W7 Unicorn Nail Polishes Review with Swatches

W7 Cosmetics have brought back their Unicorn collection from 2018 consisting of five duo- chrome nail polishes. W7 describe these polishes as having 'iridescent and pearlescent beams of colour.' The shades are named after unicorns, the ones I have are Serenity 192 which is a hot pink base with a yellow shift that can look orange like a sunset in some lights, and Gratiana 193 is a dusty rose base with a green shift that reminds me of a pink carnation for some reason! The rest of the collection includes Alanana 194 (lilac base with a cool pink shift)  Breanna 195 (lilac base with an electric blue shift) and Drisana 196 (a grey base with a slight blue shift.) The bottles contain 15ml /0.5 fl Oz of product and retail for £2.95. I wanted to take a close up picture of the bottles so you can see the duo chrome shift. With Gratiana it's hard to see the shift in the bottle and on camera. 

W7 Unicorn Nail Polish in Gratiana

W7  unicorn nail polish in Serenity 

The W7 nail polish brush is long and medium thick making it easier to apply the polish. I also love the embossed W7 logo on the top of the nail polish cap.

Serenity is almost opaque after one coat however two coats enhances the colour and provides even coverage, it's a lovely colour for summer. The nail polish started to wear down three days after applying and then chipped on the fourth day which isn't too bad considering I have been typing and washing up without gloves. 

Gratiana needed three layers to reach opacity, the polish is thinner than Serenity and the shift is  subtle, making it harder to catch the green shift on camera. It also chipped very easily the next day so it's fussier to apply and more high maintenance than Serenity.  

Looking at all the shades in the collection it would have been nice to have more variation in colour maybe a dark red, green or gold polish as the collection is very pink/blue/purple.

If you like the colours and duo chrome polishes you should snap them up as the shades are unique and they are very affordable, especially as W7 do not charge for shipping in the UK. W7 Cosmetics also do not test on animals.  You can buy W7's Unicorn nail polish for £2.95 here.

9 Autumn / Winter 2018 Nail Trends

This season black, almost black and burgundy nails replaced the spring/summer 2018 neon shades. The modern French mani is still trending but this time tips are hot pink, gold, orange and lime rather than blue and silver. While the nude trend continued there was also the rise of the neutral nail with colours such as grey, taupe and khaki. Metallic nails never go out of style and Christian Siriano went for a red and gold look and Civindi a metallic geranium green. Naeem Khan was actually inspired by the shell of a Peruvian beetle and created a holographic blue and green nail. The silver and black glitter tips at Cushnie De Oches looked fun and sophisticated while the neon ombre glitter nails at Creature of Comfort added colour and bling. Creature of Comfort also painted model's nails black with jumbo gems very reminiscent of last season's nails at Philip Plein. Pale nails at Sophia Webster looked delicate and glamourous with a gold lace gem detail and at Bibhu Mohapatra gems were placed below each nail. 

Neon leopard print at Jeremy Scott made a classic print fun and contemporary while Gypsy Sport went for zebra print and hound-tooth pattern sticking to a monochrome palette. Statement nails were on fire at The Blonds with nails representing different stages of the power of Lucifer with spikes and gems. Sophia Webster was inspired by the film Strictly Ballroom and made sure nails had some bling. Never one to shy away from statement nails Libertine had ginormous tassels extending from each nail.  

1. Black or Almost Black Nails

For the shiny, black nail polish seen at Alice and Olivia nail artists used Essie Nail polish in Licorice (£7.99) with a layer of Essie Speed Setter Top Coat (£6.90) to add shine. The trend continued at Self portrait where nails were painted a deep blue-black colour using  Essie in Midnight Cami (£7.99.)

2. Burgundy and Dark Red Nails

Dark nails were a big theme in the Autumn/Winter 2018 shows but this time they were in burgundy and dark red hues. Temperly's autumn 2018 collection was inspired by the 1930s and 1940s and used Orly Nail Polish in Ruby (£9.95) to match the period. At Prabul Gurang burgundy nails were given a glossy top coat.

