A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

L’oreal’s Voluminous Mascara in good ol’ black.  It’s one of those purported ‘oldies but goodies’ thought of in the same way as Max Factor’s 2000 Calorie.

An unassuming rather plain tube greets you, indeed much like Max Factor’s 2000 Calorie.  Don’t let that put you off… as they say, appearances can be deceptive.

The wand is your standard bristle affair and rather large (although not as large as Bad Gal’s which seems to be the benchmark for chunky wand heads).  It’s a little longer than standard which can make for tricky application on the outer lashes, but it’s not a major problem on my longer lashes.  One thing I really like about this wand is the density of the bristles.  They’re really packed in there which makes for some great separation.

And here’s your comparison shot.  No mascara on the left, L’oreal Voluminous on the right.  It’s a nice deep black which offers some great volumising (as the name would suggest).  I would say that there are better lengthening mascaras out there, but I could imagine that this would work great paired with one of them.  I experience no flaking or smudging with this and it lasts all day long.

My only gripe with this mascara is that the neck doesn’t fit too snugly around the wand, which creates two potential problems.  Sometimes when I pull the wand out, there is a little too much product on the head and I also find that this mascara dries out a little quicker than my others.  Not sure if this is down to the tube design or the formula itself, but it’s something to be aware of.

Overall, it’s a nice solid mascara.  I prefer 2000 Calorie over this (as long as I pinch my nose whilst applying the Max Factor) but Voluminous is very buildable thanks to a formula that isn’t too gloopy or clumping – if you haven’t already, check it out!

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What gorgeous weather we’re currently enjoying!  Over the weekend I was looking for something a little lighter than my standard liquid foundations to wear on my face.  As I was digging around in my collection, I happened across a little pot of tinted moisturiser by a company called Mádara which I’d received as a free sample with an order I’d made a couple of weeks ago.

Now, I would normally consider my skin not clear enough for tinted moisturisers, so I approached this ‘try out’ with slight apprehension (and my eye on my Revlon Colorstay incase it all went horribly wrong).

Mádara are a Latvian organic company who carry the tag line ‘ecocosmetics’ under their brand name.

Here’s a blurb from their website:

Today we shape, create and nurture MÁDARA. MÁDARA is our story about love towards the place we come from, about good design, high quality natural and organic products and good honest business practice.

How good does that sound?

Well, let’s see if it’s too good to be true.

Mádara Decoface Tinting Fluid in Moon Flower (the lightest of 2 shades)

What they say:

Tints, illuminates and lightly moisturises the skin of the face and neck. Evens out skin tone. Gives the skin freshness and radiance. Disguises imperfections and fine lines. A lighter alternative to foundation. Like daisy petals shimmering in the moonlight.

What I say:

The first thing I noticed was the smell, it has a slightly herbal scent to it.  Not musky herbal, more floral – really rather nice, especially as it isn’t at all overpowering.  The formula, although thin, is very pigmented – a little goes a long way!  I used my fingers to apply and found that it spread evenly and easily across my skin.  I was also pleased to discover that it contained sunscreen, although to what extent/rating I can’t find out, not that it matters hugely to me as I always slap on my DHC facial sunscreen anyway.

Application finished, I looked in the mirror and was disappointed to discover no difference in terms of coverage.

However, after uploading these photos, I’m re-evaluating my thoughts on the coverage.  If you look at the before and after, there is definitely more evenness in my skintone in the after shot (the one on the right).  I think it is most noticeable across my nose.  Yes, it is pretty sheer – but I need to remind myself, that’s exactly what I was looking for!  I don’t want to be caked in makeup on days where it’s liable to melt!  I hadn’t applied any concealer, but I will apply a little to key areas  next time I wear this tinting fluid.

Before on the left/After on the right

I have typical combination skin which also suffers from sensitivity and I experienced absolutely no burning/stinging or tightness during or after using this product which is obviously crucially important and something that Mádara prides itself on achieving. 

