Beauty: Barry M Flawless Original Primer

Hey All

This is a post I've been meaning to share for a while now, I bought this a while ago when I was hunting out other products for a 3 for 2 deal and knew Barry M was cruelty free but apart from their liquid liner and nail varnishes I haven't tried many products.

Barry M Nail Polish - Mini Review 2

Hey all!

Last week I wrote a quick mini-review post on some recent Barry M purchases which you can read by clicking here. I've been buying a few different polishes with various finishes so I've got another few reviews for you today too.

First is a Coconut Infusion nail polish, this is called Paradise and is a typical nudey greige with a slight purple tone to it making it perfect for my super pale skin.

Barry M Nail Polish - Mini Reviews!

Hey all!

If you follow us on Instagram (@thecsigirls) you will have seen my current obsession with Barry M nail products, I've been testing out many different colours and effects and here are a few mini reviews of a few I have used recently.

Review: Barry M Sunset Daylight Curing Nail Paint in Peach for the Stars

Hello there!

Today's post is a review of a nail polish, which is something that I rarely buy nowadays. Over the years I have built up quite a collection and have pretty much all of the nudes, corals and glitters that I could possibly want - and I rarely wear many other colours!

However every now and then I cannot resist picking up something that's a different colour or effect and this was the case with the Daylight Curing range from Barry M.

My nail varnish rarely lasts more than a few days because of work and although I tend to do them once a week it would be great if they could last the whole week without too much chipping, so the long lasting effects of the UV type polish sounded worthy of trying, and of course they had a coral colour that was right up my street!

So I picked up the Peach for the Stars and also the Do it Like a Nude as well as the very important top coat.

Basically these are to act as an at home kit to give salon quality high shine nails that would normally be created with a UV lamp but instead uses daylight and the topcoat for the same effect, also requiring no base coat.

I have been wearing this shade for the last few weeks and really like it, I've had so many compliments too. I've worn it to work, the gym and wedding celebrations and it has been an all round winner.

I've been impressed at how super shiny it is too, I always love shiny nails and wasn't really a fan of the matte trend. Aside from a few times when I dabbled I always find myself straight back to super shiny topcoat.

There are 16 shades in total plus the top coat, all costing £4.99 which is great value anyway but likely they are on offer as they so regularly are in Boots and Superdrug. There are some reds and darker shades which will be great for the winter months that I will probably look into getting soon too.

What do you think of the Daylight Curing range? Are you a fan of Barry M too?

I have many polishes from their collection and plan on adding many more too! I really don't see why you would pay any more than this price when Barry M have such great colours and finishes.

L xxx

Barry M Sunset Gel Daylight Curing Range: Do it Like a Nude

Morning!

Any one else absolutely love Barry M? Always a fail safe purchase for me and I love being able to go to a shop, pick up some new nail colours and still have some pennies left over.

I'm a bit later to the party with their Sunset Daylight Curing polishes, I picked up two nude-ish colours and the first one I've used is 'Do It Like a Nude' - cannot stop singing Jessie J whenever I see this!

You use these nail polishes just the same as any other, however the top coat has to be the Sunset Daylight Curing TopCoat. Don't make the same mistake as me and forget to pick this up...oops!

I used my normal Essie base coat and then applied two coats of Do It Like a Nude, before applying the topcoat.
The coats of the nail varnish need to be thin, I kind of ignored this but it is definitely worth noting. The first time I used these polishes I was in a rush so was a little heavy handed - I got it half on my fingers and half on the nail, that's the kind of rush!

Second time round I did use thinner coats and it was much better. I would say that they weren't 100% opaque so you could see some brush strokes and nail colour underneath but they weren't too bad and were only noticeable if you looked closely, maybe three thing coats would be required if you want full opacity.

I was pretty impressed with how long they lasted, my nails chip easily at work and these did last the week very well.
I'm planning on using this on the hen weekend I'm currently on because I don't have the time nor the baggage allowance to take any with me, it will have to last the four days so fingers crossed it will!

These polishes come in at a bargain £4.99 and can usually be found on offer in Boots or Superdrug which is very handy!

There are 16 colours in all and I'm a big fan of the nudes so far, perhaps I will have to pick up some pinks, oranges and red too!

Have you tried the Sunset Gel range before? What's your favourite colours??

L xxx

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Polish in Grapefruit

Hey there!

I've written a fair few posts about the Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paints recently having picked up multiple 3 for 2 deals - they are just that good!

Grapefruit is the latest colour that I've bought, I'm sure there will be more but I haven't picked up any yet.

Grapefruit is a super girly pink polish that should be in every girls collection - its perfect and will give the effect on your skin of having a tan which I would imagine that most people would want.
As I've mentioned before I'm super pale and barely see the sun however much I would love a real tan - this helps make me feel that my skin isn't too reflective and dazzling!



