I absolutely LOVE thermals - they're so fun on their own (especially in Winter when my body keeps the base warm but the air keeps the tip cold), but I especially love using them in nail art and watching my mani change looks through the day!! I do agree that the change is less drastic if you have really short nails, but even when mine are short they're still fun going in and out of the shower, or watching it warm up when I exercise, etc.
(All Mooncat in here: Dark Omens, Treachery in the Blue, Queen of the Dead)
https://preview.redd.it/qewsfoz6rhad1.jpeg?width=1708&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b047d31d5c33b3d831974268dbec2b6b4e74d7b9
I love thermal polishes. They’re quite fun to stare at. You don’t even have to put them in water. I’ve noticed colour changes just based on my body temperature (like still vs working out) or the weather.
https://preview.redd.it/93rzmgpw4had1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a70ed258478e93e1eaae700f3c6eafbdcd95ef45
This one is EDM Just Like This. The blue is cold and the pink is hot.
I wear them sometimes. Solar polishes, too. I get bored with colors easily, so I like it when my nails change colors on their own. Little gimmicks make life a little bit more fun. Also if your nails are long enough, it can give you a French manicure style look at certain temperatures.
I have a few and agree it's fun to see them change as the temperature changes. However I've only bought thermals where I like both 'states' and know I'll still like and wear it when it stops changing. I probably wouldn't get a polish purely for the way it looks when the thermal effect is in action.
This is good advice for someone wanting to try thermals for the first time. I agree that it's important to like it both ways, hot and cold, for when it inevitably dies.
Ooh, that's pretty! Just had a look at their site, is that Eastern Bluebird? I got an 'Ard as Nails thermal polish in a collab box which was really pretty, been meaning to try more of theirs!
https://preview.redd.it/srdct1pk8had1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=737f3c5d01d4c461e122b3ad5fd51489e9563242
Huge fan of thermals, I’m too lazy to do gradients and it’s a fun way to keep a mani from being boring.
I love them as well! Just one polish, but it looks like you put a lot of effort into your mani :D
This is my favourite
https://preview.redd.it/4mvhj4pkfiad1.jpeg?width=3096&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e9c9108ddcb94ecb0df86dfc56eff9bc3de5530d
(Joker from Celaneste)
I have a few and I like them, but my favorite is by Jior Couture, from the slumber party PPU. It's so damn cute, a beigey/light pink when it's warm, and a bubblegum pink when it's cold with teeny tiny light pink glitters and a soft pink/red/gold/green aurora shimmer (I didn't see any green, but whatever). It was still cold here at the time, so I would go outside and it would darken up, and then when I came in and my fingers warmed up my nailbed would turn light pink and the tips would stay dark for a bit so it gave off a really cute French mani type of look. I've worn it twice now and got compliments both times.
Thermals do die over time though. They get stuck in one state and stop transitioning eventually. That JC polish has been on my nails twice, my moms once and I lent it to a friend for a week to do hers and her daughters. I have so much polish to go through, I want to make sure it's being used and loved the way polish should be and not neglected because I got distracted by something new and forgot about it.
This is it's warm state, I never got a shot of it cold.
https://preview.redd.it/zv3zpo5d3had1.jpeg?width=2880&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=add751b6e7b4123d03259e8b751596e39c86e752
I love them! I think they're a lot of fun.
Could they be considered gimmicky? Yes. But do they work? Also yes.
If you have long nails it's a great way to achieve a lazy gradient and it's also funny because I've had people ask me how I changed my polish so fast because they SWEAR I was wearing a different colour just a minute ago.
There's loads of thermals in tons of different finishes and you can put toppers over them to spice them up too. Like any polish, lots of possibilities.
Thermals might have a shelf life but they are stunning while they last 😍
I have a solar one on this week and I love it! UV activated, turns blue-purple in bright sunlight.
https://preview.redd.it/9o8zp0ujliad1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=7f2a9734206d179821dcfff668f0a8bcd9ec98e8
Chameleon Nails "Little Mermaid" is my guess! (correct me if I'm wrong, OP) I think I have the exact same one on, because they were just shipped out for the June Polish Pickup, and it's a very unique shade!
Edit: This exact shade might be limited edition, but Chameleon Nails has a lot of fun special effects shades like this.
It’s LE but they’re actually bringing it back for PPU rewind [this month too](https://polishpickup.com/blogs/polish-pickup-news-information/july-rewind-2024-the-polish-pickup-shop)! Idk when it’s gonna be brought back into the shop but u/therealmof (or anyone else reading this), you still have a chance to snag it if you really want ☺️
Omg yay that's such good news, I almost can't believe my luck with the timing and everything! And I've never ordered from ppu before but checked your link and it even looks like I will be able to preorder it directly using Nailland.hu? You don't happen to know how that works, right? 😅 I assume they somehow know when the polish will be available and put in as many preorders as they have received, or? But also, don't some of the ppu polishes have a limited amount available? Don't know if it would be best to try to keep my eye directly on the ppu site or just trust that a preorder from Nailland will work 😬
Unfortunately I’ve never ordered from them so I can’t give you any personal experience, sorry!
