First impressions of Victoria, Victoria Beckham for Nails Inc? White hot. The packaging is VB through and through – simple, elegant, no-fuss, understated luxury. There are two shades of Victoria Beckham polish to choose from (Judo Red and Bamboo White), which come set in a square white box featuring the understated VVB and Nails Inc logos. The polishes come in the same square bottles as other Nails Inc polishes, but the branding is higher end and the cap heavier, again, giving a real luxurious feel to the product. Judo Red comes in a white bottle, Bamboo White in black, but each colour is visible through the transparent glass sides; the overall effect is that of a premium beauty product rather than a generic commercial collaboration.
In addition, the colours are great; Judo Red is an orange based red, a hue guaranteed to freshen up your spring wardrobe and yet is a classic-in-the-making (should it be continued), while Bamboo White is crying out for tanned limbs, speckled with sand after lazing around on a hot beach somewhere exotic. Both colours are instant go-to shades, wearable at any time, with any outfit, by any woman. The pared down colour range makes the VVB for Nails Inc collaboration even more chic – less is more, as they say.
However, despite the great first impression, less than 24 hours after applying Judo Red my polish was chipped. Not good. I did use a base coat and a top coat, plus two coats of polish, and I sat for a good thirty minutes to let it dry. But, alas, it didn’t last. However, that said, I had Judo Red applied professionally to my toes at the Harvey Nichols Nails Inc nail bar in Edinburgh and, two weeks later, it was still in tact. The only difference between fingers and toes was that the (professional) therapist used only Nails Inc products; this is likely to have made a difference to the longevity of the polish because the products are developed to work with each other, whereas my base and top coats are by completely different brands. However, I often use my base/top coats with other Nails Inc polishes, which lasts for days. On the plus side, the polish is a good texture and – thanks to the slightly curved brush – is easy to apply in a precise and quick motion. To test the VVB for Nails Inc range properly, I later tried out the Bamboo White but suffered the same problem of an unsightly chip just one day later – even with three coats of colour.
I love the VB for Nails Inc collection, but I wasn’t impressed with the quality of the product – especially for the price (£25 each). I’d recommend it to fashion lovers and people who change their nail colour every day, or would suggest you visit the Nails Inc Champagne Nail Bar to get the very best application.
Five out of ten.
