Great Lakes Lacquer The Great Ones Collection Swatches and Reviews

*purchased with a blogger discount*

Hi guys! No, you aren't seeing things, I am actually posting on a Sunday. Mariah (from Great Lakes Lacquer) has a new 5-piece collection coming out this Tuesday, July 12th at 3 PM EST in her Etsy shop and I have swatches of them all to show you tonight. Did I mention that these are all inspired by the Great Lakes? I know I've mentioned it several times in the past that I grew up near Lake Erie. I also did a lot of research for my Master's Degree and Ph.D. looking at some of the environmental problems facing the Great Lakes today. Our freshwater systems are so important, so I'm glad Mariah decided to use them as her muse for The Great Ones Collection. Just a warning, this is a picture-heavy post. Follow me after the break for my thoughts...



Formula and Application: I figured I'd start out mentioning how the polishes applied because they were pretty much the same in that they were all perfect. Lake Huron was the only polish that needed 3 coats, but that's just because it had more of a jelly finish than the rest. Honestly, I don't have anything negative to say about the formula. I would recommend that you use a good basecoat with these because some of them are the type of pigmented blues or greens that will stain. I had no issues with any staining, but I always make sure to use 1-2 coats of basecoat to make sure it doesn't happen. Nobody likes having Smurf hands.

Great Lakes Lacquer Lake Erie (2 coats) (diffused LED Daylight)

Great Lakes Lacquer Lake Erie (2 coats) (direct LED Daylight for holo effect)

Oh Lake Erie. You are a small lake, and yet you have so many problems! If it's not zebra mussels it's harmful algal blooms. I honestly thought that Mariah would make the Lake Erie polish a blue-green algae color, but she sees things in more of a positive light. This is what Mariah has to say about the insipriation for Lake Erie: 

Inspired by the deep blue to purple with a red tint that Lake Erie can give off, especially after sunset.

I've been lucky enough to see Lake Erie at sunset, and it really is a beautiful sight (most of the time). It's a deep blue color with navy microflakes and a scattered holographic finish. There's also red to gold shimmer, but I was unable to capture it well with my photos. Photos show just 2 easy coats. 

Great Lakes Lacquer Lake Huron (3 coats)

I can honestly say that I know the least about Lake Huron. I guess no news is good news, especially when you're a scientist learning about the "bad stuff" that happens to lakes. The polish is a deep teal with blackened green shimmer. It also looks like there's a little gold in there at some angles. Mariah says: 

Inspired by the deep blue that throws back a green hue from the sunlight.

Lake Huron was the sheerest of the polishes, but that's because it has more of a jelly finish. I could have easily gotten away with 2 coats, but a third was needed for the bright light from pictures. Also, if you have short nails you won't have a problem with a visible nail line. 

Great Lakes Lacquer Lake Michigan (2 coats) (diffused LED Daylight)

Great Lakes Lacquer Lake Michigan (2 coats) (direct LED Daylight for holo effect)

Lake Michigan is easily my favorite of the collection. The holo effect is insane, and just look at the flakes! It's a teal linear holographic polish with a nice amount of multichrome flakes. Mariah says:

Inspired by the light green to aqua to deep blues of one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.

Fifty percent of the time it looks green, 50% of the time it looks blue, but 100% of the time it looks beautiful. This is 2 simple coats (I would make sure to use a basecoat with this one just in case), 

Great Lakes Lacquer Lake Ontario (2 coats)

More flakies you say? I'm in! One of my research cruises went through Lake Ontario and I was blown away how pretty it was. Also, if you've never been to Burlington, Ontario, I highly recommend it. Anyway, Lake Ontario the polish has 6 different kinds of blue flakes suspended in a sapphire blue jelly finish. The amount and different types of flakes really adds to the depth of the polish. Mariah says: 

Inspired by the sapphire blue and deep sparkle that the big lakes can give off when blazed with sunlight.

Pictures show 2 easy coats (you may need 3 if you use really thin coats). If you do happen to use 3, I would wait an extra minute between coats to ensure there's no dragging. 

Great Lakes Lacquer Lake Superior (2 coats)

And last, but definitely not least we have the majestic and cold Lake Superior. We even got a duochrome in this collection! The polish is a teal/green/purple shifter with a shimmer finish. This is inspired by the Northern Lights (aka Aurora Borealis) which I've never personally witnessed. Mariah says: 

Inspired by the northern lights running across the lake at night.

Google Lake Superior Northern Lights. I may have found some new wallpaper for my phone or computer. This was just 2 coats, but make sure to use a good basecoat. I didn't have any staining, but there's always a chance. 

Overall, I love this collection. I would recommend all of them, but if you're on a tight budget, at least get Lake Michigan. Again, these will be released this Tuesday at 3 PM EST. You can get all 5 polishes for $47 + shipping, or individual bottles for:

Lake Superior - $11

Lake Michigan - $11

Lake Erie - $10

Lake Ontario - $10

Lake Huron - $9

Make sure to check out what Mariah is up to on her Etsy, Facebook, and Instagram pages as well.

*These polishes were provided by the brand at a discounted price. All reviews are based solely on my opinion. For more information, please see my full disclosure at the bottom of the site*