Start Off with a Clean State

SpaRitual Slate Nail Lacquer ($10.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is described as a “gray metallic shimmer infused with rhyolite.” It’s a gray-shimmered olive-tinged brown. I’d almost say it looks like taupe, but there’s this green hue that keeps peeking through, which makes me hesitate. When I was looking for dupes, the category that ended up resembling this most, because of the lighter antique golds (like Illamasqua Swinger and its own slew of dupes), but they were all quite lighter. Anyone have a dupe suggestion?

The consistency was a smidgen on the thinner side, but it didn’t have much of an impact on the application–needed to be a little more careful as it spread easily.  Slate was fully opaque after two coats.  There were noticeable brush strokes in the end result; they were very minimal under natural light, but they were apparent in brighter light.   The unique color and generally straight brush strokes (when you see ‘em) are forgivable, but it will depend on your tolerance for them (it did impact the ratings).  I typically get a full week of wear out of SpaRitual’s formula with very minor tip wear and no chipping.

The Glossover

LE	Slate A-
	The unique color and generally straight brush strokes (when you see 'em) are forgivable, but it will depend on your tolerance for them!
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 9.5/10 Texture 8.5/10 Longevity 9.5/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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SpaRitual Slate Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Slate Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Slate Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Slate Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Slate Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Slate Nail Lacquer

There’s Something Murky Lurking In Here

SpaRitual Lithophonic Nail Lacquer ($10.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is described as a “deep brown metallic shimmer infused with rhyolite.” It’s a murky olive-tinged brown with olive green shimmer. Dior Czarina is darker, less green. Dior Amazonia is an olive green, so it is a lot less brown and has no shimmer. China Glaze Agro is much greener, less brown. NARS Mash is also quite greener with way less brown in it.  China Glaze Zombie Zest came the closest, though it is obviously lighter; it has a similar brown-colored base and green shimmer.

This shade is totally opaque with two coats of the polish.  It had a good consistency–not too thick or too thin–and flowed evenly across the nail without bubbling or streaking.  The shimmer dispersed evenly and just barely created brush strokes–only noticeable with a lot of light and barely under those conditions. I love SpaRitual’s packaging, because the rubberized handle makes it easier to hold and open the bottle.  I typically see a week of wear out of SpaRitual’s formula with very minor tip wear.

The Glossover

LE	Lithophonic A
	It's a very interesting shade, because it's brown, then it's olive, and then it's almost green. I like the way it changes based on the lighting and the angle, and the formula was good overall to boot!
	Product 10/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 9.5/10 Longevity 9.5/10 Application 4.5/5
	Where to Buy
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SpaRitual Lithophonic Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Lithophonic Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Lithophonic Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Lithophonic Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Lithophonic Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Lithophonic Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Lithophonic Nail Lacquer

Shimmer, Glitter, and Rock, Oh My!

SpaRitual Conglomerate Nail Lacquer ($10.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is described as a “charcoal rock glitter infused with rhyolite.” This has a murky gray base with olive green shimmer and circular black and light gray flecks. It’s the mixture of shimmer and glitter that makes this unlike other polish I own. I don’t even know of what I could mix that would yield this result, even if I layered products. I’d love to hear any possible dupes if you’ve come across anything!

Conglomerate was opaque after two coats.  The consistency was slightly on the thicker side, but it wasn’t difficult to apply.  I didn’t experience any streaking, pooling, or bubbling during application.  You will want to be careful to maneuver any glitter particles off the free edge if any gets there.  I tested this particular shade for wear, and it lasted for a full seven days with very minor tip wear but no chipping.  I love SpaRitual’s rubberized handle; it’s comfortable to hold and easy to grip.

The Glossover

LE	Conglomerate A
	I love when I come across something unique! It can be hard to be innovative in the industry, so I appreciate it when I see something that I haven't seen half a dozen times before--especially when it works well!
	Product 9.5/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 9.5/10 Longevity 10/10 Application 4.5/5
	Where to Buy
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SpaRitual Conglomerate Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Conglomerate Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Conglomerate Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Conglomerate Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Conglomerate Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Conglomerate Nail Lacquer

Would You Like a Little Rock with Your Polish?

SpaRitual Quartz Nail Lacquer ($10.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is described as an “earthy red creme infused with rhyolite.” It’s a rusty orange-red with flecks of blackened brown. It looks so… earthy on; there’s no other way to describe it. The finish was really unique, and it should, since rhyolite is “igneous, volcanic rock, of felsic composition” (according to Google). I couldn’t think of anything in my stash that was similar. Even when I tried to find something similar to the base color, I could only come up with MAC Styleseeker, which is much more orange.

It was very nearly opaque after two coats with a shadowy outline of the nail line on my index finger, but the other two nails seemed just fine.  The consistency wasn’t too thick or too thin, so it flowed beautifully across the nail without pooling, bubbling, or streaking.  SpaRitual has a nice ergonomic, rubberized handle, which makes applying and opening the bottle a cinch.  I typically get a full week of wear with SpaRitual’s formula with very minor tip wear.

The Glossover

LE	Quartz A+
	Quartz is very cool, something unique (to me), and is also pigmented and applies well.
	Product 10/10 Pigmentation 9.5/10 Texture 10/10 Longevity 10/10 Application 5/5
	Where to Buy
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SpaRitual Quartz Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Quartz Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Quartz Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Quartz Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Quartz Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Quartz Nail Lacquer

Let Summer Ebb & Flow Across Your Nails

SpaRitual Ebb & Flow Nail Lacquer ($10.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is a brightened blue with a hint of aqua in a cream finish. It’s more aqua, less blue compared to Rescue Beauty Lounge Faraway. Zoya Robyn may be the most similar that I can think of, but it’s bluer–no real aqua tones to it. China Glaze Towel Boy is kind of similar but not quite there. OCC Pool Boy is on the spectrum but much, much lighter.

This is such a summery shade to me–there’s something that reminds me of tropical beaches, sparkling oceans, and summer.  It’s opaque after two coats, but the consistency is a wee bit thick, so the drying time seemed a little long. It seemed to pull/drag if you didn’t wait for it to dry down, so I’d advise some patience with this one (as some formulas are more forgiving than others).  It dries to a naturally shiny finish but not 100% full-on glossy, so if you like that look, I’d still recommend a top coat.  I get a full week of wear out of SpaRitual’s formula with minor tip wear but no chipping, and they package their lacquers well, because of the rubberized handle, which makes it easier to hold and open.

The Glossover

LE	Ebb & Flow A-
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 8.5/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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SpaRitual Ebb & Flow Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Ebb & Flow Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Ebb & Flow Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Ebb & Flow Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Ebb & Flow Nail Lacquer

SpaRitual Ebb & Flow Nail Lacquer

Reach for Olympic Gold with 5 Favorites

I thought it would be fun to celebrate the London Olympics with a few posts inspired by the colors of the medals handed out (gold, silver, and bronze). This post features five of my favorite gold-colored products!

• Bobbi Brown Canary — gold shimmer overload
• OCC Triptych — true yellow gold with a metallic finish
• theBalm Mary Lou Manizer — shimmering pale gold
• SpaRitual Solstice — glittering gold with molten orange tones
• Inglot #404 — rich honey gold with a frosted metallic sheen

What’s your favorite gold-colored beauty product?