Rewards
Like every Cracked polish I’ve tried, it applies as smooth as butter. This has a beautiful soft greenish blue shimmery sparkle that disappears in low light or extreme angles. It also looks and feels like body glitter gel in the way it gives off an “still wet” look and is very elegant without coming off as demure. The pic is one coat over a ridge filling base coat (hides my nails’ yellowing)
I love how effortlessly pretty this polish is! I used 3 coats, plus topcoat. If you are ok with more VNL you can stop at 2 coats.
I'm not usually big on whites (too bridal) but I love wearing Refraction in one coat! It gives me this soft wash of sheer sparkly white that blurs but doesn't cover up my nail line. The formula is also amazing and super easy to work with, so it doesn't look uneven or patchy with just one coat.
I think it's rare to find a shimmer polish that looks good in all types of lighting. It can appear as glowy, pearly, shimmery, ethereal. I found it looks best in 3 coats.
I'm just here to share pictures of this as a topper while it's still available for purchase. Pictured, left to right: first is Refraction alone; 2-7 are one coat of Refraction over Vanille, (Essie) Seas the Day, (Zoya) Abby, Ol' Reliable, Mocha Mousse, and Sweeter the Juice.
Would love to see other undertones as sibling polishes. The most important thing to note is the main glow is blue and it will be sheer at an angle. It’s also smooth shimmer and not gritty glitter
I really enjoy this one. It pulls very white with a beautiful sparkle. Here on my pointer and ring finger
it’s so shimmery and glowy in the sunlight, pearly in indirect lighting, it’s kinda sheer even in 3 coats but it’s so shimmery that you almost can’t tell, totally not as pretty on camera as it is in person, pictures do not do it justice!
This is my absolute perfect palette cleanser/work-for-any-occasion color, just wow, I wish it weren’t a PPU and available in the permanent catalogue. I know my swatch photo could have been layered up more, but I wanted to include it because I feel there’s already several photos that represent how it builds up. I did only one coat, but I feel like this is how I’ll be wearing it most, I threw this on when I literally had two minutes to be out the door for a dinner/live performance I was invited to (maybe not my cleanest swatch photo but this demonstrates how well it performed for me- seriously!). I get the folks who have said this has “bridal vibes”, and it has an elegance to it that can certainly work that way, but I’m loving it for its versatility, one coat was even as hell and its color and buildable coverage gives it potential to work for any occasion. Love love.
I kept hearing how gorgeous Refraction was and how much everyone wanted it to come back and now I know why! I can’t stop looking at my hands and the pictures don’t show how pretty this shade is. It’s great by itself, but I think it would also be a gorgeous topper as well. I’m so glad it was brought back and I was able to snag it!
Omg sooo beautiful 🤩🤍 I cannot stop looking at my nails
A beautiful sheer white that plays with your nail bed color. Very shiny/sparkly in light and glowy in indirect light. My new favorite white! Good for every season/occasion!
This polish is absolutely stunning, no camera can capture the way it sparkles and glows irl! Definitely nailed the inspo with this one. So glad I picked it up for PPU rewind!
Beautiful polish. It was my first order from ppu. It's one of my favorite polishes i own. I Adore white shimmers. This is perfectly achieved that glittering glinting sunlight sparkling and bouncing off water effect I believe she was trying to achieve. Something about the finish and the effect of those green silver and blue glitters that gives it a very unique icy, slick wet, glazey and dimensional look. I love how sheer it is and how I can do one or three layers and still see visible nail line. I love vnl. Beautiful glass ice nails with this true neutral white shimmery special bottle of magic sauce.
I am a sucker for these types of shades and Refraction is no exception! I love wearing Refraction as a topper. In this picture, I used two coats of a white jelly and two coats of Refraction. This combo makes the perfect bridal style nails. I love how shimmery and dainty this shade is.
I’m new to the world of PPU and I knew I wanted to have this. I love the name and dainty feel of this polish. Layers well over a jelly or by itself.
Worthy of the hype! I love ethereal shades like this, and the formula was incredible as well.
i was so sad i missed out on this during its original run, but i am unbelievably happy that it came back to the Cracked site. so excited to use it and compare it to Freezy!!
she is so beautiful--one of those easy, go-to shades but still packs an ethereal punch. Similar to Freezy but i like the finer shimmer in refraction. I love it in 3 coats for max shimmer but even a single coat is super smooth and like lip gloss for your nails :)
So glad I snatched this one up! It's going to make an incredible topper
Wish this was a mainstay
Beautiful
This is the hands down prettiest white polish I’ve ever seen. I’m so jazzed to use it on its own and as a topper!
A lovely shimmery polish.
Very beautiful! Missed it the first time but so glad I have it now.