3. Metallic Nails 

Marc Jacobs showcased his jewel colored nails on the runway - specifically his deep purple, red and green metallic nail polishes which coordinated with the model's eye makeup and the brims of the hats they were wearing. The red and gold nails worn at Christian Siriano were part of his limited edition imPRESS nail manicure collection (now discontinued.) Nails at Naem Khan was inspired by the blue-green shell of a Peruvian insect and he used imPRESS Special Effect Gel Manicure in Goal Digger (now discontinued.)

At Tanya Taylor two coats of Essie No Place Like Home (£11.47) was applied and the tips were painted with Essie Tart Deco. Finally speed Setter Top coat was applied for a quick drying shine. Over at Cinvidi models wore vegan nail polish by Faby in Glittering Chlorophyll a metallic olive shade to match their eye liner (13 Euros.)

4 Alternative French Tip Nails 

Roberta Einer was inspired by 80's french manicures but with a colourful neon twist. Nail artists used Artistic Colour Revolution nail polishes in Bubblegum Pink (£3.23) Shred it Up (£6.99) and  Sultry (£8.99.) Over at Tanya Taylor Essie nail artist Julie Kandalee took inspiration from the two-toned shoes in the collection and deliberately chose an unusual colour pairing. Nails were painted with two coats of Essie's Burgandy Bahama Mama (£7.99). Afterwards she used a stiff skinny eyeliner brush dipped in acetone to remove the polish at the tip and added a layer of Essie Speed Setter Top Coat. (£7.) Once dry the tip was painted with two coats of Essie Chillato Lime Green nail polish. (£7.99.) Over at Alice McCall models wore natural or naked nails with gold tips. 

5. Glitter Nails 

Cushnie Et Och showed everyone that glitter can still be sophisticated. Nails were painted with two coats of Essie Skinny Dip- a sheer pink (£9.95)  followed by glitter with Essie's Summit of Style (£6.99.) Over at Preen nails were covered in chunky glitter using Rimmel Love Glitter Nail polish (£10.95 for 5 nail polishes.) To recreate the glitter ombre nails seen at Creatures of Comfort you need to apply a base coat and then use glitter polishes or pour a mix of fine glitter across each nail changing the colours as you do so.

6.  Nude Nails and the new Neutral Nails

All the models at Mouret wore Kure Bazaar in Nude nail polish (£17.50) along with CND Solar Oil (£9.45) to protect and nourish the nails. As well as traditional nude nails, a lot of neutral nails in earthy tones were seen across the catwalks. At Emilio De La Morena models wore IZ Beauty's Gel Effect Nail Lacquer in Earthy Brown  (£6) followed by iZ Gel Top Coat (£10.50.) A similar hue in a lighter shade was spotted at Eudon Choi and at Prabal Gurung models wore Zoya nail polish in Dove (£9.95.)

7. Gem Nails 

In a similar vein to nails seen at Philip Plein's SS18 show, models at Creatures of Comfort wore shiny black nail polish with large gems. To prepare the nails Deborah Lippmann used Marshmallow Whipped Hand and Cuticle scrub (£25.) Then she painted two coats of Deborah Lippmann Fade To Black Vinyl Polish ($20) and large Swarovski crystals were placed on each nail. Sophia Webster wanted to make nail polish look like expensive jewellery so nails were embellished nails with gold flower and lace gems.

At Bibhu Mohapatra gems were glued below the nail to complement the negative space manicure in white Zoya Aspen nail polish (£9.95) or in red Zoya Tanwny nail polish.

8. Patterned Nails 

The neon leopard print nails at Jeremy Scott was created by nail artist Miss Pop. She used Essie's hot pink Bachelorette Bash (pictured) Tarte Deco (Coral)  or Playdate (violet.) all £7.99. She drew macaroni shapes and single dots to get the leopard print effect. To recreate the look paint nail extensions using a nail art tool kit. At Chromat models nails were painted in a red and black checkerboard pattern or in white with red wavy lines. Models at Gypsy sport went for white and black stripes and a hounds-tooth pattern.

