I am so excited to bring you today's review. If you follow me at all, you know that I am a HUGE fan of cuticle and hand care products. I love them almost as much as I love the polish itself, and that is saying something. I also do my best to try to support Canadian indies when and where I can, so this post is double-y exciting for me because it comes from a Canadian brand, Inspired Sense. And if that weren't enough, the box is a collection of items that represents the East Coast of Canada and I am a born and bred Newfoundlander.......TRIPLE score! Let's jump right in.
Inspired Sense - The Canadian Box Set - East Coast Edition
The Inspired Sense Canadian Box set is going to consist of four boxes of products that will be designed and inspired by this gorgeous country that I call home. I have lived in every region of Canada, so I feel very connected to this idea and am so excited to see it come to fruition. The East Coast edition of The Canadian Box set contains four nail polish - one for each East Coast province - and an after beach moisturizing spritzer and sea scented mani bombs as well as some summer decals. SO MUCH FUN!
The Rock
The Rock is an amber base with a golden shimmer that is based on a photo of the St. John's, Newfoundland harbour at night time. Downtown St. John's is one of my favourite places on earth and this polish really captures the hue of the street lights reflecting off the Atlantic ocean once the sun is gone down. It's a very unique colour - not quite brown and not quite orange - and the golden shimmer really gives it depth. As someone from 'The Rock' this polish holds a sentimental place in my heart and it's a welcome addition to my collection.
I used three whisper thin coats to get the coverage you see in this photos. I added a quick dry top coat to help bring out the depth of the shimmer. It dried very quickly on its own.
Peggy's Cove is Calling
Peggy's Cove is Calling is a polish that is inspired by Nova Scotia's famous lighthouse in Peggy's Cove. It is described as a maroon holo jelly. This polish seems to change colour with each coat that is added. The first coat is kind of pinkish, then it becomes more raspberry on the second coat, and by the third coat it is more grape toned. I grabbed some photos of this polish in sunlight to show off just how pretty it is when it catches the light.
I used three thin coats to get full opacity under my lights. Without my lights, I would have said this was opaque with two but with harsh lighting, you could see my visible nail line so I added the third coat. Fun story about this polish's formula. My sister is a hairstylist, which means she spends much of her day with her hands in water or harsh chemicals. She has tried many different types of polish but they always chip or peel off after a day of work for her. When she saw this polish on my counter, she painted her thumb. Three days later, she was astonished that not only was she still wearing the polish, but it looked just as good as the day she applied it. I think the jelly base and time Trisha has spent on her formula is to thank for that.
Bay of FUN-dy
Bay of FUN-dy is the polish that is inspired by New Brunswick and the largest lobster in the world. It is described as a grey-blue pearl with bronze and copper microflakes. I had such a hard time deciding how to describe this polish. In the bottle it looks almost like a greyed lilac but on the nail it did become more pearl like. There is a slight metallic quality to this polish that just reflects the light. The bronze and copper microflecks add depth and interest. This polish really grew on me as I was wearing it. I wasn't quite sure that I loved the colour on my skin tone at first, but the longer I wore it, the more flattering it became. Funny how polish does that sometimes, huh?
I used three thin coats to cover my very bright, visible nail line. I wasn't sure it was going to build to opacity, but sure enough, it did. This polish dried very quickly on its own, but I added a QDTC for extra protection and shine.
Red Sand On My Toes
Red Sand On My Toes is inspired by the tiny island province of Prince Edward Island, known for its red sandy beaches. Red Sand On My Toes is a multichrome polish that shifts from burgundy to red to gold to green at extreme angles. I wasn't able to get the green to show under my lighting, but I could see it in the bottle. I love how the red to gold shift looks exactly like the red sand you would see in PEI. This polish is perfectly inspired!
I used three thin coats to build opacity and then a shiny top coat to really bring out the depth and shifty aspect of the polish. It is a jelly base, so I found allowing each coat to dry for a minute before adding the next helped to prevent dragging.
So, not just only does this box come with four gorgeous polish, but it also includes some hand care items, which is really what Inspired Sense is all about. My all-time favourite IS product is Trish's moisturizing spritzer and she has created one for this box specifically for use after a long day out in the salty air on an East Coast beach. Seriously guys if you can get only ONE product from Inspired Sense, this stuff HAS to be it. It soaks in in seconds, smells like the ocean, and leaves your hands and cuticles looking and feeling amazing. I can't live without it! I use it for everything...on my legs after I have shaved and get out of the shower, all over my hands, on the dry patch of skin on my nose. I LOVE IT!
The East Coast edition of The Canadian Box also includes fun, beach scented mani bombs. If you're not sure what a mani bomb is, think bath bomb but with oils specific to helping your nails. You pop one of these babies into a bowl of water, soak your hands, and then rub in the oils. Ahhhhhh, perfection. I won't lie, I haven't loved mani bombs in the past but whatever it is that Trish is putting in these babies really helps my nails.
And, finally, the box includes some water decals that can be used to do beach and ocean themed summer manis. I am no nail art expert but water decals are shockingly easy to use.
And there you have it. The first of what will be a full Canadian set of products from Inspired Sense. I am so impressed by the research and thought that was put into the box. Trish has included a printout of information for people to learn more about each of the provinces in the box and you can tell that she really loves and believes in her product. I hope this box finds its way into the hands of people that will really help to put her on the map. The work that Trish has put into Inspired Sense is really something special.
The East Coast box is available for $45 (free shipping threshold is $45, so that will include shipping). If you were to buy these products separately, they would have cost $58 so you really do save when you get the box. The polish will be available individually at a later date.
What are your thoughts on this Canadian themed box set? I'd love to hear from you!
Inspired Sense