You could probably search up the site on this sub to see if anyone’s ever experienced problems with them, but since they’re officially listed there, I’m assuming they’re an stockist that chameleon nails works with and is in personal contact with :) + I didn’t see a cap next to the polish in the list? Idk if the list is just inconsistent or if most of the polishes I saw didn’t have a cap so it’s possible that there is none for this polish and it’s up for preorder?
Oh okay sorry, I didn't know that it would be listed there if that was the case, got too excited by the fact that it might even be available to me so I didn't even check to compare with any other polishes 😂
I just get nervous that I might miss my shot at getting this polish because I really love that color, and I have no previous experience with ppu so that adds a sprinkle of panic to the mix, lol!
It’s okay, I get it! I’ve never ordered from PPU either so this whole rewind thing has been a little confusing to me especially since some polishes coming back are gonna be available on the *maker’s shop* and not PPU….
Add in if you have to order from stockists because they don’t ship to you and…yeah it’s confusing 😅, but don’t worry! Since it’s not on the PPU site the orders may not start like right away tomorrow or anything, is my guess
Haha yeah no kidding! I'm just glad there weren't more polishes I was that interested in 🤞
I just sent an email to nailland to inquire about the process, but I'm not expecting a quick response as they are currently on holiday break. So I will just wait and see, or maybe just go for it and take a chance on the preorder!
Thank you so much for the info! I actually own a Chamaeleon solar myself, although it is a pretty subtle shift between a lime green and a teal-ish slightly darker green. Unfortunately I haven't really tried it out yet because it hasn't felt appropriately summery over here yet, and the lime green is truly popping! I am looking forward to using it a lot this summer though, and I'm also quite intrigued by the brand, because as you say they do seem to do a lot of fun polishes! I will definitely keep my eye out for more in the future.
They absolutely are gimmicky, but I enjoy wearing them. I think it's best to wear them when it's colder outside, and on longer nails. I've found that adding a creme underneath also helps with making the thermal effect more pronounced, so that I didn't need to have my nails uncomfortably long for the effect to show.
I love my thermals! I have weird circulation (I blame desk job posture), so my nails will be different colors on each hand. Or some fingers on the same hand will be different.
I have a few and I like them. They are fun. My nails aren’t super long so I don’t get that French manicure look so much as the whole nail changing color. I have bad circulation so I like them for summer. If you decide to get one I would just recommend getting a color that you like in their cold state, since I hear that’s what they usually resort to once the thermal properties go away. My favorite is from LynBdesigns “peony for your thoughts” beautiful in both temps.
love them, I’ve gotten more compliments on my thermal manis than anything else cause they’re so unique looking (especially if your nails are longer)
the sharp transition isn’t usually the case for my nails, it’s typically more of an ombré effect which looks much better imo. if you store them in a cool dark place the effect can last more than a year I’ve been told
I find them very validating. I’m always cold. The running joke that’s not a joke is that I’ll be wearing gloves and sweaters indoors in August. And yes, my bloodwork is fine; this is just my body. But for a long time I thought I was just being wimpy. Literally everyone will be complaining about how hot they are, and I’ll be a little chilly. Then I put a thermal in my nails and my daughter’s nails. Her: light/warm color all the time, except when changing clothes and therefore fully undressed. Me: dark/cold color all the time, except when under ALL the covers.
I wore them on a beach vacation this week and noticed that they stopped shifting as well after a few days. So I don’t know if that’s an indication of their stability, that four days outside in the Southern sun and heat and humidity is enough to make them start to degrade.
I’m having a stressful summer. I’m making a big job change and I have aging parents. It’s cheering me up. I’m using Pink Lava Lamp from fancy gloss. I’m 47. 💅🏻
I like them but only have a few due to the short shelf life. I only get ones I'd be ok wearing in any of the transition state, so i won't be too disappointed whenever it stops transitioning.
I love them and I need to prioritize wearing them more because I'm hearing they stop changing after about 18 months.
Even with shorter nails, I can see the changes.
Edit to add: Most thermals I do not like because the warmer color is a pale, mannequin-hand color. I must like all of the color variations to buy it.
Reddit will not allow me to attach a photo right now, so here's color changes on shorter nails.
https://www.reddit.com/r/RedditLaqueristas/s/f3GWJjGGp5
The rate at which they die can vary, some of it is just a specific pigment. Other factors like how old the pigment was when the polish was made, and at what temperature the pigment and/or finished polishes were stored.
I have a lot of thermals, and I'm in the process of swatching to see how many still transition. I've done 20 so far, only one doesn't transition, but it was almost doa when I got it and I never pursued a refund. Some are more subtle but still transition. So far I've tried a few from 2019 & 2020 that are still good.
I love thermals! I'm careful to pick ones where I like both the warm and cold color so that I'll actually enjoy wearing them. I love the french tip effect that they tend to sit in most of the time too because I'm not patient enough to do actual french tips. If you ask me, the real gimmick polishes are the glow in the dark ones. Which I also love 😂
I love them! I find myself glancing at my hands all the time to see what color they are. I do also have a medical condition where part of it is my fingers are different levels of cold most seasons. I've looked down to find my nails about 7 different shades of variation because of the range of temperatures in my different fingers.
