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Nail polish etailer Color4Nails recently began carrying Ella+Mila, a self-described luxury polish brand that is 5 free (made without toluene, dibutyl phthalate aka DBP, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin or camphor), vegan and certified cruelty free by PETA. Named after the twin daughters of one of its founders, this eco-friendly, high-end brand is made in the US and touts its formulas as being chip-free, quick dry and high shine.
As I perused the Ella+Mila offerings at Color4Nails, I couldn't help but notice the abundance of pretty pale pink and peach shades, any of which might be perfect for my friend and personal trainer Tory to wear for her wedding on 3 October. The next thing I knew, I was checking out with six Ella+Mila polishes in my cart. When I presented this bounty to Tory, she insisted I take one home with me to feature in a blog post since I'd never tried the brand before. So today I have Ella+Mila Honeymoon Bliss from the Love collection to share with you.
Honeymoon Bliss is described on the Ella+Mila website as simply "a natural hue with a touch of love." What does that mean, exactly? Well, in this case it means a creamy almond nude very gently tinted with pink, lavender and grey, cool-toned and reminiscent of porcelain somehow. The color is extremely flattering on the nail and not stark in the least, nor does it appear washed out. Rather, it has a dreamy, demure vibe that is simultaneously soft and sleek.
Application was delightful. For a white-based color, Honeymoon Bliss has an outstanding formula. Its consistency is quite fluid but not runny, light and very creamy. It has a silky, self-leveling slip over the nail and is easy to manipulate with Ella+Mila's round flexible brush. Pigmentation is very, very good. The first coat tends to be just a tad sheer but not streaky if applied with a light touch and an even hand. Two coats builds the opacity to an evenly opaque, eminently wearable level. I am not the most even-handed of painters so I added a third coat for the photos but would happily wear it at two under other circumstances. Cleanup is easy as pie. Honeymoon Bliss dries naturally in good time to a beautiful glossy finish.
Photos show three coats of Honeymoon Bliss over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.
The lavender overtones aren't as visible in these photos as they are in person, especially in low and incandescent light.
I really like this gentle pinkish nude. It elongates my fingers and has such a graceful look that I scarcely recognize my own hands -- my nails look like petals! It might not be as suitable for warmer complexions, but it's just wonderful on my pinkage. It would make a sweet pedicure shade too, I think.
Fuzzy was totally underwhelmed by the delicate nature of Honeymoon Bliss. I tried to explain how perfectly bridal it was, but she was not moved. Red polish, that moves her. Here is a person who's never worn a full manicure once in her life declaring that it's just fine to wear red polish at your wedding. "Why not?" she asked.
Indeed!
love,
Liz
