Summer Nail Picks

1. Essie Go Ginza, 2. Topshop Skip, 3. Essie Mint Candy Apple, 4. Topshop Unicorn,
5. Barry M Gelly Rose Hip, 6. Essie Fifth Avenue, 7. Nails Inc London Victoria and Albert,
8. Sally Hansen Insta-dri Top Coat, 9. Essie Help me grow 10. Soap and Glory Hand Food.

If there's one thing I have an unhealthy addiction to... it's nail products.

Nail varnish, top coats, nail buffers, hand creams, nail oils, bright, bold, glittery, sparkly, classic, pastel, dark... The list is endless.

Here's what I've been reaching for nail varnish wise, so far this summer:

1. Essie Go Ginza- I'd been on the hunt for a perfect light lilac shade, so of course made a beeline for my favourite nail varnish brand of all time Essie (controversial choice).  Anyway as usual Essie did not fail me! All Hail Go Ginza! This is the most beautiful pinky lilac colour. I don't care if the pastel trend belongs in spring. I will wear pastels as long as the sun is shining and the birds are chirping! As usual with Essie the formula is smooth and lasts well on me.

2. Topshop Skip- I'd always been skeptical about Topshop Nail Varnish- not having many in my collection, however I couldn't resist this bright pink shade. Good price and £6 and the formula is super creamy and easy to apply. Will definitely be packing this in my suitcase for my holiday in August- I think it would look great on tanned hands and toes. 

3. Essie Mint Candy Apple- Another Essie one (can you tell it's my favourite yet?) Repurchased this colour back in the spring and I'm still wearing it! I've tried quite a few pastel mint colours in my time but this one is my ultimate. Nuff said.

4. Topshop Unicorn- This glittery wonder may not look that exciting in the bottle but I've recently been loving this over the top of a pale pastel pinks or nudes (e.g. Barry M Rose Hip or Essie Ballet Slippers). I tend to wear glitters more around Christmas time but I love the subtle bit of sparkle this brings, especially for evenings or nights out. 

(Couldn't find a link for this on the topshop website but they've got whole load of great glitters here)

Another great glitter I love over the top of a nude or pink is the American Apparel Milky Way nail polish.

5. Barry M Gelly Rose Hip- Yet another pastel shade (it's an addiction), I love the Barry M Gelly Hi Shine formula so when I spotted this pale pink colour in Superdrug, I lunged for the shelf. The other two pastel shades Huckleburry (a blue) and Sugar Apple (mint) are also lovely. The whole collection reminds me of ice cream or milkshakes in the summer.

6. Essie Fifth Avenue- My orangey red shade of choice this summer has to be Fifth Avenue. A bright bold colour-can't wait to be laying on the beach with this on my nails. 

7. Nails Inc London Victoria and Albert- For every season I have a red that I am obsessed with. This month it's this classic glamorous red from Nails Inc. You can't go wrong with a red and two coats of this with a glossy top coat is perfect.

Extras

While I'm on the whole nail topic, I thought I'd throw in some nail and hand care staples. I'm always trying out different base coats. This month I've been using Essie's Help me Grow base coat- which encourages nail growth over 5 days. Lovely base for my nail varnish, colours don't stain and helps with the lasting power. I'd definitely repurchase. 

When it comes to top coats I'm fussy. When it comes to waiting for nails to dry, I have no patience whatsoever so of course I love the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri which dries in seconds (I usually give it a minute to make sure). I also love the Seche Vite Fast Drying top coat. Both give a beautiful glossy finish and eliminate the chance of chipping. I will never stop recommending these two.

For hand cream I've been using this mini Hand Food from Soap and Glory that I received in a set. It's a really nice cream,  not sticky or thick and leaves my hands baby soft. The scent as usual with Soap and Glory is lovely. I'm rubbish at describing smells, I'd say it's a sweet clean scent. Also the mini tube is great for throwing into your bag on the go!