9. Statement Nails

You can always count on The Blonds for a dramatic nail. Their AW18 nails revolved around the story of Lucifer becoming a powerful female and her journey from the darkness into light. Each nail design represented a different stage through her journey. At the beginning you see her "burning in the fire, finding the melted, molten marble, protecting herself with armor and finding her spikes and her crystals,” said Jan from CND Nails. “You then see the weapons emerge (on the nails) and from there, there is a transformation that leads us to heaven—where angels are ascending and finding their power and taking over the darkness and evil with wonderful goodness.”

Beginning with pink and gold ombre nails with black tips, the nails transform into pink, grey and white marble as if the ombre had melted.  The next stage sees red nails with black armour with lots of crystals and spikes. The nail becomes more elaborate with gold dotted trim outlining the nail shape, then the silver spikes get bigger forming big silver spiked weapons. Nail artists used shellac top coat to create a sticky base for the clothing spikes to adhere to. Then comes the ascension with blue and gold frescoes of angels.

Armour begins to form again first white and then blue and gold with spikes. However the amour is there to protect the nail instead of being a weapon. The nails forms volcanic crystals until they evolve into red and gold crocodile nails. You can see a video of the stages of the journey at Nail Pro.

Sophia Webster's autumn winter 2018 collection was inspired by her favourite film Strictly Ballroom.  “The collection and the show theme this season is very close to my heart as I grew up with competitive dancing,” reveals Sophia. “Dance costumes have to be made in striking colour combinations, sequins and crystals to attract the attention of the judges and I loved bringing this to life in AW18.” Another show stopper was the  extremely long fringing extending from gem studded nails at Libertine.

10 Autumn Winter 2015-2016 Nail Polish Trends

Rounded nails were still trending on the fall/winter catwalks as well as short nails. Short nails were painted dark for a grunge look at Sass & Bide, blood red at Julien Macdonald (London Fashion Week) and nude at Robert Cavalli. Personally I like short nails they're much more practical for everyday life.

1. Neutral Nude Colours

Creamy Taupe nails in Jazz by Essie were spotted at Alexander Wang along with wet look hair . Nails at Olympia Le Tan were inspired by ballet and painted rose nude using Christian Louboutin nail polish in Me Nude, while At Cristiano Burani neutral nails contrasted against the bright red lips.



Left Alexander Wang Huffington Post Essie, Centre Olympia Le Tan Harpers Bazaar  Right Cristiano Burani The Fashioners

2. Updated French Manicures 

Several shows added a modern twist on the traditional French manicure. At Tadashi Shoji, white polish was applied diagonally as well as to the tips in a soft strokes that almost resembled fluffy clouds. It's definitely a look I want to try and copy. While at Chanel, nails were painted white with black tips. At Tibi, Jin Soon Choi wanted to create a look that was inspired by  “the sculptural lines, varied textures and icy palette of the collection" and painted curved, wavy white tips .

Left Tadashi Shoji Centre Chanel Ommorphia beauty bar Right Tibi  

3. Metallic Nails



Gold and metallic white-silver nails were seen across the catwalks. At Nanette Lepore the burnished gold nails matched the gold shoes from the line. The burnished look was achieved by layering a glitter shade in between two metallic polishes, Essie Nail polishes in For The Thrill of It, Shifting Power and Rock at The Top were used for the look.  Models at Reem Acra wore iridescent gold nails which was created by overlaying two shimmering gold polishes OPI Cosmo-not Tonight Honey and Up Front and Personal.

Left Nanelle Lapore Imaxtree Centre Ellie Saab Right Reem Acra

4. Dark Nails

Dark nails were doing the rounds on the catwalks. Jin Soo Choi chose a rich burgundy polish in Audacity for models at Derek Lam (left), at Erdon models wore brown Jessica Nails polish (centre) and dark polish was also worn at Alice + Olivia. (right.)

5. Textured Nails-Matte and Shiny 

 Matte was contracted against shiny textures to make an impact.

Models at Charlotte Ronson wore dark purple nails in Ink by OPI that were half matte and half shiny metallic. Antonio Marras had dark matte nails with a shiny swirl while

 Wes Gordon sported a geometric nail (using Essie Smokin' Hot, Sexy Divide and Matte About You) that managed to pick up the grey and purple colours in the clothing.