So application wise, the colour applies opaque in two coats and although I still wish the brush would be a bit wider to help a smoother application it hasn't stopped me from indulging in many more bottles!

You can see the super shiny finish that I love below:

For £3.99 you really can't go wrong with these polishes anyway but the colour range is what makes it. There's pretty much every colour you could hope for - I'm trying not to add to my collection but if I'm honest and I was starting out buying a few colours now I would steer clear of the more expensive ranges as Barry M have got you covered from all angles.

What's your favourite colour from the Gelly Hi Shine range?

Do you have a favourite finish from Barry M?

L xxx

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Polish in Chai

With my recent splurge in Barry M this is my latest nail polish. I've written about many different polishes from the Gelly Hi Shine range including Lychee and Coconut.

Chai is a beautiful mid grey colour and perfect alternative to a classic nude.

It's one of those colours that can look a bit boring but I think it's a really good alternative to black or nude and I've been wearing it a lot. It's good for work and the weekend and the Hi Shine finish makes it super glossy.

So on the nails what does it look like - super shiny polish that resists chips for a whole 5 days minimum. I swapped out the colour at this point as I'm a fickle individual but the colour was really good and a great change from my usual blush nudes.

These photos were taken with two coats of polish so the opacity and finish is pretty good.

What do you think of the Gelly Hi Shine range? Have you got a favourite colour?

Do you rate the shiny finish?

L xxx

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Polish in Coconut

Morning all!

I have fully been raiding Barry M's shelves recently, I love their range and the Gelly Hi Shine polishes just get better and better!

My latest purchase (1 of 3, naturally I cannot pick up just one) is the Coconut polish.






This one has already been raved about by many a blogger so I'm just adding in my appreciation to the mix. I really liked Lychee (post here) but sometimes with my super pale skin tone it did look a bit too toffee-ish, so this colour is the perfect option in those times. It's an off white colour on the nails and so obviously a lot lighter than my own skin colour making it appear to be darker than it actually is, kind of like a free tan if you like!

So how does it apply?

Much like the others the brush is thinner than I'd like, its so much easier to cover the nail when the brush is wider - minimal effort necessary! I put two coats on to get the effect in the images below, some look like they might have been better if another coat had been applied but nevertheless this lasted a full week with a top coat on top and only chipped on day 6.

It definitely looks a little darker in the bottle than on the nails but I still like it. It's definitely a summer one and I'll be using this on toes too to make my tan look a little darker!

What do you think of the Gelly Hi Shine range? Do you have a favourite?

I bought two others from the range that I'll be posting about soon!

L xxx

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Polish - Lychee

Morning!

Today's review is a well known nail polish from Barry M. The Gelly range has been hyped about a lot due to its Hi Shine finish and the impressive range of colours.

Lychee has been raved about by almost every single person - and I'm about to join the list!

Lychee is pale taupe kind of nude, it's absolutely perfect for so many occasions. It's the perfect every day colour but also still looks pretty chic when out with friends on the weekend.

A lot of the other colours in the range are pastels and this is the nude version. It comes in at a perfectly acceptable £3.99 and I have always said that Barry M prices are awesome for the quality of the products.

The colour is perfect and although I do have a few issues with the small brush inside the bottle (I'm sure my other polishes don't have a brush this thin?!) which makes application a little difficult.

I applied 2 coats and it was mostly opaque but there were a few streaks, probably made more apparent by the brush.

I also found that the colour slightly discoloured after a week or so of wear, with a top coat it did last really well and normally I wouldn't leave it as long as this but it did weirdly get lighter as it began the chip off.

Having said all that I still love it and would recommend it!

Do you love Barry M too? What new polishes have you been buying from them? Which other Gelly polishes would you recommend?

L xxx

NOTD: Barry M Speedy Quick Dry Nail Polish - Pit Stop

Hi there!

It has been a long time since I bought a nail polish - mostly I've bought so many that even with new colours coming out I've always got something similar. 

Lately though the '2 for £7' deal in Boots got me good, I've always wanted to try more of the Gelly Hi Shine range and the Speedy Quick Dry was another range that caught my eye.

I've been wearing lots of nudes the last few months and that doesn't seem set to change, it makes it so much easier at work and I think they look chic whatever you're wearing - also there's a massive range available!

This shade is called Pit Stop - it's a light grey colour that I don't have so far in my vast collection, surprisingly, and I couldn't leave it behind.

I love the Speedy Quick lids - the racing checkerboard lid is very clever and I love that they translated this into the names of the polishes too. There are others called Full Throttle and Lap of Honour, and Eat My Dust is a gorgeous coral (can never ignore the corals!)

