The Gel Manicure

Whilst on a hunt for a new birthday polish (a tradition of mine), and with a 2 for £8 offer at Boots, I decided to pick up the Revlon Gel Envy polishes in Up the Ante and the Diamond top coat. 

I could spend a while talking about how much I love the colour but the formula deserves a lot of attention: a perfectly nail-curved-applicator and thick polish which only needs two coats it deserves a big thumbs up. When it comes to the Diamond Top Coat however we're on a whole different wave length of nail polish history. 

I am always on the hunt for a good drugstore top coat. Whilst everyone raves about Seche Viche - which I'll admit, does do a fantastic job - I don't really want to spend £10 on a flipping top coat. Moreover, I have previously shared my love for the Rimmel Finishing Touch, an equally great and cheap top coat. However, I think I have just made a discovery that kicks Finishing Touch out of the nail polish drawer... 

Excuse the hyperbole but the Revlon Diamond Top Coat is honestly one of the best top coats I've ever tried. It is incredibly shiny and seriously chip proof! Interestingly the applicator is two brushes in one - they join together at the bottom. One thing I suffer from with other top coats is that they can be so thick that I end up peeling the whole polish off…does anyone else do this? This one however seems to almost blend into the polish creating an even layer. This top coat is definitely a must have for a nail polish addict and at £4 (with this offer) how can you say no?!

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More Salon Pro Love

A trip back home always means a visit into my favourite Boots. With a lot of points saved up to spend I ended up with a mini-boots haul which I shared on my instagram - oops! As you know from a previous post, I am loving the Rimmel Salon Pro formulas.

I had spotted this shade, Green Dragon, before, and finally decided to add it to my basket. I'm always a fool for a blue or green nail polish and this pistachio-blue shade is just perfect for summer in my opinion.

Now, shall I rave about the formula of these polishes? For under a fiver they really do deserve a round of applause: long wearing, chip proof and high shine. What more can you want from a nail polish. I'm pretty sure you'll be finding me in this shade for a few weeks!

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Manicure Heroes

Instead of boring you with another post dedicated to my love for the Rimmel Salon Pro formulas I thought I would share with you some of my favourite products for the perfect manicure. After all, I do like to keep Monday posts aligned with the #ManicureMonday theme. 

One of my first steps is to use the Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover. A cool tingly gel that you apply over your cuticles, leave a few minutes and then push down. Simple. I then like to buff down my nails to get rid of any ridges. The Nails Inc 4-Way Buffer is my go to tool for this step. Sometimes I just leave my nails after using this as it helps to create shiny, healthy nails. 

After using my chosen polish and leaving it a few minutes to dry I use the Rimmel Finishing Touch Ultra Shine Top Coat. This stuff is a hero product in my beauty books. Infact, it's probably a number 1 in my nail polish collection. It not only provides a seriously good shine but it reaaally helps against chipping. The price is the final bonus. I can't recommend this product enough. 

Finally, I spray my nails with the Mavala Mavadry Spray because who has time to wait around for their manicure to dry? This stuff dries my nails in seconds.

What are your favourite things to help with your DIY manicure?

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