Literary Lacquers 2015 Community Collection: Swatches and Review

Press Sample 

*These products are Cruelty Free 

It's time! Time for the 3rd annual Community Collection from Literary Lacquers! Amy of Literary Lacquers works with members of the community to curate an awesome collection each year that releases around the holidays.

Literary Lacquers

The 2015 Community Collection

The first thing you need to know is that this collection actually consists of 8 new shades. What is the 9th you ask? It's a FREE Limited Edition polish that is a Gift with Purchase. Details at the end. Since these were all collaboration polishes, I'll post a bit about who the co-conspirator  collaborator is and their inspirations! Once again, I'm left apologizing that I didn't have even remotely decent weather for these so no sun or natural light/shade shots.

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Burning Slowly From the Inside Out

This one is an orange-red linear holo with white and orange red flakies designed with Destany Pingle of Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom (http://www.confessionsofasarcasticmom.com/)  inspired by The Selection series by Keira Cass.  My inspiration was my current literary obsession - The Selection novel series by Kiera Cass. The covers are just so amazing, and I've dreamed about the fiery red-orange of the cover of The Elite. Let me just say this - I'm not much of a romance reader. These books are fairly high in the romance department, but the dystopian drama fills it up, too. This series is kind of like The Hunger Games meets the Bachelor. The country has been torn apart by war, and from the ashes it has risen as a caste system, complete with a ruling monarch. When the ruling monarch's child is "of age," there's a competition of sorts. Girls from all over the land are chosen to compete to be the prince's wife. Let's just say I found myself wanting a Prince Maxon in my life! But the true star is the cover of these books. They are fabulous studies in gorgeous colors! My favorite is the cover of The Elite, which features a beautiful fiery red-orange gown (on our heroine) with a background of shimmery white holo-y goodness. And as for the name? It comes from this quote... “It wasn’t like I made his world better. It was like I was his world. It wasn’t some explosion; it wasn’t fireworks. It was a fire, burning slowly from the inside out.” - Kiera Cass, The Elite

I used 2 coats with one coat of top coat. No issues at all with formula or application.

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Free to Fly

This one is a soft lavender holo with blue iridescent flakies and green glass fleck, designed with Jennifer Zakroff and inspired by Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison (@jzakroff on IG)
"Too much tail. All that jewelry weighs it down. Like vanity. Can't nobody fly with all that shit. Wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down." - Song of Solomon, Toni Morrison

I used 3 light coats of this one to build to opacity and one coat of top coat. Great, easy formula.

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Leaves of Grass

This one is an emerald green glitter  holo designed with Alex Bacon-Leslie, longtime friend and Admin Extraordinaire of the Literary (&) Lacquers facebook group (@alexcansmile on Instagram) and was inspired by Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman. Leaves of Grass is one of the great, iconic American poetry collections. Walt Whitman wrote about nature and exalted the material world, sensual pleasures and the human body. Each edition of the collection was different. When it was first published it only included 12 poems, but by the end of Whitman’s life it contained more than 400. Such an iconic work felt appropriate to lend its’ name to this gorgeous green polish. Leaves of Grass is a work that demonstrates the human condition, which resonated with me from the first time I picked up a copy. This iteration of the idea of “Leaves of Grass” is a sun-drenched meadow in a bottle.

I used 2 coats with one coat of top coat which left it perfectly smooth to the touch. No issues at all.

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My Favorite Day

This one is a deep amber holo designed with Jody Morris Feldman (@jodyzelda on Instagram) and inspired by Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne 
Jody writes: "It's one of my favorite quotes from Winnie the Pooh, which the father of my grandson had me read to him over and over again when he was a little boy. Winnie asks Piglet what day it is and Piglet answers 'it's today' to which Winnie says 'my favorite day '. I told my son, every time I read it to him, that every day with him was my favorite day, so now I know that every day with his son is his favorite day. Mushy, I know, but that's what grandparenthood has done to me."

I used 2 coats of this one with one coat of top coat. Nicely self-leveling and no issues to report.

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Phizzwizard

Phizzwizard – Soft seafoam green holo designed with Traci Hatling of Newsie Nail Novice (http://tracihatling.blogspot.com/) - inspired by The BFG by Roald Dahl. “Sophie peered into the jar and there, sure enough, she saw the faint, translucent outline of something about the size of a hen’s egg. There was just a touch of colour in it, a pale sea-green, soft and shimmering and very beautiful. There it lay, this small oblong sea-green jellyfish thing, at the bottom of the jar, quite peaceful, but pulsing gently, the whole of it moving in and out ever so slightly, as though it were breathing.”

