SWATCHES: Essie // Stripes & Sails, You're A Gem & Spaghetti Straps

Found these three beauties in TK Maxx for £2.99 each so of course I had to bring them home with me!

Stripes & Sails // Sacramento creme

Collection: Spring 2018

Release: 2018

Coats: 1

This one-coat wonder is a self-levelling thing of beauty. I love dark green/teal shades and I'm happy to have this as part of my collection. I'd say a cheaper dupe for this would be Rockpool by Barry M. It also does well as a stamping polish due to it's thickness.

You're A Gem // Rose Gold Linear Holo

Collection: Gorge-ous Geodes

Release: Spring/Summer 2019

Coats: 2

Who knew that mainstream polish brands could do holo so well??

I looked up the rest of this collection and I think I may need to track the rest of them down because hot damn, what a formula. 

Spaghetti Straps // pastel pink crelly

Collection: ?? Core Colours?

Release: <2010? or 2017?

Coats: 3

This is such an old shade I can't actually find when it was released! I know that this is a newer bottle though because it has the wider flat brush so I think this particular one is from the core colours that were re-released back in 2017.

That said, I LOVE THIS POLISH. Sorry for the caps but it's just such a soft, baby pastel pink with a slight hint of peach. This is my polish for all quartz looks now. It can be ever so slightly streaky if applied in a too-thin layer but other than that, it's the perfect sheer. I'm wearing three coats and I can't get over how classy and elegant it looks. Apparently there are some other amazing Essie sheers out there now in similar shades and I'm going to have to hunt them down.

SWATCHES: Nails Inc // Made In Mykonos Set

Found this adorable set in TK Maxx for £8.99! I think the packaging lured me in more than anything. Released in Summer 2022 this was a perfect summer set!

You're My Sol Mate // white creme

Coats: 2

So this is also the exact same shade as Primrose Hill Road from the Florals...For Spring? set. I've noticed that Nails Inc don't really do new shades anymore, they just rename old ones and package them up in a new set.

This is quite a streaky white creme that only slightly self-levels. The second coat still leaves some slight dark patches but is acceptable. 3 coats is needed for full coverage.

I was actually quite impressed though with it's stamping ability! It's a bit translucent however that can come in handy for layering looks.

Need Some Vitamin Sea // bright navy crelly

Coats: 2

I feel like this should've been called "Rooftops" or "Shutters" because these 2 shades together remind me of those white buildings with the blue roofs. Not just for summer though, this shade is perfect all year round and for the most part it even stamps well on top of light shades!

It's a pure crelly shade, so not quite a full jelly as it's too opaque but applies with no streaks. The formula reminds me of the Ciate Gelology range. It dries fairly quickly and 2 coats is sufficient for full coverage. After the second coat you're left with that beautiful glass-like shine. be careful though, as it is quite runny and stains the nail bed/cuticle area.