Nailcare review - Illamasqua nail varnish in Raindrops

I promise this will be my last Illamasqua review for a while - but when I was buying the nail varnish in Vice, I also spotted this little beauty in the sale.

I won't bore you with my love for Illamasqua yet again, but just wanted to show another of the finishes on their nail varnishes, this time the jelly finish.

Raindrops is a sheer, pale grey - but a lovely chic slightly blue grey, not an overcast sky grey - and it has some tiny, irregular slivers of grey glitter in the polish to give the namesake raindrop effect. Don't be alarmed - it's really not a glittery finish at all, more about a texture or an overall effect.

With a base and top coat, the polish lasts a good 4-5 days without chipping or peeling, and a further 2-3 days with only minor imperfections.

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

Ax

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

Nailcare review - Sally Hansen Nail Rehab

I have absolutely terrible nails. I bit them for years, and even now I can't help but pick at them and play with them. And the second my nail varnish starts to chip and peel? I take great pleasure in peeling the rest of it off. And damaging my nails to boot.

So when I received a bottle of Sally Hansen's Nail Rehab in my advent calendar, I was really keen to give it a whirl.

Instructions say to shake gently, then apply 1-2 coats to bare nails either alone or as a base coat. Simple.

The product applies like a dream - the brush is just the right size - easy to apply in a couple of strokes, but not so big that you use too much product, and the product is just the right consistency. Thick enough to feel like it will have some benefit, but thin enough to layer up with coloured polish and a top coat without going all thick and peeling. And it's lovely and smooth - filling in ridges, with no strands or bits (unlike another base coat I've been testing of late).

The big question is really the long term benefits. I've been using this for about 4 weeks now, and have probably applied it 6-8 times in that period - I change my nail polish A LOT. There has been a slight improvement to the strength of my nails, but they have been weak, brittle and peeling since before I started using it, so it's really not the fairest trial. But on the other hand, to have any positive effect on nails which were in such bad condition to start with, this really must be doing something right.

Worn alone this gives a lovely natural glossy pink sheen - perfect for the base of a French manicure, or just a fuss-free, natural but polished look.

Or it also helps my favourite dark polishes apply more evenly and they probably stay chip-free a day or two longer using this as a base coat, combined with a decent top coat.

All in all, a winner for me.

Ax