Barry M Autumn Gelly Collection Swatch and Review!

Hi!

It's not often (in fact, I think this is a first) that I swatch an entire collection, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it's not often that I like an entire collection enough to buy the whole set, and as my polish budget is fairly limited I can't afford to buy a polish just to swatch if I don't love it. And secondly, I rarely have the time to sit and polish my nails over and over in one sitting. Nor do I think my pictures are anything special! However, when I saw the Autumn Gelly nail paint collection from Barry M I wanted, nay needed, them all, my youngest bubba just started full time school (sob) so I managed to spare an hour for some swatching, and the sun was shining so I hoped to get a decent pic. No excuses, so off I swatched!

Barry M has come up trumps with this collection of 6 polishes from their Hi-Shine Gelly range, all named after spices (with the exception of Cocoa) that are perfect Autumn colours. Most are unique to my collection, which is getting rarer and rarer these days, and I think filled a gap in Barry M's range too. It's great to see some more muted, unique colours. All of my swatches show two coats with no topcoat. The formula was thinner than I've come to expect from the Gelly range, which isn't a bad thing as some of them, especially the white-based colours (I'm looking at you Huckleberry) can be a little on the thick side. I had no issues with application, and the dry time was great.

Mustard is exactly that; a mustard yellow cream. This is probably the most unique of the set, unlike anything I've got in my collection. I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I do, but it has a warmth to it which means it avoids the baby-poo look!

Cocoa is the darkest of the bunch, a dark brown that's not too red but avoids looking black. I can imagine this looking beautifully cosy with some gold glitter.

Cardamom was my favourite, although it is slightly darker on the nail than in the bottle it is still a lovely dusty mid-green.

Chai is a perfect grey cream. It comes a close second to Cardamom for me and I've already worn this again.

Paprika is Cocoa's redder, paler sister and reminds me a silky melted milk chocolate.

Lastly, Chilli, which is the reddest of the collection, and I think it will make a lovely autumn pedicure colour.

It's hard for me to pick a favourite here, but if I was pushed I'd go for Cardamom with Chai a close second, and Mustard bringing up the rear! I've already worn Chai with some stamping, but I broke a nail before I could get a good picture :( Anyway, I can see myself reaching for these over and over in the next few months! Which is your favourite?

I purchased these myself from Superdrug, where they are currently on 3 for 2 - so you can get all 6 for a few pence less than £16. What a naughty enabler I am!

Hx

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Tri-Polish Tuesday Pink, Brown and Grey #4 - Blobby blobby blobby...

Hi!

If you were around in the 90's you'll know what my title refers to (in the UK at least)! I loved and hated Mr Blobby for many reasons which I wont go into here, but anyway, blobby! I still feel like I haven't mastered the blobby vintage roses mani, but Mr NN said they were pretty so I'll take that! The colours used for the final TPC of the month are Barry M Lychee - brown (ok, nude, but you'll let me off wont you?!), Sally Hansen Eel Skin - grey, and two pinks, OPI Pink Friday and Kiss Me On My Tulips.

I can't believe we're at the end of February already. Next month's colours are green, blue and purple. Inspire me please! And do you have any tips for the blobby roses?

Hx

An InLinkz Link-up

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Tri-Polish Tuesday - Pink, Brown and Grey #2 - Chocolate box!

Hi!

As it's Valentines week, I am going to try to fit my challenge posts into the theme too! I thought this design looked chocolate box-y and since reduced chocolate the day after v-day is probably the best part I thought it fitted! I used OPI Skull and Glossbones, China Glaze Dance Baby and Barry M Mocha, and the accent is a mix of OPI Pink Yet Lavender and a heart glitter polish I've had for yonks.

I need to work on my lines, they've been a bit wobbly lately!

Hx

An InLinkz Link-up

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Tri-Polish Tuesday - Pink, Brown and Grey #1 - taped tips

Hi!

