Rainbow Honey : The Yokai Collection : "Kitsune" & "Hebi" swatches

Hello, goddesses!  Many of you have been waaaiiiiting and waaiiiting for the Yokai, and as of this month they have returned, and doubled!  Last fall Rainbow Honey released the first three Yokai, and I'm so happy that you're here to help me welcome Part 2.  In case you were wondering, yokai are "a class of supernatural monsters in Japanese folklore".  The word yokai comes from the kanji for "bewitching, attractive, calamity" and "appartion, mystery, suspicious". (Thanks, Wikipedia.)  The pair I have for you today deliver on all counts (especially attractive)!  I thought they made particularly bewitching couples when paired with some of the polishes from the September Mystery Bag <3

Rainbow Honey : The Yokai + guests from the September Mystery Bag

Kitsune

"Kitsune" is a blondewood cream speckled with fiery glitters of vermillion, pumpkin orange, and holographic silver and gold, plus tiny bronze glitters (kinda look black in some lights, but they are not) and a dazzling profusion of metallic gold and silver microflakie shimmers and twinkles.  Kitsune is the magical white fox, which is just so beautiful in my mind.  And of course, Rainbow Honey's rendition captures it perfectly, especially if you're thinking what I'm thinking... NINETALES!!  And surprise, Ninetales is indeed based upon kitsune, our Japanese fox spirit.  So when I was in second grade, my then-and-now best friend Grace and I would play Vulpix at recess nearly every day that ENTIRE year.  This meant nothing to us other than that we were pretty foxes and must frolic vigorously.  Despite our near-complete lack of knowledge or interest in the game itself, we would dutifully chase our Pokémon master about the playground, though beyond that I don't think we were even remotely obedient with regards to fighting other creatures or anything.  We were princess foxes, and that was it.

{ Vulpix & Nine-Tails by Fuutachimaro on deviantart}

 
In case you're not familiar, this ^ is an artist's interpretation of Vulpix and its evolved form, Ninetales (sorry if I'm not getting the terminology right; I know the game to the same degree as I did in second grade, and just as with back then I'm still strictly fascinated with the absurd cuteness of some of these creatures).  Looking through all these pictures is making me feel a violent urge to cuddle something.

Anyways.  "Kitsune" is just as endearing as its inspiration, and makes me think of pumpkin spice, hot buttered rum, and berries in winter woodlands.  And, you know, mystical foxes with fluffy, auburn-kissed fur plush enough to burrow in with your polished fingers <3  It applies wonderfully in two easy coats.  "Kitsune" is one of the Yokai Pt. 1 trio released last year.
 

Rainbow Honey "Kitsune"

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With it's golden twinkles and large holographic glitters, I just knew that Rainbow Honey "Sugarberries" from the September Mystery Bag would get along brilliantly with "Kitsune" <3 

Rainbow Honey "Kitsune" + "Sugarberries"

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Hebi

"Hebi" is a deep rainforest viridian green that darkens to navy blue at the edges, flushed with metallic emerald, gold, silver, and radiant orchid microflakies.  Oh my, this is magnificent.  The hebi is apparently the most shy, elusive, and rare of the yokai, and takes the form of a great serpent... and not much else is known or said, at least not in English :P  "Hebi" would be the bestest friend, perhaps soulmate, of Tarte's "Rainforest After Dark" palette, because a rainforest at night is EXACTLY what I think of when I look at this polish... and said palette even has a sinuous snake coiling across the lid!  (Plus, the eyes of the snake are the exact color of those orchid microflakes!  Meant to be.  Wishing I had that Tarte palette now, so that they could be happy together forever haha.)  I mention these various shimmers because they are so beautiful in the bottle, but the nature of the jelly base is to shroud them in verdant darkness, so on the nail they do all appear to be glowing shades of green and emerald.  The first coat of "Hebi" goes on quite venomous and brilliantly green, and it took me three coats to build up to such a depth that those beauteous Prussian blue edges could make themselves known, which they do so mostly in sunlight and some indoor lights.  Enigmatic, secretive, and maybe just a little poisonous...  Rainbow Honey really did a masterful job illustrating the persona of "Hebi" (which, incidentally, is part of The Yokai Pt. 2 released this month!).

Tarte "Rainforest After Dark"

Rainbow Honey "Hebi"

Rainbow Honey "Hebi"

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Layered over "Hebi", "Salacia" makes a ghostly green glow, like starlight on the tree canopy.  It looks a bit patchy in pictures, but was even to the naked eye; I used two coats.  I was thinking of my boyfriend's mom Lynne when I made this mani; her favorite color is green, and she really loved the sparkle in "Salacia".  I'm also thinking that "Hebi" would look fabulous on her, with her glamorous auburn curls <3

Rainbow Honey "Hebi" + "Salacia"

The Yokai are available now at Rainbow Honey!!  One polish is $10, sets of three are $25, and the full six-lacquer collection is $45 (wowwza!).  Most are dark, earthy hues, with the exception of cuddlesome "Kitsune".

Which is your favorite Yokai??

Freyja and May, frolicking in the forest

Don't you see a bit of "Kitsune" and "Hebi" in these woods??  Rainbow Honey really did pull together the perfect autumn collection <3

Love,
Marisa + Sprinklepuff