Before I discovered luxury nail lacquer brand Mooncat, my manicures were starting to veer into "boring" territory. Don't get me wrong; I enjoy a good French manicure every now and then, but I've always loved over-the-top nail designs and colors equally as much—they just spark joy. While it's fun to pursue the art of cool-girl nails (I aspire to be on Dua Lipa's level), I'll also be the first person to admit that getting nail art done constantly isn't always easy on the wallet. Sticking to one color is just a little more budget-conscious, so I had to find a way to get creative without spending a fortune. Luckily, brands like Mooncat have me covered in that department. The brand has an array of interesting, beautiful, and unique nail lacquers that are nontoxic and unlike anything I've ever used before. The shades are all so good that I started bringing them with me on my monthly salon visits.
My love affair with the brand started with a friend of mine. She wore Mooncat polishes constantly and told me they were right up my alley, so one day I decided it was time to finally give the brand a try. What I didn't anticipate was how overwhelmed I'd be by the number of shades I wanted in my arsenal. From magnetic and holographic to thermal lacquers, Mooncat truly has it all. If you've been looking to up your manicure game, look no further. I took on the impossible task of narrowing down the brand's all-time greatest shades below. Honestly, this list is still just a snapshot. I have many more favorites, but for the sake of length, here are the best 17.
Mooncat's Best-Selling Shades
House of Hades
This deep and rich cobalt-blue shade caught my eye immediately. While it may appear just blue, it actually has undertones of plum in it. It's easy to see why it's one of the brand's top-selling polishes. It features ultrafine glitter flakes that practically glow when the light hits it right.
Freshly Bitten
A deeply pigmented berry shade, this polish has more of a subtle shimmer and is perfect for adding a little flair to your holiday nail look.
Forbidden Fruit
Part of Mooncat's magnetic lacquer collection, Forbidden Fruit is a majestic dark burgundy shade with a multi-chrome finish that changes from green to yellow.
Mercury's Tears
This is both a best seller and personal favorite of mine from the brand. This isn't your average blue shade. It features color-shifting pink and green shimmer to give it an iridescent effect that's totally mesmerizing.
Sakura's Serenade
While Mooncat's magnetic and shimmer-based lacquers are without a doubt magical, the brand's thermal polishes are a dream. Thermal lacquers are temperature-reactive, shifting based on your natural body chemistry, the climate you're in, and room conditions. I haven't gotten a chance to try this shifting Barbie-pink shade with a dash of shimmer, but it's high on my list.
404: Soul Not Found
This winter-ready magnetic shade stuns in the light. It shifts between hues of teal, blue, and purple to give it a multidimensional effect. The best thing about magnetic shades is that there are multiple ways to create designs, depending on where you place your magnet over the nail. Mooncat breaks it down in a video to help you create your perfect design.
Access Denied
If you like polishes that scream dark and mysterious, Access Denied is for you. While the base is a classic black, it contains serpent-green shimmer that's so eye-catching and unique. Fittingly, it's part of the brand's Glitch in the Matrix collection.
Millennia
Another best seller from the brand, Millennia is a magnetic, multi-chrome polish that's similar to 404: Soul Not Found but contains shades of violet, blue, and green with holographic glitter in a gold-green shade. When used with the magnetic wand, it gives your nails a gorgeous galaxy-like effect.
My Favorite Mooncat Shades
The Doppelganger
Doppleganger is the thermal lacquer I'm currently wearing, and to say I'm obsessed would be an understatement. This is my first time using a thermal polish, and it's so much fun. The lacquer shifts constantly depending on what you're doing, so this one shifts to a deep purple shade when cold and a light mauve when warm. It makes for such a unique look and my nails never look boring because of it.
Mutiny
I recently saw this shade on a fellow beauty editor friend of mine and loved it so much I immediately had to know what she was wearing. She was the one who introduced me to Mooncat, so I have her to thanks for my current love for the brand. Mutiny is the shimmering magnetic green lacquer with a teal base that she was wearing. She described it as "very X Files," and I have to wholeheartedly agree with that assessment.
Twilight Sonata
This is another thermal lacquer from the brand that I haven't quite gotten my hands on yet but am totally enthralled by. It's a shimmery midnight-blue polish that shifts into a beautiful shade of amethyst. It's part of the brand's Fallen Set.
Love's Labryinth
This vivid shade from the brand is a light sage green with plenty of shimmer. It's super '90s with its lush, holographic, mermaid-green tint.
Poseidon's Prize
Poseidon's Prize is one of Mooncat's richest shades of ocean blue filled with tons of reflective glitter. It's another shade I haven't gotten my hands on yet, but I'm dying to. What I love most about the brand's magnetic lacquers is that there are so many different ways to wear the same polish—it all just depends on where you hold the magnet when applying it.
Siren's Deceit
I always tend to gravitate toward pink, purple, and blue hues when it comes to nail polishes, and this beautiful shade happens to have a bit of each. While the base is more of a mauve-violet shades, it's filled with blue shimmer and holographic micro glitter to give it a real glow when held up to the light.
Ghost Ship
This shade evokes ships passing in the night—a dark, stormy purple with blue shimmer and silver holographic glitter. It's a magnetic shade that can be customized to your liking.
Artemis' Deathkiss
I love a lavender polish, but this isn't just your average purple shade. It's more of a soft gray-purple with a dash of shimmer and holographic glitter to give it an extra-celestial feel. In the right light, the brand describes the glitter as a twinkle of stars in the night sky.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of my all-time favorite cartoons. I grew up watching it on Nickelodeon, so you can imagine my excitement when I learned that Mooncat would drop an Avatar-themed collection. The set is totally unreal and perfectly captures the essence of the show. Each shade is magical, revealing hues of deep red, sapphire blue, and forest green. They're all amazing, but my absolute favorites are Jasmine Dragon, Spirit Water, and Breath of Wind.
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