Shimmer Polish Cindy Nail Lacquer ($12.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is described as a “deep red glitter polish with hint of holo.” It’s an assortment of red glitter with holographic silver glitter suspended in a red-tinted jelly base. China Glaze Ring in the Red is all red glitter within a red base, but it is much denser and uniform. China Glaze Pure Joy

I applied one coat of Cindy over two coats of Guerlain Rouge d’Enfer (a red cream), and then I applied two coats of Cindy alone on my thumb nail. It’s a shade that can be layered, and it was easy to do over a red cream, for a stronger red base. If you prefer the jelly effect, I’d recommend two to three coats. Two coats gets you semi-opaque color (and coverage typical of a jelly finish), but it doesn’t have the same squishy quality of other jelly finishes I’ve encountered until three coats. You’ll need a thicker top coat to help smooth out the glitter as well as add a good dose of shine.  This was the second shade of Shimmer Polish that I tested for wear, and it lasted seven days with minor tip wear but no chipping.    The consistency of Cindy was on the thicker side, which did allow for good dispersion of the glitter across the nail but did take longer to dry.

Shimmer Polish Cindy Nail Lacquer

Shimmer Polish Cindy Nail Lacquer

Shimmer Polish Cindy Nail Lacquer

Shimmer Polish Cindy Nail Lacquer

Shimmer Polish Cindy Nail Lacquer

Shimmer Polish Cindy Nail Lacquer

Shimmer Polish Cindy Nail Lacquer

Shimmer Polish Cindy Nail Lacquer

Shimmer Polish Cindy Nail Lacquer

Shimmer Polish Cindy Nail Lacquer

Shimmer Linna Nail Lacquer ($12.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is described as an “emerald green, teal mix.” It is primarily a mix of emerald green and teal glitter, but there are also some bits of blue and red pieces, too. While the glitter nail polish gallery is certainly growing, it is by no means comprehensive, and so I don’t have any dupes to suggest for this.

Linna had good density and opacity; I used one coat over a chartreuse green cream (L’Oreal New Money), and then I also did two coats over my thumbnail and three on pinky nail of the glitter polish alone. Two coats were pretty good but three would be best for full opacity (which is what the brand recommended to me for full opacity when I asked prior to even receiving product).  The consistency wasn’t too thick or too thin, so the glitter dispersed and spread evenly across the nail without pooling along the edges and didn’t take long to dry.  I’ve tested two shades (and Linna was one of those) for wear, and I saw seven days with minor tip wear but no chipping. I do warn you that most polishes wear well on me, so even more so than usual, your mileage may vary!  I would recommend wearing a thick top coat on top to give a smoother, glossier finish.

The creatrix behind Shimmer is Cindy, and you can read more about how she got started and her philosophy on lacquer here, but I really love how she names her polishes after someone in her life that is important to her. It is an excellent way to acknowledge someone’s impact on your life. Per her website, she recommends two to three coats on her polishes for a “foil-like” finish. She has a good amount of stock and is available via Etsy, and the first is certainly something I look for in indie brands!

Shimmer Linna Nail Lacquer

Shimmer Linna Nail Lacquer

Shimmer Linna Nail Lacquer

Shimmer Linna Nail Lacquer

Shimmer Linna Nail Lacquer

Shimmer Linna Nail Lacquer

Shimmer Linna Nail Lacquer