Last year Sveta Sanders on Instagram did an amazing dragon skin gradient using crackle polish.  It was the first the I saw crackle polish look amazing and I knew back then that i had to attempt her design.  Then last month when it was Digital Dozen Nail Heroes week, Laurie over at Dressed up Digits tried her hand at the design and reminded me that I hadn't yet done it.

So then the search began through my helmers to actually find a bottle of crackle polish.  It turns out I actually don't own much of it.  I have a few bottle of China Glaze metallic crackles, but they don't crackle the right sort of way, they are more shatter than crackle.  The only bottle I had was a bright orange Barry M version that was a 'web' effect.  It created exactly the pattern I wanted but it did one strange thing.

I started with a white base and then applied the web effect Barry M polish.  As it dried it created a nice crackle look that was a good match to dragon skin. But then as I applied my metallic gradient over the top i noticed that the crackle polish just kept shrinking and shrinking, and the gaps between each scale became larger and larger.  It didn't matter how much I then tried to add more gradient on top to fill in the gaps that were starting to show bare nail through, cause it just kept shrinking up.  In the end I just left it with the huge gaps.  I didn't end up putting top coat on either as I didn't want it to shrink even more.

The used some Sally Hansen Color foils for the gradient.

Up until two days ago, I didn't own a crackle or shatter polish... and I still don't.  No, I have a 'Mosaic' one.  Seriously why can't nail polish companies stick with a consistent name for these sorts of polishes?

Anyway, this is the new Ozotic Mosiac polish, which for all intents and purposes (man I love using cliches - I might just have to pull a few more of them out of my hat) sorry where was I, oh yes, it works the same way as China Glaze Crackle, OPI Shatter, BarryM Instant Nail Effects etc.

So here are my baby gaga nails with mosaic on top. Application was a piece of cake and these crackle polishes are kinda fun to play around with. Then, waiting with baited breath to see what effect it will create when it crackles.

Below  is another quick mani I did as soon as my polish arrived in the mail.  Initially, I was a little disappointed with the crackling effect, but then I did some reading about crackle polishes (specifically this post from the lacquerista) and realised I should have waited longer for the base to dry.

I've only used this crackle polish twice, but both times I had that crack line just below the tip of my nail, on every nail.  Interesting. I think my thumb was the driest in the picture below and cracked to my liking the best.

So, while its a case of seen one, seen them all, I'm pretty happy with my Ozotic Mosaic and don't feel the need to try any other brand.

You can buy ozoitc mosaic from a number of etailers, with prices ranging from $5.95 - $12.95.  Just Google 'ozotic mosaic' and you'll find them.  Although I think only piCture pOlish ship internationally.

On another note, I was looking at the Artform website the other day and noticed that they no longer list their private label holographic or multichrome polishes.  I guess you girls bought them all out!  I also read on the Makeup Ally Nail board, a few girls ordered a polish from Artform and had an Ozotic Pro delivered.  

I guess I was right in saying their polishes were exact dupes of each other (using the same numbers etc), or more accurately, that the Artform polishes were a private label produced by Lumineye, whose proprietary brand is Oztoic. Looks like Artform will be supplying Ozotics to Aussies soon, and I think their prices will be a little better than piCture pOlish too.

Oh and sorry, I can't help it. Must. Use. More. Cliches.