Finishing Products and Hitting Pan

(This little blog turned seven this week! *celebratory dance*)

I try to not include products I've finished before in these types of posts, but it gets harder the more you find things you absolutely love and don't wish to change. Still, I've managed to do it this time... I think.

I've spoken about the Garnier Ultimate Blends Strength Restorer shampoo and conditioner before, which I really like, but I think I may prefer the Sleek Restorer ones. Like the name suggests, they leave your hair sleek and super soft, and unlike the Tresemme Platinum Strength ones, I can continually use these without my hair becoming weighed down.

I think this may be the first foundation I've fully finished. It's the L'Oreal Infallible 24H Foundation in Porcelain. I haven't used this on a regular basis for a while actually, but I remember liking it. It was full coverage, didn't look cakey or cling to places it shouldn't, and the biggest plus was how pale it was. I use The Body Shop Shade Adjusting Lightening Drops to alter the shades of my foundations now, so the colour isn't too important, but back when I didn't have them, this was my go-to shade.

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Hand Food is one of the best hand creams I've used, along with the L'Occitane ones. It just seems to have a lasting effect, whereas others, although I still like them, are quickly forgotten by my skin. The Sugar Crush scent is my favourite as well, and I'm so glad you can now buy it individually.

I don't know how I didn't wear lip liner up until a few months ago. It makes such a difference. The Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in Addiction is the first one I've finished, and have already bought another because it's a staple. It's a nude pink, leaning more towards nude, and it's the kind of colour I've been wearing a lot recently. It's creamy, pigmented, lasts all day, doesn't need sharpening, and is just £3.99.

I can't believe I've finished a serum, but I have. The Garnier Ultimate Blends Strength Restorer Serum was a joy to use. It smelt good, and it made my hair more sleek and soft, without ever looking greasy.

I didn't need any more shower gel, but how could I resist the I Love... Mango Cheesecake one? Mango cheesecake! It smelt delicious, and was only £2.99 for 500ml.

I haven't finished these next products, but hitting pan is a big accomplishment. I actually took the photo above a couple weeks ago, so the NYX HD Blush in Taupe is on its last legs, and I have another waiting to go. It's a great contour shade for pale skinned girls, and I prefer the new formula.

I bought Illamasqua's Cream Blusher in Zygomatic during one of their sales for £5-6 instead of £22, and oh man, it's my favourite blush. It's a nude pink, and one you can't go wrong with. I think I even love it more than NYX's Cream Blush in Natural, which was my favourite for years.

I have far too many eyebrow products, but I've only been using Freedom's Pro Brow Pomade in Soft Brown for the last couple of months. It's practically the same as the Anastasia Beverly Hills one, but £5 instead of £15.

Let me know if you've tried any of these products. I'm interested to know your thoughts on them!

Empty Products

An empty product is a rare sight when you have a lot of products on rotation. It means it's become part of your routine, which is high praise indeed. I've tried to limit the amount of hair products I show in these types of posts because we'd be here for a long time if I didn't. I've also omitted most of the products I've spoken about far too often. So, what's left?

Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance Leave In Conditioner | I must have spoken about this an incredible amount of times over the years, but I'm including it now because I haven't mentioned it for ages, and my opinion has changed slightly. I've been through bottles of this stuff. It smells beautiful, and used to leave my hair noticeably soft. I don't notice this as much now, though, and use it to wet my hair more than anything. My hair's become accustomed to it, and I've since found products which condition to a greater extent. The mist isn't that fine either. I've found TRESemme's Oleo Radiance Conditioning Mist leaves my hair smoother, and while it doesn't smell as good, it has a really fine mist to it.

Lush Ultrabland Facial Cleanser | This is the other product I'm forever mentioning, but it really is great. It melts away all your makeup without stinging your eyes when you open them to find the face cloth, and leaves your skin seriously moisturised. Other cleansers, even oil ones, feel drying in comparison now. It sounds like it'd be a nightmare for those with oily skin, but that's my t-zone skin type, and I have no problems with it.

Garnier Ultimate Blends Strength Restorer Balm | Smells great and leaves my hair much more conditioned than other intensive conditioners do. I've also finished the shampoo and normal conditioner in this range, as well as the Sleek Restorer ones, and they're all great. The shampoos feel like they're doing more to your hair than just cleaning, and the conditioners noticeably condition, unlike a lot of others which just prevent your hair from feeling too dry.

