*Disclosure: PR samples- I received these polishes free of charge in exchange for photography.*

Release: 1 April 2020

8 polishes

For April’s collection, Sophie was inspired by the work of Australian artist Polly Kimm, in particular her painting Summer Day.

From the maker: Polly’s artwork really captivates me. I’m immediately drawn to her almost-neon splashes of colour amidst the more iconic dusty ‘dirty’ greens and browns of our country’s landscape. She takes our bushland and twists it into a dreamscape of fantastical colour play while keeping it distinctly recognisable as being Australian; and I really love how she  executes this in her work. 

Cicada Song

From the maker: Named after the Yellow Monday cicada – we have more than 200 species in Australia! Some large cicadas like the Yellow Monday and the Double Drummer produce a noise intensity more than 120 dB at close range (this is approaching the pain threshold of the human ear).

Cicada Song is a clear-based glitter topper with neon yellow hexes in various sizes along with iridescent glitters that flash gold/green. The official description starts with “A spectacular glitter topper.” My brows shot up. Spectacular, you say? Really? In an official description? Bold move.

Then I opened it up, and I must say–It does live up to the expectation. There’s nothing shy about this topper, but it still has the trademark elegance of FF, served with a heavy dose of the signature quirk as well. Spectacular indeed.

As usual with neon yellow, the actual color of the glitters is brighter and leans a little bit more green than it’s probably showing on your screen. The iridescent effect adds a beautiful glistening look. Usually with glitter toppers I like to show them in three coats, but I was happy with the glitter density and distribution at two coats, so that is what you see. I did not have to fish for any glitters, although I did do some placement with the brush.

2 coats + 2 coats of top coat

Desert Oak

From the maker: Named after the Desert Oak species of tree found in Australian arid desert regions.

Desert Oak features a soft brown-orange base filled with gold flakes and accented with gold shimmers. The base color is a chameleon–up close it looks more orange, but at arm’s length it seems to lean a bit more brown. It’s really a sophisticated shade. And those golden flakes I loved so much in Light of a Dying Sun from the White Witch Vol. 2 collection are back!

Gumnut

From the maker: A gumnut is the woody fruit of a eucalyptus tree. 

Gumnut features a deep, forest green base with an array of holographic particles and copper/gold shifting shimmer. I just love these kinds of densely-packed scattered holos that utilize many kinds of holo sparkles and flakes. The result is beautiful and sophisticated, with a very earthy feel due to the green and brown combination. Stunning.

3 coats + top coat

Honeyeater

From the maker: Named after the Singing Honeyeater bird, one of our most widespread species of Honeyeater found in most states of Australia.

Honeyeater features a sheer yellow base filled with purple/pink/gold shifting shimmer and silver holo microflakes. Like many yellows, the base color pulls kind of green on me. The bright shimmer helps immensely with making this shade look okay on me.

3 coats + top coat

Lovegrass

From the maker: Native to southern Africa, African lovegrass is a green, densely tufted grass. It was probably first introduced to Australia as a contaminant of pasture seed. Lovegrass grows throughout Australia, on roadsides and in grazing land. 

Lovegrass is a chartreuse microglitter bomb. The official description lists additional holo sparkle, but I can’t say that I see it among all the chartreuse holo goodness. Gorgeous gorgeous shade. Super sparkly like all microglitter bombs, and applies smoothly (unlike some microglitter bombs…). If you have particularly short nails and apply thicker coats you might be able to get away with two coats. Otherwise three thin coats will do the job beautifully.

3 coats + 2 coats of top coat

Morning Haze

From the maker: Inspired by the sunrise; delicate pink clouds in Polly Kimm’s piece

Morning Haze is a thermal that transitions between a light peach when warm and a subdued Barbie-esque pink when cold. It is accented with some pink and silver flecks as well as a subtle copper shimmer. Very appropriate spring/summer palette–the colors are very pretty together, although I don’t love the warm state of this thermal on me.

3 coats + top coat

Silvertop Ash

From the maker: Silvertop Ash is one of 700 Eucalyptus species of tree found in Australia

Silvertop Ash features an undersaturated purple base with a soft linear holographic effect and copper shimmer and microflakes. Sophisticated and beautiful. The formula is much lighter in body than Gumnut, and it applys easily and smoothly. It might look a little sheer on the first coat, but it will build to complete opacity by the third coat.

3 coats + top coat

Waratah

From the maker: Waratah is an Australian-endemic genus of five species of large shrubs or small trees, native to the south-eastern parts of Australia. The most well-known species in this genus is Telopea speciosissima, which has bright red flowers and is the NSW state emblem. 

Waratah features an orange-leaning coral crelly base accented with magenta glitters. This base color is one that is difficult to photograph. It probably looks orange on your screen, but in real life it looks more like coral, and it also has a brightness I associate with neons (although I don’t think it’s bright enough to actually be neon). Overall I’d say it’s a coral that leans orange.

I had a little bit of sheerness at the tips after two coats, so I brushed on a partial third coat for full opacity.

2.5 coats + 2 coats of top coat

The Summer Days collection releases for preorder on April 1 at 9am AEST.

Femme Fatale Cosmetics: http://www.femmefatalecosmetics.com.au/

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