I'm excited about this month's TPC colours - pink, brown and grey. There just seems to be more options than last month - you can go pastel, neon etc without changing the colours whereas red is red so options are limited. Anyway, for the first challenge I kept it simple and went for a brown base in the form of Barry M Mocha and taped some elongated glitter trianges in Models Own Pink Fizz, a lovely rosey pink glitter. I'm really loving simple designs like this on my almonds, I should do them more often! My pictures again aren't fabulous, we're in the midst of 100 days of rain here in the UK it seems, so I have to apologise that they're more than a little dingy.

Next weeks TPC will be valentines themed! See you then!

Hx

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Introducing Lacquerdaisical!

Hi!

I'm so excited to introduce you to a new UK Indie brand today! Lacquerdaisical polishes (love the name!) are hand made by lovely Alexia, and she contacted me recently to ask if I would give them a try. At the moment her range includes glitters, toppers, thermal polishes and a glow in the dark texture polish - how could I say no?! I have the thermals to show you today, and I hope you love them as much as I do! (Be prepared for an onslaught of pictures!)

The first polish I had to get on my paws when I tore into the package like a savage beast was Jaffa Fake, a brown to orange thermal with a gorgeous purple shimmer. How clever is the name? And the polish is just as genius! When it's cool it's a stunning chocolate brown, with fine purple shimmer running through it adding tonnes of depth and interest. Then once it warms up it shifts to a delicate orange, still showing the shimmer, and just looks good enough to eat! I had lots of fun running my fingers under hot and cold water, bumpung my nails against radiators and cold drinks and even putting my hands in the oven and the freezer! Don't try that at home! It's just such a fun polish!

Once I'd finished risking third degree burns, I had to stamp over it, and it was so pretty!

The other thermal is Purple Phase, a stunning deep aubergine with violet shimmer when cold, which transforms into a stunning grey-blue when it warms up. The shimmer in this is just stunning when it's warm, leaving such a delicate sheen in contrast to the dark cool colour.

Of course, I had to get the stamping gear out again!

The formula on these was quite thick, but not at all gloopy and I had no trouble with application. I used three coats and there is still a fair bit of visible nail line underneath in the warm state. If this bothers you (to be honest, it didn't bother me at all and usually I'm not keen on VNL) you could wear a nude shade underneath, or a colour close to the colour of the polish when it's warm and it wont affect the thermal aspect at all. They dry matte, but Lacquerdaisical recommends base and top coat, and I would as well! These polishes are such a lot of fun, and I think I'll be getting a lot of use out of them!

At the moment, Alexia is selling Lacquerdaisical polishes through the Facebook page, priced at just £2.50 for a 5ml bottle or £6 for 15ml. Please go and check her out! I'll have more to show you over the next week or so, starting with an AWESOME glow in the dark texture polish on Friday!

Hx

The product featured was a PR sample provided to me for free for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own and 100% honest. Please see my disclaimer in the tab above for further details.

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Meet the Almonds!

Hello!

So, I did it! After um-ing and ah-ing for over a week, with one thumbnail almond shaped and lonely I bit the bullet and shaped all of my nails into almonds! I've wanted to try the shape for a while, but I never thought I'd be able to get my natural nails long and strong enough to handle it. But, thanks to Duri Rejuvacote, here they are! I think I was putting it off because I know it's a weaker shape, and more prone to breaks and tears, but I know that if I do have a bad break and I have to cut them all down, I'm confident that they wont take long to get back to their former glory, thanks to Duri. The shape isn't perfect, but I'm hoping it's something that I'll perfect over the next few weeks as I get used to them. So far, I'm in love! I think they look elegant and cute, and they make my podgy fingers look less sausage-esque. And that's got to be a good thing.

I kept my first manicure simple, so I could revel in the shape a little for a while! I used 2 coats of Rimmel Salon Pro in Beige Babe and the accent finger is 2 coats of a Pretty (from Poundand) leather polish - which is a lot more sparkly and a little bit greener than my pictures show. I know I say this a lot but I am in love! With this manicure, and my nails, at long last!

My final 33 day challenge post goes live tomorrow, with my old nail shape as I wanted to finish the challenge before I filed them, but after that it's almonds all the way! What do you think, I hope you like them! Any particular nail art you'd like to see on them? Of course, there are some Christmas manis coming your way soon too!

Hx

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