Original Source Vanilla Milk & Raspberry Shower Gel | Original Source can be overlooked for more expensive, luxurious alternatives, but it's a brand I always return to. I absolutely love this scent, as well as the lime and mango ones, and they're always on offer for £1 somewhere.

L'Occitane Zesty Lime Hand Cream with Shea Butter | This was a magazine freebie, and I so wish I'd stocked up. It smells incredible, and the L'Occitane hand creams are some of the best I've used. I just don't love it enough to pay £8 for 30ml. The hand creams are no strangers to a magazine, so I'm just going to keep my eye out for them.

EOS Sweet Mint Lip Balm | It's always an amazing moment when I finish a lip balm, because it happens so rarely. This one isn't even one of the most moistursing ones I've used. It's pretty average, actually. However, it's smooth and smells lovely, and it was something I ended up applying every night before bed. I have nearly all of the scents, and Sweet Mint is one of the better ones. Honeysuckle isn't as smooth, and Lemon Drop definitely isn't. Strawberry Sorbet is, but I grew accustomed to the scent of Sweet Mint.

Soap & Glory One Heck Of A Blot Primer | One of the best primers I've used. It doesn't interfere with any of my foundations and create a rolling mess, and it makes everything last well. It's more difficult to tell with my face makeup, but when applied around my eyes, my gel eyeliner doesn't smudge as much. I already bought another tube before this one ran out, so that's saying something.

If you have any of these products, let me know your thoughts, and if you know where I can get the L'Occitane hand cream from for a bargainous price, that'd be even better!

Disappointing Products #02

I usually read a lot of reviews before purchasing a product, so it's rare to come across a disappointing one, hence why there's only three to show you this time around.

I'm a fan of the Aussie shampoos and conditioners, with the Mega and Miracle Moist ranges being ones I've repurchased multiple times. I thought I'd try out the Luscious Long products some time last year instead of my usual ones, though, just to mix things up a bit. It had high ratings and positive reviews, and is supposed to make your hair silky smooth, which I'm all for. However, the shampoo made my hair so dry, and the conditioner didn't do much either. If anything, I thought they'd have the opposite effect and possibly weigh my hair down from being too conditioning and silky, so the fact that they were drying really surprised me. This is the one range I'll be staying away from in the future.

The Garnier 5 Second Perfect Blur Primer is supposed to blur wrinkles, fine lines, and pores, while leaving your skin feeling smooth, soft, and matte. To be fair, it does do these things, but I hate the way it feels on my skin throughout the day. It has that silicone texture that's very slippery, and not only does it feel horrible, it doesn't help your makeup last well.

I love Maybelline mascaras, and used to use the Colossal Volume Express one years ago. I picked it up again during a promotion last year, and when I got round to using it, was surprised at its flakiness. Even as I was applying it, I would notice little specks falling on my skin. It wasn't completely terrible, and I could manage this small negative feature, but why bother when I can use ones I love? Life's too short to use an average mascara. I ended up giving it to my mum, where most of my unwanted makeup goes!

All three of these products are loved by many, so I'm disappointed that they didn't work for me. Have you tried them? What do you think?

Boots and Superdrug Haul

You know when you're in Boots or Superdrug, and the first one or two products you pick up are thought through, and then, suddenly, the enthusiastic spender comes out in you and you're picking up things you didn't plan, things you didn't need? Well, that happened. Considering I caught the shopping bug, I think I was pretty restrained. I only bought half of what I originally picked up! Boots is my retailer of choice because of the loyalty points (and the fact that I work there), but stock availability and different offers lead me to Superdrug, so this haul is a mixture of both.

I haven't bought a nail polish or painted my nails in over a year now. I wasn't even interested in the new Barry M Sunset range. However, my sister wanted a nude polish, so I took her straight to the Barry M stand and started comparing the shades. Like a Nude attracted my attention because it wasn't too brown like so many others are. I walked away and regretted it, so bought it in another store. I'm not thrilled with the £4.99 price tag, but like I said, I was in the shopping mood. It takes three coats to become opaque, so it's not perfect, but it's a beautiful, classic, work appropriate shade, and you can always wear a white underneath.

