Sephora Formula X "Alchemy" & China Glaze "Golden Seal"

Happy Fifth Day of Christmas, loves!  I didn't even realize that we are already halfway through the Twelve Days of Christmas until an hour and a half ago, and even though I have a terrifying mountain of holiday swatches sitting on my desktop dying to be posted, I just had to make last minute room for these ones in honor of them *five ... golden ... rings*!!!!!

China Glaze "Golden Seal" + Sephora Formula X "Alchemy"

Sephora Formula X "Alchemy"

China Glaze "Golden Seal" + Sephora Formula X "Alchemy"

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Sephora Formula X "Alchemy" is a complex, bronzed foil comprised of rose, gold, copper, and steel cerulean metallic flakes, melded together in a magical molten sea of rainbow metals.  Of course, the primary colors neutralize each other into a cumulative effect of silvery, blushing bronze, but a most fascinating and dynamic one at that.  After all, that's how painters make the most gorgeous, complex tones: by layering and mixing colors, rather than relying on just one single pigment.

"Alchemy" is Sephora's special holiday release, denoted intuitively by it's metallic gold cap.  With a name like "Alchemy" you might expect this to be more solid 24k, but I think they really captured the alchemical process at a more mystical phase: the midpoint of transformation (conceptually speaking, you know).

Like an ideal foil, "Alchemy" had a lovely fast dry time, and liquid metal formula that covered nicely in two coats though I went for three for pictures' sake.

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China Glaze "Golden Seal" is a glitter topper of metallic yellow gold flakie shards, lancing through a clear base like renegade star points.  It is one of the Ulta-exclusive polishes that were recently released, and a rather nice follow up to the real gold flake topcoat trend at a more reasonable price point.  The glitter is very dense and easy to capture; these swatches show one easy coat.  The shards are very angular, and if I were to sum it up, I would say that "Golden Seal" is glamorous with a bite.  Like a gilded leopard seal, maybe.

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I picked up "Alchemy" at Sephora, and "Golden Seal" at Ulta, where they are respectively exclusive.

Anyone else get their *gold* on today??

XOXO

Marisa + Sprinklepuff