One negative (and unfortunately one my ultra pale skin won’t let me overlook) is that I did encounter a little oxidisation very quickly after application.  It certainly didn’t tango me, but I did smooth over my neckline with some untinted moisturiser to re-blend the colour and ensure there were no giveaway ‘foundation’ lines.  It didn’t oxidise further.

Mádara Decoface Tinting Fluid comes in 2 shades, so there’s not much room for error for pale gals like me.  The 2 shades are Moon Flower and Sun Flower, could they give them prettier names?!

Once out in the heat and the sun, I was pleased with the longevity of this product.  It lasted pretty well all day.  It did nothing to tame the oilies, but I didn’t expect it to and was simply surprised that it could last despite them!  My skin continued to feel moisturised and supple throughout the day and into the evening.  I had no issues with flakiness (which I sometimes get with my Colorstay).

I would really recommend this product to anyone looking for a lighter alternative for the summer.  It doesn’t offer the greatest coverage in the world, but if you’re looking for that… then I believe you’d be hard pressed to find it in a tinted moisturiser.  As a bonus, you know that what you’re putting on your face is natural and organic.  You can read more about Mádara’s Eco credentials here.

In conclusion, this is on my purchase list, but I definitely want to make friends with a reliable concealer too!

My simple summer FOTD featuring Mádara’s Tinting Fluid (please excuse the stray hair)!

Mádara Tinting Fluids are available at LoveLula.com£21.50 for 50mls.

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I’ve had this unopened tube of Rimmel Sexy Curves mascara sitting in my drawer since January and I’ve been using up so many others that it’s only now that I’ve had a chance to road test it!

I particularly like the packaging of this one, everything from the sleeky purple exterior to the cute little monogrammed crown on the top.

This is my first time using a mascara wand with rubber ‘bristles’ and I really love the separation and definition that this type of wand gives.

I believe that the 3 bumps in the wand are supposed to help add a bit of curl to your lashes.  My eyelashes are naturally quite curly so I don’t bother with eyelash curlers.  I have to say that I didn’t notice any additional curl after using this mascara, but I could see that the formula feels light enough not to drag down any curls.  The formula is really nice, very black and not too thick.

You’re going to have to excuse the no make up and eyebrows – I have no idea what to do with the stupid, overly long, irritatingly wavy unruly things.

Back to the mascara, I don’t think I need to say which eye has the mascara on do I?  I see some nice length and a little volume.  I always struggle to work the mascara into the base of the outer lashes without covering my face in mascara and hoped that perhaps this wand might aid in that, it doesn’t.

I didn’t find a problem with smudging or flaking and the formula came off effortlessly with my oil cleansing rountine at the end of the day.

Rimmel Sexy Curves gets a thumbs up from me.  Nothing particularly wows me, but it’s a solid mascara which delivers lovely definition, separation, a little bit of length and a deep black colour.

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Since discovering cleansing oils about a year ago, I couldn’t go back to life without them.  I didn’t believe it could ever be possible to remove makeup so effortlessly and quickly.  If you’ve never tried including a cleansing oil as part of your beauty routine – you must.

My benchmark cleansing oil is DHC’s Deep Cleansing Oil.  This was my first foray into oils and I instantly fell in love.  One thing that I have never loved however, is the price.  At £16 + £3.95 shipping from the DHC website, this is venturing very closely into a price range that I’m not happy to pay.

So come, join me in my quest to find a purse-friendly alternative…

I have already blogged about the disaster that is Smashbox’s Cleansing Oil (thankfully now discontinued, although I still have my full bottle sitting in my bathroom cabinet *just bin it already*)

Next on my list was Shiseido’s Perfect Oil thanks to a recommendation by Kathi from Lotus Palace whose opinions on all products Japanese and Korean I hold in high esteem.