I used 3 light coats of this one for opacity and one coat of top coat. No issues with formula or application.

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A Sensible Rabbit

This one is a taupey neutral shimmering holo with black microglitter designed with Cassandra Pio of Fierce Hearts Wildlife Rehabilitation and inspired by Watership Down by Richard Adams. Watership Down is a story of brains over brawn, the power of the underdog, compassion, and most importantly: rabbits. A Sensible Rabbit is inspired by Hyzenthlay, whose name is translated in the book as “fur that shines like dew.” She’s a no-nonsense doe who rises to the occasion when it’s her time to shine. The book might focus on the boys, but it’s a lady of a rabbit who really saves the day. I wanted a polish that mimicked a rabbit’s surprisingly complex fur, with enough sparkle to get me through a slog of a day, and of course Amy delivered. It’s a testament to my character that I love the same books I did when I was 11 as well as work in a field my childhood self would think is pretty awesome. I’m blown away by the support that Amy and the indie polish community have offered me as I get Fierce Hearts Wildlife Rehabilitation off the ground. You can follow my exploits, rabbit related and otherwise, on my facebook page.

I used 3 light coats and one coat of top coat for this one and if you guessed that THIS ONE is my favorite, ding ding ding you are a winner!

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Stinky Little Truck

This one is a shimmering silver scattered holo and goes with the next one, Veronika (more about that next). It was created with Michelle Chouinard of Lacquer or Leave Her who asked Literary Lacquers to create these colors in collaboration with Julia. Michelle writes: In the Hot Off the Press books, Veronica Layne drives a biodiesel truck that runs off of vegetable oil; it’s an excellent alternative fuel, but can make your car smell like a vat of French fries. But really, that’s a small price to pay to keep the earth healthy, especially if you can look like this while you’re doing it. I love metallics and bling during the holidays, but have had difficulty finding a silver polish that has an elegant, sophisticated feel while still making my fingers sparkle and shine. The subtle linear holo and flecked finish in this polish satisfy my need for something that’s glamorous and special, without going way over the top.

I used 2 coats of this one with one coat of top coat. To be honest I was a bit afraid this one would apply with streaks but it didn't! So happy!

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Veronika

Inspired by the Veronika Layne Hot Off the Press mysteries by Julia Park Tracey, as mentioned with Stinky Little Truck, this collaboration was the brainchild of blogger Michelle Chouinard of Lacquer or Leave Her who asked Literary Lacquers to create these colors in collaboration with Julia.

This one is a sort of a bruised plum - purple/violet holo with a smattering of tiny holo flakes. Julia writes: I see this as the perfect choice for the character of Veronika Layne, who is a kind of goth-hippie. She’s a tree-hugger and an eco-warrior, who has tattoos, body piercings and loves her sexy lingerie and her black and white cat. Purple nails? Yes, please!

I used 2 coats with one coat of top coat. Perfect formula!

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And FINALLY...the Limited Edition polish that will be FREE with purchase (details below)

Give My Heart

Warm medium pink (with hints of coral) glitter holo with copper micro-glitters. This one was designed by Literary Lacquers' creator Amy and inspired by In The Bleak Midwinter, a Christmas poem by Christina Rosetti. 

What can I give Him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;

If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;

Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

I used 3 light coats with one coat of top coat and had no issues at all with formula or application.

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What do you think? Favorites? I've already given a shout-out to my favorite, A Sensible Rabbit. I also  would pick Veronika and Burning Slowly if I just absolutely HAD to pick my top 3.

Here are all the details you need:

Launch Dec 1, 2015 at 12:00 PM (NOON) Mountain Standard Time on the Literary Lacquers shop site.
Give My Heart is a Limited Edition Gift with Purchase. Terms of GWP are $24 purchase gets a free mini (5 mL), $48 purchase gets a free full size (15 mL).
For orders over $75 use the following codes:

2015HOLIDAY for free domestic shipping 

or 

2015INTERNATIONAL for $7 off international shipping.

All promotions are good from 12/1/15 at 12 PM (NOON) Mountain Standard Time through New Year’s Day.

Links:
Literary Lacquers shop 
Literary Lacquers Facebook 
Literary Lacquers Instagram


*These were sent to me by Literary Lacquers for my honest opinion
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