Formula X for Sephora – New Liquid Crystals and Celestials for Spring 2014
Formula X for Sephora officially replaced the beloved Sephora by OPI line last fall and, to be honest, every time I go in the store, I am so overwhelmed by the immensity of the line that I can never decide on a just a couple shades to try and leave empty handed. I think it’s just too much all at once and my brain explodes looking at the display. You know what I mean?
Anyway, when I heard about the new Liquid Crystals collection, I just had to see them for myself. Inspired by stained glass, this Effects line is made from crushed micro-crystalline glass and light reflecting micas. And when I say that they glow, they GLOW. They’ve also added more textures to the Celestials line and I have one of those to show you as well.
Formula & Application
Formula X for Sephora is 3-Free (Formaldehyde, Toluene and DBP). The rounded, brick-like bottles have a futuristic look and feel. The shiny plastic outer cap pops off to reveal and ribbed, round inner cap for application purposes. The brush is long, thin and round with flexible bristles that capture a lot of polish and easily fan out to cover the nail.
Since both polishes have completely different finishes and textures, I’ll address application and coverage individually below.
Formula X for Sephora Equinox is a warm red grape that is super pigmented and filled with so much crystallized sparkle that it’s like there is a fire burning beneath the surface. It gives new meaning to “lit from within.” What’s unique is that while it has a glass-fleck style finish, it’s pigmented so you don’t have the opacity issues than can plague the genre. Essentially, it’s the love child of glass-fleck and foil.
It’s saturated enough to only need two, thin, silky coats yet it effortlessly floats the crystal flecks for even glitter disbursement.
Formula X for Sephora Equinox Liquid Crystals
Formula X for Sephora Equinox
Finish-wise Equinox reminds me of one of my all-time fave purples, The Painted Nail by Nubar Legendary Lavender. Though LL isn’t as red or as pigmented. In terms of shade, Zoya Hope is in the same immediate family with Nubar Pasadena Purple as a distant cousin.
Formula X for Sephora Equinox Comparisons
Formula X for Sephora Glitter Rocket is a lilac-hued glittery texture meshed with golden shimmer. It’s very much in the PixieDust style of refined glitter and the golden shimmer, definitely stands out more in person when the light hits it than it appears here.
Because of the fine texture particles, I was able to apply relatively thin coats, which is always preferred over thick layers that can be lumpy and take longer to dry. While I could have gotten away with two coats, three gave me the coverage and level of sparkle I was looking for.
Formula X for Sephora Glitter Rocket
As you can see, Glitter Rocket is lighter and a bit more pink than other polishes in this shade range. China Glaze Tail Me Something has more blue to its base color while Zoya Stevie is darker with a silvery, not golden, shimmer.
Formula X for Sephora Glitter Rocket Comparisons
Bottom Line: The formula, pigmentation and finish of Equinox makes it such a joy to apply and wear that I need to get my hands on the rest of the Liquid Crystals colors, stat. Obviously I can’t speak for all the shades but if they apply with the same coverage, I’m going to be in heaven. Granted, this finish isn’t as revolutionary as Sephora would like you to believe but it’s the pigmentation that really sets it apart. Warm pale purples like Glitter Rocket aren’t my most flattering shade but I dig the golden shimmer and fine grit of the texture.
Formula X for Sephora is a Sephora exclusive, obvi, and the Liquid Crystals 14-shade collection and 5 new Celestials are available now at Sephora stores and online at Sephora.com. These two collections retail for $12.50/ea for a .4oz bottle.
Tell me I’m not alone. Are you as smitten with Equinox as I am? Have you tried some of the other Liquid Crystals shades? Tell me your faves and if you plan to add Equinox to your collection.
Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for Sephora. Affiliate links appear in this post. When you purchase through an affiliate link, you help support this site. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
I just received some of the Liquid Crystals last night! I love blues and greens so I ordered Beacon, Photoelectric, Prismatic, and Metamorphic! I tried them out quickly one on each nail. The blue, Beacon, is GORGEOUS. And super pigmented – only need two coats. The gray, metamorphic, was similar to Beacon and super sparkly. Photoelectric was similar but I think might need 3 coats. I was slightly disappointed by Prismatic. It looks like such a beautiful emerald green in the bottle but it was super sheer for me. I did 3 coats and it still didn’t match the bottle color or have enough coverage for me. Overall though, I LOVE these polishes and I am super excited to wear them! And of course, I may need to get some other colors too. I love your photos of Equinox and I might need to get Spectrum too
Both are nice colors!
