Eclipse. Let's just get the one out of the way first. This color is nothing like I expected it to be based on the early images. In reality, Eclipse is a dark blue with silver frost. It is slightly purple- it is more obvious in real life, but there are definite purple tones in this. The color is nice but I'm just not really on board with this new Frost Revival thing going on. It's really not a bad polish at all, but my expectations were just super high for this... This was what I hoped it would look like:
Dark purple, blue, green- duochrome looking with glitter or even flakes. Isn't that what it looks like there? It looks incredible. I was so excited about this shade. But now all I can say is this:
Raindrops. Actually... my blurry low-light picture of this was better at showing the cool qualities of this shade. It's a blue-toned light grey jelly-creme (very sheer- this is three thick coats) with lots of random and irregular shaped silver flakes. This one turned out really well, pretty much exactly like the promo shot:
Shrapnel. This isn't as bad as everyone's making it out to be. I rather like it. It's a coppery rose gold metallic- or is it chrome? Yes, it's frosty but it is super shiny and reflective, so it has more of a chrome finish than a true frost. Reminds me of the China Glaze Romantique collection chromes. Very, very shiny. I had expected this to be more of an orangey copper flame type shade with glitter, but it's really quite different! This has a definite 80's dance party look to it. Retro-futuristic. And yes, brushstrokes :( But, I think this might be great for Konad- it is VERY dense and pigmented- this is one coat. But really, nothing like I expected based on this:
Yeah... that's really not the same polish, is it?But, the formula was great as usual. It's Illamasqua. Their formula is one of the best I've ever used. Thick, opaque, smooth- with the exception of Raindrops which is sheer. Drying time was good. Brushes were nice and even and thick. No problems with the formula or brushes.
You know, this is really sticky territory for me. On one hand, these polishes definitely weren't what I was expecting, but on the other hand I don't want to insult or upset the winners of the contest because I was disappointed. Also, I am a giant Illamasqua fan and this is the first time I have been let down by the colors, that kinda stings... I think Raindrops turned out the best and truest to the original pictures, but I really loved the inspiration behind Eclipse and Shrapnel too. If any of the winners are reading this- how do you feel about the end result? Is it what you imagined it would look like?
And also because I'm really super curious about what the other entries were like- how many of you entered? What was your color going to be like? I'm positively dying to know this. Please comment and tell me all about it if you entered.
I have seen a disturbing amount of frosts this year... I hope this is just a phase.
(These were sent to me for review.)
same thoughts here.
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of disappointed. the nail varnish I was lookin forward to the most was shrapnel. which turned out to be a really really awkward rosty rose metalic varnish. me no likey.
eclipse is nice. but just nice. not overwhelming. and raindrops is a complete disappointment. 3 coats? seriously?
They don't look like the bottle colours. Eclipse and Shrapnel are WAY off. Not for me. But there is not an Illamasqua of any collection worth the £13 they cost IMO.
ReplyDeleteI so share your thoughts on Eclipse. It looks totally different. And while Shrapnel isn't a total turnoff, the promo pic looks a lot less red/pink than it came out IRL. I am also disappoint. :(
ReplyDeleteMy idea was for a dusty lavender/mauve with golden flecks, inspired by the reflection of a sunset on the surface of a lake (a picture I took in Finland). Thinking of it, I guess it would have resembled Raindrops, but with a different color scheme (and more contrasting colors, probably).
Not long after the contest ended, they sent me an email informing me that I had made the final shortlist of 50 people, which entitled me to a nifty, limited-time discount code on their website.
I hate saying it, but I'm kind of disappointed, too. I had high, high hopes for Eclipse! And Shrapnel! I didn't really pay attention to Raindrops, since I can't pull off a color that light. I mean, the colors are pretty I suppose, but not as fantastic as they looked in the promo pictures.
ReplyDeleteI'm not really digging this frost revival, either. I like my polishes smooth and brushstroke free, thank you very much.
I did enter, and much to my shock, made it into the top 50. My polish was a bright, red-orange polish with sky blue, purple, golden yellow, and grass green shimmer. It was based on desert wildflowers.
