TAG: CONFESSIONS OF A NAIL POLISH ADDICT

 Okay I haven't actually been tagged for this; for the last few weeks I've been watching videos by some of my favourite YouTube bloggers as they've been taking part in this tag, and then when I read Allie's post over at Brit Nails I decided to jump onboard and do it myself.

1. What nail polish are you wearing on your nails (and toes) right now?



On my fingers I'm wearing Cuccio Illumination glitter topper over Miss Cop (French drugstore brand) in Electrique. On my toes I'm wearing Illamasqua Purity. It's the first Illamasqua polish where I've not liked the formula - it's a bit streaky and patchy. It's workable, but dissapointing as I expect more from a higher-end brand.

I plan on posting a NOTD for my mani in the next day or two, and also posting in more depth about Electrique very soon (I enjoy it), so stay tuned for that...

2. What is one nail product you can't live without?

I recently discovered Sally Hansen Insta-dri topcoat and love it; it's affordable (under £6), it dries and hardens polish faster then other quick-dry polishes I've tried, it helps smooth streaks and smears in fresh polish, and it also makes a good anti-chip topcoat.

3. What is your favourite nail brand (mainstream and indie)?

OPI is my go-to mainstream brand as I have more hits then misses with them compared to other brands. An honourable mention goes to China Glaze; they're cheaper then many brands at drugstore level (£4 online), their colour selection is huge, and with at least half a dozen collections a year there is always something exciting and new.

I'm not a indie polish girl; I've tried a few brands, but I tend to stick with the brands that I know work for me. Plus the brands that look the most appealing to me don't ship to the UK anyway.

4. What shape nail do you wear (short or long)?

As a former nail biter I have weaker nails and a low nail bed, so it's short nails with rounded edges for me.

5. What is your go-to colour?

I'd say that it largely depends on my moods, but I've noticed that I gravitate towards blues a lot. I also have loads of pinks and purples.

6. What is your favourite nail polish finish?

I'm a largely creme polish girl, although I wear a little bit of everything - it is another thing that depends on my mood.

7. What’s on your nail polish wishlist?

I don't have any "I've gotta have this now" polishes - my last big lemming was for OPI's Mrs O'Leary's BBQ, and after a few years of EBay watching I finally got a bottle a few months ago.

There are only three polishes on my Amazon wish list: Color Club's Space Case, OPI's Petal Soft, and China Glaze's Don't Let The Dead Bite (I dropped my bottle & most of it spilled over my [thankfully hardwood] floor). I'm thinking of getting Essie's Stones And Roses, and maybe some shades from China Glaze's Electric Nights collection too.

8. When do you usually paint your nails (morning, afternoon or evening)?

I mostly do my nails in the evening as I find it relaxing, so it's a nice way for me to unwind at the end if a day.

9. What’s your top nail tip you swear by?

Always do at least two coats of a polish, even if it doesn't seem to need it - professionals say this all the time, and I do feel that it helps my nails last longer before chipping.

10. What nail polish do you regret buying?

I've blogged about Zoya's Cole a short while ago, which was my last big regret; it was gloopy, streaky, and slow to dry. I actually threw it out - I didn't want to give it away to anyone else as I thought it was crap.

Also; I gave in to temptation and bought OPI's Sorry, I'm Fizzy Today a few weeks ago and kinda wish I'd stayed strong and resisted it; it is usable, but streaky and not a unique colour - I can find similar colours with better formulas.

11. Neons or pastels? Brights or darks?

Looking at my polishes I have more pastels then I do neons, but more darker  shades overall. I've been buying more brights lately though.

12. What is your holy grail white, black and nude polish?

I've not found a white polish that I like yet. I have a few black ones I like (Sally Hansen New Lengths Gothloli & OPI 4 In The Morning), but they're not holy grailish & I'll be trying other polishes when they've been used up. 

My favourite polish I'd class as nude is China Glaze's Inner Beauty - a sheer milky pink, that is perfect for that MNBB look. China Glaze retired this shade a few months ago, so I might buy a backup whilst I can.

In the YouTube videos I watched a few vloggers swapped 'holy grail white & black polishes' over for 'go-to red & pink', and since I do have favourites there I'll answer; my favourite red is Butter London's Saucy Jack. I never really wore red until I got this one - it is a gateway polish... 

Pink is a polish colour that grabs my attention when I'm browsing through my stash for something to wear, but my eyes keeps being drawn back to Ciate Play Date. At the minute I only have a mini bottle, but I do plan on buying a full-sized bottle soon as I've found myself not wearing Play Date because I don't want to use it up.

13. What is one brand you want to try but haven’t yet?

Everyone says good things about Pretty Serious, so that is my biggest "want it, should give it a go" brand.