Barry M Summer Matte Collection

Hello everyone! An exciting package arrived in the post on Friday – I wasn’t expecting anything so I was super happy to see that Barry M had sent me the new Summer Matte collection to show you all! They sent me some other bits and bobs which I’ll be showing you in the coming days so keep an eye out! 😉

I’m the first to admit that I wasn’t a massive fan of the first Matte collection by Barry M, as the neutral-ish colours were very clashy with my skin tone (with the exception of Vanilla) and I found them all to be very thick. So I was intrigued to try these to see if the formula would be better… and if they would look nicer on me! So – grab a tea or coffee for this one, there are six shades and I’ve included two comparisons too 🙂

Rhossili
I wanted to start with my favourite because O.M.G. – I think this is my perfect berry pink! I’ve been searching a long time for you, Rhossili! It’s a gorgeous purpley-pink deep magenta creme. The finish is matte but it’s still reflective so shines in quite a dull way (does that make sense?) and almost looks a little grainy up close. This was common with all of the Matte polishes from the collection, but it’s not something that bothers me personally.

Application: The formula was a lovely thin but opaque one – application was easy and the polish was opaque at 2 coats. It takes a good 2-3 minutes for the matte finish to show, which I find is a good indicator for how dry it is. It dries quickly.

Miami
This is definitely my second favourite. It’s a lovely light bright pink creme and it’s definitely unique to my collection. If you love pink then you NEED this. It’s flattering even on my pale skin and I think it would look fantastic on tanned or darker skin – especially on toes!

Application: The formula was thin but a little streaky – I used 3 thin coats for opacity but you can get away with 2 if you’re careful. It dries quickly, so the third coat isn’t a problem.

Malibu
This is Andy’s favourite because it’s his favourite colour in the world! I have to admit I’m a big fan too. It’s a lovely bright cyan blue creme – and yes I have done a comparison with the Barry M Cyan Blue below! 🙂 I really love how this colour looks in matte!

Application: The polish has a lovely formula and it’s virtually opaque at 1 coat – I used 2 coats just to ensure it was all even. It dries quickly. I would definitely recommend using a basecoat with this to prevent any staining.

Verdict is that they are VERY similar – Cyan Blue is perhaps a shade lighter (more visible in person) but I’d say if you already own Cyan Blue and a matte topcoat you won’t need both. The matte topcoat I used is actually a new release from Barry M too, which I’ll be showing you later in the week 🙂

I also thought it was interesting to compare the finish of a matte topcoat with that of the Matte polishes – they are quite different. The Matte polishes are somehow more shiny though still matte, while the matte topcoat is more smoky and like a frosted glaze. I like both!

Waikiki
Waikiki is a green-toned dark chartreuse creme. This one is one of those colours that is definitely either love or hate – personally I love it on camera but hate it on my own nails! I think it’s a great colour for nail art but it does clash with my pink-toned skin. I know plenty of ladies who do love this kind of colour though! It’s definitely an eye-catcher for summer, either way!

Application: This one has a lovely formula and is totally opaque in 2 coats. It dries quickly too.

Cancun
This is a lovely bright teal creme. It was hard to photograph – it’s brighter in person than in this photo, but the colour is accurate… I don’t know how to describe it but it’s an eye-catching pop of colour! You will see what I mean when you see it in the shop… 😉 I really love this one too, it’s my other favourite along with Rhossili and Miami.

Application: This has a nice formula – not too thick, however I did find it was easy to flood my cuticles with this one. It’s totally opaque in 2 coats, and dries quickly. As with Malibu, I would definitely recommend using a basecoat with this to prevent any staining.

I keep thinking that Barry M are bringing out similar colours but when I get them up close to one another like this, it’s clear they are different! No dupes here. (For reference these are all polishes by Barry M).

Copa Cabana
I wasn’t expecting to like this polish as much as I do – I thought it’d be just another red – I was wrong! This is a gorgeous bright corally-red creme and it’s really really really bright!! If you like bright colour this is definitely one for you. I only thought this evening that I should have compared it with Barry M Passion Fruit Gelly – they are pretty similar, but Passion Fruit is a little more orangey. If you want a comparison let me know! 🙂

Application: Lovely formula on this one too – really smooth and easy to apply! Opaque in 2 coats. It dries quickly too 🙂

Overall I am super impressed with this collection – I admit I was expecting more gloopy, thick polishes but Barry M have outdone themselves on formula for the entire collection! The only colour I wouldn’t wear regularly is Waikiki but I still love it on camera. I also love the summery names, and I am definitely loving brights at the moment so I’m very very happy with this lot 🙂

What do you think of these? They are launching in Superdrug on 4th June and in Boots on 11th June, so keep an eye out! They will be a very affordable £3.99 each 🙂 Will you be picking some up? If so which ones? My top two are Rhossili and Miami 🙂

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