Nail Polish

Nail Polish comes in a variety of different formulas to achieve the desired effect and mood you are going for. Let’s start is the basics:

Crèmes 

A crème polish is the most basic formula out there. It’s the most common type to find at drug stores since it’s the cheapest to mass produce. When you think of nail polish, this is probably the kind of polish that pops into your head. You probably have a couple lying around your house somewhere. It’s an opaque polish in 2 to 3 coats that applies smooth and creamy and are usually a base color for specialty toppers. 

Toppers

Holographic Top Coats 

These types of nail polishes are meant to be applied over any other nail polish base color of your choosing for an instant rainbow effect holo effect. They are designed to show the polish underneath, so you can choose whatever color you like. Technically, they are nail polish toppers, kind of like a glitter topper, so I still recommend using a regular glossy top coat over top of the holo top coat to make it nice and glossy. Today, I will be discussing 3 types of holo top coats: linear, flakie, and scattered. 

Linear Holo Top Coat

Linear means that the holo pigments are dense enough that when light reflects off of it you can see the holo in somewhat of a uniform line. Sometimes people call this the holo flame or holo flash. Just one thin coat of this over any base color you want and you’ll get that magical shifting rainbow prism effect. Now this is the whole point of a holo top coat. It allows you to transform any nail polish you got kicking around the house into holo. For example, you got some boring crème polishes from the drugstore, just slap one coat of linear holo top coat on to make them holo. Keep in mind that holo will look better if you whip out your iPhone flash. And that holo tends to show up better over darker polishes. So, if you want the maximum rainbow effect, choose a darker base color. But it’s all about personal preference, if you are looking for a more subtle holo effect, linear holo also looks nice over soft nudes. 

Flakie Holo Top Coat

Next up we have flakie holo top coat, which is my personal favorite. It’s got jagged asymmetrical holo flakes that give it a eye-catching holo sparkle. Looks so amazing over- no matter what you put it over. I think it’s perfect for the person who doesn’t really do nail art but wants crazy awesome looking nails. I admit I find myself topping Flakie Holo Top Coat over literally every manicure I do, layering it with over special effect polishes as well. 

Scattered Holo Top Coat

Last, we have scatter holo top coat. It’s got tiny micro silver holo glitters that get dispersed on the nail to look like the night sky. It adds an instant galaxy effect. It’s perfect for those who want more of a light fairy dusting of holo, or even for putting over existing nail art because it’s scattered enough that it doesn’t hide the design underneath. 

The shifting rainbows of the holo top coats are best seen over black polish. I also want to mention that to get the holo top coats to reflect rainbows, they look best under specific kinds of lighting. Such as, direct sunshine, halogen lighting which you may have in your kitchen or bathroom, or no matter where you are just whip out your phone flash to activate the holo. Generally speaking, office lighting and outdoor indirect lighting do not do the holo justice. 

Unicorn skins 

A unicorn skin is how I describe iridescent translucent flakies that shift in different colors depending on what angle you look at them. The most magical thing about iridescent unicorn skins is that they look different depending on what base color you put them over top. Over a dark polish, one unicorn skin might look red and yellow, but over a white polish, it might look pink and green. The flakies are asymmetrical in shape and no two flakies are the same. They’re floating in a clear base, so the base color of whatever you apply it over comes through. Just one coat of a unicorn skin is enough to transform your manicure. Shade or indirect lighting, like the sun through your blinds, will show the extreme shift of the iridescent flakes, while direct lighting or a phone flash will spark the predominant color of the flakie. Don’t forget like the holo top coats, unicorn skin top coats are technically a nail polish, so you will need to add a nice, thick glossy top coat to dry your nails quickly and get that glass like, smooth finish. 

This is the same polish!!

Shimmer

From far away, a shimmer polish will look kind of chromie and they will change the effect depending on the base color you put under them. Similar in principle to a unicorn skin, in that they are iridescent and that they shift, but they are a very different formula because they are a micro, very fine, pigment. Almost like a linear version of a unicorn skin. 

Holographic Polishes

Glitter

You get full coverage in 2 to 3 easy coats depending on the shade. These polishes are so jam packed with holo glitter, they put drug store polishes to shame. If you zoom in real close on the colored holos, you’ll see that it’s a mix of silver holo and different colors of holo glitters in the colored shades. For example, in the hot pink shade (Party Punch), there’s silver holo, light pink holo, and hot pink holo glitters.

The combination of silver and different colors of holo glitters makes the polish so much more unique and it really brings it to life with more dimension and depth. So when you stand back and see how all the glitters work together, it’s a beautiful holo formula. Not only are there 3 different colors of holo but 3 different sizes of holo glitter in this formula. It helps create a more full coverage look because the tinier glitters help fill in the smaller gaps on the nail, but then you also have the high impact of the larger glitters catching the light. Truely, multidimensional. You’ll also notice that all of the colored shades are in a tinted gel like base. This helps with application because it lets you apply the polish more evenly on the nail, but it also gives the

 polish a stunning depth because some glitter lie further down under the tinted base and some end up closer to the surface. It’s a tricky balance wanting enough color in the base to make the polish colorful, but also not wanting it to cover up the glitters.

