As a kid who could barely muster enough coordination for one stroke of finger paint, nail-polish cheats were the kind of thing I dreamed about. I’ve patiently been waiting for someone to invent a machine that allows you instant nail-colour changes at the flick of a button, but until that we have this, nail art’s latest innovation, to get us through. It’s fairly straightforward but, annoyingly, you still have to use a base and top coat for it to stay on. It’s great for going straight from the office to a party, and definitely a decent stocking filler – but do it in the bathroom or on a newspaper because there is going to be a lot of mess. The best thing is that unlike regular nail polish, this stuff washes off your skin instantly, so you can be as messy as you like – but wait for a few minutes for the polish to dry first.
Work Christmas parties are notoriously tense, mainly because you have about seven minutes to get ready in the office loo before your do. Thanks then to Nails Inc, which has created Paint Can, the “world’s first ever spray-on home manicure”. The main shtick is that it dries quicker than graffiti or regular nail varnish. And it’s impossible to screw up. You simply spray it all over your hands and wash the rest off. Not sure about the name of this shade – Hoxton Market – but Alexa Chung rates it, so there must be something in it.