Left Charlotte Ronson Huffington Post  Centre Antonio Marras  IMAXTREE / MatteoScarpellini/almaphotos.net Right Wes Gordon Huffington Post

6. Shades of Grey

Grey seems to be colour of the moment - both for eye shadow as well as on nails. For Sally Lapointe, makeup artist Danielle Candidio decided to mix Morgan Taylor's Scene Queen and Sweater Weather polishes together for a custom made dove grey. Grey nails were also seen at Prabal Gurung while

 at Angel Sanchez make up artist Gina Edwards was going for a 70's glam nail to match the collection. She used Morgan Taylor's Sweater Weather and added Make it Last and Neddd for Support for a glossy finish.

Left Sally Lapointe Centre Right Centre: Prabal Gurung SLF Fashion Angel Sanchez Chelsea Lauren/Getty Images

7. Negative Space Nail Art

 

Negative space nail art still continues to trend. I love this trend and can't wait to copy these. At Marissa Webb, OPI polishes in Light My Sapphire (a dark navy blue) and a matte top coat were used. The negative space was created by using a piece of striping down the centre of the nail. Over at  Rebecca Minkoff eye catching chevron tips were worn. The look was cresated by Essie using  Mademoiselle for the nude base and then Berry Naughty, and Midnight Cami to paint reverse Vs at the tips. The nails captured the edgy rock and roll vive of the collection. While House of Holland adopted a minimal negative space nail art witdiagonal stripe with Sophy's nails.

Right House of Holland  Popsugar Imaxtree Centre Marissa Webb  Right Rebecca Minkoff

8. White Nails

The white sixties inspired nails appeared at Rachel Zoe (Left) and at Holly Fullerton (right) the latter using L'Oreal Paris's white nail polish. Kenzo saw a white and silver manicure using a white base and pattern of different silver brushstroke designs.

Left  Rachel Zoe Centre: Kenzo Mark Leibowitz Right Holly Fulton

9. Red nails

 Classic reds also took centre stage on the fall/winter runway. At Blugirl short, rounded,red nails matched red lips while at Marc Jacobs nails were painted 'ruffian style' red with beige crescents at the base of the nail. At Emporio Armani short berry nails matched the  red handbags and coats in the collection.

Right Bluegirl  Harper's Bazaar Imaxtree Centre: Emporio Armani Mark Leibowitz Left Marc Jacobs

10. Minimal Nail Art

Simple nail art was heavily featured on the runway to compliment the minimal clothing and face makeup. As they say less is more- and good news for those of us who love nail art but don't want to spend a lot of time on it or who aren't the best at it but still want to join in. Minimal nail art also means nails will be more appropriate for different situations such as work and nights out.At Ryan-Lo, nails were painted a nude shade with Leighton Denny's polish in Barely There and a diamond stone placed at the base of each nail. At Cushnie et Ochs nails were simple but striking. Using Christian Louboutin Beaute polishes the nails were painted in Sweet Charity for a nude base and small squares were added in navy (Wherever) and teal (Ni Toi Ni Moi) to match the clothing collection. Jenny Packham saw bronze and orange added to a pale pink base using Essie nail polishes. At Erin Featherston a gold cross was added to the forth finger only peach nude shade The minimal and somewhat sixties mod look white nails with black half moons was seen at Zero + Maria Cornejo. Sixties influenced nail art was also seen at David Korma. The white and nude nail with black geometric curved line was inspired by Barbara Brown's op Art textile designs using Ciate Nail polish.

Left Ryan Lo Harpers Bazaar Centre Cusnie et Ochs, Christian Louboutin Beaute,   Left Jenny Packham, Essie

Left Erin Featherston Huffington Post  Centre Zero + Maria Cornejo Right David Korma Harper's Bazaar

Ciate Nail polish in Strawberry Milkshake and Topcoat Review

Recently I picked up Marie Claire magazine which had two free Ciate nail polishes. The shade I choose was Strawberry Milkshake along with a clear topcoat. This is my first Ciate product I've tried and I hope it's not representative of their other nail polishes since this one nearly drove me crazy while I was applying it.

