I saw these Barry M Effects nail paints on offer in Superdrug and I just had to have it (and three other regular Barry M colours..ahem ;) ). I bought it for £3.99, a £1 saving on the RRP of £4.99 for a 10ml bottle. My inner vamp has been dulled somewhat by the birth of my lovely daughter so I went for a lovely cornflower blue colour, shade 315.

Now, Barry M colours are brilliant and I have been using them for years - they give a gorgeous even thick colour with longevity and no chipping, whether in matte or gloss. I love Leighton Denny nail polishes, and I'd say that Barry M are similar (even down to the style of bottle) at a fraction of the price.

You need to use a base coat of any colour for the nail effects to work, so I went for a complimenting aqua blue and let it dry fully. Then all you need to do is paint on one good coat of the Nail Effects and watch it do it's magic in about ten seconds! What you get is a shattered effect, with the top coat breaking up into a crackle topcoat, showing the coloured paint underneath. It looks fab!

It's so easy to do and once completed it looks like a proper nail art job. The Nail Effects paint can dry a bit matte looking, so for longevity I'd paint on a glossy clear topcoat. The amount of people that asked me where I had my nails done... result!

There are loads of different colours in the range, the black will give you a more animal print look, the blue I have gives a bit of an 80s edge, and the white would be ideal for clubbing. Overall I can't fault these fun nail polishes - they're so versatile, and as you only need one coat, will last me months and months. I would never bother to go to a salon for a proper nail art session, or use false nails, but this nail polish is so effective and so easy to use I will certainly be using it again - and putting it on my toe nails for an easy nail art look on my toes, for when I go away on holiday.

Another great thing about the Barry M Nail Effects paint is that it lasts and lasts - five days later and it was still as good as new and would have lasted me even longer had I not got a bit bored and removed it just to paint my nails another colour! I can't recommend them enough - if the full nail is a bit much for you these can also be used on the tips, or, a new nail style, on a 'feature nail' (usually the ring finger).

A little set of these would make the perfect gift, too! I will certainly be treating myself to a few more of these. I'm so glad I bought one - the compliments made my day and I recommended it to all who commented on my nails - and I'm recommending it to all my review readers, too. A lovely pick me up for pretty nail fans!