NAILS | Top 5 Nail Polishes

I own a somewhat absurd amount of nail polish but it struck me recently that I stick to a few solid favourites every time I come to repaint my nails. I'm a creature of habit and we all know my colour palette preferences, lipstick aside, are limited. So I'm sure it comes as no shock that out of my large collection, only a small selection get used regularly. Now that I'm no longer a bar tender, I don't have to worry about the harsh chemicals we use to clean the bar stripping my nail polish so I've been painting them more which lead me to thinking I thought I'd show you my all-time favourites.

ORLY 'SMOLDER'

I love a metallic nail polish. Partially because with a good top coat they're super high shine, but also for the convenience factor. They dry ridiculously fast and have saved my arse many times as I've been rushing to get out the door for a night out. 'Smolder' is a beautiful dark red that I wear pretty much constantly in the winter when I favour a vampier palette.

ORLY 'RAGE'

Originally someone described this nail polish to me as a 'rose gold' shade. Since buying it, I would say it's more silver-based. Definitely no gold in this polish. It's a cool silvery pink colour with a slightly 90s vibe that I'm a big fan of. This is one I wear all year round because it goes with pretty much everything.

REVLON 'CARBONITE'

The last of the metallic finish polishes, 'Carbonite' is supposed to be exactly the same as the much coveted Chanel 'Graphite'. Not willing to shell out big bucks for something that will only chip after 24 hours, I stuck to old faithful Revlon for this shade. (Revlon are one of my favourite brands for nail polish.) Another multi-tonal shade, this looks dark grey in some lights and silver in others. 

BARRY M GELLY 'BLUE GRAPE'

This one's a bit of a wild card. An eye-poppingly bright blue. Not a typical shade for me but I absolutely love this colour nonetheless - so much so that I've mentioned it in a Recent Favourites post. It looks great against a completely black outfit, a.k.a everything I ever wear. I love the Gelly formula from Barry M. It's so shiny, even without a top coat, albeit slightly thick and a bit tricky to apply in a hurry.

BARRY M GELLY 'BLOOD ORANGE'

Another Gelly formula addition. It's probably my favourite nail range from any brand. This is a total misnomer - there's absolutely no orange in this shade. It's a true classic red. I love red nails, from any brand and have gone through countless bottles of red polish in my time. This one is my current favourite.

SALLY HANSEN INSTA-DRI TOP COAT

I don't do a heck of a lot to my nails but I never go without a top coat. Mostly because my nails are very weak and peel a lot so top coat is a must to stave off chipping. I've tried several, including blogger fave Seche Vite, but this is my favourite. It's well-priced and don't get incredibly thick and gloopy in a few months like a lot of top coats I've tried in the past.