The Holo Hookup January 2017 Swatches & Review

Hip hip hooray! I've got the newest box from The Holo Hookup to show you today! This box's theme is "New Year, New You" and there are four gorgeous polishes to go along with that idea. Permanent makers Glisten & Glow, Cupcake Polish and Different Dimension have been joined by guest brand Colores de Carol for this month's creations. Let's take a look!

Press Sample

color inspiration

Different Dimension Simplify is a pastel lavender linear holographic with added blue shimmers. Gorgeous with a flawless formula! I love how the holo almost looks chunky, it's so robust! Two coats.

Cupcake Polish Happiness is a light apple-y green linear holographic with pink shimmers. Nice easy formula on this one. It covers completely in two coats.

Glisten & Glow Love is a pale mauvey pink linear ultra holographic polish with added light rose and light pink microflakies. Great formula, a little on the thin side, but very manageable. This is two coats. Dries in a flash!

Colores de Carol The Extra Mile is a medium blue linear holographic with gold and blue shimmer and gold flakes. This was on the thinner side and a tad sheer. This is two coats. Judging from this photo, it seems like I could've maybe done one more, but in person the strong holo flame teases the eye and makes it look totally opaque.

This box will be available for pre-order on The Holo Hookup website from Wednesday, December 21 at 9pm EST through Wednesday, December 28 at 9pm EST. The box is $40 plus shipping, available domestically and internationally. Let me know what you think about these shades! I've been reviewing boxes from The Holo Hookup since December of last year and I'm just as in love with them now as I was then. You always get the best from these excellent brands!

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

The Holo Hookup December 2016 Swatches & Review

Hello holo lovers! I have four new holographic lacquers to show you today, that's right, The Holo Hookup is here again! The December 2016 installment of the monthly box is themed for Hollywood Bombshells, named for four powerhouse women of the silver screen. I'm all about old Hollywood glam style so I am totally here for this! The three founding brands Cupcake Polish, Glisten & Glow and Different Dimension are joined by guest maker Darling Diva Polish this month.

Press Sample

color inspiration

Glisten & Glow Mae, for Mae West, is a black linear holographic with red and purple shimmers and silver galaxy glitters. Flawless formula, two coats. I really like Mae, she is hilarious and was one of the first female playwrights!

Different Dimension Audrey, inspired by Audrey Hepburn, is a hot pink linear holographic with added shimmers and microglitters. A very opaque, creamy holo. I used two coats but you can get full coverage in one. I have a special place in my heart for Audrey, her movies are some of my favorites and her beautiful philanthropic heart is still so inspirational to me.

Cupcake Polish Grace, named for Grace Kelly aka Princess Grace of Monaco, is a metallic silver gunmetal linear holographic. Great formula, almost covers in one coat, but I used two here. Dries super fast! I adore old movies so I have tons of love for Grace.

Darling Diva Vivien, after Vivien Leigh, is a burgundy holographic with gold shimmer and gold holo sparks. This has a little more of a jelly type of base, so it requires at least two coats for opacity. This is my first Darling Diva polish! I'm not as familiar with Vivien, except for Gone With the Wind, but she's definitely a bombshell.

This quartet costs $40 and will be available for pre-order on Monday, November 21st at 9pm EST through Monday, November 28th at 9pm EST on The Holo Hookup website. This month they are offering FREE domestic shipping and reduced shipping internationally ($5.00 off the normal international and Canada shipping rates) to celebrate over a year of The Holo Hookup! (November 2015 was the first box!) Let me know if you like the theme for this month! Are you interested in picking up this box?

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

The Holo Hookup November 2016 Swatches & Review

The Holo Hookup is flying into our hearts again for another collaboration box! The November quartet is inspired by beautiful, colorful birds, themed as "Birds Of A Feather". The box always features unique, exclusive polishes from indie brands Cupcake Polish, DIFFERENT dimension and Glisten & Glow, with a fourth shade from a special guest brand. This month they are joined by Nine Zero Lacquer.

Press Sample

color inspiration

Cupcake Polish Flamingo is a bright orangey pink linear holographic. The first adjective I could think of when I first saw this was juicy! Can lean more orange in different lighting. Excellent formula, two coats for full opacity.

Glisten & Glow Purple Grenadier is a medium purple linear holographic with added shimmers and cherry red galaxy glitters. I found this to have a creamier formula than the others, a little thin but not difficult to apply. This is two coats. The red glitters really shine in person, giving this a unique pop.

DIFFERENT dimension Pygmy Kingfisher is a stunning gold linear holographic with a chrome red/orange/yellow multichrome effect. You have to see this to believe it, it's breathtaking! A touch thicker than the others, two coats here.

Nine Zero Lacquer Masked Flowerpiercer is a cerulean blue linear holographic. I've been fortunate to know the Nine Zero brand from their beginnings, they are a great brand. This applied effortlessly and covered in two coats, with slight brushstrokes.