I've heard so many positive things about the Revlon Colourstay foundations, so finally bought a bottle. I don't have dry skin, but bought the one for normal/dry skin in 110 Ivory because it was lighter than the combination/oily one in the same shade. I sandwich my foundation with primer and powder anyway. I tried it this morning, and so far, so good. It feels less chalky than my other foundations, not that they're chalky, but this one feels more gel like? I also haven't been any more oily than usual. My skin feels more hydrated, though, like when I moisturise in the morning.

I already own four of the Barry M Loud Mouth Extreme Lip Colours, and while they're good, I've been neglecting them as of late. It's because I have so many lip products. To make matters worse, I then go and buy more. I know, there's no logic in this. However, I really wanted the deep red shade called Diva, and it was only £3.99.

I was regularly checking one of my large local Boots for the Revlon Ultra HD lipsticks throughout April, and with still no luck, I decided to just head to Superdrug. They're currently two for £10, so it worked out for the best. I chose the shades Gladiolus, a bright red, and Iris, a plum. Just from the state of the testers, I know these are going to be difficult to use without catching the product on the lids, so I'm tempted to cut off the small part sticking up at the top and store it in a little jar or something.

The Bourjois Bronzing Primer looks promising. Although it's called a primer, it's basically a light textured, cream bronzer. It can look quite orange at first, but once blended in, skin looks more sunkissed.

Like I said in my wishlist post, I'm always open to trying new primers because I've yet to find my holy grail. The Garnier Perfect Blur has been talked about a lot, so I thought I'd give it a go. It's £12.99 full price, but I paid £8.66 while it was on offer.

I swatched Soap & Glory's Glow All Out Super Luminizing Powder (not pictured) multiple times over the course of a couple years, but never bit the bullet and bought it. Possibly because of the price (£11). I finally bought it the other week, and to be honest, I've been underwhelmed so far. It's a nice, subtle highlight, but because it's raved about by many, I was expecting to be blown away when I applied it to my face. I'll persevere and get back to you on this one.

Another Soap & Glory product I've recently bought is the new Sugar Crush Body Spray, which I've already reviewed here.

I've also already reviewed the Bourjois Rouge Edition Aqua Laques here. The colours are beautiful and they last 5-6 hours on me, but they can settle and collect pigment towards the inner centre of your lips, so my feelings are mixed. I think 04 is worth the little hassle, though, because the deep rose shade is different to other colours I own.

I used and loved the Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer a couple years ago, but didn't feel like it did much towards the end of the pot, so never repurchased. However, I felt the same way about the Witch one, but noticed a difference when I didn't wear a primer at all. Since the Witch one has been discontinued and this one was better than half price, at £2.48, I thought I'd buy it again.

I also bought a Micro Pedi last week for £15.99. It was on offer in Lloyd's, and my sister had 20% off. I haven't had a lot of dry skin to test it on, but from where I have used it, I'm impressed. It's so much more gentle than the Ped Egg, which is a lethal cheese grater for your feet.

What have you purchased recently? Any new releases you've been impressed with?

Wishlist #02

I'm feeling the need to shop this morning, so thought I'd channel it into a wishlist post. It's more productive than pretending I have an unlimited bank account and adding anything and everything to my virtual shopping baskets.

Garnier Perfect Blur Primer // I'm always open to trying new primers because I've yet to find the one, and this looks interesting. I've read a fair amount of reviews on it, and the majority like it. It seems about a fifth of people don't, but I'll just have to see whether I get on with it myself.

Revlon Ultra HD Lipsticks // These are apparently in stores now, although I've yet to see them. I know they're online, but would like to see them in person before buying. From online swatches, though, a few shades have caught my eye. I know people aren't a fan of the packaging because the product doesn't twist all the way down, meaning it catches on the lid, so that's something I'll have to keep in mind. Hopefully I'll find these in my local this week!

Bourjois Bronzing Primer // I've been applying bronzer to my temples almost daily, just to give my face some warmth and definition. I think the mousse/cream formula of this will be a nice alternative to powder, and I've read a lot of positive reviews. I'm just hoping it won't be too orange.

L'Oreal Le Lip Liner Magique // Some lipsticks are prone to settling or smudging more than others, so it's best to use them over a lip liner. It's a step I usually skip, though. The beauty of the Le Lip Liner Magique - it's clear, so goes with every shade. It's not a lip liner that's going to make your lips appear fuller, but it's (hopefully) going to prime them for colour. I'm looking forward to giving it a go.

