BEAUTY || Revlon Nail Polish Offerings.

For as long as I can remember, nail polish has always been my 'thing'. Of course, as a beauty blogger, I own excessive numbers of lip products (click here for details) and am always impartial to a new tube of mascara - but nothing quite compares to the rush of buying a new nail polish. As readers of LydiaLulu will already know, Nails Inc and Essie are my go-to brands for unique shades and a long-lasting finish. But alas, I can't always afford to spend £14 on a nail polish - as much as I'd love to own every Nails Inc shade - sometimes you just have to look elsewhere.

Olivia Palermo's collaboration with Ciaté has been popping up on some of my favourite beauty blogs the past few weeks and it was the peach shade, 'Nantucket', that really captured my heart. But spending £17 on a nail polish with a socialite's name on it? Not so much, I wasn't convinced. Although, I can't lie... I'm seriously considering picking it up in New York when it'll be half the price. Please don't judge me. 

Anyway, so I was on the hunt for a drugstore dupe when I stumbled upon these Revlon offerings. And it was 2 for £10 - like I could resist. I walked out of Boots feeling pretty chuffed with myself - as if I cheated the system somehow by picking up two polishes for less than a single Ciaté equivalent. I had never tried any polishes from the Revlon Parfumerie before - to be honest, scented nails seem a little bit primary school to me. But I've been pleasantly surprised. As you would expect, 'Apricot Nectar' (the 'Nantucket' doppelgänger) smells subtly of apricots whereas as 'Ginger Melon' has an almost tutti fruity scent. 

Apricot Nectar

The varnishes apply like a dream and two coats leaves you with a pleasant pop of colour - nothing too garish. I'd say that 'Apricot Nectar' isn't quite as gorgeously peachy as Ciaté's 'Nantucket' but it makes a welcome addition to my nail polish stash - I'm a girl of many shades of pinks, reds, and purples. A summery orange just makes things a bit more interesting.
What's really disappointing about this product is the finish - although the application is easy, the varnish takes a lifetime to dry and even longer to set. I tend to paint my nails at around 8pm in the evenings, with a cup of tea and a episode of 'Pretty Little Liars' (yes, I've officially gotten back into my guilty pleasure of 2011) streaming in the background. Then I'm usually in bed by 11:30 - don't laugh! - and by the time I'm up in the mornings, my nails have all the duvet smudges. It's infuriating!

Ginger Melon

Even though 'Ginger Melon' was an after-thought purchase, it's probably my favourite of the two. A quick look on the Boots website and you'll see that it was actually discontinued last year - seems like my local store is trying to shift the last of its stock. But it's a really fun coral, pinky shade that's unlike anything I have in my collection. It's a colour I really enjoy wearing. Again, a pop of colour without being too in-your-face. A winner... you know, that is if it didn't smudge all the time.
It's a shame these polishes are so susceptible to smudging - I may have to invest in a better quality topcoat (my Barry M one suits for most days) to make them more worthwhile. Otherwise, Revlon Parfumerie have a great selection of colours - their range would challenge a lot of high end brands but is still lacking in terms of its formula. It's a shame really, but at least it gives me an excuse to indulge in the Ciaté Olivia Palermo range..!