Review: Literary Lacquers Part 1!

(Press samples and affiliate links ahead!)

Hello!

I've been a huge fan of Literary Lacquers for years--I love reading, I'm a writer, and I love nail polish, so how could I not, right? But the most important reasons I love the brand are that Amy makes gorgeous polishes--especially holos--and is a positive force for community and for the world, from the eco-friendly packaging she uses to her constant outreach. One of the polishes I'm going to show you today is an excellent example of that.

Today we're gonna take a look at three polishes, and then I'll be back later this week with four more drool-worthy beauties.

The Color Purple 

So let's jump in! First up a polish inspired by The Color Purple by Alice Walker, an award-winning book that explores resilience in the face of overwhelming struggle and pain--and the power of women and female relationships.

If you haven't read this, you should--even if you've seen the movie or the play.






Everything You Love, based on a quote that asserts God wants us to be happy and enjoy life, is a linear smoky lavender holographic polish with a periwinkle flash:

Literary Lacquers Everything You Love

Literary Lacquers Everything You Love

Literary Lacquers Everything You Love

This is three coats of excellent formula. Application was flawless. It's a nail blogger's nightmare to get a package of gorgeous holos to swatch and then have overcast weather for several days while swatching--and that's what happened to me here. But you can see how beautiful the linear flash is on this even with these indoor shots.


I love that this color has a muted, dusty quality to it that captures the emotion of the book, and makes the polish sophisticated and elegant. I love that the periwinkle in the rainbow also has a dusty quality to it--it gives it a mystical, otherworldly glow. Compare it to the purple I show you in the next review, which is bolder  with a bolder flash--both absolutely stunning for very different purposes. The range is a testament to Amy's skill as a polish-maker.


And speaking of range, next up is a creme, inspired by the musical Kismet, which Wikipedia assures me is based on an out-of-print play by Edward Knoblock. No matter, because the name is actually inspired by a song in the musical; Salmon Chanted Evening is a pun from the lyrics. More importantly for our current purposes, it's a salmon creme that leans to the orange-coral side:

Literary Lacquers Salmon Chanted Evening

Literary Lacquers Salmon Chanted Evening

Literary Lacquers Salmon Chanted Evening

Literary Lacquers Salmon Chanted Evening

This is three thin coats; I got some drag as I applied but found that this mostly leveled out as it dried. I'd recommend three thin coats rather that two thick ones to get the smoothest application.


This is one of those universally flattering colors--a gorgeous coral-salmon looks good on just about everybody, any time of year. In outdoor light, you get a little more pink. This is such a lovely color for summer, it has a refreshing, soft feel to it that I adore.


Last for today, but most certainly not least, is Tonight's Adventure, a linear pink-leaning coral holographic that will knock your socks off:

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

Literary Lacquers Tonight's Adventure

This is two coats with butter-smooth application and perfect formula.


Tonight's Adventure isn't named after a book, it's a charity polish Amy developed in concert with another blogger to raise money for the International OCD Foundation.


OCD stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and it has special meaning for me, because it's something I've struggled with most of my life.  OCD is an anxiety disorder that causes obsessive thoughts and behaviors; the most well-known example of this is probably obsessive hand-washing and fear of germs. I have struggled with that aspect of it--I used to wash my hands so many times a day that they'd constantly crack and bleed. Another typical aspect I battle with is checking my doors and appliances to make sure they're locked/off, even when I know I already turned them off. OCD also involves strange relationships with numbers (think of Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory always having to knock three times), intrusive thoughts (like when standing on a subway platform, suddenly worrying about leaping in front of a train or being pushed in front of a train), and much more. I struggle with those, too.


Notice I said I have to check my doors to be sure they're locked even when I know I already locked them--we're not talking about how everybody wonders if they forgot to turn off their oven now and again. People with OCD can know they locked their door, and still have to check it--two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven+ times in a row. That's the most difficult part of the disorder--you know when you're doing these things they aren't reasonable, but you can't stop: you still feel like you have to do them or something horrible will happen and it will be all your fault. It makes no sense, and you know it makes no sense, but you're still compelled to do it, and if you don't do it, your anxiety skyrockets and becomes so overwhelming you can't function.


I'm lucky--my OCD is mostly sub-clinical, which means it mostly doesn't effect my quality of life, and with therapy I've been able to get it under control. I used to have to schedule in extra time when I left the house to avoid being late because of my 'checking' routine--imagine adding half an hour minimum every time you have to leave the house. And you can see from my swatch pictures that I've gotten the hand-washing under control now, no more cracking and bleeding, but if you go back to the early days of my blog, you can see the tail-end of the battle when I couldn't get my cuticles to look decent--I still wash my hands far more than other people. And, I have premature age spots on the back of my hands because of the damage I've done to my skin.


Still, that doesn't sound major, right? WRONG. I had a manageable level of OCD to start with. For so many it's so much worse that they can't function, can't get through a normal day the way other people do, often can't even leave the house. It's such a difficult disorder to battle, it takes a ton of time, money, and medication as things stand now. So I applaud Amy for creating a polish to raise awareness and money for this cause, to help people see this isn't just about being 'anal' or persnickety, it's a crippling mental health disorder with devastating consequences.


Right now the polish is not available, but I'm hoping she'll bring it back for another round of fundraising (maybe if we ask her nicely?). If you missed the polish for now but still would like to donate to the International OCD foundation, you can find their information here. I know Amy and I would both be truly grateful.


That's it for now--but I'll be back before you know it with four more luscious lovelies! In the meantime, you can find Literary Lacquers here, and follow them on Facebook here, and Instagram here.


Happy polishing!
M.