Despite 12+ hours a day typing and countless others at home doing mummy duties and household chores most days, I really do try to keep my nails well-manicured, because often they are the first thing people see after your face and a great manicure can seamlessly pull your look together.
Personally, I am big fan of a gel manicure and try and squeeze in a nail appointment whenever timing allows - however, every couple of months or so I like to give my natural nails some TLC to keep them strong and healthy and so I find myself constantly on the lookout for something that has the same benefits as a gel polish but is kinder to my nails - a polish that is highly pigmented, glossy, chip resistant and lasts longer than a couple of days – not a big ask then, eh?
Like most little girls, my 5 year old daughter loves rummaging in mummy’s beauty cupboard and so after realising that most of mine had relocated to her dressing up box, I decided it was time to stock up on my nail polishes!
Renowned for its glamorous, high-performance results, Leighton Denny Expert Nails got my attention as soon as I heard they were formulated without the 5 nasties found in most nail polishes (Tosylamide, Camphor, DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde), therefore making them much kinder to our nails. When a gorgeous parcel arrived in the office one morning with the brand new Heritage range, I was more than ready to see if my beauty wish had finally been answered…
The heritage range (£12 each) comes in 5 rich shades to suit any occasion and the fun names are the perfect nod to our own heritage and customs. First up was the ‘Country Club’, a warm navy blue.
If you follow me on social media you will know that I am a big fan of navy so I was immediately drawn to it. I followed the instructions to “roll (not shake)” the polish between my hands before applying two thin coats to the nail, waiting one minute between each application. However, after one coat the colour was completely opaque, leaving my nail with a gorgeous, glossy finish. There was no need to apply a second layer as I was able to achieve a rich bold colour after just one coat – the formula is literally that good!
Impressed, I opened the next bottle, ‘Pretty in Plaid’ which is a rich cranberry colour speckled with subtle gold shimmer. This is the type of nail polish that reminds me of the festive season - immediately happy thoughts spring to mind as I look forward to mulled wine by an open fire, cosy catch ups with friends and family and glamorous Christmas parties – this will definitely be a go-to colour throughout the season ahead…
I tend to opt for nude shades for daily wear and ‘Rural Sunshine’ is definitely a shade I can rely on. I did apply two coats for this shade as the first application was more of a soft sheer pink; however, once I applied the second shade the colour had a rich opaque finish. If you prefer a soft nude shade, then this one is definitely for you, I have since worn it as an everyday colour and every time I wear it I am complimented on the lovely colour.
The remaining two polishes were, ‘Take Your Wellies’, a fashionable dark brown that reminds me of crisp autumn weather, soft cashmere sweaters and long walks (wearing wellies of course!) and ‘Winter Garden’. This is a bold raspberry pink which I simply adore - I know that this vibrant shade will be well used throughout the season! Again after only one coat my nails were wrapped up in rich colour with a gorgeous glossy finish.
Once I had tested all of the colours I removed any remaining nail polish (the colour came off easily using normal nail polish remover and cotton wool) before reapplying ‘Winter Garden’ to see if the colour could keep up with my routine - between carrying bags for school, ballet, swimming (and that’s just V!), using gym equipment (the perfect excuse for nail polish to chip) and working on a keyboard all day – it definitely tests any nail lacquer!
However, I was pleasantly surprised when my nail colour stayed put all weekend and, even more impressively, the glossy finish didn’t wear off. Unsurprisingly, there were a couple of chips after a few days, but I simply covered this with nail polish and the problem was solved, so it didn’t bother me at all.
Dare I say that I think I have finally found a brand which answers all my beauty questions. And with five striking, rich shades that are sure to complement every occasion this season I know I will be wrapping my nails in the bold colour throughout the months ahead when my nails need a little bit of TLC.
To get yours visit; https://www.leightondennyexpertnails.com/new-in
Love Cathy xo