So how does it look on?

This is with 2 coats applied plus top coat.

I can't decide if this polish was too thick, it is quite thick which i normally like - with my average application skills thicker polish is easier to control and as long as it's done slowly it can work fine.

However you can see from the picture above that on my index finger nail there is a little patch where it goes thinner. This may just be my shoddy techniques at application but it's a little annoying.

That said though, it is a great colour and perfect for me for work. I really like it.

It will definitely get a lot of use from me, particularly due to its fast drying capabilities.

This did dry a little bit faster than a normal polish, though i didn't think there was too much difference. Any decrease on drying time is extremely preferable though and I did seem to be able to get base, 2 coats and then top coat done in a quick pace.

Have you tried the Speedy Quick range? Do you live wearing nude polishes like me?

I saved metallics and pinks for the weekends!

L xxx

Barry M Gelly High Shine Prickly Pear

Hey All

As this goes live I'll be on my last day in Iceland. Recently I've stopped biting my nails so I decided to treat myself to some new polishes. I find if my nails are painted I don't bite them as much. I've heard so much about the Gelly High Shine range I couldn't wait to try them and at £3.99 each they are very reasonable and I got them when they were buy one get one half price.

Prickly pear I thought would be a pretty every day colour. They are quite a thick polish which I guess helps with the gel like finish. Due to the thickness of the polish I find it's best to do two thin coats of polish or it doesn't dry as well. The colour is opaque in two coats and dries quickly.

As for longevity I find not many polishes last well on me. I do seem to get some tip wear after two days but the shine on the polish does really last well and my mum had assumed I had gel nails applied.

So far I love these polishes. Quick and easy to apply and look shiny. They have some great colours in the range. What would you recommend?

Love M

xxx

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paint

Hi there!

I'm having a bit of a 'brights' moment now that the weather is finally starting to brighten up. now the clocks have turned back its definitely time to start playing with brights and I can't wait!

After purchasing Barry M's Rose quartz (finally) after a long time of lusting after it i also picked up this beauty; Gelly Hi Shine nail paint in Passion Fruit 407.

This is a gorgeous bright colour for spring and summer and great for nails and toes. It's one that seems to go with everything and any occasion, and I've had tonnes of compliments!

It's one of the good ones; requires 2 coats for opacity and is easily applied with the brush (although I do prefer Essie brushes as they are wider - I'm lazy).



Please excuse my messy application, I was in a massive rush on Sunday night painting them before I was out like a light ready for Monday morning! So they're definitely not my neatest but you can still appreciate the colour.
The photo above was taken without flash in natural light and the photo below was taken with a flash; you can see its a lot redder than the initial picture and it does change in different lights/





This has lasted pretty well considering the usual lab testing (chemicals and equipment normally means chips and cracks in polish). It's still on as I'm writing this late on Wednesday night and I'm only changing it now as I'm itching to try another polish! Fickle thing I am.

I've seen and heard so much about the Gelly Hi Shine range and I found it so hard to pick just one colour. I have a massive list of others I'd love to try particularly the nudes, pastels and other brights - basically the whole range!

Which colour is your favourite? Any recommendations?

I'm sure I'll be back to pick up more before the offer ends.....

L xxx

NOTD: Barry M Rose Quartz Nail Paint

Good morning!

I've got a quick nails post for you today with a polish that I've had my eyes on for a very long time.

Barry M's Rose Quartz

This beauty has plagued my dreams for a while, I mean rose pink, glitter, and the bargain prices of Barry M, what's not to love!
I'm really not sure why I haven't bought it, I think its a lot of the 'I can buy it when I'm poor' mentality when I should have just bought it anyway.

The polish is as you would expect, extremely glittery and I couldn't stop staring at it. It could be used as a top coat or as a full on disco ball look if you layer it up.

It's a clear polish with tiny bits of glitter polish and also hexagon shaped pieces of larger glitter.

I am allowed to wear nail polish to work but I feel something too outrageous may commented on, so instead I stuck with a simple look for my first attempt at wearing the polish.

I used Essie's Ballet Slippers on all of my nails and applied 2 coats; then I applied 2 coats of the Barry M Rose Quartz to my ring finger for a bit of sparkle!


It applied really easily and was just enough to look girly without being too over the top:

For the weekend I'd apply this ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL over my nails in multiple layers for an amazing discoball look. The rose quartz colour is super flattering on my skin tone and would be great for fingers or toes, day or night and would especially be good for weddings!

I've had this on my nails all week and it hasn't chipped yet, which in a lab is pretty damn good going!

What do you think of Barry M's polishes? Do you love their range of colours and finishes?

Which would be your No.1 recommendation?

L xxx