Nailcare review - Illamasqua nail varnish in Vice

Since my now fiancé proposed with the most stunning rhodolite and diamond engagement ring, I've had to do a serious overhaul of my nail polish collection - some colours simply don't go with my crimson rock. I've ditched some of my brights and have been stocking up on rich jewel tones, neutrals and autumnal shades, and I was delighted to find this little beauty from Illamasqua.

I've said before that Illamasqua do the most amazing colours, and this nail varnish in a deep cerise is no exception, but another thing they do really well is texture. Vice comes in a rubber finish, which is really hard to describe as anything other than, well, rubbery. It has a shine to it, but not so much as a gloss or gel finish, it feels more substantial and sophisticated than a normal matte finish. It kind of just feels a bit more expensive than a cheap polish - it has more to it than initially meets the eye, but is a much more subtle statement than a full blown matte. So it's hard to define, but I'm a fan!

I wore this last week (on a base coat, but no top coat as that would defeat the purpose of the rubber finish) and it lasted a good four days with only the slightest wear - I usually remove polish after two to three days as it never lasts well on my peeling brittle nails, so that's a really good result for me.

Another really nice touch is that the caps on Illamasquua nail varnish bottles match the varnish - so this one has a rubbery finish, while their gloss finishes have - you've guessed it - a shiny lid.  And they do amazing product shots on the website - shots of the nail varnish in the packaging, in the bottle, on nails, and a few drops of colour on a white background. All of which are really helpful when shopping online and you can't see the product in the flesh. I just love the attention to detail you get from Illamasqua.

And it goes REALLY well with my ring.

Illamasqua nail varnishes are £14.50 each and come in 58 colours, with a range of finishes. Blimey.

Ax