Product Review: Maybelline Color Show Holographic Nail Laquer in Mystic Green

Maybelline, Maybelline, Maybelline. We need to have a talk. In the past, we've been pretty good buddies, but recently your new collections have been brining me down. First your new Electro Baby Lips left my lips itching for moisture, and then your new Shine-Free Stick Foundation left me rethinking my reflective complexion, and now this holographic polish has left me anything but dazzled. What's going on?

Maybelline claims that Mystic Green is a "holographic"shade, which is total bogus. It's a gorgeous sea green with a slight blue shift, but it's by no stretch of the imagination holographic.

I swatched Mystic Green against 3 other types of nail polish; Chanel Peridot (metallic shift), Layla Flash Black (true holographic), and Essie Trophy Wife (metallic shimmer). Of the three, it most closely resembles the metallic shift of Peridot. 

The polish itself is pretty sheer and takes about 3-4 coats until the quick of the nail is no longer visible. The thin, metallic formula is also prone to obvious brush strokes if it is not applied uniformly on the nail. However, this polish does evenly spread across the surface of the nail, leaving it with a nice, smooth appearance.

Fortunately, this formula has one of the better wear times that I've experienced with metallics. With Seche Vite as a top coat, I managed to wear this for 4 days before any minor chipping developed. Not bad for a little cheapie $4 nail polish! I've used a few other shades from the Color Show line before (both of which were cream finishes), and this one drastically outperforms it. 

Price: $3.99

Size: 0.23 fl. oz/7 mL

Availability: Drugstores, Ulta, and anywhere else Maybelline is sold

Pros:

• Even application
• Great wear time with a topcoat
• Fun shade

Cons:

• Not actually holographic
• Relatively thin formula
• Brushstrokes will be evident if not careful. 

Cruelty Free: No

I do like this nail polish, don't get me wrong. I quite like the shade, price point, and wear time, but it was improperly advertised as a holographic, which kind of bummed me out. 

Overall Rating: 8.5/10.

4 comments Drugstore, Maybelline, Nails, Review