Barry M - Mushroom

Oh.... Barry M...... let's never fight again.  No, really, it wasn't you.  It was me.

This is exquisite.  Creamy, luscious, good enough to eat.  Ok, don't do that last bit.

And I suspect this is might be a dupe for Chanel's Particuliere.  Seriously, click on this article and check out the dupe-iness.  I think Mushroom might be lighter and browner than Particuliere (which is more of a grey influenced taupe), but the differences are minimal.

Just on my ongoing hunt for beautiful taupes, China Glaze, can you please bring back Channelesque?  My last bottle is a quarter of the way through and I'm getting nervous.

Barry M - Red Glitter

Red Glitter.  Yes, that's the name of this most imaginatively titled lacquer.  I don't think Barry M are even trying.

There is a part of me that really likes this lacquer.  And I suspect it would make a superlative Christmas Party manicure.

But..... it really is a clear lacquer with a shedload of red glitter.  There are no other colours to give it dimension.  And it's a mother freaking mess on the nail.  Don't even think about a cleanup or clean finish.  So for those reasons, I kinda don't love it as passionately as my other Barry Ms.

Goddamn if it doesn't make me wish for Christmas, though!

Barry M - Shocking Pink

Yes, yes, yes, I know. You're all hella bored of my love of pink. But, really, how could I NOT post this little beauty.

This is why Barry M cremes are so freaking fantastic. They are beautifully creamy, apply like a dream and wear like a dream.  They really do, for me anyway, set the standard for creme lacquers.

There's another reason why I love this so much and it has to do with lost love....

Back in the day (I'm talking mid 1990s) I had a hot pink Sally Hansen that I wore pretty much constantly.  I can't remember the name of the lacquer but I must have bought 5 bottles of the stuff.  That's how much I loved it.  After a couple of years, I ran out of the colour and found, to my utter dismay, that the lacquer had been discontinued.  It broke my heart.

This lacquer is pretty much that beloved colour.  As in IDENTICAL.  Three cheers for Barry M for reuniting me and that magical pink!

Barry M - Yellow Green

What happens when you mix yellow with green.  You get Barry M's Yellow Green.

I'm not entirely convinced of this.  It's not a yellow, that's for sure.  And it's not a green, that's for sure. It looks like cat sick in certain lights, that's definitely for sure.

Formula wise, I expected this to be a total mofo but it was good in three coats.  And the finish is, as usual for Barry M cremes, sublime.

But yeah, that colour, it's not grabbing me.  How about you guys?  What do you think?

Barry M - Gold

Ok, hands up who is already humming the lyrics of the Spandau Ballet song of the same name in their head?

'You're indestructible, always believe in..... you are GOLD'.

Fibbers. I know you're all cutting dramatic hair flips and pouts in your head.  You can't fool me.

As you all know, I heart Barry M lacquers greatly. But I do not heart this as much as I heart my others.

For a start, I suspect the gold is a little too warm for my skin tone.  Cool toned ladies (or gents), this would look fabulous on you.

Secondly, the formula isn't so great.  It's suffering from a case of 'Am I a sheer or am I not?'  It's definitely too thick to be a sheer, but it takes forever (4 coats in the above swatch) to become opaque and, even then, I can see my natural nail.

So not a total success but these things are relative, given how stupendously good Barry M is normally.

And, just for those of you born after 1980-something, here is what I'm talking about with Spandau Ballet.

Barry M - Pale Blue

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And now you guys can see why I like the Nailene false nails so much!

They look great with the French tip but, for me, they really do their best work wehen they have a lovely lacquer over the top.  I feel like Michele of Lacquerized (damn her and her perfect - and natural - nails)!

This is Barry M's Pale Blue lacquer.  As with all Barry M lacquers, this is a dream to work with.  The formula is smooth and creamy.  This took two coats to get to opaque.

Just one thing please, Mr Barry M.  Your naming convention is kinda non-descript.  Pale Blue? How about Azure Blue or You Blue Me Away (if we're going gangsta, OPI style).  If you're going to be completely non-descript about your naming convention then I am 'Distinctly unimpressed with the Pale Blue name'.