Let’s have a couple of quick fire comparisons:

Packaging… Yeah, Shiseido wins this one easy… simply prettier to sit on your shelf, plus it comes with a little ‘clip’ (not pictured) to put round the neck of the bottle to avoid the pump being mistakenly depressed whilst travelling – you do NOT want this shit leaking all over your holiday clothes!

The Shiseido oil has a fairly pleasant fragrance whilst the DHC smells like chip fat.

Shiseido’s formula is thin and watery compared to DHC’s heavier, oilier formula.   A lot of people would prefer Shiseido’s easy to spread formula I would imagine, but not me!  I actually prefer the heavier, oilier texture of the DHC as it feels so lovely to massage into my skin.

They perform equally brilliantly at shifting the makeup.  Heavy foundation?  “No problem!”  Waterproof mascara?  “Lemme at it!” – so yes, top marks for both on that score.

Shiseido easily triumphs with regards to cost… it literally piddles all over DHC.  I paid £8.50 for a 150ml bottle on eBay, compared to nearly £20 for DHC’s 200ml.  Also, because the Shiseido spreads so easily – I find that unless my makeup is particularly heavy, I can get away with using only 1 pump each time.

However, there is one thing that sets them apart and unfortunately it makes the Shiseido a big fat fail for me.

Emulsification people, I cannot stress the greatness of DHC’s emulsifying abilities!  This thick, slightly smelly but extremely effective oil gently foams on contact with water before melting entirely leaving my face clean and residue free.  It doesn’t stick to my cloths, the basin or my skin.  I always ‘double cleanse’ with a mild soap afterwards out of habit, but when using the DHC oil, it wouldn’t bother me if for some reason I couldn’t.

The Shiseido just can’t compete.  It’s not THAT far off… It’s not a complete loser like the Smashbox, but it does leave a slight residue and I can feel an oiliness on my hands which doesn’t disappear until I’ve 2nd cleansed.  It also means that I have to scrub the sink after EVERY use or my husband calls me a minger for leaving the sink scummy. (Like he can talk with all those beardy little hairs he leaves behind after shaving, and he’s SO showing his age with that particular term of ‘endearment’… ).

I digress…

In conclusion, I won’t be repurchasing the Shiseido… but I also still refuse to spend £20 on a cleansing oil, so I need to hunt down my next contender!

…of liquid eye liners?

I have a real problem with most liquid liners.  I either love the tip, but find the product too thin and unpigmented (yano where the blacks come out as a watery grey) or, I love the product but daren’t put the tip within 2 feet of my eye without risk of blinding myself.

I’ve finally found one that applies like a dream and is also a gorgeously pigmented black.

Ruby & Millie’s I-Writer is an odd looking contraption.  A few of their products utilise this futuristic x-ray type design.  It’s novel, interesting and pretty functional.

As you can see, the tip is VERY fine.  It’s also flexible and soft fibred, which means that it’s not gonna drag on your eyelid.  The brush has a wide enough base to offer some support to the tip which gives it just enough stiffness.  It tapers into a lovely sharp point for precision lining and the product disperses itself fairly evenly along the fibres when you give the other end of the pen a little twist.

I love the brush so much that when I run out of product, I’m gonna can use it with my gel liners.

The I-Writer retails at Boots for £10.50 and is available in a few different colours (I also have this in green, but don’t recommend it.  the formula is a bit too sheer for an eyeliner).

Next time I use this in a FOTD, I shall make a note of it in the products used so you can see it in action!

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Nails Inc still isn’t a favourite brand of mine.  I find the formula a little too thick – great for achieving opacity in 2 coats or less, but not so good for clumsy types like me.

Belgrave Place is a beautiful inky blue and although I love the colour, this polish isn’t a keeper for me.  Despite use of a base coat (I’m obviously not using one good enough), this stained my nails quite nastily upon removal.

Will I ever find a Nails Inc. polish I’m in love with?  The search continues – recommendations very welcome!

