Illamasqua Throb Collection Nail Varnish in Load and Throb Swatches & Review
Illamasqua’s Throb collection includes three new nail varnishes, one of which I showed before (Scorn).
Now I’m not skiddish about makeup names, and I like a an edgy collection but I have to say one of the names of the colors goes a little past edgy into just gross. It kind of gives me the willies when I think too much about it.
- Scorn – Midnight black matte
- Load – Rich creme
- Throb – Blood red creme
Load
Despite the somewhat revolting name, Load is actually a pretty cool and unusual color. It’s an off-white with hints of yellow going on. It was quite streaky (and thick) at first but I managed to get it pretty even after three coats.
Throb
Throb is an utterly gorgeous bright, shiny, cool red creme. It reminds me of lacquered Chinese furniture or something, so pretty. Might be the perfect red creme on planet earth. It was far less thick and streaky than Throb, in fact it applied like butter. I used two coats here.
Scorn
I already reviewed it here, check it out.
These are available now!
What do you think about both the colors and names?
-VV
Welcome! My name is Kelly and Vampy Varnish is a animal friendly beauty blog.
Hee hee… willies.
*giggles like a schoolgirl*
Heh, I thought the same thing!
I agree with you about Load. the name grosses me out a bit but I love the color.
Exactly my thought! Great color, totally bogus name!
I love the names for the red : throb makes me thunk of heart and scorn being black fits but something about load for white seems kinds gross ! Association with sperm ?! Not a great name !
someone reading/watching too much porn?@ illamasqua
Throb and Scorn are amazing!
I think Load is pretty gross, both the name and the color itself. Throb is pretty though.
Yeah I could do without that name ‘Load’, tacky to me:/
Throb then Load? Yikes.
My thoughts exactly!!
I wish all of these companies would understand that when someone asks me the name of the great color I’m wearing, I don’t want to be embarrassed to tell them. That goes for names like Load or Under 18, but also extends to just plain stupid names like Tickle my France-y or Iris I Was Thinner.
My first thought about shocking names is that they’re desperate and don’t really have a quality product to get people in the door so they need a big name. I don’t think Illamasqua needs to try so hard with the names. We have a local cupcake and ice cream place called “Lick it, Bite it, or Both.” I won’t set foot in there because if they need to get attention with a name like that, I just feel like they’re desperate and don’t have a quality product to get people in via word of mouth. And even though the place is barely 2 miles from my home, I’ve never heard anyone mention it or talk about how good it is.
I really like Load. Really like it. Don’t care about the name. And I’m warming to Scorn.
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I’m on the fence about the names.
I think this brand appeals to an older, more mature market than say, Wet ‘n Wild and Sally Hansen. The names are sometimes a little crude but in this case I kind of goes with the theme of Valentine’s Day. I think the thing that sort of puts me off is how realistic “Load” looks to… well… semen! It makes me a little sick to my stomach just looking at the bottle. I’m not a prude or anything, but… yuck!
This reminds me of Bleach Black’s “Jizz” nail polish, but in that case it’s a white pearl and the word jizz just makes me giggle. It doesn’t hit the same cord with me like “Load” does. I guess it reminds me of pig-headed guys and how they speak in a crude manner regarding relations… That and I worked in an adult video store and it just reminds me of some of the grosser content. >.<
Scorn and Throb looks awesome.
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Yeah, the look is really what makes it gross, while Jizz was just funny.
I didn’t like the name Load even before I knew the groos meaning hidden in between the lines… But I truly love the color!!!! I must have Load and Scorn!!
I like Load… the colour is not toooo white.
Honestly, I love the name and color. Does that make me sick? No, I don’t think so. We’ve seen so many dirty named polishes that this really doesn’t hit a nerve at all. I think it’s the perfect name for a nail polish that is in a Valentine’s Day collection that is encouraging a night full of passion and lust.
Would I wear Load? I’m not sure, I don’t know how an off-white would look on me. Do I like the concept? Absolutely. I don’t know, that’s just me.
I love Throb – color, application … ♥
But color is nice.