I love thermal polishes! I have a lot of fun with them, especially when I get "French tips" because of the temperature difference between the nail body and distal edge.
Often all my nails will be in a different state of transition because of temperature and circulation.
I don't use them a lot only because I don't have many in my collection and want to use all my collection.
A good thermal will change color throughout the usual activities of your day. You won't need to do anything special, no ice water or anything, to see the transition.
Like my Fancy Gloss thermals change color when I go indoors and there's AC, or if I'm just drinking a cold or hot beverage, or even when I'm typing and for some reason one hand is colder than the other. You can see the transition on some nails, while others will be completely warm or cold.
That said, not all thermals will be super responsive. There was that recent PPU one, that needed ice water to transition. I'd recommend reading reviews and looking up customer photos. Some brands will also be better for thermals than others.
They’re fun if you have long nails, but if your nails don’t go past your finger tip they’re kind of pointless.
Edit: seems like I’m wrong! Lots of people saying short nails and thermals are rad. 😊
Completely and respectfully disagree. I have super short nails and thermals definitely show up well on my nails, not pointless at all. And I think they’re a lot of fun.
This is why I’ve never bought any. I can’t grow my nails so they are shorties and it seems pointless to me.
Plus, thermal pigments break down in a year or two and stop working. I never saw the point in using them.
They can be really cool, if you have long nails they tend to do an ombre sort of French. I enjoy how the colors shift differently depending on variable.
I adore thermal polishes. But because I've heard about the short self life, I try to keep the purchasing to a minimum.
If you decide to get one, try and see if you can find reviews about the shiftyness cause that makes the gimmick more fun. If you live somewhere with less moderate temperatures than I also think it helps the polishes stand out. The thermals I have almost always switch between walking indoors vs outdoors. It's a gimmick but as someone who changes my nails a lot they make me really happy ❤️
I like thermals but stopped buying them because sometimes the thermal stops working over time. Not worth it for me to buy something that'll stop working when I have so many polishes to wear
I really enjoy thermals! And they’re a lot more sensitive than like needing to dip my hands in water that’s just a good way to show the change on-demand for video content. But I find mine cycle through both colors and in-between a lot during the day tbh.
The only bummer is that with time they stop changing as much, the older ones I have are more sluggish than they used to be. But honestly still pretty.
My biggest issue with them is finding one where I really like both the hot and the cool appearance and for a lot of thermals I really only love one.
The other downside, for me, is if you have short nails you’re usually going to only show a single color at a time… you really need a few mm of free nail edge to begin seeing gradients. Theyre fun when my nails are on the longer side - not as thrilling when they’re short.
However, they do shift quite a bit on me - like whenever I wash my hands, when the AC comes on, etc
Yep, I was just thinking about that - I do have one, it’s not perfect since (at least the one I have) is on the sheer side so it’s a trial and error process!
I love them, but over time they lost the ability to actually have the color changing effect, so I don't usually have more than 2 or 3 at a time, and I like getting them from brands with smaller bottle sizes. I also don't buy bottles that may have been sitting on a shelf for 2+ yrs based off initial release date, because I have bought thermal nail polish that didn't work when I received it because it was already old when it got to me.
I rarely buy them because I have very specific rules about liking them in both states in case of death, and I also don't buy many flakes, so that rules out many thermals. \*But\*, the ones I have, it's surprising how entertaining the effect is over the life of the mani. Granted, I am easily entertained. I don't dip them in water. (I guess I did one time when I was showing someone else the effect?) They change on their own in day to day life. I personally think it looks good, but that's just my opinion, and compounded by the fact that my rules cause me to only buy very specific thermals that are more likely to look good to me! . . .
I really like them. Fancy Gloss makes really great thermals that have an incredible shelf life - I haven’t had one die yet and some of them are ~5 years old at this point!
I love thermals!! I would gladly get more of them, the only reason I don't is because I struggle finding colors and/or combinations that I like 🥺 (And also being in Europe limits the brands I have reasonable access to, of course)
I love them as long as it's not summer 🌞
I've only had my current ones a few months, so we'll see about the longevity of those one. My first one from Cirque was DOA.
https://preview.redd.it/h4ww0foy0lad1.jpeg?width=2448&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=debe2dce059e9c39aad7c381078bc20a425dc8b6
Actually they do! Here’s a swatch photo I took with press ons.
I have a few and prob wear them 70% of the time. I always buy colours I like both states tho, so when it eventually doesn’t change I’ll still use them. So far I have some that are about 2 years old and still reactive. I like the interestingness of it without having to do nail art.
https://preview.redd.it/12wjh4hjuiad1.jpeg?width=2517&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f111807eb4c4aaf8f6f342e010968497d6d5af84
Current mani!
Yes! I love thermals -- though I have rules for buying to get the most life out of them - only indie makers during limited release OR beginning of release (so they're the freshest they can be), only in spring or fall to reduce exposure to extreme temps in shipping, and only if I am happy with all colors in the effect (so that I am still into it when it inevitably dies, whatever color it settles on).