Here’s a tip on applying glitter polishes. Always do very thin coats and let each coat dry before you add the next one. If you lay on the glitter too thick, it may have trouble drying evenly. In other words, you are better off doing 3 thin coats than two thick coats. Especially with lighter holo glitters where the base is more translucent. 

The trick to getting the perfect holo glitter manicure is to always use a glossy top coat. In fact, I recommend two thick glossy top coats because these polishes are so jam packed with glitter that they will dry down a bit rough on the nail. If you want a gel like, super smooth, super glass, glossy effect on top, two top coats does the trick. Let the first top coat dry down first and you’ll notice that some of it may seep into the glitter, and then apply a second top coat and it’ll look like you got your nails professionally sealed with a thousand pieces of holo. 

Glitter polish also isn’t the most fun thing to remove with nail polish remover. So that’s why you can use a peel-off base coat to just pop it off. Just remember to start your glitter manicure off with a peely base coat to pop it off later. 

Linear Holographic 

A linear holographic formula means it shows the holo rainbows in a linear pattern, like tiny little prism lines when you move the nail in the light. Don’t forget your glossy top coat. Aside from making your nails dry faster and locking in your manicure to last longer and prevent clipping, a glossy top coat really brings out the holos and makes them sparkle and shine to their fullest potential. 

Magnetics

The magnetic formula is probably going to be one of my

favorites even though it takes the longest to complete for a manicure. Colorful magnetics are very pigmented and may cause staining depending on the porousness of the nail and the use of a protective base coat. First, in order to apply these nail polishes, you must shake the bottle to help evenly distribute magnetic pigments. Then, apply a thick but even coat of magnetic polish, working one nail at a time. Next, immediately activate the effect with a magnetic wand while the polish is still wet by hovering the wand over the nail. Hold still for one minute. Or, by painting the nail while your finger rests on top of the rectangle side of the wand, silver magnet side up. This works best for longer nails and thinner fingertips as the magnetic is closer to the nail for a stronger effect. Remember to hold still and keep the wand in place while the polish dries, at least 60 seconds. The longer you wait, the sharper the magnetic effect. When applying the second or third coat, make sure to use the wand in the same direction to get the desired design. Finally, lock it in with a nice thick glossy top coat for quick-dry and long-lasting results. Use the magnetic wand one last time as the top coat dries. 

Chrome and Metallic 

Multi-chromes

Multichrome polishes are a transformative color shifting formula made with multi-chromatic pigments that shift different colors depending on the angle of the light. Because these polishes have chrome based pigments, they may show more imperfections in the natural nail since they are more reflective. So, for example, if you have uneven nails with dents or ridges, it might be more obvious if you use a multichrome polish just over your naked nail. One way to make the final result appear smooth and silky is to use a smoothing base coat. Apply 2 to 3 coats for opacity. They will apply somewhat sheer on the first coat, but as with all multichrome polishes, I recommend building them up in thin coats rather than thick coats, or else you may see more brush streaks. So, start with one thin coat, try to paint in nice, even long brush strokes, and then by two coats, you have great coverage. And I more or less use the third coat as an opportunity to get the straightest brush strokes. That’s not necessary, but I recommend it to get that perfect multichrome brush stroke for that super even chromie final finish. As always, seal it in with a nice thick glossy top coat to make it dry quicker and prevent your manicure from chipping. 

Chrome

Chrome polish is a special formula to get your nails a highly reflective and shiny finish. For best results, use a quick-dry base coat since other base coats may not yield smooth application results. Another recommendation is to cap the end of the nail first so you can finish with a clean application in the center of the nail. Do not overstroke this formula. The most important thing to remember when applying for this polish. Repeatedly stroking and applying too much pressure with the brush will cause residual pick-up. Chrome formula is designed for high impact shine, and is not intended for long wear due to its unique pigment properties. If desired, once the chrome coat is fully dry, top it off with a glossy top coat steal in the mani for a durability boost. And the smooth chrome formula removes super easily with nail polish remover. 

Frosted metals 

Frosted metals is a metallic foil flake formula that includes tiny and medium sized reflective flakies, which vary from shade to shade and with different tinted base colors and they leave a cool frosty, shiny reflective finish. They also remove pretty normally with nail polish remover because they are foil flakes rather than hard glitter. The flakes are thin and lay flat on the nail, which makes them a bit easier to remove than regular glitter. It might just take a little bit of extra scrubbing than just a regular crème but it’s still much easier than glitter.