Beauty review - Rimmel 60 second nail polish in 320 Rapid Ruby

I've made a bit of a resolution (pre-New Years) to keep my nails in better condition.  I tend to apply polish and then just leave it till it all flakes off, not very attractive, and so in an effort to inspire myself I bought a few new polishes.  I've always found little difference between expensive brands and the cheaper equivalents and so went for good old Rimmel.

I picked up three from the 60 second range - Rapid Ruby, a grey and a turquoise.  The Rapid Ruby is a very dark wine red - perfect for a vintage look and the grey has a real 30's tone, at least to my eyes.

 
I prepped my nails by filing them into vintage points (grrrr!) and then applied a basecoat of clear varnish as this polish is highly pigmented.  I then applied two coats of the Rapid Ruby and topped with a topcoat of clear varnish.

My crappy pic (I've lost my camera again) and one stolen from a google search.  All the pictures on the Internet look a lot redder than it does on me - perhaps that is because I used two coats.  I'd certainly call it a wine though rather than a red.

This is a very quick drying polish, without the bottom and top coat it does dry in 60 seconds but adding these steps added at least another two minutes to the drying time, so if you don't mind stained nails it is possible to paint and go, which is great.

I do have a few reservations though.  Part of the reason it dries very quickly is that it is thicker than ordinary polishes, this coupled with the extra large "one stroke" brush does make the polish difficult to control and so this wouldn't be easy to use for half moon nails.  You certainly couldn't paint the half moons freehand with this.  Also, due to the thickness it can tend to bubble.

All in all it is a good cheap buy at £3.99 and a great colour but definitely not for your full vintage manicure. More of a paint and run emergency polish.

Beauty review - the perfect daytime red

I think I've finally found a good, affordable daytime red.  Up until now I've always used good old MAC Ruby Woo, the vintage girl's favourite, but it can be a bit OTT in the daytime, and it is nice to be able to switch from a gentler colour to something more powerful for a night out too.  You don't get that if you've been wearing the Woo all day!

My discovery was completely accidental, I was going to meet some friends and realised I'd forgotten to bring a lippy with me (quelle horreur!) and so nipped into Boots and picked up the first thing I saw that I hadn't tried before....Rimmel's Colour Show Off lipstick in Red Fever.

I have to admit that initially the packaging put me off, it is thoroughly cheap looking and very lightweight.  A hot pink metallic tube worthy of Jordan herself.  I was, however, pleasantly surprised by the product.


Though it looks shiny in the tube it goes on beautifully matte.  Compared to Ruby Woo it is soft red, though most users who have reviewed in online so far consider it bright, and I guess it would be for someone unused to wearing a red.  It is also a much softer texture than the Woo and therefore not as drying, which is definitely a winner for daytime.

 MAC Lady Danger, the Rimmel, Ruby Woo (click to enlarge):

It lasts reasonably well, better than most drugstore lipsticks, though you do need to reapply after eating to keep the colour even, but at around £5-£6 a tube that isn't too worrying.

Here is what it looks like on, please excuse my morning face:

Just the one layer there.

I think you'd need a few to pull of the colour of postergirl - Georgia May Jagger:

Overall I'm really pleased with this red.  I might even investigate the other colours in the range now, they have a lighter red and a few pinks to choose from.