Girl Stuff Nail Lacquer in Mystique

Since I got Girl Stuff Nail Lacquer in Mystique (PHP 150), I’ve been wearing it non-stop. For that matter, I’ve been using nail polish from Girl Stuff exclusively this 2015. The price point and formula are a winning combination in my book, so it looks like my GS collection will not stop expanding anytime soon. Here’s the NOTD—or should I say Nails-of-the-Month:

Girl Stuff in Mystique : Two coats

Quick Specs:  made in France

Pinkish Tinge

*To read my reviews on other Girl Stuff colors, click on the names here: Audrey, Marilyn, and Plink.

Five Things About Girl Stuff Nail Lacquer in Mystique:

• Mystique is different from all the other GirlStuff nail lacquers I’ve purchased before in that it isn’t a gel formula and it costs PHP 150 (a little over USD 3), instead of the usual PHP 100 for the regular gel polish. I’ve been doing great with the gel ones, so I was reluctant to spend an extra PHP 50 on something that might not dry as quickly. However, I was assured by the SA that gel only pertains to the high-gloss effect. All their nail lacquers are still quick-drying, so I shouldn’t have any issues on that front.
• Further reservations stemmed from the notion that metallic polishes tend to look dated, so I actually went back and forth three times before finally completing the purchase. My fears were unfounded because: (see next bullet point)
• The color is complex, and that is what caught my attention to begin with. On the display, it looks like an innocuous champagne-gold with gold shimmer. Turn it in the light, and you’ll see a pearly pink tinge! Mystique is a winner for having so much dimension to it. Unlike the plain metallics that I’ve used before, this is two-toned with shimmer bits that make the pink-gold shade look almost silvery. It’s hard to definitely decide what it really is, and that just makes it more fun and youthful to behold.
• I’ve never achieved full, opaque color with Girl Stuff polishes. I can maybe get to 70% of the way. This is no different. While two coats are recommended, I’ve been doing three on Mystique to get as foiled an effect as possible. Didn’t have trouble with smudging, so the quick-dry claim holds up.
• I get around four days of wear with this color. I don’t do top coats and I tend to work with my hands a lot, so I know I’m maxing the polish out quickly.
• The shimmer pigments are gritty, so it takes longer to remove the polish—especially at three coats. It’s still easier to remove that glitter polish, though. I haven’t tried liquid sand, so I can’t compare it to this.

Three Coats

Verdict: I’m content with Mystique, seeing as I’ve been using it almost every week in the last month. It’s an excellent take on metallics. Looking forward to trying a neutral color next.

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