 

Firstly the name Strawberry Milkshake is perfect for this shade, in the bottle it's a milky pale pink but on the nails it's a brighter, slightly darker pink if a topcoat isn't applied on the same day (as seen in the photo above far left.) In general I found that Strawberry Milkshake takes a long time to dry properly and set. The first time I wore this I didn't apply the topcoat for three days and by then the nail polish had time to dry and the topcoat didn't fully change the colour. The second time I wore this I applied topcoat about 80-90 mins later and the polish hadn't completely dried and the topcoat made the nail polish look lighter- a milky pale pink shade like you see in the bottle. The polish is opaque in two coats which isn't bad for such a light shade. However you will need three coats to stop it looking streaky. It also goes on unevenly as well. I realise this is mini sized nail polish and so the brush may not be as good as the full sized version, but I have read a few other unfavourable reviews for this particular shade.

The polish had some good points, the finish is very shiny and the second is that it lasts for quite a long while without chipping. The first time I painted my nails I went three days without a top coat, with only minimal wear and no chips  (including typing and washing up dishes without gloves - I really should know better by now!) The Ciate Top Coat dries very quickly, much faster than my usual Butter London P.D. Quick topcoat and sets as hard as a rock. However it doesn't really protect your manicure from surface scratches and marks which was disappointing. My first manicure lasted 6-7 good days wear with less chipping than I normally experience with other polishes. The second time I used this applying the topcoat the same day the manicure lasted around 4 days before chipping.

 

For such a high end brand I expected the application to be much easier and the formula more easy to work with. However the lasting power does make up for this a little. I'm hoping that it might just be that this shade that isn't as good as the others. It hasn't put me off trying Ciate's other nail polish shades.

Let me know what other Ciate nail shades should I try in the comments. 

Disappointing Beauty Products #5

However hard you try some products just won't work for you, some won't float your boat and when others don't live up to the hype it can leave you feeling a bit disappointed. Here are my five latest disappointing products.

Benefit Cosmetics Benetint Lip and Cheek Tint

While I know this is a beauty favourite amongst many, it left me feeling a bit 'meh.' I don't know if  I expected too much from this because of the hype this has. It gives a nice natural flush but it doesn't last all day and isn't very pigmented. It's a nice colour on the lips though it doesn't last long after a drink or snack. It just seems very overpriced to me. (Benetint isn't actually bubbly like in the photo. I'd just dropped it so it had been shaken up and down before I took the photo.) You can read my full review here.

Balance Me Lip Salve in Sheer Red

Balance Me claim this "lip plumping intensive salve boosts hydration as well as treating to a sheer veil of gloss and colour." It's also petroleum free which suggests that it might be more moisturising than petroleum (such as Vaseline) which only acts as a barrier between the lips and environment rather than truly moisturising lips. However I did not find this very moisturising or hydrating at all. I also didn't like the peppermint taste but I know that some people may find this refreshing. The colour though, is gorgeous and is much more pigmented than I expected from a tinted lip salve. However I think I was allergic to this since it made my lips really sore and dry especially around the cupid bow for about two weeks, after just one or two uses.

Limited Collection Lip Liner in Nude

I was hoping this would be a great Kylie Jenner lip liner but unfortunately it's very pale. Much paler than it looks, while my lips are somewhat pigmented they're not that dark either. It could be useful as a lip eraser when you want to cancel out your natural lip colour but I'd rather just use foundation. If you have very pale lips this may be for you. However if you're after a Kylie Jenner lip liner, this isn't it. There were some good points though, the pencil is soft and long lasting, especially for under a fiver so it may be worthwhile checking out the other colours in this Marks and Spencer's  range.

MUA Eye Primer

I don't know whether this tube was an old one off the shelf or if it had been left for too long in my stash or whether it was from a bad batch, but I didn't find that it kept my eye shadow on at all and my eye shadow creased. It seems to help in the first hour or two but after that it did absolutely nothing. The eye shadow had half disappeared on my lids whereas Elf s mineral eye primer would leave it looking immaculate after 17 hours! I didn't feel that my eye shadow colours looked more vibrant either, this isn't my main concern but it would be a nice bonus. There also didn't seem to be much product in the tube. I don't know whether this was just a one off or not.

