2013 is set to be another big year for textured nails, and the latest trend is the unusual leather look.  Nails Inc recently launched their Bling It On Leather & Skulls set, and it has been causing a big buzz in the world of beauty.  I am always keen to try out new and exciting nail effects and I was really intrigued by this when I first heard about it, so I was very pleased to be sent a set to review, from lookfantastic.com.

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Bling It On Leather is available in Black or Tan (which is the shade I have), and the set contains a 10ml bottle of Leather Effect polish, four skull embellishments, a 3g bottle of nail glue and a cuticle stick – everything you need to create gorgeous, stand-out nails!

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The nail polish shade in the tan set is called Soho Mews, and is a lovely caramel brown colour, tinged with orange.  The polish itself is very creamy and highly pigmented, and I found it only took one coat to achieve an opaque, even finish.  However, I applied two coats as the instructions suggest.  Getting the leather look is very simple, as the polish does all the work for you.  Like a crackle varnish, Leather Effect goes on glossy, and before your eyes it develops a leathery textured, matte finish in just seconds.  Once the effect has formed, the polish is also completely dry, which is really quite impressive.

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If you wanted to dress the Leather Look down for work or day wear you could stop there, but the set also contains four skulls which would be perfect for an evening look.  The skull embellishments are made of a gold coloured metal and are studded with tiny crystal gems.  They’re actually surprisingly detailed and beautiful for a nail embellishment, and give the leather effect a glamorous yet rocky edge.  The instructions say to pick the skulls up with tweezers, before applying a small amount of the glue to the corners and centre of the skull before placing it on to your chosen nail.  If you’re careful, you won’t make a mess with the glue, and the skull will stay put.  If you’re extra careful, you can remove the skull before taking the varnish off and use it again!

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The final look you get with the leather polish and skulls is one of beauty.  If, like me, you do everything in your power to keep your newly painted nails glossy and smudge-free, the Leather Effect may take some getting used to, but it really does look like leather and the colour is stunning!  Here are two swatch photos to show you how fabulous this look is.

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Without skull, to show the Leather Effect.

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With skull.

The only downside to the Leather Effect is that it soon chips.  To keep the matte finish I didn’t apply a top coat, and within 24 hours the varnish had chipped.  However, if you change your varnish regularly this shouldn’t be much of an issue, and if you’re wearing it for a night out then chances are you’ll be removing it within a day anyway.

If you like the look of Nails Inc Bling It On Leather & Skulls, you can order it now for £19 (with FREE worldwide delivery) from LookFantastic, in the classy shade of black – a worthy investment for fans of chic nails and current trends!  LookFantastic also stock many other nail brands, including O.P.I, Essie and Butter London.  To view their full range, visit here!

Naomi x

*This Nails Inc Bling It On Leather & Skulls set was sent to me by lookfantastic.com for review purposes.  All opinions expressed in this post are honest and my own.*