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Showing posts with label gel nails. Show all posts

Barry M Coconut Infusion Nail Polish

Friday, 22 April 2016


Coconut has taken over the health and beauty scene in recent years and with its many benefits it makes sense that so many brands are jumping on board. The oil can be used for everything from making your hair super soft to removing make up, whitening your teeth and even cooking - while coconut water is packed with simple sugars, electrolytes, and minerals which help keep your body hydrated.

Barry M are always working on new and innovative formulas so it wasn't a surprise that their latest release is infused with both coconut oil and coconut water. Introducing the Coconut Infusion Range. 

L-R: Flamingo, Surfboard, Tiki Hut, bikini,Starfish, Laguna, Skinny Dip, Aloha & Sunkissed
I went along to the press launch which happened to be a yummy coconut themed breakfast held on Soho rooftop on a pretty lovely, sunny day! We started with coconut smoothies, I had a chocolate and banana one, followed by a fruit salad with coconut chips, granola with coconut yoghurt and raw honeycomb (yum) and I went for the healthy option so, buckwheat and quinoa porridge - that's a 4 course breakfast guys - I was stuffed afterwards. The perfect way to start the day because in case you haven't noticed yet, I love breakfast!
Of course we were introduced to the polishes there but I couldn't wait to get them home so I could give them a try! I took home the cutest goodie bag with all of the polishes, some more of my favorite vita coco coconut oil, coconut water and this beauty - its a phone charger!
Now for the polish! First impressions? I love the packaging, from the pretty colour of the lids to the cute coconut font on the front. As for the colours, I firstly described them as dirty looking pastels, do you know what I mean? Although it was a different story when I started to use them, they were very fresh, bright pastels, not too pale and not dirty looking at all.

 Barry M advise that you apply these without a base coat so that the Coconut in the formula can penetrate straight into you nails helping to hydrate and nourish them. Who has time for a base or even a top coat anyway?! I never use either.

I don't often have a gel manicure because I sometimes react to it but that means that I am always on the look out for a polish that can give me a similar look, that shine is a hard thing to replicate and to be honest, I wasn't expecting much from these in the way that they'd look because they are about the nourishment but I was seriously impressed with how shiny these polishes are. And even more impressed with how long they stayed shiny for, it lasted for the whole time the polish was on.
I started off with Laguna because blue is my fave. I think my one had a bit of a dodgy brush because the others didn't look like that but even so, the formula is so easy to maneuver that I didn't have too much of a problem, it went on so smoothly and also dried really quickly which is a big plus.
Theres not much I can tell you about how they affect my nails at the moment but hopefully with a few uses, my nails will start to see the benefits!

Whats Your Favourite Shade?

BEAUTY: Barry M New Daylight Curing Nail Polish

Monday, 11 May 2015

As you guys know, I am a huge Barry M fan - as well as the constant new releases of colour Barry M are always coming up with new formulas to fix all the nail polish problems of the world. The last range I told you about were super speedy quick dry (new colours coming soon so keep and eye out for that) and they kept to their word, they are not my favourite range of colours (this bright sunset range is much more my thing) but I always go to them now if I am in a rush and need my nails looking fresh.

This new range claims to be daylight curing which is said to give the look and resilience of a set of salon gel nails except without the UV lamp, you wont need a base coat either but you will need the daylight curing topcoat to use the range properly - best part? It can still be removed with regular remover - no annoying soak offs. Barry M have also kept their flat brush from the last launch which is great news.

So far they have got the gel nails look down, they are shiny and they look like a gel mani. As for the resilience, they lasted a whole 5 days - very impressed. I'd say thats the longest polish has lasted on me.

I used The Way You Make Me Teal and I've Been Pinkin and found that, like the last gelly range, they are all different consistencies. The pink was thicker and abit easier to use and the green was a bit runny, plus I found that it pulled back from the tips a little bit so I had to go over it, they both look perfect once applied and dried though! Very pleased that there was perfect coverage with just two coats.

The Barry M Sunset range is available now priced at £4.99 for each polish. You can check out the colour selection here.

You Drive Me Navy, Can’t Get You Out of My Red, Do It Like a Nude, Fuchsia Generation, Peach for the Stars, The Way You Make Me Teal, I’ve Been Pinkin’.

BEAUTY: New SS15 Additions To The Barry M Gelly Collection

Monday, 9 February 2015

Barry M's Gelly range is one of my favourite ever ranges of polish. I never usually use a top coat so I was so impressed with the hi shine glossy finish you get from the polish alone. These days I much prefer a Gelly Mani over a Gel one - I'm able to change the colours whenever I like and it's alot cheaper.

These new additions to the range include three colours and a top coat. One of the girls at the press day described them as colours within colours which is a great way to think of it. Fondant is quite similar to Prickly Pear and Sky Blue is also quite similar to Huckleberry although they are both different. Blue is my favourite nail colour and I struggle to find them with other brands. Barry M is usually my first port of call and they have done amazingly well with this new one, I love that it's pastel but not too wishy washy. I wear white nails through most of the summer so I'll be saving 'Cotton' for then.

Apparently the topcoat is there to enhance the shine you already get from the gelly polishes as well as add a bit of thickness to the mani to make that gel look even more authentic. After using the top coat on the speedy dry polishes, I wasn't convinced, of course it was a nice shiny top coat but it wasn't anything special. That is, until I used it on top of a gelly polish. I am amazed at how a nail polish can look so similar to a gel mani. It's super shiny and has that strange thickness that you get with gels. The description was right and I am very impressed. Definitely worth a try.

These also launch into Superdrug on February 11th and Boots on the 18th. Not long now!!

Which Is Your Favourite?

(L-R: Cotton, Fondant, Sky Blue, Plumpy Top Coat)

BEAUTY: FUSE Gelnamel Kit

Thursday, 15 January 2015

Georgia stayed over the week before I went on holiday and when we arrived back at mine, we were greeted by this new FUSE Gelnamel kit that had arrived in the post earlier that day. We got back at 10pm after an evening of drinking cocktails in Mayfair but Georgia decided I had to do her nails there and then.

The process of application is super easy especially if I could do it after a cocktail or 3 haha. The kit comes with everything you need for the full manicure for just £35 (which is the price you'd pay for just one gel manicure in alot nail bars) so there was no faffing around looking for cotton wool and stuff like that. Just buff, cleanse, paint, set and wipe over. Simple as.

As you can see in the photos below, one coats coverage wasn't enough but by the time the second one was applied it looked fine! It didn't take me long at all which was great because I really couldn't be bothered haha Sorry Georgia! Anyway she was happy with them and although I don't really like the colour, they don't look too shabby! 

The set comes with a colour of your choice plus they sell a whole range of other colours separately for £15 each at boots so I'd love to try out some of the purples and blues and possibly some of the glitter shades.

Have You Used A Home Gel Kit?

BEAUTY: NailsByRuthG

Tuesday, 13 May 2014

Just a quick post - I wanted to show you guys my pretty new gel nails! I used to wear gels every day but since I don't work at the nail bar any more, I am too lazy to do them myself so have just been sticking with polish which has been fine and given my nails a little time to breath but since having my gels back, I don't know how I lasted so long without them. 

It's amazing, they have been on nearly two weeks and have not chipped?! Its a great feeling waking up and knowing that I don't have to paint my nails before I get up and go out! I was a little worried about the cute little silver diamonds as I have never had gems stuck on before and was adamant that they were going to fall off but I am very pleased to say that they have stayed on, amazing!!

 Gel Manicure* - NailsByRuthG
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