Growing up and getting faster – the nail polish issue

To me, there is nothing that says: “I am a sophisticated grown up woman that knows how to handle her life” quite like perfectly done nails in a dark color.

Sadly this is a goal I haven’t met yet.

At first, I was intimidated by the dark colors.
They were so noticeable, looked like you had actually painted your nails! Quite unlike the sheer pinks or barely there glitters you get as a freebie when buying Wendy.
I case you wondered, Wendy is a magazine about horses, aimed at twelve year old girls. I think it is Germany only, but I reckon there are similar magazines everywhere on this planet.

Then, when I finally overcame my fear of looking like I had put makeup on, the “perfectly done” part was the deal breaker.

As I mentioned before, I am not the most patient girl, and there is always something left to do.
So waiting for the polish to dry is a punishment, leading to chipping and smudging because I just couldn’t wait five more minutes.

Essence nail art express dry drops

But there is hope, brought to me by essence Instant Dry Drops.
Dark months, dark lips, dark nails, this is how I felt for those past few months.
And even if I am not quite sure whether I would call myself a “sophisticated grown up women that knows how to handle her life” quite yet, I may have looked like one.

The nail polishes that helped me achieve this look were:

1. Essie “Sole Mate”
A deep rich plum with a cream finish. Retails for 7,95 € here.
Essie nail polishes last around five days without chipping on me, and this one is no exception. For reference, other nail polish chips after two days, so five days is good!
Opaque in two coats.

Essie Sole Mate

2. Essie “For the twill of it”
A green/purple duo chrome with a metallic finish. It was part of the 2013 fall collection, but you can still get it at 9,24 € here.
The longevity is again five days and it is opaque in one coat, although I prefer two.

Essie For the twill of it

3. P2 “Rich & Royal”
This is the first nail polish I bought after I started to get into reading beauty blogs, and it will forever hold a special place in my heart.
It is a taupe-grey with a little hint of violet and a dupe for Chanels Particulière. Wearing a nail polish that could have been Chanel made me feel uber-stylish.
Opaque in one coat and with a great longevity.
Much to my dismay you can’t get hold of it anymore, so I dread the day I will run out of it.
Mr. Loca, seldom commenting on anything beauty or makeup related, calls that color the “Hit your thumb with a hammer”-polish…

P2 Rich and Royal

And to ease my impatient soul, I recently introduced the “Nail Art Express Dry Drops” by essence into my routine.
They claim to dry your nails within 60 seconds while nourishing nail and cuticle with Vitamin E and almond oil.
Although I am not a big fan of the oily part (I have to get up and wash my hands, as it feels that greasy), my nails are dry in an instant.
Retailing at 1,99 € here, they are a bargain.

What are your polish picks for the season?
And your secrets to keeping your polish put and shiny?

(Visited 281 times, 1 visits today)