I now have to go through the shopping centre to get to my new place of work, so these products will no doubt be coming home with me by the end of the week. I'd like to know if you've tried any of them?

Recent Purchases

These seem to be a monthly occurrence on this blog. Even when I feel like I haven't bought much, I go and prove myself wrong when I gather it all together!

I bought more pots of Lush's Ultrabland and Ro's Argan the other day. I'm nearly out of my current ones, and couldn't be without them. This is actually the first time I've paid the full £16.50 for Ro's Argan; I had Mystery Shopper store credit for the first pot, and my parents bought me the second for Christmas. I never thought I'd spend this amount on one product, but things change (mostly my income!). There's also nothing that compares to Ro's Argan, so it's worth the price, in my opinion. Ultrabland is also my third pot, and was £11.50, but you can get a smaller pot for £7.25 (this was £10.95/100g and £6.95/45g not too long ago - everything keeps increasing in price!). Although I appreciate their black pot exchange, I'd love for them to bring out a rewards card of some kind.

I bought a £25 Feel Unique voucher through Groupon for £15, so thought I'd buy one of the more expensive items I'd had my eye on; Origins Clean Energy Gentle Cleansing Oil. I've used it a few times so far, but will be sharing my thoughts in a week or two. With this, I received a deluxe sample of the Origins GinZing Brightening Mascara, which works out to be around £6 (£17.50 for the full size). I also added the Figs & Rouge Vanilla Pistachio Hand Cream to my basket to bring the total over £25. I love Figs & Rouge, especially their hand creams, so I'm happy to have another in my routine.

The Aussie shower gels are currently on offer in Boots, so I picked up the large bottle of Shower Smoothie, which has a sweet, bubblegum scent. It was £3.17 down from £4.75, but I also had a 10% off code loaded onto my Advantage Card which I'd forgotten about, making this even cheaper. If you haven't got the Boots app yet, I'd definitely recommend it!

Last month, Burberry were promoting their Burberry Kisses lipstick range by giving out free samples with nominations through Twitter. After being nominated myself, I nominated my sister, and she kindly let me keep hers. I have the shades Military Red and Nude Pink, and I can't get over how cute they are. These work out to be around £7.58 each, which is a lot for a sample.

The majority of the Aussie haircare range is currently better than half price at Superdrug, so I had to stock up. This kind of offer is rare for the brand - It's normally 2 for £7 or 3 for £10. The bottles above were £2.32 instead of £4.69.

I bought the Garnier Ultimate Blends Honey Treasures Strength Restorer products a few weeks ago now, but had to include them because they were such a bargain. They've only just come out, but I think my store received them early and had no space for them on the shelves, so they were put on clearance. They were also on 3 for 2, so I managed to get two treatments and two serums for £3.17. They're £4.69 and £4.99 each full price, so I couldn't believe my luck. I wish I'd bought more now. They smell like creme brulee, and are actually quite good!

I also placed a generous order with Lindt when they had their Easter sale, but there's not much left to show you...

Empties #11

I haven't written an empties in four months, and I've used up a lot of products since then. Mostly of the hair variety, which has made me think twice about using so much in the shower! I'm only showing half the products in this post because we'd be here all day else. The others are what you've seen countless times before - Tresemme shampoo and conditioner, Aussie leave in conditioner, many shower gels, many packs of wipes, and even more shampoo and conditioner. The ones above are those I've barely mentioned on here before.

I managed to get the Organix Macadamia Shampoo and Conditioner for around £1 each (down from £6.99), which I was incredibly happy about. They smelt great and did their job, but that's about it. They didn't do anything amazing for my hair, and performed like my usual, cheaper branded shampoo and conditioner. I don't think they're worth the full price.

I've just finished the Aussie Mega Shampoo and Conditioner, and will likely repurchase. They smell delicious and are lightweight. They don't leave my hair as soft as the Tresemme Platinum Strength Range, but as they say on the packaging, they're more for everyday maintenance. 

I don't know what's happening with the Garnier Ultimate Blends Honey Treasures range. It's only recently been released, but now it's been taken off the shelves in my local Boots, and it's not online. I managed to buy two bottles of the conditioning treatment and two bottles of the serum for £3.17 the other day, thanks to the clearance stand and 3 for 2 offer, so I'm not complaining, but I am confused! Anyway, the Garnier Ultimate Blends Honey Treasures 1 Minute Treatment smelt yummy, like creme brulee, and made my hair soft. It didn't leave it 'omg my hair feels SO soft!' kind of soft, but it was still soft. I wouldn't pay the full price of £4.99 for it, but for 99p (one bottle was actually free with the 3 for 2 offer), I'm glad I have more.

