Review: Original Sugar Velvet Manicure

Hey!

At the start of the 15 Day Nail Challenge I was asked by the lovely girls at Original Sugar if I would like to try their velvet manicure. I had planned to include this in the challenge, but postage delays and time constraints went against me. I'm actually glad in a way, because it means I can give this a more in-depth review now.

I was sent a sample of the red, but they have 12 colours available. The powder is supplied in 5g bags and then in a little velvet pouch. You'll need a base coat, a nail polish the same colour as your velvet powder, a top coat and a large piece of paper. The paper's important.

Bag of red velvet powder & storage pouch

Full instructions are included. I used Revlon's 'Revlon Red' & Essence TC.

First, apply a base coat (I just used my usual no-name one) and then paint your nails using one coat of any nail polish in a colour that matches your powder. I chose the brightest, reddest red I have, 'Revlon Red'.

One coat of Revlon Red.

When your polish is dry, apply a topcoat. The instructions say to dip your wet nail into the bag of powder, but as I found out while using the GOSH nail glitters a while back, it's actually much easier to put a piece of paper down, pour the powder straight from the bag over your nail, gently tap your nail to remove the excess, then fold the paper and spill the powder back into the bag. No waste, no mess, and no awkward rooting around a bag.

When you've done that, do the other nails one at a time. Then sit back and admire.

To be honest with you, I thought I'd hate this. I wasn't a fan of the look when I saw pictures, and I didn't think it would be practical. But it's such a novelty. I've been rubbing my nails all over my face for the last two hours like a weirdo and none of it has fallen off. I can't stop looking at it, my 7 year old keeps asking if he can feel them, and the colour doesn't do it justice up there - it's so bright and cheery and RED.

Look, it's not going to be practical if you wash your hands a lot or if you are really busy, but I think this is going to be a huge trend for Winter 2012 and it would look amazing around Christmastime. My pinky looks a bit baldy up there but as ye know, that's an acrylic nail and the base coat always has a really strange effect on it.

It's so fluffy!

Verdict? I'd definitely use it again, I'm going to dig it out again around Christmas but the other colours are perfect for any time of year. There are some lovely bright neons there that would cheer up a dull day fairly quick - this definitely cheered me up today! Removal is, to be frank, a pain in the bum, so I've used the foil method normally reserved for glitters. I've always hated removing red polish anyway, I just find that it runs so much more than other colours.

You can buy the velvet manicure from originalsugar.com at a price of 4.95 (pounds).

This sample was provided to me for review, but if I thought it was rubbish, I'd tell you.