They're so shifty and dynamic! I love how they change on the nail from moment to moment. Absolutely obsessed.
i always assumed the intended effect is that its warm on your nail bed and cool on the tips! i like thermal polishes but i only have 1 from kb shimmer thats for my partner (im not a huge blue shades guy), but i'd really like a thermal that is like a nude pink when its warm and a more pale "claw" color when its cool..... havent found anything like that yet
I'd never buy one. I heard the thermal effect only works for like a year before it stops changing colors, and the uneveness of the color gradient on each nail would drive me crazy.
Not the person you are responding to, but chiming in to say Fancy Gloss thermals have the best shelf life of any thermal I’ve gotten. I have some that are 3-5 years old and still transition great. I do keep them stored cool and dark.
Since when was gimmicky a bad thing? Nearly all of our most beloved finishes started off as gimmicks at one point... Think about it. Toppers were once gimmicky, jellies were once gimmicky, magnetics were HE LLA gimmicky. Gimmicky is GREAT in the polish world. It is where innovation comes from. If it weren't for them all we would have would be boring cremes..and *maybe* ...*MAYBE* a few frosts...but frosts were the gimmicks of the 50s and 60s so maybe not. Long live the gimmicks!!! And yes, love thermals.. Just took off off Voyage's Watermelon yesterday, actually.. Hoping to be able to have some decent free edge at some point to really show off that pink to olive green gradient... Here i a pic of the first time I wore it. Sorry about the horrid pic quality... Edit- adding down below since it doesn't want to add it here.
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I have a couple and they can be quite pleasant, and I actually do farm that party trick for joy hehe. When your nails are fairly long, it will get to a point where the tips are the cold color and the nail plates are the warm colors. Admittedly in the mornings at my desk job they tend to be all cold.
I love thermals! I have a pretty red that turns a dark burgundy. Subtle but pretty.
They're also great for making me real paranoid about the circulation in my fingers
Please please forgive my funky ass toes but I took this pic off the cuff this morning. My feet aren't always warm enough for the color change. It's often all dark blue with peach sparkles. It's normally matte too but I prefer it with a shiny top coat.
https://preview.redd.it/owpb0qgc3kad1.jpeg?width=1373&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6affc61b759085ecfcd71361e44a05a2d559c11d
It's Illimité "Blue Nude"
I'm not sure how old mine are- I got them from my sister when she downsized her polish. I have the "blue nude," "koi," "Matsu" "la femme fleur" and what is labeled "harlequin" but doesn't look like it. The koi still changes.
I have one, but would buy and wear more if the cool shade were lighter than the warm shade. Seems like it's always the other way around. Maybe I'm weird, but I prefer the light/dark arrangement of natural nails: lighter tips. The reverse, with the darker on the tips, is a bit too much like having dirt under my nails!
I suppose the chemistry for thermals doesn't work that way for some reason.
There are a few where neither color is darker, just different. Got a couple of those in website shopping carts.😊
i started using thermal polishes this summer. i have extensions, and my nail bed is usually a bit warm, so it turns into like an ombre tip sometimes. i love them, they make me feel nostalgic for the 90s when i had color changing polish, shirts, etc.
i don't paint my own nails, but i'm going to try to use all the color changing polishes at my nail salon this summer. already done pink/clear, have purple/blue right now, next i'm doing grey/pastel green, and then black/red 🥰💅
https://preview.redd.it/hncmtmg9wkad1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c08a01cbcbd3319223af5e37ed4d958d5d764de7
I freaking love thermals! I get a color shift just from normal fluctuations in body temperature. They're so much fun.
I really don’t like them. I’ve never seen a picture of a thermal manicure and been like “oh shit, that’s awesome” it always looks strange IMO. But I know others do!
I absolutely LOVE thermals - they're so fun on their own (especially in Winter when my body keeps the base warm but the air keeps the tip cold), but I especially love using them in nail art and watching my mani change looks through the day!! I do agree that the change is less drastic if you have really short nails, but even when mine are short they're still fun going in and out of the shower, or watching it warm up when I exercise, etc. (All Mooncat in here: Dark Omens, Treachery in the Blue, Queen of the Dead) https://preview.redd.it/qewsfoz6rhad1.jpeg?width=1708&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b047d31d5c33b3d831974268dbec2b6b4e74d7b9
Holy cow, these are amazing!
Oh this is so cool! I would never have thought to do nail art with them, this is beautiful.
Oh my goodnesssss I have so many of your designs saved on insta for inspiration. I can’t believe you hand paint these!! 🤯
I have queen of the dead!
Oh that's genius
I love thermal polishes. They’re quite fun to stare at. You don’t even have to put them in water. I’ve noticed colour changes just based on my body temperature (like still vs working out) or the weather. https://preview.redd.it/93rzmgpw4had1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a70ed258478e93e1eaae700f3c6eafbdcd95ef45 This one is EDM Just Like This. The blue is cold and the pink is hot.
I wear them sometimes. Solar polishes, too. I get bored with colors easily, so I like it when my nails change colors on their own. Little gimmicks make life a little bit more fun. Also if your nails are long enough, it can give you a French manicure style look at certain temperatures.
I had solar polishes a while back. They were so much fun.
I have a few and agree it's fun to see them change as the temperature changes. However I've only bought thermals where I like both 'states' and know I'll still like and wear it when it stops changing. I probably wouldn't get a polish purely for the way it looks when the thermal effect is in action.
