Manic.Monday: Summertime is Sugartime

Summertime and the living is easy, but deciding on which nail polish to wear isn't when there are so many gorgeous shades to choose from, which is why I'm showing you two today. I've mentioned before that every time I go to visit my parents I pick up a good amount of products that I can only get over there and the brand I buy most of is IsaDora, which is a Swedish brand with a wonderful range of products in the same price range as Maybelline. I am especially fond of the Isadora nail polishes so when I saw the Sugar Nails range I just had to have a few, since I didn't have any of these before.... yeah - right... As you may know from some of my previous posts about nails I have a thing for different textured nail polishes, there's nothing that I won't try but the sugared Pixie dust look has got to be my absolute favorite! The IsaDora Sugar Nails range (£6.20) contains 11 different colors ranging from the lovely bright and sunny to the soft, pastel sherbet look, and the shades I picked up  are of the latter kind; 133 Macaron, a beautiful creamy and light mint shade and 132 Peach Nectar, a delicate, feminine and golden peach shade - both perfect for summer.

The formula is a tiny bit thicker than ordinary nail polishes because of the particles in it, but it's in no way thick or gloopy and it's still very easy to apply and with the average width brush you quickly get an even finish. The idea behind this type of textured polish is that by applying several coats of it, you build up a crystallized, sugared effect that combines a matte finish with a gorgeous shimmer, caused by the gritty surface for a look which I like to call "concrete glam". If you were to only apply one or even two coats of this you would be disappointed in the look since it's not enough to create a thoroughly opaque look that also brings out the shimmer. This polish needs at least three coats and in the photo, you can see a close up here on my Instagram, I've actually applied four coats. I can hear what you're thinking: "It'll take forever to create the right look" - actually no, the formula is very quick drying and it shouldn't take you longer than 5 mins to do both hands, but please note that it probably takes another 15 mins for the look to continue develop after it's dried. You're probably also thinking: "It'll be a nightmare to remove" - well again I would have to say no, since you'll have a fairly thick coat on your nails, although you don't feel that when you wear it, so you can easily peel it all off in one big flake, without having to use acetone and mild (or not...) force.

Textured nails like this tend to last about 4 days on me before I have to retouch it, however since the coat is a bit thicker than with ordinary nail polishes, it can be sensitive to chipping if you're not careful. I should also say that with this type of polish you should not apply a top coat, since it settles in the grittiness of the surface and instead of highlighting the shimmer it makes the finish look gloopy and strangely plasticky. I know that textured nails aren't for everyone, but I love the look - it's unusual but will still work for any occasion, eye catching and I always get lots of questions about what nail polish I'm wearing, so add a sugary twist to your outfit and make this summertime sugartime.