The November box pre-order is open from Friday, October 21 9PM EDT through Friday, October 28 9PM EDT on The Holo Hookup website. The cost for the box is $40 plus shipping, domestic and international. I hope you enjoyed seeing these swatches, I really loved the colors this round. What do you think?

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

The Holo Hookup October 2016 Swatches & Review

The next edition of monthly indie collaboration box The Holo Hookup is near! The fun new theme is Clue: The Mystery! I grew up playing the board game and the movie Clue is one of my absolute favorites! I was super excited to see the polishes from all the brands this month, and to see who the guest polish maker was! Different Dimension, Cupcake Polish, and Glisten & Glow are being joined by Starrily for the month of October.

Press Sample

Glisten & Glow Mrs. Peacock in the Billiard Room is a blue linear holographic with added gold and green shimmers and galaxy glitters. Incredibly smooth, easy formula. Two coats. The galaxy glitters aren't super apparent in my photo, but they bring a nice glimmery quality to the polish in real life. (I think the weapon Mrs. Peacock used was the knife!)

Different Dimension Professor Plum in the Conservatory is a plummy purple linear holographic with heavy orange shimmers. The shimmer really warms this purple, it's a great cozy fall color! Another flawless formula, two coats. (Plum probably used the rope as his weapon.)

Cupcake Polish Mr. Green in the Lounge is a vivid emerald linear holographic with gold shimmers. The shimmer really sparkles, it elevates this to epic level! For real, another super great, easy formula. Two coats here as well. (I think Mr. Green is a lead pipe kinda guy.)

Starrily Miss Scarlett in the Ballroom is a rich scarlet linear holographic with a subtle hint of gold micro shimmer. This one is more jellyish in formula, a little thinner but was very opaque, two coats. The heavy pigmentation of this could cause it to stain your skin, so be careful upon removal. This seemed more like a shimmer indoors, but it gets that nice rainbow fire in bright light. My first Starrily polish and I'm pretty happy with it! (Scarlett definitely used the candlestick for her murder!)

The box is $40 and will be available on The Holo Hookup website. The pre-order window for purchasing this box is from Wednesday, September 21th at 9pm EST through Wednesday, September 28th at 9pm EST. Let me know what you think about these four mysterios! Are you a Clue fan too?

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

The Holo Hookup September 2016 Swatches & Review

Hi everyone! Today I have the next edition of The Holo Hookup to show you! In case you haven't heard of it yet, it's a monthly pre-order "box" of four holographic polishes from indie makers Cupcake Polish, Different Dimension and Glisten & Glow along with a guest maker. They always have a fun theme and create some beautiful limited edition polishes. The theme for September's box is art, all the shades are inspired by famous paintings! And the guest indie maker is Vapid Lacquer.

Press Sample

Inspiration Photos

Cupcake Polish Bad Hare Day is inspired by Robert Deyber's Bad Hare Day (Mona Lisa). This is a beige/ivory linear holographic with copper speckles throughout. This has a great formula, thick but in a good way. This is two coats.

Different Dimension Monroe is inspired by Andy Warhol's Monroe. It's a creamy, lightened tiffany blue linear holographic with added shimmers and neon pink microglitters. This was also thick in a good way, buttery. Dried a little slow and has some texture, so wait a bit between coats and use a thick top coat.

Glisten & Glow The Abstract Expressionist is inspired by Sam Francis's Untitled, 1994, (SFP94-75, SFF.1749). It's a berry purple linear holographic with gold and purple shimmers. Super easy, great formula. I used two coats here.

Vapid Lacquer Dali's Elephants is inspired by Salvador Dali's Elephants. It's a very warm red-orange linear holographic. Thinner formula but very pigmented. I didn't shake my bottle very well and my first coat was not very holo, so I gave it a good tumble and the second layer was much more sparkly. This dries surprisingly shiny!

This box will be available for pre-order on The Holo Hookup website starting Sunday, August 21st at 9pm EST through Sunday, August 28th at 9pm EST. The price is $40.00 plus shipping, available both domestically and internationally. To see more swatches, you can check out The Holo Hookup’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Let me know what you think of these! This has to be one of my favorite boxes since I started reviewing them, so good!

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

The Holo Hookup August 2016 Box Swatches & Review

The new box from The Holo Hookup is coming out soon! August's box is themed as "A Day In The Garden" and I've included the inspiration photo the makers used to create their polishes. As always, we have the usual indie brands Cupcake Polish, Different Dimension and Glisten & Glow giving us their lacquers, and they include a guest maker for each box. This time it's Nvr Enuff Polish, which is a new brand to me. Let's take a look at the pretties!

