Illamasqua Melange Nail Varnish ($17.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is described as a “golden teal [with a matte finish].” It’s a muted, medium-dark green with a hint of blue and gold and copper flecks of shimmer and sparkle. I thought it might be more a chameleon, but as I went from room to room (for different lighting), it was always a muted, dirty green to me. It had more of a satin finish where there was still some reflection, but it wasn’t glossy. I don’t know of any dupes for this shade really, but these were the closest I could think of: Zoya Stassi (P, $9.00) is much warmer, sheerer. China Glaze This is Tree-mendous (LE, $7.50) is more sparkly, sheerer. Cult Nails Grunge (P, $12.00) has less shimmer, lighter. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

It was fully opaque after two coats of polish, though it was pretty much opaque after one coat. The consistency was slightly thick, though it applied evenly and didn’t pool along the edges. It dried down quicker than the average polish. I normally get a full seven days with very minor tip wear with Illamasqua’s formula (I have worn some shades for as long as fourteen days).

It appears that Illamasqua is no longer available at any U.S. retailers, which means the only way to purchase their products is through their website. The press release I received for the Once… collection is for the US, and the pricing reflected what we saw in stores, but converting to “$ USD” on their website changes the polish to $23.53 (when I checked it). On top of that, nail lacquer is a restricted category for shipping, so to ship one polish is $24.34 (you can order up to 15 polishes, if you were doing some heavy-duty lacquer hauling). I’ve been such a huge fan of their Nail Varnish, so I’m sad to see it become harder to get (or justify).

See more photos & swatches!

Illamasqua Melange Nail Varnish

Illamasqua Melange Nail Varnish

Illamasqua Melange Nail Varnish

Illamasqua Melange Nail Varnish

Illamasqua Melange Nail Varnish

Illamasqua Melange Nail Varnish

Illamasqua Melange Nail Varnish

Illamasqua Melange Nail Varnish