Pure 18k White Gold & Silver Topcoat

4 Reviews

1. 

   hushedBustard9

   Reply

   I picked up a bottle of this for about a third of the usual asking price. I’m glad I didn’t pay more. I’m kind of sorry I paid as much as I did. It was a very expensive polish when it first came out, probably because the foil-like glitter is 18k white gold (how that works, I don’t know, because real white gold jewellery is plated with rhodium). It also has silver pieces, but I don’t believe they are actual sterling silver (and I’m not sure it was even marketed that way). Probably some sort of silver-coloured foil. Whatever it is, the metallic glitter/confetti pieces are not very shiny, even with top coat, though it is somewhat reflective. More like little, irregular bits of torn, light-coloured foil.

   This is definitely a topper, and unless you want to put four or more coats, it will not become opaque. It’s also got a fairly thick base, so putting that many coats would be a bit of a mess. I wouldn’t recommend it. This is best worn as a topper.

   Maybe it’s because my bottle is older and has sat around a long time (which is why I got it for clearance prices), but the base of this is a kind of golden colour, rather than being truly clear. This limits the colours it can be put over, because it definitely imparts a very warm glow to the colour below. Over white, I kind of like this, and I think it’s interesting. Over other colours, not so much. Worn on black or darker colours it looks like — forgive me, but this is just how I feel about it — dandruff. Slightly rumpled, vaguely shiny dandruff.

   So I might well wear this over white or some kind of buff or light beige/nude because I like the texture and the almost marble effect you get, but over dark colours… yuck.

   I honestly feel like this polish is a lot of hype and a lot of expense for a strange and not-that-versatile topper. I also think it would have been prettier if it was mixed silver and yellow gold, or all yellow gold. The white just doesn’t work for me.

2. 

   wearyPorpoise2

   Reply

   PURE is a mix of white gold and silver flecks of varying sizes in a clear base. I use it for layering over dark polishes – either all over the nail, over half of the nail, or as a gradient. It looks stunning paired with every shade of polish that I’ve tried so far, but it’s especially gorgeous over blue or plum.

   The polish applies smoothly and is quick to dry too, plus it adds days to the life of your manicure. PURE is what I wish Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow had been like…

   My only issue is with the packaging: the bottle is opaque which makes me suspect that either the bottle isn’t full, or that the bottle has an elevated bottom to it.

3. 

   outlyingDoughnut0

   Reply

   This is such an unnecessary purchase but I had to have it! Companies released all sorts of yellow gold versions before and I was never a fan but this one I fell in love with at first sight and had to have! It seems to look best over darker vampy shades while the yellow gold looks nice over the lighter polishes. It was easier to apply than I would have imagined and spread nicely on the brush in one coat with a tad but of dabbing in gold to any bald spots. I was expecting it would have a nice glossy shine to it once it dried but nope, it actually made the polish look a bit dull just like their original opi top coat which I don’t care for at all. I do not know of it’s lasting power because I always top slow drying top coats with seche vite so I can go on with my life and not be a slave to my nails and that added the most awesome shine, smoothed out the nail and it wore like iron! This is the most expensive nail polish I have bought and am happy to use it up wisely on my monthly pedis and maybe a few skittle manis. Will purchase again if it’s still available…why opi are you so limited?

   This is how I paint my nails to get 2 weeks wear:
   I remove my polish with opi expert touch remover the day before I want to change it up and push my cuticles back with my own nails fresh out of the shower. Sometimes I use the deborah lippmann cuticle remover because its moisturizing with lanolin and can be left on the nail. I file and shape them while dry with the opi glass/crystal file which will never wear away (I promise since its made in the czech republic and is acid etched so its one piece of glass and the grit is not sprayed on like the others! Just rinse the grit back its so awesome) I use zoya remover+ to prep nails directly before painting on a base of nubar foundation base coat (used to use cnd stickey) while painting the tips of nails and capping the edges so your nails don’t soak up any water and can remain chip free because that’s where the problems start. Then 1-2 coats of salon quality polish like opi, zoya and china glaze and I paint the tip once with color as well. Then before my polish has dried within 10 mins I slap on a glob of seche vite top coat (or any junk slow drying top coat I want to use up) and paint the very tips of my nails so it can get a good grip while it dries. Seche vite should have a big drop of top coat about to drip off the brush as you apply except for the pinky nail. Then 5 mins later if I didn’t do any nail art or add rhinestones I do one more top coat of seche vite and paint the tips and my nails again and they seriously look and wear like gel and grow long and strong I even have to cut them before I hurt myself! They used to be very thin and would bend, break and peel back! You should always paint the very edge or tip of your nail either before you polish the top or after with 1 coat of base, color and top as you are applying each normally. This must be done with all quick dry top coats as they dry faster than your polish does and will pull the polish with it as it dries and you will have no chipping for days as well! This tip helped me severely! I now get bored of regular polish colors lasting for 2 weeks on me and staring at that gap of naked nail annoys me. Now I do all sorts of designs free hand or I just stamp them on. Its a total game changer and my boss at the salon I work in now carries almost all these products I use since I have been telling all the customers about them!

4. 

   relievedAntelope2

   Reply

   This is part of the limited edition Mariah Carey 2013 holiday collection. The packaging is super pretty just like MWTGG but you can’t see how much polish is left in the bottle (kinda the reason for the lippie off).
   I have only used my polish once but it seems that my bottle has teeny tiny pieces instead of lots of bigger flakes. I wish it had bigger flakes like in MWTGG. This is also super expensive like MWTGG, but if you like unique polishes this is one for the collection. Please don’t expect glitter like flashes on your nails because the gold/silver flakes do not flash like that. They are pretty and noticeable but they will not flash on your nails. If you want flash like that go for a glitter and save yourself some money. I used my Pure 18k over a blackened sapphire color and it’s actually super pretty, very noticeable. For application I loaded up my brush and dropped the brush on the nail and kinda wiggled it around to place the flakes. Just like the MWTGG brushing and trying to place by brushing can tear the flakes a bit or you end up with the flake back on the brush defeating the purpose. I also used another top coat over to even out and make it flat and shiny. The gold/silver flakes can leave a bumpy feel on the nails if you don’t add another thicker top coat.