Sorry for so many NOTD posts, it feels like a bit of a lazy cop out as they’re much easier to do than full on reviews.  I have some MMU haul posts as well which I really need to be doing and I have a HG to share with you all – ‘citing!

So, I’ve been wearing Max Factor’s old volumising favourite 2000 Calorie mascara for a few days now, and I’m really rather impressed.

Firstly, I hate, HATE the smell of the stuff.  It’s quite pungent and chemically, a horrible whiff as the wand passes my nose on it’s way to my lashes.  It also sports a chunky brush not unlike Benefit’s Bad Gal.

Not sure if it’s just mine but the formula is quite dry aswell which I’m actually really liking.   My initial reaction was irritation that I had picked up one that was drying out… but it really doesn’t seem to be – it just seems to collect the perfect amount on the wand every dip without any big splodges (gotta love my technical expressions)…

Anyway, here’s a before/after:

My left lashes (right on the image) always clump a little more than the right.  It’s a bit tricky to get to the very outer lashes with this chunky wand, but not impossible.  Can’t see too much lengthening or extra curl going on here, but there’s definitely some decent volumising and the pigmentation is a really nice solid black.

For the price, I am really impressed.  It’s very forgiving to apply – often if I go in for more than one coat, my lashes start to clump whilst I simultaneously begin to curse.  I didn’t have a problem at all with this mascara doing that.

Overall… I will absolutely buy this again especially when you can often pick this up for less than a fiver from the online discount cosmetic websites (although not before I’ve tried the new 2000 calorie extreme lash plumper with the apparent MEGA wand!)

As a direct comparison to Benefit’s Bad Gal (click link for my review), I really can’t say that Bad Gal is worth spending the extra money on.  Bad Gal is slightly blacker, thinner in consistency and feels a little more conditioning to your lashes – but I’m not sure those 3 differences justify spending double the amount of money over this drugstore cheapy.  It’s a tough one.

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I’m a consummate lip gloss addict (hence the title of the blog!) – they’re easy to apply, completely portable for quick touch ups and feel more moisturising on the lips than lipsticks.  I have a particular fondness for glosses which contain a little bit of sparkle.  Yes I am 4 years old.

Here’s one of my latest acquisitions!  Elizabeth Arden is one of those lines that I’m perpetually unsure of – it always feels so elegant and timeless but usually ends up disappointing me.  Not this time!

Elizabeth Arden’s High Shine Lip Gloss in #10 Pink Champagne is such a beautiful natural peachy colour with a hint of warm golden sparkle.  It’s your standard doe foot applicator in a classy little square tube.  Consistency is thick and a little gloopy to apply but not uncomfortably sticky… I’d give it a 6 out of 10 on the stickiness scale (where Lipglass is  a 7 and superglue is a 10!)

It has a beautifully soft sheer finish with a subtle plumping effect thanks to the multi dimensional high shine.  It doesn’t dry out my lips and is completely flavourless – something I always like!

My complaint (and unfortunately it’s not a inconsequential little one) is staying power.  You’ll need a touch up after eating or drinking, the shimmer survives – but the tint of colour sadly doesn’t.

All in all, a great buy for the summer!

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So after loving a Joe Blasco concealer I’d recently hit pan on and lemming the Ben Nye concealer wheel palette for about 100 years but not having the willpower to save up for it, I hit a dead end in my search for an industrial strength concealer.

I don’t really bother with many high street concealers nowadays, although I still carry my trusty stick of Rimmel Hide The Blemish in my glove box.  Having said that, seeing as I literally can’t remember the last time I used it, I probably shouldn’t get within 10 feet of it without wearing full on hazmat gear.

Where was I?  Oh yes, Grimas…

Grimas are a Dutch company who as well as being founded the year I was born are also sharing enough to let us know that they employ 3 mentally disabled members of staff.  I kid you not, check here – it really does say that.  Equal opportunities rock!

Anyway, back to the products…

I picked up a camouflage concealer in shade G0 and a creme make up base/foundation in G1.