Lush's Montalbano Solid Shampoo Bar, like every other product I've mentioned so far, smelt incredible. Straight up lemony goodness. After using it for so long, my hair felt a little stripped, but that's because it's a clarifying shampoo. It's probably best to use every few washes. My bar lasted about 5 weeks, and that's with me using it a lot (I really need to cut down). I'd definitely repurchase, but have another three bars to use first...

We all know how much I love Superdrug's Colour Effects Wash In Wash Out Conditioning Colours, and I've actually been through 6-8 bottles of the True Chestnut and Mahogany shades since my last empties post, but I wanted to talk to you about the new Burgundy Red one. It's red. Like really red. It's so much more intense than the other shades, taking just one application to really make a difference. I didn't mind it, but will be sticking to my usual ones in the future.

I also wanted to discuss Superdrug's Colour Episode Non Permanent Hair Colours. I actually used a couple of these, not just the red shade featured. They were okay, but they weren't any more intense or long lasting than the Colour Effects, they had less product in, and they were double the price. They're basically the Colour Effects in foam form.

I wasn't keen on the Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara at first because I found it slightly clumpy, but liked it more when it started to dry up a little. I then managed to get two tubes for £1.80 each, instead of £9.99, so will clearly be using it again!

Two products you will have seen many times before on this blog - Maybelline's Rocket Mascara and The Body Shop's All in One Face Base. The mascara doesn't clump on me at all, and the powder offers some coverage with a velvety finish.

I didn't think the Witch Anti Blemish Skin Clearing Primer was doing anything for my skin any more, but my skin became very oily on the day I didn't use it. It's been discontinued, unfortunately, so I'll be using my last bottle sparingly.

What's left? The Body Shop's Mango Shower Gel. I love anything mango scented, but had never used a mango shower gel until this. It smells just like the rest of the range (incredible) and it did its job!

Another The Body Shop product I finished was the Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter. I've declared my love for this before. It removes my makeup with ease and leaves my skin feeling super soft. I'm already on my next tub!

The Body Shop's Frosted Cranberry Hand Cream was also a winner. Non greasy, moisturing, and smelt like crisp berries.

Figs & Rouge is one of my favourite brands. Their packaging is cute, their products smell amazing, and they just work. The Figs & Rouge Mango Mandarin Hand Cream was not greasy in the slightest, but left my hands feeling very soft. I've since bought the large tube of this, but will probably buy the small one again for my bag.

Nearly there, I promise! I picked up Lush's Catastrophe Cosmetic Fresh Face Mask for free with their black pot exchange. It smells beautiful (like Palma Violets to me), and left my skin feeling cleansed. I didn't feel like it did much else, though. The quality of my skin wasn't vastly improved or anything. I also found it a challenge to use before it went off! 

If you've used any of these products before, I'd love to know your opinions on them.

Recent Beauty Buys

I wasn't planning on posting another beauty haul, but then I kept buying bits and bobs here and there. So, let's get cracking!

Alberto Balsam shampoos and conditioners are currently 4 for £3 in Superdrug, so thought I'd stock up. I used to use the brand a couple of years ago, but then moved on to TRESemme. I've recently gone back to them though because they're affordable, work well, and smell amazing! I bought 3 shampoos because I'm already stocked up on conditioner.

I also bought the Garnier Body Intensive 7 Days Gel Cream with Peach for £2.99. It's just a simple, light moisturiser that absorbs into the skin quickly.

The Simple Baby Moisturising Wipes are normally £1.99, but they were down to £1 in Lloyd's Pharmacy, and my sister had staff discount, so I got them for 80p each - Yay!

Going back to Superdrug, I bought the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair for £4.19. I've gone through tubes and tubes of this stuff, but for the last couple of months I've been using MUA's Cover and Conceal Wand in Porcelain, which has been working fine (especially for £1.50). I thought I'd go back to this to remember how good it is, though.