Nails featured in this review were provided courtesy of Nailene.  For more information on YGN's Disclosure Policy, please click here.

Barry M - Mint Green

Are you sick of mint greens as yet?

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Well too bad cos here's another one!

Barry M's Mint Green is a lovely - if very dupeable - gelati-esque green.  Although it looked like it was going to be a right royal pain in the a** in the bottle, it actually glided on very easily and was opaque in two coats.  Yay for lazy manicures!

As I mentioned, this is infinitely dupeable.  I'm sorry I haven't done a side by side here but it's been a rough week.  I'm doing my job plus my colleague's job whilst she is on extended leave and it's been totally crazy!  I've literally been coming home, eating dinner, writing a post and then going to bed.  Nuts.  Hopefully things will calm down next week.

Barry M - Turquoise

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BarryM really need to come up with better names for their lacquers.

Sure, the names are accurate but they are also hella boring.

I mean, Turquoise?  Really?  I'm going to rename this Frilly French Knickers.

Turqoise FFK is a lovely lacquer that glides on easily and is opaque in two coats.  Barry M have really nailed their creme formula so I find I can never go wrong with these.  The finish is always gorgeous and I find I rarely have to do a clean up.

My lovely mother in law has offered to get me some more Barry M lacquers.  So, here's a request to the English gals.... what's your favourite Barry M's?  Which ones would you recommend?

Barry M - Bright Purple + Failed Dupe Attempt

 

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I don't know how long ago it was that Leanne sent me this.  It might have been last millenium.

Barry M's Bright Purple does not quite live up to its name.  Sure, it's a purple.  But it's not what I call a bright purple.  More of a royal purple.  A super sexy royal purple.

Like all Barry M cremes, this is a dream to work with.  Opaque in two coats, creamy without being too thick, and dries to a high shine.  Ticks all my boxes and then some.

But the fun does not stop there.  I tried to use this lacquer in a failed attempt to recreate Color Club's Wild at Heart.  Click on the jump to see more.

Barry M - Grey

Is it just me or does anyone else think that 2010 is the year of grey?

I just can't get enough of greys.  They are conservative enough for me to wear to work, but they make a novel change to the pinks, taupes and browns I typically favour.

Don't even mention the new Nubar Fortress Collection because I will have skin failure if you do.  That's how much I want that collection.

Barry M's Grey is a lacquer bought for me by my 'sister', Leanne.

This is a lovely, creamy dark grey.

The formula is fab.  You can get away with one coat but I did two because I like symmetry.  And it dries to a high shine.  This swatch is without a top coat.

Are you guys into greys as well?  Which is your favourite.

Barry M - Violet Gold

The final lacquer I'm trying this week was the lacquer that, when I first saw it, I could not take my eyes off it.  I still can't.

I apologise in advance because my photo just does not do justice to Barry M's Violet Gold.

This is a duochrome violet and gold.  In the bottle, and on the nail, this is just an amazing and magical lacquer.

It glides on beautifully with no streaks, dries superfast and the swirls of violet and gold in the bottle play out beautifully on the nail.

The only problem I had with this was bubbles.  If you look at my ring finger, you'll see five clear bubbles sitting there.  I've applied this three times now and, every single time, it bubbles.  Usually localised in a single spot on the nail, but still bubbles.

I'd still wear this, though, just because of the colour.  It really is stunning.

Barry M - Racing Green

When I saw Barry M's Racing Green, I literally squealed with delight.  In the bottle, this looked glorious.

This is a very deep green with hints of gold - yes, gold, you don't see that overly often - shimmer.  If you look closely at my ring finger, you'll see the shimmer coming through.

They key with this lacquer is patience.  The first coat looks like dirty green tea.  I nearly cried at the thought that this lacquer, so beautiful in the bottle, might look catastrophic on the nail.

All was forgiven with the second coat, although the swatch on the right is three coats because I had a smudge incident and needed to go over the nails one more time.

This was my first Barry M and what a revelation.  The formula is lovely, the colour is sublime and the quality is exceptional.  Leanne, I send you a thousand virtual kisses for picking this colour for me.  I love it.