Revlon Neon Nail Polish Duo in Fluorescent 150

These nail polishes are watery and streaky. The idea is that you paint your nails with a white base layer which is supposed to make the fluorescent layer you paint on top 'pop' and look more vibrant. However the streaks and brushstrokes on the white layer show through no matter how good you are at painting your nails, because the formula is so watery. If you're looking for a bright neon polish I'd check out Models Own Nail Polish For Tans collection. You can read the full review of the Revlon Polish here.

What products have you been disappointed by recently?

 Thanks for reading!

Poundland Make Up Gallery Time To Shine Nail Polish in Midnight Black

I've been looking for a black nail polish for quite a while to go under all my glitter polishes, so when I popped into Poundland and saw this, I grabbed it. If you've been following me on twitter you would have seen me tweet a picture I took of a very professional looking, well stocked make up display in my local store. Compared to Poundland's previous Chit Chat nail polish, this bottle is much sleeker. The polish comes in a cylindrical bottle much like Maybelline Color Show Nail polishes with a black top. The brush is short and wide which covers most of the nail easily in one go which is really good. The consistency of the polish is perfect, not runny at all or streaky which you might expect for a one pound nail polish. This is opaque in one thick coat.

 

Make Up Gallery promises 'High Shine Long Lasting Colour with a Quick Dry Formula.'
It definitely gives a super shiny finish, all the photos show the polish without a top coat to show you just how shiny the polish really is. The formula does dry quicker than average but it's not super quick. I used Bourjois So Perfect Base Correcteur underneath and Butter London Top Coat with this polish. It is definitely long lasting- it lasted 4-5 days without chipping and still looked good on day 6.  I'm really hard on my nails, not being used to wearing nail varnish regularly this went through typing, washing up without gloves and even helping to upholster a chair! You get a good amount for a pound, 10ml which is same as Nails Inc and more than Make Up Academy's one pound polishes. While some make up products overpromise and under deliver this is one of the good ones, I'd say this under promises and over delivers because it doesn't mention that it's opaque in one coat.

To sum up, I'm blown away by this polish! I'm completely surprised at the quality- good brush, good consistency, high shine and it's long lasting. I'm definitely going to buy more! I have read that the paler colours need more coats to be opaque, so perhaps the darker colours are better. Next time you're passing I recommend you pop in and check this out.

Models Own Speckled Polish Review and Swatches

Models Own have come out with the Speckled Egg Collection of nail polishes, there are five in total each named after a particular bird: Dove Pink, Goose Yellow, Magpie Green, Duck Blue and Swan lilac. Reminiscent of Illamasqua's speckled polishes these are more affordable retailing for £5 and i'm sure will be popular for Easter and spring. The colour displayed on the website and the actual colour in the bottle is accurate so there shouldn't be any problems ordering online. I bought Swan Lilac and Magpie Green land Duck Blue.

Swan Lilac is very thin and runny, and needs 3 coats to be opaque for a non patchy finish. Normally I wouldn't have the patience for anything above a 2 coater nail polish but because it's a special effect polish and the fact that the speckled effect is pretty forgiving in terms of brush strokes and streaks, I can put up with it. One coat of Swan Lilac gives a sheer paint splattered effect which also looks good. This shade can look almost blue sometimes because it's not a purple but a softer lilac shade.

Magpie Green is also a runny consistency but only 2 coats are needed for an opaque finish. I think thin coats are better to keep the finish looking even. I think I love this colour the best

.

Duck Blue

 I found that two coats are needed for an opaque finish. When applying the first coat I found the nail polish formula a little on the thin side, then when I applied the second coat it felt a little gloopy. However application was still really easy.

