Literary Lacquers: Literary Liquors Collection – swatches and review

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Books and beauty, what could be better?

There are people who read and then there are readers. Those of us with a book (or Kindle) in our hand at any given moment, who watch book trailers like they are summer blockbusters and who will still get worked up about sad endings to their favorite books, even years later. (Seriously, do not even bring up “Where the Red Fern Grows” to me in public…) As a voracious reader, I was extremely excited to hear about Literary Lacquers – an indie polish brand that uses books as the inspiration for its collections.

I was thrilled to test out the Literary Liquors Collection, a line inspired by the spirits and alcohol that play a role in some great works of literature. Fun! Once I saw the colors, I was floored by how perfectly the colors of this Literary Lacquers collection matched their inspirations!

Dandelion Wine ($10) was inspired by the book of the same name by Ray Bradbury and is a polarizing color – either you’ll love this for you want to run for the hills. But before you strap your tennies on, I’d give this bright and sparkly yellow a chance.

“Dandelion wine. The words were summer on the tongue. The wine was summer in a bottle. It was all the warm afternoons and the cloudless skies, stoppered tight; to be opened, said the label, on a January day with snow falling fast.”

Flashing violet at the right angle, this yellow holo almost leans green on my skintone. However someone with more fair skin might love this; they’ll also love the easy application. Like all the other Literary Lacquers I sampled, there were no issues with formula or dry time.

Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster ($10) is an out-of-this-world blue that takes its name from the eponymous drink from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, “the alcoholic equivalent of a mugging—expensive and bad for the head.”

A bright turquoise holo that flashes green in certain light, this color is so rich, you need to see it in person. Three coats made it opaque and I had no application issues. It also dries crazy fast, which is a definite bonus.

Raspberry Cordial ($10) is a bright pink that invokes the super sweet concoction that Anne thinks she gives her friend Diana in Anne of Green Gables, when in reality she’d been filling her with currant wine.

This linear pink holo also has holo glitters, so there’s no getting away from the sparkle! The formula took about three coats to get close to opaque and applied like a dream.

Two At the Very Most Martini Glitter ($10) comes from one of my favorite authors, Dorothy Parker

I like to have a martini,
Two at the very most.
At three I’m under the table,
At four I’m under the host!

Two at the Very Most is created with “Black hexes, white squares, gunmetal hexes, silver chrome hexes so shiny that they reflect light like a disco ball, a touch of holographic microglitter and added green circle glitters (for the olives, of course!)”

For such a chunky glitter, I really didn’t have an issues getting a variety of pieces on my nails, which was a pleasant surprise. The pictures show it alone and over black and white but I feel that this would look best over a nice dove gray or maybe a pale neutral pink. My favorite part is the holographic microglitter, it and the green circles elevate this polish from your usual black and white glitter variety to something special!

If any of these polishes peaked your interest, I recommend checking out the Literary Lacquers shop for more wordy beauty. I am impressed in general with indie polish makers and the inspiration they find for their brands, but Amy, creator of Literary Lacquers, takes the cake. Melding beloved books and high-quality nail polish, she has a definite commitment to creating a polishes that honor our favorite moments or cherished characters, and she has made a fan out of this beauty-loving bibliophile!

we heartsters – What book or character would you like to see captured in nail polish?

photos: Alyssa for we heart this