Load? I try not to go into the “meaning” game.
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Love, love, love Throb! Be still my heart!
Illamasqua’s polishes in general seem to glide on and last so long. I know you said that this is available now but is it only on their website? I don’t see it at Sephora.
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I don’t think they are available for sale in the US, other than on their own website.
Sephora.com sells it and their NYC store. It’s not in the regular stores
I <3 all the colors!! I just got everything + Sangers!
I actually find the name Load pretty humorous and very Illamasqua like, or maybe it is just the brit humour in this brit gal
Anxious tgo put my claws on these!
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I don’t really view myself as a prude – I think there’s a time and a place for saying certain things….nail polish names with associated colors don’t really have anything to do with that time and place.
I’m 37 and was with my bf for 8 years so I’m assuming my mom knew something happened….that said, there’s NO way in hell I’d go into a store with my mom and request or buy these polishes. I’d cringe the same way I did when I watched ‘Scent of a Woman’ with my mom (I wanted to dig a hole in front of the couch and hide).
Yeah.. that polish name.. not a fan here, it just doesn’t have any positive imagery, now does it? Wait! A ‘Load’ of laundry, it’s kind of the color of… laundry detergent, or fabric softener, or… something. Anyway, the color is interesting, but I don’t think I’d wear it much, so it’s a pass for me. The red is pretty, but I rarely wear a red creme. I’m still somewhat intrigued by the unusual finish of Scorn though, might break down and grab that one up.
I’m not mature enough for that gross name lol! Cool color though, and that red is perfect
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I thought that type of cheap shot, sex is dirty, attention getting was confined to adolescent boys and Neanderthal men who never get past that stage of emotional development. Phallic didn’t bother me because there was no visual inspired by the beautiful blue. That is not the case here. I am unimpressed Illamasqua. I didn’t realize your target audience was 14 year old males.
Not grossed out, though it could be that I’m just perverse enough to really enjoy these color names (grin). I really really want to get Load hardcore (pun intended) mostly just for the novelty of it, but also because it is true that I have nothing like it in my burgeoning collection of polishes.
I love these! Any idea if they’re coming to Sephora?
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Throb looks beautiful on you!
i agree with the others that think that the name ‘load’ is completely gross and unneccessary. i mean, REALLY?? i dunno, im not a prude either, but i think jizz is gross and to name a nail polish after it is just tacky and classless. to me they are just trying too hard and want to use that shock value, and it comes off as desperate and crass. i like the red cream i guess, but i have never in my life worn a red cream and dont plan to. the matte black is just eh. im getting sick of the same old bs over and over, do something different, make some truly UNIQUE colors for once.
Throb looks really good on your nails. At my salon I usually go for OPI, because that’s all I’ve ever known. I really like the different colors you tried on your nails!
I don’t really have a problem with the names. I like secretly knowing I’m wearing something with an unconventional name!
However, I really just don’t like the colour of Load. I find it boring and uninspiring. Throb is a pretty colour though.
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Even the color and description inspire a visceral reaction in me. Barf. And so male-centric. When are we going to have a woman-friendly Vaginal Discharge polish? Get on it, Illamasqua.
Scorn is pretty cool, though.
I couldn’t agree more!
That’s a good one, katy!
Sort of like their other pastel collection…wink, nudge, caress, and blow. I always thought that one was a little too much.
Not going to lie. I’ll buy Load just for the name. I think it’s hilarious. And if I didn’t own so many reds I’d buy Throb too. A bit torn on Scorn (unintentional rhyme ftw).
When I saw the promo photos of this, I thought they seemed very boring. But now that I’ve seen your swatches, I’m finding myself completely in love! Well, except for load. Names of colors have a big influence over how I think of them (which is why I prefer to use the name “goldenrod” over “mustard”), so I would never be able to look at my nails without making a grimace.
I love Load, it’s so different! This collection is better than I thought it would be.
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Are there any dupes for load?
I love Load. The name, the opacity, the color, everything. I think the name is daring and awesome, can’t wait to grab it.
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