Camouflage Concealer:

Creme Base/Foundation:

The texture of the concealer is quite hard, but very pigmented (as you would expect from a stage makeup brand) – a little goes a very long way!

When I swatched the concealer I thought it was going to be wayyy too pale for me, but it actually blended in really nicely and although I wasn’t expecting it, I found that it neutralized redness better than anything I’ve ever tried before – including various specialized green and yellow concealers.

The foundation is a little dark for me to be honest so I may end up going back for shade G0… I need some honest opinions from my husband and some good light to see if I’ve tangoed myself so I’m reserving judgement at the moment.  The texture of the foundation is a lot thinner and oilier than the concealer making it easier to blend.  However, it’s still highly pigmented and a light touch is the order of the day!

The foundation applied nicely with my stippling brush which I was pleased about as I’m loathe to use sponges which always seem to make cream foundations streak terribly on me.

On to the swatches…

G1 Foundation on the left/G0 Concealer on the right – note* my face is a shade or two darker than my hand!

Considering they’re supposed to be 1 shade different from each other – that shade difference is a yawning chasm and I’m blatantly somewhere in the middle of it.

As I said, I’m not completely convinced that despite this, it doesn’t still work for my skin tone.  However I’ll let you be judge, jury and executioner with another of those hideous before/after shots.

The concealer (like most thick concealers) will settle in fine lines, so I’d avoid the undereye area with this stuff.  I was also impressed by the fact that it didn’t seem to need setting with powder.  Before I’d had a chance to set it – the doorbell rang with my Asda food shop so I was distracted for over half an hour and when I remembered that I hadn’t powdered and looked in the mirror expecting to see huge amounts of shine and slip – it still looked as matte as it had when I first put it on.  Not massively high maintenance then!

I purchased Grimas from Facepaint UK as they were the only company I could find that charged a reasonable £2 p&p within the UK.  I’m also pleased to report that delivery was super quick (1 working day from ordering).

Overall, I’m really pleased with my experiences with Grimas – especially at how good the concealer neutralizes any redness.  My only disappointment is with the shades on offer – I’d love there to be something inbetween G0 and G1.

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My skin is typical combination/dry, so I’m always looking out for a moisturiser that’s gonna quench the dryness without making my t-zone look like an oil slick.  I also have the added bonus of sensitivity.  Not hugely so, but if my skin isn’t liking something, it reacts by tingling, reddening and leaving little dry scaly bits once the redness subsides.

After testing a new anti ageing night cream, I developed those unwanted sensitivity effects.  I was left cursing and battling this by slathering on my Eucerin Q10 Active Fluid (love!) which always helps to tame the dryness without leaving the greasies – great stuff!  However, as much as I love Eucerin, my fickle soul is well aware that it’s not kind to my purse at £17.51 for 50ml.  So when I ran out, I was on the hunt for an alternative.

Enter Adrien Arpel Daily Defense Moisturiser SPF15.

I came across this whilst browsing Direct Cosmetics for the princely sum of £4.99 (DC is one of my absolute fav places for bargain hunting – check it out!) and in hindsight I wish I’d bought more than one pot seing as it’s disappeared from the website now.

I like my day moisturisers to have SPF, and during the summer months, I layer this with even more sunblock – either that or I end the day looking like Rudolph.

Adrien Arpel Daily Defense Moisturiser SPF15, comes in your standard frosted little glass pot, I do wish that the pot were more opaque as I’ve read that sunlight can diminish the potency of antioxidants, regardless – it just means I store this in a darker place – ‘cos I’m a geek.

Let’s see what it says on the back of the box….

…not a huge amount actually.  I’m not sure what a ‘measured’ dose is either.

It’s a fairly thick cream, slightly solid (in the same way good old Nivea Creme is) with a slight pearlescent sheen.  Doesn’t feel at all greasy to the touch and feels very light to rub in.