Press Sample

Cupcake Polish Blue Orchid is a cyan/teal blue linear holographic with strong blue and pink shimmers. This applied really easily, not too thick or thin, and covered in two coats.

Different Dimension Montego Red is a darkened scarlet red linear holographic with added shimmers and purple microglitter. This has great coverage, almost a one coater, but I used two for 100% opacity.

Glisten & Glow Fern Gully is a forest green linear holographic with blue and gold shimmers. Another really awesome formula, two coats. I love the blue pops that come out of this, seriously makes me think of a lush rainforest!

Nvr Enuff Polish Odessa Black is a blackened eggplant purple linear holographic with red shimmer and sparkle flakie bits. This was my first polish from this brand and I wasn't crazy about their wide, flat, tapered brush, but you get used to it. I applied this in two careful, thin coats, as the formula is a thicker jelly-type and I found that worked the best for me.

The August box will be available on The Holo Hookup website during a week long pre-order window, from July 21st at 9pm EST to July 28th at 9pm EST. The price is $40 plus shipping, available domestically and internationally. All pre-orders will ship by August 12. What do you think of this quartet of lush garden-y shades? I don't know if it's my favorite box from them, but I enjoyed all the colors!

Have a great day, and stay polished my friends!

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

The Holo Hookup July 2016 Box Swatches & Review

Hi there! Today I have a new edition of The Holo Hookup to show you! July's box is themed for the Great Barrier Reef, so summery. :) In addition to permanent indie brand contributors Cupcake Polish, Different Dimension, and Glisten & Glow, we have Australian indie brand Emily de Molly joining in as the guest this month.

Press Sample

Inspiration images via The Holo Hookup

Cupcake Polish Queen Anthias is a grape bubblegum purple linear holographic with subtle pink shimmers and a slightly metallic finish. I realize that most holographics are "metallic-y" in nature, but this one seemed just a tad more so. This was a bit goopy at first for me, but upon a good shaking, it applied well. This is two coats.

Different Dimension P Sherman 42 Wallaby Way Sydney is a cobalt blue linear holographic with gold galaxy glitters. This went on really great, and I got full coverage on one coat. Two coats deepens the color though, as seen here. The glitters are really plentiful, but sink in the bottle. I got a good amount out because I left my bottle upside down for about an hour before I put it on. I love this!

Glisten & Glow Great Barrier Reef Plate Corals is a burnt orange linear holographic jelly with added gold shimmers. This was on the thinner side due to the jelly formula, but applied nice and evenly. This is three coats but you may get away with two. I wasn't sure if I would like this on the nail, but I am in love with how the gold makes the base color so fiery!

Emily de Molly Warm Seas Rising is a light teal with bronze to gold multichrome flakies. This applied fabulously, very smooth and opaque in two coats. I love the flakies in this, reminds me of fish swimming in the ocean, which is probably the point haha. ;)

This box goes up for pre-sale on June 21st at 9pm EST through June 28th at 9pm EST on The Holo Hookup website. It sells for $40 plus shipping, available domestically and internationally. The ship date would normally be July 12, but they are moving the ship date to July 15 to accommodate the addition of the international guest. What do you think of these gorgeous sea inspired shades?

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

The Holo Hookup June 2016 Box Swatches & Review

The Holo Hookup is back for June! Different Dimension, Cupcake Polish and Glisten & Glow created a collection of shades for the upcoming month themed as "Decades of Comedies", each brand chose a comedy from a different decade to inspire their shade. The guest maker this month is F.U.N. Lacquer, a brand based out of Singapore that I've heard nothing except utter gushing about! Let's take a gander at the goodies!

Press Sample

inspiration for this month's shades

Cupcake Polish Shake & Bake is a royal blue linear holo with shiny silver flakies, inspired by Talledega Nights, a hilarious Will Ferrell movie. Insane holo and pigmentation! Really great formula. Some Cupcake Polishes I've tried lean thick but this one was super buttery. This is two coats.

shade, to show off the flakie bits

Different Dimension As If! is a light pink linear holo with added shimmers and microglitters, inspired by the quintessential 90's movie Clueless. The pink has a slight lilac tone, making it kinda unique to my collection! I love all pinks and I have seen Clueless about a zillion times so I adore this. Fab formula, easy to put on. Also has great coverage, this is two coats.

Glisten & Glow Bueller... Bueller... Bueller... is a "gilded light brown" linear holographic loaded with gold shimmers and flakies, inspired by 80's movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off. This was more on the sheer side, but built up in three coats. Another easy to apply formula. I love this, it's incredibly unique. I just watched Ferris Bueller the other day, so classic!

