Illamasqua Viridian Nail Varnish Review, Photos, Swatches
Illamasqua Viridian Nail Varnish
Illamasqua’s Art of Darkness: Viridian
Illamasqua Viridian Nail Varnish (£13.00 for 0.5 fl. oz.) is a darkened teal base with lighter teal micro-shimmer; the teal leans towards the blue side, making it a cooler-toned teal. Funny enough, when the flash fired, it pulled out more of the green in the teal, but overall, it still pulls bluer-teal.
The formula and application was just like Scarab: smooth, even, intensely pigmented–one coat would likely be enough, though I did two in the swatches.
Viridian is also new for fall, but it looks to be permanent from what I can tell.
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- Product: 28/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 5/5
- Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: A very lovely shade and particularly flattering on cooler, paler skin tones as it leans blue.
AVAILABILITY: Illamasqua
Illamasqua Viridian Nail Varnish
Illamasqua Viridian Nail Varnish (Natural Light)
Illamasqua Viridian Nail Varnish (Natural Light)
Illamasqua Viridian Nail Varnish (Natural Light)
Illamasqua Viridian Nail Varnish (Flash)
This looks so pretty! It also looks a lot like OPI’s Cuckoo for this color.
WOW that is soooo pretty! In the bottle it kind of looks like merMAID to order by OPI. I might have to add this to my christmas wishlist :]
How nice!
I wish I could buy here in Montreal..
This is absolutely stunning. I wish there were a dead on dupe.
Hi Christine, I noticed in your disclaimer that you didn’t talk about an affilate link, even though you did include a link, is that because if we buy from that certain link you don’t get commission? Also could you add to the POST FAQ how long it lasted before chipping? Thanks! Beautiful color for fall!
Hi Fiona,
I’m not sure what disclaimer you’re reading, because it states both… I just checked! Illamasqua’s link is not an affiliate link, Sephora’s link is – in case that is what the confusion is about.
If I experience any chipping, I’ll be sure to point that out (in any nail review), but otherwise you can assume it wore with no issues. It’s kind of like noting if a lipstick bled or not – if it didn’t, it doesn’t come to mind so I don’t wind up mentioning it. 🙂 For the record though, I can’t think of any polish brand that chips on me now that I use a base/top coat!
I guess I must have missed that, sorry! But there’s only one link I can see, (the one right before where you say how much it cost for how much product) and that takes you to the Illamsqua website, no Sephora one in site! I meant if you could post how long it stayed on your nail without chipping, or maybe you have super base and top coats so it pretty much never chips?! Like you could say ‘I wore it for 5 days before a chip appeared or something. Thanks!
Hey Fiona,
I don’t wear every shade I swatch for a manicure – I test the formula once or twice in the beginning, but after that, I don’t. I wouldn’t be able to swatch as many polishes as I do if I tested out each shade for 5-7 days. I only wear polish for up to 7 days, and nothing chips on me during that time period!
Do you think this is close to China Glazes Emerald Fitzgerald? I bought Scarab, but I think I like this shade as well. Though I can’t make another order online. So maybe I get just pick up the China Glaze polish instead.
Hi Rayanna,
Please check in the FAQ in the future:
Are there any dupes?
It is similar to China Glaze Emerald Fitzgerald, but Viridian leans noticeably bluer, not quite as green.
Thanks!
Hi, Rayanna, google: Nihrida blogspot. She has just made the comparison between Emerald Fitzgerald, Viridian and some other polishes that look alike.
A good dupe is a nail polish from Essence, it is called All Access. It has been discontinued here in Europe, but maybe you are still able to get it in USA (Ulta).
Fabulous colour! Just a quick question from looking at the pictures, do you use a certain technique to paint your nails, as the colour is not applied right up to the cuticle? Is there a video or post on it?
Thanks!
<3
I don’t apply it to the cuticle as these are just swatches, not a manicure, and it makes it easier to remove and apply the next color to swatch.
this reminds me of a mermaid 😀
very interesting colour in my eyes 🙂
beautiful! =)
Oooooh this also reminds me of China Glaze’s Watermelon Rind 🙂
I could see that! 🙂 It’s a few shades lighter, but it has the same blue-teal shimmer.
http://www.temptalia.com/china-glaze-summer-days-keeps-me-sane
It’s really too bad that we can’t get Illamasqua in Canada 🙁
Is it similair to CG Watermelon Rind ?
It’s darker – Watermelon Rind is pretty teal 🙂
I’m not crazy about dark colors but this is pretty gorgeous. Plus it reminds me of Viridian City from Pokemon; I might have to get it just for the name. 😉
Oh wow this is beautiful!
Colour to die for! Wish my eyes were this colour.
Christine, any idea how ordering directly from Illamasqua works? I see these polishes are 13 pounds (~$20-21), but Illamasqua polishes from Sephora are $14. I’d really like to get the set of 4 polishes that includes the 2 you reviewed and 2 others, but the exchange with shipping works out to over $70! Boooo, lol. I might have to wait for them to come to Sephora if this is the case!
Great swatches as always, Thanks Christine!! The color is gorgeous on this polish, and hearing that 1 coat might be enough clinched it for me!
I’d probably just wait and see if they pop into Sephora in the next week or two! 🙂
Thanks Christine 🙂 I just got so excited when I saw the swatches and I wanted them right away! Here’s hoping they show up on the Sephora website soon (my store doesn’t have Illamasqua 🙁 bummer)
Hopefully! *crosses fingers*
Looks good without the flash; teal is my absolute favourite! I’m wearing some teal nail polish that I custom made from mixing 3 nail varnishes together. I’m so in love with all that is teal right now. And this looks so pretty!
O_O I’m officially in love!
Oh wow, pretty!
It looks so gorgeous and mysterious in the bottle! (I prefer creme polishes though)
Hi Christine,
Beautiful color! I love the Illamasqua Viridian Nail Varnish (Flash)version – but what do you mean when you say you “flash fired?” Wondering how I can achieve that more intense green color like you did with the flash version.
Thanks!
Kim
Camera’s flash 🙂
Love this polish soooooo much! Got it on right now. I love that it doesn’t chip that easily. My absolute favourite nail polish this year.
I absolutly LOVE this colour! And the formula is so easy to work with, does not stain the nail even though I did not use a base coat. Super easy to remove and is really chip-resistant! I’m in love! I bought it after checking out the fantastic swatches 🙂