Cindy Shimmer, a California-based educator, has always loved nail polish. A big fan of glitter and holo, she said the brands and colors already available in the market left her wanting. “I never felt that other polishes had enough shimmer,” she said.
And so she decided to make her own. Using different kinds of lacquer, pigment and glitter, Cindy created bottle after bottle of glittery goodness. “I love creating these unique blends of color that will just form into a foil-like mold on nails.”
Her friends loved her creations so much that they wanted to wear them too. “My friends demanded that I sell them. Insisted.”
Her first creation? Airriann, a pale pink mix of pretty glitter. Since then, her polish line and her fan base has grown immensely – there are now over fifty colors available under her brand Shimmer Polish, with nail polish fans ordering from different parts of the world.
I didn’t just have the chance to try some Shimmer Polish colors, I was also able to interview Cindy about her creations, her inspirations and her unwavering love for shimmer.
What’s the best thing someone has said about your polish?
Sparkling explosions!
How do you deal with the pressure to meet the demand for your polish?
I no longer have any free time, all I do is nail polish. After work and on the weekends.
Which part of the nail polish-making process is your favorite? Is it coming up with the concept, the actual mixing of polish, filling orders?
I love creating the colors. I also like organizing the colors. I am a little bit OCD. 
When you sleep, do you see glitter in your dreams?
Sometimes, lol. I have glitter all over my room, my kitchen, on my roomies, in my car, so there isn’t a need to have it in my dreams too.
How do you come up with the names of your creations?
My wonderful friends and family!
Which are the best-sellers?
Jennifer, Jasmine, Cassandra.
Which are your personal favorites?
Airriann and Jennifer.
Is there a Shimmer polish you wear the most?
Cindy
What do you have on your nails now?
Nothing, making the polish pretty much ruins my manicures 
The ship is sinking, you can only save one Shimmer bottle – which one would it be?
Amy (there is a rainbow in that bottle)
What inspires you?
Art, beauty, creativity, people, and life.
What can fans expect from Shimmer in 2013?
More colors of course. Maybe even just regular color polishes! *gasp*
What’s the best thing about creating polish?
Being able to create nail polish is the best part. Seeing the colors unfold. Watching bloggers swatch and create art on fingers. I love seeing it ALL!
What’s the hardest?
Making sure I have constant inventory to ship out. Lots of shaking and mixing can actually be physically tiring.
What else are you passionate about?
Jewelry (which I make), art, movies, fashion, animals, friends and family!
And now, it’s time to show you the swatches.
This is Tammy over NARS New York Dolls.
One coat.
Two coats.
Cindy describes this mix as “silver bars with purple and black.”
It’s that and more.
I love how there are surprises in each bottle.
In Tammy, I found tiny red sparkles, iridescent glitter pieces, even little specks of green.
It’s really pretty.
I loved Tammy.
And it made me even more excited to try the other colors.
This is Jasmine over a-england Galahad.
Cindy describes this mix as “aquamarine blue and green.”
This is one coat of Jasmine.
Pretty and sparkly enough.
And here, two coats.
Mega sparkle.
Although blue and green are the predominant colors in Jasmine, you also see some silver, gold and red.
Like Tammy, it’s very pretty too.
Up next is Trisha.
I layered Trisha over NARS TV Party.
I love this combination – it’s such a happy manicure.
Cindy describes Trisha as a “blood-orange mix.”
I see a bit of silver, gold and purple in it too.
Trisha reminds me of candy corn and Halloween.
Lovely.
One last color: Vanessa.
I layered Vanessa over Chanel Lotus Rouge.
Three coats of sparkly awesomeness.
Check that out.
Cindy describes this as “slate gray and silver.”
I also found black, red, blue, green and holo in the bottle.
There’s a part of me that wishes I layered this over a lighter color so you could see all the craziness going on in one great bottle.
But I think this swatch also proves that Cindy’s glittery creations can be layered over all kinds of colors.
Pretty.
Here’s another look.
I love layering glitter over black polish so I decided to show you how these four colors look with one of my favorite blacks – Illamasqua Boosh.
Here’s a closer look.
So pretty.
Vanessa on my index finger, Tammy on my middle finger, Jasmine on my ring finger, Trisha on my pinky.
I think they all look great with black.
I can’t pick a favorite.
The thing I like the most about Cindy’s creations is how there are so many ways to wear them – on their own (just use multiple layers to achieve opacity), over other nail polish colors, on just the tips of your nails, as a ruffian accent. You can mix them up, use them on just an accent nail or really pile the sparkle on. The glittery possibilities are endless.
Visit Shimmer Polish’s official website, Etsy store or Facebook page. Follow the brand on Twitter.
