Aliquid Lacquer First Fantastiversary Collection, Swatches and Review

Hi everyone! You may have seen my reviews of Aliquid Lacquer on this blog. Well now the brand turns one, and Alison has put together three polishes for the occasion. I'll also be giving you the scoop on different deals and events running this week.

Aliquid Lacqeur Artsy, Dogged, and Gregarious

About the collection: 

These three polishes are about reflection on the past year as well as resolutions for the next. They reflect on struggles that Alison has faced as a maker and qualities she's like to foster in herself. I think that's a great idea for a set of polishes, and it was interesting to hear what struggles stood out for her this past year.


The swatches:

Descriptions in italics are provided by the brand. My own thoughts on each polish come after.

Artsy
A coral crelly with various shades of turquoise, yellow, purple and grey matte hexes.
It can be tough sometimes to stay creative when inventing new polish shades. In the next year, I want to broaden my horizons and approach polish making from a fresh perspective!

Aliquid Lacquer Artsy

This is an interesting mix of colours and one I probably would not normally gravitate towards. But I know lots of people love coral shades and this is a nice muted coral colour. Formula wise it was a bit thick but very manageable, I just had to make sure to wait a minute or two in between coats. This was 3 coats.

Aliquid Lacquer Artsy

Dogged
A brown scattered holographic polish with coppery red flecks and a blue sheen.
Being a new indie can be discouraging, especially if you compare yourself to older, more successful brands. In the next year, I will keep believing in my own talents!

Aliquid Lacquer Dogged

This was my favourite of the bunch both for the unique colour and the formula. I couldn't see the blue sheen but I did see a flash of red shimmer along with the tiny flecks. The flecks are really small so they don't stand out, but they are noticeable and add to the interest of this polish. Formula was excellent and I had no issues with this. This was 3 coats.

Aliquid Lacquer Dogged

Gregarious
A lime green jelly filled with holographic and iridescent green, yellow and gold glitter in multiple shapes and sizes, plus magenta flecks.
Running any business requires one skill I'm not great at: talking to people! I have had to leave my comfort zone many times this year. In the next year, I promise to stay open and approachable to customers and the nail community at large!

Aliquid Lacquer Gregarious

Unfortunately this was my least favourite of the bunch. I found the formula really difficult to work with. It is very thick and I had to be very careful to get it on somewhat evenly. I added a few drops of thinner, which helped, but only temporarily. If you like this polish I would suggest layering one coat over a matching base colour. This was 3 coats.

Aliquid Lacquer Gregarious

Champagne frosting scented lip balm 

Dry, floral grape meets sweet vanilla frosting for a decidedly classy celebration!

Aliquid Lacquer Lip Balm Champagne Frosting

I would call the scent "grape with a twist." I didn't notice the vanilla, but it's still a lovely fruity scent. I own several Aliquid lip balms and they are great for everyday use. I have one in my purse and one at my desk so I use them frequently. I think the Champagne Frosting scent is probably my favourite so far, but I really love fruity scents.


Anniversary Details:

In addition to the three new polishes and new lip balm, Aliquid is also running a number of specials, giveaways and even a nail art contest. Here's the scoop on what to expect for the remainder of the week. Details are provided by Aliquid Lacquer:

The anniversary celebrations will run from November 20 through December 1 (Cyber Monday). In addition to a Black Friday-Cyber Monday sale, the three new polishes will be on sale for the entire period. In addition:

-There will be a giveaway of the three polishes on the Aliquid blog (http://blog.aliquidlacquer.com) running the whole time.
-There will be a nail art contest running on Instagram--the directions will be posted on the Aliquid Lacquer feed (@aliquidlacquer) and on Facebook (http://facebook.com/ALIQUIDLacquer).
-Each day, a different set of polishes will be discounted at the shop (not Etsy, just http://shop.aliquidlacquer.com). So people should check back every day for new deals!

-There will be flash giveaways on the Aliquid Lacquer Facebook page every few days.

Final thoughts:

I would encourage you to check out the Aliquid Lacquer Facebook page and Instagram, because you might find something you want on special. Also the giveaways are fun, and a good way to score a discount code or a gift certificate (I won $10 - woo hoo!). 

As for the polishes, Dogged is by far my favourite, and Artsy is also great if you love coral colours, and crellies. Since they are on sale, this week would be a good time to pick them up.

Which polish is your favourite? Have you tried Aliquid Lacquer yet?

*Products provided for review, all opinions are my own. See my disclosure policy for more details.*