In Shadows

I love those graphic shades that remind me of comic book colors.
Not the brightly pigmented ones, but the shading colors of blues and greens that add depth but aren't really noticed.

When I was a kid I read a lot of shoujo manga. Aside from amazing technical craftsmanship, the beauty and dreamlike quality of the faces of the girls enthralled me. It was a world of impossibilities, filled with beauty, soap, fashion, and color.
I could digress on how the girls were of a perfect European type, completely unattainable by most mortal girls, but at the time who cared? I still have one from the "day" and even though it's very old, it holds up to today's manga.

Here are two shadowy shades today.

First up: It's Not Me, It's Blue

Sheer, but manifold in it's foil-y beauty. Four coats, no worries. The color is that of a blue gray sky where the protagonist waits for her boyfriend to come over and kiss her, she's nervous and her hair is blowing about in the wind and it's watercolored in shades of blue and deep gray.
(oh, he kisses her alright)

These glass fleck foils aren't quite as metallic as some of the foils with more silver in them (the bottles form a ring of silver sometimes in those), but it's got a gothic charm.


Up next: Sparitual Steel Magnolia

Three coats, somewhat frosty. I wonder how close this is to Orly Midnight Star? I am thinking less red leaning, however I am so shy on Orly dupes that if it wasn't I'd be surprise (looking at a quick google search seems to make me think it isn't, but some photos look very similar. Ah the webz).

Back to shoujo manga: This is the color of a school uniform (a constant in shoujo manga) or a backpack. Or a pensive horizon.

I will say that I also redid this manicure later and did it with MUA member Blitherboop's sponge method. It was much more amazing, no frost and just a fine shimmer. Looooooved! Didn't take a photo, but did really like the result - it solved the brushstrokes!

Steel Magnolia was found at an online beauty discounter like Hautelook, Ideeli or Gilt, can't recall which one it was. I believe it is discontinued through Sparitual. Bummer, it's a great color.

Even though they are nothing alike in their finish, they are similar in their color:

There is the distinct possibility that Steel Magnolia would be a great base for It's Not Me It's Blue, I didn't try it, but looking at these photos, it would work as a great base.

Last but not least:

Distinct gray-blue shades that are both very nice. It's an uncommon color and I don't have many colors in this particular range.

Like watercolor washes of shadows and skies and wind-blown hair and other details of my favorite manga.

Thanks for reading my little nail polish journal!