I love it! Gonna have to head out to sephora!
I completely agree about how expansive the line and display is! Even though the formula x line has been out for awhile I only picked up my first shade this week because I’m always overwhelmed by choice!
Hmmm! These are pretty! Can’t go wrong with purple, and I love glass fleck and shimmery texture…
Oh my god I think I’ve fallen in love with Equinox! Such a pretty purple shade!!!!
I am loving Moon Glow!
I was like you, every time I go into Sephora and look at the polishes, I get almost overwhelmed. Especially when I didn’t know anything about the brand, how it applied, the brush, any of that! Soooooo, now that I know, the next time I go into Sephora, I will be picking up a few bottles of the Liquid Crystals polishes. Thank you so much for this review!!!
Equinox Liquid Crystals is the most beautiful thing ever <3
Equinox is amazeballs! I haven’t tried any of their new polishes- but I’m grabbing this one now!
Equinox is stunning. I love glass fleck and foil polishes. I just sent back 4 Formula X matte glitters. It looked as though the color of some glitters had bled. I’d be willing to try Equinox though. It’s so gorgeous!
I love, love love the Liquid Crystals. I’ve got one on the pinks and have plans to get more. I thought the Luster line of Formula X was great, and it is, but Liquid Crystals and a real home run!
Lovely swatches, as always!
Like others have said, I agree about feeling a tad overwhelmed by the new Formula X selection at Sephora. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve circled the display in-store, only to leave empty-handed. Or, even better, done a ton of swatch research, made a huge online shopping cart, then panicked last second and omitted the Formula X altogether.
I think that this collection is incredible, and just keeps getting better! I bought two of these today: Solar Flare and Photoelectric.
Solar Flare is shockingly pigmented – 1 coat really was sufficient coverage for me, but these types of polishes need 2 coats for depth (IMO), so I did that. So.Damn.Perfect. Photoelectric isn’t nearly as pigmented as Solar Flare. I needed 3 heavier coats of it to get the same coverage as 2 lighter coats of SF. Not a huge deal, as it’s gorgeous on the nail, but there definitely seems to be some variation within Liquid Crystals.
The Celestials are another fave, too. Glitter Rocket is adorable! I bet it would be nice with topcoat, too. I can’t wait to snag a few more of each, plus a Sparkler or two…and some Xplosive topcoats…
The glass-flecked polishes look like they’ll be stunning in person! I hesitate over the $12.50 price, though. I think $8-$9 is a lot, but I usually have a coupon for ULTA/Sally’s/Zoya.com and can buy a lot. I bought four of the Sephora X colors this past holiday season because I had a coupon to save $10 or $15 if I spent $50 in the store, so I snagged some colors for myself and for my mom as a gift that we’d looked at. Maybe if another great deal comes…!
Lovely swatches! I loved reading your descriptions, too. They make the polishes so much easier to “see”!
I know exactly what you’re talking about! It took a few trips to Sephora before I could finally narrow my choices down. I think it’s time to make another trip and purchase some of those Liquid Crystals! Thanks for all the detailed info and comparisons!
I passed on Equinox (kicking myself!) but I did pick up Glitter Rocks. I wasn’t certain it was a texture at the time. I’m feeling a little over the textured polish, BUT I am glad that I have this unique shade. I used Gelous and a top coat over it. It looked gorgeous! Unfortunately, it started chipping in less than 24 hours and was a bear to remove even with the foil method.
I’m still on the texture train, which is rare for me. Normally I’m over a trend by the time it hits the market because I’ve been seeing it for months prior to launch. But with texture, I’m hooked. I’m sorry it was such a pain to remove but I bet the chipping was due to the sheer number of layers. The thicker your polish, the more it tends to chip.