Hello Lovelies,
If you're a regular reader of my blog, you'll know I love nail polish, I buy far too many and cannot resist, they one of my favourite beauty products. Mid April Barry M released their new collection, the Sunset Nail Paints, Barry M claim that with just 2 coats of any of the polishes in the range and 1 coat of the top coat you are left with a salon finish gel manicure at home and one that lasts for 10 days without chipping. I have had many a gel manicure over the years and I always find the "just like gel" polishes intriguing, I haven't tried them all but I have tried a lot of the brands out there. When I was out shopping just after these were released I saw they were on 3 for 2 in Superdrug so I thought I'd pick a couple up. The shades I went for are Preach for the stars (although mine says reach for the stars on it) and I've been pinking, I picked up the topcoat too.
L-R Daylight Curing Top Coat, Preach For The Stars & I've Been Pinking £4.99 each
My Thoughts
The first polish I tried was preach for the stars a lovely coral shade and the first thing I noticed was the brush size, the polishes have a really nice wide flat brush making them really easy to apply.
I did as it said on the little info booklet attached to all the polishes and applied 2 coats of the polish but my nails were streaky as hell and there is no way I could have only used 2 coats so I applied a 3rd coat but still some of my nails were streaky and patchy, not all of them but most were and I certainly couldn't leave them like that so I applied a 4th coat of the polish. Once they were dry I did as the instructions said and applied 1 coat of the top coat and let my nails dry in the daylight. I loved the colour it is a lovely coral shade and one that is perfect for spring/summer but I wasn't happy with using 4 coats, it took me ages to apply. Once dry my nails were nice and glossy but to me they didn't look like I'd had a gel manicure at my local salon, yes it was a lovely colour and nice and glossy but it certainly didn't look like "a salon manicure at home" as Barry M claim.
Barry M Sunset Nail Paint In Preach For The Stars (4 coats)
I'm sure you'll agree this is a lovely colour and nice and glossy but 4 coats, seriously? I wasn't impressed. Another thing I wasn't impressed with is that my polish lasted 3 days, not 10 as Barry M claim but 3 and then it started to chip but not only did it chip, because I had to use 4 coats and it was very thick it peeled off in sheets once it had chipped, so I had chips and full nails missing, not an attractive look and most certainly not a salon manicure at home look.
Next I tried the other colour I had, I've been pinking, again a lovely shade and I was excited to see if this applied any better with less coats, hopefully 2 coats. Unfortunately I still needed 3 coats of this shade and then 1 coat of the top coat. Again a lovely shade and nice and glossy but not a gel manicure type finish.
Barry M Sunset Nail Paint In I've Been Pinking (3 coats)
Again a lovely shade but I wasn't happy with having to apply 3 coats, it takes an age to paint your nails and they don't look like gel, this polish also chipped after 3 days too. Nichole and Alicia both tried both the polishes too and they both needed 4 coats of the coral shade and 3 coats of the pink shade, Nichole said the coral shade chipped within hours and the pink lasted a day and Alicia got 2 days wear out of both shades before chipping.
I am really disappointed in these polishes yet again another fail from Barry M, I also hated the Speedy polishes (review here) I have seen quite a few rave reviews of these on some blog posts which doesn't surprise me but on the Barry M Instagram page so many people were saying they chipped really badly and they needed loads of coats etc etc funnily enough when I went back to check the comments had been removed Quelle surprise! But it shows it isn't just me who wasn't impressed doesn't it? Maybe the darker colours will need less coats but I suppose they're going to chip just the same?
Overall Thoughts & Would I Re Purchase?
I am really really disappointed in these polishes, yes they are lovely colours but that's about it, I could have found similar colours for a lot less money and I do actually have a dupe for one of the shades so keep your eyes peeled for that post soon. I don't think the polishes give a gel finish at all and my nails certainly didn't look like they'd been done at a salon. I have a side by side photograph of the Barry M polish and one of my nail polishes with my Orly Glosser top coat over it and I don't think the finish is any different to be honest.
Barry M on the Left and Orly on the right
As I you can see my Orly nail polish with my Orly top coat is just as glossy, so I can get a finish that's nice and glossy from a top coat I already had in the drawer.
I certainly will not be re purchasing the Barry M Sunset nail paints nor will I be trying any of the other shades, there are 7 shades in total and the 2 I bought were the 2 I liked best, I don't think theres a great shade range either, these are the 2 most spring/summer like out of the 7 theres a standard red, a nude, a navy, a turquoise and a dark fuchsia colour plus the 2 I got so to be fair not much choice in my opinion.
I hated that I had to use 3 or 4 coats of the polish, it doesn't last 10 days and it doesn't look like I've had a gel manicure so overall I am very disappointed and wish I'd saved my money, these polishes are £4.99 each but because you have to buy the topcoat it makes one polish £9.98 and to be honest I'd rather buy either 1 Essie polish and have change or buy a few much cheaper polishes and still have change. Once again I have been sucked in by Barry M and their claims, but never again I promise you.
If you fancy trying these polishes you can find them on line at Superdrug (free delivery over £10) and Boots (free collect in store or £3.95 delivery)
Thank you for reading, much love as always,
Zoe x
