A Nails Inc Splurge.

Left: 'Abbey Road', Right: 'Lilly Road'

When it comes to nail polish, I have no self control. It's no secret round these parts. Nail polish is the perfect little indulgence - it's a small enough treat to brighten my day and usually leaves me without the dreaded buyer's guilt. No wonder I have so many, it's a win-win.
So when I stumbled upon actively searched for the Nails Inc counter in my local John Lewis last week, I really didn't stand a chance. The new colours that have just launched in their Spring range are just gorgeous. I easily spent ten minutes just admiring them all before I even started weighing up which ones I actually needed.
The New White range is not something I would normally be all that keen on. This small collection of four slightly off-white hues are very subtle and sophisticated. During my teenage years, where I amassed more than seventy polishes (#sorrynotsorry), I was always drawn to deep, glamourous shades of purples, pinks, and reds. I can't count the number of bottles of Essie's 'Recessionista' I've used up over the years... Who knows, maybe it's my recent transition into my twenties talking or just a change in season, but I saw 'Lily Road' (the pink-white shade) and knew I had to have it. It's a soft, feminine shade of light pink and the application is a dream. If a total klutz like me can paint it on neatly then anyone can. The light hue is perfect for Spring and somehow manages to make my hands look sun-kissed and uber-feminine. Plus, you know it's a good nail polish when you keep catching yourself admiring your manicure in lectures! I spotted 'Lily Road's mint alternative on beauty blogger extraordinaire Vivianna Does Make-Up and it looks just as gorgeous - I'm calling it now when I say it will only be a matter of time before I have to buy them all.

I also couldn't resist the pretty lilac shade, 'Abbey Road'. What can I say, I'm drawn to my girly colours. I love this polish because it strikes the perfect balance between pretty and too in-your-face. No matter what colour I go for, I never like my nails to be too loud or gaudy. 'Abbey Road' immediately had me reminiscing back to my Barry M 'Berry Ice Cream' days. It's very sweet and summery and although I already had this classic Barry M varnish from back in the day, I was eager to test the Nails Inc equivalent. I'm so glad I ended up investing in this colour because it looks plenty different once applied. 'Berry Ice Cream' is your typical sweet and summery light purple. 'Abbey Road', in contrast, is a cooler, more subtle Spring alternative. Once again, the application was dreamy and even managed to lie in the corridor with my mates while painting my nails and escape with zero smudges. This stuff is a godsend. To be totally honest, I wasn't convinced about the whole 'Kale' formula Nails Inc have been pushing. To me, it sounded like a bit of a fad. 'NailKale' claims to 'nourish, protect, and strengthen' the nail - I didn't buy into it at first because nail polish is not exactly the best thing for the wellbeing of your cuticles now, is it? But I've been pleasantly surprised by the results - my nails definitely feel stronger and my manicure had that professional look to it which I put down to the winning formula. 

Just like I wrote back in September when I fell in love with Nails Inc's Alexa Chung collaboration, money invested in a Nails Inc polish is money well spent for the nail varnish fanatic. The wide range of colours means there's literally something for everyone and the formula is faultless. Dare I say it, but Nails Inc may have just tipped my beloved Essie. Just about... only a tiny bit.