Love & Beauty Purple Multi

I'm not 100% sure that this polish is actually named "Purple Multi", but that's what it says on the sticker and I can't find a name anywhere else on the bottle, so that'll do. I picked this up for $0.99 in a bargain bin at Forever 21 when we were in San Francisco three years ago.

This colour is way more sheer than I would normally tolerate, but it really is so very very pretty. I mean just look at those gorgeous holo glitter pieces. This was (if I remember right, it was a few days ago) four coats and there is very definite visible nail line, but the formula was too thick and difficult to work with for me to want to try for any more. However, despite the difficult formula and the sheerness, this one is pretty enough to be a keeper.

Maybelline Dark Plum

Exactly what it says on the bottle - Dark Plum. Really lovely plum colour, leaning towards purple. I confess I can't remember how many coats this was, as it was several days ago, but I want to say it was probably three. Good application anyway.

Barry M Magnetic Neptune Sea

Magnetic nail polishes are a really cute idea, but they never really live up to their promise in my experience. It may be just me, but I find that the designs are crisp and clear immediately after applying the magnet, but not long after the magnetised particles start to drift back in with the rest of the formula and the design becomes blurry. Which is exactly what we've got here. The unmagnetised polish is a gorgeous silver blue, and when magnetised it becomes a blue shimmer background with a silver design. But then the silver particles start to migrate their way back into the blue and the design loses its clarity. Maybe it's just me, maybe some magnetic polishes are better than others, I don't know. If you've got any hints I'd love to hear them.

This was two coats, the first applied as normal, then after the second coat I held that nail to the magnet. For ages. Ages and ages. And then applied my top coat of Seche Vite. The design, which is a starburst, looked awesome immediately after doing this, but of course by the time I took the photos in daylight the next day it was just kind of ... fuzzy. So, not a huge success, but I think it's a keeper just because the unmagnetised colour is lovely.

Diamond Cosmetics Drift Away

Diamond Cosmetics do great purples, I have many in my stash. Drift Away is a gorgeous dusky mauve. Lovely workable formula, although very thin so it took four coats.

Barry M Blueberry

 I wish I’d bought more of this Gelly range when I was in England, the colours are amazing. Blueberry is a lovely bold light blue. Two coats, if memory serves.

Diamond Cosmetics Oh, Tiff!

How many Tiffany blue nail polishes are too many? I’ll let you know when I get there.

A beautiful example of a Tiffany blue. A little more green than the photo shows, packed with a very delicate blue shimmer which gives it a lovely depth. Two coats, somewhat tricky formula to work with, as is always the case with colours of this type, but the payoff is worth it.

Revlon Wind Fall

Absolutely beautiful teal (which leans more green than the photo shows) packed with blue micro glitter. Two coats.

Ulta3 Midnight

Dark dark purple jelly, so dark that in everything but the brightest direct light it looks black. Kind of meh, really, I wanted to be able to see the colour. Two or three coats (this was a few days ago and I forget).

Marks & Spencer Electric Purple

Bright dark purple jelly, two coats but it’s obvious from the photo I should have used three, very thin jelly formula. My Seche Vite top coat needed thinning, hence the obvious tip shrinkage.

Bloom Cyndi

Gorgeous bright citrus orange. Two coats, slightly thick formula that was a bit tricky to work with, but totally worth it.