F.U.N. Lacquer Superhero Landing is a black linear holo with red/copper shimmers and red holo glitters, inspired by the recent antihero movie Deadpool. This is my first foray into F.U.N. Lacquer, there is always a ton of buzz about this brand. I really love the brush on this polish, it made it super easy to apply. Another awesome, easy formula, opaque in two coats. This does dry dull so you'll want a top coat for shine. I don't care for the Marvel universe when it comes to movies (I'm a DC girl), but I loved Deadpool!

The F.U.N. Lacquer polish comes in a holographic box! Whuuuuuttt??

The Holo Hookup June box will be available on their website on Saturday, May 21st at 9pm EST through Saturday, May 28th at 9pm EST. The box is $40 plus shipping. This is a pre-order system and they usually ship out the boxes on the 12th of the following month, but due to the international brand joining in this time, they are pushing it back a few days until June 15th. So what do you think about this edition of The Holo Hookup? Which shade and/or movie inspiration is your favorite?

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

The Holo Hookup May 2016 Indie Collaboration Box Swatches & Review

It's time again for The Holo Hookup! The theme for the indie collab box for May is "From The Holo Hookup, With Love"! Joining the permanent contributing brands Different Dimension, Glisten & Glow and Cupcake Polish is special guest brand Painted Polish! Onward to the swatches!

Press Sample

Different Dimension From Cairo, With Love is a beige-nude linear holographic with added glitters and flakies. There is a strong pinky copper flash in there and I'm OBSESSED with it! This just may be my favorite Different Dimension polish! Application is a dream, opaque in two coats. Dries a bit dull so you'll want a top coat.

Cupcake Polish From Cancun, With Love is a sparkling aqua ultra linear holographic with subtle iridescent flakies. On the first coat this was more sheer than I expected, a little thinner formula than most Cupcake Polish shades I've tried. However, it was completely opaque on the second coat. And that color is seriously island fantasy eleganza! I found the flakies hard to capture but they are definitely in there :)

Glisten & Glow From Tokyo, With Love is a bright red-coral linear holographic with added pink shimmers and holographic microglitters. Perfect representation of the Japanese pagodas, so right on! On the thinner side, but has flawless application. Two coats on this.

Painted Polish From London, With Love is a slightly greyed blue linear holographic with added holographic silver galaxy glitter. The consistency of this is a little thicker than the others, but didn't affect application for me. This is two coats. As a side note, I love this brand's bottles! They're very solid and substantial feeling!

This edition of the box will be available on The Holo Hookup website on Thursday, April 21st at 9pm EST through Thursday, April 28th at 9pm EST. The cost is $40 plus shipping. Please let me know what you think about this quartet! Have you tried The Holo Hookup yet? Which of these is your favorite? And what destination would you pick to travel to? I'd honestly die to visit any of those destinations but I've been dreaming about going to London forever. Talk to you soon babes!

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

The Holo Hookup April 2016 Indie Collaboration Box Swatches & Review

Happy freakin' Friday everyone! This week has felt simultaneously short and extremely long for me. It's very odd, but at least it's over! Today I've got the shades from the April box of The Holo Hookup to show you! The Holo Hookup is a monthly pre-order box of four holographic shades from a collaboration of indie brands. Different Dimension, Cupcake Polish and Glisten & Glow are the main indies who put together the box each month, and they always have a great theme and a guest brand join in. This month the theme is Autism Awareness and the guest brand is Bliss Polish. The Holo Hookup is donating $4 from every April box sold to the National Autism Association, making this month extra great!

Press Sample

Cupcake Polish Light Of My Life is a dark pink linear holographic with blue shimmer. This was almost a one-coater because it's a little thick, but the application was a breeze. I used two coats here.

Different Dimension I ♡ Someone With Autism is a black linear holographic with added blue shimmer and flakies and navy blue holographic microglitters. This one is completely opaque in one coat! I did two here because I always do. Takes a bit longer to dry down, so it might get gummy if you apply a second coat over the first too fast though. But you really can get away with just one if you want!

Glisten & Glow Accept, Understand, Love is a light springy grass green linear holographic with blue shimmer, and blue and silver galaxy holographic microglitters. Thinner consistency, but I noticed it was a little draggy upon application for me. Two coats for full opacity. I wasn't super in love with this at first glance, but when I saw it on my nails I really fell in love with it.

Bliss Polish Different Not Less is a slightly dusty, but somehow vibrant, bold blue linear holographic with added blue micro flakes. This is my first ever Bliss Polish and I am pretty pleased with it. It was on the thinner side but easy to apply with no pooling. Opaque in two coats.

This box will be up for pre-sale on The Holo Hookup website starting on Monday, March 21st at 9pm EST through Monday, March 28th at 9pm EST. The box is $40 plus shipping, and is available worldwide. They usually ship by the 12th of the following month, so this box will start shipping on 4/12/16. Let me know what you think of the April box! I'm so on board with the theme and love that part of the proceeds will be going to a great cause. Are you thinking about getting this box?

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.