Urban Outfitters 'Mystic' Nail Lacquer

Greetings from the Dark Side!

I recently received a few Urban Outfitter polishes from a friend of mine, and I wanted to share swatches for the one in the color 'Mystic'. This color caught my eye because it looks very similar to Deborah Lippmann's 'Ray of Light'. UO nail polishes retail for $5 while a DL nail polish is a whopping $18. Are they dupes? Read more to find out!

'Mystic' is a dark blue jelly with fine orange flakes. The photo above is what three coats of 'Mystic' looks like. The polish is not so much sheer as it is a little pacthy. Overall, the formula is not too bad though. The formula is thinner than the DL 'Ray of Light', which can also account for the fact that it takes one more coat to get an opaque coverage. As far as formula goes, I prefer 'Mystic' because, even though it takes 3 coats rather than 2, the application is easier and the coats dry a lot faster.

Below you can see how this looks with two coats. It is a bit patchy and not as dark as it is with 3 coats.

 Comparison of DL Ray of Light and UO Mystic

Although these are the same concept (dark blue jelly with flakes) they are not exact dupes. They are very close, but not identical. The flakes in 'Mystic' are more of a deep red-orange, while 'Ray of Light' has lighter orange flakes that can look green in certain lights. The flakes in 'Mystic; are also more obvious and have a "glowing" effect. Another difference is the base color. 'Mystic' is definitely darker and even more purple-toned.

Verdict

If you wanted 'Ray of Light' but were daunted by the price, then this is a great alternative. And I should say a cheaper and better alternative because I personally prefer 'Mystic' over 'Ray of Light'. 'Mystic' dries faster, looks darker, and has a beautiful glowing orange flakies. I thank my friend for sending me this lovely color! I would not have known it existed otherwise!