I often forget to look at the Feel Unique website, but it's actually great. Free delivery, discounted products, and you currently get 10% off your order. I bought Maybelline's Rocket mascara for £6.79 (before the 10% discount). I didn't buy the waterproof version because the last waterproof mascara I bought (Maybelline's Falsies) would not come off, no matter what products I used. You could see that as a good thing, but I want to keep my lashes, not pull them out trying to get the stuff off!

Also from Feel Unique, I bought Maybelline's Colour Tattoo in Permanent Taupe for £4.99 (before the 10% discount). I don't wear eyeshadow on my eyelids because I look ridiculous, but I like blending them into my lash line to give some definition. I've been using On and On Bronze, but wanted a matte shade.

I then placed an order with MUA because their products were 3 for 2. I picked up 4 of their new £1 blusher shades - Cupcake, Lolly, Bubblegum, and Bon Bon (will be reviewing these in the next couple of days). 

I then bought the Hide & Conceal Stick in Porcelain for £1. I normally use liquid concealers, but thought this would be good for blemishes. It's actually really creamy, which I wasn't expecting! 

I also bought the Power Pout in Runway for £3. I have all the other shades, so thought I may as well get this one too! It's a coral/red, and I'm going to wear it lightly (I also look ridiculous with bright lips)

I thought I'd also show you what I've just ordered from Superdrug (free delivery until the 17th). I bought the Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance Leave In Conditioner and Aussie Dual Personality Heat Protection & Leave In Spray for £6. They're normally £4.49 and £4.69 each. These are both repurchases (they smell amazing!).

Then I added the Cutex Nourishing Nail Polish Remover to my basket for £2.15. This is my favourite nail polish remover and smells nice, considering (like vanilla).

Then I thought I'd stock up on my trusty razors seeing as they're currently better than half price. I bought the Bic Lady Soleil ones for £1.51, and the Bic Miss Soleil ones for £1.48. Bic Soleil razors were the first ones I ever used (about 7 years ago), and they're the only ones I've used since. I do want to try a battery operated one, though, but don't know the good from the bad!

And that's everything! For now, anyway...

Superdrug Purchases and First Impressions - New Barry M Nail Art Pens, MUA Power Pout and More

Another beauty haul! Sometimes, I won't buy anything for weeks and weeks, but then I'll place 4-5 beauty orders in one week, like last week (Lush, Fragrance Direct, Superdrug and Real Techniques - Naughty!). 

So, onto the first product in the photo: Garnier's Summer Body Moisturising Lotion (£2.54, normally £5.09). Most for most part, I don't care about expiry dates. I'll have make-up, shower gels and body butters for years, and I'll only throw something away if it smells or looks funny. However, I throw away fake tan more regularly because I'm scared it'll go off and leave me a streaky, orange mess. Also, I'm not a big tanner, and prefer gradual ones over instant ones. So, for all of those reasons, I bought this product! It smells really nice, like apricot yoghurt. I've read a lot of positive reviews, but I've also read some negative ones, so we'll see how this goes.

I then bought MUA's Power Pout in Rendezvous (£3). I've actually already swatched and reviewed this, so you can take a look at that post here. You can also see swatches of 4 of the other shades here. I love them, and the price is great.

The main reason I wanted to order was because of the new Barry M Nail Art Pens (£4.99). At first, I wanted all of the shades (black, white, silver and pink), but then I realised that when I do nail art, I either do polka dots or flowers, and I use a white for them. I also ordered the pink one because it'll go well with so many shades I have, and it was 3 for 2. At first, I was disappointed that you only get 3ml of product, but it should last because you really don't need to use a lot. So far, I'm loving these, and will be reviewing them soon. They are so, so easy to use because you don't need to constantly squeeze the pen. They also don't have a metal nib, meaning they don't drag across your nail. The designs you draw on your nail are flat and dry quickly, which I'm so thankful for. Last month, I said I wasn't going to do nail art for a long time because the designs I did took hours, were thick with polish, and just didn't dry. Another positive point about these pens is that 15 minutes after I tested them out, I had a really hot shower, and the designs stayed put, even without a topcoat. I'm just hoping the polish doesn't dry around the tip and clog them up.

The last product I bought was Barry M's Matt White Nail Paint (Free with 3 for 2, normally £2.99). White base coats are great for neon, sheer or streaky nail polishes, and the bring out the best in a colour. I'm running low on my China Glaze Snow, so thought I'd try this cheaper, more easy to get hold of nail polish.

Have you tried any of these products? Will you be buying the Barry M Nail Art Pens?