It's that time of year - no longer summer but not quite yet autumn, I've packed away the turquoises and corals that have been adorning my nails all summer but it's not quite time to bring out the berries, plums and mochas. What to do? Faced with this (highly important) dilemma, I've streamlined my nail collection down to a selection of neutrals, with a handful of muted jades and autumnal reds and oranges thrown in for good measure.
THE NUDES
The palest of my neutral collection, Barry M's 'Lychee' has a super-opaque finish and can look a little odd with a tan, but once I've settled back into my usual paleness (which believe me, won't take long) this looks really chic especially on mid-length nails. Bourjois's 'BC Beige' on the other hand (no pun intended) is rather more sheer, but builds up to a lovely solid grey-toned beige after two coats. Great for elongating fingers for a groomed, polished look, and one that is happily interview appropriate. I recently picked up Rimmel's 'Caramel Cupcake' on my lunch break (I work dangerously close to a large Boots) - I'd fallen off my bike that morning (my fault) so needed cheering up, and of course nail polish is the way to do it. Many a blogger has raved about these Rimmel 60 Second polishes of late, so naturally I had to see for myself what the fuss was about. On inspection not many shades took my fancy, but this warm-toned nude (with hints of rose and mocha) is one I know I'll get a lot of use out of, and for £2.19 (1/3 off) I'm very impressed with the glossy, long-wearing formula.
THE TAUPES
These two are very similar, the only real difference being that the Sally Hansen is ever-so-slightly more on the purple side of things. I picked up Bourjois's 'Taupe Modele' back in the spring-time but hadn't worn it until now - safe to say it's love. I love the formula of these So Laque Glossy polishes; they apply so nicely, are fully opaque in two coats, shiny enough not to require a top coat (but I do anyway, to be on the safe side). Has anyone seen the Sally Hansen stand in Wilkos? FYI their Complete Salon Manicures are a damn sight cheaper than in Boots - I picked up Commander in Chic (a lovely muted purply-grey - my go-to for autumn) for around £4.80 compared to an RRP of £6.99 in Boots - steal. Faultless application and a welcome addition to my growing Sally Hansen collection.
THE JADES
I love a good mint-green mani and these are two prime examples; Mavala's 'Lagoon' is a purse-friendly classic jade that is neither too bright nor too pale, neutral enough to complement most outfits. It's teeny tiny 5ml bottle makes it perfect for popping in your handbag for touch-ups, too. The brush admittedly isn't the best - one coat can look streaky but after a second (and a good top coat) you're good to go. I haven't worn Sally Hansen's 'Green Tea' (a cheeky Ebay purchase) a lot yet so can't comment much on this one, but it's a shade or two lighter than Lagoon, far more opaque and ultra-glossy. Really looking forward to wearing this a bit more soon.
THE REST
I'm quite possibly most excited about these last three. After hunting high and low in every Boots/Superdrug I came across, I finally gave in, ordered online and am now the proud owner of Bourjois's 'Preppy Hibiscus' - which may just be my all-time favourite red polish. Bright and glossy, this isn't a classic red but has a soft edge to it making it very easy and wearable. I'm rather late to the Essie 'Meet Me At Sunset' party but I'm so glad I've now hopped on the bandwagon. This one was love at first stroke - I've renamed it Essie 'Autumn Leaves' in my head as to me it's just the perfect autumnal orange-red; I can see myself wearing this a lot. I'd describe this as a hot blood-orange, which looks so pretty on the nails and of course applies like a dream; effortlessly opaque and shiny. I never expected to love Essie polishes due to all the negative comments I've heard, but they might just be my favourite formula! 17's 'Copper' is the odd one out here (not least because it's metallic); 17 should have named this 'Rose Gold'- it's not copper at all in my eyes but a soft, subtle gold-y shade which flashes rose-pink in the sun - perfect for autumn days.
September has always been the 'new things' time of year for me, and with my current nailcare extras starting to go a bit gammy (nice) I decided to invest in some new kit. The Bourjous Magic Nail Polish Remover is a product I'll always repurchase - it makes quick work of wiping nails clean, saves on cotton wool and with it's red fruit & vanilla fragrance leaves fingertips nicely scented too (and at £4.99 it's hardly bank-breaking). There'll always be a soft spot in my multi-tasker loving heart for Sally Hansen's Double Duty base & top coat, which does the job and leaves nail hard and shiny - I'm just kicking myself now for not having picked this up in Wilkos for £3.95! Last but not least, I'd heard amazing things about the CND Stickey Base Coat and after doing a little Ebay search, found it for a bargainous £10.50 with the accompanying Super Shiney Top Coat thrown in, plus free postage & packaging. I haven't tried the top coat yet but can report that the base coat is a winner!
What will you be wearing on your nails over the coming months?
Do you stick to the same colours all year round or change with the seasons?
Chandra
x
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