This is good advice for someone wanting to try thermals for the first time. I agree that it's important to like it both ways, hot and cold, for when it inevitably dies.
Definitely! That's my philosophy on thermals too.
https://preview.redd.it/ufec2abeehad1.jpeg?width=2178&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5a3c4848e6be098d2a6f2d00db9a2516c7d9ae5e I love thermals so so much
Ooh, that's pretty! Just had a look at their site, is that Eastern Bluebird? I got an 'Ard as Nails thermal polish in a collab box which was really pretty, been meaning to try more of theirs!
Yes it's Eastern Bluebird but I really want some more from that collection, they are stunning!
https://preview.redd.it/srdct1pk8had1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=737f3c5d01d4c461e122b3ad5fd51489e9563242 Huge fan of thermals, I’m too lazy to do gradients and it’s a fun way to keep a mani from being boring.
https://preview.redd.it/wry69pps8had1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0f1939b4aaa182291ae2600df5d9fa35c34d47fd another one I love.
Is that Never Found It, by any chance?
Yuppp u got it! It looks darker than the swatches on me but I’m fine with that.
What brand is it?
I like wearing them in winter. Makes for a fun contrast when coming in from the cold.
Same, I don't touch them in the summer but they're my go-to when it's colder
I love them as well! Just one polish, but it looks like you put a lot of effort into your mani :D This is my favourite https://preview.redd.it/4mvhj4pkfiad1.jpeg?width=3096&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e9c9108ddcb94ecb0df86dfc56eff9bc3de5530d (Joker from Celaneste)
You put into words why I love thermals! I feel like a put together bitch with a fancy mani when really I am trash goblin with a magic nail polish
I have a few and I like them, but my favorite is by Jior Couture, from the slumber party PPU. It's so damn cute, a beigey/light pink when it's warm, and a bubblegum pink when it's cold with teeny tiny light pink glitters and a soft pink/red/gold/green aurora shimmer (I didn't see any green, but whatever). It was still cold here at the time, so I would go outside and it would darken up, and then when I came in and my fingers warmed up my nailbed would turn light pink and the tips would stay dark for a bit so it gave off a really cute French mani type of look. I've worn it twice now and got compliments both times. Thermals do die over time though. They get stuck in one state and stop transitioning eventually. That JC polish has been on my nails twice, my moms once and I lent it to a friend for a week to do hers and her daughters. I have so much polish to go through, I want to make sure it's being used and loved the way polish should be and not neglected because I got distracted by something new and forgot about it. This is it's warm state, I never got a shot of it cold. https://preview.redd.it/zv3zpo5d3had1.jpeg?width=2880&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=add751b6e7b4123d03259e8b751596e39c86e752
I love them! I think they're a lot of fun. Could they be considered gimmicky? Yes. But do they work? Also yes. If you have long nails it's a great way to achieve a lazy gradient and it's also funny because I've had people ask me how I changed my polish so fast because they SWEAR I was wearing a different colour just a minute ago. There's loads of thermals in tons of different finishes and you can put toppers over them to spice them up too. Like any polish, lots of possibilities. Thermals might have a shelf life but they are stunning while they last 😍
I have a solar one on this week and I love it! UV activated, turns blue-purple in bright sunlight. https://preview.redd.it/9o8zp0ujliad1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=7f2a9734206d179821dcfff668f0a8bcd9ec98e8
This is beautiful, what brand is it? I love the color!
Chameleon Nails "Little Mermaid" is my guess! (correct me if I'm wrong, OP) I think I have the exact same one on, because they were just shipped out for the June Polish Pickup, and it's a very unique shade! Edit: This exact shade might be limited edition, but Chameleon Nails has a lot of fun special effects shades like this.
It’s LE but they’re actually bringing it back for PPU rewind [this month too](https://polishpickup.com/blogs/polish-pickup-news-information/july-rewind-2024-the-polish-pickup-shop)! Idk when it’s gonna be brought back into the shop but u/therealmof (or anyone else reading this), you still have a chance to snag it if you really want ☺️
Omg yay that's such good news, I almost can't believe my luck with the timing and everything! And I've never ordered from ppu before but checked your link and it even looks like I will be able to preorder it directly using Nailland.hu? You don't happen to know how that works, right? 😅 I assume they somehow know when the polish will be available and put in as many preorders as they have received, or? But also, don't some of the ppu polishes have a limited amount available? Don't know if it would be best to try to keep my eye directly on the ppu site or just trust that a preorder from Nailland will work 😬
Unfortunately I’ve never ordered from them so I can’t give you any personal experience, sorry! You could probably search up the site on this sub to see if anyone’s ever experienced problems with them, but since they’re officially listed there, I’m assuming they’re an stockist that chameleon nails works with and is in personal contact with :) + I didn’t see a cap next to the polish in the list? Idk if the list is just inconsistent or if most of the polishes I saw didn’t have a cap so it’s possible that there is none for this polish and it’s up for preorder?
Oh okay sorry, I didn't know that it would be listed there if that was the case, got too excited by the fact that it might even be available to me so I didn't even check to compare with any other polishes 😂 I just get nervous that I might miss my shot at getting this polish because I really love that color, and I have no previous experience with ppu so that adds a sprinkle of panic to the mix, lol!
