection...  All of the polishes from this collection that I purchased from Sally's are extremely holographic, even in low lighting, even though they don't look holo at all in the bottle.  I have seen others' photos who aren't even remotely as prismatic as mine, so this could be a bit of an anomaly.  Either way, though, my Infra Red is as tight, crisp, and vibrant as my QT.  As you can see here, they are pretty much exact duplicates of one another.  I'm not sure how I got lucky to get one with such a vibrant rainbow, but I'm very pleased that I did.  Application was about the same as with QT - easy to clump, bald, and drag, so make sure you take great care when applying.  You can still find the Hologlam collection at retailers where China Glaze Polishes are sold.

Starburst

Unlike QT and Infra Red, Starburst is a scattered holographic.  It reminds me of the super popular Zoya's (Storm, Blaze, Aurora) in that it has that irregular holographic glitter that creates such gorgeous depth.  Application and dry time for Starburst were both great.  No dragging and I didn't need to use my Aqua Base.  As far as I know, these are still available from your local Avon Lady (you can talk to mine here!).  

Danger is My Middle Name

DimMN is scattered much like Starburst.  Application was easy in a few coats, and it also has that gorgeous depth that you see in Starburst.  I will say, though, that the rainbow is much more apparent in the Liquid Lacquer than the Avon.  However, the Avon is much more easy to obtain than the LL as the LL was a super small batch with only a few bottles ever made.  You can still find them on blog sales, though, if you look hard!

In conclusion, QT and Infra Red are pretty much exact duplicates...  Well, at least my bottles are.  Starburst and DimMN are very close duplicates, but the Avon is much easier to find than the Liquid Lacquer, especially since the creator of LL has closed up shop.  So, which is your favorite?  Do you have any of these polishes?  What's your opinion of the Hologlam collection?

So. Yeah. Sorry about that.

So.  Yeah.  I've been really sick lately, and I'm getting really tired of it.  Also, work's been insane.  And and and.  We're looking at buying a house (wahoo!!), so we've been busy with all that.  So.  Yeah.  Sorry I've been away for so long.  I've really hated not blogging, so I'm going to try and get a quick post up tonight beofe I have to get back to work.  I promise, I'm not usually this whiny.  Sometimes.

Tonight, we're going to take a look at one of the new China Glaze Hologlam holographic polishes, Take a Trek!

Color: Teal

Finish: Holographic – pigment gives polish a rainbow in the sunshine.

Bottle / Brush: China Glaze brush – lid is a little hard to hold if you have problems grasping things.  The length and width of the brush are average with average application.

Opacity: Medium – achieves opacity at three coats.

Glitter Application: N/A

Consistency: Medium – applies easily and doesn’t flood the cuticles.

Overall Ease of Application: Medium – applies well with minimal pooling, dragging, streaking, or balding.  Spreads well without much manipulation.  I was really pleased to see that the formula on the Hologlams is much nicer than the formula for their old holo line, OMG.  While these do dry quickly, which means you have to work quickly to get the polish on so it won't clump, Take a Trek didn't bald or show all of the imperfections in my nail bed like the OMGs do.  I am truly impressed by this line.

Stampability: Not tested for stamping.

Dry Time: Quick – dry to the touch without smudging in under 3 minutes.

Overall Thoughts: The new China Glaze Hologlams are seriously beautiful.  Don't trust bottle shots.  They look like foils in the bottle.  However, once you get them on the nail, they show their true colors.  I've tried to show the holo effect in both sunlight and artificial light.  Are they as in your face as the Color Club Halo Hues?  No.  I don't think it's the same pigment, so I don't expect them to be truly comparable.  Are they as vibrant as the OMGs?  Compared to the ones I have, yes.  I'll have a comparison of Take a Trek and DV8 this Thursday.  The holo is much more linear than any OPI DS or Enchanted polish I own.  It's a smaller particle that looks unassuming in the bottle but packs quite a punch on the nail, as you can see in my photos.  I think these are a vast improvement over the OMG collection, but they are nowhere near as vibrant as the Halo Hues.  It's a more delicate look, which I appreciate.

I purchased my Hologlams at Sallys.  I'm not really sure if you can purchase them elsewhere at this time.  I only started out with four to see if I liked them, and I'm now planning to purchase the rest of the line, which I don't often do.

Do you have any of the Hologlams?  Which is your favorite?

*I was not financially compensated for this post.  All items in this review were purchased by me for my own use.  The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.*