After coveting pictures of perfectly painted nails on Instagram for hours at a time, I decided it was finally time to try it for myself. With whole days to spend mastering my manicure, I was ready to progress from cheating with clever nail effect polishes to letting my (supposed) creative streak run wild.
I'd seen a lot of positive reviews of the new Barry M nail art pens, so decided to purchase a couple for myself. With a super fine nib and easy grip bottle, they're advertised as being super easy to use. At the moment they're available in black, white, pink and silver, but I'd imagine that once they've been out for a while they'll bring out more colours.
I'd used nail art pens before, but the kind where you squeezed to get the colour flowing. I always found these difficult to use, as it was tricky to control the flow of varnish, and I could never get anything close to a neat line.
With the Barry M pens, you pump them a couple of times to get the colour flowing, then write as if you were using a normal pen. This makes it really easy to get neat basic shapes, as well as create more intricate designs.
I let my sister and my friend run wild on my nails before giving it a go myself, here are the results:
After a few initial hiccups, the final result was pretty impressive. After painting all my nails with a base colour and leaving it to dry, they used the pens along with a second colour and dotting tool to create a quirky aztec pattern. The good thing about this is that each nail can be different, so you don't have to worry about perfectly replicating a design each time. The pens dry pretty quickly, so you don't have to wait too long to add extra details and decorations. The colour is pretty opaque too, so there's no need to go over the same area more than once.
When these sadly began to chip, I felt like it was time to try it for myself. Inspired by a photoshoot I'd seen in Company magazine, I went for a fairly simple American flag design:
Although the stars were a bit tricky, I was pretty happy with the final result. The pens are really easy to work with, even when using your non-writing hand, After a bit of practice, I can imagine that it will be fairly easy to create a range of intricate designs and pretty patterns. I'll keep you posted on my nail tales!
Another day, another opportunity to devote all of my creative energy to my nails. Today I decided to test out another of the treats that came in my bundle of Bourjois goodies, their new So Laque glossy nail enamel.
Claims: This new collection from the So Laque range features eight new shades that are enriched with vinyl for a high-shine glossy finish. The ultra-resistant formula prevents chipping and ensures that the colour lasts for up to ten days.
I had the chance to try out 04 Amande defile, which is a cool, clean mint green shade that is perfect for spring, and 07 Coton sur ton, a soft, pale off-white hue with pinky tones.
Verdict: Firstly, I opted for the paler shade. The polish went on easily, and gave my manicure a smooth and glossy finish, as promised. It did require three coats to completely cover the nail, but each layer dried pretty quickly so it wasn't too time-consuming. I decided to add a top coat with a Barry M glitter polish, as I'm not used to such pale and pretty shades, I needed something a bit more striking. I was really pleased with the finished result, it reminded me of a cupcake, with frosting and sprinkles. The colour on its own is a bit too plain for me, however I can imagine that it would be a pretty option for a formal occasion.
I then tested out the mint green. I'd actually bought a similar hue recently from Barry M as I'm a big fan of this shade for the season, so I was interested to compare the two. Once again it did need a few coats to create the perfect finish, but I really liked the final result. My nails looked really shiny and neat, not quite salon perfect but not bad for an at-home job. I didn't get any chipping on my nails for at least five days, which wasn't quite the promised ten but I was still relatively happy with how long they lasted.
The finish on these polishes is really lovely, and definitely worth the couple of extra pounds in comparison to other high-street brands. There are only eight shades to choose from at the moment, but they do cover pretty much all the colours that are currently in style, from bright coral and bold red, to soft peach and sky blue. I'll definitely be reaching for these polishes if I want a chip-free weekend, as they do last well. I'll be excited to see if they add any brighter shades to the collection, perhaps something a bit more gothic to suit my style!
One bonus to having a broken leg - a distinct lack of chipped nails. The absence of general hard work and physical activity means that you can maintain a manicure for weeks, even though due to boredom I find myself changing my nails to match my outfit, just because I can.
Thanks to my lovely pal Rachael who is a PR at Bourjois, I was able to test out a range of their new colours and polishes, starting with their 1 SECONDE nail enamel.
Claims: The fan-shaped brush allows you to coat your nails in one quick stroke, perfect for on-the-go fashionistas and speedy last-minute manicures. The innovative gel formula, which is enriched with silicone, provides a salon finish with a smooth and glossy result.
I've been obsessing over all things turquoise at the moment, so I was thrilled to see this bold blue shade in my bundle of goodies. The fresh hue is perfect for the sunny weather that's finally made an appearance and will look great with a tan. It gives good coverage with just one coat, although I did give mine a second to intensify the shade and really make it pop.
This striking mauve hue is another colour which is great for spring. While I'm a big fan of pastel shades, they can end up looking a bit too sweet and girly, so this more intense purple makes a welcome change. Again it requires a couple of coats to emphasise the shade, but the final result is an on-trend tone that is just the thing for the approaching warmer seasons.
Verdict: The flat style brush does exactly as advertised, and makes it easy to cover your nails with one quick stroke. It's also easier to control how much polish you load on to your brush, so you don't end up with an overload of varnish on your nail. I was also really impressed with the gel texture, which did provide a more professional finish compared to some other brands. The high-shine quality looked really great with these pretty colours, and I was impressed with how the rich texture evened out my nail beds too.
Overall, I would definitely recommend these polishes, even if you're not a sucker for the quick application and perfect finish claims I'm sure the trendy shades will definitely appeal!
