Today is Day 22 in my "30 Days of Blues". I kind of flaked on a post today and then I realized about 30 minutes ago, that I hadn't posted a blue polish for today. I had IKB:2012 sitting on my desk, so I figured I'd quickly swatch it and review it. I had just enough battery power for just a few shots...
This is 3 coats of IKB:2012. Back when Ji posted the nominations for the RBL Fan Collection, this one (inspired by Yves Klein blue) was my pick, and I've anxiously been waiting for it to come out. However, recently, due to a aggressive, get-rid-of-debt, tight budget, I've been rationing my polish money, so I wasn't sure if I would even order any from the fan collection. Finally, as blue is my most favorite polish color, I figured I'd splurge and go on and get it because I would probably regret it if I didn't. That's usually the way things work with me and RBL polishes.
So, needless to say, I had a lot of expectations for this polish. When I pulled it from it's box (when did the red boxes happen, btw), I expected angels singing hallelujah, and I didn't get that reaction. That is why I recently posted on Twitter that I was a little bit disappointed. In fact, I've been swatching it off and on today thinking I'll like it more.
I think the main reason is because I had been associating this blue, Yves Klein blue, with a cobalt blue. It's not. Cobalt blue is much more electric. This blue is dustier, and ever-so-slightly purple Once I took a step back and realized this wasn't my perfect cobalt blue, I started to appreciate it more. Also, when I first put it on, it almost looks like a very bright periwinkle. It took 3 coats (and on my middle finger, there's a fourth because I bumped my nail) to finally reach a fully-saturated blue. It also takes several coats to reach the color that you see in swatches. Until I applied my third coat, I kept thinking that everyone's camera was blowing out the color, and that the brighter periwinkle color that I was seeing was the true color. It's definitely blue, though.
I'm a little unhappy with the formula, as it doesn't have the buttery quality that I associate with Rescue Beauty Lounge, and with a $20 polish in general. I found it to be very stringy and at one point, I thought I had a hair in my polish. I didn't. :/ I found it to be harder-than-most to apply. Ji mentioned on her Facebook page that this polish has pure pigment in it. That is why it is stringy. I get that. The color does remind me of those tubes of pigments we used to use in art class in middle school. However, it's still frustrating for the price.
I'm not unhappy I purchased it, per se, it's just not exactly like I expected. You know how when something costs more, you expect it to be perfect? Like when you spend $6000 on your dream DisneyWorld vacation at the Polynesian and your autistic son kinda flips out at all the stimulation and you have a lousy time, but yet the same behavior on a $1000 beach vacation doesn't ruin the trip? (not that I've ever experienced that. LOL) It's like that. If this was a $5 polish or even a $10 polish, I could kind of overlook the issues I had with it. However, on with a $20 polish, I don't want formula issues, if you know what I mean. If you are a blue-lover you may still wish to pick it up for color alone, just keep in mind that it's not without it's issues.
Thank you so much for reading my 30 Days posts. Tomorrow, I will be back with a full manicure. I also will be posting the Blogger Round-Up tomorrow (I'm sorry for not getting to it sooner).