This is a textured polish so the finish is not smooth, adding a top coat helps seal the colour while giving a smooth finish. (I used Butter London's PD Quick topcoat.) I would say drying time for this nail polish is average, the brush is long and easy to use. I really like the shade although it's brighter than what I would normally wear. The colour displayed on the website and the actual colour in the bottle is accurate so there shouldn't be any problems ordering online. I used Boots base coat, applied two coats of Duck Blue and then a top coat. I applied this on Friday and the first chip was on Sunday, this wasn't bad considering I've been typing a lot and that I forgot to wear washing up gloves on more than one occasion. I can't wait to try Magpie Green or Swan Lilac next!

I used Bourjois So Perfect base correctrice coat which has been fairly good at protecting my nails from stains, dries really fast and I love the long wide brush that coats the nail in one swipe. After that I applied two coats of Model's Own Speckled egg and then Butter London's PD Quick Top Coat which is really glossy, quick drying and 3 free. After three days I haven't had a chip so far even though I've been typing and washing my hands a lot. These Speckled polishes do take a tiny bit more effort to remove with nail polish remover because the speckles contain glitter particles (although you can't see this in the polish at all.)  

Despite their consistency I love these speckled polishes as they are so unusual, with a twist on traditional pastel colours and just perfect for spring. The Speckled Egg collection is available on the Model's Own Website retailing at £4.99. But Superdrug is currently having a buy one get the second half price many Model's Own Nail polishes here! 

The only Models Own polishes I've tried are from this collection, what other polishes do you reckon I should try from Models Own?  Let me know in the comments below and tell me what  your favourite nail polish brand is too! 

Revlon Neon Nail Art Polish

The concept behind Revlon Neon Nail Art Polishes is that a layer of white polish underneath another colour will make the colour 'pop.' This is why NYX Jumbo Eye shadow Pencil in Milk (White) is so popular, because used under other colours it makes the colour on top much more vibrant.
I bought this for a St Patrick's Day themed manicure and was interested in buying a green polish rather than looking specifically for neon nail polish. I also thought that with the two colours I was getting two colours for the price of one, and if I didn't like one polish the other would be ok. In the end I used other polishes because Revlon's version just doesn't work well.The white does make the polish a little brighter, a little more neon but the finish is very streaky and uneven. I have Revlon's number 150 Florescence- a white and bright light green polish. You're supposed to apply two coats of the white polish and two coats of the green. I started by using one coat of Bourjois So Perfect Base Coat before using the Revlon polishes.

The white polish is thin and runny, but isn't all that bad to be honest, and needs two coats to be opaque, I have read other reviews (unfortunately after I bought this) complaining that the white polish is really streaky but I think it's OK. However the green polish is very thin, watery and very transparent. This may be deliberate, so that the colour underneath shows through in order to make the green pop. However it applies very unevenly and ends up looking very streaky and blotchy. Some of the white polish showed around the edges as well, though I did my best to rub it off . It reminds me of trying to use a yellow neon highlighter pen to hi-light  black print and the highlighter merges with the ink to a weird green colour. It took separate two afternoons (10 hours in all) to try to get this looking presentable. It doesn't look great and I hope the camera picks this up. I didn't use a top coat because after all the effort of 4 layers and still looking bad I couldn't be bothered to apply more. However it does have a nice shine without a top coat.

To borrow a phrase from Dragon's Den, I feel that Revlon have 'over engineered' the idea of neon nail polish. This concept involves painting an extra two coats of polish when I'm sure you must be able to buy a neon polish straight of the shelf without all this hard work and effort. I feel Revlon  repackaged some nail varnish to convince us that it was something new and completely different to whatever else was out there, so that it becomes 'special' and a 'must have.' Basically it's a gimmick that doesn't work. The concept is terrible. I'm amazed that Revlon let this product out of the testing lab! It's priced a £7.99 in Superdrug, and on Amazon (£1.59-£15!) but luckily I bought this in Poundland so I didn't waste much money, but even for a pound there are much better nail polishes out there- I recommend Poundland's Make Up Gallery in Midnight Black nail polish. I am going to keep it to see if I can use the white polish as a base underneath some glitter polishes so that it doesn't go completely to waste. But my advice is not to waste your money on a gimmick that doesn't work well enough!