Magnetized

Have you guys seen magnetic nail polish? The only company that sells it in the US (so far) is Nails Inc., and while their version is cool, it is also $16. And I am cheap.

I figured out at some point before our trip that magnetic polish is widely available via drugstore (ahem, CHEMIST) brands in the UK, and so magnetic polish became subject #1 on my trip purchase wishlist.

I picked up a bottle by 17 at Boots in a black/silver shade called Gunmetal. At 6 Pounds w/ a 3 for 2 offer, I'm kicking myself for not having bought every shade they have (although I did get 2 other rad products that are in heavy rotation, so just as well I suppose). This stuff is AWESOME.

You get such a huge effect payoff for truly minimal effort. Using magnetic polish takes just a few minutes more than using regular polish . . . you lay down a base of polish without using the magnet, then on coat two you hover the magnet over each freshly painted nail for 10-15 seconds. The magnet hovering process adds 2-3 minutes to the overall manicure time, but I find this polish to be extremely quick drying, which evens things out time wise in the end.

This polish benefits quite a bit from a topcoat, which deepens the black areas of the nail and adds a ton of shine. It is best to wait as long as possible between magentizing and top-coating, in order to preserve the integrity of the design. I've been painting at night then top-coating in the morning, which has worked well.

Four gold stars, Boots 17. I can't wait for magnetic polish to become a fixture in the US!