Okay, I know what you’re thinking based on the title: “Ashley, it isn’t September anymore! It’s barely even October!!!” Both of these things are true, but I want to share the September G.N.O.M.E. polishes with you anyway for a few reasons: a) to put this box on your radar, b) to put these brands on your radar, and c) because sometimes these polishes are available individually after the boxes go out. You might have an opportunity to get your hands on them, but at this point you’ve missed the September box. I do want to be honest and upfront about that.
You might also be thinking “What in the heck is a G.N.O.M.E. box?” I will be happy to enlighten you: G.N.O.M.E. stands for Glitter Nerds Of Magical Existence. It is a collaboration between Rica and Stardust Beauty and occasionally a guest brand to bring you some special, limited edition polishes each month. I first heard of it through following Cosmetic Sanctuary and decided to send in my first order in September for three reasons (today is a turn-everything-into-a-list day for me, I guess): a) that month featured a green, blue, and purple, which are my favorite polish shades, b) I had some money leftover from an Etsy gift card, and c) I have been dying to try all three of these brands and at the reasonable price of $24 I could not say no. My bank account can’t even be mad at me. Had my bank account taken one for the team, however, it would not have been mad at me for long because these three are just stunning. See for yourself below!
All swatches today are shown over Zoya Get Even. Seche Vite is my top coat of choice.
Rica Leaf This Gnome Alone!, 3 coats plus topcoat
First up we have the Rica polish . All of the polish names have gnome in them, it’s so cute! This beauty is a seafoam green holo with color shifting flakies. It is so subtle and pretty, I love the addition of the flakies! Makes it more interesting than a straight-up holo and they flakies are reminiscent of fallen leaves.
Rica Leaf This Gnome Alone!, 1 coat
The first coat was a bit sheer and patchy. You do get a good amount of flakies out. The formula was really smooth and easy to apply. It is thin without being runny.
Rica Leaf This Gnome Alone!, 2 coats
Leaf This Gnome Alone! was almost opaque for me in two coats. There were just a few light patches that need to be covered up. This polish dries almost matte and the flakies stick up a teeny bit from the base. It’s not textured by any means, any top coat would easily smooth it out.
Rica Leaf This Gnome Alone!, 3 coats
This polish was completely opaque in three coats for me. I bet you could get it opaque in two if you don’t use wimpy coats like I do. Personally, I love to layer up polishes with flakies in them to get a bit more depth to the sparkle. I really love the amount of flakies you get even with a thin coat.
Rica Leaf This Gnome Alone!, 3 coats plus top coat
This is the only polish out of the collection that I was able to get a sunlight picture of, so enjoy it (the sun was being very rude and uncooperative that day, but… I live in Oregon and it’s fall, I should expect nothing less). Here you can see how holographic it actually is and the sparks of color those flakies lend. Ooo! Aah! I definitely love this one.
Stardust Beauty FALLing For This Gnome, 2 coats plus top coat
Next up we have my favorite of the collection, FALLing For This Gnome. I definitely fell for this color and fell hard. It’s a deep denim blue jelly with holo and color shifting flakies. They are similar to the flakies in Leaf This Gnome Alone!, but shift to only around two or three colors (I say only as if they aren’t as pretty… they are). This is jam-packed with flakies, they are the star of the show and, again, they are what elevates this polish beyond a regular holo. Wearing this polish is like having the birth of a star on your nails, I am so upset that I could not get a sunlight shot for you all. Mere photos could not do it justice anyway, but it is a shame. I have failed you.
Stardust Beauty FALLing For This Gnome, 1 coat
FALLing For This Gnome has a jelly base, so it is understandably sheer on the first coat! I also found it to be a bit patchy, but no big deal because you know you’re going to need at least two coats anyway! This polish is absolutely loaded with flakies and you get so many just on your first swipe.
Stardust Beauty FALLing For This Gnome, 2 coats
I got this beauty completely opaque in two coats thanks to the darker base. It was a very easy jelly formula and that’s saying something coming from me; I struggle sometimes with getting jellies and crellies to look even. With just two coats there is so much depth and sparkle to this polish. Love. Love. Love! Honestly, where has Stardust Beauty been all my life? Clearly I am going to need more from them. One thing to note about this polish is that it dries a tad flat, you’ll want a top coat to give it a nice, shiny finish and increase the sparkle factor.
Frenzy Polish Gnome Place Like Home, 2 coats plus top coat
The final shade I have to share with you is Gnome Place Like Home from Frenzy Polish. This is a gorgeous bruise purple (kinda gross, I know, but that’s the color) holographic that has a lighter purple flash. You can hardly tell it’s there in my photos, a sun shot would have been nice (*side-eyes the sky*).
Frenzy Polish Gnome Place Like Home, 1 coat
The coverage on the first coat is excellent! There are just a couple light spots and it is not quite as dark as it is in the bottle. The formula was super smooth, it just flowed right on the nail and practically applied itself!
Frenzy Polish Gnome Place Like Home, 2 coats
Another easy coat and this one is done! Just look at that purple, isn’t it perfect for fall and winter? This one does not dry as matte and flat as some holos do. I would always recommend top coat, but it is something to note.
I am so pleased with this box! It was my first time trying out all of these indies and they were all a joy to use and to look at. Plus, the box was only $24! For three full-size indie polishes, I think that is a pretty good deal. In the future I am definitely going to keep up with G.N.O.M.E. box releases and I am definitely going to be hitting up Stardust Beauty more. Sadly, your opportunity to order this box and the October box (which looks pretty good) have passed. Rica Polish, as of writing this, still has some bottles of Leaf This Gnome Alone up for grabs, so if that one tickles your fancy you still have a chance!
What do you guys think? Have you ordered a G.N.O.M.E. box before? Do you have any Rica, Stardust Beauty, or Frenzy polishes to recommend? I would love to hear any of your thoughts!
xx, Ashley
G.N.O.M.E. boxes can be ordered monthly through Rica Polish. Keep up with them on Instagram to find out about new releases. Stardust Beauty is a staple of the box and can be found here. Frenzy Polish was a guest creator and you can visit them here!
short nail swatcher 
Thank you so much for the review! I love your swatches, and how you actually show pictures of each coat. ❤
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No problem, thank you for creating such a beautiful polish! :] And thanks, I thinking showing each coat is helpful and is perhaps a way blogs can compete with video swatches!
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