It does leave a slightly white cast if you’re not meticulous with rubbing it in or layer it on a bit too thick – but I find that quite normal with any products that contain SPF.  You just need to be a little more careful to ensure that the product is evenly spread as it does disappear.  My skin drinks this stuff up like there’s no tomorrow – it causes me absolutely no irritation.  It sinks in beautifully and doesn’t make my nose look like an oil slick.  Most importantly it leaves my skin feeling super soft to the touch and is a lovely base for my makeup.

Keep an eye out for it (I know I will be!), it seems to belong in the same category as the Gale Hayman stuff and often appears heavily reduced on the various cosmetic discount websites.

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In honour of my due date (yes, that’s today little dink if you’re paying attention – are you ever coming out smelly bum?) I thought I’d share my thoughts on a skincare line that I’ve been using throughout my pregnancy.

Mama Mio have a skincare range to suit most everyone, but I think it’s safe to say that they are most well known for their luxurious treats for mummies to be.

This is the kit that I’ve been using…

Mama Mio Mini Kit is for commitment phobes, jet-setters or Mama Mio beginners. This kit contains the best of the Mama Mio skin care range in convenient miniatures, so you can pamper your supermama-self wherever you are.

I was lucky enough to be bought this lovely little kit for Christmas, and have been putting it to good use on my poor pregnancy riddled belly and boobs!

It contains 6 of Mama Mio’s most popular products.

Here’s what Mama Mio say about them, followed by my thoughts…

Boob Tube Firming Cream:

Mama Mio Boob Tube is a product we just can’t do without. If you haven’t heard about it already (voted 10/10 by OK Magazine, winner of Greatest Product from the iParenting Awards) it was Kathy’s saviour when pregnant with twins and forevermore. This will help you defy gravity over time and stop the sag.

A nice balmy cream that helped to soothe on days when I was suffering from a feeling of ultra heaviness and achiness in that area.  I can’t put much stock into gravity defying claims, but as a moisturiser, it’s really nice.  I should also point out that I haven’t developed any stretch marks here compared to the road map that is now my stomach.  Probably a coincidence, but worth mentioning.

Moisturising Shower Cream:

Want to know a secret? Our Moisturising Shower Cream is actually a baby cleanser. We felt that every mama can use a little babying sometimes. That explains why it is so gentle – it won’t strip your skin like a harsh soap.  And of course it is sodium laureth sulfate free – it’s from Mama Mio.

I haven’t used this yet, I’ve packed it in my hospital bag as a post birth shower treat.

Super Rich Body Cream:

Our Super-rich Body Cream is a must for every mama. It’s rich yet quickly absorbed, nourishing but light, and makes skin feel silky with no lingering film, and smell gorgeous. So lavish your skin with this super-nourishing cream and glory at the glow and softness.

My favourite, a stand out product for me – mainly due to the scent, citrusy but with deeper, sweeter notes.  Utterly gorgeous and intoxicating.  I’m very tempted to repurchase this after I’ve had little dink.  Ultra moisturising without leaving a sticky feeling, the scent which is initially quite strong fades leaving a subtle hint on your skin.  It absorbs completely and leaves my skin feeling really soft and supple.

Wonder-Full Balm:

Mama Mio Wonder-Full Balm really is. We called it Wonder-Full Balm because you will find a million different ways to use it. Nine natural oils in a beeswax base, it is really a solid oil that melts in contact with your skin and provides rich intense moisture.

This was a lifesaver throughout the freezing month of January, I slathered it on my elbows, lips and any dry bits that appeared on my face.  Not the most comfortable product to wear thanks to the fact that it is after all a greasy balm that tended to stay on the surface – but it really stopped my skin from cracking compared to the days that I didn’t have it on me… In fairness, I’m not sure how this would have compared to a cheaper version like Badger Balms Healing Balm or even super budget Vaseline – but it definitely smells better than Vaseline!

