Mooncat's Remedy Collection promises a pastel paradise, but does it deliver on its dreamy hues? This review dives deep into each of the eleven shades, evaluating their application, shimmer intensity, and overall performance. We'll explore the pastel yellows, pinks, greens, and blues, comparing them to similar polishes from other brands like Holo Taco and Demeter. From sheer shimmers designed for layering to vibrant thermals showcasing striking color shifts, we'll determine if this collection is a pastel perfection or a missed opportunity.This in-depth analysis examines the individual strengths and weaknesses of each polish – including coverage, application ease, and the unique visual effects created by both the shimmers and the thermals. We’ll assess how well these polishes perform as stand-alone colors and as toppers over darker bases. Ultimately, we'll weigh the collection's pastel aesthetic against Mooncat's established reputation for bold, innovative designs, considering if the price point justifies the overall experience.
Pros And Cons
- Nine pastel polishes in total, four shimmers and five thermals.
- Some polishes self-leveled nicely, leading to even application and potential as toppers.
- Some thermals had good coverage (full opacity in two coats).
- Overall color palette disappointed the reviewer.
- The vibe of simplicity and lightness wasn't appealing to the reviewer.
- Some shimmers had uneven coverage, requiring multiple coats and still showing visible nail lines.
- Reviewer disliked the pink shades.
- Reviewer found the comparisons difficult to make for some shades.
Read more: 10 Must-Have China Glaze Nail Polish Shades
Momo Yuyak: A Coral Pink Shimmer
Momo Yuyak is described as a coral lacquer with a peach-to-pink-to-orange shimmer. However, I found the shimmer leaned more towards pink than peach or orange. The application was sheer, requiring multiple coats for full coverage, but it self-leveled beautifully, making it a potential topper.
Its shimmery nature gives it a lovely glow, especially when layered. While three coats still showed a slight nail line, the even application and buildable shimmer make it a strong contender as a topper for other polishes.
Compared to similar pink and coral shimmers in my collection, Holo Taco's Encryption Key is the closest, although it's a more vibrant hot pink with a gold shimmer. Overall, while pretty, the predominantly pink hue isn't my personal favorite.
Mariah's Melody: A Glowing Yellow Shimmer
Mariah's Melody, a semi-sheer pastel yellow with yellow-to-green shimmer, surprised me. The green shimmer is subtle, only visible at certain angles, creating a luminous yellow effect.
Despite being semi-sheer, it applied evenly and offers impressive glow. The intentional lack of full opacity makes it ideal as a topper for adding a radiant glow.
Compared to Demeter's Harvest, which is a similar yellow but with stronger coverage, Mariah's Melody's unique sheerness gives it a distinct glow, resembling the effect of glow sticks. This makes it a very versatile polish.
Ribbit: A Vibrant Green with Blue Shimmer
Ribbit is a vibrant pastel green with a light blue shimmer. While initially appearing more opaque than expected, it required three coats for complete coverage, revealing a slight nail line.
Finding comparable shades proved difficult. The unique, punchy green with blue undertones didn't have a direct dupe in my collection; attempts to recreate it failed.
Despite the nice color, the less-than-perfect coverage held it back. Ultimately, while a pretty shade, it wasn't a personal favorite due to the application issues.
Do Pearls: An Icy Blue with Color-Shifting Shimmer
Do Pearls, an icy blue with color-shifting purple-to-pink shimmer, had uneven coverage, even after three coats, despite the beautiful base color.
The application issues were consistent across multiple nails, suggesting it's a formula issue, not user error. The uneven coverage significantly impacted my overall enjoyment.
Compared to Moon Lagoon, which has a similar base color, Do Pearls is far more shimmery, making it brighter. However, the application problems overshadowed this.
Shimmers Over Black
Testing the shimmers over black revealed that Momo Yuyak and Mariah's Melody worked best as toppers due to their even application, creating stunning effects.
The other shimmers, while pretty on their own, didn't translate as effectively over a dark base. This highlighted the importance of even application for toppers.
This exercise further solidified my appreciation for Mariah's Melody's exceptional evenness and its potential for creating unique nail art.
Sakura Serenade: A Hot Pink to Light Pink Thermal
Sakura Serenade is a thermal with blue shimmer, shifting from hot pink (cold) to light pink (warm). While the coverage was decent, it was slightly thin in areas, needing three coats.
The blue shimmer unifies the color shift, but the two shades of pink weren't personally appealing. The closest matches in my collection were Merkitten (cold state) and What You Pink (warm state).
Despite the lack of personal preference for the pink shades, the distinct color shift created a strong ombre effect, which many will find appealing. The blue shimmer played a great unifying role.
Koi Whiskers: A Coral to Yellow Thermal
Koi Whiskers, a thermal with pink shimmer, shifts from coral (cold) to yellow (warm). The coral shade surprisingly worked well, avoiding a fleshy appearance due to its specific tone.
The pastel yellow is slightly less pastel than Mariah's Melody, having a more vibrant, slightly 'mac and cheese' tone. The application was excellent, achieving full opacity in two coats.
The unique color shift, combined with excellent coverage, makes it a stand-out. Comparisons to Holo Taco's Rage Bait showed differences in vibrancy and color leanings in both the cold and warm states.
Jump Jump Bug: A Jade to Seladon Green Thermal
Jump Jump Bug is a green thermal shifting from a medium jade (cold) to a light seladon (warm). The color shift was subtle but beautiful, creating a nice ombre effect.
Application was superb, achieving full opacity in two coats, although a minor unexplained white line appeared on one nail. The colors are similar but distinct enough to maintain visual interest.
The close color similarity to Touch Grass and Matcha Maker highlights Jump Jump Bug's unique saturation and slight blue and lime undertones. Its suitability as a base for nail art makes it very versatile.
Flying Nimbus: A Sky Blue to White Thermal
Flying Nimbus shifts from sky blue (cold) to white (warm). This striking contrast creates a magical cloudy effect. While two coats were initially sufficient, patchy areas in the white required a third.
The blue shade is a bright cornflour blue, unmatched in my collection. The white is best matched by Holo Taco's Not Milky White. The thermal shift is incredibly visually impactful.
The unique color shift, though initially having coverage issues, is extremely eye-catching. The ability of the thermal polish to transition to white is a unique feature.
Melon Berry: A Lilac Purple to Pink Thermal
Melon Berry shifts from lilac purple (cold) to pink (warm). The colors, while pretty, aren't personal favorites. However, the gradient created by the thermal effect is attractive.
Coverage was excellent, achieving full opacity in two coats. Comparing the cold state to other purples shows its blue undertones more clearly. The warm state is slightly desaturated from other pinks.
The unique gradient it creates due to the color transition is an attractive feature that makes it suitable for gradient nails.
Overall Collection Review and Conclusion
The Mooncat Remedy Collection offers a range of pastel shimmer and thermal polishes. While the individual shades are pretty, the overall pastel theme and simple finishes don't quite align with Mooncat's usual bold and unique style. The price point following the brand's price increase may also price some customers out.
Shimmers and thermals, while individually pretty, don't always work well together in a manicure, creating a lack of cohesion. The collection excels at providing options for both long and short nail preferences.
While this collection has some unique aspects, such as the transition to white in the Flying Nimbus, and the color transitions of the thermals, it might appeal to those seeking simple, understated pastel shades. The price increase and lack of a cohesive theme makes it less appealing for fans seeking the bold, unique polishes that have defined the brand before this collection.