Deborah Lippmann: Across the Universe (and Essence Blue Addicted)

When I first started my polish obsession in October last year, Deborah Lippmann's Across the Universe was one of my biggest lemmings. Thankfully, my best friend kindly agreed to help me buy and bring some polishes back to Singapore during her vacation (she's studying in the States now).

So here's the beauty that got me drooling all over my laptop:

Across the Universe is a sheer deep blue jelly with green and silver (blue?) glitter suspended dreamily in the dark-colored base, giving it a look with incredible depth that's almost mesmerizing. It is one or two shades darker than it looks in the pictures but I could not get the camera to capture that.

Because I dare not waste this precious polish, I layered two coats over Essence Hard to Resist.

Of course, at about USD 18, Across the Universe is slightly pricey.
The good news is that there is a cheaper dupe by Essence - Blue Addicted. And, you've already seen it! Look at the pictures again, could you tell which is which? :et I couldn't. For the record, Essence Blue Addicted is on my pinkie and middle fingers while Across the Universe is on my ring and index fingers.

While they look identical, the formula is a world of a difference.
ATU has a better formula that is smoother and much easier to apply.
On the other hand, BA had already turned gloopy in the bottle. There was still a lot of glitter at the bottom of the bottle even after I shook it until my face turned the same shade as the polish. :|| It was still possible to paint my nails but I think it made BA looked a smidget darker because I simply plopped on the gooey mixture onto my nails and smeared it around like it was some blueberry jam. :f

Close up of Deborah Lippmann's Across the Universe

Isn't it gorgeous?!
What do you think of this color?

xoxo,
mich