It’s okay, I get it! I’ve never ordered from PPU either so this whole rewind thing has been a little confusing to me especially since some polishes coming back are gonna be available on the *maker’s shop* and not PPU…. Add in if you have to order from stockists because they don’t ship to you and…yeah it’s confusing 😅, but don’t worry! Since it’s not on the PPU site the orders may not start like right away tomorrow or anything, is my guess
Haha yeah no kidding! I'm just glad there weren't more polishes I was that interested in 🤞 I just sent an email to nailland to inquire about the process, but I'm not expecting a quick response as they are currently on holiday break. So I will just wait and see, or maybe just go for it and take a chance on the preorder!
Thank you so much for the info! I actually own a Chamaeleon solar myself, although it is a pretty subtle shift between a lime green and a teal-ish slightly darker green. Unfortunately I haven't really tried it out yet because it hasn't felt appropriately summery over here yet, and the lime green is truly popping! I am looking forward to using it a lot this summer though, and I'm also quite intrigued by the brand, because as you say they do seem to do a lot of fun polishes! I will definitely keep my eye out for more in the future.
They absolutely are gimmicky, but I enjoy wearing them. I think it's best to wear them when it's colder outside, and on longer nails. I've found that adding a creme underneath also helps with making the thermal effect more pronounced, so that I didn't need to have my nails uncomfortably long for the effect to show.
I love my thermals! I have weird circulation (I blame desk job posture), so my nails will be different colors on each hand. Or some fingers on the same hand will be different.
Oh god, I’ve noticed my right hand is often colder than left hand in thermals and now I’m worried about my sedentary lifestyle/terrible posture…
I have a few and I like them. They are fun. My nails aren’t super long so I don’t get that French manicure look so much as the whole nail changing color. I have bad circulation so I like them for summer. If you decide to get one I would just recommend getting a color that you like in their cold state, since I hear that’s what they usually resort to once the thermal properties go away. My favorite is from LynBdesigns “peony for your thoughts” beautiful in both temps.
love them, I’ve gotten more compliments on my thermal manis than anything else cause they’re so unique looking (especially if your nails are longer) the sharp transition isn’t usually the case for my nails, it’s typically more of an ombré effect which looks much better imo. if you store them in a cool dark place the effect can last more than a year I’ve been told
I find them very validating. I’m always cold. The running joke that’s not a joke is that I’ll be wearing gloves and sweaters indoors in August. And yes, my bloodwork is fine; this is just my body. But for a long time I thought I was just being wimpy. Literally everyone will be complaining about how hot they are, and I’ll be a little chilly. Then I put a thermal in my nails and my daughter’s nails. Her: light/warm color all the time, except when changing clothes and therefore fully undressed. Me: dark/cold color all the time, except when under ALL the covers. I wore them on a beach vacation this week and noticed that they stopped shifting as well after a few days. So I don’t know if that’s an indication of their stability, that four days outside in the Southern sun and heat and humidity is enough to make them start to degrade.
I’m having a stressful summer. I’m making a big job change and I have aging parents. It’s cheering me up. I’m using Pink Lava Lamp from fancy gloss. I’m 47. 💅🏻
I like them but only have a few due to the short shelf life. I only get ones I'd be ok wearing in any of the transition state, so i won't be too disappointed whenever it stops transitioning.
I love them and I need to prioritize wearing them more because I'm hearing they stop changing after about 18 months. Even with shorter nails, I can see the changes. Edit to add: Most thermals I do not like because the warmer color is a pale, mannequin-hand color. I must like all of the color variations to buy it. Reddit will not allow me to attach a photo right now, so here's color changes on shorter nails. https://www.reddit.com/r/RedditLaqueristas/s/f3GWJjGGp5
The rate at which they die can vary, some of it is just a specific pigment. Other factors like how old the pigment was when the polish was made, and at what temperature the pigment and/or finished polishes were stored. I have a lot of thermals, and I'm in the process of swatching to see how many still transition. I've done 20 so far, only one doesn't transition, but it was almost doa when I got it and I never pursued a refund. Some are more subtle but still transition. So far I've tried a few from 2019 & 2020 that are still good.
That's great to know! ❤
I love thermals! I'm careful to pick ones where I like both the warm and cold color so that I'll actually enjoy wearing them. I love the french tip effect that they tend to sit in most of the time too because I'm not patient enough to do actual french tips. If you ask me, the real gimmick polishes are the glow in the dark ones. Which I also love 😂
Obsessed but scared to purchase too many because of the shelf life. I keep mine refrigerated
I love them! I find myself glancing at my hands all the time to see what color they are. I do also have a medical condition where part of it is my fingers are different levels of cold most seasons. I've looked down to find my nails about 7 different shades of variation because of the range of temperatures in my different fingers.
I love thermal polishes! I have a lot of fun with them, especially when I get "French tips" because of the temperature difference between the nail body and distal edge. Often all my nails will be in a different state of transition because of temperature and circulation. I don't use them a lot only because I don't have many in my collection and want to use all my collection.