Gravida Candle:

We added our Gravida Candle as we know that regardless of where you are, if you get five minutes to yourself, you’ll grab it. Whether it is a hotel room, bedroom or just enough room, you can sit back, relax, lay back and breathe deeply.

The most disappointing, I just couldn’t smell anything from this.  I actually thought it was just a plain tealight until I read on the website that it was supposed to be scented.  Total ‘meh’ product for me… and just ‘cos I’m a nerd – a ‘gravida’ is a pregnant woman incase you’re interested – which you like, totally weren’t.

Tummy Rub Oil:

Last but not least is our Tummy Rub Oil. A well tested, beautifully fragrant, omega-rich oil to ease your stretched and itchy skin. It is stretch mark prevention at its very best. It is also brilliant as banishing winter lizard legs…

Another beautifully scented product, but I prefer my Sanctuary Body Oils as I found Mama Mio’s Tummy Rub Oil stubbornly left a filmy coating on my skin despite intense rubbing in!  The little bottle also made application without dribbling it on the carpet a bit of a nightmare!  Despite religious use of this product, I also developed stretchmarks – although not until 35 weeks.  I am prone to stretchmarks though, and in honesty I believe it has far more to do with genetics than what you slather on your skin… I think I was destined to get them no matter what, so for them to only develop in the last 5 weeks of pregnancy is pretty good going and may or may not be related to the product I was using – who really knows?

Ok, so that’s a little run down of Mama Mio’s most popular products for mummies-to-be and my thoughts after using them for a few months.

In conclusion, there are some really nice products in this range, one of them in particular stands out as a product that I would repurchase.  Having said that, there are also products out there on the market designed for everyday use that would match up to the quality of these (and offer the same properties for overstretched pregnant skin) but at half the price.  Although the convenience of having a specially designed range like this can’t be argued against.

I was also delighted to read that:

Every Mama Mio product is safe to use at any time from pregnancy stage to pensionable age. It is Paraben Free, Petrolatum Free, Sodium Laureth and Sodium Laurel Sulphate Free, Xenoestrogen and Phtalates Free, Colourant and Synthetic Fragrance Free.

So if you’ve been searching for products practically guaranteed to be skin friendly – look no further!

If you’re looking for a gift for a mum-to-be, this is a really well put together little kit and couldn’t fail to please a lady in need of a little pampering.

Did you grab June’s InStyle magazine yet?  I did and I’m currently sporting my new nails.

The magazine shelf at Asda had been ransacked and I could only find Coral and Bare (typically I wanted Berry), but no matter, I grabbed Bare as I totally wouldn’t be able to carry off the super bright Coral colour.

Here it is!

It’s a really, really lovely soft colour – milky beige with a hint of pink.  And that’s where the compliments end.

Applying it reminded me of when I used to paint my nails with Tippex in school science classes.  It was a chalky, draggy nightmare!

I have no other experience with Nails Inc. as a brand, and wonder whether the quality was lowered for this huge InStyle promotion.  I don’t know if that’s usual practice – but if it is, how stoopid?  It’s left me pretty uninterested in ever picking up another Nails Inc. product.

As I’ve said before, my application skills suck (I’m slowly getting better though!) – and this looks like the worst I’ve ever done.  Up close, you can really see the drag marks at the base of the nail and the cleaning up I had to do after drying took me longer than painting did (2 coats btw).

It doesn’t look so bad here, but trust me it is.  I don’t know if paler colours are less forgiving – so that may make a difference.

The quality of the brush also left a lot to be desired, I had to snip the end a little to make the bristles align.  Surely, this must just because it’s a free promotional item – you wouldn’t pay £10.50 RRP for polish like that or are Nails Inc. incredibly over-rated?  I dunno, but thanks to the shoddy 1st impression I’m curious but not inclined to spend money on their products to find out.

Any reader opinions on Nails Inc. would be appreciated – tell me I’ve got it all wrong, or save me from my curiosity and let me know that YES, Nails Inc. are indeed overrated.

Shame, cos I really do love that colour.

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