Review: Barry M Sunset Daylight Curing Nail Paints

When Barry M first released their new range of  Daylight Curing Nail Paints I was sceptical. How could the sun/daylight make your nail polish last longer. If you don't know the concept of these polishes, it's that once painted and dry, if  held out in daylight the UV rays from the sun/daylight would make them dry or turn harder and more flexible on the nail, essentially giving a longer lasting manicure. Yet it didn't stop me from staring at the colour selection when they were released. I was slightly disappointed with the shade range but am sure that Barry M will release more shades at some point.

I was certain that this would be one range from Barry M I would not be purchasing but a couple of weeks back when I was shopping with my mum we were approached by someone from Barry M and offered a complimentary manicure with the new nail paints. I gave it to my mum as my nails were freshly done and in the fifteen minutes it took to do I was completely blown away. My mum went for the shade The Way You Make Me Teal, a beautiful deep teal shade that is perfect for any season. As the woman explained how they worked, I was drawn to how easy they were to apply and the shine they gave off even under the shop lights. Two coats of colour and a coat of the special top coat that goes with them and we were off.

I was that impressed that I actually went and brought myself a top coat and a colour. I picked up the shade Do It Like A Nude, a really stunning off white nude shade that made my skin look more tanned that it ever is. When it came time to do my nails again I eagerly removed my old polish, looking forward to having a longer lasting manicure.

That's where I ran into problems. While the nail paint itself was nice I found it to be very sheer and somewhat streaky. It took three coats to get my nails somewhere near opaque and yet there were still some sheerer places on my nails. However that was the only problem I had with them. It had a lovely flat ended brush covered my nail in one stroke, giving me more control as I painted each nail. The drying time between coats was amazing as well, by the time I'd done all of my nails, the first nail I'd painted was ready for a another coat.

The shine that they gave off even before the top coat was impressive, even rivalling the shine the Gelly Hi Shine range give. The top coat reminded me somewhat of Seche Vite. It was slightly thinner than Seche Vite but still had the drying time and the shiny finish. For someone who gets very impatient with painting her nails, I was highly impressed.  I didn't get the chance to put them in the daylight until the next day and even when I did they didn't feel any different to what a normal manicure would.

They also didn't give me a longer lasting manicure but I have a feeling that is more to do with my job than the actual polishes themselves. I work in a very hands on job and my manicures usually last about three days if I'm lucky before they chip. I was hoping this one would last longer but I was disappointed. I painted them Friday night and by Tuesday they were chipped and peeling off. 

If you have a job where you're not ripping things open with your hands everyday but don't always have the time to sit and do fresh manicures, I would say these would be right up your street. Quick drying, easy to apply and with long lasting claims, these are a cheaper drugstore alternative to sitting in a nail bar every week.

Available at Boots and Superdrug