Spectraflair anyone?

With my recent post about the colour changing pigments, I've had a number of inquiries about sourcing SpectraFlair.  SpectraFlair is also one of the top search terms that brings people to my blog!?

Recently, the Australian supplier sent me some documentation in the mail, which included a brochure that had printed SpectraFlair samples on it. Here is a picture of that brochure.

Each sample showed one of the three different grades. 1500-14 (fine grade), 1500-20 (standard grade) and 1500-35 (course grade).  The second figure relates to the micron size of the particle. Now even the course grade particles, at 35 micros are minuscule, given that the recent colour morphing pigments are an average of 90 microns.  And for the record, there are 1000 microns in a millimeter!

I took some photos of the colour samples to try and show you the difference.  This is the fine grade 1500-14

This is standard grade 1500-20.

This is course grade 1500-35.

As you can see for yourself, the larger the particle the brighter the rainbow holographic effect.  So far, the Spectraflair that everyone has been getting has been the standard grade 1500-20.  I have now been able to get my grabby little hands on some of the course grade 1500-35.

I made up another mini bottle of my Ozotic 505 holographic multichrome, this time using the 1500-35.  I decided to do a comparison swatch with my previous franken which used 1500-20.

The difference between them isn't much, well in fact it is exactly 15 microns!, but now that I have both the fine and the course grade to compare, I prefer the course grade 1500-35.  I also did a blind test with my mum and husband to see which they preferred.  Both chose "the one with the brighter rainbow".  I'm not sure if my pictures really captured that the 1500-35 is noticeably brighter, but it definitely is.  It is also more noticeable on the nail in lower light situations.

I have a quote to purchase 125 grams of spectraflair.  I'm planning on getting the 1500-35, as it has a stronger rainbow effect, but is still very linear.  It is also different to what we have all already got.

This stuff aint cheap.  It's a much more expensive product that the colour morphing pigments.  However, I would be able to sell it to you guys for $15 Australian dollars, (+ $2.50 postage). Packaged in the same little pots that I'm doing the colour morphing pigments in. This is the same price that Sid sells it for per gram (although Sid doesn't sell one gram amounts any more)  And don't feel bad that I'm taking the old guys business, because that is who I'll be getting it from.  This price is also quite a bit cheaper than the other guy who is selling through ebay (currently £20 with postage = approx $32 AUD).

I'm planning to do more SpectraFlair frankening soon, specifically to find some good base polishes that mix well and come up with some easy to follow recipes for others to make. I know that a lot of people are not confident with frankening, so while I don't consider myself an expert by any means, I want to be able to share my experience.