Scrangie-
ReplyDeleteOn a different subject, is Essie Velvet Voyeur a dupe for Color Club Ready to Royal? Do I need to buy both?
Wow...based on your pictures I think I just got an elf polish yesterday that matches Shrapnel. I haven't worn it yet though but it looks similar. I was a bit let down by these as well, based on the promo I thought I would love all three. I like Raindrops though, and that one was my least favourite.
ReplyDeleteSince I don't like visible brush strokes, I'll probably skip this but I do think Raindrops is pretty. I'm curious about how it compares, color-wise, to Eyeko Raindrops.
ReplyDeleteI'm not as big a Illamasqua fan as most others seem to be, but I think this is just sad. I'd say they succeeded wih Raindrops, which makes me happy, since it's the color I liked the best from the promo pics. Eclipse is really sad. In your photos it just looks like a slightly dusty dark blue frost. I don't need that. In fact, I wouldn't even pay $2 for it, so £13 is not an option. Shrapnel I wasn't ever interested in, but the actual outcome I'm even less interested in than the promo pic.
ReplyDeleteNah, I'd say Illamasqua made a mistake with these. Very sad.
I'm completely with you on the new colors...and I would be soooo sad if they'd effed up my color (Scandalous, you were SOOO right!) Raindrops seems to be the only one they got right. My entry can be seen on my blog under the tag Contest Entries: scroll down to see it. Then I frankened it and got really close to what I was trying to create, but not quite. I'm really happy with the franken though. (you can see that one under the tag: "Franken" hehehee.
ReplyDeleteI don't own any Illamasqua yet, but hope to soon.
I really love Raindrops! Does it have any dupes?
ReplyDeleteI heart Shrapnel. And I love the blue base of Raindrops. Initially, when I heard about it, Raindrops was the one I was least interested in, now that I have seen it, I think its base color is gorgeous. Disappointed in Eclipse though. Alot
ReplyDeleteI had a Mitsubishi Mirage that was the color of Eclipse. I was often asked what the color was. Mitsubishi called it Bangkok Blue. I loved telling people that! ;p I thought it was an awesome color.
ReplyDeletehmm, I like Raindrops! I'd probably drop the money for that.
ReplyDeleteI entered the contest and also made the top 50. I'd wanted a robin's egg blue with little black flake/glitter interspersed within it--it may have been impossible--for the impression of one's nails looking like little robin eggs. D:
I was initially not very excited about the winning colors, but slightly intrigued by Shrapnel. The actual products still don't excited me much, and I am more disappointed that Shrapnel doesn't look like the promo pic. I entered; my entry was for a perfect pear green. I also got an email saying I was in the top 50... I actually suspect that more than 50 people got the email stating as such. I'm curious to see if there were any entries that did *not* get the "top 50" email.
ReplyDeleteI think I agree with everyone else. All of these polishes are such a disappoint! I was so excited about Eclipse by the promo pictures I was saving my money to afford to buy it but after looking at your pictures, I have decided against the decision.
ReplyDeleteKeep Posting Scrangie! Your blog is awesome :D
I echo my first thoughts. Dude these suck! They really do. Sorry Illamasqua. You let me dooown. I about died when I first saw the promo pics for Eclipse. It's nothing like my dreams of it.
ReplyDeleteI really love Shrapnel. It seems like a nice shade for a neutral skin tone. I don't understand the name at all in relation to the color, but I think it's gorgeous. In terms of being true to the inspiration...it seems to have veered far off course.
ReplyDeleteRaindrops is such a fascinating shade. I love irregular glitter particles.
i am the creator of raindrops and am anxiously awaiting my bottles in the mail... i am very pleased with what they have come up with and yes, it seems that mine is the one that turned out the closest to the promo pics... and that's alright with me!! it looks beautiful and i don't care how many coats it takes i will be rockin' this shade as soon as i get my hands (and fingernails) on it! thank you so much for posting this!! xoxo
ReplyDeletep.s. it is just as i dreamed... i wanted it to look like raindrops fell on my finger tips and i believe they have captured that reflective quality!
ReplyDeleteWow. The new frost trend. I am scared!
ReplyDelete2010: Year of the Dupes
2011: Year of the Frosts?
