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China Glaze Cleopatra Nail Lacquer Review, Photos, Swatches

China Glaze Cleopatra Nail Lacquer
China Glaze Cleopatra Nail Lacquer

Glitter Polish: China Glaze Cleopatra Nail Lacquer

China Glaze Cleopatra Nail Lacquer ($3.50 to $6.00) is a warmed-up yellow gold with small-sized gold particle glitter with a little mix of multi-colored shimmer. On my nails, it read more yellow gold and I didn’t notice much of the holographic glitter.

It’s kind of the opposite of Medallion, which is more of a cool-toned antique gold in comparison. Between the two of them, I do prefer Cleopatra with my skin tone — it really just warms me up.

This is also glitter suspended in a clear base, so it can work nicely as a glitter top coat over your favorite nail polish or worn alone for a sheerer look. It took me three coats to achieve the results in the swatches, but I could have waited a little longer in-between coats to get a more opaque look. (I was trying to get it done before my boyfriend came back to the office!)

It’s not as smooth as the average China Glaze lacquer, and it has the same consistency and feel of Medallion–a little gritty, not the easiest to apply, but it’s workable and not bad for a glitter polish.  It removes like the average glitter polish.  If I could improve it, I’d definitely wish for a smoother application–just one that spread the glitter evenly and quickly, and perhaps, a faster drying time.

From the various shades I’ve tried from China Glaze’s fifty new glitter lacquers, Cleopatra is my favorite! It’s just the right shade of gold that I’m automatically drawn to–plus, it complements my skin tone quite well.

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  • Product: 26/30
  • Value: 9/10
  • Ease of Use: 4/5
  • Packaging: 4/5

Recommendation: Looking for a warm gold, totally blinged out lacquer? Cleopatra might be it.

Availability: 8ty8beauty.com, Head2ToeBeauty.com, TransDesign.com

See close-ups

China Glaze Cleopatra Nail Lacquer
China Glaze Cleopatra Nail Lacquer

China Glaze Cleopatra Nail Lacquer
China Glaze Cleopatra Nail Lacquer

China Glaze Cleopatra Nail Lacquer
China Glaze Cleopatra Nail Lacquer

13 Comments

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sugarcrumb Avatar

Christine, could you be a total dear and put up swatches of Techno and Solar Flare if you have them pls? I was thinking of ordering these from a spree (we don’t get China Glaze here at all =[) – i remember reading somewhere that you had gotten either Techno or Solar Flare. TIA!!!
PS: I’m SO ordering Ruby Pumps and Wagon Trail after i saw your reviews!

Chanel Avatar

Hey Christine,
I live in Vancouver, BC and absolutely ADORE China Glaze polishes.
My parents are going to Arizona in a few days and vowed to look for the ‘Love you snow much’ collection for me. Where abouts could they pick them up? or is it only a salon brand? Please I’m desperately in love with it and can’t find ANYWHERE online to order that collection!

Please and Thank you =)

Brittany Avatar

I was immediately drawn to this wehn i saw it at my local Sally Beauty. I bought this and a china glaze sheer white color. i can’t think of the shade’s name for the life of me. anyhow, i put like 4 coats of this Cleopatra on my nails to make it so my nails were just completely covered with glitter. Everybody loved them! i love their polishes!

megbkent Avatar

Hi, I’m loving the China Glaze reviews on this site. I’m from the UK and it is not available in any shops here. I’m going to New York in December … does anyone know where China Glaze is sold?

Thanks for your help … x

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