A good thermal will change color throughout the usual activities of your day. You won't need to do anything special, no ice water or anything, to see the transition. Like my Fancy Gloss thermals change color when I go indoors and there's AC, or if I'm just drinking a cold or hot beverage, or even when I'm typing and for some reason one hand is colder than the other. You can see the transition on some nails, while others will be completely warm or cold. That said, not all thermals will be super responsive. There was that recent PPU one, that needed ice water to transition. I'd recommend reading reviews and looking up customer photos. Some brands will also be better for thermals than others.
Yes people wear them. They’re super fun!
They’re fun if you have long nails, but if your nails don’t go past your finger tip they’re kind of pointless. Edit: seems like I’m wrong! Lots of people saying short nails and thermals are rad. 😊
Only if you’re going for the French tip look. I wear thermals on short nails to enjoy the full color change.
I have very short nails and I love thermals. I enjoy seeing the shift, so not pointless.
Completely and respectfully disagree. I have super short nails and thermals definitely show up well on my nails, not pointless at all. And I think they’re a lot of fun.
This is why I’ve never bought any. I can’t grow my nails so they are shorties and it seems pointless to me. Plus, thermal pigments break down in a year or two and stop working. I never saw the point in using them.
They can be really cool, if you have long nails they tend to do an ombre sort of French. I enjoy how the colors shift differently depending on variable.
I have one and I love it! It’s a cute party trick too (my grandma was so obsessed when I showed her 🤣)
I adore thermal polishes. But because I've heard about the short self life, I try to keep the purchasing to a minimum. If you decide to get one, try and see if you can find reviews about the shiftyness cause that makes the gimmick more fun. If you live somewhere with less moderate temperatures than I also think it helps the polishes stand out. The thermals I have almost always switch between walking indoors vs outdoors. It's a gimmick but as someone who changes my nails a lot they make me really happy ❤️
Love, love, love thermals!
I like thermals but stopped buying them because sometimes the thermal stops working over time. Not worth it for me to buy something that'll stop working when I have so many polishes to wear
I really enjoy thermals! And they’re a lot more sensitive than like needing to dip my hands in water that’s just a good way to show the change on-demand for video content. But I find mine cycle through both colors and in-between a lot during the day tbh. The only bummer is that with time they stop changing as much, the older ones I have are more sluggish than they used to be. But honestly still pretty.
i like them! Fancy Gloss has some of my favorite thermals because of how they shift. i also tend to have longer nails so the effect is more pronounced
My biggest issue with them is finding one where I really like both the hot and the cool appearance and for a lot of thermals I really only love one. The other downside, for me, is if you have short nails you’re usually going to only show a single color at a time… you really need a few mm of free nail edge to begin seeing gradients. Theyre fun when my nails are on the longer side - not as thrilling when they’re short. However, they do shift quite a bit on me - like whenever I wash my hands, when the AC comes on, etc
You could get thermal top coats that are clear in the warm state, so you could make the color that appears in the warm state whatever you want.
Yep, I was just thinking about that - I do have one, it’s not perfect since (at least the one I have) is on the sheer side so it’s a trial and error process!
I love them, but over time they lost the ability to actually have the color changing effect, so I don't usually have more than 2 or 3 at a time, and I like getting them from brands with smaller bottle sizes. I also don't buy bottles that may have been sitting on a shelf for 2+ yrs based off initial release date, because I have bought thermal nail polish that didn't work when I received it because it was already old when it got to me.
I rarely buy them because I have very specific rules about liking them in both states in case of death, and I also don't buy many flakes, so that rules out many thermals. \*But\*, the ones I have, it's surprising how entertaining the effect is over the life of the mani. Granted, I am easily entertained. I don't dip them in water. (I guess I did one time when I was showing someone else the effect?) They change on their own in day to day life. I personally think it looks good, but that's just my opinion, and compounded by the fact that my rules cause me to only buy very specific thermals that are more likely to look good to me! . . .
I really like them. Fancy Gloss makes really great thermals that have an incredible shelf life - I haven’t had one die yet and some of them are ~5 years old at this point!
I love thermals. They change with body temp.
I love thermals!! I would gladly get more of them, the only reason I don't is because I struggle finding colors and/or combinations that I like 🥺 (And also being in Europe limits the brands I have reasonable access to, of course)
I love them as long as it's not summer 🌞 I've only had my current ones a few months, so we'll see about the longevity of those one. My first one from Cirque was DOA.
Stupid question, but do thermals work with press ons?
I don’t think it’s a stupid question! but I don’t think it would due to the thickness of the press on between the polish and your body temperature
Tysm! That's what I was afraid of and didn't want to waste my money. Bummer, but I think solar polishes should work ok with them?
https://preview.redd.it/h4ww0foy0lad1.jpeg?width=2448&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=debe2dce059e9c39aad7c381078bc20a425dc8b6 Actually they do! Here’s a swatch photo I took with press ons.
I have a few and prob wear them 70% of the time. I always buy colours I like both states tho, so when it eventually doesn’t change I’ll still use them. So far I have some that are about 2 years old and still reactive. I like the interestingness of it without having to do nail art. https://preview.redd.it/12wjh4hjuiad1.jpeg?width=2517&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f111807eb4c4aaf8f6f342e010968497d6d5af84 Current mani!