I hope some polish companies read this blog: Folks, here's a tip: Clarins 230 goes for triple digits on ebay. Guess what people really want?
I was actually thinking Schrapnel would be like DS Magic, that sort of finish, not a frost.
I haz disapoint, too.
I made the shorlist, but i think my polish cannot be created yet...a super black with a very visible cool tone, intense bright red interference/duochrome, ala zoya adina, but not frosty at all.
ReplyDeleteI didn't get in the top 50 with my entry. My entry was for a dark blue-green, with a sea green iridescent layered/duochrome effect. My guess was that it was just too complex a concept for a company that mainly has cremes and shimmers, and Illamasqua has a lot of greens already. I just love greens far too much! :)
ReplyDeleteI think their choices seem to be on trend, with frosts being back in style. I do think that Eclipse is boring, and although Shrapnel is pretty, not at all like the inspiration photo on their website, nor like the original bottle pic. Raindrops is lovely. I probably won't purchase any of these, however, because I would have to order from the UK, and the price is just too high for any polish with the exchange. Ah well...I just got 6 of the new Sally Hansen Xtreme Wears for fall, for $1.99 each, and they will suit me just fine. :)
I entered the contest and was supposedly in the top 50 (?), I think. I was so bummed that I didn't make it to the top. My idea was inspired by pictures taken by the Hubble telescope of the Orion Nebula. You can google it to pull up some pretty breath-taking pics. I wanted it to be a dark based multi-chrome with various sized holo and silver glitter bits mixed in to represent stars. *sigh* It's my dream polish.
ReplyDeleteThe cool thing is that once Orly Space Cadet came out, and I slapped some fabulous pa A126 on top, I realized it practically was my dream polish in effect. Orly....did you get in my brain and steal my idea? lol Just kidding. Here's a link to a sort of bad picture I took of it.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/GUUZGMEXqT_vqBqjCmxuVVMQ6tgFnwYCLEp_5Xnbgd0?feat=directlink
I'm very sad that my favorite company didn't decide to pick my idea, but of course I'm happy for the winners. Over all I can't say I'm in love with any of the winning colors.
I really don't like ANY of these polishes, I'm sorry... :(
ReplyDeleteI think the winners had great ideas, but the end result is just... Not that good at all (IMO).
I also entered with a holographic nail polish ofcourse. I wanted it to be dark, bloody red with crazy holographic shimmer. And I also made it to the top 50...
But now I'm wondering that if I would have won, would my dream polish really look like my dream polish? So I'm really wondering if the winners are satisfied with their "dream" polishes... ?
hi scrangie!
ReplyDeletei was disappointed too :( i wish the actual polishes looked more like the bottle pics they first released...
i joined the contest and made it to the top fifty.. it was a black red polish that was my tribute to a doll i made and lost.. i wrote about it in my blog..
http://www.polishpolice.com/?p=575
like you, i'm also wondering how happy the winners are with the end result..
Super disappointed by eclipse but more pleased than I expected about raindrops... coppery colors aren't for me so I was never enthused about shrapnel and still am not.
ReplyDeleteSooo disappointing! The only interesting one is Raindrops. Would you say it's similar to Orly's Pixie?
ReplyDeleteTHe only one I like is Raindrops. I wonder what the contest winners actually think, and how close the polishes look compared to their entries?
ReplyDeleteEven Raindrop gets an F from me. 3 coats and i can still see your nail. Not the fault of the winners. The manufacturer just did a poor job interpreting the colours.
ReplyDeleteI like raindrops a lot. Pity, I find that that shade doesn't go well with my skin tone.
ReplyDeleteHm. I was excited about the idea of Shrapnel. Thought it would be a true copper-coloured chrome. Not at all loving the actual result.
ReplyDeleteMy entry was for a putty/ taupe coloured polish with a very visible/ strong pale green/ teal shimmer. Like chrysoprase, the rock.
I wish Eclipse looked like the promo pic.
ReplyDeleteThe only one I'd pick up would be Raindrops, but I still don't even think it's extremely amazing.
The 'Son I am Disappoint' graphic made me snort loudly at my desk.
ReplyDelete