May 31 Day Blogger's Challenge: Day 15: Nail Varnish Collection

Nail Art/ Fave Nail Polish and Nail Varnish Collection

I have a love/hate relationship with my nails. At the age of almost twenty-seven, I'm only just learning how to shape my nails. Yes, really! Ten years of working in retail and with animals subjected my nails to so much dust and constant washing that they were always brittle and broke regularly. Now, they've had a break from hard labour, they're finally strong for the first time in years.

I've had to come to terms with the fact my index nails will never be perfect as the nail beds are oddly shorter and closer to my finger tips than my other fingers!

Still, I've always been the girl who loves experimenting with colour. Not content to confine my love of colour to clothes, I like trying out a rainbow on my nails. I have quite a large collection of polishes, and can never resist hunting for new shades.

This is my current collection. It used to be larger, but I had a thorough clean out not so long ago. My favourite brand is Barry M, but I also love Inglot and Bourjois. I'm not a nail varnish snob (like I am with make up), and will try out almost any brand as long as the colour appeals to me.

They live in my David and Goliath vanity case in my make-up drawer. I think one of my sisters gave it to me for Christmas one year. I used to display them all on my dressing table, but I got fed up with dusting them all every week so away they went.

Red is my nail colour of choice, and I love orange and coral, too. They're such classic colours. You're most likely to find me wearing the one second from the left. A colleague was once amazed that I could wear such a shade so confidently.

It's clear that I need more pinks and purples in my collection. I don't have enough to choose from! The dark pink Bourjois one in the centre dries beautifully and lasts for days without chipping.

I don't wear blacks and blues very often, but love to crack out the blues when the sun is shining. I used to own the crackle paints in several colours, but they dry up within weeks.

I'm loving the ice cream pastels that are everywhere at the moment. Pistachio, mint, and lemon are my favourite pastel colours, and it's great to be able to keep up with trends in different ways. As I'm extremely pale, these colours wash me out, so a nail polish is a great alternative to pastel clothing! I remember having a set of mini pastel polishes from New Look in my early teens that smelt of ice cream!

The top coat is UV based, and will glow in UV light!

This Barry M tomato red nail polish has been my favourite nail colour for years, and nothing has ever come close. I've gone through bottles of this shade, and never tire of it! I personally find Barry M nail paints better than any other brand- even the expensive designer ones. I've tried them all and nothing has ever been as chip-resistant, hard-wearing, or brightly coloured. And from just £2.99 each, that is an amazing thing! I got bored last night and painted a nail on each hand in stripes using three Barry M colours.

These are my favourite polishes right now. As well as the tomato red, I'm loving the Barry M orange as a fiery alternative. It makes me feel so summery.

I'm really impressed with these Bourjois polishes, and the mint colour is so delicate and on trend.

I'm also obsessed with Inglot enamels after discovering them in the Times Square branch in New York last August. They literally have hundreds of colours to choose from, and I wish I'd brought more home with me. This metallic green is so different to what I normally go for, although green is a favourite colour of mine, but it's so beautiful. I wore three coats of this colour last week for an entire week without it chipping! I'd encourage everyone to check out this brand- their make up is amazing, too.

As for nail art... I love it. I have an entire board on Pinterest dedicated to it, and am always amazed at the designs people come up with. I long to try polka dots, leopard print, and just about every pretty design for myself. I don't have the tools in my arsenal to attempt them for myself, but am planning on investing in some soon. I recently tried to do polka dots using the tip of a paint brush, but it wasn't very neat! I tried nail wraps a few weeks ago, but wasn't impressed when they came off as soon as I washed my hands. Perhaps it was just the brand?

Which brands and nail colours do you have in your collection, and which is your favourite? Have you found a brand of nail wraps that works for you?