Daphine Polish's What Sorcery Is This? Collection--Swatches and Review





Hi my darlings!! As some of you may know, Joanne of Daphine Polish also is based in NYC and as such, we've had a chance to bond over our mutual love of polish and...FOOD!! We've spent a couple meals together, moaning over the latest holos and the best chicken--it's safe to say, we've gotten to know each other a bit. So, when Joanne informed me that a review package was on its way to me, the very first thing she said was "Babi, these may not be your style but I hope you like em!" As I laughed all by myself reading that message, I knew exactly what she meant--NO holos in this collection! But hey! I've loved several of Joanne's other creations (like Surf and Sand which you can see HERE) so I was still excited to see what she'd put together. And boy! I so was NOT disappointed in this latest collection--What Sorcery Is This? is a set of five beautiful, palate-cleansing shimmer polishes that remind you that yes, Spring is just around the corner!

Here's a little quote from Joanne herself about the inspiration behind this collection :
"I chose to name these polishes after mythical sorceresses and spirits because of each one's dual or shifting nature. While sorcery and spirits are historically associated with evil or black magic, these pastel shades instead reflect the ever changing faces of these mythical women."

Before we get into the specifics of each polish, let's talk about the application and formula. Across the board, I found application to be smooth and easy--these polishes have been intentionally formulated to be more on the sheer side, in order to highlight the shimmer and flecks, and each polish definitely required the 3 generous coats used in the swatches below to reach opacity. Since I chose to use 3 coats of each polish by itself, the finished look at times shows a bit of visible nail line (VNL) and this can be remedied by the use of "undies"--a solid, coordinating creme polish. Each look was then topped off with 1 coat of G&G's HK Girl to give it an even more glossy shine!

Each polish below has a descriptive excerpt, in italics, provided by Joanne--these excerpts will tell you a little bit about the inspiration behing each polish. Now, without further ado, on to the swatches!

First, I have for you Melusine--a minty green polish with gold shimmer. As much as I'm usually opposed to greens, this one's a keeper! Such a lovely, shimmery, light shade of green!

"Melusine was a water spirit with the body of a serpent or fish from the waist down, similar to a mermaid. Her legend originated in Poitou and the Low Countries of Europe. The most famous version of the tale says that she was cursed to take the form of a mermaid or serpent from the waist down every Saturday. She married a mortal man, Raymond of Poitou, giving him the condition that he could never enter her chambers on Saturdays. When he broke this promise and saw her in her half serpent form, she fled, never to be seen again."






Next, I have for you Hecate--a pastel yellow polish with red shimmer. So pretty! Not a garish shade of yellow at all!

"An ancient Greek goddess, Hecate was variously associated with crossroads, entrance-ways, magic, witchcraft, knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants, necromancy, and sorcery. She was often portrayed in triple form, and was in later writings described as having three heads: dog, serpent, and horse. Shrines to Hecate were set at the entrances to homes and cities which were supposed to protect the people from spirits and the restless dead. Today, Hecate is often the patron goddess of many Wiccans due to her three faces, like the concept of the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone."





The third polish in this collection is Ceridwen--a feminine, baby pink polish with green shimmer and both gold and pink flecks.

Ceridwen is an enchantress in Welsh medieval folklore. According to legend, Ceridwen had a hideously ugly son who she sought to make wise. She made a boy, Gwion Bach, stir the potion needed to accomplish this task but he accidentally received the gift of wisdom meant for her son. Ceridwen chased him, changing into many forms during the length of the chase, and as a hen devoured him in the form of a piece of corn. Ceridwen became pregnant, and knew that it was Gwion being reborn inside her. She planned to kill him, but he was born so beautiful that she could not bring herself to do so. Many modern Pagans regard her as the Celtic goddess of rebirth, transformation, and inspiration.





The fourth polish I have for you is my personal favorite--Nimue is a beautiful, grayed-out blue polish with blue shimmer and gold flecks. I absolutely loved this one! Such a perfect muted shade for winter!

"Nimue is also known as the Lady of the Lake in Arthurian legend, specifically named as such in Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur. In his tale she gives King Arthur his sword Excalibur. She learns her magic from Merlin, whom she later enchants and traps. With Merlin incapacitated, Nimue replaces him as King Arthur's advisor. After Arthur was wounded at the Battle of Carmlann, Nimue is one of the four queens that bear his body to Avalon."





Finally, last but definitely not the least, I have for you Baba Yaga--a gray polish with ann intense purple shimmer and silver flecks. This pretty polish reminded me of a stormy winter's sky! Love it!

"Baba Yaga is a witch in Slavic folklore, who is depicted as a as a deformed and ferocious-looking elderly woman. She is associated with the mortar and pestle, She lives deep in the forest and is associated with forest wildlife. She often appears to mortals as an ambiguous character, equally likely to help or hinder those who seek her aid. In old Russian, baba can mean midwife, sorceress, or fortune teller."




So there you have it, my darlings! What do you think of this collection? Need one or more? Great news! This collection releases tomorrow, January 24th at 8 pm, EST--you can find them at Daphine Polish's Etsy shop HERE, for $10 a full-size, 0.5 oz bottle! Don't forget to follow Daphine Polish's FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM for updates!

Tell me which one is YOUR favorite in the comments section below! I would love to hear from you!

Until next time,
<3
B

****Products were sent to me for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.****

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