Yes! I love thermals -- though I have rules for buying to get the most life out of them - only indie makers during limited release OR beginning of release (so they're the freshest they can be), only in spring or fall to reduce exposure to extreme temps in shipping, and only if I am happy with all colors in the effect (so that I am still into it when it inevitably dies, whatever color it settles on). They're so shifty and dynamic! I love how they change on the nail from moment to moment. Absolutely obsessed.
i always assumed the intended effect is that its warm on your nail bed and cool on the tips! i like thermal polishes but i only have 1 from kb shimmer thats for my partner (im not a huge blue shades guy), but i'd really like a thermal that is like a nude pink when its warm and a more pale "claw" color when its cool..... havent found anything like that yet
I'd never buy one. I heard the thermal effect only works for like a year before it stops changing colors, and the uneveness of the color gradient on each nail would drive me crazy.
I have several that are 3-5 years old and still work.
Which brands?
Not the person you are responding to, but chiming in to say Fancy Gloss thermals have the best shelf life of any thermal I’ve gotten. I have some that are 3-5 years old and still transition great. I do keep them stored cool and dark.
Fancy Gloss, Femme Fatale, BOW
the thing about it being uneven is my main concern with it
Since when was gimmicky a bad thing? Nearly all of our most beloved finishes started off as gimmicks at one point... Think about it. Toppers were once gimmicky, jellies were once gimmicky, magnetics were HE LLA gimmicky. Gimmicky is GREAT in the polish world. It is where innovation comes from. If it weren't for them all we would have would be boring cremes..and *maybe* ...*MAYBE* a few frosts...but frosts were the gimmicks of the 50s and 60s so maybe not. Long live the gimmicks!!! And yes, love thermals.. Just took off off Voyage's Watermelon yesterday, actually.. Hoping to be able to have some decent free edge at some point to really show off that pink to olive green gradient... Here i a pic of the first time I wore it. Sorry about the horrid pic quality... Edit- adding down below since it doesn't want to add it here.
https://preview.redd.it/2m7k2uqc9jad1.jpeg?width=3120&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1e175bfa6fac61e2686b89b864ded3d0f511a2ca
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i bought a thermal once and it never worked… im dying to get one that does work though.
Fancy Gloss has a ton. I have four from them that all work great
It’s possible it was exposed to extreme temperatures during transit. I think it’s safer to order it during spring or fall.
I have a few, but they don't really change on me unless I use water. I guess my hands aren't hot enough.
I have a couple and they can be quite pleasant, and I actually do farm that party trick for joy hehe. When your nails are fairly long, it will get to a point where the tips are the cold color and the nail plates are the warm colors. Admittedly in the mornings at my desk job they tend to be all cold.
I have a bunch, but I only buy them if I like the color in the cold state enough to keep using them after they expire.
I don't do thermals because my nails aren't super long and my fingers run warm enough that they don't work without dipping them in water or something
I love thermals! I have a pretty red that turns a dark burgundy. Subtle but pretty. They're also great for making me real paranoid about the circulation in my fingers
I absolutely LOVE thermal polishes and buy them WHENEVER I see them. It’s my most favorite cuz it confuses the hell out of people 😅
I have queen of the dead from mooncat and I wear it regularly.
I have a couple and I like them but my nails aren’t super long so I don’t feel like I get the full effect.
Please please forgive my funky ass toes but I took this pic off the cuff this morning. My feet aren't always warm enough for the color change. It's often all dark blue with peach sparkles. It's normally matte too but I prefer it with a shiny top coat. https://preview.redd.it/owpb0qgc3kad1.jpeg?width=1373&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6affc61b759085ecfcd71361e44a05a2d559c11d It's Illimité "Blue Nude"
One of my oldest is Illimite Koi. I got it in 2019 and it still transitions!
I'm not sure how old mine are- I got them from my sister when she downsized her polish. I have the "blue nude," "koi," "Matsu" "la femme fleur" and what is labeled "harlequin" but doesn't look like it. The koi still changes.
I have one, but would buy and wear more if the cool shade were lighter than the warm shade. Seems like it's always the other way around. Maybe I'm weird, but I prefer the light/dark arrangement of natural nails: lighter tips. The reverse, with the darker on the tips, is a bit too much like having dirt under my nails! I suppose the chemistry for thermals doesn't work that way for some reason. There are a few where neither color is darker, just different. Got a couple of those in website shopping carts.😊
i started using thermal polishes this summer. i have extensions, and my nail bed is usually a bit warm, so it turns into like an ombre tip sometimes. i love them, they make me feel nostalgic for the 90s when i had color changing polish, shirts, etc. i don't paint my own nails, but i'm going to try to use all the color changing polishes at my nail salon this summer. already done pink/clear, have purple/blue right now, next i'm doing grey/pastel green, and then black/red 🥰💅
https://preview.redd.it/hncmtmg9wkad1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c08a01cbcbd3319223af5e37ed4d958d5d764de7 I freaking love thermals! I get a color shift just from normal fluctuations in body temperature. They're so much fun.
I love them!
I really don’t like them. I’ve never seen a picture of a thermal manicure and been like “oh shit, that’s awesome” it always looks strange IMO. But I know others do!